US Skips India’s Concerns on Canada in Readout After Blinken-Jaishankar Meeting

© Photo : @DrSJaishankar/TwitterIndian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with US State Secretary Antony Blinken in Washington DC on Thursday
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with US State Secretary Antony Blinken in Washington DC on Thursday - Sputnik India, 1920, 29.09.2023
Subscribe
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with US State Secretary Antony Blinken in Washington DC on Thursday amid a diplomatic rift between New Delhi and Ottawa over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader.
A US State Department report on a meeting between Delhi and Washington's top diplomats has sidestepped the ongoing diplomatic spat between India and Canada over the killing of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Rather, the readout said that Antony Blinken and S Jaishankar discussed a “full range of issues”, including India’s G-20 presidency and the creation of an India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEE-EC).
For his part, Jaishankar posted on social media platform X that the two diplomats held a “wide-ranging discussion”, which included exchanging notes on “global developments”. Jaishankar also announced that India and the US would hold a 2+2 inter-ministerial dialogue soon.
It is not confirmed that the friction between Ottawa and Delhi was on the table in Washington, but all signs indicate that it was likely discussed.

Canada Previews Jaishankar-Blinken Meeting

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters in Montreal that he remained confident that Blinken would raise the Nijjar case with Jaishankar.
The remarks by the Canadian PM were made hours before the Jaishankar-Blinken meeting.
He said that the Americans had been speaking to the Indian government about New Delhi’s cooperation in Canada’s probe.

Addressing a press conference before the Jaishankar-Blinken meeting, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that Washington will continue to “urge” India to cooperate in the Nijjar case.

“I’m not going to speak to what they say in private diplomatic conversations. I will speak to what I say or what we say, and that is we urge them to cooperate with the Canadian investigation,” Miller responded when asked about the “feedback” from the Indian government.
Reportedly, the Five Eyes (FVEY) intelligence alliance, which includes the US, tipped Canadian government off about Delhi’s alleged role in the killing.

India’s Concerns on Khalistan Extremism in Canada

Jaishankar has not only denied the allegation of India’s involvement in the killing of the pro-Khalistan independence leader, but also expressed deep concerns over flourishing Khalistan extremism in Canada.

Speaking at American think tank Council for Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington DC this week, Jaishankar blamed Canada's Trudeau government for not heeding to New Delhi’s concerns in spite of having been provided multiple dossiers on pro-Khalistan terrorists by the Indian authorities.

Nijjar had been designated a terrorist under India’s Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
“There are a large number of extradition requests [for him and others]. There are terrorist leaders, who have been identified," Jaishankar said.
Indian Ministry of External Affairs went on to describe Canada as a “safe haven” for terrorists last week as part of an escalating row between the two countries, which has also included a block on travel visas for Canadians visiting India.
S.Jaishankar  - Sputnik India, 1920, 27.09.2023
India Awaits 'Real Info' From Canada on Sikh Extremist Murder: Jaishankar
Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала