Ashgabat: President Ram Nath Kovind has said India and Turkmenistan strongly support a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan and emphasise the war-torn country's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. Addressing students at the prestigious Institute of International Relations here on Saturday, President Kovind said that as immediate neighbours of Afghanistan, the two countries are naturally concerned about the developments in the Kabul.
"We strongly support a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan and emphasise its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, he said. "We share a broad regional consensus' on the issues related to Afghanistan, which includes the formation of a truly representative and inclusive government, combating terrorism and drug trafficking, central role of the UN, providing immediate humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan and preserving the rights of women, children and other national ethnic groups and minorities in Afghanistan, he said.
On the occasion, President Kovind inaugurated the 'India Corner' at the institute. Further, the president released a commemorative postage stamp celebrating 30 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Turkmenistan. On Sunday, Kovind also attended a cultural programme at Magtymguly National Musical Drama Theatre at Ashgabat, his official Twitter account wrote, along with a couple of photographs from the event. Later, the president witnessed a horse show at the International Akhal-Teke Equestrian Complex at Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Kovind arrived here on Friday as he began his three-day state visit to Turkmenistan. This is the first-ever visit of the President of India to independent Turkmenistan. The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on August 15, two weeks before the US' complete troop withdrawal on August 31 after a costly two-decade war. This forced Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who was backed by the US-led West, to flee the country to the UAE. The Taliban insurgents stormed across Afghanistan and captured all major cities in a matter of days, as Afghan security forces trained and equipped by the US and its allies melted away.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his February report, said the situation in Afghanistan remains precarious and uncertain nearly six months after the Taliban takeover, as the multiple political, socio-economic and humanitarian shocks reverberate across the war-ravaged country. The Taliban is showing efforts to present itself as a caretaker government. The movement, however, has yet to form governing structures that reflect the country's ethnic, political and geographic diversity and include women. Efforts are constrained by the lack of resources and capacity, as well as an ideology that clashes in many ways with international norms of governance, it said. The current Taliban regime in Kabul has not yet been recognised by the international community as they have failed to address global concerns regarding the formation of a truly representative and inclusive government in the war-torn country. The hardline Islamists have also been urged to preserve the rights of women, children and other national ethnic groups and minorities in Afghanistan.
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