India wants 'zero tolerance' for terrorism

United Nations: India has said it will not support any resolution adopted after an ongoing review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy that dilutes efforts to combat the menace of terrorism, for which there should be zero tolerance.

Participating in informal consultations on the outcome of the 4th biennial review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, India strongly condemned the "cowardly terrorist attack" on its consulate in Herat province, saying the attack once again underscores that the main objective of terrorism in Afghanistan is to "prevent its reconstruction and development."

The attack was "valiantly repelled" by the "brave security forces of Afghanistan". India also strongly condemned the May 22 terrorist attack in Urumqi in China when attackers threw explosive devices into a market in the capital of the northwestern region of Xinjiang province, killing nearly 40 people and wounding 90 others.

"These two terrorist attacks illustrate the need for us to emphasize in the General Assembly resolution that no cause or grievance can justify terrorism, which has to be countered, prosecuted and penalized," the Indian delegation said during the intervention made at the informal consultations.

The concluding session of the fourth review of the Strategy will be held on June 12-13 here at the end of which the UNGA will adopt a resolution.

India stressed that it "would not support any formulation of the resolution which would in any way dilute our efforts to combat the menace of terrorism. This would be our strong contribution from the international community to the people and countries which are victims of the terrorist acts."

India called for the adoption of a "holistic approach and balanced implementation" of four pillars of UN Counter- Terrorism strategy keeping in mind the overall objective of zero tolerance of terrorism, which is endorsed by the UN.

"We urge all delegations to agree that this resolution should clearly state that we have zero tolerance of terrorism," the Indian delegation added.

Adopted by the General Assembly in September 2006, the GCTS is based on four pillars of tackling the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, preventing and combating terrorism, building States' capacity to prevent and combat terrorism and to strengthen the role of the UN system in that regard and ensuring respect for human rights for all and the rule of law as the fundamental basis for the fight against terrorism.

India was the Chair of the Counter Terror Committee of the UNSC during its period on the Council till 2012 end. India had introduced and got adopted the "zero tolerance" approach to terror in the Council on the subject.