Asserting India’s stand that Islamabad cannot take Kashmir issue to the International Court of Justice and the issue has be to resolved bilaterally. India wants to settle all issues with Pakistan through
Highlighting the achievement of the Modi government’s three years of achievements, External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj reiterated India’s stand that India wants to settle all issues with Pakistani through dialogue, but talks and terror cannot go together.
While denying any flip-flop on the part of government in handling Pakistan, the Minister ruled out any meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif during this week’s Kazakhstan visit of both leaders at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit on June-8-9.
On a reported remarks of a Pakistani law officer that Islamabad will take the Kashmir issue to ICJ after India approached the global court in Kulbhushan Jadhav case, Sushma Swaraj said, “Pakistan cannot take Kashmir issue to ICJ. The Shimla agreement and Lahore declaration are very clear on Kashmir issue that it can only be resolved bilaterally. The two countries are bound by these bilateral agreements.”
In support of her argument, she referred some cases pending at other courts such as Hyderabad Nizam funds case in the UK court and issues pertaining to Indus Waters Treaty before the World Bank.
On Pakistan’s contention that it will raise jurisdiction on the merit of the Jadhav case, she said India has a very strong argument and it will win the case. She also made it clear that India’s case was based on Pakistan’s violation of Vienna Convention under which consular access was not only “essential but compulsory”. India has made 16 requests to Pakistan to grant access to Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of “involvement in espionage and sabotage activities” against the country.
On the issue of US President Donald Trump’s allegations on climate deal, Sushma denied it strongly by saying that India signed the Paris agreement not under duress or for lure of money but due to its commitment to protect environment, while making it New Delhi’s commitment to the Climate deal even in absence of US.
“India signed the Paris climate pact not because of pressure from any country or due to lure of money. Our signature in the pact was not because of greed, it was not because of fear. We signed it due to our commitment to protecting the environment,” she said. She asserted that India signed the pact because of Indian culture and ethos.
“This commitment is 5,000 years old. We worship rivers, trees and mountains. This is India’s ethos, it is our cultural heritage. If someone says we signed the pact due to lure of money and pressure from someone, it is wrong. I reject both these allegations.
