Krishna holds bilateral meetings with Russian, Chinese counterparts

WUHAN - External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna today held bilateral meetings with his Russian and Chinese counterparts here and discussed upcoming visits of Russian Prime Minister and Chinese Premier to India among other issues.

Krishna, who is heading the Indian delegation for Russia, India, China (RIC) arrived in Wuhan city on Sunday for tomorrow’s trilateral meeting.

During his meeting with the Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, he discussed the forthcoming visit of Russian President Medvedev to India as well as other issues of mutual interest and concerns.

Later, Krishna also held Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jeichi and he discussed about the preparations being made for next month’s visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

It may be recalled that the first RIC Ministerial meeting was held on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York in 2002 and the first stand alone Foreign Ministers meet was held in Vladivostok in Russia in 2005.

The three countries together account for 40 per cent of the global population and over 20 per cent of the global land mass.

They are also among the fastest growing major emerging economies in the world and have influential voices beyond the region.

The trilateral meeting of the Foreign Ministers broadly covers political issues which include UN reforms, terrorism, West Asia, Asia Pacific regional cooperation, Korean peninsula, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Shanghai Cooperation and so on.

Besides political issues it also focuses on trade and economic matters which would include the G-20 process, global economic governance architecture, climate change, Doha Round and WTO, development cooperation and energy. (ANI)