India, Pakistan shouldn’t use HoA platform to score brownie points, says Russian envoy

AMRITSAR: Russia’s special envoy on Afghanistan on Sunday said all parties involved in the war-torn country’s reconstruction must work together and that the Heart of Asia was not the platform for India and Pakistan to score brownie points.

Downplaying Russia’s military exercise with Pakistan two months ago, Zamir Kabulov, who overseas Russia’s engagement in Afghanistan, referred to India’s increasing cooperation with the US.

The HoA should not be used by India and Pakistan for scoring points, he told reporters. He said bilateral issues should not cloud forums like the Heart of Asia, replying to a question on Pakistan supporting terror groups operating from its soil.

Kabulov represented Russia in the Heart of Asia conference where he articulated Moscow’s position on Afghanistan’s transition. He said all major players, including India, must extend all pos- sible support to Afghanistan in its transition. India has close cooperation with the US, does Moscow complain? Then why complain about much lower level of cooperation with Pakistan, he asked when referred to RussiaPakistan military exercise. India has a strategic partnership with Afghanistan and is implementing projects worth $2 billion to help rebuild the country’s infrastructure.

India has been supporting an Afghan-led, Afghanowned, broad-based and inclusive process of peace and reconciliation, and advocating the need for a sustained and long-term commitment to Afghanistan by the international community. The Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process was launched in 2011 and the participating countries include Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and the UAE.