PM returns after two-day visit to Afghanistan

New Delhi (PTI) - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh on Friday returned here after a two-day visit to
Afghanistan during which he held talks with the Afghan
leadership on several bilateral, regional and international
issues including terrorism and stepped up assistance to the
war-torn country.
Singh held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai,
First Vice President Mohammad Qasim Fahim and Second Vice
President Mohammad Karim Khalili before winding up his
productive and constructive trip.
During his visit, Singh, who stayed in 'The Arg'-- the
residence of Afghanistan's last king Zahir Shah, announced a
fresh Indian aid package of 500 million US dollars for
Afghanistan with focus on social sector, agriculture,
capacity-building and infrastructure projects.
In an unprecedented gesture, the residence of Shah was
opened up for the stay of a visiting head of government for
the first time.
India already has a commitment of 1.5 billion US
dollars in Afghanistan. The new package, which will take
Indian aid to 2 billion USD, will consist of specific projects
and schemes and other initiatives that will be developed in
consultation with the Afghan government, Singh said.
National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, Foreign
Secretary Nirupama Rao and Prime Minister's special envoy to
Afghanistan Satinder Lambah and other senior officials
accompanied Singh.
Aiming to strengthen their cooperation in the areas of
security and combating terrorism, both the countries also
elevated their bilateral ties to a strategic partnership,
which they affirmed was not directed against any other state
or group of states.
The "productive and constructive" discussions between
Singh and Karzai covered issues like terrorism, recent
developments in the region especially last week's killing of
al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad in Pakistan.
Both the leaders also underlined their shared
commitment to combating terrorism that threatens both
countries as well as the region and the world as a whole.
Singh addressed a joint session of the Afghan
Parliament on Friday during which he denounced terrorism and
extremism, saying such ideologies provide no answers to
problems of the people and their flames should not be allowed
to be fanned once again.
In his 25-minute speech which was applauded repeatedly
by some 350 Afghan MPs, Singh said the aspirations of the
region for growth and prosperity cannot be realised unless
there is peace and tranquility that would allow people to live
and work in honour and dignity.