Global fight against terrorism should not be compromised for political gains: India at UNSC

At the UNSC briefing on Syria's political-humanitarian situation, Ruchira Kamboj said the global fight against terrorism cannot and should not be compromised for narrow political gains.

New Delhi: India on Thursday said that the global fight against terrorism cannot and should not be compromised for narrow political gains. In remarks at the UNSC briefing on Syria's political-humanitarian situation, India's permanent representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj said, "The global fight against terrorism cannot and should not be compromised for narrow political gains. There is an urgent imperative on the international community to display zero tolerance approach towards terrorism without any double standards".

She noted with regret that the conflict in Syria still has no end in sight and the political process is yet to take off. "We continue to stress a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, in line with UNSC Resolution 2,254, with a firm commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic. A decisive forward movement on the political track in Syria remains an urgent imperative to alleviate the sufferings of its people", stated the Indian envoy at the UNSC.

Kamboj further reiterated that the revival of the constitutional committee process is crucial to move forward on the political track. "In this regard, we take note of the efforts of the Special Envoy, particularly its visit to Damascus earlier this month. The step-by-step approach advocated by the Special Envoy requires engagement and response from all sides, and cannot be a one-sided process", added Kamboj.

The progressive normalisation of Syria’s relations with its neighbours can contribute positively in this regard and we continue to support Special Envoy’s active engagement with the region, she said. She highlighted, "In recent weeks, the security situation particularly in northeast Syria has worsened. Moreover, the activities of terrorist outfits are on the rise. We have also seen military operations inside Syria carried out by a neighbour."

India expressed concerns over such unilateral actions violating Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ruchira Kamboj said, "We believe that the withdrawal of all foreign forces is essential to achieve a nationwide ceasefire. We note the recent meeting of the Ceasefire Task Force and hope that the parties will take steps towards cessation of hostilities".

She noted that the threat of terrorism in Syria and the region cannot be ignored. The sanctioned terror outfits such as ISIL, and Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, continue to remain active in Syria. India further reiterated its call for caution and due diligence to be exercised while extending humanitarian assistance to proscribed UN entities and individuals.

"The global fight against terrorism cannot and should not be compromised for narrow political gains. There is an urgent imperative on the international community to display zero tolerance approach towards terrorism without any double standards", the Indian envoy said. It is pertinent to note that India and Syria share historic and friendly relations. India over the years has been extending humanitarian, technical, and developmental assistance to Syria through bilateral and multilateral channels. Consignments of food and medicines have been supplied to Syria from time to time, including during the pandemic.

India has offered Lines of Credit worth USD 280 million to Syria for building a power plant and a steel plant. A Next-Gen Centre for Information Technology was set up in Damascus in October 2021. About 1500 scholarships have been provided to Syrian students to study in India in diverse streams, including 200 scholarships in the current academic year itself.