President Barack Obama’s defence secretary nominee, Chuck Hagel, in a sharp contrast to US view on India’s role in Afghanistan has alleged India of “financing problems” for Pakistan over the years.
“India for some time has always used Afghanistan as a second front, and India has over the years financed problems for Pakistan on that side of the border,” Hagel said.
The remarks were contained in Hagel’s unreleased speech at Oklahoma’s Cameron University in 2011 and uploaded by Washington Free Beacon. The remarks have sparked a strong reaction from India.
Indian embassy in response to Hagels speech said,”such comments attributed to Senator Hagel, who has been a long-standing friend of India and a prominent votary of close India-US relations are contrary to the reality of India’s unbounded dedication to the welfare of Afghan people”.
“Our opposition to terrorism and its safe havens in our neighbourhood is firm and unshakable,” Indian embassy added.
Hagels comments contradict with viewpoint of Obama Administration that has always praised India’s developmental role in Afghanistan.
The embassy said that India and US share a common prespective for ensuring peace in Afghanistan.
“We will continue to work to help the Afghan people build a peaceful, prosperous, democratic and inclusive future for themselves in an environment free from terror and intimidation,” embassy said.