Indian Govt one of biggest donors in reconstruction efforts: Afghanistan
| Date :19-May-2020 |
KABUL :
INDIA is one of Afghanistan’s biggest donor nations in the wartorn country’s reconstruction efforts and New Delhi has been supportive of the peace process, the Government has asserted. Rejecting the Afghan Taliban’s statement that India has been playing a negative role in the country for the past 40 years, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gran Hewad, said that Afghanistan’s relations with India are within international frameworks and based on mutual respect. India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. It has been supporting a national peace and reconciliation process which is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan controlled.
Hewad told Radio Azadi that so far India has been cooperating in the development and reconstruction areas and is expected to contribute to the peace process as well. “India is one of the biggest donor countries and has helped Afghanistan in development and reconstruction areas, we appreciate their cooperation.
We expect India and other neighboring countries to play a significant role in Afghan peace process,” Hewad said. The Deputy of Qatar-based Taliban political office, Mula Abas Stanekzai, recently alleged that during the last two decades, India has only cooperated and kept ties with those who are corrupt and have been put in power by foreigners not elected by the Afghan people. He mentioned that India should cooperate with Afghan peace process. US Representative for Peace and Reconciliation Zalmai Khalilzad had discussed the Afghan peace with Indian officials and sought their cooperation during his visit to India.