US slams Russia for Indo-Pacific criticism
New Delhi, January 16
The US slammed Russia on Thursday for calling the Indo-Pacific initiative a “divisive approach” to disrupt the existing regional structures and said the concept was not aimed at excluding any nation, but was a “principled vision”.
‘Initiative not aimed at excluding anyone
A free and open Indo-Pacific was not a bloc or military alliance, but a principled vision. It is a community of countries that respects the rule of law.—Matthew Pottinger, US Deputy NSA
In his address at the Raisina Dialogue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had on Wednesday strongly criticised the US-led Indo-Pacific initiative, aimed at containing China’s influence in the region.
Responding to the criticism, US Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Pottinger said a free and open Indo-Pacific was not a bloc or military alliance, but a principled vision.
“It is a community of countries that respects the rule of law, stands up for freedom of navigation in the seas and skies above, promotes open commerce, open thinking and above all, defends the sanctity of each nation’s sovereignty,” he said at the final session of the Raisina Dialogue. “So, it is free and open, does not exclude any nation, but it does ask each nation to respect and promote those principles that we hold in common,” Pottinger said.
Agreeing with Pottinger that Indo-Pacific was a principled vision, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said Asia Pacific was a colonial concept. — PTI
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