NEW DELHI: National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Kumar Doval on Tuesday made a strong pitch for a concerted global response towards terrorism, even as he pointed a finger at Pakistan for obstructing the passage of a long-pending Draft UN Convention on terrorism.
“We cannot have common solutions unless we have shared perceptions,” said Doval, delivering the keynote address at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) Core Group Meeting that began on Tuesday. He said, “Hope lies in greater unity, understanding and commonality among the strong democracies, because if they don’t lead, then it can lead to a state of anarchy.”
Doval pointed out that the threat of terrorism has “become much intense and disastrous” than what it was 13 years ago when the War on Terror was launched. Therefore, he said, the failure of the international community to agree to hold even a UN Convention against terrorism -- introduced by India in 2001 -- was appalling.
Modi, in his UN General Assembly address, had urged the world body to pass the Draft Convention on the UN’s 70th anniversary next year. The only reason for not adopting it was that there was not a consensus on “the definition of terrorism,” said Doval, adding, “Pakistan wanted that... freedom fighters should not be treated as terrorists.” He called for a United Nations Convention on terrorism saying, “And should something happen, there should be a collective response, a systemic convergence.” Doval spoke about the three important challenges being faced by the world community, beginning with the fast changing world order.
“One is the change in relativity of power and fast changing power differences among different states; within the region, outside the region and globally,” he said, noting that it led to the search for an “equilibrium”.
Doval said “war” has become increasingly ineffective in achieving political or strategic objectives.
“There is no guarantee that the countries with superior fire power, technology, superior resources and networking would be able to decisively subdue their adversaries,” he added. Terming the third challenge as the most difficult for the security experts, Doval said, “The new genre of conflicts have no substantially proven correct responses. We have not been able to evolve the right doctrines, strategies, tactics and technologies, and this has resulted in the development of other conflicts.”