Nuke terrorism int threat, should not serve nat strategy: FS

Maintaining that terrorism, especially nuclear terrorism is an international threat that should not serve national strategy, India today pitched for a global response in this regard, saying negative consequences of atomic power cannot be overlooked.
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, who inaugurated the 2017 edition of the Implementation and Assessment Group (IAG) Meeting of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT), also advocated a two-pronged strategy -- one to clamp down on terrorism in general and the other to restrict unauthorised access to nuclear technology and material.
Hoping that the horrors of atomic power destruction would never be repeated, he said, "Events that have unfolded around us, more so in the past couple of decades, have highlighted that terrorism remains the most pervasive and serious challenge to international security. If access to nuclear technology changes State behaviour, it is only to be expected that it would also impact on non-state calculations.

"Nuclear security, therefore, will be a continuing concern, especially as terrorist groups and non-state actors strike deeper roots and explore different avenues to spread terror. Developing a comprehensive global response is the highest priority," he said.
Noting that nuclear energy will continue to play an important role in tackling challenges of inclusive growth and climate change, he said, "On the other hand, the negative consequences of atomic power also cannot be ignored. The world has witnessed the immense destructive power of the atom.
"We hope that such horrors will never be repeated and cannot overstate the importance of countries with nuclear weapons to be responsible."

Jaishankar also warned of the dangers of discriminating among terrorists -- good or bad or even yours and mine -- are increasingly recognised. "Terrorism is an international threat that should not serve national strategy. Nuclear terrorism even more so," he said.

During the meeting, which is being attended by around 150 delegates from 45 GICNT partner countries and 4 international organisations -- IAEA, Interpol, European Union, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, he also referred to the strong credentials of India, which is looking for a membership in Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), in promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

He also said, "Responsible States provide political commitments to assure each other that they will protect nuclear material under their control from falling into the wrong hands...
"However, political commitments alone cannot ensure the safety and security of nuclear material," and referred to treaty instruments which provide a firm basis for translating broader political commitments into legally binding measures.
Later, MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said GICNT co-chairs, Russia and the US, reviewed the activities undertaken by the various working groups of the global initiative and complimented India's contribution to strengthening global nuclear security.
The Netherlands as IAG Coordinator provided an update on the inter-sessional activities and outlined the plan for the coming period, he said, adding the three working groups on Nuclear Forensics, Nuclear Detection, and Response and Mitigation are having concurrent sessions to discuss relevant issues during the three-day meeting.

Japan will be hosting the annual plenary of the GICNT in June this year.