Terrorism can't be justified at all: Sushma Swaraj

NEW DELHI: Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday without naming either Pakistan or China pulled them up for justifying terror on the grounds of religion & ethnicity and pushing connectivity initiative by violating sovereignty.

“...we must reaffirm that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group.

It is a crime against the entire humanity,” Swaraj said without mentioning Pakistan in the presence of its PM at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) heads of governments meeting at the Russian city of Sochi. Both India and Pakistan became members of SCO last June.

“Keeping in perspective the objectives of SCO and SCO-RATS of building a strong security architecture in the region, I would like to dwell on the threat of global terrorism. At the very outset, India strongly condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. There can be no justification whatsoever for any acts of terrorism. We are determined to consistently strengthen cooperation within the SCO framework, and to work together, to seek comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security,” Swaraj said outlining India’s focus in security aspect of SCO.

India urges all nations to enhance cooperation in intelligence sharing, law enforcement, developing best practices and technologies, mutual legal assistance, extradition arrangements, capacity building among other measures, for countering terrorism, she suggested.

Pointing out that connectivity with SCO countries is India’s priority, Swaraj indirectly pulled up China for its OBOR project. “We want connectivity to pave the way for cooperation and trust between our societies. For this, respect for sovereignty is essential. Inclusivity, transparency and sustainability are imperative.”