INDIA, JAPAN CONDEMN TERROR EMANATING FROM PAK SOIL, NAME LASHKAR AND JAISH
Talk about ‘crossborder movement of terrorists’ for the first time in the document
In a first, the India-Japan joint statement singled out Pakistan-based terror outfits and pitched for “zero tolerance” in combating terrorism. In an oblique reference to China and Pakistan, foreign secretary S Jaishankar said “all parties who helped” North Korea to go nuclear “should be held accountable” while briefing the media about the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. “They looked forward to… strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaida, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lakshar-e-Taiba...” the statement said.
GANDHINAGAR: After the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) grouping deplored Pakistan-based terror outfits in their summit declaration last month, the India-Japan joint statement also singled them out besides talking about cross-border terrorism for the first time in the document.
And in an oblique reference to China and Pakistan, foreign secretary S Jaishankar said that “all parties who helped” North Korea to go nuclear “should be held accountable” while briefing the media about the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe here on Thursday.
Jaishankar said there was meeting of mind on the North Korean issue. A substantial mention of terrorism in the joint statement could bolster New Delhi’s posture that more and more countries are blaming Pakistan for allowing its territory to plan and launch terror attacks on India, though Japan is not a very active player in the region in terms of security matters.
But the mention of “cross border movement of terrorists” (into India) — without naming Pakistan — shows a change in Japan’s position of staying some distance away from the issue in any specific manner.
“They (the two PMs) called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels, and halting cross-border movement of terrorists. They underlined the need for all countries to ensure that their territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries,” said the statement.
“They looked forward to….strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaida, ISIS, JeM, LeT, and their affiliates,” it further said. On Thursday, North Korea threatened to use nuclear weapons to “sink” Japan and reduce the US to “ashes and darkness” for supporting a UN Security Council resolution after its latest test of a hydrogen bomb. India has shared Japan’s concern over the issue in the joint statement; in turn, India has made its position clear that countries supporting North Korea nuclear programme should be held accountable.
Jaishankar said that the Japanese underlined their concerns in strong terms.