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Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh with
the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai inspecting the Guard of
Honour, at a ceremonial reception, on his arrival at Kabul airport
in Afghanistan on May 12, 2011. |
Kabul: India Thursday
assured another $500 million in development assistance to
Afghanistan and pledged to stand by the country "through thick and
thin" as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh began his two-day visit
here to discuss the security situation post-Osama bin Laden
killing.
The two countries also agreed to set up a strategic relationship.
Manmohan Singh, who is visiting Afghanistan after a gap of six
years, said at a joint press conference with President Hamid
Karzai: "Our development assistance commitment to Afghanistan
currently stands at approximately 1.5 billion US dollars spread
over several sectors, but there are still gaps. We now have a
better idea of where we can and should do more."
"We have decided to make a fresh commitment valued at
approximately 500 million US dollars over the next few years. This
will consist of specific projects and schemes and other
initiatives that will be developed in consultation with the
Government of Afghanistan," he added.
Earlier, he set the tone for the visit after being welcomed by
President Karzai at the presidential palace, saying: "It is always
a great honour and privilege to visit you. It is an honour for the
entire people of India. India and Afghanistan are partners in
progress. We will stand by you through thick and thin and reaffirm
our solidarity with the people and government of Afghanistan."
The two leaders, who had an hour of "productive and constructive
dialogue" in the evening, announced that the two South Asian
countries will now have a strategic partnership.
"The Strategic Partnership will be implemented under the framework
of a Partnership Council which will be headed by the two Foreign
Ministers," Singh said at a joint press interaction with Karzai at
the presidential palace complex.
As per the joint declaration, the strategic partnership envisages
"the elevation of their multifaceted ties to a higher level, both
in the bilateral field and in the international arena."
The strategic partnership will include regular summit level
meetings and more institutionalized, regular dialogues at various
levels, and on a wide-ranging of subjects.
Besides, both countries will also enter into a strategic economic
partnership, to explore closer integration in the economic field,
as well as, greater cooperation in sectors ranging from mining to
fuel and energy.
"The two countries agreed on the importance of regional projects
such as TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas
pipeline), in promoting regional integration," said the joint
declaration.
As the meeting came just ten days after the killing of Osama bin
Laden May 2, it featured heavily in the queries addressed to the
two leaders.
"The death of Osama bin Laden creates a situation," Manmohan Singh
told reporters.
"I sincerely hope that all countries of the region, Afghanistan,
Pakistan and India, would recognise this is unique moment in
history of this region whereby we all should agree to work
unitedly to fight this scourge of terrorism," he added.
But, he also added that there was a certain amount of confusion on
the kind of support system that Osama had got during his long stay
in Pakistan.
"As far as the killing of Osama bin Laden is concerned, the
picture that emerged immediately after it was with amount of
confusion whether he was there with the active connivance of
certain forces in Pakistan or if he was there and his presence was
not known, this was conflicting," the prime minister said when
asked on his reaction to Osama's killing by US security forces May
2.
"Therefore my first reaction was that one should need to go for a
thorough investigation clearly to know the truth of the presence
of Osama bin Laden (in Pakistan)," he added.
While refusing to comment whether India will carry out an
Abbottabad-like operation, Singh also asserted that "India is not
like the US".
President Karzai said Osama's killing proved Kabul's repeated
assertions that terrorism was not being bred in Afghanistan.
"Afghanistan villages is not where terrorism has to be fought or
pursued. So this long held claim has now been proven right... and
the world has recognized that."
But he quickly added that Afghanistan "wishes brotherly relations
with Pakistan" and that the Indian prime minister agreed with his
assessment.
Manmohan Singh also said "India Afghanistan relations are not
directed at any country. We want to develop friendliest of
relations, and Pakistan should not feel threatened by it".
Karzai added that he did not believe Osama's killing would hasten
the withdrawal of Western forces from his country.
But he admitted that Afghanistan would have to handle its own
affairs one day, with its own means and manpower.
Earlier, the prime minister arrived in a special aircraft at Kabul
airport at 11.30 a.m. He then went straight to the presidential
palace complex for a welcome ceremony by the Afghan President.
In a special gesture, the prime minister is the first head of
state since 2001 to stay at the personal suite of the last Afghan
king Zahir Shah at the Haram Sarai inside the presidential palace.
After the ceremony, Karzai said that Singh has come to his "second
home", with the Indian leader responding that his country will
support Afghanistan "through thick and thin".
Hamid Karzai has already come to India ten times since 2002.
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