RIC pitches for setting up counter-terrorist front

In a major move, Russia, India and China (RIC) trilateral grouping today vowed to deepen cooperation in combating terrorism and pitched for setting up of a broad counter-terrorist front with the UN playing a central role.
The bloc decided to work closely in cutting finances to terror networks besides other steps even as they decided to step up engagement in boosting trade and investment among three member countries.
At the RIC Foreign Ministers' Meeting here, the three countries expressed serious concern over threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) falling into the hands of terrorist groups and emphasised the need to address the challenge of chemical and biological terrorism through intensified efforts.

Addressing the meeting, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called for concerted global efforts to defeat terrorism and warned the international community of "serious consequences" if it continues to adopt "double standards" in dealing with the menace.
The bloc later came out with a joint Communique, expressing strong commitment to enhance cooperation in dealing with threat of terrorism including by cutting line of finances to terrorists outfits.
"The Ministers confirmed their strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stressed that there can be no justification whatsoever for any acts of terrorism, whether based upon ideological, religious, political, racial, ethnic or any other reasons. The Ministers are determined to consistently strengthen cooperation between China, India and Russia in preventing and countering international terrorism, both bilaterally and tri-laterally.

"They stressed that the UN has a central role in coordinating multilateral interaction against terrorism, which must be conducted in accordance with international law, including the UN Charter, as well as refugee and humanitarian law and international human rights law. They reemphasized the need to bring to justice perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of terrorist acts. They called for early conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism," the Communique said.

The ministers underlined that terrorist threats can be effectively addressed through comprehensive implementation by states of their commitments and obligations arising from relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, it said.

"The Ministers emphasized that effective fight against
terrorism is impossible without countering terrorism financing. They called upon all states to fully implement the UN Security Council Resolution 2199 that prohibits trade in oil and other natural resources with the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
"In this regard the Ministers welcomed the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 2253 aimed at preventing financial and other economic support to ISIL and affiliated terrorist organizations. The Ministers also underlined the need to strengthen practical cooperation between the UN Security Council and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in preventing terrorist financing," the communique said.

The three countries firmly opposed "forced regime change" from the outside in any country or attempts at extraterritorial use of national legislation in violation of norms of international law and called for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including its Security Council, with a view to make it more efficient and to increase the representation of the developing countries.
The Foreign Ministers of China and Russia reiterated the importance they attached to the status of India in international affairs and supported its aspiration to play a greater role in the United Nations.
"The Ministers underlined the importance of establishment of a just and equitable international order based on international law. In this respect they indicated the necessity for elaborating coordinated approaches regarding the strengthening of the legal basis of international relations and strict compliance by all states with their international legal obligations.

"The Ministers emphasized the importance of such core principles of international law as refraining from the threat or use of force, peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for state sovereignty and non-interference into internal affairs of other states," the communique said.
They agreed that the imposition of unilateral sanctions, which exceed the ones agreed by the UN Security Council, is inconsistent with principles of international law, undermines the prerogatives of the United Nations Security Council.
The three countries pledged to work together to seek common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security and called for the development of an open, inclusive, indivisible and transparent security architecture in the region.

They said they are committed to maintaining a legal order for the seas and oceans based on the principles of international law, as reflected notably in the UN Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS).
"All related disputes should be addressed through negotiations and agreements between the parties concerned. In this regard the Ministers called for full respect of all provisions of UNCLOS, as well as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the Guidelines for the implementation of the DOC," it added.