All out support to Kabul: Delhi
By Iftikhar Gilani
NEW DELHI: India offered complete support to Afghanistan on Friday including strengthening her security capabilities, effectively dealing with the “newly-emerging threat” from Taliban and funding developmental projects worth US$50 million in the war-ravaged country.
Briefing reporters on Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s visit to Kabul on Sunday, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said New Delhi was keen to develop trade with Afghanistan and expand reconstruction work in the country. Singh, who will be the first prime minister to visit Afghanistan in 29 years, will hold talks with President Hamid Karzai and other leaders. He is also accompanied by Rahul Gandhi, son of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
“We want Afghanistan to emerge as a democratic, independent, sovereign country in full mastery of its own destiny,” Saran said. “It is in our interest to ensure that Afghanistan does not once again become a kind of a centre of extremism or terrorism. Anything that threatens Afghanistan’s stability is a matter of concern for us,” he said.
The Indian foreign secretary claimed that Taliban fighters were operating from Pakistan. “Insurgents are coming in from Pakistan and indulging in violent acts in Afghanistan,” he said. “We have offered our full support to Afghanistan in dealing with this newly-emerging threat to their political stability.”
The prime minister during his two-day tour will announce developmental projects worth US $50 million, along with expansion of ongoing programmes and scholarships to take assistance to a higher level, Saran said. India is already funding reconstruction projects worth US $500 million, and is keen to help Afghanistan in development of its economy, infrastructure and human resource, the foreign secretary said.
Referring to cooperation with Afghanistan in security, Saran said India had already trained 800 Afghans in policing besides supplying 300 vehicles for use by its army.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...7-8-2005_pg7_7
By Iftikhar Gilani
NEW DELHI: India offered complete support to Afghanistan on Friday including strengthening her security capabilities, effectively dealing with the “newly-emerging threat” from Taliban and funding developmental projects worth US$50 million in the war-ravaged country.
Briefing reporters on Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s visit to Kabul on Sunday, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said New Delhi was keen to develop trade with Afghanistan and expand reconstruction work in the country. Singh, who will be the first prime minister to visit Afghanistan in 29 years, will hold talks with President Hamid Karzai and other leaders. He is also accompanied by Rahul Gandhi, son of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
“We want Afghanistan to emerge as a democratic, independent, sovereign country in full mastery of its own destiny,” Saran said. “It is in our interest to ensure that Afghanistan does not once again become a kind of a centre of extremism or terrorism. Anything that threatens Afghanistan’s stability is a matter of concern for us,” he said.
The Indian foreign secretary claimed that Taliban fighters were operating from Pakistan. “Insurgents are coming in from Pakistan and indulging in violent acts in Afghanistan,” he said. “We have offered our full support to Afghanistan in dealing with this newly-emerging threat to their political stability.”
The prime minister during his two-day tour will announce developmental projects worth US $50 million, along with expansion of ongoing programmes and scholarships to take assistance to a higher level, Saran said. India is already funding reconstruction projects worth US $500 million, and is keen to help Afghanistan in development of its economy, infrastructure and human resource, the foreign secretary said.
Referring to cooperation with Afghanistan in security, Saran said India had already trained 800 Afghans in policing besides supplying 300 vehicles for use by its army.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...7-8-2005_pg7_7
To show solidarity with the Afghan people and to feel the environment first hand, Manmohan Singh, the Indian Prime Minister is going to be the first leader of any nation to stay overnight at the capital of Afghanistan.
He does show guts to do so but then Sikhs are brave!
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