Dear Colleagues,
Good afternoon !
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 18th Meeting of the
Russia-India-China Foreign Ministers. We are unable to meet in a
physical format this time due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic
situation.
We have agreed that the agenda for today’s meeting will include topical
issues of : (i) Fight against Covid-19 pandemic, (ii) Reforms of the
Multilateral System and (iii) International Hot-spot Issues. As is
customary, with your approval, the opening remarks will be covered by
the Media. I will now make my opening remarks on behalf of India and
thereafter invite Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China followed by Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia to make their opening remarks.
At the outset, I would like to thank my colleagues from Russia and
China for their support and cooperation during India’s chairmanship
since September last year. I also take this opportunity to specially
thank the Think-Tanks from Russia and China for actively participating
in the RIC Academic Conference held in video-conference format under
India’s chairmanship in April this year.
Let me, dear colleagues, reaffirm India’s continued commitment to
foster closer dialogue and cooperation among the three largest nations
in the Eurasian region under the RIC mechanism. I believe that our
cooperation in areas like trade, investment, healthcare, education,
science & technology and politics etc could significantly
contribute to global growth, peace and stability. This would be in line
with our common ethos of recognizing the "World as a Family”. Our
approach to global development should be human-centric and not leave
anyone behind.
The Covid pandemic has shown the interdependence of an inter-connected
world. The need of the hour is, therefore, "One Earth One Health”. That
means a timely, transparent, effective and non-discriminatory
international response to global health challenges including pandemics,
with equitable and affordable access to medicines and critical health
supplies.
Since joining the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member in
January this year, India has been actively contributing to finding
mutually acceptable solutions to international and regional issues. We
believe that a multi-polar and re-balanced world based on sovereign
equality of nations and respect for international law and contemporary
realities requires Reformed Multilateralism.
As a contiguous neighbor and long-standing partner of Afghanistan,
India is concerned about the recent developments in that country,
especially the suffering of the Afghan people. India supports an
inclusive and representative government in Afghanistan as also other
provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 2593. In line with our
commitment to the well-being of Afghan people, we have offered supply
of 50,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan to address the drought situation.
RIC countries need to work together to ensure that humanitarian
assistance reaches the Afghan people without hindrance and without
politicization. It is necessary for the RIC countries to coordinate
respective approaches on the threats of terrorism, radicalization, drug
trafficking etc.
I look forward to our detailed discussions on the three items of our
agenda. Now may I give the floor to the Foreign Minister of the
People’s Republic of China to deliver his opening remarks.
