Indo Pak rivalry can be very costly for us: Tanin

Lalit K Jha
United Nations, Mar 15 (PTI) Observing that proxy war
inside Afghanistan is neither good for his country nor the
region, the Afghan Ambassador to the United Nations, Zahir
Tanin, has said rivalry between India and Pakistan can cost
very dearly to his country.
Emphasising that Afghanistan needs both India and
Pakistan to continue to cooperate with his country, Tanin told
the PTI in an exclusive interview: "Rivalry between Pakistan
and India, when it comes to Afghanistan can be costly for the
stability of Afghanistan.
As Afghanistan enters the phase of "transition
strategy", post-London conference, he said there is a
responsibility for the region also that instead of starting to
see the things as end game; they should see it into how this
transition would be transition from war to peace.
"In Afghanistan, the idea of taking out India or
Pakistan is not useful, not possible and has very little
chance of success.
From our point of view, it is important for political
stability and economic prosperity of Afghanistan that India
and Pakistan have a constructive role in Afghanistan," he
said.
"But if we go back towards the mentality of the 1990s,
I am not sure, such a scenario would succeed," Tanin said
adding Afghanistan would like to continue its relationship
with both countries as its neighbours as with each of them
Afghanistan has historic cultural and political relationship.

"From the point of Afghanistan, we see regional
co-operation as the only alternative for stability in
Afghanistan and in the region," Tanin said adding this
regional cooperation is based on a win-win situation.
"Afghanistan in last eight years offered a lot of
economic interest, while countries also helped us. We became a
hub of trade and commerce. The alternative is rivalry in
Afghanistan. The alternative is proxy wars.
The alternative of regional cooperation is proxy wars
and rivalry," the Ambassador said.
"If there is any idea of proxy war, it is not helpful
and it has no future.
Kabul is not going to tolerate it and I do not think,
that the majority of Afghans can support that," he said.
Tanin said the three countries have been working
closely together at the international forums including the
United Nations in a wide range of issues.
"Our interests are not divided. I see there are many
issues in which India and Pakistan can work together and there
is a place for Afghanistan," he said.
"Despite this whole negative debate about rivalries,
proxy war and future of Afghanistan; problems in the region;
we see that the logic of cooperation is very strong.
I mean cooperation brings billions of dollars to
India and Pakistan; while any rivalry in Afghanistan can take
that money," he argued. PTI LKJ
KAB