Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 2

India has suggested that during its presidency for August, the UN Security Council (UNSC) could take up for discussion the situation in Afghanistan.

“We will not discount the possibility of the Security Council taking stock of the situation in Afghanistan this month. As the president of the Security Council, India will of course be very supportive of the initiative by member states that can bring stability to Afghanistan,” India’s Permanent Representative to UN TS Tirumurti told a news agency in an interview.

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Pakistan, along with its “iron brother” and UNSC permanent member China, would prefer the Taliban to make considerable gains on the battlefield to dominate any future government in Kabul. The other four permanent members of the UNSC — the US, Russia, France and the UK — want negotiations and an inclusive government in Afghanistan that reflects its diverse ethnic make-up.

Asked how India plans to highlight the situation in Afghanistan and will India initiate a discussion on Pakistan for supporting the Taliban, Tirumurti said, “India has consistently kept the spotlight on combating terrorism, both inside in the Security Council and outside as well. We not only strengthened the efforts to combat terrorism, especially in financing terrorism, but also prevented efforts to dilute the focus on terrorism.”