Foreign Minister Winston Peters has waded into a diplomatic spat between India and Canada related to the killing of a Sikh leader in Vancouver.
Comments from Peters, who has been in New Delhi as NZ tries to push a free trade deal, have caused a storm in the Indian press. They have framed the remarks as casting doubt on the evidence linking India to the killing.
In an interview, Peters said "the value or the quality" of evidence obtained by Five Eyes isn't always clear and noted there has been no finding on the case.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a controversial figure – according to the BBC India had labelled him a "terrorist" and the "mastermind" behind the Khalistan Tiger Force, a banned militant group.
To his supporters, Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was a peaceful champion of Sikh independence.
He was fatally shot outside a temple in June last year.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said his government was investigating “credible links” between India and the killing.
India called the claims “absurd” and there has since been a deterioration in relations between the nations.
Five Eyes intelligence
It was reported in September that intelligence gathered by the Five Eyes group led to Trudeau’s accusations. New Zealand and Canada are part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which also includes the US, the UK and Australia.
“Confirming that there was shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners that helped lead Canada to making the statements that the prime minister made,” US Ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, told CTV’s Question Period with Vassy Kapelos at the time.
Now the controversy has reignited in India after Peters was asked by The Indian Express during his visit this week whether Canada has shared information on the case.
“Well, I wasn’t here, it was handled by the previous government. But look, sometimes when you’re hearing Five-Eyes information, you’re hearing it and saying nothing. It is coming past you. You don’t know the value or the quality of it, but you’re pleased to have it," he said.
"You don’t know whether there is going to be substantial material value or nothing. But the very, very critical information that matters… This was mainly handled by the previous government.
“As a trained lawyer, I look okay, so where’s the case? Where’s the evidence? Where’s the finding right here, right now? Well, there isn’t one,” he said.
Peters was flying to Indonesia this morning NZ time but in a statement a spokesperson said: “New Zealand’s position on the allegations remains unchanged - if they are proven correct then that would be of serious concern.
"The Minister’s point is that this an ongoing criminal investigation. It needs to run its course before clear conclusions can be drawn.”
Peters speaks with Canadian diplomat
The spokesperson later added that Peters had an informal chat with Canadian High Commissioner to India Cameron MacKay at a cocktail function at the New Zealand High Commission in Delhi.
He had been told by other delegates that Peters re-iterated to MacKay that NZ's position had not changed, he wasn't calling into question Canada's claims and appreciated it was an ongoing investigation.
MacKay was reportedly "reassured" by Peters' comments.
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