Russia's President: India Is To Have A Say In Shaping Afghanistan's Future

India is entitled to vote on the future of Afghanistan, said Vladimir Putin at a press conference on results of the Russian-Indian negotiations held in the Kremlin. The Russian head of state said that India is a country of the same region and therefore must take part in settling the situation around Afghanistan. Vladimir Putin also reported that they have agreed with the prime minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, that the 6+2 mechanism /six states bordering on Afghanistan plus Russia and the United States/ can and must be put to use and that India, although formally not a member of the 6+2 group, must take a more active part in making decisions and implementing them. President Vladimir Putin stressed that India is a reliable partner of India in the struggle against terrorism because "it has itself long been fighting against terrorism and well knows what it is".