In a striking mismatch of perceptions that is rare for Indo-Russian meetings the top diplomats of the two countries set forth distinctly differing perspectives on foreign military presence in Afghanistan.
While Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov registered Moscow's strong opposition to the permanent deployment of United States military bases in Afghanistan and in former Soviet Central Asia, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna stressed the need for foreign powers to help Afghanistan fight the menace of terrorism.
Addressing a joint press conference with Mr. Krishna here on Wednesday, Mr. Lavrov said Russia expected the U.S. to leave Central Asia upon completing its anti-terror mission in Afghanistan.
“We do not understand how the proposed withdrawal of coalition forces from Afghanistan squares with U.S. plans to set up major military bases in Afghanistan on bilateral basis,” Mr. Lavrov said, responding to a question from The Hindu about Moscow's views on post-2014 presence of U.S. bases in Afghanistan.
“They [Americans] have been telling us all along that their military presence was time-bound to the removal of the specific threat of terrorism and did not pursue any long-term geopolitical goals,” Mr. Lavrov said. “We take a strong view that the U.S. will honour this pledge.”
Military bases
Fielding the same question, Mr. Krishna sidestepped the issue of U.S. military bases in Afghanistan, while suggesting that Afghanistan will need foreign military help till the time it is ready to take responsibility for its own security.
“We do realise that the Afghan security forces as of today are not adequately prepared to fight the menace of terrorism and it is necessary that the international community help it take out this scourge of terror. India's whole approach is that Afghanistan should be able to defend itself and its security forces should be so organised that they are able to take care of themselves with a degree of confidence.”
In a further divergence of views between Delhi and Moscow Mr. Krishna failed to echo Mr. Lavrov's insistence that Afghanistan maintain its neutral status. Mr. Krishna voiced the hope that Afghanistan emerge as a “democratic, multiparty and pluralistic society.”
Similar perceptions
Intriguingly, neither Mr. Lavrov in his address at the press conference nor the official communiqué of the Russian Foreign Ministry on the Russian-Indian talks mentioned a customary phrase that the sides took “close or identical views” on the issues discussed. Mr. Krishna, however, did say that India and Russia “share similar perceptions” on Afghanistan, Iran, West Asia and North Africa.
Mr. Krishna is paying a three-day visit to Moscow to prepare the annual Indo-Russian summit next month in Moscow and to co-chair the Indo-Russian Intergovernmental Commission with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov.
Optimism on summit
Both Ministers were upbeat on the prospects for the coming summit.
“A very detailed agenda for the summit reflects the special privileged nature of our strategic cooperation and partnership,” Mr. Krishna said.
Mr. Lavrov said that an array of documents to be signed at the summit covered “energy, including nuclear energy, pharmaceuticals, banking, anti-monopoly cooperation and education.”
The Russian Foreign Minister voiced strong support for India to upgrade its observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to full membership “at the earliest” and expressed the hope that “there will be progress in this matter in the very nearest future.”
