India and Afghanistan ready to combat the terrorism together
Sudhir Chadda
Aug. 28, 2005

India and Afghanistan old friends are ready to show the world that they can share prosperity. Afghanistan and India vowed to work together against terrorism.

According to media reports, India today offered all possible assistance to Afghanistan in effectively dealing with terrorism and rebuilding the war-ravaged country.

"We have discussed terrorist threat worldwide as also in Afghanistan and in India. There is convergence of views that terrorism poses a threat anywhere and everywhere and we have to deal together," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said at a joint press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai after their one-to-one and delegation-level talks here.

Singh, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Kabul in 29 years, the last being Indira Gandhi in 1976, said "it is for the Government and people of Afghanistan to indicate what type of assistance they want. We are ready to give it."

On the regrouping of Taliban in Afghanistan, Karzai asserted that terrorist activities would not deter people from participating in the upcoming Parliamentary elections.

"Terrorism had come to Afghanistan three-and-a-half years ago. With the help of the international community and the people of Afghanistan, it was defeated and thrown out...but we see continuation of such activities and we feel very sad about it."

The Prime Minister stressed the need for joint efforts to tackle the menace of terrorism, which he said, "poses a serious threat to civilised existence. So we have an obligation to work together."

Observing that Afghanistan was moving forward to more peace and stability, Karzai said it still faced "occasions of terrorist activity."

He said Afghanistan was negotiating with "brothers in Pakistan. There has been cooperation with Pakistan in the anti-terrorist drive, which is thriving very well."

"All of us-- India, Pakistan and Afghanistan -- need to join hands to fight this global menace," Karzai said.

Asked what kind of cooperation India was offering to Afghanistan in combating terrorism, the Prime Minister said "this is an ongoing process. There are several dimensions. We have to strengthen the economy and see that the democratic process moves forward smoothly."Asked which of the two proposed gas pipelines to India -- Iran-Pakistan or Turkmenistan-Afghanistan route-- would be chosen, the Prime Minister said it was not a question of preference.

"India's needs for commercial energy are increasing at an explosive rate. Our economy is now growing at a rate of seven to eight per cent per annum. There is an enormous unmet demand for commercial energy which is going to increase.

"So, we need both the pipelines from Iran and Pakistan and Turmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan. So, it is not a question and or," Singh said.

Karzai said Afghanistan was "very keen" on participating in SAARC "so as to contribute to it and benefit from it".

The Afghan leader said he had raised this issue with Singh during the talks and "was very glad to receive an affirmative and positive response" and added that he had got a similar "positive response" from Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf earlier.

"So Afghanistan is keen on SAARC, and to be a contributor as also a receiver in that organisation," he said.

Asked if India, Pakistan and Afghanistan could work together for development of the region, Singh said "I pledge myself to work whole-heartedly with President Karzai and for that matter with President Musharraf and other like-minded persons to realise a grand vision."

The Prime Minister said he was "very much hopeful" that all countries of the region will have the "will, vision and wisdom to realise a common shared destiny of the people" of this region.

"I mentioned to President Karzai the enormous possibility of cooperation to ensure that poverty, illness and disease do not have to be the inevitable lot of a majority of people of this region," Singh said.

Karzai said Afghanistan was very happy to see a dialogue for better relation between India and Pakistan and noted that Afghanistan was directly affected by this friendship between the two countries as it is a member of the committee of nations in this part of the world.

He said the three countries jointly can have a "massive impact" on the economy of this region and also worldwide.

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