China, Russia, India hold talks on Afghanistan
January 17, 2014, 6:04 am

Afghan shopkeepers chat as they wait for customers, in front of their carpet shop in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Jan. 13, 2014. With millions of dollars in foreign aid flooding into the country, many Afghans still live in poverty [AP]

The trilateral meeting was chaired by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin, and attended by the Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Yevgeny Lukyanov and India’s Deputy National Security Advisor Nehchal Sandhu.

The three sides exchanged views on Afghanistan and asserted support “for a strong, united, stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan”, said a Chinese Foreign ministry statement.

All three sides agreed “security in Afghanistan is important to the country and the region” and is linked to the future development of Afghanistan.

“The three sides, as close neighbors of Afghanistan, support the reconstruction and reconciliation process of the country and have been involved in safeguarding peace, security and development of the nation and the region,” said the press release.

In an interview earlier with The BRICS Post, Faizullah Zaki, the spokesperson of the Afghanistan National Front – a broad coalition of parties opposed to the ruling group of President Hamid Karzai said China and India can play a constructive role in the country.

“While India is highly interested in a stable Afghanistan after 2014 and has come up with a broad package of offers for economic and political support, Pakistan’s body language does not suggest that it wants to abandon its strategic asset, the Taliban,” Zaki told The BRICS Post.

“China can indeed play a constructive role. China has tremendous influence on Pakistan and it can help keep Pakistan in check. It can persuade Pakistan not to use the Taliban as an instrument of its foreign policy,” he added.

Afghanistan has pinned great hopes from Chinese and Indian investment in the war ravaged country.

Omar Zakhilwal, finance minister of Afghanistan said last year that the nation’s economy will benefit enormously from business presence of the Asian giants.

Chinese and Indian firms have invested in iron ore and copper mining in Afghanistan.

China National Petroleum Corporation has started oil production in Afghanistan and should invest from $1 billion to $1.5 billion.

Afghanistan signed a 25-year contract with China National Petroleum Corporation which includes a planned refinery, the first major oil production in the country.

Chinese firms are looking at untapped lithium deposits as well as projects involving hydropower, agriculture and construction.

TBP and Agencies