Seizure of power by violence can’t be legitimised: EAM S Jaishankar at SCO-Afghan contact group meet

New Delhi: Even as the situation in Afghanistan deteriorates as the Taliban makes territorial gains, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday (July 14) said that seizure of power by violence can’t be legitimised.

Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Afghanistan contact group meet, EAM said, “The challenge is to act seriously and sincerely on these beliefs because there are forces at work with a very different agenda.”

"The world is against seizure of power by violence and force. It will not legitimise such actions,” he added.

The situation in Afghanistan remains precarious. Earlier today, it emerged that the Taliban has captured the crucial Spin Boldak crossing with Pakistan which is being seen as symbolic in terms of the Taliban's gains.

Calling for "peace negotiations in earnest" as the "only answer", EAM said an "acceptable compromise that reflects Doha process, Moscow format and Istanbul process is essential". He said, "future of Afghanistan cannot be its past" and a "whole new generation has different expectations" which "should not let them down".

In a few days' time, the Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah and former Afghan president Hamid Karzai will be travelling to Doha, Qatar for talks with the Taliban. The previous rounds of Afghanistan government-Taliban talks, known as intra-Afghan talks have been inconclusive.

At the meet in Dushanbe which saw Afghanistan being represented by FM Hanif Atmar, India called for an “independent, neutral, unified, peaceful, democratic and prosperous nation”.

On Tuesday, EAM Jaishankar and Afghan FM Atmar had held talks in which the latter lauded India's role in building regional consensus on the Afghan peace process.

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