New Delhi: US Secretary of State John Kerry, who arrived in India on Monday on a three-day visit, has extended his stay in India before leaving for China to join President Barack Obama at the G-20 Summit.
In an interview with The Times of India, the US Secretary of State said that the “US and India have ties few other countries have — our commitment to democracy, values we share about humanity, human rights. That's a bond we share with only a handful.”
When asked about India's concern over expansionist China, Kerry said: “When India and China bump up against each other we feel the vibrations”.
He further said that he does not think there should be any linkage between India's National Security Guard membership and its achievement of climate change goals. He underlined his support to NSG membership for India.
Despite many attempts made by me and US President Barack Obama, India lost its NSG bid due to opposition by few countries, said Kerry.
“Some countries were concerned if we let India in, what would the standards be for other non-NPT members to be admitted?”
He added that the US has tried to allay concerns of the naysayers by putting forward ideas on how to make that evaluation.
“We'll see President Xi Jinping at the Hangzhou G-20 summit. We want to make it happen before the year-end,” said the US leader.
The visiting Secretary of State further said that the US is making all efforts to push Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif to take action against terror groups.
“We'd like to see the Haqqani network, specifically, taken on. We think the Mumbai attackers need to be brought to justice. The LeT needs to be prosecuted in the same way as other enemies, Jaish-e-Mohammed likewise.”
On the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Kerry said: “The kind of threat we lived with last year will end”.
“IS terrorism — radical, religious, extremist terrorism — will continue to have to be worked on for some years. We'll win, ultimately. We have to continue to keep the pressure on these groups, not allow them a moment to breathe, keep them on the defensive, protect people, our key obligation, so the real business of life can go on.”
