US Secretary Of State Condoleeza Rice is likely to visit New Delhi between November 18 and 19 to attend a conference of the foreign ministers of 22 donor countries to Afghanistan. | |
| Top sources in the ministry of external affairs said Rice's visit was "99 per cent on." |
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| "We have received a favourable response to the invitation and we expect the US secretary of state in New Delhi in November," said a source in the ministry. This will be the second such conference. The first was held in Kabul in December 2005. |
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| Sources in the external affairs ministry said the focus of the conference would be a review of the aid being given to Afghanistan. |
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| Of special concern for the Indian government will be re-emergence of the Taliban in Pashtun areas, posing a threat to the nearly 3,000 Indian workers in that country. India has pledged $650 million aid to Afghanistan, of which it has already disbursed $200 million. The areas where India has been providing aid and expertise include roads, schools and infrastructure. |
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| "This time we expect to focus more on electricity requirements, border roads and trade," said a source in the ministry. |
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