New Delhi, October 9
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao arrived in Kabul to assess the situation arising out of Thursday's suicide bomb attack outside the Indian embassy there. The blast had claimed 17 lives and injured over
60. Taking a serious view of the incident, India has called for an international terror treaty to tackle the growing menace. Rao will meet top Afghan officials to discuss security, but no details were immediately available. She will also consult with senior embassy officials on the next steps for ensuring the safety and security of Indian embassy staff, sources said.
Rao will meet top Afghan officials to discuss security, but no details were immediately available. "The Indian foreign secretary is here for a day to meet Afghan Foreign Minister (Rangeen Dadfar) Spanta and visit the embassy," said an embassy spokesman. She will also consult with senior embassy officials on the next steps for ensuring the safety and security of Indian embassy staff, sources said.
Another Indian diplomat told Reuters separately that Rao would meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai to discuss
security.
Earlier, Rao and India's ambassador to Afghanistan Jayant Prasad had said the intensity of the blast was similar to the July 7, 2008. Rao had also said that the suicide attack in Kabul was directed at the Indian embassy.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the latest blast.
Expressing concern over the terror attack on Indian embassy in Kabul, India's envoy to the United Nations Hardeep Singh Puri has asked the world leaders to negotiate an international treaty to tackle terrorism expeditiously. "Our embassy in Kabul was again subjected to yet another terrorist attack, which has resulted in injury of Indian security personnel as well as death of large number of Afghan civilians," Puri told the committee of the General Assembly that handles a range of social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues.
"While it’s important for the international community to condemn terrorism and these attacks in an unequivocal manner, it’s also critical that we strengthen the legal framework in the fight against terrorism," he noted.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai today assured India that a thorough investigation will be conducted into the suicide bomb blast to ascertain who was behind it.
— Agencies
