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India attends Tashkent meet on Afghanistan, discuss ways to launch dialogue
The main goal of the conference is to develop proposals for an effective dialogue by the world community to promote stability and security in Afghanistan
India on Monday sent the external affairs ministry’s point person for Afghanistan to a two-day conference being hosted by Uzbekistan to discuss ways to launch a dialogue by the international community for security and economic development in the war-torn country.
The Indian team attending the international conference on “Afghanistan: Security and Economic Development”, which began in Tashkent on Monday, was led by JP Singh, the joint secretary for the crucial Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the ministry, people familiar with the matter said.
The Taliban have sent a delegation led by acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to the conference. Singh has played a crucial role in ongoing contacts with the Taliban setup in Kabul and met Muttaqi when he visited the Afghan capital in June.
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Several countries have sent special representatives for Afghanistan to the conference in Tashkent, which will discuss the socio-economic reconstruction of Afghanistan and implementation of infrastructure and humanitarian projects in order to usher in peace and stability.
The main goal of the conference is to develop proposals for an effective dialogue by the world community to promote stability, security, and Afghanistan’s integration into regional cooperation processes. It will also discuss ways to forge a common position in countering international terrorism and set up a dialogue between the Taliban regime and authorities in neighbouring countries.
The countries attending the conference are also looking to the Taliban setup to deliver on its commitments to the international community, including steps to prevent the use of Afghan soil by terror groups against the security interests of neighbouring states and the formation of an inclusive government that ensures the human rights of all sections of society, especially women and ethnic and religious groups.
After withdrawing all its officials from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover in August last year, India re-established a diplomatic presence in the country with the deployment of a “technical team” at the embassy in Kabul on June 23. Contacts with the Taliban – both behind the scenes and formal meetings – paved the way for the return of the Indian officials.
