(MENAFN- Pajhwok Afghan News) WASHINGTON (Pajhwok): Describing India as a long-term partner of Afghanistan, Finance Minister Mohammad Humayon Qayoumi, has said that his country has no secret deal with New Delhi.
€œAfghanistan has no secret deals with India,€ he said at the School of Advanced international Studies of John Hopkins University. The relationship between the two countries is based on trust based between two sovereign governments.
India, he said, has been a traditional and long-term partner of Afghanistan. €œThey have been a long-term partner. They will remain a long-term partner,€ Qayoumi said.
Responding to a question, he hoped that Afghanistan has similar relationship with Pakistan. €œBut I think it's Pakistan that has to decide what they would like to do as part of it in where they would like to be,€ he said.
It is in the interest of the people of Pakistan that Pakistan has closer linkages and ties with India and Central Asia as a whole. €œThis whole region is ripe for being a very functioning economic ecosystem. Right now that is the least integrated region of the world economically. It's not helping anyone,€ Qayoumi said.
€œWe hope Pakistan can really see that as a way that on how we can work together as a region, as equals, as sovereign nations, but (also as a) region that can have a future together successfully where economically and politically the areas can work together,€ he said.
MENAFN1511201801740000ID1097701562
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.