VLADIVOSTOK (Russia), June 2: China, India and Russia will join forces to regional stability and energy supplies, foreign ministers of the three countries declared on Thursday at the outset of a summit here. “We look forward to having a fruitful dicussion of trilateral cooperation of our countries especially as it relates to promoting regional and international stability,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

The three countries have long held talks but the Vladivostok summit is the first to be held outside an international forum. On Wednesday, Lavrov held one-to-one talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing to discuss ways to avoid “destabilisation” of Central Asia where Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have experienced considerable unrest in recent months.

“Though informal, this meeting is as important as any formal meeting... for maintaining the common interests of the three countries’ people as well as making pour own contribution to... world peace and international stability,” Mr Li said before Thursday’s meeting.

“We attach great importance to this particular meeting. We together have a population of 40 per cent of the world and we are, I think, 20 per cent of world GDP,” India’s Foreign Minister Natwar Singh pointed out.

“Our requirements in the realm of energy are” considerable “and we look to your country for... assistance,” he added, addressing Russia. China and India with their economic and demographic boom have long wanted access to Russia’s vast oil and gas resources. The Indian and Russian ministers are also due to hold bilateral talks.—AFP