In a tweet, Modi described the meeting as productive and said, “Today took part in a productive Virtual Quad Leaders’ meeting with @POTUS @JoeBiden, PM @ScottMorrisonMP and @JPN_PMO Kishida. Our commitment to ensuring safety, security and prosperity is Reaffirms shared commitment. Indo-Pacific.”
US President Joe Biden, Modi, Australian PM Scott Morrison and their Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida discussed the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and its “widespread implications” without mentioning Russia, according to a joint readout released by the White House. assessed. military attack. Interestingly, the joint readout and the leaders’ comments indicate differing views on the crisis in Ukraine triggered by Russia’s military offensive.
While a statement from PM Modi’s office said, “The developments in Ukraine were discussed in the meeting, including its humanitarian implications. The Prime Minister emphasized the need to return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.”
It further underlined Modi that the Quad should remain focused on its core objective of promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, and expressed the importance of adhering to the United Nations Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and regionalism. Repeated also. integrity.
Although the joint readout did not directly refer to the Russian military offensive against Ukraine, Japanese PM Kishida’s office quoted him as saying that “a unilateral change in the status quo by force or coercion, like the recent Russian offensive against Ukraine, also led to Indo-Indo -are unacceptable in the Pacific region.”
“I met with my fellow Quad leaders Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio about Russia’s ongoing attack on Ukraine and our commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific,” Biden said. tweeted.
The joint readout said the Quad leaders discussed the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and assessed its wider implications.
“They agreed to put in place a new humanitarian aid and disaster relief mechanism that will enable the Quad to meet future humanitarian challenges in the Indo-Pacific and provide a channel for communication as they reach each address and in Ukraine.” respond to the crisis,” it said. ,
The readout said the meeting was convened to reaffirm the leaders’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, in which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states is respected and the country is under “military, economic and political pressure”. free from”.
It said the leaders reaffirmed their dedication to the Quad as a mechanism to promote regional stability and prosperity.
“In their continued pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific, the Quad leaders agreed to meet in person in Tokyo in the coming months,” it said.
The Indian statement said the meeting reviewed progress on the Quad initiatives since the summit in September.
“The leaders agreed to intensify cooperation with the aim of achieving concrete results from the summit in Japan later this year,” the statement said.
It said Modi underlined that the Quad should remain focused on its core objective of promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
“They called for concrete and pragmatic forms of cooperation within the Quad in areas such as humanitarian and disaster relief, credit stability, supply chain, clean energy, connectivity and capacity building,” it said.
The leaders also discussed other current issues, including the situation in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region and the Pacific Islands.
“The leaders agreed to stay in touch and work towards an ambitious agenda for the upcoming leaders’ summit in Japan,” the statement said.
(with inputs from agencies)
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