The Hindu : Front Page : India’s offer on maritime security

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 03, 2007
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India’s offer on maritime security

P.S. Suryanarayana

Pranab’s proposal at ARF meet

MANILA: India on Thursday unveiled a maritime security package for the benefit of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

The ARF comprises the United States, China, Russia, Japan, India and the European Union, besides the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It also has among other countries Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

At the 14th annual meeting of the ARF here, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said: “India will design and conduct a training module on maritime security, specifically for the ARF member-states, with themes of anti-piracy, search-and-rescue [missions], offshore and port security, anti-smuggling and narcotics control and anti-poaching operations.”

The nucleus of the module would be “capacity-building” for these and related aspects of maritime security. On terror-related issues, he said all states should abide by their commitments under the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly last September.

All states must take practical measures to ensure that their territories were not used for terrorist installations or training camps or for preparation or organisation of terrorist acts against other states or their citizens, he said.

India would also, in quest of a global peace agenda, “conduct a regular training programme on U.N. peace-keeping, specifically for the ARF member-states.”

Mr. Mukherjee emphasised that nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament “are mutually reinforcing” and they “go hand in hand.”

Condemning the killing of South Korean hostages by the Taliban in Afghanistan, he pointed out that some Indians engaged in humanitarian and reconstruction activities in that country had fallen victim to the Taliban’s “violent and destructive agenda.”

The Minister called upon the international community to “contribute with sincerity” to the Afghan Government’s efforts to usher in peace and development. The ARF meeting was punctuated by informal brainstorming sessions at a “retreat.” Philippines Foreign Secretary Alberto G. Romulo, who chaired the meeting, told The Hindu that both India and China were seen as “positive” role-players for regional stability.

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