After Russia’s back out from attending Swiss summit on peace in Ukraine terming it a “waste of time”, India has also refused to sign the joint communique saying, “only those options acceptable to both parties can lead to abiding peace”.
India had joined the Swiss summit to see the possibility of tranquility on a very “complex and pressing issue”, said Secretary in Ministry of External Affairs Pavan Kapoor.
The “territorial integrity” of Ukraine is the basis for any negotiation to end Russia’s war, the communique stated which was signed by around 80 nations.
Quoting that “enduring peace can be achieved only through dialogue and diplomacy,” the Secretary said such a peace requires “bringing together all stakeholders and a sincere and practical engagement between the two parties to the conflict”.
Mr Kapoor in a statement in Moscow clarified India’s position on denying to sign the communique saying, “Our participation in the summit and continued engagement with all stakeholders is with a view to understanding different perspectives, approaches and options, to find a way forward for a sustainable resolution of the conflict. In our view, only those options acceptable to both parties can lead to abiding peace. In line with this approach, we have decided to avoid association with the joint communique or any other document emerging from the summit.”
Apart from India, the other countries which participated in the peace summit but did not become the signatory just like India were South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Thailand, Indonesia and UAE.
