Jaswant seeks support against terrorism

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, SEPT. 20. Even as the international community is seeking to strengthen democratic principles and practices and even as the spreading sweep of democracy is casting aside dictatorships and authoritarian regimes, there have been instances of regression as well, says the Minister for External Affairs, Mr. Jaswant Singh.

In a statement to the 55th session of the United Nations General Assembly (the Millennium Assembly) in New York on Tuesday, Mr. Singh argued, ``such acts move against the currents of our times. The international community should oppose these assaults on the spirit of our times and uncompromisingly support and strengthen democratic impulses, practices and norms.''

Pointing out that the developments in Fiji had caused deep concern and appreciating the action taken by the Commonwealth after the overthrow of a constitutionally elected government, Mr. Singh said, ``we hope that Fiji will return immediately to the constitutional base of 1997 and restore at the earliest rule of law by putting an end to racial discrimination. This is in Fiji's own long term interest.''

The External Affairs Minister dwelt on a number of issues such as peace, nuclear disarmament, terrorism, the menace of the circulation of small arms,the composition of the Security Council,the developmental imperatives and the process of globalisation.

Noting that a consensus had to come about both within and among nations on issues of national and international security, Mr. Singh reiterated that New Delhi would not stand in the way of the entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. ``India volunteered and continues to observe a moratorium on further explosive nuclear testing. This meets the basic obligation of the CTBT,'' Mr. Singh said in his statement.

Maintaining a sharp focus on Pakistan even if not by name, the Minister said, ``India has been the object of state- sponsored, cross-border terrorism, in its most inhuman manifestations for more than a decade... Terrorism is an assault on human decency, a violation of the basic precepts of democracy and the very anti- thesis of what the United Nations represents and stands for... it constitutes a crime against humanity. It is also a threat to international peace and security, especially when terrorists are armed, financed and backed by governments or their agencies.''

``We have proposed the draft of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. I urge all members of the United Nations to give their total support to this initiative,'' he added.

Pointing out that the structure of the U.N. Security Council continued to be the same as it was in the colonised world of 1945 and the global consensus that it was outmoded and must reflect the logic of an enlarged membership, Mr. Singh said, ``an unrepresentative Security Council will lack the range and depth of sensitivity, perceptiveness and understanding of the realities that it will have to deal with or the moral authority to take such decisions. I would like to reaffirm India's willingness to take on the responsibilities of permanent membership.''

The United Nations had consistently been called on to increase its development orientation and engagement; and that to address the root cause of poverty meaningfully, there had to be firm international commitments to re-order and re-shape international relations. ``Developing countries and their people cannot thrive on a diet of advice and goodwill alone,'' he said.

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