India averse to bid to embarrass Vladimir Putin

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, September 25

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar wrapped up his week-long engagements in New York with a bilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during which they discussed the Ukraine situation, UN reforms and G-20.

With the G-7 bloc planning a showdown with the Russians at the Bali summit of the G-20 in November just as it had done in its previous foreign and finance ministerials, Moscow was keen on ascertaining the Indian position on the issue. With India to take over the G-20 presidency, New Delhi would be averse to the Ukraine conflict intruding on the economic grouping’s deliberations, said sources.

The rancour over the Ukraine conflict has virtually split the G-20 down the middle and this was manifested in April during a meeting of its Finance Ministers in Washington. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen initiated the walkout and, later, Canada’s Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland posted a photo on social media which claimed that a total of 10 Finance Ministers had walked out. However, sources pointed out that equally important was that an equal number of Finance Ministers, including Nirmala Sitharaman, had stayed behind. The drama was to repeat itself at the G-20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Bali in July. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, however, left the meeting ahead of schedule after G-7 members threatened to boycott a joint photo opportunity and official dinner.

Don’t use terrorism as political tool

New York: Amid repeated holds on proposals to designate Pak-based terrorists under the UN sanctions regime, the EAM said terrorism should not be used as a “political tool”. He was replying to a question on repeated blocks on proposals to list Pak terrorists under UN sanctions. PTI

India part of G20 Troika

• India is currently part of the G20 Troika (current, previous and incoming G20 Presidencies) comprising Indonesia, Italy and India
• It comprises 19 countries — Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and EU
• The G20 accounts for 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade and two-thirds of the world population, making it the premier forum for international economic cooperation

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