New Delhi: Reiterating its call for a ceasefire, India has highlighted the violence committed by Taliban and other terrorist groups to threaten the security and stability in Afghanistan, at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The comments come even as the past few weeks have witnessed a spate of attacks in the country including rocket attacks.
Speaking at the UNGA, India's Deputy Permanent Representative Ambassador K Nagaraj Naidu said, “It is an opportunity for the international community to express its solidarity for peace and stability in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is at a critical stage and the international community needs to send the right message to everyone concerned. That was the overarching principle that guided our approach to the Negotiations”.
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DPR @NagNaidu08 speaking in UNGA in support of Resolution on Afghanistan states:
— India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) December 10, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
~Solutions for Afghanistan must come from Afghans themselves.
~Rights of women, minorities, & vulnerable 2 be protected.
~Afghanistan should enjoy full transit rights
~Zero tolerance of terrorism pic.twitter.com/tYclaZ0NCz
">DPR @NagNaidu08 speaking in UNGA in support of Resolution on Afghanistan states:
— India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) December 10, 2020
~Solutions for Afghanistan must come from Afghans themselves.
~Rights of women, minorities, & vulnerable 2 be protected.
~Afghanistan should enjoy full transit rights
~Zero tolerance of terrorism pic.twitter.com/tYclaZ0NCzDPR @NagNaidu08 speaking in UNGA in support of Resolution on Afghanistan states:
— India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) December 10, 2020
~Solutions for Afghanistan must come from Afghans themselves.
~Rights of women, minorities, & vulnerable 2 be protected.
~Afghanistan should enjoy full transit rights
~Zero tolerance of terrorism pic.twitter.com/tYclaZ0NCz
Nobody seeks peace more than Afghan people upon whom war has been imposed for more than four decades.
All opportunities towards bringing peace and stability should be welcomed.
At the same time, we are also deeply concerned about the high levels of violence and condemn it in the strongest terms, the ambassador stated.
He further said, “It is important to address the threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan caused by the violence by the violence committed by Taliban and other terrorist groups. Peace process and violence cannot go hand in hand and we call for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire."
Notably, this year saw several developments in Afghanistan, including a pact between the Taliban and the US and the start of intra Afghan talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.
The development comes even as the US is eager to remove its troops from the country, which is seen as an opportunity by Islamabad to increase its influence in Kabul.
India in the aftermath of the fall of the Taliban in 2001 has committed over $ 3 billion towards development, reconstruction and capacity building of the country.
Both countries recently agreed on building the Shatoot dam which will provide safe drinking water to 2 million residents capital Kabul city.
New Delhi will also launch Phase-IV of High Impact Community Development Projects in Afghanistan, which includes around 150 projects worth US$ 80 million.
In his speech at the UN, Naidu pointing at Pakistan said “artificial and political obstacles of non-permit of full transit rights to Afghanistan" hindering its trade with India.
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To tide over the artificial and political obstacles of non-permit of full transit rights to Afghanistan for their products to reach India and Indian products to reach Afghanistan, we operationalised Air Freight corridors that have seen more than 1000 flights to date, he added.
He said," It is important for Afghanistan to have access to high seas for a prosperous future. The international community should work towards removal of artificial transit barriers imposed on Afghanistan and ensure all transit rights guaranteed to Afghanistan under bilateral and multilateral transit agreements without any hindrance".
Naidu strongly underlined, “The resolution before us today is the recognition that for peace and stability to prevail in Afghanistan, the peace process must not just be inclusive, Afghan-led and Afghan-owned, it must be Afghan controlled. Solutions must come from the Afghans themselves and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan must be respected”.
He also asserted that there needs to be zero tolerance of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
It is important to ensure that the territory of Afghanistan is not used by terrorist groups to threatened or attack any other country.
Through the resolution, the General Assembly pledged its continued support to the government and people of Afghanistan as they rebuild a stable, secure and economically self-sufficient State, free of terrorism, narcotics, transnational organised crime, including trafficking in persons, and corruption, and strengthen the foundations of constitutional democracy as a responsible member of the international community.
It also urged further efforts to strengthen the process of regional economic cooperation and welcomed joint efforts to enhance dialogue and collaboration.
To advance economic development across the region, including measures to facilitate regional connectivity, trade and transit, expanded consular visa cooperation and the facilitation of business travel, expand trade.
It called upon all regional countries to facilitate trade and transit.
As contiguous neighbours, New Delhi and Kabul share a natural, historical relationship, Naidu said, adding that since 2001, India has invested three billion dollars towards development, reconstruction and capacity building in Afghanistan.
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