NEW DELHI: Afghanistan has strengthened security for Indians after the murder of Ramankutty Maniappan, President Hamid Karzai told Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed in Kabul on Sunday.

Requirements assessed

Specialised security agencies had made an assessment of the Indian security requirements, Mr. Ahamed maintained.

He told this correspondent from Kabul that India remained committed to reconstruction work in Afghanistan.

Mr. Karzai said that the abduction and murder of Maniappan last month was the work of the "enemies" of Afghanistan. Terrorism, the Afghan President said, was a common problem faced by both India and Afghanistan.

Addressing a regional economic cooperation meeting in Kabul, Mr. Ahamed welcomed Afghanistan's entry into the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

"It links Afghanistan to what has traditionally been its largest market — India. As SAARC moves forward to developing a free trade area and other shared economic activities, Afghanistan will stand to gain considerably," he said.

Pointing out that Afghanistan still faced many challenges, Mr. Ahamed said the problems of narcotics, terrorism and insecurity in the southern and south-eastern parts of the country not only undermined security, but hindered prospects for economic development.

"Dealing with such challenges is a collective responsibility of all the countries of the region and those that are interested in ensuring the long-term stability of Afghanistan as a plural society," he stressed.

Trade and movement of goods

Referring to Afghanistan's landlocked status, the Minister said it was necessary, both bilaterally and regionally, to work on the transport network to bring about a gradual opening up of markets.

He also called for measures to facilitate trade and cross-border movement of goods and services.

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