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MEA reacts to Army Chief's comment on Taliban

India also briefed United States special representative about Pakistan's destabilizing role in Afghanistan

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India has briefed the visiting United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad about its policy and also about the role Pakistan is playing in the country. 

He met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday and foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale on Friday. 

Ministry of External affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "Both sides shared perspective on peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.  Khalilzad briefed us on their aspect as to how the US is trying to achieve peace and reconciliation in the country. We made it very clear that peace and reconciliation in Afganistan should be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, and Afghan-controlled." 

Asked if Pakistan's role was discussed, he replied, "This is something we have articulated time and again, about the destabilizing role they (Pakistan) plays. We reiterate out policy in Afghanistan."

During Khalilzad's meeting with India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday, US ambassador to India Ken Juster and secretary PAI (Pakistan Afgahistan Iran) division was also present. 

According to MEA tweet, "Both sides shared their perspectives on peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan."

This is the first visit by Khalilzad to India after taking over the post. He will also be visiting China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. 

Meanwhile, MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) has also reacted on Army Chief General Bipin Rawat saying that "there should be talks with Taliban" but without "any preconditions".

MEA said, "Our position on Afghanistan has been clear and consistent. We have said in the past, India supports the peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan. We support the process which is inclusive towards achieving this goal and there has been no change in the position." 

Rawat had said New Delhi needs to sit on the "high table" and "if a number of other countries are talking to the Taliban, do we have interest in Afghanistan? If the answer is yes, then you can't be out of the bandwagon."

Pakistan, Iran, Russia, and the US have been engaging with the Taliban. Iran has even offered its own communication lines to India to engage with the Taliban. India as a policy does not engage with the Taliban but did send "non-official" representatives to Moscow to talk on Afghanistan in which the Taliban was also present. 

New Delhi sent two former diplomats- Amar Sinha, India's former envoy to Afghanistan and TCA Raghavan to the talks in Russia.

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