US cannot tolerate Pakistan becoming a haven for terrorists: American ambassador to UN Nikki Haley

Nikki Haley, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, on Thursday said that the US “cannot tolerate Pakistan becoming a haven for terrorists”. In India on a two-day visit, Haley in New Delhi said that even though US values Pakistan as a partner, it hopes to see a change. “We share a commitment to defeating terrorism and the hateful ideology that motivates it. The US values Pakistan as a partner but we cannot tolerate the state becoming a haven for terrorists and hope to see a change,” ANI quoted her as saying. “We cannot turn a blind eye to those harbouring terrorists…Communicating to Pakistan that this cannot be tolerated,” she said while delivering a lecture at a think tank in New Delhi. [caption id=“attachment_4491653” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of US ambassador to UN Nikki Haley: Reuters[/caption] She also said that India and the US must be global leaders in the fight against terrorism adding “we can and must do more.” Haley further stressed on the importance of freedom of religion. “One of the most important and crucial things that India and the US share is freedom of religion. Our nations can only be held together with tolerance and respect,” she said. “India, a nuclear state, is respected widely because it is a responsible democracy. US also supports India’s membership in Nuclear Suppliers Group,” she further said. She also said that US-India ties had grown from “indifference and mutual suspicion” to “friendship and partnership”. “Today, Indian-Americans are the most educated and highly philanthropic minority in US,” ANI quoted her as saying. “India holds nuclear capabilities as well but is widely respected. This is because India is democratic and is a member of three non-proliferation groups.” Haley also said that US president Donald Trump believes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision about “a free and open Indo-pacific region”, an issue he had spoken about at the Shangri-la dialogue. Haley also said that China’s ties with US will be limited by its tendencies for expansion. “The US seeks a productive relationship with China. However, they do not share the same democratic values as us. Their expansion in the region without respect for rights, unlike India, will limit their relationship with US,” she said. On the issue of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Haley said, “Human rights is a part of what the American people believe in. With the Human Rights Council, I personally went to Geneva a year ago…You had a council which was supposed to protect human rights but there were human rights violations taking place in Venezuela.” “US refuses to be a part of anything that is a farce. The Iranian people are begging for attention to human rights violation but the Human Rights Council does not listen…If the Human Rights Council doesn’t do anything, why would the United States give them credibility? We’ll be our own human rights council,” she further said. On the issue of immigration, Haley said, “We’re seeing major migration issues due to conflicts. The one thing about America I have always loved is that it is a country of immigrants. But we believe in the rule of law. We believe in legal immigration. We can’t start to have illegal immigration.” With inputs from PTI