Page 12 - The Indian EYE 092223

OPINION SEPTEMBER 22, 2023 | The Indian Eye 12

critical energy facilities. Although
the declaration has not mentioned
Zaporizhzhia, Chornobyl and any
other Ukrainian nuclear complex, any
nuclear energy complex is considered
a critical energy facility. Both state
and non-state actors may sabotage a
nuclear energy complex. For years,
the nuclear summit process and its
follow-up activities have placed the
limelight on nuclear terrorism. The
international community is active in
meeting the challenge not only in the
nuclear summit process but also in
other international forums. The G-20
has also become an important forum
to address the challenge of nuclear
terrorism.
The Financial Action Task Force
(FATF) has emerged as an important
global watchdog for combating mon-
ey laundering and the financing of
terrorism. It establishes global guide-
lines designed to thwart these unlaw-
ful actions and the detrimental con-
sequences they inflict on society. The
proliferation financing for Weapons
of Mass Destruction, including nucle-
ar weapons, has been one of the sub- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, United Kingdom PM Rishi Sunak, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva and other dignitaries attend
jects of the FATF. It has been quite
active on the issue. The G-20 has Session 3 of the G20 Leaders’ Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi (ANI)
been recognizing the role of FATF in
many of its previous meetings. schemes, which would violate perti- This begs the question: as the weakening of the overwhelming
nent obligations. Additionally, it will Ukraine does not possess nuclear global support it has for its territorial
The Delhi Leaders’ Declaration also guarantee that countries and private weapons, doesn’t the statement apply integrity and sovereignty. India and
lays down:
We reiterate the importance of sector entities allocate resources ap- only to Russia if the war in Ukraine many other countries also face nucle-
countries developing and implement- propriately, aligning with the level is taken as a context? At present, it ar threats and blackmail from those
of risks associated with proliferation
nuclear countries that do not ascribe
may appear so. However, the future
ing effective regulatory and super- financing. of war is unpredictable. The Russian to the no-first-use policy.
visory frameworks to mitigate risks The Russia–Ukraine War seems threat of nuclear weapons use kept Thus, the comprehensive and
associated with virtual assets in line to have shadowed the Delhi sum- happening in the past. But fortunate- inclusive nature of the G-20 and its
with FATF Standards, especially for mit and the Declaration, too. After ly, notwithstanding the regular sabre Leaders’ Declaration may be wit-
terrorism financing, money launder- mentioning the discussions in Bali rattling, the taboo on nuclear use has nessed in different issue areas which
ing, and proliferation financing risks. on the war in Ukraine, the Leaders’ remained intact. And the Russian ut- have been covered during the Delhi
In this regard, we support the FATF’s Declaration mentions the national terances have basically been aimed meeting. The nuclear issue has all the
initiative to accelerate the global im- positions taken on the UN resolu- at extracting concessions in the con- dimensions—economic, energy tran-
plementation of its standards, includ- tions passed on the War in Ukraine. flict. A careful reading of the Rus- sitions, security and the combination
ing the ‘travel rule’, and its work on The same paragraph also cites the sian leadership of the use may indi- of all. A consensus document may
risks of emerging technologies and UN Charter, especially its principle cate that it always has caveats that are have some words desired by an indi-
innovations, including decentralized ‘the use or threat of use of force for downplayed or concealed by a section vidual country missing but overall, it
finance (DeFi) arrangements and territorial acquisition against the ter- of the media. is a balanced document on the nucle-
peer-to-peer transactions. ritorial integrity and sovereignty or However, those backing Ukraine ar issues it has sought to touch upon
The G-20 underlines the signifi-
cance of determining and evaluating political independence of any state.’ occasionally have also used the Rus- or cover for various objectives.
The last line of the paragraph
sian nuclear threat to mobilize glob-
the potential risks associated with has a statement on the nuclear threat. al public opinion. As the situation is Dr Rajiv Nayan is Senior Research
potential violations, lack of enforce- “The use or threat of use of nuclear escalating and Ukraine is increasingly Associate at the Manohar Parrikar
ment, or avoidance of specific finan- weapons is inadmissible.” This is a getting more sophisticated weapons, Institute for Defense Studies and Analy-
cial sanctions tied to proliferation consensus line upon which the entire the G-20 has taken the right step in ses, New Delhi
financing, and implementation of summit has agreed upon. This is fu- making the statement general in na-
suitable measures to address these turistic and universalistic in nature. ture. It needs to be applied to all. Even Views expressed are of the author and
risks in proportion to their severity. Since it is part of the paragraph on if the immediate signaling is for Rus- do not necessarily reflect the views of
This approach will serve to inform the War in Ukraine, it clearly means sia, in the future, the statement should the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the
both private sector entities and their that no side will resort to the use or remain a dominant global norm. Government of India.
regulatory authorities about the in- threat of use of nuclear weapons. An overemphasis on the The full version of this article first
herent risks within their industries However, a Ukrainian official wanted Ukrainian narrative may lead to appeared in the Comments section of
and professions, preventing inad- the line to be read as: “On war against the impression that Europe is still the website (www.idsa.in) of Manohar
vertent support or involvement in Ukraine, Russia’s use or threat of use self-centered and Ukraine does not Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies
proliferation financing networks or
of nuclear weapons is inadmissible.” think beyond itself. This may lead to and Analyses, New Delhi on September
15, 2023
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