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Norway has made India a permanent invitee to its back-channel peace talks on Afghanistan, to the chagrin of Pakistan.
Close on the heels of the jolt to Islamabad will come Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s visit to India next week to discuss, among other issues, the political dynamics in his country after Afghan Peace Council chairman Burhanuddin Rabbani’s assassination earlier this month.
India is among a dozen countries whose representatives gathered today in the Netherlands for the Afghan talks — part of a series the Norwegians had initiated a few months ago, away from the media’s gaze. Today’s “official” meeting follows secret sessions in Oslo, Dubai and Istanbul.
The invitees include Afghanistan’s neighbours such as Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Pakistan, besides Turkey and the five permanent United Nations Security Council members — Russia, the UK, the US, China and France.
Sources said the Norwegian efforts were aimed at bringing all of Afghanistan’s neighbours on a common platform to work towards rebuilding the nation together with the “good Taliban” — elements of the militia seen as less conservative and open to talks.
India has in the past year dropped its aversion to negotiating with the faction if its leaders abjure violence and abide by the Afghan constitution. Rabbani, who was friendly towards New Delhi, was a crucial link in the talks and his death has come as a blow to India’s interests.
The sources said New Delhi had no illusions that Afghanistan’s neighbours, particularly Pakistan, would agree to a common strategy.
“It is unlikely that Pakistan will ever concede that India has legitimate interests in the Afghan peace process. But we believe that the Norwegian diplomatic effort, or any other such move, to explore possible solutions to the Afghan problem is important,” said a source.
The Norwegians are likely to hold two more back-channel meetings this year as precursors to a December conference on Afghanistan in Bonn. Germany has invited 90 countries to the conference. The two preparatory meetings will seek to finalise the draft of a pact between the major stakeholders, who include India.
Karzai’s India visit next week will also be important. New Delhi needs to prepare for a future after US-led international forces leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, at a time the Taliban is regrouping and Pakistan has refused to take on the Haqqani network, blamed for Rabbani’s assassination.
Defence minister A.K. Antony underlined the concerns earlier this week. “The Taliban is in resurgence. After the US leaves Afghanistan, a resurgent Taliban will be the biggest security challenge for India.”
South Block officials are now redrawing their strategy. Although the security concerns persist, there is a sense of satisfaction that barring Pakistan, all other players with an interest in a peaceful Afghanistan feel that India has a pivotal role to play if a solution is to be found.
India gets Afghan peace talks slot
Close on the heels of the jolt to Islamabad will come Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s visit to India next week to discuss, among other issues, the political dynamics in his country after Afghan Peace Council chairman Burhanuddin Rabbani’s assassination earlier this month.
India is among a dozen countries whose representatives gathered today in the Netherlands for the Afghan talks — part of a series the Norwegians had initiated a few months ago, away from the media’s gaze. Today’s “official” meeting follows secret sessions in Oslo, Dubai and Istanbul.
The invitees include Afghanistan’s neighbours such as Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Pakistan, besides Turkey and the five permanent United Nations Security Council members — Russia, the UK, the US, China and France.
Sources said the Norwegian efforts were aimed at bringing all of Afghanistan’s neighbours on a common platform to work towards rebuilding the nation together with the “good Taliban” — elements of the militia seen as less conservative and open to talks.
India has in the past year dropped its aversion to negotiating with the faction if its leaders abjure violence and abide by the Afghan constitution. Rabbani, who was friendly towards New Delhi, was a crucial link in the talks and his death has come as a blow to India’s interests.
The sources said New Delhi had no illusions that Afghanistan’s neighbours, particularly Pakistan, would agree to a common strategy.
“It is unlikely that Pakistan will ever concede that India has legitimate interests in the Afghan peace process. But we believe that the Norwegian diplomatic effort, or any other such move, to explore possible solutions to the Afghan problem is important,” said a source.
The Norwegians are likely to hold two more back-channel meetings this year as precursors to a December conference on Afghanistan in Bonn. Germany has invited 90 countries to the conference. The two preparatory meetings will seek to finalise the draft of a pact between the major stakeholders, who include India.
Karzai’s India visit next week will also be important. New Delhi needs to prepare for a future after US-led international forces leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, at a time the Taliban is regrouping and Pakistan has refused to take on the Haqqani network, blamed for Rabbani’s assassination.
Defence minister A.K. Antony underlined the concerns earlier this week. “The Taliban is in resurgence. After the US leaves Afghanistan, a resurgent Taliban will be the biggest security challenge for India.”
South Block officials are now redrawing their strategy. Although the security concerns persist, there is a sense of satisfaction that barring Pakistan, all other players with an interest in a peaceful Afghanistan feel that India has a pivotal role to play if a solution is to be found.
India gets Afghan peace talks slot
