S M Krishna says India wants Taliban to be eliminated

Bangalore, Oct 27 (ANI): Rejecting to Islamabad's charge of New Delhi funding the Taliban, External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna on Tuesday said that India wants the Taliban and Talibanism to be totally eliminated.

The reaction came a day after Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that India is providing funds for Taliban fighters located along the Afghanistan border for creating chaos in Pakistan.

Malik said that he is completely "convinced" that India is one of those "certain hostile agencies" which are providing funds for the Taliban for creating unrest in Pakistan.

Malik also added he was ready to confront the Indian Government with evidence in this regard.

Refuting Pakistan's allegations, Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor said it's not at all in the business of destabilizing its neighbors.

"We don't believe that there is any such evidence because we know we are not a country that believes in de-stabilizing our neighbors. We would not be interesting in fomenting any trouble in Pakistan, that's not our style, that's not the kind of policy we conduct. But if they feel they have any information to share with us, why should we refuse to receive it?," said Tharoor.

"They have had plenty of opportunities to meet Indian officials and so far we have not seen any evidence," he added.

Krishna is in Bangalore to attend the ninth trilateral meeting of Russia, India and China (RIC).

Foreign Ministers of India, China and Russia S M Krishna, Yang Jiechi and Sergey Lavrov respectively will discuss the trilateral issues in the meeting. (ANI)