U.S. promises to consider India in Afghan withdrawal

The United States promised Wednesday to take into account India's concerns as it looks to pull out of Afghanistan, in high-level talks that agreed on several ways to boost the democracies' emerging alliance.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, shakes hands with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar after a bilateral meeting the U.S. and India at the Department of State in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019. [Photo: AP/Jose Luis Magana]

The talks in Washington came against the backdrop of major protests in India over a citizenship law that critics say targets Muslims, but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was careful not to annoy his guests by speaking forcefully on the issue.

Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper, meeting for a day of talks with their Indian counterparts, said they spoke in depth on the renewed US talks with the Taliban aimed at ending America's longest war.

Pompeo voiced hope that talks with the Taliban, which veteran US negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad is leading, will eventually bring a "significant reduction in violence" that will let the United States "reduce its footprint."

India has been one of the top backers of Afghanistan's internationally recognized government, pouring in $3 billion since the US-led invasion toppled the Taliban regime after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

"Of course we have concerns about the future of Afghanistan," Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said.

"We believe that the reconciliation process in Afghanistan should be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned," he said

Esper declined to comment on a report that President Donald Trump, who believes the war is not worth the cost, could announce a pullout of around 4,000 troops, bringing the US contingent down to around 8,600.

(Story includes material sourced from AFP.)