Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Wednesday termed nuclear security as a major concern to international security and called for a clampdown on terrorism besides prevention of unauthorised access to nuclear material and technology.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 2017 edition of the Implementation and Assessment Group (IAG) Meeting of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT), Jaishankar said that since terrorist groups and non-state actors strike deeper roots and explore different avenues to spread terror developing a comprehensive global response is the highest priority.
Advocating a two-pronged strategy, Jaishankar suggested that while countries should clamp down on terrorism in general, they should also restrict unauthorised access to nuclear technology and
material.
He added that even as nuclear energy continues to play an important role in tackling challenges of inclusive growth and climate change he hoped that the horrors of atomic power destruction would never be repeated as the negative consequences of atomic power cannot be overlooked.
“Events that have unfolded around us, more so in the past couple of decades, have highlighted that terrorism remains the most pervasive and serious challenge to international
security. If access to nuclear technology changes State behaviour, it is only to be expected that it would also impact on non-state calculations. Nuclear security, therefore, will be a continuing concern, especially as terrorist groups and non-state actors strike deeper roots and explore different avenues to spread terror. Developing a comprehensive global response is the highest priority,” he said.
In an indirect reference to Pakistan, which is also among the participating nations, Jaishankar said that terrorism is an international threat that should not serve national strategy while warning of the dangers of discriminating among terrorists - "good or bad or even yours and mine".
Around 150 delegates from 45 GICNT Partner countries including Pakistan and four International Organisations -- IAEA, Interpol, European Union, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime -- are participating in the three-day event. In his welcome address, FS commended the work of GICNT in building a world-wide network of experts and practitioners towards a holistic approach to nuclear security. He offered the services of India's Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership for training and capacity building in the field of nuclear and radiological security.
GICNT co-Chairs, Russia and United States, reviewed the activities undertaken by the various working groups of the Global Initiative and complimented India's contribution to strengthening global nuclear security. IAG Coordinator, The Netherlands, provided an update on the inter-sessional activities and outlined the plan for the coming period. The three working groups on Nuclear Forensics, Nuclear Detection, and Response and Mitigation are having concurrent sessions to discuss relevant issues.