Team News Riveting
New Delhi, August 29
In a major political and diplomatic relations, Taliban had made overtures to India ahead of crucial United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sessions on terror and Afghanistan.
“India is very important for the region and we want trade and economic relations with it. We expect the relationship will continue like before,” Taliban leader Sher Mohammed Stanekzai in an interaction with the media. Stanekzai has served as the leader of the political team of the Taliban that negotiated the Doha pact with the U.S., paving the way for the withdrawal of the United States.
The overture from the Taliban for ties “like before” has come after months of speculation about India’s relation with Taliban. The development has hinted that some progress has been made in “improving” India’s relations with the Taliban.
Stanekzai’s ‘peace signal’ is also linked with the position India is present holding; the presidency of the UN Security Council. India is poised to play a major role at the UNSC as it heads its Taliban sanctions committee whose nod is crucial to delist some of the group’s top members. In fact, some of the Taliban’s negotiations team could not travel to Doha due to the consequent ban on international travel. Also, the IMF, World Bank and the US Treasury are unlikely to transfer funds to men listed as terrorists by the committee headed by senior Indian diplomat T S Tirumurti.
India will also preside over the UNSC’s deliberations on Monday when it considers a joint Anglo-French proposal for a safe zone in Kabul to aid evacuation and provide humanitarian air.
South Block has however maintained a studied silence in response to the comments from Stanekzai.
