EAM S Jaishankar: Multilateral platforms are being misused to justify and protect perpetrators of terrorism

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that multilateral platforms are being misused to justify and protect perpetrators of terrorism.

He said, even as the world is coming together with more collective responses to the challenge of terrorism, multilateral platforms are being misused to protect perpetrators.

Jaishankar was apparently referring to China, which has placed holds and blocks on bids by India and the US on many occasions to blacklist Pakistan-based terrorists like Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar. External Affairs Minister was presiding over the UN Security Council open debate on 'Maintenance of International Peace and Security: New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism' in New York last night.

Jaishankar also slammed Pakistan for raking up Kashmir issue at the UN gathering to discuss the issue of multilateralism. He said, this is not the first time Pakistan has used the UN stage meant for multilateral agenda to discuss its bilateral issues.

Stressing the need for reforms in the United Nations, Dr Jaishankar said the question before us is how best they can be reformed, particularly as the need to reform is less deniable with each passing year. He said Recent concerns over food, fertilizer, and fuel security were not adequately articulated in the highest councils of decision-making. Much of the world was therefore led to believe that their interests did not matter. We cannot let this happen again, he said.

He said that when it comes to climate action and climate justice, the state of affairs is no better. 

Instead of addressing the relevant issues in the appropriate forum, we have seen attempts at distraction and diversion, he said.