All conscientious countries have responsibility to call out international terrorism: MEA

New Delhi, October 8

India on Saturday took strong note of comments by foreign ministers of Germany and Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir and said all conscientious members of the global community have a responsibility to call out international terrorism, especially of a cross-border nature.

Without directly naming Pakistan, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Jammu and Kashmir has borne the brunt of a terrorist campaign for decades and it continues till now.

He was responding to comments on Jammu and Kashmir by the Pakistani and German foreign ministers at a joint press conference in Berlin on Friday.

“All serious and conscientious members of the global community have a role and responsibility to call out international terrorism, especially of a cross-border nature,” Bagchi said.

“The Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has borne the brunt of such a terrorist campaign for decades. This continues till now,” he said.

Bagchi said foreign nationals have been victims there, as also in other parts of India.

“The UN Security Council and FATF are still pursuing Pakistan-based terrorists involved in the horrific 26/11 attacks,” he said.

“When states do not recognise such dangers, either because of self-interest or indifference, they undermine the cause of peace, not promote it. They also do grave injustice to the victims of terrorism,” Bagchi added.

At the press conference in Berlin on Friday, Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said peace inside South Asia would not be possible without the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions and taking into consideration the aspirations of Kashmiri people.

India has been strongly maintaining that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between New Delhi and Islamabad.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said she believed that every country in the world has a role and responsibility for solving conflicts and for ensuring that “we are living in a peaceful world”.