New York, Sep 26 (IANS) India has once again highlighted its zero tolerance approach to terrorism and emphasised the need for the world to come together in the fight against the menace in all its manifestations. The message was put across by Sibi George, Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs, while delivering India’s National Statement at the 6th Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism in New York early Friday, India time.
Established in June 2019, the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism is the group of United Nations Member States and Observers formed to promote a comprehensive approach to the promotion and protection of the human rights of victims of terrorism and to advocate for their diverse needs in the short, medium and long term.
“Secretary (West) Ambassador Sibi George delivered India’s National Statement at the 6th Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism. Referring to the scourge of cross border terrorism that India faces, Secretary reiterated India’s zero tolerance approach to terrorism & emphasized the need for the world to come together in the fight against terrorism in all its manifestations,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.
Earlier, George attended the UN Peacebuilding Commission’s (PBC) Ministerial meeting in New York and stated that India’s approach to peacekeeping and peacebuilding is guided by the civilizational ethos of “the world is one family,” that find manifestation in the country’s productive endeavour of moving forward to achieve peace, prosperity and progress for all.
“Secretary (West) Amb Sibi George spoke at the Peacebuilding Commission’s Ministerial meeting UN PeaceBuilding highlighting India’s approach to peacekeeping and peacebuilding that is guided by our civilizational ethos of ‘The World is One Family’. He underscored leveraging people-centric technological advances to enhance accountability, transparency, and effectiveness in public service delivery and foster trust among citizens and promote social cohesion and sustainable peace. He also highlighted that peacebuilding should remain demand-driven and nationally owned,” Jaiswal wrote in another post on X.
He also represented India at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Ministerial Meeting on the sidelines of the 80th session of United Nations General Assembly.
Sharing details regarding MEA Secretary’s participation in the meeting, the MEA detailed: “Secretary (West) Amb Sibi George represented India at the UNRWA Ministerial meeting on the sidelines of #UNGA80. Emphasized that the Agency has a reliable partner in India. Underlined that India will continue to stay engaged in the region.”
On Thursday, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar attended the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in New York. While presenting the case for ‘Operation Sindoor’ before G20 Foreign Ministers, Jaishankar said that those taking on terrorism are performing a service to the international community.
Describing terrorism as a threat to development and peace, he said, “Given the extensive networking among terrorists, those who act against them on any front, actually render a larger service to the international community as a whole.”
Although he did not directly mention Operation Sindoor carried out by India against terrorist enclaves inside Pakistan earlier this year, his target was clear.
“A persistent threat to development is that perennial disruptor of peace, terrorism,” he said.
“It is imperative that the world display neither tolerance nor accommodation to terrorist activities,” he stated.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in retaliation to terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed lives of 26 people and injured several others. The forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
–IANS
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