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Joint Declaration of the Republic of India and the Russian Federation on Global Challenges and Threats to World Security and Stability

During Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's visit to the Russian Federation, a joint declaration was issued on November 13, 2003, on global challenges and threats to international peace and security. Following is the full text of the declaration:

Joint Declaration of the Republic of India and the Russian Federation on Global Challenges and Threats to World Security and Stability

13/11/2003

The Republic of India and the Russian Federation,

GUIDED by noble purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter,

RELYING on the provisions of the United Nations Millennium Declaration of 8 September 2000 concerning shared responsibility of States for managing threats to international peace and security and for promoting principles of human dignity, equality and justice at the global level,

NOTING the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 57/145 entitled "Responding to Global Threats and Challenges" of 16 December 2002,

RECOGNISING globalisation and interdependence in the world as natural processes in evolution of mankind, which offer both opportunities and challenges,

TAKING into account the fact that uneven distribution of benefits and costs of globalisation have resulted in growing disparities among countries of the world,

DETERMINED to cooperate in countering global challenges and threats, which emanate from international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, transnational organized crime, illicit drug trafficking, money laundering and environmental and developmental challenges,

PROCEEDING from an urgent need to consolidate efforts of the international community and the role of the United Nations in eliminating these global challenges and threats,

CONSCIOUS of their common values and responsibilities as pluralistic democracies,

DESIRING to continue to closely cooperate in contributing to world peace and progress,

CONFIRMING their obligations in accordance with the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the Republic of India and the Russian Federation of 28 January 1993, Moscow Declaration on Protection of Interests of Pluralistic States of 30 June 1994, the Declaration on Strategic Partnership between the Republic of India and the Russian Federation of 5 October 2000, the Delhi Declaration on Further Consolidation of Strategic Partnership between the Republic of India and the Russian Federation of 4 December 2002, the Moscow Declaration by the Republic of India and the Russian Federation on International Terrorism of 6 November 2001 and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism of 4 December 2002,

HEREBY DECLARE:

India and the Russian Federation recognise that the aim of promoting global peace, security and stability through dialogue, consultation and cooperation among countries concerned is essential. As strategic partners, India and the Russian Federation reaffirm their commitment to cooperate bilaterally and at the multilateral level on strategic issues, and to evolve a universal effective system of countering global challenges and threats of the 21st Century. The UN should continue to play a leading role in this regard.

India and the Russian Federation as two large and influential democracies are to play a significant role in this context. Both countries are committed to promoting to the maximum extent, democratic values in international relations. India and the Russian Federation affirm that the future international order based on multi-polarity, should be determined by collective and multilateral processes rather than unilateral ones. Both countries stand for building a unified, just and democratic world order and a comprehensive system of collective security based on respect for rule of law and international norms, reciprocal trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation.

India and the Russian Federation stress that the United Nations Organisation has a vital role in tackling major international issues. The United Nations can and should be reformed to reflect the current realities, with a view to preserve and enhance its efficacy and efficiency. India and the Russian Federation proceed from the idea that the reform of the UN should include an early expansion of the UN Security Council. The UN should continue to play an important role in the prevention and peaceful settlement of conflicts in conformity with the UN Charter and international law.

* * *

India and the Russian Federation are convinced that greater interaction and mutual respect among diverse societies and cultures will lead both to enrichment of these cultures as well as to enhanced harmony and security in the world. In this era of globalisation, it is by preserving pluralism that true multipolarity – in its political and economic as also social and cultural dimensions – will be attained. India and the Russian Federation also resolutely affirm that there is no place in today’s pluralistic and diverse global village for any type of extremist ideology and intolerance. They will resist with their full might all forms of extremism, including religious extremism, which has proved to be a hot bed of terrorism in their common neighbourhood.

* * *

India and the Russian Federation are united in their fight against the evil of international terrorism. They actively cooperate with each other and with other countries in anti-terrorist activities. Both countries resolutely declare that international terrorists, whatever be their stated objectives and the causes they espouse, will never succeed in bringing the world to its knees.

India and the Russian Federation believe that most urgent and essential steps in effectively and comprehensively dealing with the threat of international terrorism should be:

- creation of environment for total rejection of terrorism and absolute unacceptability of any of its forms;

- consistent and uncompromising approach to terrorism and giving up "double standards" ;

- preventing the flow of funds for terrorist activities,

- effective implementation of the UNSC Resolution 1373 aimed against those who support, fund, or abet terrorists or provide them shelter or asylum to engage in cross-border terrorism;

- promotion of confidence between members of the antiterrorist coalition by, iner alia, due consideration of interests of each one of them and ensuring that the fight against terrorism is strictly based on rules of international law and principles of the UN Charter;

-reinforcing national and international legal instruments for countering terrorism, making the existing antiterrorist Conventions genuinely universal, and earliest completion of negotiations on the draft Conventions in the UN, including the Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism submitted by India and the International Convention on Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism submitted by the Russian Federation ;

- steadfast cooperation to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery and materials and technology related to their manufacture;

- improvement of mechanisms of legal assistance and extradition in order to ensure the inevitability of punishment for terrorist crimes;

- efforts to promote coexistence of different religions, cultures and civilizations by stressing greater mutual understanding and respect amongst them, especially the idea that terrorism cannot be identified with any particular religion or ethnic group.

* * *

India and the Russian Federation are concerned that trafficking in illegal drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors is assuming ever more threatening dimensions. Strong and effective measures are required by the international community to handle this threat, especially as narcobusiness serves as a source of financing to international terrorism. Both countries are taking specific practical steps to counter traffic in illegal drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, especially in their common neighbourhood.

India and the Russian Federation believe that one of the most urgent challenges today is strengthening multilateral cooperation for countering the global narcothreat. India and the Russian Federation underline the urgency of the need for the development of a comprehensive strategy, under the auspices of the UN, to effectively counter this problem and reiterate their commitment for close cooperation with the United Nations and other international organizations within the framework of UN Drug Control Programme.

* * *

India and the Russian Federation support the efforts by Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan to rebuild the nation and express full support to all international efforts aimed at promoting peace, stability, national reconciliation and economic reconstruction. It is important to adhere to the time-table, as envisaged in the Bonn Agreement, in implementation of its provisions leading to the holding of democratic elections next year. India and the Russian Federation strongly believe that Afghanistan should emerge as a peaceful, strong, prosperous, united and independent nation that would be free from external interference and living in peace and harmony with its neighbours.

* * *

India and the Russian Federation are convinced that a concrete and time-bound plan of action under the UN aegis should be adopted for the earliest restoration of Iraq’s sovereignty, stabilization of political and humanitarian situation in the country, and ensuring its economic growth, through broad international efforts.

* * *

India and the Russian Federation call for the prevention of the failure of the Road Map drawn to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The failure of the Road Map may result into the situation in Israel and Palestine, as also in the entire Middle East, spiraling beyond control. This may have adverse consequences not only for the region but for the whole world.

* * *

India and the Russian Federation support the efforts of the countries concerned and the international community for a peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula and maintaining its non-nuclear status. They also support all efforts including the continuation of six-party talks, started at Beijing, to bring about mutually acceptable solution, as well as further development of the inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation.

* * *

India and the Russian Federation are convinced that success of the efforts aimed against contemporary global challenges and threats largely depends on adequately addressing social and economic issues, such as elimination of poverty, mass unemployment, illiteracy, and racial, ethnic and religious discrimination. Both countries believe that it is essential to promote steady and sustainable development of the world economy to ensure prosperity of all countries. One of the ways to achieve this goal, as they see it, is to ensure access of the majority of people around the world to high technology- a driving force of globalization. Wider reach of scientific and technological achievements and benefits will bring more prosperity to a larger number of people, reduce the gap between the developed and the developing world and neutralize some of the impulses which trigger conflicts.

India and the Russian Federation, which are important partners in science and high technology, possess a vast potential for joint development of alternative technologies. They are convinced that multi-polarity in the world of high technology will make an immense contribution to the enhancement of political and economic multi-polarity in the modern world.

* * *

India and the Russian Federation declare that through their longstanding relationship as reliable, predictable and responsible strategic partners, they are dedicated to strive for finding effective and long-term solutions and appropriate responses to the aforementioned new global challenges and threats to humanity, basing their efforts on the UN Charter and principles of international law.

PRIME MINISTER OF
THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA
PRESIDENT OF
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

The Kremlin, Moscow

12 November 2003

Source: Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Delhi.

 

 

 

 

 
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