ID :
147464
Tue, 10/26/2010 - 13:14
Auther :

India, Japan reaffirm commitment to assist Afghanistan

Tokyo, Oct 25 (PTI) India and Japan Monday reaffirmed
their commitment to assit Afghanistan to become a stable,
democratic and pluralistic nation free of terrorism and
extremism.
Discussing the situation in Afghanistan during their
bilateral talks, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his
Japanese counterpart Naoto Kan concurred that the process of
reintegration should not deviate from the principles expressed
in the Kabul Conference.
"They emphasised the importance of a coherent and
united international commitment to Afghan-led initiatives.
Prime Minister Kan expressed that such a commitment
encompasses security assistance, including assistance towards
Afghan National Police, reintegration of insurgents, and
development," a joint statement issued after the talks said.
Singh emphasised the importance of strengthening and
adequate training of the Afghan National Security Forces so
that they can defend the sovereignty and independence of
Afghanistan, the statement said.
The two leaders also pledged to explore opportunities
for consultation and coordination on their respective civilian
assistance projects, including those projects implemented in
the neighboring countries, that advance Afghan leadership and
ownership and build civilian capacity.
They also condemned terrorism in all forms and Prime
Minister Kan condemned terrorist attacks in and against India,
such as the bomb blast in Pune on 13 February 2010 and in
Kabul on 26 February 2010, in which Indians as well as other
nationals were targeted.
"They decided to enhance greater cooperation in
combating terrorism through information-sharing and
counter-terrorism training as well as utilising the
India-Japan Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism," the
statement said.
Singh and Kan reaffirmed their resolve to realise a
comprehensive reform of the United Nations (UN) Security
Council, especially its expansion in both permanent and
non-permanent categories which has commanded the maximum
support from UN member states.
"They shared their view that both countries would
participate actively in these negotiations and decided to
accelerate their efforts, bilaterally as well as in close
cooperation with the G4 and other like-minded countries, to
achieve a meaningful result during the current session of the
General Assembly , so as to make the Security Council more
representative, legitimate, effective, and responsive to the
realities of the international community in the 21st century,"
the statement said.

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