India to push for all-inclusive pact on terrorism

CCIT was proposed by India in 1996 to address gaps in sectoral conventions

India will seek to give a push to the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the ongoing United Nations General Assembly meet to address the lacuna in global sectoral pacts on terrorism.

Proposed by India in 1996 to address “gaps” in sectoral conventions on terror such as those relating to hijacking, the CCIT ran into opposition on several issues such as whether self-determination should be outside its scope and whether it will take into account excesses by State forces.

While Pakistan at one time was in the forefront of opposing the India-proposed convention, it is not the case now. “The numbers are whittling. Pakistan does not seem to be at the forefront of the opposition,” sources in the External Affairs Ministry said.

Besides the United States and Israel, the opposition seems to be coming from the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC). The former had concerns regarding inclusion\ exclusion of State forces from international humanitarian law.

Many in the OIC are worried at the CCIT's impact on the struggle by the Palestinians for a homeland.

New life seems to have been breathed into the proposed convention with the Chairman of the ad hoc working group on the CCIT in the U.N. proposing a text that could close the gap between concerns of some countries and the text tabled by India eight years ago, but which has seen no movement.

“Who is not backing is not the issue. Most are in favour and there are a small number of holdouts. The issue will come up in the second week of October. We are quite confident that the momentum is positive. If the concerns are addressed, then there is potential to push forward the convention,” the sources said. A senior official had earlier remarked that the CCIT “cannot be held hostage to definitions, while terrorists continue to take innocent lives.”