Isolate those who harbour terrorists: India to intl community

Advocating outright rejection of state-sponsored terrorism, India today said it is vital to construct a strong international legal regime on the principle of "zero tolerance" for terrorism and isolate those who harbour, support or sponsor terrorists.
"Countering terrorism is an imperative, in the face of rising terrorist attacks across the globe, including in our region, notably in Jakarta, Bangkok, Pathankot, Dhaka and Kabul in recent times," Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said at the 14th ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic.
"It is vital to construct a strong international legal regime, built on the principle of 'zero tolerance' for direct or indirect support to terrorism, adopting an 'extradite or prosecute' standard and ensuring obligatory collaboration by countries in the investigation of terrorism related cases," he said.

Singh asserted that deepening of security cooperation must be based on an "outright rejection" of state-sponsored terrorism, isolating those who harbour, support or sponsor terrorists and bringing the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terror to speedy justice.
Noting that today's realities warrant that nations act for urgent finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the UN, he called on ASEAN countries to support its early adoption.
Singh said India would also like to host an ASEAN-India Conference on preventing radicalisation and promoting de-radicalisation, to share India's experience and benefit from the experience of ASEAN countries, notably Malaysia, in this important area.

In addition, India will co-cost with Indonesia, an ASEAN Regional Forum inter-sessional meeting on counter-terrorism, he said.

"Politico-security cooperation between ASEAN and India is on the upswing. Reflecting our commitment to strengthen cooperation to effectively deal with traditional and non-traditional security challenges, the first G-2-G ASEAN-India Cyber Dialogue would be held in India in August 2016," he noted.
"We have also offered ASEAN countries a 'specialised programme' on reducing cyber crime through knowledge exchange and capacity building" and a seminar on "e-governance", as joint activities under information and communications technology cooperation, Singh said.
He stressed that India's relationship with ASEAN is one of the cornerstones of its foreign policy and the foundation of the 'Act East Policy'.

"We look forward to working closely with you to realise the full potential of our relationship as an enabler for the shared progress and development of our countries and region," Singh, who also attended the seventh Mekong Ganga Cooperation Ministerial Meeting here, said.
(Reopens FGN 31)
The pledge was made at the seventh Mekong Ganga
Cooperation Ministerial Meeting held here yesterday, that was attended by foreign ministers of the member states, including Singh and Mayanmar's Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi.
The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) was established on November 10, 2000 at Vientiane at the First MGC ministerial meeting. It comprises six member countries -- India, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

They emphasised four areas of cooperation, which are tourism, culture, education and transportation linkage.
"The Ministers endorsed the Senior Officials Meeting Report and emphasised that collaboration under MGC must be given a sense of urgency since it actively supports the initiative for ASEAN integration, and the master plan on ASEAN Connectivity, that helps the narrowing of the development gap, and contributes towards the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025," a joint statement issued after the meeting said.
The ministers adopted the Plan of Action to Implement Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (2016-2018), which contains the future direction of Mekong Ganga Cooperation for the next three years.

"Recognising the significance of maritime connectivity between the MGC countries, the ministers instructed SOM to consider the establishment of an MGC Joint Working Group to explore ways to enhance maritime cargo transportation and related issues amongst MGC countries," the statement said.
In his remarks at the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Singh made a strong pitch for regional connectivity.
"India remains committed in its support for implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity as well as and the Post-2015 Agenda for ASEAN Connectivity," Singh said.
"Even as we work assiduously to enhance our physical connectivity and explore the extension of the India-Myanmar- Thailand Trilateral Highway into Lao PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam, I urge Thailand and Myanmar to join hands and find creative solutions for the early conclusion of the Motor Vehicles Agreement and I would also like to invite ASEAN countries to participate in the Sittwe Economic Zone," he said.

"In the economic sphere, we are happy that the ASEAN-India Trade Negotiation Committee is working to review the ASEAN India Trade in Goods Agreement in order to realise the full potential of the ASEAN India Free Trade Area. I am also confident that the ASEAN-India Economic Ministers' Meeting and the RCEP Ministerial meeting scheduled in early August will pave the way for smoother and deeper economic engagement, to the satisfaction of all parties," he added.
Singh said India looks forward to pursue energy security, production and use of renewable and alternative energy sources with ASEAN member states.
"In this regard, we will be training 100 ASEAN personnel in Solar Technology, Wind Energy and Bio-Energy at the earliest," he said.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is comprised of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.