Regional Security Chiefs Agree Afghan Peace Process Should Be Led By Kabul - New Delhi

Regional Security Chiefs Agree Afghan Peace Process Should Be Led by Kabul - New Delhi

Security chiefs of India, Russia, Afghanistan, China, and Iran agreed at their Wednesday meeting in Tehran that the process of reconciliation in Afghanistan should be led and controlled by Afghan authorities, not by external players, a spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th September, 2018) Security chiefs of India, Russia, Afghanistan, China, and Iran agreed at their Wednesday meeting in Tehran that the process of reconciliation in Afghanistan should be led and controlled by Afghan authorities, not by external players, a spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, the security chiefs met in Tehran to discuss terrorism and radicalism in Afghanistan and neighboring states, hold bilateral negotiations and provide recommendations on coordinating mutual anti-terrorism efforts. India's representative at the meeting was National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

"The terrorist violence in Afghanistan was rejected unequivocally. ... Importance was attached to promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan which was Afghan-led, Afghan owned and Afghan-controlled," the statement said.

During his visit to Tehran, Doval also had separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Iran, Russia and Afghanistan on issues of bilateral mutual interest.

According to the statement, Doval confirmed India's commitment to partnership in bilateral, regional and global formats to counter terrorism, highlighting the need to avoid "distinction between good and bad terrorism."

Afghanistan has long been in a state of turmoil, with the government fighting the Islamic State terrorist group (outlawed in Russia) and the Taliban insurgency. The presidential election in the crisis-hit country is scheduled for April 20.