US pledges to respect Indian concerns in Afghanistan

NEW DELHI: US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday promised to respect India's concerns over a nascent dialogue with the Taliban, vowing never to accept a role for Al-Qaeda extremists in Afghanistan.

Kerry was visiting India days after Washington moved towards dialogue with the Taliban, who last week opened an office in Qatar.

India was a top target of Afghan-based extremists during the Taliban rule and has repeatedly warned not to distinguish between "good and bad" militants.

"We will consult very closely with India and with others in the region," Kerry told reporters in New Delhi.

He said that US diplomat James Dobbins, who would lead any Taliban talks, would visit India on Wednesday after a stop in Kabul.

Kerry said that the Taliban, as part of any future Afghan settlement, would have to "disassociate themselves from Al-Qaeda and from violence" and respect the constitutional protections for women and minorities.

"That's not going to change," Kerry said, while adding that it was still "better to explore the possibilities of having a peaceful resolution."

Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid, speaking at the joint news conference, credited Kerry with directly addressing India's worries and did not voice opposition to the Taliban talks.

"They will ensure that none of the concerns of India are overlooked or undermined," Khurshid said. "I think it's an experiment that is being done in order to find an alternative for sustainable peace in Afghanistan.

One cannot disagree with that," he said. "It's very clear what the objective is. How far that objective is possible, only time will tell," he said.

Despite the establishment of the Qatar office last week, diplomacy has immediately floundered as the Taliban angered Afghan President Hamid Karzai by using emblems of their 1996-2001 regime.