His remarks came just days after the U.S. spoke out in support of freedom of expression after Amnesty International was slapped with a sedition charge following a seminar on human rights abuses in Held Kashmir.
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In his speech at IIT, Kerry said, “The US continues to call on China and the Philippines to abide by the (UN) tribunal’s recent decision (recognizing Beijing had violated Manila’s rights in South China Sea) which is final and legally binding on both parties”.
US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday said, it is clear that Pakistan has to do more for eliminating sanctuaries of terror on its soil and push harder against indigenous groups engaged in terrorist activities. “The US and India will have to keep faith in our democratic values and uphold the freedom that defines our countries”, Kerry said in his townhall address at the prestigious institute. However, he conceded that Pakistan itself has also been a victim of terrorism and lost over 50,000 people. “All of us need to be supportive.of how hard it is”.
Without elaborating, he added, “I believe that in the last months progress is being made and the Pakistanis are moving at a greater pace”.
The Pakistan Army launched military operations in 2014 in the troubled North Waziristan region, which is said to be the base of the Haqqani group.
The United States has said it recognises that the Haqqani Network and other terrorist groups operating inside Pakistanand those along the Pak-Afghanistanborder are a continued security threat.
US State Secretary John Kerry, who is presently visiting India, also agreed on coming down heavily on such terrorist organisations.
Kerry, who arrived in India on a three-day visit on Monday, will be extending his stay here, it is reliably learnt.
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Responding to a question on Mr. Kerry getting delayed for events and having to cancel visits to religious sites due to inclement weather, Mr. Kirby pointed out that many meetings at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department including his daily news conference does not start on time even when there is no rain.
