Summary Sushma Swaraj addressed the 'Heart of Asia' 5th Ministerial Meeting on Afghanistan in Islamabad.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – In sign of ice melting between India and Pakistan, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday stated that “India is prepared to move our cooperation at pace which Pakistan is comfortable with,” Dunya News reported.
She said this while address the ‘Heart of Asia’ 5th Ministerial Meeting on Afghanistan in Islamabad.
The Indian Foreign Minister asserted that Afghanistan is threatened most by terrorism and not tribal or ethnic rivalries.
“In the last few months, terrorism in Afghanistan has grown in both intensity and scope. Terrorists have made concerned efforts to capture and hold territory, reminding us that they have not changed,” she said.
She lauded the Afghan National Security Forces and the Afghan people for countering the forces of terrorism and extremism with courage and resilience.
Sushma said: “They need the continued support of the international community to defend Afghanistan’s unity and security. For its part, India is ready to work with Afghanistan to strengthen its defensive capability.”
She further stressed that it is the collective duty of all to ensure that the forces of terrorism and extremism do not find sanctuaries and safe havens in any name, form or manifestation.
“We, in Afghanistan’s proximity, have a particular responsibility in this regard, An end to terrorism and extremism, and adherence to internationally accepted redlines are essential for reconciliation and lasting peace in Afghanistan,” she added.
She India’s vision of Heart of Asia is one of interlinked trade, transit, energy & communication routes, with Afghanistan as an important hub. The Heart of Asia cannot function if arteries are clogged.
Sushma remarked that nothing can benefit Afghanistan more than full and direct overland access to India’s markets, adding that India is willing to receive Afghan trucks at Attari.
"We are willing to join Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade & Transit Agreement," she said.
ON INDO-PAK TIES
The Indian Foreign Minister extended hand to Pakistan as well, urging the both sides to display maturity and self-confidence to do business with each other and strengthen regional trade and cooperation.
“The entire world is waiting and rooting for a change. Let us not disappoint them,” she said.
She further said: “For its part, India is prepared to move our cooperation at a pace which Pakistan is comfortable with. But today, let us at least resolve to help Afghanistan – in the best tradition of good neighbourliness – through more effective transit arrangements.”
Sushma Swaraj concluded her address by inviting delegates to 6th Ministerial of the Heart of Asia Istanbul Process to be held in India in 2016.
