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India & World
By Amit Baruah
India, which will be represented at the meeting, has kept up its interest in the reconstruction of Afghanistan — a fact that the international community has recognised. But, just like other nations, India is becoming increasingly concerned at the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, sources in the External Affairs Ministry said today. And, while India looks at the feasibility of a $60 million electricity transmission line from Pul-e-Kumri to Kabul in Afghanistan, security fears continued to gnaw at many nations. The United States and India have been cooperating in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Christina Rocca, was warmly appreciative of New Delhi's Afghan role during a recent visit. She said on September 11: "We deeply appreciate India's prominent role in Afghanistan's reconstruction. We encourage you to continue your efforts, as we believe they serve a common cause." Referring to American goals, Ms. Rocca stressed: "In Afghanistan, we seek to create a new country marked by stability and peace and ruled by a regime that is moderate, democratic and representatives of its constituent ethnic groups. For too long, Afghanistan has represented a source of instability in the region and beyond. Today, under the leadership of President (Hamid) Karzai, Afghanistan is moving towards a new future - slowly and haltingly at time, but in the right direction," she said. Ms. Rocca was, however, told by her Indian interlocutors that the emergence of what has been termed the "neo-Taliban" in the Pakhtoon areas of Afghanistan was linked to the role being played by Pakistan. She was told that Pakistan was actively backing the Taliban in Afghanistan, the sources told this correspondent. "Pakistan is allowing the Taliban to move between Afghanistan and Pakistan," the sources said, adding that if the U.S. were to "tout" Afghanistan as a success (when compared to Iraq) then Washington would have to deal with this reality. "The Americans have already lost two years in Afghanistan. After the initial rout of the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda, they should have mopped up the remainder of such elements," the sources said, pointing to the increasing anti-American activity by the Taliban. Maintaining that Pakistan was out to destabilise the Afghan Government, the sources were clear that the "policy choice" the U.S. must use is to put pressure on Pakistan to reverse course. "It needs to be recalled that the Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf, acted only under pressure after September 11. He did not like what he did. Today, Gen. Musharraf wants to preserve his options in Afghanistan," the sources maintained. Asked how the security situation could be redressed in the Indian view, the sources said Afghan security structures needed to be strengthened. Only the Afghan army and police would be able to stabilise the situation. The International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, currently under the command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), comprises some 5,000 troops in Kabul. Given the serious security situation, the NATO is thinking in terms of expanding the force. As far as the Americans are concerned, they have some 10,000 troops in Afghanistan as opposed to a little over 1,25,000 security personnel in Iraq.
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