India To Hold Security Conference On Afghanistan; Pakistan And China Won't Attend

By Shakir Husain NEW DELHI, Nov 9 (Bernama) -- India will hold a security conference on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Afghanistan following the recent change of administration in Kabul. Top security officials from Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will attend the "Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan" to be chaired by Indian national security advisor Ajit Doval, according to an Indian Foreign Ministry statement on Monday. "It will deliberate upon measures to address the relevant security challenges and support the people of Afghanistan in promoting peace, security and stability," it said. According to media reports, Pakistan and China were also invited to attend the meeting. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad recently, Pakistan's national security advisor Moeed Yusuf said: "I won't go." Indian media reported that China has expressed its inability to attend the Delhi meeting over "scheduling issues." -- BERNAMA