New Delhi
August 23, 2005


The Prime Minister will be visiting Kabul on a two-day official visit on 28-29 August 2005. The visit is taking place at the invitation of President Karzai. The last such visit was 29 years ago when Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi visited Kabul in 1976. In the last three years President Karzai paid three official visits to India after he took over the reins of Afghan government following the Bonn Agreement of December 2001.

The Prime Minister will hold official level talks with President Karzai and would call on Baba-e-Millat and former King H.M. Mohd. Zahir Shah. Apart from Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah, other dignitaries would also call on the Prime Minister. Prime Minister will hold talks with Afghan leaders on bilateral relations including India’s assistance programme to Afghanistan as well as situation in the region. As part of the official programme, Baba-e-Millat would lay the foundation stone for Afghan Parliament building, to be constructed with India’s assistance, in the presence of Prime Minister and President Karzai. Prime Minister and President Karzai will jointly handover the renovated Habibia School, under India’s assistance programme, to Afghan authorities.