Nirendra Dev
Both leaders said they held extensive talks on multiple issues, including the COVID-19 crisis, economic fallout, vaccination, Quad, regional peace and Climate Change.
New Delhi: President Joe Biden feels a 'deep personal commitment' to strengthen Indo-US ties, the visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said here on Wednesday (July 28) and maintained that both the countries strongly favour peaceful, secured and stable Afghanistan.
"India and the United States share a strong interest in a peaceful, secured and stable Afghanistan. As a leader and a critical partner in the region, India has made and will continue to make vital contributions in Afghanistan's stability and development and we will continue to work together to sustain gains for Afghan people and support regional stability after the withdrawal of the coalition forces," Blinken told a joint media conference with his Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishankar.
Both leaders said they held extensive talks on multiple issues, including the COVID-19 crisis, economic fallout, vaccination, Quad, regional peace and Climate Change.
He said, "Even as we are withdrawing, we remain engaged in Afghanistan."
Blinken said his meeting with Dr Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi provide valuable opportunities to carry forward the relationship.
He also said the US would be keen to host the next round of 2-Plus-2 Dialogue in the latter part of the year.
Blinken asserted that there could be "no military solution" to the problems in Afghanistan and both he and Dr Jaishankar maintained negotiations should finally lead to peace and the end of violence in the war-ravaged country.
External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar also said, "We are convinced that the world will never accept cross border terrorism."
Blinken said as Senator Joe Biden in 2006 had said his "dream" is that in 2020 the two closest nations in the world will be India and the United States.
"It is 2021, Joe Biden is President of the US, and the friendship between India and the United States is one of the most consequential in the world. We too look to the future. We believe this partnership will be critical in delivering stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," Blinken said.
Answering questions on areas of convergence between India and the US on Afghanistan, Dr Jaishankar said, "On the whole we agreed that Peace Negotiations should be taken seriously. It is the only way to create a lasting solution."
He pointed out that the US has had a "very unique" involvement in Afghanistan.
"As an immediate neighbour with historical connection we do feel that the way we are looking at it and what needs to be done, I would say our views were quite similar. I think that would be a fair description."
Blinken also said for a solution; it would require the Taliban and Afghanistan government to "come to the table."
"…It has to be an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process," Blinken said.
During his talks with Jaishankar, Blinken said, "There's greater imperative on cooperation among countries than ever before."
"I deeply appreciate the work that we have been able to do together (on Covid challenges) and the work that we are going to do together in coming months," Blinken said, adding the US was thankful to India for its generous support during the Covid crisis that hit the US in 2020.
Dr Jaishankar also said, "we must work together even more closely on key contemporary challenges like terrorism."
Blinken also met civil society leaders, after which he said the US and India share a commitment to democratic values.
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