India favours a stable Pakistan: Singh

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said India favoured a stable and prosperous Pakistan. Addressing a joint news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in New Delhi‚ he said India supported durable peace in Afghanistan and urged the need for taking concrete steps for restoration of peace in Afghanistan.
President Karzai is in India on a four-day official visit that began Friday.
Singh said the Afghan people should have the right of franchise so to decide their future by themselves.
Describing Afghan President Hamid Karzai as a close friend of India and a “steadfast supporter” of bilateral ties, Prime Minister Singh said the two had reaffirmed their shared vision of a “stable, strong, united, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan”.
Singh said they had reviewed progress in implementation of the Strategic Partnership Agreement and reaffirmed commitment to deepen cooperation “in accordance with the vision outlined in the agreement”.
He said the two leaders had discussed “the need to develop a strategic economic partnership, which will build on our economic synergies for mutual benefit”.
He also “reiterated to President Karzai our belief that Afghanistan’s regional economic integration will contribute to overall prosperity and stability in the region”.
Singh said India remained committed to supporting Afghanistan in its development efforts.
India’s development assistance commitment to Afghanistan stands at $2 billion.
“We have expanded our programmes for capacity-building, institution-building and human resource development. With the signing of the memorandum of understanding today, we will launch the third phase of Small Development Projects to address the socio-economic needs of people throughout Afghanistan,” he said.
The two sides had discussed “the changes in the security and political situation in and around Afghanistan”.
“I expressed to President Karzai our belief that sustained international support and cooperation in all respects, including in combating terrorism emanating from the neighbourhood, will help Afghanistan meet these challenges. President Karzai’s own enlightened leadership will play a big part in this effort,” the prime minister said.
He said: “India supports efforts to achieve a lasting peace in Afghanistan that brings together all sections of Afghan society while preserving the achievements of the last decade, including in the area of women’s rights. We respect the choices that the Afghan people make of their own free will.
“I am confident President Karzai’s present visit will further strengthen the excellent relationship between our two countries. I once again convey my personal good wishes to President Karzai as he leads his country through a challenging time and wish to assure him that India stands with him and the people of Afghanistan.”
Speaking on the occasion‚ President Hamid Karzai said peace was vital for prosperity of the region.
India and Afghanistan signed four agreements to cooperate in areas of social welfare, fertilizer, coal mining and youth affairs, an official said.
A memorandum of understanding, under which India will provide grants to Afghanistan to implement small development projects through local bodies, community organisations, charitable trusts and educational institutions, was signed by External Affair Minister Salman Khurshid and Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul, an official statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
The second MoU signed by Khurshid and Afghan Minister of Mines Wahidullah Shahrani relates to fertilizer sector, while the third MoU aims at cooperation in youth affairs.
The MoU on development of coal resources was signed by India’s Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal and Afghan Minister of Mines Wahidullah Shahrani.