No consensus on including JeM in BRICS' Goa Declaration

Mobor (Goa): A consensus on including UN- proscribed terror group JeM in the Goa Declaration of the BRICS Summit, which called for tackling terrorism, couldn't be arrived at as other nations in the bloc are not affected by Pakistan-based terrorism, a top Indian diplomat said on Sunday.

The diplomat, however, said India is "quite happy" with the document.

"I guess it does not concern them mainly, BRICS. It affects us. Because Pakistan-based outfits are also focused on India in terms of activities," said Amar Sinha, Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs here.

"So since...It (doesn't affect them), I guess we could not get an consensus on actually including both," he said, when asked, why the Declaration doesn't mention Pak-based terror groups, especially JeM, which is proscribed by the UN, even when it mentions ISIS.

Sinha pointed out that the statement mentions ISIS and various other affiliated organisations.

"And I think there is a reference of terrorists organisations which are designated by the UN," he said.

MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the Goa Declaration should be considered in continuation of the declarations from previous Summits.

"Please look at the language you had in previous summit. Look at the language on terrorism you have now and you will see that definitely it is a much more strengthened language on terrorism," he said.

Replying to a series of questions on the issue of terror at the press briefing that they held after the conclusion of the BRICS Summit, Sinha said the multilateral summit should not be reduced to just the issue of terrorism.

When a different question was asked later, he quipped, "Thank you for asking something other than terror. For a minute I thought BRICS had become BTRICKS."

He also defended non-inclusion of the word "cross-border terrorism" in the Goa Declaration saying the focus should be on idea that there cannot be a political justification of terror.

He said it was important India was able to bring everyone onboard with its ideas.