TOGETHER WE WIN: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee with his Chinese and Russian counterparts, Li Zhaoxing and Sergei Lavrov (right) at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Wednesday. — PHOTO: V. SUDERSHAN

NEW DELHI: Cooperation, rather than confrontation, should govern the approaches to regional and global affairs, the Foreign Ministers of India, China and Russia, Pranab Mukherjee, Li Zhaoxing and Sergei Lavrov, agreed at a meeting here on Wednesday.

"The Ministers agreed that India, Russia and China, as countries with growing international influence, can make positive contribution to global peace, security and stability. In this context, they exchanged views on various regional and international issues of concern," said a joint communiqué issued after the sixth trilateral meeting.

Though the joint statement did not make any reference to specific issues, Mr. Lavrov told presspersons at Hyderabad House that West Asia, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq came up for discussion.

(A source familiar with Wednesday's meeting said the three countries discussed the possibility of meetings to discuss issues like Iran. This is an advance over the previous trilateral talks).

Globalisation

According to the statement, the Foreign Ministers noted that globalisation had opened up opportunities for even distribution of development resources and influence in the world, creating a foundation for a more stable and balanced international system. They emphasised the need to preserve the cultural and civilisational diversity of the world and promote existing initiatives for a dialogue among civilisations and religions.

"They expressed their conviction that democratisation of international relations is the key to building an increasingly multi-polar world order that would be based on the principle of equality of nations — big or small, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries, international law and mutual respect," it said.

Insisting that the United Nations was "an appropriate instrument" for promoting a multi-polar world order, the Foreign Ministers agreed that the member-states should aim to make the world body more transparent, efficient and reflective of contemporary realities. "The sides agreed to take steps in this direction."

"In this context, the Foreign Ministers of Russia and China indicated that their countries attached great importance to the status of India in international affairs, and understand and support India's aspirations to play a greater role in the United Nations," the communiqué said.

In a language similar to the statement issued after the Foreign Ministers meeting in June 2005, the three countries also came out strongly against terrorism.

Interestingly, the communiqué also referred to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, in which China and Russia are the lead players, and noted that India had become an observer in the organisation.

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