New York: Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday took a dig at China over its putting on hold blacklisting of a Pakistani terrorist and said some countries have facilitated impunity “when it comes to sanctioning some of the world’s most dreaded terrorists.”
Speaking at the UNSC briefing on Ukraine’s ‘Fight against impunity’, the minister said politics should never ever provide cover to evade accountability. “Nor indeed to facilitate impunity. Regrettably, we have seen this of late in this very chamber, when it comes to sanctioning some of the world’s most dreaded terrorists,” he said.
“If egregious attacks committed in broad daylight are left unpunished, this Council must reflect on the signals we are sending on impunity. There must be consistency if we are to ensure credibility,” he added.
China had earlier this month put on hold a proposal moved at the United Nations by the US and co-supported by India to designate Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Sajid Mir, one of India’s most wanted terrorists and the main handler of the 2008 Mumbai attack, as a global terrorist.
Noting that the trajectory of the Ukraine conflict is a matter of profound concern for the entire international community, Jaishankar said the world has experienced its consequences in terms of higher costs and shortages of foodgrains and fertilizers, and fuel.
The minister said that the need of the hour is to end the conflict in Ukraine and return to the negotiating table. “This Council is the most powerful symbol of diplomacy. It must continue to live up to its purpose,” he said.
Jaishankar also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks during his meeting with Vladimir Putin during the SCO summit that this cannot be an era of war.
“The trajectory of the Ukraine conflict is a matter of profound concern for the entire international community. The outlook appears truly disturbing. In a globalized world, its impact is being felt even in distant regions. We have all experienced its consequences in terms of higher costs and actual shortages of food grains, fertilizers, and fuel. The global south, especially, is feeling the pain acutely. We must not initiate measures that further complicate the global economy,” Jaishankar said.
