India and Pakistan has been invited by US to be engaged in the transition process of Afghanistan
WASHINGTON: What is seen as the “most significant change” in Afghan strategy, the Obama administration has invited both India and Pakistan to be engaged in transition process of the war-torn nation, where the US intends to transfer security to Afghan forces by 2014.
The State Department spokesman P J Crowley told reporters in response to a question, “Our strategy is a regional strategy and we have invited countries from Pakistan to India to be engaged in and support this transition in Afghanistan.”
His remarks came more than a week after President Barack Obama’s visit to India, where he discussed the Afghan situation with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Crowley said, adding the US is aware of India’s “genuine national security interest” in Afghanistan, “That is perhaps the most significant change that we’ve put into effect over the last 18 months, almost two years, is to take it from being just about Afghanistan to being about the region as a whole.”
It is first time that a senior US official has said that New Delhi has been invited to support the transition process in Afghanistan. Well Obama Administration has been also very appreciative of India’s role in Afghanistan. “India has significantly invested in Afghanistan, and we continue to encourage the role that India is playing to help Afghanistan develop its economy and improve its security.”
Crowley said, “The process between now and then is focused on helping to strengthen Afghanistan’s government both at the national level and at the local level, building up critical institutions that include both military capabilities and police capabilities.”
“This has the ability to help continue the transformation of this region. So it has benefits for Afghanistan, but as Afghanistan stabilises, it has obviously benefits that accrue to other countries, including Pakistan, including India and others.
“As you build up institutions and they perform, you can expect to see improvements in the Afghan economy and the export of Afghan goods to other countries in the region,” said Crowley.
