International community pledges to help Afghanistan

Kabul, Nov 20 (ANI): The international community on Thursday pledged its support to help Afghanistan move ahead on the road of development.

The decision was taken at a meeting of foreign ministers here.

Interacting with the media after the meeting, Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said: "Each one of the countries which were at the round table, pledged their support to Afghanistan and they would continue to assist Afghanistan to be able to tide over the difficulties, tide over the crisis ridden days. And all of us hoped that Afghanistan would be in a position to bounce back into total normalcy."

Krishna also held a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi and inquired about the progress of the trial of those responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

"Foreign Minister Qureshi conveyed to me that the trial had begun and it was going on. So, noting that there has been considerable delay in the process, the explanation that I got from Foreign Minister Qureshi is that the judicial process, with which they cannot interfere, which I understand fully," he said.

Noting the delay in bringing the perpetrators to justice, Krishna said he asked Qureshi to quicken the procedure.

"I don't think that it would be reasonable for India to ask for a deadline as much as in our own court cases, if we are asked whether a deadline has been set up, we will not be able to satisfy. So, I didn't ask him for a deadline. All that I impressed upon him is that the trial should be quickened," he added. By Ravi Shankar (ANI)