New York [US], September 24 : Terming the ongoing standoff between India and Canada as a matter between the two countries, Portugal Foreign Minister Joao Gomes Cravinho said that both countries share friendly relations with Portugal and expressed hope that the issue between the two countries will be quickly resolved.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday alleged that Ottawa had credible intelligence linking Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Nijjar in Vancouver. India, however, dismissed the allegations as “absurd and motivated”.
However, this triggered diplomatic tensions between the two countries, with both New Delhi and Ottawa taking diplomatic steps and India suspending visa services to Canada.
Speaking toon the sidelines of ‘India-UN for Global South: Delivering for Development’ event in New York City, Cravinho said, “It is a matter between India and Canada. Both are friends of ours. We have excellent relations with Canada and India. We very much hope that divergence between both the countries can be quickly resolved to satisfaction to both of them”.
He further stated that in the current times, India is transforming in the context of its capacity to project itself internationally, and has the weight and credibility to point out some of the major global issues that needs to be changed.
"India is a country that I have enormous respect and affection for. I had the good fortune to live there for three-and-a-half years. I have seen India transforming in the context of its capacity to project itself internationally and to assume international leadership roles. And that's something I think that is highly valuable at this time of which we're living. It's a time of change, a time of transition, a time in which the old world order is being, seriously undermined because of its, difficulty in responding to the challenges of current times,” the Portugese minister said.
He further emphasized there is a need for transition, on subjects like international financial architecture and the United Nations Security Council.
“And, India is, of course, emerging as a country of reference, not just for the so-called global South. I prefer the term plural south because of the heterogeneity, of countries in the southern hemisphere, not that India is in the southern hemisphere, but, I think that India has the weight and credibility to point up some of the major issues that need changing, such as the international financial architecture or the current security council which is corresponding to a time that is no longer the present time,” Cravinho added.
Notably, Portugese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also backed India and Brazil to be given permanent membership of a UNSC, while pushing for a ‘reformed Security Council’.
During his address at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 19, he pressed for a reformed UN Security Council and said that countries like India and Brazil can’t be ignored.
“…The concept of security corresponds to a world that no longer exists. Portugal has defended that countries like Brazil and India become permanent members. This decision should be made. These countries cannot be ignored,” he said.
Notably, reforms in the global systems have been an issue continuously raised by India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the global stage.
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