BRITAIN AND U.S. CONSIDER ASKING BHARAT TO TRAIN AFGHAN NATIONAL POLICE
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By Jeremy Page in Delhi
The Times, UK
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The United States and Britain are exploring ways to boost India's
role in Afghanistan, including a controversial proposal for it to
train the Afghan National Police (ANP), The Times has learnt.
Richard Holbrooke, the US envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, was
expected to discuss that and other ideas when he began a visit to
India yesterday, his first in almost a year.
Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary, also arrives in Delhi today
to discuss issues including expanding co-operation in Afghanistan and
boosting US arms sales to India.
The two visits follow a low-profile trip to Delhi last week by Sir
Sherard Cowper-Coles, the British "Afpak" envoy, who discussed the
ANP training proposal with officials.
The diplomatic activity reflects a growing desire on all three sides
to boost co-operation on regional security, despite differences over
Pakistan, a close US ally that is India's arch enemy. India fiercely
resisted being included in Mr Holbrooke's formal brief last year, and
rejected his attempts to raise the issue of Kashmir, which is claimed
by India and Pakistan and seen by some as a root cause of regional
instability.
Now, however, India appears to want to play a more active role in
Afghanistan largely because it fears that Pakistan will engineer a
Taleban takeover when foreign troops leave.
"We've spent quite a lot of time now talking with the Americans," M.
K. Narayanan, India's National Security Adviser, told The Times.
"We're involved in infrastructure, we're involved in building roads
and electricity and we're willing to do even more."
India also wants to offset the growing influence of its newer rival,
China, which is developing a huge copper mine south of Kabul and
plans to build a railway across Afghanistan. The US hopes that India,
which has already contributed more than $1 billion in aid to
Afghanistan, can use its growing economic, political and military
clout to act as a democratic bulwark in the region.
But any expansion of India's influence in Afghanistan risks
antagonising Pakistan, which accuses Delhi of using its consulates
there to support separatist movements in Pakistan.
The US Embassy declined to give any details about Mr Holbrooke's
visit, or Mr Gates's, but Mr Narayanan said that the Americans were
exploring ways for India to contribute more in Afghanistan --
possibly by training the 82,000-strong ANP, which Germany has been
handling since 2002.
"We have the best institution for training the civilian police, and
the paramilitary to some extent . . . if you want a civilian police
with a little bit of strength to the elbow," Mr Narayanan said.
More at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6992984.ece
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
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