November 1, 2002	Friday	Sha’aban 25,1423

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

NEW DELHI, Oct 31: Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah arrived here on Thursday for talks on India’s help in rebuilding his war-ravaged country, an official said.

Indian foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said Abdullah, who has made several trips to New Delhi since the Afghan interim administration of Hamid Karzai took charge in December, is likely to meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

During his four-day visit to New Delhi, the Afghan minister will also hold wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart Yashwant Sinha on Sunday, he said.

Sinha visited Kabul in August and held meetings with at least eight Afghan cabinet ministers, during which he reiterated India’s commitment to help in the restoration of peace in Afghanistan.

Sources in New Delhi on Thursday said the two foreign ministers would also discuss the issue of stragglers of Al Qaeda hiding in the region.

On Wednesday, the US special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, said senior Taliban and Al Qaeda members were being hunted in Pakistan.

“We know there are several top Taliban leaders in Pakistan and we would like them arrested and turned over to Afghani authorities. Certainly there are remnants of the Al Qaeda in Pakistan,” Khalilzad said in New Delhi.—AFP