India for ‘constructive’ diplomacy, abstains from vote on Ukraine at Security Council

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 31

India abstained from a crucial vote on Ukraine at the UN Security Council (UNSC) hours after it held consultations with Russia on UN-related issues on Monday.

India, along with Gabon and Kenya, abstained from the vote while Russia and China voted against it. All other members, including the western powers, voted in favour of holding a meeting to discuss the situation on the Ukraine border.

Earlier in the day, Secretary (West) in MEA Reenat Sandhu held talks with Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Vershinin and congratulated Russia on its upcoming presidency of the UNSC for a month from Tuesday. The two sides also had wide-ranging discussions on issues on the UNSC agenda, said an MEA news release. Vershinin also called on Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and briefed him on Russian priorities during its presidency of the UNSC in February.

At the UNSC meeting, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations TS Tirumurti advocated “quiet and constructive” diplomacy and felt that any steps that increase tension “may best be avoided” by all sides in the larger interest of securing international peace and security.

Over 20,000 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,” he underlined.

“It is our considered view that the issue can only be resolved through diplomatic dialogue,” he added while welcoming the efforts under the Minsk Agreement and the Normandy format. The Normandy format has Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France at the table which is considered a better alternative than the US-led NATO. The Minsk protocol was mediated by France and Germany and has been superseded by Minsk II.

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