Jaishankar holds talks on terrorism, regional issues with top Finnish leadership

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has held long discussions on cross-border terrorism with the top Finnish leadership, amidst Pakistan's bid to internationalise the Kashmir issue after India revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status.

Jaishankar, who is on a three-day visit to Finland, the current chair of the European Union that supported India on the Kashmir issue, on Friday held talks with Prime Minister Antti Rinne and his Finnish counterpart Pekka Haavisto on a broad spectrum of bilateral relations.

Jaishankar and Haavisto had "long discussion" on terrorism and the two leaders reviewed bilateral relationship with special focus on green technologies, the external affairs minister tweeted on Friday.

They also exchanged notes on regional issues.

During a special debate of the plenary of the European Parliament on the situation in Kashmir on Tuesday, European parliamentarians Ryszard Czarnecki and Fulvio Martusciello slammed Pakistan for harbouring militants.

Czarnecki, the member of EU Parliament and European Conservatives and Reformists Group in Poland called India the "greatest democracy of the world" and said terrorists who carried out attacks in India did not come from the Moon.

Later, delivering a speech on 'India and the World - Priorities of Indian Foreign Policy' at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) on Friday, Jaishankar said that India's decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special status has a "national security connotation," emphasising that the "epicentre of global terrorism" is right there in the country's "neighbourhood".

India revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status on August 5. Reacting to the move, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian High Commissioner.

Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its "internal matter". New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric.

"In an apparent reference to Pakistan, Jaishankar said, "India lives in a tough neighbourhood and faces more than its fair share of national security challenges. Most prominent among them is the cross-border terrorism that we have been subjected to for many decades."
Jaishankar said, "We know that the epicentre of global terrorism is there right in our neighbourhood. But even as we take our responsive measures, our belief is that this is not just a concern for one country but for the entire international community."
To India's West, he said, "the future of Afghanistan is the big concern, as are the choices of Pakistan in becoming a normal neighbour."
Addressing the audience, Jaishankar said India's foreign policy "has strong developmental focus now as we explore sourcing technology, best practices, capital, resources and collaborations with global partners."