New Delhi: India has direct stakes in ensuring the return of peace and stability to Afghanistan, said Sanjay Varma, Secretary West in the Ministry of External Affairs.
"India has direct stakes in ensuring the return of peace and stability to the country given our position as a contiguous neighboring long-standing partner of Afghanistan, as well as our strong historical and civilizational linkages to the Afghan people." Verma at the UNSC briefing on UNAMA/ Afghanistan.
He noted that the approach to Afghanistan, as always, will be guided by India's historical friendship and the special relationship with the people of Afghanistan. "We are deeply concerned at the unfolding humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. In response to the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people and responding to the urgent appeals made by the United Nations, India has dispatched several shipments of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and we are committed to continuing our help to the Afghan people going forward as well", Verma said.
He pointed out how India supported the adoption of resolution 2615 last December to provide a humanitarian carve-out. "We are happy to have heard today from the USG that this carve-out has been effective in mitigating the impact of the humanitarian crisis", added Verma.
It is also important to recognize that the international community continues to have some concerns regarding the situation in Afghanistan, and we heard from our briefers today what those concerns are, he told the council. "India’s main priorities in Afghanistan include providing immediate humanitarian assistance for the Afghan people, formation of a truly inclusive and representative government, combating terrorism and drug trafficking, and preserving the rights of women, children, and minorities", he said.
These benchmarks were also set forth by the UNSC Resolution 2593 which guides the international community’s approach toward Afghanistan. He underlined that India is closely monitoring the security situation in Afghanistan and is actively engaged with the international community on issues related to Afghanistan. Further, Verma noted that terrorist attacks have targeted public spaces like places of worship and educational institutes, especially for minorities, as well as diplomatic premises. This is a concerning trend.
The collective approach of the international community has been articulated in the Security Council Resolution 2593. It unequivocally demands that the territory of Afghanistan should not be used for sheltering, training, planning, or financing terrorist acts, specifically terrorist individuals and entities proscribed by the UN Security Council, including Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.
He highlighted that closely linked to the issue of terrorism is the menace of drug trafficking. " We need to strengthen international cooperation to disrupt and dismantle trafficking networks. On the political front, India continues to call for an inclusive dispensation in Afghanistan which represents all sections of the Afghan society. A broad-based, inclusive, and representative formation is necessary for long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan, and in turn, for economic recovery and development," he added.
"However, as a close neighbour, Afghanistan will remain in our hearts and we will continue to speak out in support of the Afghan people," Verma said. There is a need for the international community to collectively strive for Peace and stability in Afghanistan which are critical imperatives. He reiterated that India will continue to play its role in the pursuit of this objective. The interests of the Afghan people will always continue to be at the core of India's efforts today and always.
