‘No discussion on India’s military role in Afghanistan’
New Delhi, India - Afghan leader Abdullah Abdullah on Saturday said he did not discuss the military role of India during talks with Indian leadership in New Delhi.
“The point is that we hope that Afghanistan will be able to stand on its own feet. As you know that US troops are the main part of it. They have withdrawn from Afghanistan. Still, they are present there but that will not be forever,” Abdullah, the Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation of Afghanistan, told ANI when asked on India’s probable military role in Afghanistan.
The Afghan leader, who is on a five-day visit to India, said people of Afghanistan expect a settlement where no terrorist group will be able to work or use Afghan soil against any other country.
“When we say peace, stability, we hold the whole context of it. It will not mean peace if we have an agreement only with the Taliban and then all the terrorist groups including Al Qaeda, ISIS from the region continue freelancing in Afghanistan. People of
Afghanistan are expecting a settlement where no terrorist group will be able to work on or use Afghan soil against any other country,” the Afghan leader said.
“Peaceful Afghanistan, democratic Afghanistan, not harbouring terrorist this is the concerns
of lots of countries of the region,” he said on being asked about India’s fear regarding Pakistanbacked terror groups, which has a direct influence on Taliban may hijack the Afghan peace process.
Abdullah said there will be a certain impact of foreign ele
ments involved in the peace process.
“There will be the certain impact of foreign elements in it. But when we eventually have the solution, which should be Afghanled and Afghan-owned through Afghan-led and Afghan-owned
negotiations. The influence of the foreign country will be needed, expected and anticipated.”
Abdullah said the premature withdrawal of US troops from Afghan soil will leave a vacuum in the country and will have an impact on the security situation.
“Before the establishment of peace or progress in negotiations, if a premature withdrawal takes place, there is no doubt that it will leave a vacuum, which will have an impact on the security situation in Afghanistan. But it won’t mean one side prevailing over another. We have realised that there is no solution through war,” he said.
Abdullah said attacks along with peace talks might satisfy temporary expectations but it would not lead to a solution.
“Continuing talks [with the Taliban] as we try to counter attacks using the ground military, may satisfy some temporary demands, desires but it will not lead to a solution,” Abdullah said, adding that the solution would come from ‘a firm commitment towards a peaceful settlement’.
“Temporary advantages could be taken out of the situation but will and determination of both sides will be tested throughout negotiations. Hope that both sides pass the test positively,” Abdullah said about the ongoing peace talks with Taliban in Doha.