We're grateful to India for focussing not just on own challenge of terrorism, but also on global issues: David Scharia

New Delhi [India], October 26 (ANI): David Scharia, Chief of Branch, United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, in an exclusive interview with ANI here, hailed India as the chair and said that he was 'grateful' to India for not just focussing on its own challenge of terrorism but on dealing with global issues and to find global solutions to them.
His made these remarks as India will be hosting the special meeting of the United Nations Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) in Mumbai and New Delhi on October 28 and 29.
"I think one of the beautiful things about India in this event is that it went out of its victimhood of terrorism and paved the way for the international community and in particular for the UN Security Council. They identified three areas of concern and brought together the 15 members of the council to discuss them over a period of two days. It will help India and it will help all the countries. That is why we are grateful to India for not just focussing on its own challenge of terrorism but on dealing with global issues and to find to them global solutions. It will help India and it will help all countries", he said.
Stressing further on how technology can be misused for terror-related activities, David said that the members will be discussing the issue and we can find a good solution to it.
"We have a good sense of how they (terrorists) are using technology. Many of the experts will come to the meeting and will share with the members what they think. We'll have to discuss what would be a good solution, something that comes from a working assumption that we need these technologies. Want to make sure they're not abused", he said.
On being asked the expected outcomes from the meeting and if the world will be free of terrorism one day, David said that he 'doubts' if there will be one but said that he is 'optimistic', that this meeting will pave the way for the UN Security Council to lay out the action plan.
"I am in the business of counter-terrorism for more than 25 years. I cannot give you a date and I doubt if we will have one. I would say that I am very hopeful and optimistic that this meeting will pave the way for the UN Security Council for years to come by laying out an action plan of what needs to be done, who will do it and how the Security Council will approach this issue in the next few years. And I am very optimistic that this will be achieved. With these new technologies, 5 years ago, we couldn't have been thinking of having these conversations, because there was nothing that we had to talk about. So, we want to make sure that we approach the solution in a very balanced way that doesn't ruin all the good that we are seeing", he said.
India will host a UN Counter-Terrorism Committee meeting in Mumbai and Delhi on the overarching theme of 'Countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes'.
The meeting will begin with a 'Soft Opening Session and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism' in Mumbai on 28 October through a solemn ceremony at Hotel Taj Mahal Palace, where the current 15 and incoming 5 members of the UN Security Council will pay homage at the 26/11 memorial site, said Sanjay Verma, Secretary West in a media briefing today.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S Jaishankar, along with member states of the UNSC (15 current and incoming 5), and senior UN Officials will also lay a wreath at the 26/11 memorial site and observe a minute's silence in memory of the victims.
Statements in memory of victims will also be read out by EAM and the President of the UNSC (FM of Gabon). Select victims of the Mumbai terror attacks would also be addressing the participants separately. Subsequently, an informal briefing of the CTC will be held on the theme of 'Combating Terrorism Financing in local and regional contexts'.
The Special meeting of the CTC in Delhi on 29 October will commence with a high-level Ministerial plenary session, in which UNSG's message along with EAM, and other ministerial participants will address the delegates.
India is currently the chair of the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee for the year 2022. (ANI)