EAM calls for durable peace in Afghan

New Delhi, Mar 30 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday stressed on the need to promote durable peace in Afghanistan for shared interests of countries in the Heart of Asia region.

Speaking at the 9th Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference in Dushanbe in Tajikistan, Dr Jaishankar stated that for a durable peace in Afghanistan, what we need is a genuine ‘double peace’, that is, peace within Afghanistan and peace around Afghanistan.

It requires harmonising the interests of all, both within and around that country. India has been supportive of all the efforts being made to accelerate the dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban, including intra-Afghan negotiations, he tweeted.

He said if the peace process is to be successful, then it is necessary to ensure that the negotiating parties continue to engage in good faith, with a serious commitment towards reaching a political solution.

The last few months have also witnessed an escalation in targeted killings of civil society. 2020 sadly marked a 45 percent increase in civilian casualties in Afghanistan over 2019. 2021 does not look very much better. The continued involvement of foreign fighters in Afghanistan is particularly disturbing. Heart of Asia members and supporting countries should, therefore, make it a priority to press for an immediate reduction in violence leading to a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Dr Jaishankar said Afghanistan can overcome decades of conflict only if we stay true to principles that Heart of Asia has long embodied. Collective success may not be easy but the alternative is only collective failure.

He assured that India will continue to work on improving Afghanistan’s connectivity with the outside world. Projects like the Chabahar Port in Iran and the dedicated Air Freight Corridor between the cities of India and Afghanistan are part of the efforts.

‘Our development partnership of USD 3 billion, including more than 550 Community Development Projects covering all 34 provinces, is aimed at making Afghanistan a self-sustaining nation. The promise of more drinking water to Kabul is the latest in that list’, he said.

The Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process, held annually since 2011, gathers Afghanistan’s neighbors and other regional powers and is aimed at stabilising the situation in Afghanistan through cooperation with Kabul.

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