US representative meets S Jaishankar, Ajit Doval

Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 7

The traditional in-person diplomacy made a hesitant comeback on Thursday with US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad meeting National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

The last public diplomatic engagement had taken place on March 20 when Jaishankar had met the Seychelles Foreign Minister Barry Faure.

The format of the meeting was like the pre-COVID times with Khalilzad accompanied by Senior Director in the US National Security Council Lisa Curtis and the US Ambassador to India Ken Juster.

Khalilzad is also meeting the Taliban in Qatar as well as visiting Pakistan.

However, due to travel restrictions, diplomacy via video-conferencing during the COVID era also continued apace. Jaishankar had a 30-minute conversation with his Japanese counterpart Motegi Toshimitsu during which both touched on the most pressing agenda for diplomats during the epidemic – repatriation of each other’s nationals.

The Japanese Foreign Minister also called for the resumption of activities by Japanese companies in India.

As was the case with Khalilzad, during which Doval and Jaishankar discussed the situation in Afghanistan, the Jaishankar-Toshimitsu talks touched on core foreign policy issues of further tightening their security and defence ties in the context of a volatile situation in the South China Sea.

Motegi expressed his intention to strongly resume the advancement in bilateral relations, including the follow-up on the Japan-India 2 2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting, as well as the economy and economic cooperation, once the situation calms down, said a Japanese Foreign Office readout of the talks via videoconferencing.

“Discussed return of our nationals in the COVID situation. Also dwelt on economic recovery challenges, including supply chain resilience. Our Indo-Pacific partnership will be even more important in the coming days,” Jaishankar posted on the social media.

In talks with Khalilzad, the MEA said India emphasised that putting an end to terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries (in Pakistan) was necessary for enduring and sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan. 

India also said it was deeply concerned at the upsurge in violence and supported the call for immediate ceasefire.