Uri attack: France, Russia slam Pak; UK, US more muted
21 Sep 2016
The attack on the Indian Army base in Kashmir's Uri sector in which 18 soldiers was killed on Sunday has drawn condemnation from across the world, and also got considerable media attention (See: Militants storm Indian Army base in Uri, kill 17 soldiers).
Heavily-armed militants stormed a battalion headquarters of the Indian Army in North Kashmir's Uri and killed 17 jawans immediately, while one more soldier succumbed to his injuries on Monday.
The US, Britain, France, Russia, China, Germany, Japan, Canada and Bhutan were among the nations which denounced the attack, though expectedly the perspective and message in each of their condolences were different.
In the United Nations Security Council, two of the five permanent members - France and Russia directly named Pakistan or Pakistan-based organisations. The US and the UK, while condemning the attack, refrained from naming Pakistan. Germany too strongly backed India.
While China and Germany supported India in their statements, they also warned against it leading to a "spiral of violence". "We must not give in to this logic, including in conflicts between India and Pakistan," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said.
France was more forthcoming, directly naming the Lashkar-e-Tayibba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed, the latter of which is accused by India of masterminding the attack.
Russia supported India's wholeheartedly. Russia also cancelled its planned joint military exercises in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. However, Russian officials said that the decision not to hold the exercises in PoK was taken independently of the Uri attack, keeping in mind India's insistence that the area is illegally occupied.
"Regarding the Pathankot Indian air base attack in January 2016, we are very concerned about the terrorist attacks near the Line of Control. We are also concerned about the fact that, according to New Delhi, the Army base near Uri was attacked from Pakistani territory. We believe that this criminal act will be investigated properly, and that its organisers and perpetrators will be held accountable," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday.