On Tuesday, the newly appointed United States (US) envoy Thomas West met with Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla. Their meeting comes just a week after both India and Pakistan hosted independent discussions with regional powers on the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.
Indian officials briefed West on last week’s Regional Security Dialogue that saw the participation of NSAs from Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Dialogue, which was held in New Delhi last Wednesday, focussed on the regional and global implications of the situation in Afghanistan. Specific attention was placed on the threats posed by terrorism, radicalisation, and drug trafficking. The leaders also highlighted the need to provide humanitarian assistance to the country.
Also Read: SUMMARY: Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan
Meanwhile, West informed the Indian leaders about the developments made during the meeting of the Troika Plus group of countries, which includes Pakistan, China, Russia, and the US. Both China and Pakistan had declined India’s invitation to attend the Regional Security Dialogue, which took place just one day before the meeting in Islamabad.
Following the meet, the US embassy in Pakistan said, “In meetings of the extended Troika, participants discussed the way forward on Afghanistan. West also held bilateral meetings with Pakistani government officials in which both parties emphasized the importance of pressing the Taliban to uphold its commitments to counterterrorism, the right of free passage for those who wish to depart Afghanistan, and the rights of all Afghan citizens, including minorities and women.”
During Tuesday’s meet, India also expressed concern over the use of Afghan territory for activities detrimental to regional peace and security. To this end, both sides celebrated the positive role played by India in Afghanistan and expressed their support for an inclusive Afghan government that sees representation from political and social minorities.
A key focus of the discussion was the movement of Afghan refugees out of Afghanistan as thousands seek to escape the ongoing humanitarian crisis. In this regard, the two sides agreed to collaborate and work closely. India has not yet established a system to issue e-visas to Afghans seeking to escape the Taliban and has continued to keep air services between the two countries suspended.
On the same day, Shringla also spoke with Stefano Sannino, the Secretary-General of the European External Action Service of the European Union. The pair discussed the need to set up a common approach to Afghanistan and also spoke of the need to protect the rights and freedoms of minorities in the war-torn country. Furthermore, like in the meeting with West, Shringla briefed Sannino about the developments made during the Regional Security Dialogue.
Also Read: Pakistan Hosts US, Russia, China, Taliban to Discuss Afghan Crisis, Urges Inclusive Gov’t
The US has been focussing on facilitating the movement of Afghan refugees out of the country and also highlighted the need to provide the country with humanitarian aid. Keeping this in mind, on Monday, US Secretary of State Antony R. Blinken held a virtual discussion with representatives of #AfghanEvac, an umbrella coalition of over 100 groups of veterans, social workers, advocates, and frontline civilians. He expressed his gratitude to the group for their efforts to relocate Afghan refugees. He also applauded the role played by the group in holding the US government accountable on the issue.