External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar compared the recently concluded US-Taliban in Doha to the 1970’s Hindi movie ‘Pakeezah’ which took 15 years to complete.
“The agreement has been anticipated for so long; it is like the release of Pakeezah after watching lots of trailers”, Mr Jaishankar said.
India has adopted a policy of ‘wait and watch’, and has warned of certain important issues which are missing in the final agreement signed on saturday.
The issues of democracy, women’s rights, human rights and other significant issues do not find space in the recently concluded agreement and India has warned against this challenge.
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Dr S. Jaishankar said in this regard, “Our message to the United States is that the achievements of the last 18 years should not be lost”.
Speaking at the Centre for Policy Research’s “Dialogue 2020”, in conversation with former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, the Minister also said the real dialogue will begin now. He was perhaps, referring to the intra-Afghan dialogue that is to begin from March 10 and the Pakistan-Afghanistan reconciliation dialogue which is to be facilitated by the United States of America.
India stopped short of welcoming the deal due to many concerns that remain unresolved.
The agreement allows the US time to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by May 2021.