Events & Issues

New Delhi, 13 December 2010

China’s Double Standards

BLOCKED UN SANCTION ON PAK

By Col. (Dr.) P. K. Vasudeva (Retd.)

The Chinese Prime Minster Wen Jiabao’s ongoing visit to India is undoubtedly slated to allay New Delhi’s concerns about various vexatious issues including the boundary disputes, Kashmir issue, trade deficit et al. Alongside, 45 business deals worth over $20 billion are set to be signed. However, notwithstanding the ‘bonhomie’ the moot point is: Can New Delhi count on Beijing to push its case in various international forums, specially the UN.

Unlikely. Recall, in April last Foreign Minister S M Krishna sought China's support for the convention against terrorism proposed by India at the UN, and said all nations should join hands to thwart the evil designs of terrorists. Speaking at an Institute of Sino-Indian ties, Krishna asserted, “India has come out with a proposal for a comprehensive legislation or a convention in the UN to face terrorism as a universal thereat and every country should cooperate with each other in order to thwart the evil designs of terror and terrorists. Adding, “As the threats had become multi-dimensional and it had become necessary to step up the fight against the menace under the aegis of the United Nations.”

But unknown to Krishna, was the fact China is fully supporting Pakistan sponsored terrorism in India. A fact which has now come to light, thanks to the WikiLeaks. According to a leaked secret US State Department cable of December 2009 signed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Beijing at the apparent request of Islamabad, put a "technical hold" on New Delhi’s request to the UN Security Council to slap sanctions on three terrorists.

As China in its capacity as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council has the veto power and nothing can be approved by this 15-member high-powered body of the UN without the consent of all the five Permanent Members.

As matters stand, “Pakistan has sought to block the UNSCR 1267 listings of Pakistan-based or affiliated terrorists by requesting that China place holds on the nominations. Beijing recently placed a technical hold on the designation of three Pakistan-based or affiliated terrorists nominated by India, although China did not prevent the most recent Pakistan-related US designation nomination in June," states the secret State Department cable, which primarily deals with the issue of terrorist financing.

But, Washington which has charged WikiLeaks of indulging in a criminal act by stealing and releasing these cables has for reasons best known to it neither confirmed nor denied the authenticity of these documents.

According to US officials, every cable coming out of the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department is signed by the Secretary of State as a matter of routine, and this should not interpreted as a personal statement of Clinton; but as an official direction from the State Department to its posts overseas.

However, as the WikiLeaks documents reveal, China has been blocking Indian efforts to designate certain Pakistan-based terrorist outfits at the United Nations. Officials say that both New Delhi and Washington have been regularly raising this issue with Chinese officials, and have been successful some times, but not always.

This particular Clinton cable further confirms the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI's) continued links with terrorists’ outfits. "Pakistan's intermittent support to terrorist groups and militant organizations threatens to undermine regional security and endanger US national security objectives in Afghanistan and Pakistan," the cable says.

“Although Pakistani senior officials have publicly disavowed support for these groups, some officials from the Pakistan's ISI Directorate continue to maintain ties with a wide array of extremist organizations, in particular Taliban, LeT and other extremist organizations,” it discloses.

This is not all. “These extremist organizations continue to find refuge in Pakistan and exploit Pakistan's extensive network of charities, NGOs and madrassas. This network of social service institutions readily provides extremist organizations with recruits, funding and infrastructure for planning new attacks,” it adds.

Importantly, in the talking points for meetings with the Pakistani leadership, the State Department asked its officials to take up with their Pakistani counterparts Islamabad’s failure to implement the UNSC resolutions against terrorists’ outfits, in particular those directed against India and those involved in the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

Further as divulged by WikiLeaks the US Administration made plain “Islamabad’s obligation, under UNSCR 1267, and successor resolutions to strictly enforce existing sanctions against the 142 Taliban, LeT leader Hafiz Saeed, LeT/JUD, al Rashid Trust, al Akhtar Trust and other individuals and entities on the UN 1267 Consolidated List.. Along-with supporting the international community's efforts to combat terrorist financing. Your Government's views of UNSCR 1267 listing should be made on the merits of the requests and not linked to politics, including which country made the nomination or which countries are referenced in the public statements of the cases.”

Not only that. The US extolled that social services, by NGO extremist organizations, such as Jamaat-ud Dawa challenged the legitimacy of the Pakistan Government. This included relief efforts in the Internally Displaced Person camps of the Northwest Frontier Provinces by the new LeT/JUD charity Falah-e Insaniyat Foundation.

The Secretary of State reportedly also urged Islamabad, “in the strongest possible terms” to take action against the Haqqani network, which is funnelling weapons and fighters across the border to fight US and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan. It elaborated Sirajuddin Haqqani network wherein it funds its activities through illicit activities, including kidnapping, extortion, bank robbery, narcotics, smuggling, and fraud.

Urging Pakistan to replace the anti-money laundering decree recently promulgated by Islamabad’s Executive Branch, Washington asserted that the legislation should be fully consistent with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations and ensure that the decree could stand in court. The FATF Forty Plus Nine Recommendations are international standards, which Pakistan, by virtue of its membership in the Asia-Pacific Group, committed to.

In the ultimate, the WikiLeaks should act as an eye opener to India and it should now be careful about Beijing’s belligerent attitude towards New Delhi. Clearly, India can neither depend on China nor should it have any faith in Beijing’s double standards at various diplomatic levels. New Delhi must remain prepared to thwart an adventuring Beijing. ---- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)