DECLARATION
OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA AND THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION ON GLOBAL
CHALLENGES AND THREATS TO WORLD SECURITY AND STABILITY
Following is the text of Declaration
of the Republic of India and the Russian Federation on Global Challenges
and Threats to World Security and Stability signed at Moscow yesterday.
"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."