Agencies
Describing Russia as a “major partner in many domains”, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said discussions with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov focused on “bilateral cooperation” as well as the conflict in Ukraine.
“We discussed a number of issues. Some part of my meeting was focused on our bilateral cooperation because Russia is a major partner in many domains,” Jaishankar said. He was responding to a question by PTI on his meeting with Lavrov as he spoke to a group of Indian reporters Saturday after wrapping up the New York leg of his visit to the US with his address to the UN General Assembly high-level session.
Just hours before his address to the UN General Debate, Jaishankar had a bilateral meeting with Lavrov on the margins of the high-level session. “A wide-ranging conversation with FM Sergey Lavrov at #UNGA 77. Discussed our bilateral cooperation. Exchanged views on Ukraine, G-20 and UN reforms,” Jaishankar had tweeted.
Responding to the question, he said while “obviously” there are big issues, which focus both the Russians and the rest of the world, the relationship has to address its own requirements, processes and objectives.
“We spend some time on the bilateral side, where things are, taking stock,” he said, adding that they also spoke in “some detail” about issues related to Ukraine.
“A lot of it was he briefed me about various developments from the Russian perspective. I also shared with him what I picked up from some of the others. So that was a back and forth conversation,” he said.
He said there was also a discussion on the G-20, with India beginning the G-20 presidency this December. “Russia is very much at the centre of debate where G-20 is concerned. And finally, we spoke about the UN reform.”
The meeting in New York is the fourth between Jaishankar and Lavrov this year, including in Bali on the sidelines of the G-20 foreign ministers’ conclave in the Indonesian city of Bali and when Lavrov was in New Delhi earlier this year.
In response to a question on his meeting with Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal this week on the UNGA margins and what were the concerns articulated by the leader, Jaishankar said “a big concern was the conflict itself. He gave me his perception, his assessment of what was happening in Ukraine.
“In terms of India, we had a discussion on what was our position and my sense is that he clearly appreciated the fact that we were against the continuation of the conflict and for the return for dialogue and diplomacy,” Jaishankar said adding that Shmyhal had his own views on why this was not happening.
The humanitarian assistance issue was also discussed and Shmyhal brought up some specific aspects of the ground situation, which he believed were concerns for the international community as a whole, including discussion on the progress on the grain issue, the concern about fertilizers, nuclear power plant issue.
