New Delhi
6 August 2010
Trilateral or tripartite meetings seem to be the order of the day insofar as
Afghanistan and its neighbours are concerned. The presidents of Iran, Afghanistan and
Tajikistan met in Tehran earlier this week. Then there is the Iran-Pakistan-Afghanistan
grouping. Now, Iran says it is discussing a similar format of talks with Afghanistan and
India.
Mohammad Ali Fathollahi, the visiting Iranian deputy foreign minister for Asia and Pacific
Affairs, said here Friday that the matter was discussed in his meeting with external
affairs minister SM Krishna.
Mr Fathollahi was of the view that the neighbours of Afghanistan should hold such talks
to promote a regional strategy for resolution of the conflict in that country.
From New Delhi's perspective, the Iranian proposal of a Iran-Afghanistan-India trilateral
meeting should dovetail with a suggestion being made in official circles here of reviving
the Russia-Iran-India triangular cooperation with particular focus on Afghanistan.
Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, who was in Moscow last week, has said that India and
Russia have "agreed to coordinate our policies more closely on Afghanistan".
For its part, Russia pursues a similar triangular engagement with Afghanistan and
Pakistan. The presidents of Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan are expected to meet soon
in Moscow.
Mr Fathollahi said Afghanistan was "an important portion" of his discussions here. He
also had a thorough discussion with the Indian side on the development of the Chabahar
port in Iran.
He was confident that the Iran-India relations will grow if both sides take advantage of
their economic complementarities.
Mr Fathollahi said he did not hear any "concern" in New Delhi about a US pressure to
downgrade the India-Iran ties. In the same vein he dismissed suggestions that the
sanctions imposed by the US and other countries had impacted Iran's economy or its
trade ties with Asian countries, including India.
The Iranian minister spoke of his country's "spiritual support" for Palestine and how Iran
is doing its bit by supporting Palestinian groups "politically" and extending humanitarian
assistance to the Palestinian people.
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