US To Ensure Adequate Crude Supply To India, Says Pompeo

He also called for speaking "strongly" in favour of religious freedom rights and asserted that the world is worse off when they are compromised.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a speech event on India Policy organised by US embassy New Delhi on June 26, 2019. - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hailed on June 26 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "wonderful" re-election, vowing both sides will overcome a number of spats that have dogged relations under President Donald Trump. (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP)

Pompeo said the US appreciated India’s efforts to move away from purchasing Iranian and Venezuelan oil and will do everything to ensure that it has adequate crude supplies

He also called for speaking "strongly" in favour of religious freedom rights days after the US State Department, in its report alleged that mob attacks by violent extremist Hindu groups against minority communities continued in India in 2018

He also said the US is pleased to see the UN designating JeM chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist

New Delhi: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US appreciated India’s efforts to move away from purchasing Iranian and Venezuelan oil and will do everything to ensure that it has adequate crude supplies, and at the same time he also called for speaking "strongly" in favour of religious freedom rights. While speaking at India Policy Programme at the India International Centre in the national capital, he said: "You [India] have made hard choices to cut off oil imports from Iran and move away from purchasing Venezuelan oil. We [the United States] know these decisions were not without cost. We are doing everything we can to ensure you have adequate crude imports. We appreciate your help in pushing these regimes (Iran and Venezuela) to behave like normal countries. In April, Washington had announced that no fresh sanction waivers will be issued for Iranian oil imports to eight countries, including India. Ever since the waivers have come to an end, the Indian oil companies are reportedly facing a tough time. It may be noted that besides Iran, the Trump administration has imposed various sanctions on Venezuela, aimed at forcing Latin American country's interim President to transfer power to the nation's opposition leader and National Assembly President Juan Guaido. He also called for speaking "strongly" in favour of religious freedom rights and asserted that the world is worse off when they are compromised. His remarks assume significance as they come days after the State Department, in its annual 2018 International Religious Freedom Report released last week, alleged that mob attacks by violent extremist Hindu groups against minority communities, particularly Muslims, continued in India in 2018, amid rumours that victims had traded or killed cows for beef. "India is the birthplace of four major world religions. Let's stand up together for religious freedom for all, let's speak out strongly together in favour of those rights for whenever we do compromise those rights, the world is worse off," Pompeo said. He also said the US is pleased to see the UN designating JeM chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist. Recently India voted against Palestinian NGO that supported terrorism at the UN and showed rewarding terrorism is wrong, he said. "India is more and more standing up on world stage and the US welcomes its assertiveness," Pompeo said. He hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump, saying they are leaders who aren't scared to take risks and the two countries are poised to do "incredible things together". The Secretary of State is on a three-day visit to India. Earlier in the day, Pompeo held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Published at : 26 Jun 2019 09:08 PM (IST)

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