NEW DELHI, May 30: Afghanistan's national security advisor Dr Zalmai Rasoul arrived here on Sunday and met his Indian counterpart Jyotindra Nath Dixit and Foreign Minister Natwar Singh, a foreign ministry spokesman said.
Mr Rasoul, the spokesman said, conveyed to the Indian officials that President Karzai had instructed him to establish contacts with the new government in India at the earliest as a reflection of the importance that the government of Afghanistan attaches to its relations with India and also of the significantly deepened relations over the past few years.
According to the official brief, both Indian officials had reassured Mr Rasoul that given the deep historical and cultural relations between the two countries, the relations between the people of the two countries were clearly fraternal and were not affected by changes in government.
The spokesman said that Dr Rasoul was promised complete support at all levels in India for strengthening relations with Afghanistan, adding that the reconstruction assistance being provided would be enhanced.
They also exchanged views on developments in Afghanistan and in the region, and agreed to continue cooperation to deal with the menace of terrorism and drug trafficking, the spokesman said.
Ironically the promise of India's continued help to Mr Karzai, came from Mr Dixit, who was India's envoy in Kabul in the early 1980s, defending as best as he was authorized to, the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Laxman Kadirgamar was also in New Delhi to see Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Their meeting is expected to be held on Monday. Sri Lanka fears that a heavy Tamil component in Dr Singh's ministry could impact New Delhi's policy towards Colombo.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil allayed rumours about an imminent change in New Delhi's policy regarding the Liberations Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). "Our policy remains the same. There is no change," Mr Patil told reporters after an ally of the ruling United Progressive Alliance said India should lift its ban on the LTTE.
