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| India-Pakistan |
| Indo-Pak spat over definition of terror |
| 2003-02-22 |
| Top officials of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) countries on Friday struggled over drafting the summit declaration, with India and Pakistan embroiled over definition of terrorism. India has moved an amendment seeking rejection of "state sponsored terrorism" which Pakistan felt was aimed at it, official sources said. "State-sponsored terrorism" by the Pak definition involves using the military to put down terrorist movements. As it happens, India's actions in this area are directed against terror groups which are in fact sponsored by a state. Ain't semantics fun? To counter India, Pakistan has submitted an alternative text that rejects attempts to portray those involved in movements for the right of self-determination as terrorists. Pakistan reportedly has support from Ecuador, Egypt and Jordan, said PTI. "Movements for the right of self-determination" by the Pak definition includes foreign mercenaries funneled into someone else's territory to kill people and cut their heads off... Delegates were of the view that the menace of terrorism should be fought in a cooperative manner and attempts were on to reach a consensus on the issue, the sources said. If you can't even agree on what it is, you're not going to do anything about it. But that appears to be the plan, doesn't it? Malaysian foreign minister said efforts were on to satisfy everyone so that a consensus document was adopted at the end of the two-day summit beginning February 24. The draft on terrorism underscored the need for a long-term effort and sustained universal commitment to deal with the menace. That's learned diplotalk for "everybody should be nice." It condemned and discouraged any tendency to target specific religions, cultures or nations. And that's learned diplotalk for "don't target us, no matter what we do." The makes the whole thing mush. They could have stayed home and gotten drunk and accomplished more. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |