Afghanistan ready for agreement on Chabahar port, says envoy

Stressing that its ties with India are "steady and not transitory" like with other countries, Afghanistan said Saturday that it is keen to ink a trilateral agreement with India and Iran on the Chabahar port.

Afghan Ambassador Shaida M. Abdali, addressing a talk at the Press Club of India, said India-Afghan "relations are very steady, not transitory, like the exit strategy with others. It is a relationship that will only deepen in future."

He said Afghanistan is keen to ink a trilateral transit agreement with India and Iran on the Chabahar port that is aimed to provide a route for trade with landlocked Afghanistan.

He said his country had just exported 15 containers of dry fruits through the Chabahar port. "We are trying to upgrade capacity of the port and railway line," he said.

On wooing business and investment from India, Abdali said Indian business and investment were always "most welcome" in Afghanistan and would get the red carpet treatment. "We want joint ventures with India... there will be some risks involved, but without risks one cannot get anything," he said.

Abdali also said his country's police and army are capable of addressing the internal security needs of the country with the international forces set to drawdown in 2014.

He termed as a "spectre that is far from real" the picture created in the media of the uncertain future of Afghanistan after the withdrawal of international forces.

He said Afghanistan has made tremendous progress in every sphere in the last decade since the overthrow of the Taliban, and they would make transition "very easy and successful".

Pointing to the development in his country, he said that in a country of 30 million population there were 20 million telephone users. This progress, he said, applies to all sectors of Afghan society.

"Afghanistan is far from the picture being portrayed.. of unrealistic and totally skewed reporting by some," he said.

Stressing that Pakistan's role is crucial for the return of peace, Abdali said the success of the reconciliation talks with the Taliban would help bring peace to both Afghanistan and Pakistan. He said they wanted to ensure there was only one channel of talks, which was also coordinated.

"Peace will come through negotiations and it will mean peace in Pakistan as well. Both should engage in a serious manner," he said.