Afghan President in India for security talks

INDIA: Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrived in India Sunday on an official visit.He was scheduled to talk about fight against terrorism, officials said.

Karzai wasto meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi yesterday and return to the Afghan capital Kabul the same day, Indian foreign ministry officials said.

The Afghan leader will also convey a message of "solidarity and condolences of the people of Afghanistan" to the Indian nation in the aftermath of the deadly November attacks in Mumbai, Karzai's office said in Kabul. Karzai and Singh will hold talks on "the latest situation in the region, fighting against terrorism and enhanced economic cooperation", it said in a statement.

"The prevailing security scenario is on the agenda for the talks between the leaders," an Indian official said as Karzai reached India.

Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta and National Security Adviser Zalmai Rasoul accompanied Karzai who was received by Indian foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon at a military airport here. India and Afghanistan enjoy cordial relations but both have a difficult relationship with Pakistan, sandwiched between the two nations.

New Delhi, Monday, AFP