What India wants Afghanistan to be like

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has asked Afghanistan to be alert to terrorism emanating from across its border.

Interacting with media persons on the sidelines of the international conference on the future of Afghanistan at Bonn, Krishna observed that infiltration poses a threat to that country's economy and development.

"Well I think my speech today (Monday) was mainly focused on the terrorist activities, which emanates from across the borders and then again terrorist finding safe havens in across the borders. I think these are the twin problems which Afghanistan is facing and which many nations are facing. So it is necessary to address this scourge of terror from this angle," said Krishna.

He further said that India is committed towards various development and progress initiatives taken for the benefit of Afghanistan.

"Specially, in the light of the strategic partnership that we have struck with Afghanistan, our bonds have become much stronger and this conference which is being held in Bonn, is an important milestone in shaping the future of Afghanistan. India's interest is that Afghanistan should develop itself as a self reliant nation," added Krishna.

The Bonn talks mainly aim at three areas -- security in light of the planned handover to domestic forces, internal reconciliation and long-term support from world nations after the withdrawal of foreign troops from the war-torn Afghanistan.

The international meet, which is taking place after a decade, will focus on Afghanistan's economic future and on defining the West's future presence in Afghanistan.

The objectives of US in Afghanistan are far more modest than they were in the months following the September 11 attacks, when the West hoped to replace the Taliban's backwardness and brutality with a secure democracy at the crossroads of Asia.

The conference seeks to chart a roadmap for Kabul after the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation pull out, but a boycott by Pakistan, in the wake of the recent killing of 24 soldiers in NATO air strikes on its soil, has dealt a severe blow to such hopes.