'Disputes Must Be Settled By Dialogue, Agreements Respected': Jaishankar At BRICS Outreach Session

Jaishankar highlighted that addressing conflicts and tensions effectively is the 'particular need of the day', adding that the agreements, once reached, must be respected.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during the BRICS Outreach Session, in Kazan, Russia on October 24.

Source : PTI

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday addressed the BRICS Outreach session in Russia's Kazan, asserting that disputes and differences must be settled by dialogue and diplomacy. He reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Wednesday remark that war was not a solution to conflicts.

He also highlighted that addressing conflicts and tensions effectively is the "particular need of the day", adding that the agreements, once reached, must be respected.

"Prime Minister Modi has emphasised that this is not an era of war. Disputes and differences must be settled by dialogue and diplomacy. Agreements, once reached, must be scrupulously respected. International law should be adhered to, without exception," Jaishankar said.

His remark comes just after India and China reached a major breakthrough over the long-standing border row. PM Modi and China's Xi Jinping held their first bilateral talks in five years, welcoming the border agreement and agreeing to the importance of peace and stability.

Stressing that there should be zero tolerance towards terrorism, he said, "International law should be adhered to, without exception".

The MEA also expressed concern over the situation in West Asia and how there is widespread anxiety that the conflict would escalate in the region.

"The situation in the Middle East, West Asia for us, is an understandable concern. There is a widespread anxiety that the conflict would spread further in the region. Maritime trade has also been deeply affected. The human and material consequences of further escalation are truly serious. Any approach has to be fair and durable, leading to a two-state solution," Jaishankar said.

"We meet in difficult circumstances. The world must be prepared to think afresh on longstanding challenges. Our gathering is a message that we are indeed prepared to do so," he added.

Th Outreach meeting was held on the final day of the BRICS Summit, hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was attended by more than 20 world leaders and over 30 delegations, including UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.