Following the Bastille Day terror attack in France that claimed 84 lives, Vice President Hamid Ansari on Friday called for early adoption of the India-initiated Comprehensive Convention of International Terrorism by (CCIT) by the UN.“All our societies today face unprecedented levels of threat from terrorism in all its manifestations,” Ansari said while addressing the 11th Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM) here. “The most recent example is what has happened, most unfortunately, in France,” he said. A terrorist ploughed his truck through a crowd of thousands enjoying Bastille Day celebrations in the French Riviera city of Nice on Thursday night, mowing down at least 84 people, and injuring some 150, 18 critically. Calling for meaningful cooperation to deal with the threat of terrorism, Ansari sought speedy action globally against the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terror.
“Early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the aegis of the UN is an imperative today. I urge ASEM support for it,” he stated.India tabled the CCIT in the UN for adoption over two decades ago.Among other things, it calls for the state party, in the territory of which the alleged offender is present, to submit the case without undue delay to its competent authorities for prosecution.The offences set forth in the convention shall be deemed to be extraditable offences in any extradition treaty existing between any of the state parties. With an international arbitration tribunal ruling against China in the South China Sea dispute with the Philippines earlier this week, Ansari also called for protection of “our global commons such as the seas and oceans in accordance with international conventions”. “Let us resolve disputes peacefully, without threats or use of force, and exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could escalate disputes effecting peace and stability,” he stated.
“As a state party to the UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Seas), India urges all parties to show utmost respect for the UNCLOS, which establishes the international legal order of the seas and oceans.”The Vice President stressed on connectivity saying it was “an enabler for development, for improving the quality of life of people, for encouraging greater people-to-people exchanges, for stimulating trade and investments, and indeed for building peace, stability and security”.“Physical connectivity is merely the means to meeting the aspirations of our citizens, to building mutually beneficial partnerships, and to collectively addressing our regional and global challenges,” he said. “The networks of connectivity that we build must be all-encompassing -- not merely physical. It must also include institutional, digital, economic and socio-cultural aspects.”
Ansari also called for increased trade and commerce between Asia and Europe.“Let us facilitate trade and commerce, and build integrated production networks and value chains for mutually beneficial development,” he said. “Let us create energy alliances, such as the International Solar Alliance of solar rich countries, to enable energy security for all.” The Vice President called for building of “networks of partnership between our business communities as also among our universities, cultural and civil society organisations”. ASEM, established in 1996, represents 51 countries from Asia and Europe, and two organisations -- the Association for South East Asian Nations (Asean) and the European Union (EU). India joined ASEM in 2007.The summit level meeting of the group is held every two years.