Thursday, 11 November 2021 | PNS | New Delhi
Host India, 7 nations seek open, inclusive Govt in Kabul
Determined to ensure a stable Afghanistan, India and some other countries on Wednesday vowed to work for ensuring that Afghanistan did not become a safe haven for global terrorism. They also favoured the formation of an open and inclusive Government in Kabul.
Giving these assurances in a joint statement the ‘Delhi Declaration,’ countries including India, Iran, Russia and five Central Asian nations also expressed concern over the deteriorating socio-economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and underlined the need to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people. The Central Asian countries that attended the dialogue are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
The participating countries also called for a collective cooperation against the menace of radicalisation, extremism, separatism and drug trafficking in the region.
The National Security Advisors (NSAs) later called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Indian NSA Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla also joined the security officials in their meeting with the Prime Minister. Modi was apprised about the discussions at the ‘Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan’ by the security officials, sources said.
The important ‘Delhi Declaration,’ came after a day-long brain storming session here on Wednesday between the NSAs of seven countries. Hosted by Doval, the ‘Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan’ reviewed the situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the country.
It was the Third Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan. Iran hosted the event in 2018 and 2019. However, the latest conclave was delayed due to the ongoing corona pandemic.
The top-ranking participants in the declaration reaffirmed that
Afghan territory should not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing terrorist activities.
Voicing concern over the present socio-economic situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban took control in August, the security officials said humanitarian assistance should be provided in an unimpeded, direct and assured manner to Afghanistan and the assistance must be distributed within the country in a non-discriminatory manner across all sections of Afghan society.
Inaugurating the high-profile event, Doval said the recent developments in that country have important implications not only for the Afghan people but also for the region.
Doval said it is time for closer consultations, greater cooperation and coordination among the regional countries to deal with the challenges emanating from Afghanistan.
“We all have been keenly watching the developments in that country.
These have important implications not only for the people of Afghanistan but also for its neighbours and the region,” Doval said.
“This is the time for close consultation among us, greater cooperation and interaction and coordination among the regional countries,” he said.
The declaration said the officials reiterated strong support for a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan while emphasising the respect for sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and non-interference in its internal affairs.
It said they also expressed deep concern over the suffering of the
Afghan people due to the security situation there and condemned the terrorist attacks in Kunduz, Kandahar and Kabul. They specifically emphasised that Afghan territory should not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing any terrorist acts.
The declaration said the officials condemned in the strongest terms all terrorist activities and reaffirmed their firm commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms including its financing.
It also referred to the need for dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and countering radicalisation to ensure that Afghanistan does not become a safe haven for global terrorism.
Pitching for an open Government there, the NSAs stressed the necessity of forming a truly inclusive Government that represents the will of all the people of Afghanistan and has representation from all sections of their society, including major ethnopolitical forces in the country.
The declaration said the inclusion of all sections of the society in the administrative and political structure is imperative for the successful national reconciliation process in the country.
Mentioning the relevant UN resolutions on Afghanistan, the participants noted that the UN has a central role to play in that country and that its continued presence there must be preserved.
The NSAs also emphasised the importance of ensuring that the fundamental rights of women, children and minority communities are not violated.
They also reiterated their commitment to provide assistance to Afghanistan to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and stressed the importance of their dialogue and agreed to remain engaged with each other in the future.
