New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS) Afghan President Hamid Karzai Wednesday arrived in India on a two-day visit that will see the two sides discuss the proposed Taliban integration process in Afghanistan and India’s concerns triggered by Pakistan’s attempts to meddle in it.
Karzai will speak at the inaugural session of the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) Thursday before he sits down for wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence.
In his meeting with Karzai, Manmohan Singh is expected to reiterate India’s apprehensions about the ongoing dialogue over reintegrating the so-called moderate Taliban, specially Pakistan’s perceived attempt to influence the process to further its own strategic designs.
He is expected to seek reassurance from the India-educated Afghan president that his government will only negotiate with those Taliban elements who sever links with the terrorists and accept the Afghan constitution, as agreed at the Kabul and London conclaves last year, said informed sources.
The two sides are also likely to discuss the prospective security situation in view of the planned phased withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan that is expected to begin July.
The prime minister is also likely to urge Karzai for review of security measures for around 4,000 Indians engaged in a range of projects in the violence-torn country.
‘Any external interference in the reintegration process would be detrimental to its success and for the future of democratic, stable, pluralistic and prosperous Afghanistan,’ External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said early this month during his visit to Kabul.
Karzai will call on President Pratibha Patil. He flies to Munich Thursday evening to attend a global security conference.
