'Widespread anxiety' that West Asia conflict would spread further: EAM Jaishankar

Kazan, Oct 24: Expressing concerns over the situation in Middle East and West Asia, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Thursday said that there remains a "widespread anxiety" that the ongoing conflict would spread further 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," the EAM said at the BRICS Outreach session in Kazan.

Representing Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the segment, Jaishankar emphasised that conflicts and tensions have to be handled effectively.

"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. And there should be zero tolerance for terrorism," he said.

Citing that as the old order changes while inequities of the past continue, the EAM mentioned that BRICS is a statement in itself and can make a real difference.

He made five key points to ensure that the benefits of change reach those who are currently left behind and a more equitable global order is created.

It included strengthening and expanding platforms of an independent nature to widen choices and avoid being leveraged; Reforming established institutions and mechanisms, especially the UN Security Council in the permanent and non-permanent categories; Democratizing the global economy through creating more production hubs to build resilient, redundant and shorter supply chains; Correct distortions in global infrastructure through connectivity options that enhance logistics and mitigate risks; and, sharing experiences and new initiatives that hold relevance and are of common interest.

"India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, its Unified Payments Interface and the Gati Shakti infrastructure, all hold a larger relevance. The International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, the Global Biofuel Alliance, Mission LiFE and the International Big Cat Alliance are similarly initiatives of common interest. As a First Responder, be it for natural calamities, health emergencies or economic crises, we seek to do our fair share," he mentioned.

The plenary session of the 16th BRICS summit in the outreach/BRICS-plus format on Friday was attended by leaders of the CIS countries, delegations from Asian, African, Middle Eastern and Latin American countries, as well as heads of executive bodies of a number of international organisations.