AFGHAN-INDIA 2LST

(REOPENS TAR 52)
Asked to comment on Kayani's recent remark about gaining
strategic depth in Afghanistan, Spanta made it clear that his
country would resist any attempts that hurt its sovereignty.
The Afghan NSA said if gaining strategic depth means
enhancing economic, cultural and political cooperation,
building friendly relations and creating united markets like
in Europe, he would support it.
"But if it is to have dominance, to undermine destiny of
other people, to undermine their national sovereignty, this is
a kind of policy which Afghanistan will never accept."
He said Afghanistan stood ready for economic cooperation
and two-way transit which would be beneficial for the country.
Asked about the involvement of jehadi groups in flood
relief in Pakistan and whether it was a matter of concern,
Spanta said, "if a government cannot organise support or offer
better life to people", it would lead to "serious threat"
wherein radical groups mobilise people.
"I hope the international community can help Pakistan to
control damage," he said.
He said Afghanistan was sad over the destruction and
devastation caused by the floods in Pakistan and had helped,
despite its limited capabilities, by sending four helicopters
and giving five million dollars in aid.
"But compared to generosity of Pakistan, this is
nothing," he added.
Afghanistan is grappling with a serious situation as
Taliban terrorism is showing revival despite the intense
campaign against the radical outfit by the US-led
international forces for the last nine years.
The Karzai government has been pressing the US to revise
its strategy with regard to terrorism, warning that the
problem cannot end until the sanctuaries in Pakistan are
eliminated.
It has warned that the war on terror faces to danger of
failure if the US-led forces only target the "symptom" of
terrorism that shows in Afghanistan and ignores the "source"
that exists in Pakistan.
The Afghan government says that the support to Taliban
and al-Qaeda by state entities of Pakistan, which are using
terrorism as a political tool, is undermining the
reconstruction efforts and the US-led forces needed to
recognise this "before it is too late".
Afghanistan feels that the war on terrorism was a
regional phenomenon and ultimately the countries of the
region, particularly the "victims" like India and Afghanistan,
will have to cooperate closely to defeat it.
This is the only possibility to remove the common threat,
Spanta is understood to have conveyed to the Indian side. PTI
AKK
RBT


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