India has opted not to sign the joint communique that emerged from a Switzerland-hosted summit on the Ukraine conflict, citing the need for all parties involved to be part of the negotiations.
The two-day summit, which concluded on Sunday in the Swiss Alpine resort of Stansstad, was attended by representatives from several countries. But Russia chose not to participate, dismissing the talks as a “waste of time.”
Pavan Kapoor, the external affairs ministry secretary (west), represented India at the summit. The country refrained from associating with any communique or document emerging from the event, India Today reported.
Kapoor called for “sincere and practical engagement” between Moscow and Kyiv to achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The senior Indian diplomat emphasised that all parties involved in the Ukraine situation need to be part of the negotiations.
“Our approach remains consistent. Enduring peace can only be achieved through dialogue and diplomacy,” he said.
“In our view, only those options acceptable to both the parties can lead to abiding peace. We continue to believe that such a peace requires bringing together all stakeholders and a sincere and practical engagement between the two parties to the conflict,” Kapoor added.
Earlier this month, Pakistan turned down Switzerland’s invitation to the citing scheduling conflicts and other considerations.
“Pakistan received an invitation from Switzerland for the Conference, which is being held from 15th to 16th of June. However, due to a host of factors, including scheduling challenges, Pakistan is not participating in this conference,” FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at the weekly media briefing.
The two-day summit, which concluded on Sunday in the Swiss Alpine resort of Stansstad, was attended by delegates from over 100 countries and organizations, including several heads of state. Russia was notably absent, as it was uninvited to the gathering, and China opted not to participate.
Ultimately, the joint communique issued at the summit’s conclusion was signed by 83 states and organisations. Apart from India, Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa also withheld their signatures from the peace document, according to a report by Reuters.
