Karzai on official visit to India

INDIA: With the July 7 bombing attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul fresh in memory, India and Afghanistan will discuss ways to counter terror, as President Hamid Karzai arrived here last night to hold talks with a concerned Indian leadership.

Karzai comes here on a two-day state visit from Colombo, where was is attending the 15th SAARC summit along with Manmohan Singh and other leaders of South Asian countries.

Karzai will be given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning before he begins his official engagements. Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta and National Security Advisor Zalmai Rassoul will accompany Karzai on this important visit to India.

The India-educated Karzai will hold talks with Manmohan Singh on a wide array of bilateral and regional issues, including the multimillion dollar Indian assistance for the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the acceleration in Taliban-led violence in Afghanistan that is directly impinging on security of the region.

Karzai has indicated the involvement of a foreign hand in the embassy blast and called it the handiwork of those who are opposed to the India-Afghanistan friendship.

The talks between Karzai and Manmohan Singh will take place close on the heels of their meeting at the SAARC summit in Colombo that discussed a regional mechanism to curb terrorism in the region.

Dates for a formal inauguration of the crucial India-aided Zaranj-Delaram road that has been the target of the Taliban militia in the last few years will also be discussed between the two sides.

Besides Manmohan Singh, Karzai will also meet President Pratibha Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari, ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani.

Patil will host a banquet in Karzai’s honour tonight before he returns to Kabul the next day. IANS