NEW DELHI - Foreign minister SM Krishna will emphasize on the role of regional countries in ensuring peace in Afghanistan at the Bonn conference next week, notwithstanding the absence of important neighbors like Iran and Uzbekistan from the international meet meant to discuss the future of Afghanistan as force drawdown plans start to take effect.
Pakistan has threatened to boycott the meet to protest the recent killing of its 24 soldiers in cross-firing by NATO forces across the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. India's engagement with Kabul continues to intensify with the government this week, sources said, deciding to send a fleet of 1,000 buses, half of which are four-wheel drive, to Afghanistan. Afghan authorities had earlier made a request for 4WD buses to improve the transport system in areas marred by difficult terrain.
These buses are a part of the $500 million assistance announced by PM Manmohan Singh when he visited Kabul earlier this year. Like in the conference in Istanbul, Krishna is expected to reiterate in Bonn the importance of an Afghan-led peace process and role of regional countries, which Pakistan has thoroughly opposed, not willing to compromise any geopolitical advantage borne out of its geographical proximity to the war-torn country.
Ahead of the Bonn meet, Indian officials led by joint secretary Yash Sinha visited Tehran this week. While Iran has not yet confirmed its presence for the Bonn meet, Tehran continues to hold immense significance for India as a partner which has as much stake in preventing the Taliban from again emerging as a force in Afghanistan.
As Iran's ambassador to India S Mehdi Nabizadeh told TOI, even the fact that the two countries hold diametrically opposite views on the presence of foreign troops, with Tehran steadfastly demanding their immediate withdrawal, can't prevent India and Iran from working together in Afghanistan. "It's just that we believe that the region will not see peace unless the US gets out of it. It's not just terrorism but also narcotics which has expanded during the presence of these troops,'' Nabizadeh said.
India has pledged up to $2 billion in development and humanitarian assistance, and recently signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with Afghanistan.
Pakistan, however, has continued with its threat to not attend Bonn despite the US urging to ensure at lease a "low-level" participation in the meet. There is an apprehension that Pakistan's absence could render the Bonn conference redundant. While Taliban officially at least have not been invited, reports in international media suggested that some former Taliban leaders may participate in the talks.