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Russia wants India to be in
6 + 2 group on Afghanistan

V S Chandrasekhar in Moscow

Firmly backing India's role in the post-conflict situation in Afghanistan, Russia on Tuesday said New Delhi should be involved in the six-plus-two group of countries proposed by the United Nations for the solution of the problem.

After a 90-minute one-to-one summit talks between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and President Vladimir Putin followed by delegation-level parleys, Putin told a press conference that both the countries have "identical views" on combating international terrorism and the current campaign against Afghanistan is a part of that.

"We reached an agreement that the six-plus two mechanism (involving the neighbours of Afghanistan plus Russia and the US) should be employed. But at the same time, India should be involved in it more appropriately by participating in such a mechanism for a solution," Putin said in reply to a question what role Russia saw for India in post-conflict Afghanistan.

In this respect, he said: "India is not just an acceptable partner to us but a desirable partner. Our views are identical."

The Russian backing for India's inclusion in the six-plus-two mechanism assumed significance as it came close on the heels of Vajpayee's letters to five UN security council members and seven other countries suggesting broadening of the existing mechanism to deal with the Afghan situation.

PTI

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