EAM Jaishankar calls on Slovenia PM; discusses bilateral ties, Indo-Pacific and Afghan crisis

Ljubljana (Slovenia): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday (September 3) called on Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Janša and held discussions on enhancing bilateral ties, and major global issues, including Europe's challenges, the Indo-Pacific, and the Afghanistan situation.

Jaishankar is in the central European nation as part of a four-day visit to Slovenia, Croatia and Denmark to enhance India-EU ties and for bilateral talks.

Called on Prime Minister of Slovenia @JJansaSDS.

Valued the discussion on enhancing our bilateral ties.

Appreciated his insights and perspectives on major global issues including Europe's challenges, Indo-Pacific and Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/4LteOFbDCj — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 3, 2021

"Called on Prime Minister of Slovenia @JJansaSDS. Valued the discussion on enhancing our bilateral ties. Appreciated his insights and perspectives on major global issues including Europe's challenges, Indo-Pacific and Afghanistan," he said on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar also held a cordial meeting with President of the National Assembly of Slovenia Igor Zorcic and discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations and increasing parliamentary exchanges and people to people contacts.

On Thursday, he had a panel discussion with Slovenian counterpart Anze Logar at the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) on the subject of 'Partnership for a Rules-Based Order in the Indo-Pacific' here.

There is a sharper awareness in Europe that what happens in the Indo-Pacific impinges directly on its interests, Jaishankar said. India-EU relations have emerged stronger as the world battles a global pandemic and that issues of trust and transparency, reliable and resilient supply chains have created common ground, he added.

Slovenia currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union and has invited Jaishankar to attend the informal meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU states. The crisis in Afghanistan was on the agenda of the closed-door ministerial discussions on Thursday.

The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on August 15, two weeks before the US' complete troop withdrawal on August 31 after a costly two-decade war. This forced Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to flee the country to the UAE. The Taliban insurgents stormed across Afghanistan and captured all major cities in a matter of days, as Afghan security forces trained and equipped by the US and its allies melted away.

Thousands of Afghan nationals and foreigners have fled the country to escape the new Taliban regime and to seek asylum in different nations, including the US and many European nations, resulting in total chaos and deaths.

(With agency inputs)