New Delhi: The recent attack on the Indian consulate in Herat figured prominently in the talks that were held between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan President Hamid Karzai here on Tuesday. The two leaders also discussed ways and means to enhance co-operation between the two nations in key areas.
This incidentally was the first bilateral meeting Mr Modi had with any international leader after taking over as the 15th Prime Minister of India. This was followed by meetings with the remaining six Saarc leaders and the Mauritius PM Navin Ramgoolam. All the Saarc leaders invited Mr Modi to visit their respective countries, which was warmly accepted by the Indian PM.
During his 30-minute interaction with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Mr Modi stressed on the need for “early and full implementation” of the 13th Amendment that would play a major role in the national reconciliation of the Island nation. The 13th Amendment introduced provincial councils with specified powers based on the provisions of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987. Modi also called for a long-term solution to the fishermen issue.
Modi also met Malivian President Abdulla Yameen and the two leaders discussed the need to strengthen trade.
While briefing reporters about the talks foreign secretary Sujatha Singh said that Mr Modi reiterated India’s commitment to development and re-construction of Afghanistan, where the re-conciliation process would be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.
Even as she expressed concern over the security situation in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the NATO troops, she also exuded confidence that the Afghan forces would be able to defend their country. She said, “We are deeply involved, including training Afghan national security forces and we expect the cooperation to increase in coming days.”
Evading a direct answer to a question about Mr Karzai’s assertion that the Heart attack was the handiwork of LeT Ms Singh said, “Yes. There was a discussion (on terror attack)” and the views of the Afghan President are in public domain.
Mr Karzai had on Monday said, “According to information given to us by a Western intel agency, the perpetrators of the Herat attack belonged to the LeT. This was mentioned in the report shared with us.”
