India on Monday abstained from a vote on the Ukraine issue in the UN Security Council and called for finding a solution that takes into account “the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long term peace and stability in the region and beyond.”
In its national statement at the meet convened by the USA, India abstained along with Kenya and Gabon. While Russia and China voted against, the USA move received support from nine other UN Security Council members.
Russian Permanent envoy in UN thanked UNSC members who abstained from voting. Hours before the UNSC meet Reenat Sandhu, Secretary (West) in MEA met Sergey Vasilyevich Vershinin, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia here for bilateral consultations on United Nations related issues. The issue of Ukraine could have figured in these talks.
“We have been closely following the evolving developments relating to Ukraine, including through ongoing high-level security talks between Russia and the United States, as well as under the Normandy format in Paris. India’s interest is in finding a solution that can provide for immediate deescalation of tensions taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long term peace and stability in the region and beyond,” India’s permanent representative at the UN TS Tirumurti emphasised while delivering India’s national statement.
“We have also been in touch with all concerned parties. It is our considered view that the issue can only be resolved through diplomatic dialogue. In this context, we welcome the efforts underway including under the Minsk Agreement and the Normandy format. Flowing from the recently concluded meeting in Paris under the Normandy format, we also welcome the unconditional observance of the July 2020 ceasefire (in Donbass) and reaffirmation of Minsk Agreements as the basis of work under the ongoing Normandy format, in particular, commitment of all sides to reduce disagreements on the way forward. We also welcome their agreement to meet in Berlin in two weeks,” Tirumurti pointed out.
He further said, “We urge all parties to continue to engage through all diplomatic channels and to keep working towards the full implementation of the “Minsk Package”.”
Quiet and constructive diplomacy is the need of the hour. Any steps that increase tension may best be avoided by all sides in the larger interest of securing international peace and security, the senior diplomat stated as he pointed out that more than twenty thousand Indian students and nationals live and study in different parts of Ukraine, including in its border areas. “The well- being of Indian nationals is of priority to us.”
At the India-Russia UN related meeting here, both sides held wide ranging discussions on issues on the UN Security Council agenda and related developments. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation on issues of mutual interest at multilateral platforms. The Russian delegation briefed India on its priorities during the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.
Both sides also agreed to work closely together, given the common challenges faced and in keeping with their long standing Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. The issues in focus were Afghanistan and Myanmar. Vershinin also called on Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and briefed him on Russian priorities during its upcoming Presidency of the UN Security Council. Last week, Vershinin had spoken to Indian envoy to Russia Pavan Kapoor with focus on the Russian Presidency of the UNSC.