India digresses, but Iran continues to oppose Good-Bad Taliban theory
By ANITuesday, February 9, 2010
NEW DELHI - Iran today expressed its reservation over the reintegration of Taliban in Afghanistan and rejected the idea of “Good Taliban and Bad Taliban”.
Iran’s Ambassador to India, Seed Mehdi Nabizadeh, today said at a press conference here, that there is no “Good Taliban or Bad Taliban”.
The Iranian viewpoint is in disconsonance with India which has been airing its apprehensions over engagement with “Good Taliban” in Afghanistan but, has altered its position during last month’s London conference on Afghanistan in which it grudgingly agreed to the possibility of engagement.
The reintegration of Taliban has been espoused by Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and was endorsed by sixty nations, including India.
Nabizadeh blamed foreign forces mainly the US and NATO for the quagmire in Afghanistan and said the government should be run by its own countrymen.
He also expressed concern over the spillover effect of terrorist violence and fundamentalism from Afghanistan into neighboring countries.
Nabizadeh said neighboring countries could play a greater role in stabilizing Afghanistan.
The West is pushing India, Iran and Russia to create a regional institution or council for the stabilization of the war torn country.
Diplomatic sources said that India, Iran and Russia have withdrawn from the trilateral process and are dealing with the issue bilaterally.
The Iranian envoy also welcomed moves by India to have foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan and offered Iran’s support for the proposed initiative.
Nabizadeh said Iran always welcomed direct talks and was ready to help if needed.
On the proposed Iran-India-Pakistan gas pipeline, Nabizadeh said the doors are still open for India to join the project. But he added it would not be an indefinite offer. (ANI)
