Diplomatist Magazine DIplomatist September 2018 | Page 73

SPECIAL REPORT
The US also fi nds a key partner in India to
help putting together an alliance against the
Taliban. India had played a very dominant
role in keeping the anti-Taliban resistance
alive during the 1990s. As many warlords in
Afghanistan are tring to assimilate themselves
into mainstream politics, it becomes very
important to develop constructive relations with
them. America’s efforts to bring all the anti-
Taliban factions under the same umbrella has
received limited success. This is where India,
with its friendly relations with anti-Taliban
factions, could help in stitching up an alliance to
act as a bulwark against the Pakistan-sponsored
Taliban.
India-US-Afghanistan Trilateral Meet:
The three countries have been regularly
exchanging ideas at trilateral meets to ensure
peace and stability in Afghanistan; this is apart
from encouraging development activities in
the country.
After the conclusion of the fourth trilateral
meeting in February, diplomats of the three
countries agreed to continue to work together
towards a safe, peaceful, democratic, pluralistic,
and prosperous Afghanistan that is free from
terrorism.
While the Indian delegation was led by
Joint Secretary Deepak Mittal, the Afghan side
was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister
Hekmat Karzai. Alice Wells, senior diplomat
for South and Central Asia represented the US.
“They met to discuss the US and Indian
civilian assistance to Afghanistan, as well
as regional issues of mutual interest to the
three countries,” said Heather Nauert, State
Department spokesperson after the trilateral
meet.
Later on, while addressing an audience
in Washington D.C., Wells sought to allay
Pakistani apprehensions saying that trilateral
cooperation was not directed against any
country. “The trilateral meeting,” she said,
“was to review how the three countries can
better work together on development, trade and
investment priorities”. “But that does not imply
that we would support or think that there’s any
manipulation of Afghanistan so that it can be
used against Pakistan,” Wells added.
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 6 • Issue 9 • September 2018, Noida • 73