KABUL, Aug 28: Peace between India and Pakistan is vital for the region, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Sunday, as he called for the three countries to work together to defeat terrorism.
Mr Karzai discussed regional security and terrorism with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who arrived in Afghanistan earlier on Sunday, the first visit to Afghanistan by an Indian prime minister in nearly 30 years.
“Afghanistan is very happy to see a dialogue for better relations between India and Pakistan. Afghanistan is directly (influenced) by friendship between the two countries,” Mr Karzai told a joint news conference with Mr Singh.
“The improvement of relations between India and Pakistan are such a necessity for the people of this whole region that overtakes every other consideration,” he said.
MASSIVE IMPACT: Mr Singh said India and Afghanistan had an obligation to work together to deal with the menace of terrorism. Mr Karzai said all countries in the region, including Pakistan, had to cooperate.
“Our brothers in Pakistan, we are negotiating with them, we are in contact with them,” Mr Karzai said.
“There has been cooperation from Pakistan in the anti-terrorist drive and relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are thriving very, very well.”
Mr Singh spoke of a vision of eliminating poverty and said India was ready to help Afghanistan, and work with Pakistan.
“As far as India is concerned, I pledge myself to work whole-heartedly with President Karzai, and for that matter with President Musharraf ... to realise this grand vision,” Mr Singh said.
India is involved in training Afghan police and diplomats, building roads, schools, hospitals and power lines, digging wells and supporting trade and services as Afghanistan makes a slow recovery from two decades of conflict.
Mr Singh pledged another $50 million in assistance on Sunday. He will on Monday take part in the groundbreaking for a new Afghan parliament building, being built with Indian assistance.
Mr Karzai said he hoped better Indian-Pakistani relations would lead to the opening of transit links.
THREE ACCORDS SIGNED: India and Afghanistan on Sunday signed three accords covering areas of education, healthcare and agricultural research.
An agreement in the field of healthcare and medicinal sciences and two memorandamsa of understanding on small development projects and cooperation in agricultural research and education were signed in the presence of Prime Minister Singh and Mr Karzai after their talks, said news report reaching here.
According to the agreement in the field of healthcare and medicinal sciences, India would help the war-ravaged country in programmes relating to family welfare, public health and hospitals.
Indian analysts have said the trip provided a chance to blunt the influence of Pakistan.
India has pledged $500 million in aid to Kabul since 2002 and Singh said the country’s recovery was of political and strategic interest to India, as well as the region.
“The emergence of a moderate, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan is essential for peace and stability in the region as a whole,” he said.
Indian has helped modernise the Afghan army and police since 2003, and will offer an additional 500 university scholarships for students and a further 500 fellowships for Afghan men and women, the joint statement said.
Meanwhile Afghanistan said India and Pakistan had responded positively to its desire for becoming a member of Saarc. Observing that Kabul was “keen” to join the regional grouping, Mr Karzai said he had raised the topic with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and got an “affirmative and positive response”, adding “so Afghanistan is keen on Saarc, and to be a contributor as also a receiver in that organisation,” he said.—Agencies
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