Swaraj holds talks with Kumaratunga and Karzai

Former President of Sri Lanka Chandrika Kumaratunga, former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali on Wednesday met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and discussed a host of bilateral and regional issues.

The three leaders are in the national Capital to attend the Raisina Dialogue, a conclave organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and a leading think tank to deliberate on geo-politics and geo-economics.

A range of issues of mutual interest figured in the one-on-one meetings the leaders had with Swaraj.

“A valued neighbour, an important friend. EAM meets with Bangladeshi FM Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted, after the meeting between Swaraj and Ali.  

Karzai called India Afghanistan’s best friend and identified terrorism as major challenge facing the nation. “An old friend pays a call. Former President of Afghanistan @KarzaiH meets EAM @SushmaSwaraj,” tweeted Swarup.

Kumaratunga said national security concerns should compel major players in the region to cooperate with each other to effectively deal with challenge of terrorism and violent “politicised extremism”.