Diplomatic conversation with India remains ‘private’, says Canada foreign minister

Canada has said that diplomatic engagement with India remains “private” even as the deadline from New Delhi for Ottawa to pare its diplomatic presence in the country passed on October 10.

“Diplomacy is always better when conversations remain private,” Canada’s foreign affairs Minister Mélanie Joly told the media in Ottawa on Wednesday morning during the course of a press conference to address the situation in Israel.

She was asked whether Canada had downsized the number of diplomats in India following India’s demand for parity.

Meanwhile, the outlet CBC News reported that “all or almost all Canadian diplomats remain in India.” Citing an unnamed senior Canadian government source, it said “Canada remains in discussions with India, and has allowed the deadline to pass without complying with India’s demand.”

Joly’s remark came in the wake of a report in the Financial Times or FT that Canada and India were still discussing the issue of pulling 41 diplomats and bring the number down from the current 62. Earlier reports in Canadian media suggested that some Canadian diplomats have already been reassigned to countries like Singapore and Malaysia.

That demand arose after the rupture in ties between the two countries following Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau’s statement in the House of Commons on September 18 that there were “credible allegations” that Indian agents were potentially linked to the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Nijjar on June 18.

Nijjar, the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice’s principal organiser in British Columbia, was murdered in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Singh Gurdwara Sahib he headed in Surrey.

FT had also reported that Joly met secretly with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Washington late last month. It also said that Ottawa was trying to resolve the issue of diplomats losing immunity as announced by India.

However, even as Joly has stressed on keeping diplomacy private. Trudeau has publicly raised the matter in conversations related to the terror attacks on Israel. Trudeau first spoke on Sunday with the President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The UAE is among India’s closest friends in the region. A readout of the conversation from the Canadian PMO said, “Prime Minister Trudeau provided an update on the situation between Canada and India.”

He also tweeted he raised the issue of “India and the importance of upholding – and respecting – the rule of law.”

He subsequently spoke with Jordan’s King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein. Once again, India featured in the conversation, as the Canadian readout said, “Prime Minister Trudeau provided an update on the situation between Canada and India, underscoring the importance of respecting the rule of law and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.”

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