India against marking sections of Taliban as 'good' or 'bad'

Dharam Shourie

United Nations, Mar 20 (PTI) Cautioning against attempts
to draw a line between "good" and "bad" Taliban, India has
said that doubts and divergences in the fight against
terrorists in Afghanistan would embolden them and weaken the
collective will of nations.

Speaking at the UN Security Council, Indian Ambassador
Nirupam Sen stressed the need for stability of Afghanistan in
the interest of economic progress of the region and asked the
international community to collectively fight the threat posed
by Taliban and al Qaeda who are out to undermine the country.

"Doubts, hesitation and divergences in the international
community in the fight against terrorists would only weaken
the collective will and embolden them," Sen warned the
Security Council.

He cautioned against attempts to distinguish between
"good" and "bad" Taliban and asked the international community
to get beyond the "unworkable" efforts of sifting the two.

Sen's remarks were a reference to Obama administration's
indication that it might be willing to talk to the less
radical elements among the Taliban, which the US and NATO
forces are fighting against in Afghanistan.

"Apart from application of force wherever terrorist
groups are active, we must work together to deny them safe
havens, political and material sustenance in Afghanistan or
across the border," Sen said in a debate.
Calling for international efforts to move towards a "more
cohesive and integrated approach," Sen supported the view that
the coordination must be based on "genuine Afghan leadership"
and on recognition that there is no purely military solution.

"It is for this reason that India strongly supports
efforts to build Afghan capacity. It is not only appropriate
but essential to invest in such capacity," he said, warning
without such an approach, the international community runs the
risk of placing responsibility without ensuring that "our
partners have the means to shoulder it".

Turning to the regional aspect, Sen also called for
greater efforts to embed the stabilisation of Afghanistan
within regional processes, such as the South Asian Association
for Regional Cooperation, for it to regain its key role as the
crossroads of South, West and Central Asia.

"Such efforts are in the collective interest of the
entire region. We therefore need efforts to expand, rather
than hinder trade, transit and transport ties," he said.

Underscoring India's "firm and unshakeable commitment" to
the international effort in Afghanistan, Sen said for New
Delhi, the stabilisation of Afghanistan is integrally
connected to its own security.

Though outraged by terrorist attacks on its own people
and symbols of friendship with Afghanistan, New Delhi cannot
be deterred by these criminal acts, he said. PTI DS
SAK