Russia, India, China To Forge Common Approach To Global Issues

Indian Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna, center, holds hands of his counterparts from China Yang Jiechi, right, and Russia Sergey Lavrov before their meeting in Bangalore, 27 Oct. 2009The foreign ministers of India, China and Russia say they are forging a common approach to global issues such as the financial crisis, climate change and security following talks in India. India and China have also held separate discussions in an effort to narrow recent differences that have emerged between the Asian giants.   

In a joint statement, India, China and Russia said Tuesday that the pace of development in all three countries has improved despite the recent financial crisis.  

The statement was issued following a meeting between the foreign ministers of the three countries in Bangalore on Tuesday.

The ministers said they will work together to ensure global peace and stability. S.M. Krishna is India's foreign minister.

"We have also agreed that trilateral action against terrorism and transnational crime will provide stability and all round development," Krishna said.

The statement said the three countries took the threat of "global warming" seriously, and will work for a successful outcome to the U.N. emissions conference in Copenhagen later this year. All three countries are among the top polluters in the world.

The three countries say they have found common ground on global issues.  

Chinese foreign minister Yang Jeichi said that new threats such as terrorism, climate change and energy security have becoming increasingly pressing.

Yang says China, India and Russia are all major emerging countries, and have the same or similar positions on major international and regional issues.

The Chinese and Indian foreign ministers also held a separate bilateral meeting in a bid to resolve recent irritants that have emerged between the Asian giants.

Indian foreign minister said he was "satisfied" with the talks, which were part of a process of building "trust and understanding" between the two countries.  

The meeting came three days after the prime ministers of India and China met in Thailand on the sidelines of a regional summit and said they will work to create more trust at the political level.

Beijing is unhappy with an upcoming visit by the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh of which China claims large parts. China recently also expressed its annoyance at a visit by the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the state. The state lies at the heart of a festering border dispute between the two countries.

Reports of border incursions by China also dominated the Indian media in recent weeks, although both countries have downplayed those reports.   

An Indian official said Tuesday's meeting between the foreign ministers was to narrow their differences on political and regional issues.