China, India, Russia to join forces to boost regional security
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, Thursday (AFP) China, India and Russia will join
forces to regional stability and energy supplies, foreign ministers of
the three countries declared Thursday at the outset of a summit in
Vladivostok in Russia's Far East.
"We look forward to having a fruitful dicussion of trilateral
cooperation of our countries especially as it relates to promoting
regional and international stability," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov said.
The three countries have long held trilateral talks but the
Vladivostok summit is the first to be held outside an international
forum.
On Wednesday, Lavrov held one-on-one talks with his Chinese
counterpart Li Zhaoxing to discuss ways to avoid "destabilisation" of
Central Asia where Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have experienced
considerable unrest in recent months. "Though informal, this meeting is
as important as any formal meeting... for maintaining the common
interests of the three countries' people as well as making pour own
contribution to... world peace and international stability," Li said
before Thursday's meeting.
"We attach great importance to this particular meeting. We together
have a population of 40 percent of the world and we are, I think, 20
percent of world GDP," India's Foreign Minister Natwar Singh pointed
out. "Our requirements in the realm of energy are" considerable "and we
look to your country for... assistance," he added, addressing Russia.
China and India with their economic and demographic boom have long
wanted access to Russia's vast oil and gas resources.
The Indian and Russian ministers are also due to hold bilateral
talks. |