Washington sources reported that India played a responsible role in the economic development of Afghanistan, the Trump administration said today noting that the trilateral India-Afghan-US cooperation is not aimed at Pakistan. Senior US diplomat for South and Central Asia, Alice Wells, told a Washington audience that "India, they have seen over the last several years, play a responsible role in the economic development and reconstruction of Afghanistan and that role have been appreciated by the government of Afghanistan".
Previously, Wells was in Kabul to attend the Kabul process meeting. Meanwhile on the sidelines of it, she participated in the India-US-Afghanistan trilateral, which again raised eyebrows in Pakistan. She said "But that does not imply that we would support or think that there's any manipulation of Afghanistan so that it can be used against Pakistan".
Moreover Pakistan, she said, has an important role to play in a peace
process, and in stabilizing Afghanistan. Wells said "They believe that
Pakistan can help change and shape the calculus of the Taliban and are engaged
with Pakistan on how they can work together as well as address Pakistan's legitimate
concerns through a negotiated process".
