Joint Press Interaction by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh

and Afghan President Mr. Hamid Karzai

(New Delhi; November 17, 2006)

PRIME MINISTER (DR. MANMOHAN SINGH): Your Excellency, President Karzai, ladies and gentlemen of the press,

It is always a great pleasure to meet with President Hamid Karzai. Afghanistan has undergone a remarkable transformation over the last five years. From a country that was wrecked by violence and civil strife for nearly three decades, it has transformed itself into a country where democratic institutions are taking strong roots.

I told President Karzai that we in India marvel at what Afghanistan has become today. The newly constituted Walasi Jirga has emerged as a vibrant and assertive body. This would not have been possible without President Karzai’s strong and wise leadership these past few years.

The President and I had useful discussions on all aspects of our bilateral relations. We reviewed the progress achieved in the various bilateral assistance projects that we are associated with in Afghanistan. I have reiterated India’s commitment as a neighbour and friend to continue assisting Afghanistan despite the challenges posed by the security situation.

We also discussed in detail the security situation in the region. A strong India-Afghanistan relationship is not only beneficial to both countries, but it is vital for peace and stability in the entire region.

I have expressed the concern we in India feel about the increased activities of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

The President and I also had an opportunity to review our cooperation in the regional setting. India looks forward to Afghanistan joining SAARC. We feel greatly honoured that Afghanistan’s first summit as a member of SAARC will be hosted by India.

We also discussed tomorrow’s Regional Economic Cooperation Conference. This is a very important initiative not just for Afghanistan but for the entire region. Regional economic cooperation is perhaps the best way for developing countries like ours and Afghanistan to cope with the challenges posed by the phenomenon of globalization. We are determined to pursue that this initiative succeeds.

Mr. President, may I invite you to say a few words to the press.

Thank you.

AFGHAN PRESIDENT (MR. HAMID KARZAI): Thank you very much Mr. Prime Minister.

It is a tremendous pleasure and honour for me and my delegation to be visiting India again, and for me for having had the opportunity to visit Shimla, to visit my university and interact with students and walk around. It brought back to me the energy and memories of youthful times.

We are this time in India to attend the Second Regional Conference on Afghanistan hosted kindly by India, and also to receive the Indira Gandhi Award which the Government of India was very kind to award to what we have achieved in Afghanistan.

Mr. Prime Minister, India and Afghanistan, as you know, share a long history. Of particular importance in this history has been the past five years in which India stood among a few other nations at the forefront of assisting Afghanistan, from help to our parliamentary democratic process to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, to the education of Afghan youth, and to help Afghanistan in whatever other areas that Afghanistan might have needed.

As the Prime Minister mentioned today, we exchanged views on all issues relevant to the two countries from bilateral relations to regional security, to the question of increased violence and terrorism in Afghanistan, and to the ways of trying to reduce terrorism in Afghanistan and the region.

We also discussed the Regional Conference in Delhi which the Prime Minister is kind enough to inaugurate tomorrow together with me, and future cooperations, and how best to work on the project that we have on hand.

We also exchanged views on how to have better investment opportunities in Afghanistan for Indian businesses and on how to facilitate that investment in Afghanistan and what the Afghan Government and Afghan business should do to make that investment easier in Afghanistan.

Trade was discussed and relations between the two countries generally were discussed.

I expressed once again the gratitude of Afghan people to the Government and people of India for the help that they have given to us and expressed a desire and hope of the Afghan people to grow this relationship in all areas where Afghanistan and India are already engaged in relation.

Afghanistan seeks a more prosperous India, a stronger India, and a region that lives in peace and prosperity for that is what Afghanistan needs for its own prosperity and peace to have.

I am grateful, Mr. Prime Minister, once again for having invited us to Delhi and for hosting the Conference tomorrow and for giving me that very important award of Indira Gandhi. Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister.

QUESTION (TOLO TV): I have a question for Mr. Prime Minister. With due attention to the different political agendas of the region’s countries, how possible and realistic is an economic integration in the region from your point of view? As you are an economist, how do you analyse this economic integration?
PRIME MINISTER: Economic cooperation does not function in a political vacuum. Therefore, a broad political understanding among the countries of the region would certainly be very helpful for promoting, propelling forward the movement for regional economic cooperation.

QUESTION (THE HINDU): My question is to President Karzai. Of late there have been concerns expressed by your Government about the role of Pakistan in fomenting terrorism in Afghanistan. I also understand that you have held discussions with the Pakistan leadership and you also have a joint mechanism with the United States. If you were to apportion blame for what has been happening, do you blame the Government of Pakistan at all for the kind of situation that now exists in your country and in the border areas?

AFGHAN PRESIDENT: Sir, we are not blaming the Government of Pakistan: we are seeking help from the Government of Pakistan. Afghanistan is affected by terrorism. There is violence committed against our people; there is violence committed against our school children, against our clergy, against the reconstruction of Afghanistan; there is violence committed against those who have come to Afghanistan to help Afghanistan develop and become secure; and there is definitely that violence related to cross-border activity. Afghanistan has been seeking from our brothers in Pakistan more cooperation in handling that violence against Afghanistan. Security in Afghanistan is indeed security for the whole region. We have seen in the past many years that where Afghanistan suffered, not only the region suffered with us but the whole world suffered. As you have referred to, we had a very frank discussion with President Bush and President Musharraf at the invitation of President Bush. That really had some good results. We are hoping to move further on that on the results of that meeting. So, to put it in a nutshell, Sir, we are not blaming Pakistan, we are seeking cooperation from Pakistan in better handling of violence in Afghanistan.

(Concluded)

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