India has turned down Afghanistan's request for the supply of lethal weapons, saying it was not "either in a position or willing" to contribute lethal weapons right now, days after Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai raised the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"We are going to help with non-lethal equipment but I don't think we are either in the position to or willing to contribute lethal weapons right now," said External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.
Noting that India already supplies important elements of supporting equipment, transportation -- which includes helicopters, the minister said, "We think it is not advisable to go beyond that. It is a fragile area, there are stakeholders, there are other people. We don't want to become part of the problem."
During his recent visit to India, Karzai had handed a ‘wish list’ to Indian leadership seeking greater military and civilian support in the wake of the proposed withdrawal of United States-led forces from Afghanistan in 2014.
Khurshid, in an interview to Straits Times, said there are lots of people who have perceptions about the future of Afghanistan.
“If we can help Afghanistan without creating further problems for them, I think that would be a preferred way to do it," he said.
He said, "We are in touch with them constantly and we are committed and have said very categorically. We are not looking at exit routes for ourselves which means we are there to stay for a long term. We are very comforted by the fact that Afghans have confidence in us. We won't let them down."
Asked about his concerns in Afghanistan post-2014, Khurshid said, "I think it is too early for the Americans to give us the full picture. Afghans themselves are unable to give a full picture. I have been to the Heart of Asia (ministerial) conference and apart from the fact that everybody was clearly committed to the future of Afghanistan, as we do, there are no clear roadmaps about what can happen during 2014."
He said, "Americans are still talking about -- we still don't know whether it will succeed or not succeed -- about talks with Taliban. We have, as have other countries, flagged over and over again the red lines that were drawn for the future of Afghanistan and yet we don't want to stand in the way of inclusive dialogue which President Karzai himself took an initiative on”.
"But because he and the Americans and the Qataris are not able to get on to the same page, there isn't very much that we can do at this stage, except wait for the dust to settle, for things to become clear and then see whether our formulation that whatever happens the peace talks must be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled can be a viable step for future directions," he said.
He added that India was hopeful about Pakistan's new government responding to its immediate concerns such as fixing accountability for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
"It is important to let them (new Pakistan government) settle down, let them take stock of the situation. And hopefully start giving us signals that they mean business on those issues which are of immediate concern to us, and that includes accountability for the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai," Khurshid said.
"That is something we can't wish away and should not wish away," Khurshid said.
He also noted that the messages given out by Nawaz Sharif, both during and after the campaign, have been very positive and meaningful.
"We have also responded to that in a meaningful way," he said.
The talks s between India and Pakistan was halted for over two years in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks that were blamed on the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayiba.
Seven Pakistani suspects have been charged with planning, financing and executing the attacks that killed 166 people in Mumbai.
Responding to a question on whether there was any new movement in the Indo-Pak peace process, Khurshid said, "There is a lot happening. But the actual dialogue, the resumed dialogue, has to be re-resumed because, as you know, there were events that caused matters to come to a virtual halt."
"Many of the important decisions we were taking as confidence-building measures were, sort of, slowed down," Khurshid said.
"As far as the actual dialogue is concerned we will get back gradually," he said.
Khurshid said India is also looking at Pakistan's growing energy demands.
"Their urgency for the supply of power and gas -- we sent an experts team right away and they are now sending their team back to us. So we are already looking at one major area of importance to them," he said.
When asked whether he sees better ties with Pakistan under Sharif, who started the Kargil War, Khurshid replied, "The Kargil War is now history, we don't want to go into that. I think he, like anyone else, comes with a lot of experience and a lot of tough experience of his times in the opposition."
"I think that he is showing signs of great statesmanship. He has certainly become a focal point of a tremendous amount of hope in Pakistan. He has given out a good message all around. We are responding to it, with an open mind and in a positive attitude and hope that we can move forward rather than look back at what happened in the past,” he said.
On a question on whether Dr Singh will be able to visit Pakistan before the end of his tenure, Khursid said, “I can't say. I know he wants to go but if you want to go as a person you may not be able to go as a prime minister”.
"Mr Sartaj Aziz (Sharif's special advisor on foreign affairs), when he met me, said he was very keen that the prime minister should find any excuse -- be it his school, be it his village, be it any other excuse -- to come to Pakistan. But this is really a call the prime minister will take, I cannot predict and cannot anticipate anything. But obviously, I think the story would remain incomplete if there isn't a face to face meeting between him and Nawaz Sharif. But there has to be a considerable amount of background work done. Once that work is done and we place it before the prime minister, he will take a call," said Khurshid.
"People who are concerned with that desk are working now but it really depends on expectations on either side or the important points on which there must be some movement before we can go to the prime minister to say we have something to place before you," he said.
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