India and the US have agreed that Afghanistan’s political future is for its people to decide through an inclusive and legitimate process, US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said on Tuesday after his talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and senior officials here.
Khalilzad, who was here for two days after visitingAfghanistan, Pakistan and other countries in the region, said the US and Indiaagreed on benefits that peace in the war-torn nation will bring, and addressthe threat of terrorist use of Afghanistan.
“By precluding the use of Afghan territory to attackany other nation, a peace agreement could strengthen ties by allowing theregional growth of trade and economies,” he said after holding talks onAfghan peace process with Sushma Swaraj, National Security Adviser Ajit Dovaland Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.
He appreciated India’s expression of support for the USefforts, saying it strengthens an emerging international consensus.
“As the world’s oldest & largest democracies, weagreed that the gains made in the last 18 yrs should be preserved. We alsoagreed that Afghanistan’s political future is for Afghans to decide through aninclusive and legitimate process,” Khalilzad said in a series of tweets.
“We agreed on important benefits peace will bring:addressing the threat of terrorist use of Afghanistan; increased regionalconnectivity & trade,” the Special Representative added.
He also recognized the many important contributions Indiahas made to Afghanistan’s development, according to a statement issued by theUS Embassy here.Ambassador Khalilzad and his counterparts”discussed the many important benefits that peace would bring, including:preventing International terrorist use of Afghanistan as a platform forattacks; improved prospects for regional peace and security; and increasedregional connectivity and trade”, the statement said.