NEW DELHI : Dr Abdullah Abdullah, Afghanistan’s top peace negotiator with Taliban, “successfully” concluded his four-day official visit to India during which he apprised the Indian government of progress on the ongoing intra-Afghan peace process and discussed bilateral, regional and international matters.
Dr Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR), thanked the “neighbours of Afghanistan” for expressing their full support for the Afghan peace process.
He said regional consensus and cooperation is pivotal for peace in Afghanistan.
“Successfully concluded a four days official visit to India. I would like to thank excellencies the PM, the External Affairs Minister, the NSA, the Govt., & people of India for their warm welcome & hospitality. I thank the neighbors of Afghanistan for expressing their full support for the Afghan Peace Process. Regional consensus, & cooperation is pivotal for peace in our country,” Dr Abdullah Abdullah said after concluding his visit.
The Afghan leader who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar during the visit held wide-ranging discussions with them including the Afghan Peace Process.
The Prime Minister assured him of India’s continued support to the Afghan peace process and long-term commitment to further deepening historic ties between the two countries in keeping with New Delhi’s Neighbourhood First Policy.
The Prime Minister reiterated India’s commitment to sustainable peace and prosperity in Afghanistan and welcomed efforts towards a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in the war-ravaged country. The two leaders discussed issues of bilateral and regional interest. Dr. Abdullah Abdullah briefed the Prime Minster on the Afghan peace process and the ongoing talks in Doha. “Bilateral issues, including India’s development cooperation with Afghanistan, were discussed”, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said. The Afghan leader appreciated India’s developmental commitment of 3 billion US Dollar projects which, he said, are benefiting Afghans in all 34 provinces. “Pleased to meet Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of Republic of India. In our friendly discussion we took stock of the latest developments on the Afghan peace process, the talks in Doha and India’s support for the peace efforts. The Prime Minister assured me of India’s continued support for the peace process and Afghanistan. I thanked him and the people of India for the invitation and generous hospitality. I also thanked India for its principled position on the Afghanistan peace process,” he said after the meeting with the Prime Minister.
During his talks with the National Security Advisor on Wednesday, Mr Doval conveyed to him India’s support for an independent, democratic, sovereign and peaceful Afghanistan where no terrorists can operate. Mr Doval also assured Dr Abdullah Abdullah of India’s full support for the Afghan peace efforts and any peace settlement acceptable to Afghans.
“Had a constructive discussion with HE Ajit Doval, the NSA of India. We discussed the Afghan peace process and the talks in Doha. He assured me of India’s full support for the peace efforts, & that any peace settlement acceptable to Afghans, will have the support of India. He (Mr Doval) further stated that India is in favour of an independent, democratic, sovereign and peaceful Afghanistan where no terrorists can operate,” Dr Abdullah Abdullah said.
During his meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Friday, he discussed bilateral, regional and international issues. This was his first visit to India as HCNR Chairman, representing the Afghan government in talks with the Taliban which began last month.
Dr Abdullah Abdullah had met Mr J P Singh, Joint Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry, in Doha on the sidelines of the intra-Afghan peace talks on September 14 and discussed the need for regional and international efforts for the success of the peace talks.
The External Affairs Minister, who participated in the inaugural intra-Afghan peace talks through video conferencing, on September 12, highlighted India’s role as a major development partner of Afghanistan with over 400 projects completed in all the 34 provinces of Afghanistan.
He said India’s policy on Afghanistan had been consistent and any peace process must be “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled,” has to respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and preserve the progress made in the establishment of a democratic Islamic Republic in Afghanistan.
He also said the interests of minorities, women and vulnerable sections of society must be preserved and the issue of violence across the country and its neighborhood be effectively addressed.
(AGENCIES)
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