HindustanTimes.com

Thursday, September 25, 2003

Sovereignty of Iraq need of hour: India, China and Russia

Shibi Alex Chandy (Indo-Asian News Service)
New York, September 25

In a significant development India, Russia and China on Wednesday decided to
adopt a common approach on Iraq and called for a political process to ensure
quick return of sovereignty to the Iraqi people.

After a joint meeting of the foreign ministers of the three countries,
Yashwant Sinha said there was "unanimity that what was required in Iraq was
not sending more troops but a political solution that will see the return of
sovereignty to the Iraqi people, a return of governance".

The meeting of the ministers -- an initiative that was launched on the
sidelines of the UN General Assembly last year -- discussed a range of
issues, but Iraq was a dominant theme.

This year's meeting was hosted by External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha
and was attended by his Chinese and Russian counterparts, Li Zhaoxing and
Igor Ivanov.

Analysts say that the grouping seeks to counter-balance the growing US
influence in Central Asia and West Asia.

Sinha said that India would be working with the China and Russia on a new
resolution on Iraq that is to be placed before the Security Council.

The three ministers also discussed the need to reform the UN, according to
Sinha.

"We have adopted a common approach and we have asked our ambassadors at the
UN to work together on this and, if necessary, take the help of experts to
firm up a proposal."

The three ministers are now scheduled to meet in Moscow, but the dates of
the meeting have not been firmed up.

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