NEW DELHI: A month after India joined the US, Japan and Australia for the first Quadrilateral dialogue on the Asia-Pacific, Russia on Monday said that a "sustainable security architecture" in the region cannot be achieved through "closed bloc" arrangements.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking at an event organised by the Vivekananda Foundation, also stressed that India-Russia cooperation can help find "durable solutions" to regional challenges.
"We believe sustainable security architecture in Asia-Pacific region cannot be achieved through closed bloc arrangement, and it is only possible on an open-ended collective basis, building upon the principles of indivisible security, role of international law, peaceful settlement of disputes, non-use of force or threat of force," Lavrov said at the talk on 'New vistas in India-Russia relations'.
"Indian and Russian cooperation can help find durable solutions to the numerous challenges in the Asia-Pacific region," he added.
Lavrov's observation came in the background of India, Japan, US and Australia holding talks on cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, in the wake of China's increasing presence and influence in the region.
Relations between India and Russia are perceived to be not as warm as they used to be with India leaning closer to the US.
To a question on China's ambitious connectivity corridor OBOR, he said: "We believe China has a concept which is interesting and needs to be explored in the context of building some harmonious relationship in the Eurasian continent. I know India has problems with concept of One-Belt-one Road, but the specific problem in this regard should not make everything else conditional."
He said Russia too has signed documents with China on OBOR.
He also said India has enough smart diplomats and politicians to find a way to benefit from the OBOR process and not having at the same time to sacrifice principles.
India has refused to be part of OBOR citing sovereignty issues as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor passes through Pakistan-administered Kashmir.