New Delhi: United Nation General Secretary Antonio is in India for a three-day visit and attended a high-level meeting with PM Modi where both have discussed important matters such UN reforms, SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) and other climatic challenges apart from terrorism, according to sources.
The UN General Secretary has termed terrorism as a plague that is affecting the world and said that terrorism has no place in the world and that there is “zero tolerance” towards terrorism.
“There is no agreement on the definition of the terrorism. It’s not so dramatic because there are number of tools and instruments working on that. But the problem of definition of terrorism is several complexities. For instance, the terrorism committed by state. So there are a number of things that are complicated to have a common definition of terrorism. It is true we never managed to have it and we never managed to have a true convention because of the definition”, said the UN Chief.
Recently External Affairs Minister Sushma has raised the same issue at the UNGA as India has proposed the CCIT (Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism).
And supporting India’s stance on this issue, he said, “India has been in the frontline of supporting this, and we fully support India in this regard.”
“The HRC is an autonomous area and I don’t discuss their reports. They have their own High Commissioners who play their role, and countries can disagree with them. Countries can choose not to accept their reports. We need to respect the independence of their mandates”, said UN Chief on asking why did he not accept the report.
The then High Commission of Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein had submitted OHCHR report where he wrote about Indian government’s acts in the Kashmir valley.
Senior Indian officials said that the comment made by the UNSG is certainly not an “endorsement” of the report itself.
The official said, “It is not an endorsement of the content of the report itself. As head of the world body, he would not undermine an official who is mandated with a particular job.”
Further continuing his statement, the UN Chief said: “I have always seen India as an extremely diverse country and welcoming refugees, and respect for different people. Like in any other part of the world, India too has some forms of extremism, but I think the major problems it faces are from poverty and inequality. My wife was born in Goa, and I am amazed by how there is perfect inter-religious harmony, which is the prevailing Indian tradition, and it is something India should cherish and preserve.”
He also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in Rajghat and hailed him as a “great soul” and humanity’s “guide in our troubled world”.