India, Japan reaffirm commitment to assist Afghanistan

India and Japan Monday reaffirmed their commitment to assit Afghanistan to become a stable, democratic and pluralistic nation free of terrorism and extremism.

Tokyo: India and Japan Monday reaffirmed their commitment to assit Afghanistan to become a stable, democratic and pluralistic nation free of terrorism and extremism.

Discussing the situation in Afghanistan during their bilateral talks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart Naoto Kan concurred that the process of reintegration should not deviate from the principles expressed in the Kabul Conference.

"They emphasised the importance of a coherent and united international commitment to Afghan-led initiatives. Prime Minister Kan expressed that such a commitment encompasses security assistance, including assistance towards Afghan National Police, reintegration of insurgents, and development," a joint statement issued after the talks said.

Singh emphasised the importance of strengthening and adequate training of the Afghan National Security Forces so that they can defend the sovereignty and independence of Afghanistan, the statement said.

The two leaders also pledged to explore opportunities for consultation and coordination on their respective civilian assistance projects, including those projects implemented in the neighboring countries, that advance Afghan leadership and ownership and build civilian capacity.

They also condemned terrorism in all forms and Prime Minister Kan condemned terrorist attacks in and against India, such as the bomb blast in Pune on 13 February 2010 and in Kabul on 26 February 2010, in which Indians as well as other nationals were targeted.

"They decided to enhance greater cooperation in combating terrorism through information-sharing and counter-terrorism training as well as utilising the India-Japan Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism," the statement said.

Singh and Kan reaffirmed their resolve to realise a comprehensive reform of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, especially its expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories which has commanded the maximum support from UN member states.

"They shared their view that both countries would participate actively in these negotiations and decided to accelerate their efforts, bilaterally as well as in close cooperation with the G4 and other like-minded countries, to achieve a meaningful result during the current session of the General Assembly, so as to make the Security Council more representative, legitimate, effective, and responsive to the realities of the international community in the 21st century," the statement said.

PTI

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