1. The 18th Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation,
the Republic of India and the People's Republic of China was held in
the digital video-conference format on 26 November 2021. The meeting
took place in the backdrop of negative impacts of the global Covid-19
pandemic, on-going economic recovery as well as continuing threats of
terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, trans-national organized crime,
natural and man-made disasters, food security and climate change.
2. The Ministers exchanged views on further strengthening the
Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral cooperation and also discussed
various regional and international issues of importance. The Ministers
recalled their last meeting in Moscow in September 2020 as well as the
RIC Leaders’ Informal Summit in Osaka (Japan) in June 2019 and noted
the need for regular high level meetings to foster closer cooperation
among the RIC countries.
3. Expressing their solidarity with those who were negatively affected
by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministers underlined the importance of a
timely, transparent, effective and non-discriminatory international
response to global health challenges including pandemics, with
equitable and affordable access to medicines, vaccines and critical
health supplies. They reiterated the need for continued cooperation in
this fight inter-alia through sharing of vaccine doses, transfer of
technology, development of local production capacities, promotion of
supply chains for medical products. In this context, they noted the
ongoing discussions in the WTO on COVID-19 vaccine Intellectual
Property Rights waiver and the use of flexibilities of the TRIPS
Agreement and the Doha Declaration on TRIPS Agreement and Public
Health.
4. Emphasizing the need for collective cooperation in the fight against
Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministers noted the measures being taken by the
World Health Organization (WHO), governments, non-profit organisations,
academia, business and industry in combating the pandemic. In this
context, the Ministers called for strengthening the policy responses of
WHO in the fight against Covid-19 and other global health challenges.
They also called for making Covid-19 vaccination a global public good.
5. The Ministers agreed that cooperation among the RIC countries will
contribute not only to their own growth but also to global peace,
security, stability and development. The Ministers underlined the
importance of strengthening of an open, transparent, just, inclusive,
equitable and representative multi-polar international system based on
respect for international law and principles enshrined in the Charter
of the United Nations and central coordinating role of the United
Nations in the international system.
6. The Ministers reiterated that a multi-polar and rebalanced world
based on sovereign equality of nations and respect for international
law and reflecting contemporary realities requires strengthening and
reforming of the multilateral system. The Ministers reaffirmed their
commitment to upholding international law, including the purposes and
principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. The
Ministers acknowledged that the current interconnected international
challenges should be addressed through reinvigorated and reformed
multilateral system, especially of the UN and its principal organs, and
other multilateral institutions such as International Monetary Fund
(IMF), World Bank (WB), World Trade Organization (WTO), World Health
Organization (WHO), with a view to enhancing its capacity to
effectively address the diverse challenges of our time and to adapt
them to 21st century realities. The Ministers recalled the 2005 World
Summit Outcome document and reaffirmed the need for comprehensive
reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making
it more representative, effective and efficient, and to increase the
representation of the developing countries so that it can adequately
respond to global challenges. Foreign Ministers of China and Russia
reiterated the importance they attached to the status of India in
international affairs and supported its aspiration to play a greater
role in the United Nations.Foreign Ministers of Russia and China
congratulated India for its successful Presidency of the UNSC in August
2021.
7. Underlining the significance they attach to the intra-BRICS
cooperation, the Ministers welcomed the outcomes of the 13th BRICS
Summit held under India’s chairmanship on 9 September 2021. They agreed
to work actively to implement the decisions of the successive BRICS
Summits, deepen BRICS strategic partnership, strengthen cooperation in
its three pillars namely political and security cooperation; economic
and finance; and people-to-people and cultural exchanges. Russia and
India extend full support to China for its BRICS Chairship in 2022 and
hosting the XIV BRICS Summit.
8. In the year of the 20th Anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) the Ministers underlined that the SCO as an
influential and responsible member of the modern system of
international relations plays a constructive role in securing peace and
sustainable development, advancing regional cooperation and
consolidating ties of good-neighbourliness and mutual trust. In this
context, they emphasized the importance of further strengthening the
Organization’s multifaceted potential with a view to promote
multilateral political, security, economic and people-to-people
exchanges cooperation. The Ministers intend to pay special attention to
ensuring stability in the SCO space, including to step up efforts in
jointly countering terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and trans-border
organized crime under the framework of SCO-Regional Anti-Terrorist
Structure. They appreciated the Ministerial meeting in the SCO Contact
Group on Afghanistan format held on 14th July 2021 in Dushanbe.
9. The Ministers supported the G-20’s leading role in global economic
governance and international economic cooperation. They expressed their
readiness to enhance communication and cooperation including through
G-20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and other means, through consultations
and mutual support in areas of respective interest.
10. The Ministers stand for maintaining and strengthening of ASEAN
Centrality and the role of ASEAN-led mechanisms in the evolving
regional architecture, including through fostering ties between ASEAN
and other regional organizations such as the SCO, IORA, BIMSTEC. The
Ministers reiterated the importance of the need for closer cooperation
and consultations in various regional fora and organizations, East Asia
Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), ASEAN Defence Ministers
Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), Conference on
Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and the
Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), to jointly contribute to regional
peace, security and stability.
11. The Ministers consider it important to utilize the potential of the
countries of the region, international organizations and multilateral
associations in order to create a space in Eurasia for broad, open,
mutually beneficial and equal interaction in accordance with
international law and taking into account national interests. In that
regard, they noted the idea of establishing a Greater Eurasian
Partnership involving the SCO countries, the Eurasian Economic Union,
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other interested States
and multilateral associations.
12. The Ministers condemned terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations. The Ministers reaffirmed that terrorism must be
comprehensively countered to achieve a world free of terrorism. They
called on the international community to strengthen UN-led global
counter-terrorism cooperation by fully implementing the relevant UN
Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the Global Counter-Terrorism
Strategy. In this context, they called for early adoption of the UN
Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. The Ministers
stressed that those committing, orchestrating, inciting or supporting,
financing terrorist acts must be held accountable and brought to
justice in accordance with existing international commitments on
countering terrorism, including the UN Global Counter-Terrorism
Strategy, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the FATF
standards, international treaties, including on the basis of the
principle "extradite or prosecute” and relevant international and
bilateral obligations and in compliance with applicable domestic
legislation.
13. The Ministers emphasized the importance of the three international
drug control conventions and other relevant legal instruments which
form the edifice of the drug control system. They reiterated their firm
resolve to address the world drug problem, on a basis of common and
shared responsibility. The Ministers expressed their determination to
counter the spread of illicit drug trafficking in opiates and
methamphetamine from Afghanistan and beyond, which poses a serious
threat to regional security and stability and provides funding for
terrorist organizations.
14. The Ministers reiterated the need for a holistic approach to
development and security of ICTs, including technical progress,
business development, safeguarding the security of States and public
interests, and respecting the right to privacy of individuals. The
Ministers noted that technology should be used responsibly in a
human-centric manner. They underscored the leading role of the United
Nations in promoting a dialogue to forge common understandings on the
security of and in the use of ICTs and development of universally
agreed norms, rules and principles for responsible behaviour of States
in the area of ICTs and recognized the importance of strengthening its
international cooperation. The Ministers recalled that the development
of ICT capabilities for military purposes and the malicious use of ICTs
by State and non-State actors including terrorists and criminal groups
is a disturbing trend. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to
principles of preventing conflicts stemming from the use of ICTs, as
well as ensuring use of these technologies for peaceful purposes. In
this context, they welcomed the work of recently concluded UN-mandated
groups namely Open Ended Working Group on the developments in the
fields of Information and Telecommunications in the context of
international security (OEWG) and the Sixth United Nations Group of
Governmental Experts (UNGGE) on Advancing responsible State behaviour
in cyberspace in the context of international security and their
consensual final reports. The Ministers supported the OEWG on the
security of and in the use of ICTs 2021-2025.
15. The Ministers, while emphasizing the important role of the ICTs for
growth and development, acknowledged the potential misuse of ICTs for
criminal activities and threats. The Ministers expressed concern over
the increasing level and complexity of criminal misuse of ICTs as well
as the absence of a UN-led framework to counter the use of ICTs for
criminal purposes. Noting that new challenges and threats in this
respect require international cooperation, the Ministers appreciated
the launch of the UN Open-Ended Ad-Hoc Intergovernmental Committee of
Experts to elaborate a comprehensive international convention on
countering the use of ICTs for criminal purposes under the auspices of
the United Nations, pursuant to the United Nations General Assembly
resolution 74/247.
16. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to broadening and
strengthening the participation of emerging markets and developing
countries (EMDCs) in the international economic decision-making and
norm-setting processes, especially in the aftermath of the Covid-19
pandemic. In this regard, they emphasized the importance of constant
efforts to reform the international financial architecture. They
expressed concern that enhancing the voice and participation of EMDCs
in the Bretton Woods institutions remains far from realization.
17. The Ministers reaffirmed their support for a transparent, open,
inclusive and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system, with the
World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core. In this context, they
reiterated their support for the necessary reform which would preserve
the centrality, core values and fundamental principles of the WTO while
taking into account the interests of all members, especially developing
countries and Least Developing Countries (LDCs). They emphasized the
primary importance of ensuring the restoration and preservation of the
normal functioning of a two-stage WTO Dispute Settlement system,
including the expeditious appointment of all Appellate Body members.
The post-pandemic world requires diversified global value chains that
are based on resilience and reliability.
18. The Ministers agreed that the imposition of unilateral sanctions
beyond those adopted by the UNSC as well as "long-arm jurisdiction”
were inconsistent with the principles of international law, have
reduced the effectiveness and legitimacy of the UNSC sanction regime,
and had a negative impact on third States and international economic
and trade relations. They called for a further consolidation and
strengthening of the working methods of the UN Security Council
Sanctions Committee to ensure their effectiveness, responsiveness and
transparency.
19. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in its three dimensions-
economic, social and environmental in a balanced and integrated manner
- and reiterated that the Sustainable Development Goals are integrated
and indivisible and must be achieved ‘leaving no one behind’. The
Ministers called upon the international community to foster a more
equitable and balanced global development partnership to address the
negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and to accelerate the
implementation of 2030 Agenda while giving special attention to the
difficulties and needs of the developing countries. The Ministers urged
developed countries to honour their Official Development Assistance
(ODA) commitments, including the commitment to achieve the target of
0.7 percent of gross national income for official development
assistance (ODA/GNI) to developing countries and to facilitate capacity
building and the transfer of technology to developing countries
together with additional development resources, in line with national
policy objectives of the recipients.
20. The Ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to Climate action by
implementation of Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement adopted under the
principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), including the principle of Equity, Common But Differentiated
Responsibilities, the criticality of adequate finance and technology
flows, judicious use of resources and the need for sustainable
lifestyles. They recognized that peaking of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
will take longer for developing countries, in the context of
sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty. They stressed
the importance of a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework that
addresses the three objectives of the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD) in a balanced way. They welcomed the outcomes of the
26th Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (COP-26) and the 15th Conference of Parties of the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP-15).
21. The Ministers underlined the imperative of dialogue to strengthen
international peace and security through political and diplomatic
means. The Ministers confirmed their commitment to ensure prevention of
an arms race in outer space and its weaponization, through the adoption
of a relevant multilateral legally binding instrument. In this regard,
they noted the relevance of the draft treaty on the prevention of the
placement of weapons in outer space and of the threat or use of force
against outer space objects. They emphasized that the Conference on
Disarmament, as the single multilateral negotiating forum on this
subject, has the primary role in the negotiation of a multilateral
agreement, or agreements, as appropriate, on the prevention of an arms
race in outer space in all its aspects. They expressed concern over the
possibility of outer space turning into an arena of military
confrontation. They stressed that practical transparency and confidence
building measures, such as the No First Placement initiative may also
contribute towards the prevention of an arms race in outer space. The
Ministers reaffirmed their support for enhancing international
cooperation in outer space in accordance with international law, based
on the Outer Space Treaty. They recognized, in that regard, the leading
role of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).
They agreed to stand together for enhancing the long-term
sustainability of outer space activities and safety of space operations
through deliberations under UNCOPUOS.
22. The Ministers reiterated the importance of the Convention on the
Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of
Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction
(BTWC) as a key pillar of the global disarmament and security
architecture. They highlighted the need for BTWC States Parties to
comply with BTWC, and actively consult one another on addressing issues
through cooperation in relation to the implementation of the Convention
and strengthening it, including by negotiating a legally binding
Protocol for the Convention that provides for, inter alia, an efficient
verification mechanism. The BTWC functions should not be duplicated by
other mechanisms. They also reaffirmed support for the Organization for
the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and called upon the State
Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to uphold the
Convention and the integrity of the CWC and engage in a constructive
dialogue with a view to restoring the spirit of consensus in the OPCW.
23. The Ministers showed deep concern about the threat of Weapons of
Mass Destruction (WMD) falling into the hands of terrorist groups,
including the use of chemicals and biological agents for terrorist
purposes. To address the threat of chemical and biological terrorism,
they emphasized the need to launch multilateral negotiations on an
international convention for the suppression of acts of chemical and
biological terrorism at the Conference on Disarmament. They urged all
States to take and strengthen national measures, as appropriate, to
prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, their
means of delivery and materials and technologies related to their
manufacture.
24. The Ministers noted rising concerns regarding dramatic change of
the situation in Afghanistan. They reaffirmed their support for basic
principle of an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and called for
formation of a truly inclusive government that represents all the major
ethnic and political groups of the country. The Ministers advocated a
peaceful, secure, united, sovereign, stable and prosperous inclusive
Afghanistan that exists in harmony with its neighbors. They called on
the Taliban to take actions in accordance with the results of all the
recently held international and regional formats of interaction on
Afghanistan, including the UN Resolutions on Afghanistan. Expressing
concern over deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the
Ministers called for immediate and unhindered humanitarian assistance
to be provided to Afghanistan. The Ministers also emphasized on the
central role of UN in Afghanistan.
25. They stressed the necessity of urgent elimination of UNSC
proscribed terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda, ISIL and others for
lasting peace in Afghanistan and the region. The Ministers acknowledged
the widespread and sincere demand of the Afghan people for lasting
peace. They reaffirmed the importance of ensuring that the territory of
Afghanistan should not be used to threaten or attack any other country,
and that no Afghan group or individual should support terrorists
operating on the territory of any other country.
26. The Ministers reiterated the importance of full implementation of
the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and UNSC Resolution 2231
and expressed their support to the relevant efforts to ensure the
earliest reinvigoration of the JCPOA which is a landmark achievement
for multilateral diplomacy and the nuclear non-proliferation.
27. The Ministers reaffirmed their strong commitment to the
sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and unity of
Myanmar. They expressed support to the efforts of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) aimed at implementation of its
Five-Point Consensus in cooperation with Myanmar. They called on all
sides to refrain from violence.
28. The Ministers underlined the importance of lasting peace and
security on the Korean Peninsula. They expressed their support for a
peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to resolve all issues
pertaining to the Korean Peninsula.
29. The Ministers welcomed the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire
beginning 21 May 2021 and stressed the importance of the restoration of
general stabilization. They recognized the efforts made by the UN and
regional countries to prevent the hostilities from escalating. They
mourned the loss of civilian lives resulting from the violence, called
for the full respect of international humanitarian law and urged the
international community’s immediate attention to providing humanitarian
assistance to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly in
Gaza. They supported in this regard the Secretary General’s call for
the international community to work with the United Nations, including
the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in
the Near East (UNRWA), on developing an integrated, robust package of
support for a swift and sustainable reconstruction and recovery as well
as for appropriate use of such aid. The Ministers reiterated their
support for a two-State solution guided by the international legal
framework previously in place, resulting in creating an independent and
viable Palestinian State and based on the vision of a region where
Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace within secure and
recognised borders.
30. The Ministers reaffirmed their strong commitment to the
sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the
Syrian Arab Republic. They expressed their conviction that there can be
no military solution to the Syrian conflict. They also reaffirmed their
support to a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned, UN-facilitated political
process in full compliance with UNSC Resolution 2254. They welcomed in
this context the importance of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva,
launched with the decisive participation of the countries-guarantors of
the Astana Process and other states engaged in efforts to address the
conflict through political means, and expressed their support to the
efforts of Mr. Geir Pedersen, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General
for Syria, to ensure the sustainable and effective work of the
Committee. They reiterated their conviction that in order to reach
general agreement, members of the Constitutional Committee should be
governed by a sense of compromise and constructive engagement without
foreign interference and externally imposed timelines. They emphasized
the fundamental importance of allowing unhindered humanitarian aid to
all Syrians in accordance with the UN humanitarian principles and the
post-conflict reconstruction of Syria that would contribute to the
safe, voluntary and dignified return of Syrian refugees and internally
displaced persons to their places of origin thus paving the way to
achieving long-term stability and security in Syria and the region in
general.
31. The Ministers expressed grave concern over the ongoing conflict in
Yemen which affects the security and stability not only of Yemen, but
also of the entire region, and has caused what is being called by the
United Nations as the worst humanitarian crisis currently in the world.
They called for a complete cessation of hostilities and the
establishment of an inclusive, Yemeni-led negotiation process mediated
by the UN. They also stressed the importance of providing urgent
humanitarian access and assistance to all Yemenis.
32. The Ministers welcomed the formation of the new transitional
Presidency Council and Government of National Unity in Libya as a
positive development and hoped that it would promote reconciliation
among all political parties and Libyan society, work towards
restoration of peace and stability and conduct elections on 24 December
2021 to hand over power to the new government as per the wishes of the
Libyan people. They also noted the important role of UN in this regard.
33. The Ministers noted that some of the planned activities under the
RIC format could not take place in the physical format due to the
global Covid-19 pandemic situation. They welcomed the outcomes of the
18th RIC Trilateral Academic Conference organized by the Indian Council
of World Affairs, New Delhi (ICWA) in the video-conference format on
22-23 April 2021. In this context, they also commended the contribution
of the Institute of Chinese Studies (New Delhi), Institute of Far
Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow) and China
Institute of International Studies (Beijing) in establishing the RIC
Academic Conference as the premier annual analytical forum for
deepening RIC cooperation in diverse fields.
34. The Ministers expressed their support to China to host Beijing 2022
Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
35. Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China and the Foreign
Minister of the Russian Federation thanked the External Affairs
Minister of India for successful organization of the RIC Foreign
Ministers Meeting. External Affairs Minister of India passed on the
chairmanship in the RIC format to the Foreign Minister of the People’s
Republic of China. The date and venue of the next RIC Foreign Ministers
Meeting will be agreed upon through the diplomatic channels.
