OVER A CUP OF COFFEE – BRICS DECLARATION

OVER A CUP OF COFFEE – BRICS DECLARATION

The BRICS meet at Goa was being looked at with interest for many in the country as it comes immediately after Uri attack by terrorists from Pakistan and the Surgical Strike by India.   Shyam and Gopu were no exception and they agreed to meet to deliberate on the subject over a cup of coffee.  Both came in the evening after the office hours and after all the pleasantries, settled down to a table where there would not be any disturbance. 

Shyam opened the topic telling there are mixed reactions in the Media about the outcome of BRICS meeting 2016 and he wanted to be sure about the actual wordings of the declaration to come to grips with what has happened.  He said he read the final declaration as put up in the BRICS Information Centre at http://www.brics.utoronto.ca/docs/161016-goa.html .   He said he had gone through all the 110 paras and now he is in a position to have a discussion on the subject.  Gopu on the other hand said he would very much like to read as the order in the declaration but has come to the table armed with details given here and there of the BRICS declaration in Media.

Shyam felt the GOI has done very well to get their point of view brought in the   second paragraph itself for bringing in the words – “ We agree that emerging challenges to global peace and security and to sustainable development require further enhancing of our collective efforts”.  Paras 57 to 59 exclusively talks of terrorism against India, possibility of using chemical weapons and also requests all nations of the UN to adopt the Comprehensive Covention on International Terrorism (CCIT)  in the UN General Assembly without any further delay.  This is a major achievement of the GOI that China a signatory to this declaration has to be along with other nations in UN.  Gopu agreed and said that knowing the relationship of China with Pakistan, it is a real success for the government to have made China to agree to this.  China’s development is at least two decades ahead in certain fields but India is catching up fast and China knew this and will not allow India to grow at this rate and will like Indian resources going for defence and this can be done with Pakistan only.  The regional supremacy with which China is able to get done with countries even neighbours is their current economic position and their advancement in technology front.  However the challenge posed by India is really being thwarted by China with its position in UN too.

For the benefit of Gopu, Shyam gave the paras 57 to 59 to him:

57. We strongly condemn the recent several attacks, against some BRICS countries, including that in India. We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stressed that there can be no justification whatsoever for any acts of terrorism, whether based upon ideological, religious, political, racial, ethnic or any other reasons. We agreed to strengthen cooperation in combating international terrorism both at the bilateral level and at international fora.

58. To address the threat of chemical and biological terrorism, we support and emphasise the need for launching multilateral negotiations on an international convention for the suppression of acts of chemical and biological terrorism, including at the Conference on Disarmament. In this context, we welcome India's offer to host a Conference in 2018 aimed at strengthening international resolve in facing the challenge of the WMD-Terrorism nexus.

59. We call upon all nations to adopt a comprehensive approach in combating terrorism, which should include countering violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism, radicalisation, recruitment, movement of terrorists including Foreign Terrorist Fighters, blocking sources of financing terrorism, including through organised crime by means of money-laundering, drug trafficking, criminal activities, dismantling terrorist bases, and countering misuse of the Internet including social media by terror entities through misuse of the latest Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).Successfully combating terrorism requires a holistic approach. All counter-terrorism measures should uphold international law and respect human rights.

Having gone through the specific words incorporated in the declaration, Gopu said how the arguments of the opponents who want to denigrate GOI on every single occasion sounds hollow.  Specifically the Congress is making much noise that there is no mention of Pakistan directly in the declaration;.  Having failed in ruling the country for such a long time, their anguish can be seen with the diplomacy front successfully used by the present government to bring round China agree for mention of CCIT.  Shyam added it is also to be seen very details being incorporated on terms like - terrorism, whether based upon ideological, religious, political, racial, ethnic or any other reasons in para 57 and In this context, we welcome India's offer to host a Conference in 2018 aimed at strengthening international resolve in facing the challenge of the WMD-Terrorism nexus in Para 58 and comprehensive approach in combating terrorism, which should include countering violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism, radicalisation, recruitment, movement of terrorists including Foreign Terrorist Fighters, blocking sources of financing terrorism, including through organised crime by means of money-laundering, drug trafficking, criminal activities, dismantling terrorist bases, and countering misuse of the Internet including social media by terror entities through misuse of the latest Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).Successfully combating terrorism requires a holistic approach. All counter-terrorism measures should uphold international law and respect human rights in Para 59.

While this is noteworthy about India’s point of view on terrorism to be contained from funds stage, recruitment of terrorists to final carrying out and human rights aspects involved, it is heartening an organization which represent 52% of the worlds population has come out with this assertion by signing the declaration.

Gopu afte going through the declaration singled out para 16 beautifully brings out what is happening in Afganistan and how the world community should help that to come out of the sufferings from terror acts.  Para 25 stresses the mutual cooperation necessary for economical growth - We reiterate our determination to use all policy tools – monetary, fiscal, and structural, individually and collectively, to achieve the goal of strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth.  Above all, the declaration brings out the fact that the countries have moved closer by talking about Foot Ball matches between BRICS nations and also about Research on Railway Net work.

The just concluded BRICS meeting thus has paved the way for mutual cooperation in all fields and the India can be proud of its achievement in bringing to the world one more time the necessity to contain cross-border terrorism and how it affects growth of nations.  Shyam and Gopu bid goodbye.