China weighs impact of UN terror convention on ties with Pak

A day after backing an India- sponsored move to bring about a comprehensive UN convention against terrorism, a guarded China today skirted questions about its likely impact on ties with close ally Pakistan which is accused of supporting terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Asked about the impact of China's backing to the proposed Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) on relations with Pakistan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing that Beijing's decision was part of its willingness to cooperate with the international community on the issue of terrorism.
In a guarded reply, Hong said foreign ministers of Russia, India and China (RIC) had held in-depth exchanges at their meeting here yesterday on issues of common interest including crackdown on terrorism.

"On this issue China's stand is consistent and clear. We are willing to carry out cooperation with the international community under principles and purposes of UN charter and other basic norms governing international relations to safeguard peace stability security of whole world," he said without mentioning Pakistan.
China along with Russia came out in support of the (CCIT), an India-backed resolution which is pending in the UN for the past 19 years.
Seen as a rebuff to Pakistan, a joint statement issued by RIC foreign ministers called for early conclusion of negotiations on the CCIT.

"The ministers reiterated that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations committed by whomever, wherever, and for whatever purposes, is a threat to international peace and security, a grave violation of human rights and a crime against humanity," it said.

"The ministers reiterated that there can be no ideological, religious, political, racial, ethnic, or any other justification for acts of terrorism. They underlined the need to bring to justice perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terrorist acts," it said.
Thanking her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told a joint press conference here after the RIC ministers' meeting that the CCIT calls for comprehensive steps to curb terrorism.
"RIC foreign ministers have an understating that we can conclude this at the earliest. I thank both of them for accepting this proposal," she said.