EU Special Envoy On Afghanistan Tomas Niklasson Visits New Delhi
There is no solution to Afghan problem without involvement of India. This universal and historical truth is now dawning on everyone. India and the ppppppipipipip0 Union (EU) have now exchanged notes and discussed the way forward in Afghanistan as EU special envoy Tomas Niklasson visited New Delhi on Wednesday.
Niklasson first held talks in Doha over the weekend with a Taliban delegation led by acting fppppppipipipip0ooreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The EU then clearly stated that the two-day dialogue did not mean recognition of the interim government in Kabul. It was just a part of an “operational engagement in the interest of the EU and the Afghan people”.
Next Nikalasson travelled to New Delhi on his first visit to India since he became the special envoy. This visit comes weeks after India hosted a meeting of top security officials of regional countries, including Iran and Russia, to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.
Niklasson then on Wednesday visited South Block and calked upon Foreign secretary Harsh Shringla. They exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan and agreed to continue the ongoing coordination between India & EU on Afghanistan.
Ties between India and the EU have been on the upswing, especially after exit of UK from the Union, in recent years in areas ranging from the Indo-Pacific to maritime security. The EU special envoy’s visit will be an opportunity for the two sides to exchange views on the latest developments in Afghanistan, including the urgent need to provide humanitarian aid to the Afghan people.
India’s position on Afghanistan remains unchanged and is based on UN Security Council resolution 2593, which calls for the formation of an inclusive government and steps to ensure that Afghan soil is not used to plan and execute terrorist actions against other countries.
India is not going to re open its embassy in Kabul in a hurry, which was shuttered after all the diplomats and security personnel were evacuated in August. The immediate focus for India is ensuring unhindered and unimpeded access for humanitarian efforts in order to rush relief materials and medicines to the Afghan people as winter sets in. This has already started.
The Taliban delegation led by Muttaqi also held talks in Doha with the new US special representative on Afghanistan, Thomas West, who emphasised the “importance of the Taliban fulfilling its public commitment not to allow anyone to pose a threat to any country from the soil of Afghanistan” and the protection of the rights of all of Afghan citizens.
The US side indicated there were no plans to lift American sanctions, as the treasury department had issued general licences for the continued flow of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
The EU delegation, in its talks with the Taliban, highlighted the importance of democracy and called on the interim government to take “swift, meaningful and concrete steps towards an inclusive government” with all ethnic, political and religious affiliations in order to pave the way for national reconciliation.
Now Taliban must see the reality and start approaching India in a friendly manner.
