(B)RIC agrees on issues of terror, drug and regional cooperation

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RIC Foreign Ministers

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The Foreign Ministers of Russia, India and China (RIC) met at Bangalore, India to discuss issues of regional and international importance on Tuesday, October 27. This was the ninth trilateral discussion between the three nations.

Discussions were dominated by issues like drug trafficking, terrorism and cooperation on several issues. A mention for diplomatic settlement of the Iran nuclear issue and denuclearization of the Korean peninsula was also made at the meet. The meeting was also important in backdrop of recently concluded meeting between Indian and Chinese Prime minister's meeting at Thailand on the sidelines of the ASEAN meet as well as discussions with Russia on October 21.

The recent spate of allegations by both India and China on each other on border issues had dominated news recently. While both the nations stayed away from such discussion during the meet; the Indian Foreign Minister, SM Krishna, on Wednesday acknowledged that the resolution of boundary dispute with China would take time, and need "a lot of patience". He also acknowledged occasional Chinese incursions but added that there was no cause for alarm. He also discharged any allegations of China building a dam on the Brahmaputra river which can damage the ecology in the Brahmaputra basis in India.

Meanwhile the state government of Arunachal Pradesh is going ahead with its preparation to receive the Dalai Lama as a state guest on a 1-week tour starting November 8 this year. China has always objected to Indian support to the exiled spiritual Tibetan leader. China had also objected to Indian PM's visit to the state of Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as part of its territory. Indian PM said that he has taken up the issue with Chinese PM, Wen Jaibao during his recent meet at Thailand.

The three nations also agreed that they should help Afghanistan to counter terrorism as it is of strategic importance to curb terrorism in the region. The meeting also identified energy security, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, IT and climate change as key sectors of common interest and called for synchronized approach.

The three foreign ministers decided to hold the next trilateral meeting of the series in China.