New Delhi: A day after its embassy in Kabul was
attacked by a suicide bomber, an undeterred India on Friday said
it is committed to development work in Afghanistan, which
needs such assistance to serve the cause of democracy in the
war-ravaged country.
"India believes that cause of democracy and peace in
Afghanistan can be best served through development programmes
which the Afghan Government and people need most urgently,"
Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur said here.
Noting that India has already carried out several major
infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, she said the country
has "committed" itself to provide such assistance estimated at
1.2 billion US Dollars.
A suicide bomber yesterday blew up an explosives-laden car
outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul, killing 12 people and
injuring 83, including three ITBP personnel, in the second
attack on the mission in over a year.
Addressing an Indo-EU forum seminar, Kaur also sought
enhanced cooperation between India and the European Union in
tackling the "biggest challenge" of terrorism.
"India and the EU need to address the menace of terrorism
with coordination and cooperation," she said hoping that the
summit meeting between the two sides next month here will
"further concretise" their strategic ties.
Referring to the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, Kaur said it
has offered huge opportunity to work for sustainable energy
security.
"As India gears itself for a major expansion of nuclear
energy production, the EU countries can work for obtaining a
large share in this undertaking," she said.
Talking about climate change, she said both India and the
EU have clear differences in their approach to deal with the
problem.
"The EU countries favour quantitative restrictions on
green house gas emissions whereas India finds it difficult to
adopt emission caps given its priority for development and
economic growth," Kaur said.
On WTO deadlock on Doha round, the Minister said a
"multilateral, rule-based universal trading regime is in the
best interest of both developed as well as developing
countries."
Reiterating India`s demand for strengthening the role of
United Nations, she said the EU recognises the need to make
the multilateral system more responsive.
She also favoured reforms in international financial
institutions like IMF and the World Bank.
Bureau Report
