NEW DELHI: As debates raged in Washington about the arriving strategies of the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan, three major countries – India, China and Russia – jointly urged the international community not to let the focus slip from their mission in the strife-torn country.

Foreign ministers of the three countries, holding their ninth meeting in Bangalore on Tuesday, strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reiterated that there could be no justification for any act of terrorism anywhere.

A joint communiqué at the end of the meeting ‘emphasised the necessity of the international community maintaining its commitment to render assistance to the government and people of Afghanistan in ensuring security and development, and restoring peace and stability and building a democratic, pluralistic and prosperous Afghanistan’.

They agreed that terrorism must be combated firmly by the international community and expressed concern at the continuing deterioration of the security situation there due to continued terrorist attacks. The recent terror attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul was condemned.

The ministers noted that Russia was a dominant supplier of oil and gas; India and China are energy deficit, but significant suppliers of manufactured products and services. ‘Trilateral relations can be further reinforced by establishing mutually advantageous relations in the energy sector,’ the statement said.

Emphasising the need for efforts by peaceful means to address the Iran nuclear issue, the ministers called for dialogue and negotiation as the way forward in which the IAEA should play an important role in resolving outstanding issues.

They noted that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was ‘steadily becoming an important factor of emerging architecture of security, economy, culture, people-to-people contacts and cooperation in Asia’.

Significantly, from India’s perspective, the foreign ministers ‘expressed support to Russia’s efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Caucasus region’.