A trusted friend

Sir, - India should pause and reconsider its foreign policy options as far as Afghanistan is concerned as there is an opportunity for reviving our age-old friendship with that country. We had a trusted friend in Afghanistan whose traditional hostility towards Pakistan made it our natural ally. All that changed when Indira Gandhi's Government decided to support the overthrow of Zahir Shah and subsequently supported the Soviet occupation of the country. In one stroke, India made foes out of the Afghans.

Before supporting a Northern Alliance set-up, India must remember that its earlier Government was corrupt, unable to control the law and order situation and brought only misery to Afghans. It will be incorrect to expect that they have changed in five years.

Anjan Sen,

Chennai

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