NATO does not want India at Afghanistan peace talks table

[Zarvan]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani in New Delhi. Photo: PTI

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has denied that India plays a crucial role in the Afghanistan peace and reconciliation process, and instead believes that Pakistan has the “most important role”, along with the US, in establishing truce with the Taliban.

Alejandro Alvargonzález, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, NATO, told ThePrint that the peace process is led by the Afghanistan government where the US is “playing a crucial role” along with Pakistan, but India cannot be party to those talks just because Pakistan is a player in it.

“There is an international community that helps the Afghan government to sit with others and the US is the other actor whose role is very important. But let’s not go mentioning every single country that could have a role because you will then have all countries in the world (coming in as stakeholder),” Alvargonzález, who attended the Raisina Dialogue held last week, said.

“Pakistan’s role is of utmost importance in Afghanistan. I think India has a prominent place in Afghanistan now. But there are hundreds there that have a stake there. It is an Afghan-owned process and it should be kept like that,” Alvargonzález said.

No part in talks unless Kabul invites

India is now in a catch-22 situation of sorts with the US accelerating its talks with the Taliban, with Pakistan in tow.

While the US had urged India to take up a more combative role in Afghanistan by sending its security forces there to fight the Taliban, India has maintained that it will not speak to the Taliban directly unless it is formally invited by the Afghan government to do so.

However, New Delhi is concerned that the talks could be being steered by the US for its own benefit, but that Pakistan’s presence could throw up security challenges for it.

“It is clear that the US is negotiating with the Taliban on their own behalf. NATO has no idea what it is talking about or what is going on. I agree that Pakistan plays the most critical role in it but how it discharges its responsibilities, that is something that needs to be seen,” said former high commissioner of India to Pakistan T.C.A. Raghavan.

“Problem is Taliban is ready to talk with everyone but the Afghan government, and India cannot be part of those talks unless the Afghan government invites it to be part of that process. After all, Afghanistan is a sovereign country,” Raghavan, who is now director-general of the Indian Council of World Affairs, added.

Calls for clear policy on Afghanistan

There is now growing clamour that India should come up with a comprehensive Afghanistan policy wherein it will not just focus on its development by granting aid, but also outline whether its security forces should partake in the reconciliation process.

While Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had stressed last week that India should not remain out of the Taliban talks since it has an interest in the war-ravaged country, the Ministry of External Affairs tried to downplay his remarks, saying India supports only those peace talks that is “Afghan-owned” and “Afghan-led”.

These issues were also discussed in the 10 January meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad.

“We are working on a regional grouping on the peace talks where India will be a party,” Khalilzad had told The Print.

http://southasianmonitor.com/2019/0...bDYltu25o0yjli-pID4tMwLqCUH39iJ1JiJvRCeAI7Zco

 

[Path-Finder]

iran will facilitate india in afghanistan.

 

[Kaniska]

Honestly speaking...Forget India....peace in Afghanistan is in best interest of Pakistan....Feel sorry for the peoplen of Afgans where there fate of living in peace is determined by outsiders...

 

[GHALIB]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani in New Delhi. Photo: PTI

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has denied that India plays a crucial role in the Afghanistan peace and reconciliation process, and instead believes that Pakistan has the “most important role”, along with the US, in establishing truce with the Taliban.

Alejandro Alvargonzález, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, NATO, told ThePrint that the peace process is led by the Afghanistan government where the US is “playing a crucial role” along with Pakistan, but India cannot be party to those talks just because Pakistan is a player in it.

“There is an international community that helps the Afghan government to sit with others and the US is the other actor whose role is very important. But let’s not go mentioning every single country that could have a role because you will then have all countries in the world (coming in as stakeholder),” Alvargonzález, who attended the Raisina Dialogue held last week, said.

“Pakistan’s role is of utmost importance in Afghanistan. I think India has a prominent place in Afghanistan now. But there are hundreds there that have a stake there. It is an Afghan-owned process and it should be kept like that,” Alvargonzález said.

No part in talks unless Kabul invites

India is now in a catch-22 situation of sorts with the US accelerating its talks with the Taliban, with Pakistan in tow.

While the US had urged India to take up a more combative role in Afghanistan by sending its security forces there to fight the Taliban, India has maintained that it will not speak to the Taliban directly unless it is formally invited by the Afghan government to do so.

However, New Delhi is concerned that the talks could be being steered by the US for its own benefit, but that Pakistan’s presence could throw up security challenges for it.

“It is clear that the US is negotiating with the Taliban on their own behalf. NATO has no idea what it is talking about or what is going on. I agree that Pakistan plays the most critical role in it but how it discharges its responsibilities, that is something that needs to be seen,” said former high commissioner of India to Pakistan T.C.A. Raghavan.

“Problem is Taliban is ready to talk with everyone but the Afghan government, and India cannot be part of those talks unless the Afghan government invites it to be part of that process. After all, Afghanistan is a sovereign country,” Raghavan, who is now director-general of the Indian Council of World Affairs, added.

Calls for clear policy on Afghanistan

There is now growing clamour that India should come up with a comprehensive Afghanistan policy wherein it will not just focus on its development by granting aid, but also outline whether its security forces should partake in the reconciliation process.

While Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had stressed last week that India should not remain out of the Taliban talks since it has an interest in the war-ravaged country, the Ministry of External Affairs tried to downplay his remarks, saying India supports only those peace talks that is “Afghan-owned” and “Afghan-led”.

These issues were also discussed in the 10 January meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad.

“We are working on a regional grouping on the peace talks where India will be a party,” Khalilzad had told The Print.

http://southasianmonitor.com/2019/0...bDYltu25o0yjli-pID4tMwLqCUH39iJ1JiJvRCeAI7Zco

indian role can not be denied by some low level clerk of nato .

 

[Indus Pakistan]

What no India? How is that possible?

Ps. The future of Afghanistan will be decided in this [simple geography] order -

Afghans
Pakistan
Iran
Chinese
Russians

indian role can not be denied by some low level clerk of nato .

Do you remember pre 2001? Before the US came in from outside disturbed the natural state of affairs? Well when US leaves we are going back to status quo ante. So don't fret. The unnatural Indian influence upheld by US power is about to vanish as fast as it appeared. Pakistan and Iran will be the biggest players and both will work together. Both have learn't a lesson. Don't work together and outsiders walk in much to chagrin of both. Ditto Russia and Chinese.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

Honestly speaking...Forget India....peace in Afghanistan is in best interest of Pakistan....Feel sorry for the peoplen of Afgans where there fate of living in peace is determined by outsiders...

Perhaps it is best to let key players (Pakistan-US-Afghanistan and great powers like Russia & China) to sort out the afghan solution, rather than acting like a “chipko” indian mama in every regional and non regional issue? Ltte,BLa,MB,SD,IOK and other issues!

What no India? How is that possible?

Ps. The future of Afghanistan will be decided in this [simple geography] order -

Afghans
Pakistan
Iran
Chinese
Russians

Do you remember pre 2001? Before the US came in from outside disturbed the natural state of affairs? Well when US leaves we are going back to status quo ante. Soi don't fret. The unnatural Indian influence upheld by US power is about to vanish as fast as it appeared. Pakistan and Iran will be the biggest players and both will work together. Both have learn't a lesson. don't work together and outsiders walk in much to chagrin of both. Ditto Russia and Chinese.

Iranians maybe not.

They have never had real influence in Afghanistan.. apart from providing help to the Northern Alliance leaders (who have more than often ended up butchering eachother on ethnic basis).

 

[Kamikaze Pilot]

Perhaps it is best to let key players (Pakistan-US-Afghanistan and great powers like Russia & China) to sort out the afghan solution, rather than acting like a “chipko” indian mama in every regional and non regional issue? Ltte,BLa,MB,SD,IOK and other issues!

You have been neighbor of Afghanistan for 70 years, Iran since 5-10 millennia, US has been there for 15 years and Russia for 10 years. What have you all done till now? Give China a chance.

 

[American Pakistani]

indian role can not be denied by some low level clerk of nato .

 

[GHALIB]

living in denial mode .

 

[Kamikaze Pilot]

Hello, I work for The Print and South asia monitor should not have copied our article without prior permission.

NATO Assistant Secretary General A Alvargonzalez spoke exclusively to us as proven by this transcript

Req. SA monitor to remove the article as it is plagriasm.

@GHALIB

Mods are still silent? By the way it is fault of SA monitor too since they haven't used the software that prevents copy-pasting.

 

[American Pakistani]

living in denial mode .

Thanks for accepting it though.

BTW your bharat situation is like "dost dost na raha zindagi ka kuch bharosa na raha"

I thought you isolated us along with your mighty Supa pawa Bros Bhutan Bangladesh Afghanistan.

 

[hussain0216]

Afghans are too blame

The most important countries involved are Afghanistan, USA and Pakistan
Iran comes closely behind
Russia and China as major powers are important

Why are Afghans to blame?
Because rather then spend the last 17 years trying to bring an end to the war and suffering of afghans
They spent their time working out how to hurt Pakistan and use India against Pakistan thus making afghan peace of no importance to Pakistan


Pakistan hates india
Its our enemy, it dosent matter how much you think indians could help you, we hate them so if you put them infront of us you are asking for trouble from us

All they had to do was look to safeguard Afghan and Pakistani security concerns and convey to Pakistan that our security interests were being respected

The U.S spent 55 billion a year only for the afghans to waste year after year trying to act big antagonizing the only country in the region that could really help it

Now the U.S is getting tired and that 55 billion will get smaller then the afghan nightmare will only get worse


Pakistan can help but our security interests and strategic interests are non negotiable


Give Afghanistan a chance

 

[lastofthepatriots]

India nu lagi kuttay di maar.

 

[Taimoor Khan]

“Problem is Taliban is ready to talk with everyone but the Afghan government, and India cannot be part of those talks unless the Afghan government invites it to be part of that process. After all, Afghanistan is a sovereign country,” Raghavan, who is now director-general of the Indian Council of World Affairs, added.

Indians are funny creatures. Kabul regime is American puppet yet yanks are talking directly to Talibans. Indians themselves are in Afghanistan taking ride on American shoulders.

 

[Kaniska]

Pakistan role in bringing stability in Afganistan is always in negative context....It is something like you are threatening Afghanistan by supporting different groups of Talibans in order to take care of your insecurity.

There is a difference between asking friendship with Afganistan like a puppet...Where as Indian involvement is more towards bringing positive things to people of Pakistan.. Even if Taliban comes to power, India and its positive contribution has created a generation of youth who understand India...

Now India is not really expecting Pakistan to allow its sphere of infkuence to reduce in Afganistan....But we have met our objective in creating a positive influence in front of good number of people of Afganistan..

In my office, the security person who comes in night shift is Afganistan.....Sometime..i get a chance to speak with him..He left his country when he was 26. Now he may be in 30's..He is a classic case of a generation which saw the contribution of India in Afganistan....He has studied in a school operated by India and completed his vocational traning in India prior to immigrating to US...His positive words about India and the role of Pakistan in Afganistan is a real time impression i got from him...

So in a nutshell, Pakistan may try to stop India in negotiating table but you can not stop one segment of people to see India in a good way...It is too late for Pakistan..