EAM Jaishankar meets US peace envoy for Afghanistan, Saudi counterpart in Munich

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held several meetings on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, including with the US special envoy on Afghan reconciliation and the Saudi foreign minister, and discussed regional and global issues with them.

"Met @US4AfghanPeace Zalmay Khalilzad at #MSC2020. Appreciated his update on the Afghanistan negotiations," Jaishankar tweeted.

In another tweet, he said he had a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Saturday (local time) and "appreciated his perspectives on global and regional issues". "Look forward to working with him in the Strategic Partnership Council," he added.

The meetings come in the backdrop of a possible deal between the US and the Taliban to reduce violence, which could eventually lead to the withdrawal of American troops from war-torn Afghanistan.

The Munich Security Conference, being held from February 14-16, is the world's leading forum for debate on international security policy and is held annually. It was established in 1963. The External Affairs Minister also met Australian and Singaporean Defence Ministers Linda Reynolds and Ng Eng Hen, respectively, and said India is working with them to take security cooperation forward.

On his meeting with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Jaishankar said, "Our contemporary relationship has been built on a strong historical and cultural foundation. Will work together to take it to greater heights."

He met members of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee and held "a very good conversation" on the EU, Germany and India. "Appreciated their strong interest in taking our relationship forward," he said.

The External Affairs Minister also had a meeting with a US congressional delegation led by Senator Jim Inhofe, the chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee. "Discussed our growing strategic cooperation. Value their interest in building this relationship," he said.

Earlier Saturday, Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and discussed bilateral relationship ahead of American President Donald Trump's visit to India this month on February 24 and 25.