US Lauds India’s G20 Presidency, Backs Statement On Territorial Integrity

New Delhi: As the G20 Leaders’ Summit concluded with great fervour in Delhi under India’s presidency on Sunday, the United States also called it an ‘absolute success.’ In a regular press briefing on Monday, the US State Department official spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters, “We absolutely believe it was a success. The G20 is a big organisation. Russia is a member of the G20. China is a member of the G20. The spokesperson responded to a media query on whether the G20 Summit was successful.

When asked about Russia’s absence from the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, he said, “There are members that have a diverse range of views. We believe the fact that the organisation was able to issue a statement that calls for respecting territorial integrity and sovereignty and saying that those principles should not be violated is an extremely important statement because that is exactly what is at the heart of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

“It is those very questions so we thought that was an incredibly important statement for them to make,” Miller added. The “use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible”, G20 nations said Saturday in a New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration under the mention of the Ukraine war.

Without mentioning Russia, the G20 member countries recalled the Bali declaration and underscored that all States must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety and called for a “comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine” and reminded member states to “refrain from the threat, or use of force, to seek territorial acquisition”.

“Concerning the war in Ukraine, while recalling the discussion in Bali, we reiterated our national positions and resolutions adopted at the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly and underscored that all States must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety. In line with the UN Charter, all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons are inadmissible,” the joint declaration read.

The New Delhi Declaration reaffirmed that the G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation and the member countries acknowledged that the G20 is not the platform for Geopolitical and security issues; although these issues can have consequences for the global economy.

The G20 members called on all states to uphold the principles of international law including territorial integrity and sovereignty, international humanitarian law, and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability.

“The peaceful resolution of conflicts, and efforts to address crises as well as diplomacy and dialogue are critical. We will unite in our endeavour to address the adverse impact of the war on the global economy and welcome all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine that will uphold all the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter for the promotion of peaceful, friendly, and good neighbourly relations among nations in the spirit of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’,” the New Delhi Declaration read.

This was the first time that the G20 Summit was hosted by India. The G20 Summit took place in New Delhi on September 9-10. Extensive preparations were made to portray India’s traditions and strengths. During the presidency, India has focused on various issues like inclusive growth, digital innovation, climate resilience, and equitable global health access. While Indonesia held the G20 presidency last year, Brazil will hold the presidency after India.