India calls for united action against extremist organisations

United tions, Jan 27: India has called for united action against extremist and radicalized organisations operating in northern Iraq and Syria in order to stop the “dangerous trends” endangering peace and stability in the Middle East and Gulf regions. It also called for a “comprehensive political resolution” of the conflict, bringing all parties to the negotiating table, but said it should be a “Syrian-led process”.

Speaking at a Security Council debate Tuesday on the Middle East, India’s Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin expressed India’s “deep concern with the activities of proscribed outfits, radicalized and extremist groups in the West Asia and Gulf region especially in northern parts of Iraq and Syria.” They “are critically impacting on peace and stability in the region,” he said. “Efforts must be taken by all parties and stakeholders in the region to curb these dangerous trends.”

Although he refrained from ming the groups, it was a reference to the the principal operator in the region, the Islamic State, which is also known by the acronym ISIS, and others like the al-Nusra Front.

Opposition to these organisations, which control parts of Syria and Iraq and draw supporters from as far away as the United States, is fragmented. The US, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states and opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are ranged on one side and Syria, Russia and Iran on the other.

“We believe the consolidation of political processes and solutions while building durable state institutions will be the effective way of addressing such extremism and radicalism in the region,” Akbaruddin said.

“India has consistently called for a comprehensive political resolution of the conflict, bringing all parties to the negotiating table,” he added in a nuanced statement. “It has to be a Syrian-led process, taking into account the legitimate aspirations.” He expressed support for the UN-sponsored Syrian peace conference that was to have started Monday but was postponed because of questions over who should represent the opposition to al-Assad. (IANS)