Karzai-PM meet focuses on terror

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Monday tried to dispel Indian concerns over Taliban reintegration, even as New Delhi expressed worries over the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan having a direct bearing on India's national security. A HT report.

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Monday tried to dispel Indian concerns over Taliban reintegration, even as New Delhi expressed worries over the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan having a direct bearing on India's national security.

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India also assured of its support in the reconstruction of Afghanistan during the meeting between Karzai and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

New Delhi has maintained that the process of reintegration should be not be orchestrated externally.

The issue of terrorism was discussed at length, sources said. India drew his attention to the fact that Taliban-trained terror outfits continue to be a threat to the country's security. Indian officials have been pointing out that some of the Mumbai attackers were trained in Afghanistan to highlight the seriousness of the issue.

"We discussed the issue of terrorism, which threatens our region. President Karzai assured me that the government of Afghanistan will take all possible measures for the security of Indians in Afghanistan," Singh said.

Karzai sought to draw a distinction between the good and bad Taliban. New Delhi, however, feels such an approach is dangerous.

"We discussed the upcoming Afghanistan Peace Consultations which should comprise people of Afghanistan, those from all walks of life to advise on how to move forward for reintegration and reconciliation of those elements of Taliban and others who have accepted the Constitution and who are not part of the Al Qaeda or any terrorist network," Karzai said.

The Afghanistan President, who is in India for on a day, invited Singh to visit his country.

Karzai also asked the Prime Minister to send representatives to the forthcoming conference on Afghanistan in Kabul, which is a follow-up of the London conference on the same issue held in January.

With PTI inputs