Targeting Pak, PM demands probe of North Korea’s nuke proliferation

New Delhi/Manila: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday demanded a thorough probe into North Korea’s nuclear proliferation links and, in a veiled reference to Pakistan, said that the parties who supported such “unlawful programmes” should be made accountable.

Speaking at the East Asia Summit in the Philippines’ capital, Manila, Mr Modi sought to build up pressure on Pakistan and insisted that North Korea’s proliferation links ought to be investigated and those who support it must be made accountable.

There have been reports over the past several years of North Korea supplying crucial missile technology to Pakistan which returned the favour by illegally supplying nuclear technology to it.

Though India has articulated its position on North Korea earlier, Mr Modi’s demand for a probe at the summit puts India in alignment with the US’ position on North Korea.

The East Asia Summit is attended by the 10 Asean nations along with nine other nations including India, China, Japan, the US, Russia and Australia.

Leaders at the East Asia Summit discussed the situation in the Korean peninsula, and PM Modi also held bilateral meetings with leaders of Japan, Australia, Vietnam, New Zealand and Brunei.

Secretary (East) in the ministry of external affairs (MEA) Preeti Saran told reporters in Manila that at the summit PM Modi also asserted India’s consistent position on freedom of navigation in the region which is seen by observers as a veiled reference to Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea.

In his bilateral meetings, PM Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe with a focus on further ramping up the special strategic partnership between the two countries, including their joint efforts on the “Asia-Africa growth corridor”. India and Japan have already decided to work jointly on efforts to assist countries in the African continent where China has been increasing its influence.

Economic cooperation, the bullet train project and exchange of views on regional issues were also discussed between PM Modi and the Japanese PM Abe.

PM Modi also held a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Premier Nguyen Xuan Phuc where the focus was on the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, defence cooperation and successful implementation of the $100 million line of credit for offshore patrol boats for Vietnam.

Combating terror-financing was among the issues discussed with Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, while encouraging Bollywood and other Indian directors to shoot in the beautiful locales of New Zealand as well as boosting tourism from India was discussed with New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern.