India, US speak in one voice on South China Sea, NSG, terror

New Delhi, Aug 31 (PTI) Nearly two months after aninternational court ruled against China’s territorial claimsin the South China Sea, India and the US today called for"utmost respect" for global law, maintaining that there mustbe "unimpeded lawful commerce" throughout the disputed region. The two countries, which held their annual Strategic andCommercial Dialogue yesterday, also said they will "redouble"efforts towards India’s early entry into the Nuclear SuppliersGroup (NSG) which was opposed by China. The US urged the NSGmember countries to support India’s bid for their "commoninterest". In a joint statement issued today summerising outcome ofTuesday’s meeting, the two strategic partners condemnedterrorism in all its forms and reaffirmed their commitment todismantle safe havens for terrorist and criminal networks suchas IS terror outfit, Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, D Company and its affiliates, and also the HaqqaniNetwork. "The sides also called on Pakistan to bring theperpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot terroristattacks to justice. The sides will continue to review andconsider other organizations that warrant terroristdesignations including those that engage in cross-borderterrorism," according to the joint statement About South China dispute, the two sides "stressed theimportance of maintaining freedom of navigation, freedom ofoverflight, and unimpeded lawful commerce throughout theregion, including in the South China Sea. Calling for "utmost respect" for international law, asreflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),they reiterated that States should resolve disputes throughpeaceful means, and exercise self-restraint in the conduct ofactivities that could complicate or escalate disputes. China has been increasing its assertiveness in SouthChina sea notwithstanding the verdict of an arbitration courtin The Hague that China had no historical title over the SouthChina Sea. On India’s NSG bid, the statement said, "In a furthereffort to strengthen global non-proliferation and exportcontrols, the sides committed to redouble their effortstowards India’s early entry into the NSG" The US also re-affirmed its support for India’s earlymembership of the other export control regimes — AustraliaGroup and the Wassenaar Arrangement. China had objected to India’s candidacy when the NSGplenary had taken up its application in Seoul in July. MOREPTI MPBRT