Afghan president says pact {with India} not aimed at Pakistan

Atlanta Journal Courier ^ | 5 October 2011 | Katy Diagle

[Cronos]

Afghan President Hamid Karzai says his country's strategic partnership signed with India is not meant as an aggressive move against Pakistan.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, right, and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai pose before a meeting in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011. Karzai is on a two-day official visit to India.(AP Photo/Gurinder Osan)

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, right, and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, address the media after a signing of agreement meeting in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011.This is Karzai's second trip to India this year and comes just days after he accused neighboring Pakistan of failing to help end the Taliban-led insurgency. (AP Photo/Gurinder Osan)

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, right, and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, sign agreements during a meeting in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011. This is Karzai's second trip to India this year and comes just days after he accused neighboring Pakistan of failing to help end the Taliban-led insurgency. (AP Photo/Gurinder Osan)

Karzai said in a speech in New Delhi that the agreement simply puts an official stamp on the years of close ties between India and Afghanistan's post-Taliban government.

"The strategic partnership is not meant to be against any country," he said Wednesday, in a clear reference to Pakistan. "This is for Afghans to benefit from the strength of India."

The pact signed Tuesday is Afghanistan's first with any country. Its timing sparked speculation of a shift in regional alignments after Karzai chastised Pakistan for failing to act against Taliban-led insurgents based in Pakistan.

[Cronos]

Afghanis mostly despise Pakistan seeing it as the root of their descent over the past 30 years.

[ravager]

In diplomatic parlance, vehement denial is always an affirmation.

[ravager]

Expect Pakistan to launch full scale Taliban attack on Afghanistan in lieu of Indo-Afghan alliance, especially now that their hijab of fake alliance with US has fallen off.