Key US officials in India to discuss Afghanistan and Russia

US special envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West, met this week with Indian officials for detailed discussions on Afghanistan.

After meeting with India’s Ministry of External Affairs Joint Secretary JP Singh, West tweeted that the US will “continue to partner with India and others in the region to advance shared goals.”

“Discussed issues critical to Afghanistan’s future, human rights abuses, women’s essential role in society and terrorism threats,’’ said West.

Another key US official, Elizabeth Rosenberg, from the US Treasury’s Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes division, is also in India and met with Commerce minister Piyush Goel.

She discussed US sanctions on Russia and noted that Indian importers of Russian oil could face secondary sanctions.

Current US sanctions against Russia do not prevent other countries from buying Russian oil.

She also discussed the wheat shortage and India’s ability to ease it somewhat to curb the world-wide flare-up in its prices.

“It’s important to talk to strong US partners and make sure we’re in close contact about our sanctions regime and working together to crack down on any evasion opportunities or evasion activities,” said a US Treasury spokesperson.

Rosenberg’s India visit is part of a Biden administration effort to reach out to friendly non-western countries to persuade them to ease off defence and energy ties with Russia, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, West also met exiled Afghan leader Abdullah Abdullah.

“Discussed issues critical to Afghanistan’s future, human rights abuses, women’s essential role in society and terrorism threats,’’ said West.