China says JeM, LeT in BRICS declaration due to violent activities

BRICS countries on Monday named Pakistan-based terror groups.

Pic courtesy: @narendramodi

Beijing:  China on Monday said that Pakistan-based terrorist outfits were included in the BRICS joint declaration due to concerns about their violent activities.

BRICS countries have "shown their concerns to the violent activities raised by these organisations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.

"These organisations are all sanctioned by the UN Security Council and have a significant impact for Afghanistan issue," Geng told PTI in a written response to a strong reference in the BRICS countries about these terror groups.

He, however, skirted a response to a question on whether the naming of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) by the BRICS marks a change in Beijing's stand of opposing the UN ban against the group's chief Masood Azhar.

"On the counter terrorism cooperation among the BRICS countries, we are very satisfied with the achievements made by the BRICS. We have a working group on terrorism," he said.

Pak-based terror groups named in BRICS declaration for first time:

"We express concern on the security situation in the region and violence caused by the Taliban, ISIL/DAISH, Al Qaeda and its affiliates including Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) and Hizb ut-Tahrir," said the Xiamen declaration, adopted at the 9th BRICS Summit here. 

The summit was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Presidents Xi Jinping of China, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Michel Temer of Brazil and Jacob Zuma of South Africa.

JeM chief Masood Azhar has been blamed for deadly cross-border terror attacks on Indian military establishments. India has moved the UN to declare Azhar an international terrorist but China has repeatedly put a hold on the proposal, IANS reported.

The Xiamen declaration condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, saying there can be no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism. And it deplored all terror attacks worldwide, including in BRICS countries.

Without naming Pakistan, the statement said, "We reaffirm that those responsible for committing, organising or supporting terrorist acts must be held accountable. 

"Recalling the primary leading role and responsibility of states in preventing and countering terrorism, we stress the necessity to develop international cooperation, in accordance with the principles of international law, including that of sovereign equality of states and non-interference in their internal affairs."

The BRICS countries backed the efforts of the Afghan security forces to defeat terrorism.

(With Agency inputs)