Tuesday, November 12, 2002
China, India, Russia WTO Study Group Mooted
Our Correspondent
Beijing, November 11: A trilateral conference of scholars and policy analysts from China, Russia and India have advised their respective governments to set up a trilateral study group on globalisation and issues pertaining to multilateral trade negotiations. Speaking at the Second China-India-Russia Trilateral Conference at Beijing's China Institute of International Studies, participants from all three countries endorsed a Chinese proposal calling for a study group on issues pertaining to the World Trade Organisation.
Stating that the three "Eurasian powers" had common concerns with respect to globalisation, terrorism and energy security, the participants at the conference unanimously agreed to increase the level of interaction between the three countries on each of these issues.
While a Chinese participant suggested the setting up of a trilateral study group on WTO issues, an Indian participant suggested the creation of a similar trilateral study group on cooperation in the energy sector and the joint development of Central Asia-Russia-China-India overland oil and gas pipeline projects.
Russian and Chinese delegates also emphasised the need for a trilateral dialogue on terrorism. All three proposals were endorsed by participants at the conference. Faced with a similar terrorist threat from jehadi and separatist groups, China, India and Russia can share information and coordinate their actions and cooperate with the United States and other nations fighting terrorism, the participants agreed.
The Chinese delegation to the conference was led by Ambassador Song Mingjiang, a former senior diplomat and currently head of the China Institute of International Studies. The Indian delegation was led by Ambassador Vinod Khanna, also a former senior diplomat and currently with the Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi. The Russia delegation was led by a senior Russian scholar, Professor M L Titarenko of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Apart from issues pertaining to globalisation, terrorism and energy security, the Second Trilateral Conference also discussed other subjects of common interest including the reform of the United Nations and the expansion of the UN Security Council. While Russian participants openly called for India being made a permanent member of the UNSC, Chinese delegates repeatedly emphasised the importance of India "playing a larger role" in the UN.
Dr Ma Jiali of CIIS categorically stated in his remarks that "India is very much competitive in its candidature for the UNSC membership whatever way we view the basis for UNSC membership", be it geographical representation, size of the country, and such like. The conference also called for increased cultural and academic exchange between the three countries.
At a special meeting with the Indian and Russian delegates to the trilateral conference, China's vice minister of foreign affairs, Mr Wang Yi, underscored the potential for China, India, Russia trilateral cooperation in an increasingly "multiploar" world. Mr Wang noted the fact that often "even though China and India do not have prior consultations we do voice similar concerns on the international situation."
Stating that the purpose of this "trilateral dialogue" was to "facilitate cooperation in the economic area...to examine ways to maintain peace and promote development" in this part of the world, Mr Wang opined that this meeting "will attract worldwide attention. Even the fact that our scholars are sitting together, even if they are not talking about anything, will attract world attention".
Mr Wang echoed the views of delegates from all three countries when he said that the trilateral dialogue was "not aimed against anyone". "The Cold War is over, there is no longer any zero-sum game in international relations. We want both Russia and India to play a more positive and important role in international affairs," Mr Wang said.
Participants from all the three countries emphasised the fact that each of them valued their important and vital economic and political relations with the United States and European Union, and that this trilateral dialogue was not aimed against any other country or group but was meant to improve the relations between three major Eurasian powers facing similar developmental and political challenges. The third trilateral conference will be hosted by India in 2003.
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