New Delhi: All member states must engage in dialogue to settle differences and disputes and this was ‘given up’ in the wake of Russia-Ukraine crisis, India told the UN Security Council as it abstained from voting on the US-sponsored resolution against Russia’s aggression on its western neighbour.
‘India is deeply disturbed by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine. We urge that all efforts are made for the immediate cessation of violence and hostilities,’ India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador TS Tirumurti said in India’s explanation of vote in the Council.
‘Dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes, however daunting that may appear at this moment. It is a matter of regret that the path of diplomacy was given up. We must return to it. For all these reasons, India has chosen to abstain on this resolution,’ he added.
India on Saturday abstained on the US-sponsored United Nations Security Council resolution that ‘deplores in the strongest terms’ Russia’s ‘aggression’ against Ukraine, with New Delhi saying dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes and voicing ‘regret’ that the path of diplomacy was given up.
While Russia — which chaired the meeting of the UNSC since it holds the presidency for the month of February — vetoed the resolution, China too abstained along with United Arab Emirates (UAE).