India targets Pak, pitches for 'double peace' - "....peace within Afghanistan and peace around Afghanistan"

New Delhi:

Making a strong pitch for a 'genuine political settlement' and ceasefire in Afghanistan, India on Tuesday, June 22, directed its tirade against Pakistan and said there needs to be "zero tolerance" to terrorism including the cross-border one. 

"For enduring peace in Afghanistan, terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries must be dismantled immediately and terrorist supply chains disrupted. There needs to be zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations including its cross-border one," External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said without taking any name at the UNSC Debate on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. 

"It is equally important to ensure that the territory of Afghanistan is not used by terrorist groups to threaten or attack any other country," he said. 

Pray for Peace

Stating that India stands for "a genuine political settlement and a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Afghanistan", Dr Jaishankar said adding, "A durable peace in Afghanistan requires a genuine double peace. That is, peace within Afghanistan and peace around Afghanistan." 

He said, India has been supportive of all the efforts being made to accelerate the dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban, including the intra-Afghan negotiations. 

"If the peace process is to be successful, then it is necessary to ensure that the negotiating parties continue to engage in good faith, eschew the path to find a military solution, and fully commit towards reaching a political solution". 

He also said, India supports a leading role for the United Nations, since that would help improve the odds for a lasting and durable outcome. 

"I would like to reiterate our support for an inclusive, Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled peace process. Any political settlement in Afghanistan must ensure that the gains of the last two decades are protected, and not reversed," he said. 

Dr Jaishankar said the report of the Secretary General on the situation in Afghanistan issued last week is "clear" that the intra-Afghan talks have not resulted in a reduction of violence in Afghanistan. 

"On the contrary, violence has only increased, especially after 1st May. The country has been witnessing targeted attacks on religious and ethnic minorities, girl students, Afghan security forces and Ulemas, " the Minister said. 

Dr Jaishankar maintained those providing material and financial support to terrorist entities must be held accountable. 

"We, as international community, must ensure that our commitments to Afghanistan, including to its various institutions are maintained".

For Afghanistan’s economic development, Dr Jaishankar said, "it is important to have unhindered access to the high seas. The international community should work towards the removal of artificial transit barriers imposed on Afghanistan and ensure full transit rights guaranteed to Afghanistan under bilateral and multilateral transit agreements without any hindrance".

He also said, India remains committed to steadfastly supporting Afghanistan during this transition. 

"Our development partnership, including more than 550 Community Development Projects covering all 34 provinces, is aimed at making Afghanistan a self-sustaining nation," he said.