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Transcript of Weekly Media Briefing by Official Spokesperson (October 20, 2016)

October 21, 2016

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Good evening friends and welcome to the weekly media briefing. I have just one opening announcement.

Prime Minister of New Zealand Rt. Hon. John Key will be on a State Visit to India next week from the 24 to 27 October, 2016. He will lead a high level business and education delegation.

Prime Minister Key will be accompanied on this visit by his wife Mrs. Bronagh Key.

Prime Minister Key will arrive in Mumbai in the evening of 24th October. In Mumbai he will deliver a key note address at an event organized by the Bombay Stock Exchange in association with Chambers of Commerce.

Prime Minister Key will also meet the Governor and Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He will also be attending an innovation showcase event to celebrate innovation in the New Zealand-India business partnership.

In Delhi, Prime Minister Key will hold one to one meeting with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi followed by official delegation level talks to discuss the growing bilateral relations. Prime Minister Key will also call on Rashtrapati Ji during the visit. He will be attending a business summit as well.

On the conclusion of his visit Prime Minister Key shall depart Delhi on 27 October via Kochhi where Prime Minister Key and his delegation will undertake a short tour of the new Cochin International Terminal and the work undertaken by the New Zealand Company Glidepath.

Prime Minister Key will also be accompanied by Members of the New Zealand Parliament Mark Mitchell, Chair of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee and Kanwaljeet Singh Bakshi, Member of Parliament.

Prime Minister Key last visited India in 2011. As you all may recall Rashtrapati Ji visited New Zealand in May this year, the first ever visit by a President of India to New Zealand.

That concludes my only announcement. The floor is now open for questions.

Question:
On the briefing of Foreign Secretary to the Parliamentary Committee, just wanted to know whether if any past surgical strikes were mentioned or not?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: As I think you are well aware, proceeding of Parliamentary Standing Committees are confidential. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on them.

Question: Vikas, this is about BRICS. Despite our strong position on cross-border terrorism with Pakistan and we made a lot of statements, we didn’t see much of those very well worded in the BRICS outcome declaration paper. So how would you like to respond to that?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: First of all let us understand what a BRICS Declaration is. BRICS as a group focuses on global issues. We are all aware that the current global architecture is not reflected in some of the institutions of global governance.

BRICS is one example of a grouping which represents current realities, G20 is another example. We hope that a reformed United Nations Security Council can become yet another example so that it does not remain mired in the geo-politics of 1945 and reflects and represents the realities of the 21st century.

When we negotiate in a forum like BRICS, the attempt is to find common ground and to express it in the form of a Declaration. I think that you will all agree that we did find common ground on the issue of terrorism.

The Goa Declaration contains the strongest ever language against terrorism amongst all past BRICS summits. The word "terrorism” or "terror” features some 37 times in the Declaration. Terrorism was accorded centrality at the Goa Summit in a substantive manner than even the Antalya G20 Summit which was held in the shadow of the Paris terror attack as you all know. In fact, let me summarize the BRICS declaration’s emphasis on terrorism for you.

First, there was an unprecedented condemnation of terrorism.

Second, the BRICS leaders condemned strongly the recent attacks in India.

Third, they called for the first time upon all states to prevent terrorist actions from their territories.

They agreed that religion is no justification for terrorism.

For the first time BRICS leaders called for effective implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions on counter terrorism. They also called for increasing effectiveness of UN counter terrorism framework.

They called upon all states to counter terrorism, radicalization, recruitment, terrorist movements, dismantling of terrorist bases, money laundering and drug-trafficking.

They called for expedited adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, i.e. CCIT, which as you know, India has been championing since 1996.

They also recognized growing nexus between weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and terrorism.

So I do not know on what basis it is being said that this was a weak declaration. I think, as I have said, this was the strongest ever BRICS declaration on terrorism if you compare it with the declarations of all the seven summits which have happened previously.

Question: Sir, I know that the Standing Committee functioning is secret, but what is the fact, whether there has been surgical strikes in Pakistan in the past or not?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: The question that you are asking is in the context of Foreign Secretary’s briefing to the Standing Committee. In a roundabout way why are you bringing me into trouble? As I have already said, I will not comment on a matter which is confidential and must remain confidential.

Question: China has said that we should not link terrorism with any country and or religion, suggesting to India that we should not call Pakistan mother ship of terror. What is your response?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Look, I think we are all aware that in our region which country is the epicenter of terrorism, there is no doubt about that at all. At the same time we do have a dialogue and ongoing conversation with China on the issue of terrorism which is a phenomenon that affects China as well and China has said so also in the past.

So our dialogue, our discussion with China on the issue of terrorism will continue. In the coming two months a number of dialogue mechanisms with China are scheduled to happen and I am sure we will continue to have this conversation with China on this issue.

Question: Our Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad was summoned today over alleged ceasefire violation. What was the response that India gave?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Yes, our DHC was requested to go to the Pakistan Foreign Office today. Pakistan conveyed its concerns over alleged ceasefire violations. My understanding is that there was an exchange of fire connected with attempted infiltration on the Pakistani side.

Question: Pakistan ne apni taraf se jo Bhartiya content hai, movie ho ya fir serials ho, un tamam cheezon par ban laga diya hai. Pakistan ke khilaaf hum bhi tamam tarah ki karyawahi ki baat karte rahe hain, kis tarah se react kar rahe hain aur kya India ka bhi wahi stand hoga?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Dekhiye hum logon ne to is tarh ka koi ban nahi lagaya hai. Abhi bhi aap Pakistani serials dekh sakte hain, Zindagi Channel ya aur kai channelon par. Main isko durbhagyapoorn kahunga aur mere khayaal se ye Pakistan ki taraf se, ek tarah se aatmvishwas ki kami darshata hai.

It is an unfortunate development which displays a lack of self-confidence on the part of Pakistan.

Question: I just want to ask when you look at these pronouncements and you yourself have said that the Government of India hasn’t declared that Pakistani artists or technicians are not welcome here. How do you feel? I mean, as a writer, you have travelled all over the world and how do you feel?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: I am speaking here strictly in my capacity as Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs. So please direct your question to me only in that capacity.

Question: Ok, then how do you feel that government hasn’t declared any ban on artists?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup:
That is exactly what I just answered.

Question: But how do you feel that bans are being imposed by pressure groups in political parties?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Look, I am the Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs. I can only elaborate the Government’s position. As far as the Government of India is concerned, there is no blanket ban on Pakistani artists. However, in view of the prevailing atmosphere and taking into account security considerations as well and the sentiments of local organizers, we will do so on a case to case basis, but there is certainly no blanket ban on Pakistani artists.

Question: Given the BIMSTEC Outreach and considering that it has gone pretty successful, are we looking at a SAARC minus Pakistan?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Look, I would say that it is government’s priority to promote closer cooperation and economic integration in our region. Our interest in SAARC remains intact but our concern is that the connectivity, trade, including MFN, and cooperation that SAARC requires and the terror-free atmosphere needed for these initiatives is not there at the moment due to the actions of one country in our neighborhood. That is why all the SAARC countries wrote to the current Chair of SAARC i.e. Nepal saying in one voice that in the current atmosphere it is not possible for them to participate in the proposed SAARC Summit in Islamabad.

We remain committed to SAARC and its principles and our intention is not to throw out the baby with the bath water, our intention is only to clean up the bath water.

Question: This is about the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees who have been living in Tamil Nadu, there were hundred thousand of them and when Chandrahasan who is the founder of the organization for the Eelam refugee’s return to Sri Lanka, he called on Smt. Sushma Swaraj when she went to Colombo in February this year and he sought her help to facilitate the ferrying of these refugees to their native land. He tells me that 70 thousand of them are now preparing themselves to go back to their country and 2508 of them have given details of their villages where they come from, this that and the other. I just want to know whether the process of sending them back home has started, what exactly is the latest position and why is the Foreign Secretary going to Colombo on Sunday?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Let me first answer the second part of your question. Foreign Secretary is going to Colombo over this weekend to discuss economic cooperation with Sri Lanka and to pursue the various initiatives and ideas that were discussed during the two high level visits that we recently had, one of President Sirisena and earlier of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. So that is the context in which Foreign Minister is proceeding to Sri Lanka.

The meeting that you referred to that External Affairs Minister had in Colombo, I was also present in that meeting and I do remember it. The operative thing for us to remember was the "voluntary return” of these people.

The figures that you have mentioned, I am not personally aware of that, I will definitely check on that and may be in the next briefing will give you a further update. To the best of my knowledge, EAM categorically told the gentlemen that, look as long as this is voluntary and these people themselves want to go back with the cooperation of the Sri Lankan government, why should we have any objection to that at all? I will check on that and get back to you in the next briefing.

Question: BRICS countries rejected the continued attempt to misrepresent the result of World War II under the Chairmanship of India, but it is regular provocative expression by China targeting Japan. I’d like to know why India take same position with China about this issue.

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Look, as far as we are concerned, 1945 to us represents the old world order which we want changed. Why are India and Japan and Brazil and Germany together in the group of G4? It is precisely to overturn the 1945 world order which is still enshrined in the United Nations Security Council. So I would interpret it this way that for us the 1945 world order needs to change, the United Nations Security Council needs to reflect current realities and it needs to admit countries like India which has all the credentials of being a Permanent Member of the Security Council.

Question: When you say something is confidential, what do you mean? Whether surgical strikes happened in the past or MEA’s position on the recent surgical strikes?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Surgical strikes happened on September 29. We all know how the news cycle functions. The only reason why surgical strikes have come back into your consciousness in the last two days is because of the briefing that Foreign Secretary gave to the Standing Committee of Parliament and as I said, I am not going into any question pertaining to that particular briefing because those briefings are supposed to be confidential in nature and I cannot breach parliamentary privilege.

Question: But what is the official position on the surgical strikes?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Indian position on surgical strikes was laid out very clearly and very categorically by the Director General of Military Operations from this very podium on September 29.

Question: China aur Pakistan ka jo economic corridor, CPEC hai, us par Balochi khush nahi hain.

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Hum bhi khush nahi hain.

Question: Woh kah rahe hain ki is se terrorism ko badhawa milega.

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Hum bhi khush nahin hain us se kyonki aapko pata hai ki woh Bhartiya territory hai jiske through woh jayega aur hamare concerns jo hain woh sabhi ko sarv-vidit hain.

Question: From surgical strikes I will take you to hot pursuit. Apparently the MoS Home Ministry has yesterday tweeted something about the hot pursuit that was being done in Myanmar and there were reports that Myanmar State Councilor has raised the issue directly with the PM. So could you enlighten on that?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: I was present in that meeting. Let me say this categorically that this issue did not figure at all.

Question: Vikas Ji ek bayaan hai jo charcha mein hai. Woh bayaan yahi hai ki Foreign Secretary ne pichhale dino kaha hai ki surgical strikes pehle bhi hue hain….

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Videsh Sachin ne ye kahan kaha hai?

Question: Ek bayaan hai jo ki attribute kiya ja raha hai Foreign Secretary ko aur ye kaha ja raha hai ki unhone kaha hai ki surgical strkes pehle bhi hue hain lekin antar itna hai ki pehle bataya nahi jaata tha aur is baar sarvjanik kiya gaya hai. Mera sawal bus itna hai ki kya aap is attribution ko confirm karte hain ya deny karte hain?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Pehle to aap ye bataiye ki ye Videsh Sachiv ne kahan kaha hai? Maine pehle hi kaha hai ki Sansad ki Sthayi Samiti ki jitni bhi karyawaahi hai woh gopaneey hoti hai, is wajah se meri us par tippani karna uchit nahi hoga aur main tippani nahi karunga.

Question: Vikas Ji, Trade Fair mein Pakistan nahi aa raha hai is baar. Toh kya Bharat ki taraf is koi visa ki problem thi ya kuch aur, iske baare mein kuch batayenge?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: Kya aapke pass ye confirm khabar hai India International Trade Fair ke baare mein? Aap toh ye jaante hain ki yah Ministry of Commerce ke antargat aata hai, ITPO isko organize karti hai, main unse jaankari lekar agli briefing par aapko dunga.

Question:
New Zealand PM is going to be here and New Zealand did not support India’s membership of the NSG. So what is India going to tell him to convince New Zealand to allow India’s membership of the NSG?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: First of all I would contest your interpretation of New Zealand’s position at the NSG, but look, what we are telling all our partners is what we will tell New Zealand also that why membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group is important for India. Why predictability and access are two key issues which are necessary for us to achieve our clean energy goals, to achieve the targets that we have very positively outlined in the INDCs which have now become the Nationally Determined Contributions as part of the Paris Agreement which we have ratified.

Nuclear energy is going to play a very important role in our energy mix but international investors would be vary of making big investments unless they have this assurance of predictability and transparency that the rules will not change mid-way.

I think our credentials in the field of Non-Proliferation are also very well known, India’s record is impeccable and I think, on the basis of all these, we believe that we have all the credentials to be a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and we hope that at the end of the day the 48 member grouping will see the logic of India’s entry because it will only strengthen the global non-proliferation regime.

Question:
As you said just now that Prime Minister Modi will be raising India’s NSG membership issue with the New Zealand’s Prime Minister?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: I am not confirming, but I assume that considering this is an important issue, New Zealand is a member of the 48 Member grouping and NSG issue was raised with our other partners as well, I would imagine that it would be raised but eventually whether it is raised or not raised you will come to know only when the meeting actually happens.

Question: India was looking for transfer of wheat consignment for Afghanistan through Pakistan which Pakistan didn’t allow. Is India now looking at the Iran route to send the wheat consignment? Can you just confirm?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: I do not have a read out on that. I do know that 1,80,000 tons of wheat is meant to be sent to Afghanistan but Pakistan did not allow us the land transit even for this humanitarian cause. I do not have a read out on the current status of that but I can get it for you.

Question: What is your reaction to Maldives withdrawing from the Commonwealth?

Official Spokesperson, Shri Vikas Swarup: We have not made any comment on that. I think it is unfortunate that a member is leaving the Commonwealth which is a grouping to which we attach a lot of importance.

I see no other questions. In that case this press briefing comes to a close.

Thank you all.
(Concludes)

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