Afghan FM, India’s NSA discuss bilateral, regional cooperation

Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Haneef Atmar on Tuesday met with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and discussed enhanced bilateral and regional cooperation.

Atmar, who was on a three-day visit to New Delhi in respect of achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan, took to Twitter after the meeting and said that both sides had held discussions in political, security, and economic spheres while addressing common security challenges.

“Great to meet with Indian NSA my dear friend Ajit Doval today, they both had a great discussion on their cooperations in political, security & economic spheres.

“We stressed the need for enhanced bilateral & regional coop on addressing common security challenges & achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan,’’ he tweeted.

Earlier, Atmar held talks with Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on various issues, including the expansion of bilateral relations and the peace process in Afghanistan.

He said the wide range of issues to be discussed with the Indian government included the international efforts to unblock the Afghan peace process in Doha and briefed Jaishankar on the results of last week’s Moscow conference on Afghanistan.

The two sides reviewed the Troika Peace Meeting in Moscow and assessed the final declaration of the meeting as positive for strengthening and advancing the peace process.

India stated its readiness to participate in regional conferences on peace and development in Afghanistan, including the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process in Tajikistan and Peace Talks in Turkey, read the statement

Last week, U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin had visited India and then gone on to Afghanistan.

The U.S. administration has to decide on the future course of action in Afghanistan, especially on whether all U.S. troops would be withdrawn by May, as agreed during the term of Donald Trump.

Atmar also thanked and appreciated India’s effort for providing 3 billion dollars for economic and development assistance to Afghanistan in the past two decades.

He also expressed his gratitude to India for the delivery of 500,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine, and for providing 75,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan.

Talking about the Shatoot Dam, Atmar lauded India’s commitment and cooperation for signing a Memorandum of Understanding for its construction.