M A I N   N E W S

Russia, India, China to cooperate in tackling terrorism
Tribune New Service

New Delhi, November 10
Terrorism, drug trafficking and situation in Afghanistan and Syria were among the issues that figured prominently during a trilateral meeting among the foreign ministers of RIC (Russia, India and China) countries here this evening.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the hour-long meeting at which they also considered ways and means to promote economic cooperation among the three countries. Earlier in the day, Khurshid held bilateral talks with both his Russian and Chinese counterparts, who are here for the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) ministerial conference beginning tomorrow. The RIC foreign ministers’ meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of the fact that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited both Russia and China last month.

The three foreign ministers also discussed the issues related to the upcoming 9th WTO Ministerial Conference to be held in Bali.

The three countries have been holding meetings at the foreign ministers’ level since 1996.

It is understood that Lavrov proposed coordinated action by the three countries at international organisations, including the UN. He also floated an initiative to convene a special ASEM conference on intercultural and interfaith cooperation in St Petersburg next July.“Manmohan Singh has at least listened our voice.’’