Play active role in Afghanistan, Russia urges India

By Atul Aneja

MOSCOW, SEPT.30 After openly declaring its material support to the anti-Taliban opposition in Afghanistan, Russia is urging India to play an active role in the Northern Alliance.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry officials who met the visiting Indian journalists, New Delhi, Moscow and Teheran have special role in shoring up the Northern Alliance which is battling the Taliban mainly in Northern Afghanistan.

The Alliance essentially represents Afghanistans ethnic minorities comprising the Tajiks, Harzaras, Uzbeks and Shias. Moscow's objective in Afghanistan is clear. It is opposed to any external infringement in the Central Asian republics including Afghanistan.

Russia views this area as its backyard since the Tsarist expansionism nearly reached the gates of Afghanistan in the late 19th century. Russia is now wants the Northern Alliance to control at least 35 per cent of the Afghan territory. Such an accomplishment will come in handy as bargaining chip in any future negotiation for a stable Afghanistan after the assault on terrorism there gathers steam.

Asked whether Russia would accept the Taliban in a future political arrangement in Afghanistan, officials here said that Moscow would not be uncomfortable if the Taliban was accommodated without its extremist elements. A ``benign Taliban may be essential in a future Afghan Government as it represents ethnic Pushtuns that comprise nearly 40 per cent of the country's population. Russian officials rejected the possible accommodation of Gulbudin Hekmatyar, a former Pushtun heavy weight who is currently in exile in Iran.

Iran, according to the Russian officials is playing a highly constructive role in Afghanistan after the attacks in New York. It has crucial role to play on account of its cut on the Hazaras and Shias who reside in the Hazarajat region of Afghanistan. In response to questions, the Russian officials say that Iran can not only shore up Commander Ismail Khan, a supporter of the Northern Alliance in western Afghanistan, but also the Sayaf faction in the country. Like Russia, Iran however would like to openly join the anti-terrorism campaign after the U.N. has given its nod for military operations as one of the options to counter extremism.

Russian officials were non-committal when asked whether General Rashid Dostum would continue as the leader of ethnic Uzbeks in the Northern Alliance. According to reports, Malik Pahalwan has emerged as prominent Uzbek leader within the alliance. Unlike Uzbekistan, Tajikistan has not given any military bases to the United States. The U.S. is however looking for a helicopter base in Tajikistan, for special operation in Afghanistan.

India has acquired considerable influence in the Northern Alliance though its top military commander, Ahmad Shah Masood was assassinated a couple of days prior to the New York attack. For the first time India, Iran and Russia discussed the future of Afghanistan following Masood's death when they met in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe earlier this month.

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