Pahalgam Attack: Jaishankar Speaks To Counterparts From 7 Non-Permanent Members Of UNSC

 

 

New Delhi : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday spoke to his counterparts from seven non-permanent member nations of the UN Security Council amid speculations about India's possible response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Citing "cross-border linkages" to the horrific attack, India has promised severe punishment to those involved in the April 22 strike that killed 26 civilians. Jaishankar's phone conversations with the foreign ministers of the seven countries came days after the UN Security Council issued a statement condemning the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, but not before Pakistan, backed by China, worked to water it down. Jaishankar spoke to his counterparts from Algeria, Greece, Guyana, Panama, Slovenia, Sierra Leone and Somalia and discussed the Pahalgam attack.

 

The external affairs minister also received a call from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and conveyed to him, India's resolve to bring the "perpetrators, planners and backers" of this attack to justice. "Appreciate his unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Agreed on the importance of accountability," Jaishankar said in a social media post after the conversation with Guterres. "India is resolved that the perpetrators, planners and backers of this attack are brought to justice," he said.Besides the seven non-permanent member nations of the UNSC that the external affairs minister reached out to, the other members of the powerful body are Denmark, Greece and Pakistan. There is a possibility that the UNSC may again discuss the Pahalgam attack.

 

In its April 25 statement on the attack, the UNSC condemned it in the "strongest terms" and reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the "most serious" threats to international peace and security. However, the statement was seen as "inadequate". The non-permanent members are elected by the UN General Assembly for two-year terms, and their membership rotates. In his phone talks, Jaishankar is understood to have conveyed to the foreign ministers, India's policy on "zero tolerance" towards terrorism.

 

"A warm conversation with FM Hugh Hilton Todd of Guyana today. Discussed the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the need to combat terrorism in all forms and manifestations," the external affairs minister said on X. On his discussion with Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, Jaishankar said he thanked her for Slovenia's condemnation of the attack. During his phone conversation with Panama's Javier Martínez, the external affairs minister thanked him for the country's "expression of solidarity and support" to India following the attack that killed 26 civilians.