NEW DELHI: Tearing into Pakistan, foreign minister S Jaishankar said any country that believes terrorism can be used to advance its interests will find it boomerangs on them.
Addressing foreign ministers’ at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Kazakhstan, he said the world no longer tolerates the use of terrorism by one state against another. “Cross-border terrorism is not statecraft; it is simply another form of terrorism. The international community must unite against this menace … Any calculation that extremism, radicalisation, violence and bigotry can be used to advance interests is a very short-sighted one. Such forces will come back to haunt those who nurture them.”
His words were directed as much against Pakistan as against the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, where he rued the lack of stability, pointing out that it would make it difficult to get Covid under control.
Jaishankar took a jibe at China too, saying while connectivity was essential in the modern day, it needed to follow certain rules. “As we build these modern arteries of commerce, it is absolutely essential that the most basic principles of international relations are observed. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations rank foremost among them,” Jaishankar said.
Later, when he met Kazakh President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev, Jaishankar said: “Ensuring that Afghan territory is not used to support terrorism and promoting the formation of an inclusive government are recognised as priorities.”