By IANS,
New Delhi: Welcoming US President Barack Obama’s decision for a troop surge in Afghanistan, India Thursday asked the international community to impress upon Pakistan to honour its pledge to dismantle terror infrastructure on its soil.
“We welcome the emphasis in the US strategy on the strengthening of the government of Afghanistan and Afghan security forces,” the external affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said.
“We also welcome President Obama’s reiteration of the need to squarely tackle terrorism, and for Pakistan to ensure that terrorists do not enjoy safe havens on its territory,” Prakash said.
In a veiled critique of Obama’s new Afghanistan policy that is silent on Pakistan’s complicity in terrorist networks in the region, New Delhi asked the international community to impress upon Islamabad to dismantle the terror infrastructure.
“India believes that it is in the interest of the international community to impress upon Pakistan that it must use all its influence and resources to implement its commitments to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism and to deny sanctuary to all terrorist groups who operate from its soil,” the spokesperson said.
In a strongly-worded message, New Delhi reminded the international community to defeat those who provide sanctuaries to terrorists.
“In our view, it is essential that the international community shows unwavering commitment to resolutely opposing, resisting and overcoming terrorism and those who nurture, sustain and give sanctuary to terrorists and extremist elements,” the spokesperson said.
India again reminded the world to stay the course in Afghanistan, a message that was emphatically underscored by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his talks with Obama in Washington last week.
“It is also imperative that the international community shows sustained and long-term commitment to assisting the government and people of Afghanistan,” the spokesperson said.
On Tuesday night, Obama announced the deployment of additional 30,000 US troops to defeat the Taliban and Al Qaeda extremists in Afghanistan by May 2010 and set a July 2011 deadline for an exit of American troops from the violence-torn country.
Obama’s speech was, however, silent on the role of India in stabilising Afghanistan.
Alluding to India’s multifarious reconstruction activities in Afghanistan, India reiterated “its determination to fulfil its commitment to the Afghan people and government as they build a peaceful, democratic and pluralistic Afghanistan”.
India has pledged $1.3 billion for social, economic and developmental activities in Afghanistan.
In a statement about the recent visit of Manmohan Singh to the US, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Thursday told both houses of parliament that New Delhi and Washington shared interests in the stability and development of Afghanistan and want Pakistan to take credible steps to destroy safe havens for terrorists.
In their discussions, the two leaders “underscored the absolute imperative to bring to justice the perpetrators of this terrorist attack and the need for resolute and credible steps to be taken to eliminate safe havens and sanctuaries that provide shelter to terrorists and their activities,” Krishna said.