India’s sharp and angry reaction to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s remarks over Kashmir was timely and much-needed. The statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) amounted to actually ticking off the Germany foreign minister for what was nothing short of her provocative posturing against India. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi was right when he chided Germany. As a result of India’s tough message, German envoy Dr Phillipp Ackermann in New Delhi may have issued a clarification, saying that the country’s position on Kashmir has not changed and that the UN role is limited and bilateral talks are way forward on the Kashmir issue. The clarification may have come now, but Pakistan tried to use the German minister’s remarks to serve its agenda of internationalising the Kashmir issue. A statement should also come from Berlin to admonish Islamabad not to use these remarks for its narrow political goals.
In fact, the German FM’s remarks were quite objectionable that helped Islamabad in its agenda to internationalise the Kashmir issue. Baerbock had said that Germany has a “role and responsibility” with regard to the situation in Kashmir and supports “intensively” UN intervention to find a peaceful solution” The German foreign minister made these remarks during a joint press conference with her Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari recently in Bonn. The question needs to be raised is why the German minister chose not to make any comment on terrorism emanating from Pakistan. The Germany envoy, who is now come out with a clarification, should also have made a statement, condemning acts of terror from the soil of Pakistan.
Germany on various public platforms in the past has been backing India’s views on cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. But why did the German minister not utter a single word on terrorism? At least, she should have stressed on the need for Pakistan to rein in terror organisations that are evidently operating from its soil. By singling out the Kashmir issue in presence of Bhutto, the German FM apparently sought to support the agenda of Pakistan.
India’s statement dwelling upon the issue of terrorism assumes significance in this context. In the statement, New Delhi reminded Berlin that the United Nations Security Council and the Financial Action Task Force “are still pursuing Pakistan-based terrorists involved in the horrific 26/11 attacks. It said Jammu and Kashmir have borne the brunt of Pakistan’s terrorist campaign for decades. Foreign nationals have been victims there [Kashmir], as also in other parts of India,” the MEA spokesperson said in a presser. Germany must answer why its minister sidestepped these facts while expressing her support for Pakistan by calling a UN role in Kashmir.
It’s a good diplomatic move that while raising objections over German FM’s remarks India also hit out at Pakistan FM Bilawal for raising the Jammu and Kashmir issue in Germany. The message that New Delhi successfully sent out was that Germany was allowing Pakistan to further its agenda on Kashmir in a bid to internationalise the issue.
The German minister made such comments despite being aware of the fact that India has always rejected any third-party intervention in the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. New Delhi has always reiterated that this issue has to be settled bilaterally between India and Pakistan as per the 1972 Simla Agreement. India has always rejected any proposal of UN intervention in this matter. Germany and the entire global community for that matter are very well aware of India’s angry reaction when Pakistan sought to raise the Kashmir issue at UNSC at the behest of China in 2020.
India has now signalled and, rightly so, that any country making such remarks or trying to be in self-acquired role and responsibility with regards to the situation in Kashmir would draw New Delhi’s ire and strongly-worded reaction. It was in the wake of India’s strong reaction that the German envoy came rushing to douse fire with clarification. But India must continue to give fillip to its diplomatic campaign to highlight the violence and terror that Jammu and Kashmir has suffered so far and continues to suffer at the hands of terror groups operating from Pakistan for several decades now. The global community, including countries such the US, the UK, Germany, France, etc., must also be careful about making any statement on Kashmir in future. India must expose the real intention and ulterior motive if any nation of the international community seeks to support Pakistan’s agenda on Kashmir like what was done by the German minister.
T. Brajesh
