Afghan FM arrives as peace dialogue gets into high gear

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 22

Afghanistan Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar arrived here on a three-day visit to interact with the Indian leadership at a time when the peace process seems to be again getting into high gear.

Atmar, once a colleague of Soviet-India backed Afghan President Najibullah, said he would be discussing the peace process and the regional forums on peace and development, including the one held in Moscow and the upcoming one in Istanbul. In his first meeting, he met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Bilateral cooperation

• Hanif Atmar is scheduled to hold extensive talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday
• Talks will focus on the Afghan peace process and ways to further bolster bilateral cooperation in various areas

Interestingly, his visit takes place a day after the surprise stopover in Kabul by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin following his interactions in Delhi. Austin, in his meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, hoped for a “responsible end” to the civil war and a decrease in the level of violence.

Sources in India had said Austin had discussed the Afghan situation in some detail with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval.

India is putting a high premium on Atmar’s visit. An MEA team led by Joint Secretary (Pakistan- Afghanistan-Iran) JP Singh had visited Kabul last week to prepare for Atmar’s visit. New Delhi has been backing the Ghani government while the US wants an interim or transitional government to jumpstart the peace talks.

Atmar’s conversations will build on the talks NSA Doval had in Kabul in January followed by a virtual summit between PM Modi and Ghani.