India, Afghanistan resolve to fight terror

New Delhi, Apr 10: India today announced additional assistance of 50 million US dollars to Afghanistan for reconstruction projects as the two countries strongly condemned terrorism but stopped short of blaming Pakistan for supporting the scourge.

With the additional 50 million dollar assistance, the total amount of Indian aid to the war-torn country has gone up to 650 million Dollars.

The two countries also signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) on cooperation in the field of Education, Rural Development and Standardisation.

The pacts were signed in the presence of visiting Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after nearly two-hour talks between the two leaders on various aspects of bilateral relations including deevelopment and cooperation against terrorism.

Addressing a joint press conference after their talks, the two leaders strongly condemned terrorism saying both countries had been the victims of the menace.

They said that even Pakistan was not immune to terrorism.

To a question on Trade and Transit for goods among the three countries and Pakistan's transit permission to Indian goods to Afghanistan, the two leaders hoped that Islamabad would allow such movement as and said it would benefit all the three countries and the region as a whole.

The two leaders held restricted talks which were followed by nearly 30-minutes of one-on-one and then 45-minute delegation-level talks.

The MOU on Education was signed by Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Arjun Singh and Afghan Acting Minister for Higher Education Ms Suraiya, while the pact on Rudal Development was signed by Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Afghan Minister for Rural Development and Rehabilitation Mohd. Hanif Atmar.

The MOU on Standardisation was signed by Director General of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Swayam Prakash Sharma and Afghanistan Charge d' Affaires Abdul Hai Khurasani.

Earlier President Karzai, who arrived here yesterday on a four-day state visit, was given a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning.

Replying to questions, the Prime Minister, while noting that both countries had suffered from terrorism, said the scourge had acquired new dimensions and had become a menace in many countries. ''Even Pakistan is not immune,'' he said, observing that India and Afghanistan could cooperate against the menace by exchanging intelligence, knowledge and expertise.

Mr Karzai, while echoeing Dr Singh's remarks, said terrorism had affected the entire humanity. Afghanistan had every reason to work with India to fight it.

Mentioning about some bomb explosions in his country targeting innocent people and political workers, the Afghan President said such terrorist attacks had deterred the Afghan people who had ''moved on resolutely.'' He hoped that the entire region would join hands against terrorism for the benefit from the ''dividends of peace.'' Mr Karzai said terrorism had affected all countries including Pakistan and the past four years had seen a massive jump in strengthening of relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The two countries had been regularly talking about the issue, he said and hoped that some effective solution would be found.

Significantly, Mr Karzai and other Afghan leaders have in the past accused Pakistan of promoting terrorism across the Pak-Afghan border.

To a question on transit for Indian goods through Pakistan, Dr Singh said he had raised the issue with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and with Mr Karzai also to use his ''good offices'' with the Pakistan President.

On the security concerns regarding Zaranj-Delaram road near Herat which is being constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) as a transit route to Central Asia, Dr Singh said there were indeed ''some security concerns.'' But the Afghan authorities and the Afghan President had assured that terrorists would not be allowed to interfere in the construction.

An Indian BRO engineer Maniappan Raman Kutty was kidnapped and killed by Taliban last year while he was working on the road project. This had raised considerable seurity concerns among the Indians working on various projects in the war-torn country.

Mr Karzai said the Transit route between India, Pakistan and Afghanistan was of ''extremely significant importance'' to all the three countries.

''I have discussed it with my brother (President Musharraf).

It is an issue that they understand. We very much hope that such transit will be allowed for goods from India,'' he said and hoped that Pakistan would also have access to East Asia through India.

''It is an issue which concerns our future. I can speak with certainty that one of the ways is to promote trade and transit and also freedom of movement of people for the benefit of all the three countries and the region...It will also make Afghanistan as the launching pad in central Asia.''

The two countries also agreed that India would host the second Regional Economic Reconstruction Conference for Afghanistan in New Delhi on November 18-19 this year. The Prime Minister, in his opening remarks, announced that India would consider establishing a Line of Credit (LOC) facility of 50 million US Dollars and said both countries had decided to set up a Joint Committee of Commerce Ministers to review the implementation of the bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement and promote bilateral trade.

While complimenting the Afghan government on successful completion of elections in the country last year, the Prime Minister said this was an important landmark in Afghanistan's progress in becoming a sovereign, democratic country.

He expressed concern at the increased activities in some parts of Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister welcomed Afghanistan's entry into the SAARC and said it was a ''particular privilege'' that the first SAARC Summit which would have Afghanistan as the new member, would be held in India early next year.

A Joint Statement issued after the meeting said, India had expressed full support to the goal of a sovereign, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan which was necessary for peace, security and stability in the region.

In the field of institutional and human resource development, both sides expressed satisfaction at the ongoing process of the annual award of 500 scholarships for Afghan students for university education in India and 500 short-term ITEC programme for Afghan nationals.

They also explored the possibilities of expanding business-to-business cooperation, particularly between small and medium entrepreneurs.

President Karzai is accompanied by a strong business delegation to explore opportunities with Indian businessmen.

The two leaders reaffirmed that India and Afghanistan had a common interest in re-invigorating the past ties and developing a new strategic partnership for the 21st century.

In the morning, after he was given a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Karzai said his visit to India would add to the ''friendship and depth of relationship'' between the two countries.

He said his country's expectations from India were always great as India was cooperating almost in all walks of life including education, health, rural development, re-building of infrastructure and in economic spheres.

The Afghan President, who is going to Hyderabad tomorrow, is accompanied by a 106-member delegation including seven Ministers, Members of Parliament and business leaders.

UNI