EAM S Jaishankar, Ukraine minister discuss ways to end conflict

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, November 12

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday met his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Phnom Penh on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit and discussed the grain initiative, nuclear concerns and ways to end the conflict in Ukraine.

Jaishankar met Kuleba days after returning from Russia where he met Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, who was also present in Phnom Penh. Kuleba tweeted that he discussed bilateral cooperation and ways to end Russia’s war on Ukraine. “I emphasised that Russia must immediately cease deadly attacks, withdraw all troops from Ukraine and commit to peace,” he tweeted.

No commitment on review of trade pact

• A firm commitment on reviewing ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement eluded India at a meeting with 10-member ASEAN

Fight against terror

• India & ASEAN decided to enhance cooperation against terrorism and transnational crimes; and in military medicine
• Both sides sought to explore concrete activities with focus on maritime connectivity and other possible areas of cooperation

But Jaishankar’s more noteworthy bilateral was with his Canadian counterpart Melan Joly with no mention of the Khalistan referendum, which has caused bad blood between the two sides. The so-called second Khalistan referendum had gone ahead in Canada on November 6 despite several demarches served on Ottawa by the MEA. A series of engagements with ASEAN nations are being attended by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Jaishankar.

A firm commitment on reviewing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement eluded India at its meeting with the 10-member ASEAN in Cambodia. Though there is a deadlock on the trade front, a joint statement by both sides resolved to undertake some new activities, including an ASEAN-India defence ministers’ informal meeting and maritime exercises. They also resolved to advance maritime cooperation, including security, countering piracy and armed robbery against ships, maritime safety and search and rescue operations.

In the space sector, they noted the move to set up tracking, data reception and processing stations in Vietnam and Indonesia and to enhance ties in transport and connectivity through early completion and operationalisation of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, which will be extended eastward to Lao, Cambodia and Vietnam.