Beijing: China has told Afghanistan that
it will not take a position on the country`s internal politics
as the ground swell for a reconciliation grows in the nation
torn apart by armed conflict.
The Chinese reassurance was given to visiting
President Hamid Karzai as he met the country`s top leaders.
"Afghan people have the will and the strength to
achieve national reconciliation, economic development and
national stability," Qin Gang, the foreign ministry spokesman,
said after Karzai had a long meeting Wu Bangguo, Chinese
Communist Party`s second-highest ranking official.
Qin comments assumes significance as China is one of
Afghanistan`s giant neighbours and has very close ties to
Pakistan. The Chinese have so far desisted from making any
public comment on Taliban.
"We hope to see Afghanistan achieve peace stability
and development. China has supported and actively participated
in its peaceful reconstruction," Qin Gang told media.
"International community should respect Afghanistan?s
sovereignty, territorial integrity as we all as the
interdependence of Afghan people," he said.
China has also not committed to any proactive role to
stabilise Afghanistan as sought by a NATO. But the Chinese
leaders made it clear that they backed increased economic
cooperation with Afghanistan.
NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in an
interview to television channel yesterday said that the
international forces should develop partnership with China to
solve problems in Afghanistan.
"China could play role in civilian development of
Afghanistan," he said.
Anders comments came as Karzai on a three-day visit to
Beijing held talks with President Hu Jintao yesterday followed
by a meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao today.
China shares borders with Afghanistan through the
Wakhan corridor connecting its trouble prone Muslim Uyghur
dominated Xinjiang province to Faizabad region.
The two countries signed three-pacts yesterday after
Karzai and Hu talks covering strengthening economic
cooperation, technical training and granting of preferential
tariffs for some Afghan products.
There was no word here yet whether Karzai himself has
sought Chinese military and political assistance in the fight
against Taliban in his country.
Media reports ahead of his visit said Karzai may also
invite China to take a proactive role, specially in military
operations against Taliban.
Qin in his remarks said that the agreement concluded
yesterday demonstrated China?s support for the Afghan
government and reconstruction which was welcomed by Karzai.
Asked whether the issue of concerns over safety of
Chinese personnel working in Afghanistan figured in the talks,
the Chinese spokesman said Hu raised the issue with the Afghan
President and hoped that "concrete and effective" security
measures would be taken by the government to ensure the safety
of Chinese personnel and projects in that country.
Karzai promised to take measures to step up security
for Chinese, Qin said.
Since 2002, China has given more than USD 130 million
in aid for the rehabilitation of Afghanistan. Last year, China
announced it would provide an additional USD 75 million aid to
Afghanistan over the next five years.
Two way trade between the two countries has been
growing rapidly in recent years, reaching USD 155 million in
2008. Starting from July 2006, China has applied zero tariffs
on 278 items of export products from Afghanistan.
China Metallurgical Group Corp. has invested a record
USD three billion in Aynak copper mine in Afghanistan.
PTI
