"Extra-regional powers should be mindful of such actions, which can undermine strategic stability in South Asia. Use of armed drones can lower the threshold for conflict, since it can encourage military misadventures, especially in the backdrop of irresponsible discourse about limited military operations below the strategic threshold," he added.
He said that any transfer of armed drones should also be closely examined in the context of the guidelines of the multilateral export control regimes, including the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), which place certain limitations on such transfers.
"Even if such transfers are below the prescribed thresholds, they definitely violate the spirit of the control regimes, which are aimed at controlling the proliferation of destabilizing weapon systems, which can threaten regional peace and stability," he added.
"We hope that the members of MTCR and other export control regimes fully understand their responsibility in not letting any country's membership of such groupings constitute a carte blanche for proliferation of destabilizing weapon systems," Zakaria said. The spokesperson was commenting on the reports that Trump administration was considering an Indian request for the transfer of General Atomics Predator C Avenger aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). It is understood that IAF would need 80 to 100 units making it approximately a whopping $8 billion deal, according to the reports.
To a question about the negotiation between India and the European Union on a civil nuclear agreement for allowing India to build its nuclear arsenals and open up a civil nuclear technology transfer without appropriate international checks and balances, he said that access to nuclear technology for peaceful uses is the right of every state. However, this right has to be exercised under appropriate safeguards in accordance with the established non-proliferation standards, he added.
"Any deviation from established international standards will undermine the objective of non-proliferation by opening up possibilities for diversion of technology intended for peaceful uses to military purposes," he said.
He said that the members of the EU, which proclaim strong commitment to non-proliferation norms, should carefully examine the implications of nuclear cooperation without appropriate safeguards. Many recent independent studies have pointed out the shortcomings of the country-specific NSG exemption of 2008, which allows India to maintain three parallel streams of its nuclear program, he added.
He said the minimum requirement for any nuclear cooperation agreement should be placement of all civilian nuclear facilities under safeguards without exception. Moreover, he added that IAEA safeguards should be permanent without any provision for their temporary application or the use of safeguarded nuclear materials in un-safeguarded facilities. "The international community should also insist on a stronger commitment on nuclear non-testing," he asserted.
"Any agreement, which does not address these issues would be detrimental to the objectives of non-proliferation and strategic stability in South Asia and would also undermine the credibility of the multilateral global non-proliferation regimes," he emphasized.
Commenting on US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's comments that "US would rather work with New Delhi than Beijing over the next century," he said, "We acknowledge the right of countries to make bilateral relations with countries of their choice, however, partnerships and alliances should not be directed towards other countries."
He said that every country has the right to peaceful development unless it threatens others countries' peace and security. As far as Indo-US coziness is concerned, it should not be based on agenda of containing China or threatening Pakistan, he said, adding, "We are concerned over the role the US is giving to India in the region. It will only aggravate the situation and endanger the peace and stability in this part of the world."
Referring to the 'Black Day' observed by Kashmiris in IoK on Friday, he said that in solidarity with Kashmiris, Pakistanis at home and abroad also observe 'Black Day'. He recalled that almost seven decades back, on this day, India without any constitutional and moral justification forcibly took control of Jammu and Kashmir and since then Indian forces have been mercilessly killing innocent and unarmed Kashmiris, vandalizing their properties and indulging in other inhuman acts.
There are harrowing tales of massacres of innocent Kashmiris at the hands of Indian occupation forces and RSS terrorists joined by the Dogra forces. During November 1947, according to authentic accounts, more than 500,000 Kashmiris were massacred in Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir, where Hindus had significant presence. Subsequent years also witnessed more than a dozen massacres in which scores of defenseless Kashmiris were targeted.
To suppress their legitimate indigenous struggle for their right to self-determination, he pointed out, Indian forces have killed hundreds of thousands and injured tens of thousands, besides using rape as a tool in which they victimized thousands of women.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017