India for stable maritime environment in Asia

Amid fresh tension in the Southeast Asian region over China's push to lay claim over the South China Sea, India Wednesday said it supports a stable maritime environment in Asia, including the right of maritime passage and unimpeded commerce in accordance with international law.

Dinkar Khullar, secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry, said India "recognises the priority needed to consider new approaches within the overall framework of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to promote international cooperation for the sustainable use of living resources of the high seas as well as mutually beneficial sharing of seabed resources located in areas beyond national jurisdiction".

Addressing the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Shanghai, Khullar congratulated China for assuming the chair of CICA and also welcomed Bangladesh and Qatar as the grouping's newest members.

On the recently concluded Indian elections that have thrown up a new leader in Narendra Modi, the top official said: "Allow me to convey the greetings of India's new political leadership to this distinguished gathering."

He said India has supported "this farsighted initiative of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev to strengthen security and cooperation in Asia since its inception 22 years ago."

"CICA has grown steadily in membership and importance. It has joined the ranks of leading forums in Asia for dialogue on security issues and confidence building."

"The Asian security landscape is diverse and unique. We face complex transnational challenges such as terrorism, insecurity in the maritime domain, WMD proliferation, drug-trafficking and other transnational organised crimes."

"Maritime territorial disputes have the potential for undermining comprehensive security and mutual confidence. Ironically, they can also be turned into opportunities for forging cooperative approaches to enhance development and prosperity in Asia," he said, according to an external affairs ministry statement in New Delhi.

On terrorism, Khullar said it poses a serious threat to the security and well-being of our peoples.

"Almost each and every country in CICA has suffered from terrorist atrocities. Our commitment to CICA principles should be manifested in our actions and our positions on combating terrorism and its links with organised crime, narcotics and arms smuggling," he said.

"There is scope for more concrete cooperation in combating terrorism, cyber crime and piracy within the CICA while respecting national competences."

"CICA has its role to play in the development of a cooperative framework in Asia based on mutual trust, mutual benefit and sovereign equality," Khullar said.

"The principles enshrined in the Almaty Act, notably sovereign equality, refraining from the threat or use of force, territorial integrity and peaceful settlement of disputes, have to be at the heart of Asian security, now linked inextricably to global security and prosperity."

"India looks forward to working with all member states of CICA to advance this summit's vision for a new Asia of peace, stability and cooperation," he said.