New Delhi: In a virtual address on Afghan peace negotiations at Doha, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that the Afghan peace process must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan.
The peace process must promote human rights and democracy, ensure the interest of minorities, women, and the vulnerable sections, and “effectively” address violence across the country, Jaishankar said.
Jaishankar also reaffirmed India’s long-held position that the peace process should be “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled”.
“The friendship of our peoples is a testimony to our history with Afghanistan. No part of Afghanistan is untouched by our 400-plus development projects. Confident that this civilizational relationship will continue to grow,” he said.
Last month, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani agreed to release 400 Taliban prisoners, paving the way for the beginning of the long-awaited peace process aimed at ending nearly two decades of conflict in the war-torn country.
India has been keenly following the evolving political situation after the US inked a peace deal with the Taliban in February. The deal provided for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, effectively drawing curtains to Washington’s 18-year war in the country.