India seeks to promote peace and stability in neighboring Afghanistan and believes that the Afghan peace process must be led by the country's internal actors, the spokesman of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Anurag Srivastava said on Friday
NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th January, 2021) India seeks to promote peace and stability in neighboring Afghanistan and believes that the Afghan peace process must be led by the country's internal actors, the spokesman of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Anurag Srivastava said on Friday.
On Tuesday, Indian Ambassador to the United Nations T. S. Tirumurti said that India had been elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and would chair the Taliban Sanction Committee.
"Our position on the peace process has also been articulated. The peace process must be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled. As an important stakeholder, we look forward to working towards a peaceful, prosperous, sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan," Srivastava said.
The spokesman stressed that the relations between India and Afghanistan had a long history, with New Delhi sparing no effort to promote peace in the neighboring state.
"With regard to Afghanistan, India and Afghanistan as contiguous neighbors share a natural historical relationship. Our strategic partnership and long-term commitment to the development of Afghanistan reflects this time-tested partnership. We have invested heavily in peace and development in Afghanistan and we support all efforts to bring peace and stability there," Srivastava said.
The spokesman added that, during its two-year term at the UN Security Council, India would aim to facilitate international peace and security.
"During our tenure, we will be guided by a commitment to promote responsible and inclusive solutions to international peace and security, a new orientation for a reformed multilateral system," Srivastava said.
The intra-Afghan peace negotiations began in the Qatari capital of Doha on September 12. The talks were overshadowed by a series of disagreements and a surge in violence, including armed clashes and bomb blasts across the country. Talks resumed on Tuesday in Qatar's capital of Doha after a three-week pause for consultations on a negotiation framework. The talks resumption did not improve the situation in Afghanistan, with violence in the country continuing to claim lives of Afghan civilians and security personnel.
