Menon arrives in Kabul to discuss security of Indians

Kabul, Mar 5 (PTI) Carrying certain proposals for
ensuring security of about 4,000 Indians in Afghanistan,
India's National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon arrived
here Friday to discuss the issue with the Afghan leadership.
During his two-day visit, Menon will meet Afghan
President Hamid Karzai and some other leaders of Afghanistan.
Soon after his arrival, Menon held discussions with
Indian Ambassador Jayant Prasad with regard to safety of 4,000
nationals working on various developmental and reconstruction
projects across Afghanistan in the backdrop of last Friday's
attack here.
Indian government has evolved certain proposals for
the security of its nationals and these will be discussed by
Menon with the Afghan authorities, sources said.
The proposals include setting up of protected venues
where the Indians working on projects could be housed.
There are also suggestions for deploying security
personnel at places where Indians work.
"There is a limit to what Indian government can do
there. Ultimately, the Afghan authorities have to take steps
to secure the Indians there," a source said.
The sources noted that Afghan government has always
been cooperative in this regard and expressed confidence that
it would take further steps to upgrade security of Indians.
As part of India's USD 1.3 billion assistance, about
4,000 Indians are working on various projects in areas like
healthcare, power, education and social sector. (MORE) PTI