
India and European Union on Tuesday called for an “immediate, permanent, and comprehensive” ceasefire in Afghanistan, and said an effective and unconditional cessation of hostilities is essential for creating the appropriate conditions for the peace process in the country. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell Fontelles held talks on the sidelines of a meeting of the G7 in London.
A joint press statement said both Jaishankar and Borrell underlined the importance of ensuring that the soil of Afghanistan is not used by terrorist groups to threaten the security of India and the EU.
The statement stated, “External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and Borrell jointly and firmly condemned the unacceptable level of violence perpetrated against the national forces of Afghanistan and civilians and the targeted assassinations of civil rights activists, media persons, and Ulema. An effective and unconditional cessation of hostilities is essential for creating the appropriate conditions for the negotiations to proceed meaningfully, for building trust between the parties, in instilling confidence in the Afghan people, and for demonstrating a genuine commitment of the Taliban to lasting reconciliation.”
Jaishankar and Borrell reaffirmed their strong and continued support to an inclusive, Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process.