‘Afghanistan occupied a lot of attention’: EAM Jaishankar on talks with Russian counterpart

Jul 09, 2021

Moscow (Russia), July 09 (ANI): During a Joint Press Conference with the Russian Foreign Minister in Moscow, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on July 9 stressed the need for an immediate reduction in violence in Afghanistan. “The situation in Afghanistan occupied a lot of our attention because it has a direct implication for regional security. We believe that the immediate need of the day is really a reduction in violence,” said EAM Jaishankar. “If we have to seek peace within Afghanistan and around, it's important for India and Russia to work together to ensure that much of the progress that we have seen in economic, social terms are maintained. We are committed to an independent, sovereign, and democratic Afghanistan,” he added. “Of course we are concerned over the direction of events in Afghanistan. Violence cannot be the solution for this situation in Afghanistan. At the end of the day, who governs Afghanistan has a legitimacy aspect, which should not be ignored,” he further added.