Unclear if Afghanistan will have inclusive government: S Jaishankar

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India was not taken into confidence on all aspects of the deal signed by the US and the Taliban last year and it still isn’t clear whether Afghanistan will have an inclusive government or whether Afghan soil will not be used for terror, external affairs minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said on Thursday.

These issues have given rise to justified concerns in India and other countries about the situation in Afghanistan, he said while speaking virtually at the annual leadership summit of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).

Participating in a conversation with former American ambassador Frank Wisner, Jaishankar responded to a question about the threat from recent developments in Afghanistan by saying: “I think to some degree, we’ll all be justified in having levels of concern. And to some degree, the jury is still out.”

“When I say levels of concern, there were commitments which were made by the Taliban at Doha… US knows that best, we were not taken into confidence on various aspects of that.”

He added, “So, whatever were the deals which were struck in Doha – one has a broad sense but beyond that, are we going to see an inclusive government, are we going to see respect for the rights of women, children and minorities? Most important, are we going to see an Afghanistan whose soil is not used for terrorism against other states and the rest of the world?” (Hindustan Times)