Kabul looking for tripartite mechanism with India and Pakistan

Afghanistan's Ambassador to India Shaida M. Abdali has said his copuntry is keen on creating a tripartite mechanism with India and Pakistan that would enhance cooperation between the three nations in the short and long term.

Speaking ahead of Afghan President Hamid Karzai's visit to India next week, Abdali said the proposed mechanism could also include a tripartite no-war pact.

President Karzai is visitng India from May 20 to 22, and Abdali said there is a need for both Kabul and New Delhi to intensify security and defence cooperation to ensure peace and stability in the region.

"Off site military and law enforcement training assistance is necessary, but hardly enough to systematise our security and defence cooperation in ensuring predictability, taking preventive and even pre-emptive action against any perceived offensive threats to the national security interests of Afghanistan and India," the Afghan envoy said at an interaction with media this week.