India abstains at the UN Security Council.

India abstained in the UN Security Council on a resolution providing humanitarian exemptions across all UN sanction regimes, asserting that blacklisted terror groups - including in its neighbourhood - have taken advantage of such relaxations and have been able to raise funds and recruit fighters.

The 15-nation council, currently being presided over by India, voted on the resolution on Friday that was tabled by the US and Ireland to create a sanctions relaxation that exempted humanitarian efforts, with Washington asserting that the resolution "will save countless lives" after being adopted.

India was the sole abstention on the resolution that said processing or payment of funds, other financial assets, economic resources and provision of goods and services necessary to ensure delivery of humanitarian assistance are not a violation of the asset freezes imposed by the council or its Sanctions Committee.

The Council president and India's permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, speaking in her national capacity as she delivered the explanation of the vote, said, "our concerns emanate from proven instances of terrorist groups taking full advantage of such humanitarian assistance and making a mockery of sanction regimes, including that of the 1267 Sanctions Committee".

She made a thin-veiled reference to Pakistan and the terror outfits there. "There have also been several cases of terrorist groups in our neighbourhood, including those listed by this Council, re-incarnating themselves as humanitarian organisations and civil society groups precisely to evade these sanctions", she said.

Courtesy. PTI

My take

Bravo Zulu! A principled and correct stand!

Tailpiece.

A thoroughly wet day as the rain, since last evening, carried on all through the day.

Got up around 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 10.

A quiet Sunday.