'Terrorist havens and sanctuaries must end for peace in Afghanistan': TS Tirumurti at UN

On Friday, TS Tirumurti who is a Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations said that peace process and violence cannot go together and in order to maintain durable peace in Afganistan there must be an end to terrorist havens and sanctuaries operating across the Durand Line. He was speaking at the Arria Formula Meeting at the UN. 'Even as we meet today, fighting continues in Afghanistan in several areas across the country,' he added. 

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TS Tirumurti: 'Terrorist heavens & sanctuaries must come to an end'

Speaking further at the meeting, TS Tirumurti urged the Security Council to speak unequivocally against the violence and terrorist force. Highlighting India-Afghanistan relations, Tirumurti said that both the nations are contiguous neighbours, that are connected to each other by centuries of historical, people-to-people and cultural relations.'India has stood resolutely behind the government and people of Afghanistan and also supported the development of the nation,' he added. 

Listing out necessary points that need to be followed in order to achieve lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan, the Ambassador said that the peace process must be 'Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled'. He also said that the solutions in line with the wishes and aspirations of all sections of Aghan society must come from themselves. 'Sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan must be respected,' he added. 

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TS Tirumurti said, "There needs to be zero tolerance of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Afghanistan can succeed only when terrorism no longer flows across the Durand Line. Terror and violence cannot be the instrument to shape Afghanistan's future or dictate the choices Afghans make. It is important to ensure that no one provides sanctuary to terrorists who threaten Afghanistan or any other country in the region. Those who do so must be held accountable. The international community, simply cannot afford to lose the gains of the last two decades."

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Pointing towards the hard-won progress so far, TS Tirumurti said that the future everyone in the meeting seeks should have a place for every Afghan and should have space for everyone's aspiration as well. He also said that it is important to ensure that the issue of full transit rights to Afghanistan is not used by States to extract a political price from Afghanistan. Instead, it should ensure all transit rights are guaranteed to the nation under bilateral and multilateral transit agreements. 'India remains committed to working with the international community towards this shared objective,' he added. 

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(With ANI inputs)