BRICS backs India's stand, asks nations to stop financing terror (Roundup)

Without naming Pakistan or any other nation, Foreign Ministers of BRICS countries on Monday asked the countries accused of supporting terrorism to stop financing terrorists and their activities after India told the five-country bloc to stop differentiating between good and bad terrorists and step up the fight against the "global menace".

In a joint statement released at the end of a BRICS conference here, the Foreign Ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, deplored "the continued terrorist attacks, including in some BRICS countries" and condemned "terrorism in all its forms and manifestations wherever committed and by whomsoever".

The ministers reaffirmed the solidarity and resolve of the BRICS nations in the fight against terrorism and called upon the international community to establish a broad international counter-terrorism coalition and to support the UN's coordinating role in international counter-terrorism cooperation.

"They recall the responsibility of all states to prevent financing of terrorist networks and terrorist actions from their territories," the note said.

Earlier, India, represented by Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh, said the grouping needed to cooperate on counter-terror measures.

Singh said "terrorism remains the most potent global menace and threatens global peace" and that "terrorists cannot be differentiated by calling them good or bad".

"They are terrorists, they are criminals and we need to have concerted actions both in the region and internationally to curb their activities."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said his country was making every effort to combat terrorism. "China opposes terror in all forms. China is also victim of terror and China is taking part in global initiatives against terror. With colleagues today, including Indian colleagues, China shares the same position."

India has been urging the UN to put sanctions against and designate as an international terrorist Pakistan-based terrorist leader Masood Azhar, accused of masterminding several terror attacks in India, including the January 2016 strike on a military base in Punjab that killed at least seven security personnel. But the Indian move has been blocked by China -- Pakistan's all-weather friend -- that holds a veto in the UN Security Council.

The Foreign Ministers also reaffirmed the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN and the Security Council to make it "more representative, effective and efficient and increase the representation of the developing countries so that it can adequately respond to global challenges".

"China and Russia reiterate the importance they attach to the status and role of Brazil, India and South Africa in international affairs and support their aspiration to play a greater role in the UN."

The joint statement also backed the Paris climate accord in a reaffirmation that comes after US President Donald Trump pulled out of the agreement, accusing India and China of trying to extract "billions and billions and billions" of dollars in foreign aid from developed countries in the name of climate change.

The BRICS Foreign Ministers also extended their support for more balanced economic globalisation, rejected protectionism, and renewed their commitment to the promotion of global trade and investment "which is conducive to an equitable, inclusive, innovative, invigorated and interconnected world economy".

They also backed "Afghan-led and Afghan-owned" national reconciliation programme and the ongoing international efforts for peace and reconstruction of the war-torn country.

The BRICS Summit will be held in September in China's Xiamen where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President XI Jinping are likely to meet.

(Gaurav Sharma is the Beijing-based correspondent of IANS. He can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com and gauravians@yahoo.com)

--IANS

gsh-sar/dg