Amid the ongoing diplomatic dispute between Canada and India, the United Kingdom calls on New Delhi to cooperate with the legal process in Ottawa, expressing its full confidence in the country’s judicial system.
On Wednesday, the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Issue a statement Saying that India’s cooperation with Canada would be the “next right step.”
“We are in contact with our Canadian partners regarding the serious developments contained in independent investigations in Canada. The United Kingdom has full confidence in the Canadian judicial system. Respect for sovereignty and the rule of law is essential,” the statement read.
“The Government of India’s cooperation with Canada’s legal process is the right next step.”
The statement comes after Canada on Monday expelled six Indian diplomats from the country over the alleged targeting of Canadian citizens opposed to the Narendra Modi government. Canadian officials linked the Indian High Commissioner and other individuals working in diplomatic offices to the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nigar on its soil and accused New Delhi of making a broader effort to target Indian dissidents in Canada.
India, which has long denied accusations that agents of that government were involved in Najjar’s killing, responded by ordering the expulsion of six high-ranking Canadian diplomats, including the acting high commissioner.
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The UK statement also comes after a phone call between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday evening.
The two leaders discussed recent developments related to a “targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents associated with the Government of India,” according to a readout of the call shared by the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday.
Starmer and Trudeau also spoke about the need to ensure the safety and security of their citizens and the importance of upholding and respecting the rule of law, the Prime Minister’s Office said. Trudeau stressed Canada’s continued interest in cooperating with India to address this serious issue.
“Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Starmer have agreed to remain in close and regular contact,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.
– With files from Reuters and international news
&Copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
