nsnbc : Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has praised India’s contribution to Afghanistan, emphasizing that the government in Delhi is a good partner and asserting that the Afghan government is committed to further strengthening bilateral cooperation with India.
President Ghani made the remarks during a meeting with members of the Lower and Upper House of Parliament to brief lawmakers regarding his recent foreign trips and interactions abroad.
Ghani reportedly dismissed “misperceptions” about the presence and role of India in Afghanistan, stressing that the Afghan government has no hidden deal with any country. He also asserted that no foreign state will be allowed to use the Afghan soil against neighbors of the country.
The strengthening of bilateral relations between Afghanistan and India caused security concerns in Pakistan. India and Pakistan are still engaged in a “cold war” plus isolated duels over Kashmir. Pakistan, facing the potential threat of overwhelming numbers of Indian forces has a defense policy based on a nuclear deterrent as well as the ability to use parts of Afghanistan for strategic depth in the case of a conventional, non-nuclear conflagration.
Pakistan has long been opposing presence of India in Afghanistan but Afghan officials have repeatedly rejected such stance. The United States, for its part, has endorsed the constructive role of New Delhi in the rehabilitation of Afghanistan.
President Ghani reportedly also said that Kabul has shared interests with New Delhi and the Afghan government will continue to use the economic opportunities which have been provided by India for the development of the country.
F/AK – nsnbc 04.12.2017
Source Article from https://nsnbc.me/2017/12/04/87296/