Saturday, July 16, 2011 – A group of Afghan delegation on Friday met with SM Krishna External Affairs Minister in New Delhi.
While speaking during an exclusive interview with the CNN-IBN Mohammad Masoom Stanikzai, secretary of the Afghan Peace Concil said, Afghanistan will require India’s assistance and support for the Taliban peace process.
Mr. Stanikzai said, “We cannot expect Taliban militants to end violence immediately after the security transition. We should not expect the fighting will end while negotiating and reaching out to different opposition groups.”
Mr. Stanikzai further added, the government is responsible to take all the necessary measure to ensure security for all the Indians working in Afghanistan.
He said, “Special measures will be taken to provide safety and security in the areas where Indian investment or projects are implemented.”
He also said, India and Afghanistan governments are having deep relations and that the peace process is in the best interest of the Afghan people and will not be influenced by anyone.
Mr. Stanikzai said, “both the nations have deep relations and we are here to gain Indian support to the efforts and also to give confidence that what we are going to do in the peace process. This is an Afghan led process and they should not have any doubt, this process will not be under the influence of anybody else.”
Mr. Stanikzai further added, there is no place for talks with the foreign terrorists, talks will be held only with Afghans who are having their own grievances.
He said, “Our aim is not to talk to foreign terrorists, we are talking to the Afghans and the groups who are operating in the region, they are more complex, they are wider and they have different motives. We are talking to Afghans who have their own grievances and we have to address their grievances, which will bring the Afghan people back together. In fact we want to shrink the space for the terrorist group so that they will not be able to use Afghans against Afghans.”
In response to a question regarding Afghan Peace Council’s concern about Taliban militants return to Afghanistan after US and NATO forces pullout he said, “We have to be very careful in terms of pullout because as the strategy is set now, we are confident of the process, the transition is a gradual process.”
He also said, cooperation is need in order to bring peace and stability to the region.
Mr. Stanikzaid said, “Increase in suicide attacks in Pakistan shows that there are more groups centered in the tribal areas and cities of Pakistan.
Therefore, all the countries in the region, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries should cooperate to ensure peace and stability in the region.”
