New Delhi: India today said the best way to resolve Russia-Ukraine crisis was to hold talks between the various interests groups as otherwise the region could see “more turbulence”.
Asked if Russia was trying to get the respect of the world community through the Crimean issue, National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon said it was an outcome of a “lot of unsettled old problems coming to the fore at the same time.”
“There are internal issues in Ukraine itself of various interests and groups and various historic identities. There is also the issue of interests of larger powers around Ukraine and how they adjust their interest. I think until they sit and work it out among themselves, we are going to see more and more turbulence,” he said at a seminar here.
Menon said India has made it clear that getting everybody to come on the table to discuss the issue is “the best way forward” where they can “try and adjust between these issues.” He said the stakeholders have to find an equilibrium which is not their in either Ukraine or the region.
India has also declared that it will not support any “unilateral measures” against Russian government. Russian President Vladimir Putin had also explained the situation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who underlined India's position on “unity and territorial integrity” of countries and hoped a diplomatic solution would be found to the issue.
At the beginning of the crisis earlier this month, Menon had said there are legitimate Russian and other interests involved and “we hope they are discussed and resolved”. The US and the EU have imposed sanctions on several officials from Russia and Ukraine accused of involvement in Moscow's actions in the Black Sea peninsula. Australia has also announced its decision to impose financial and travel sanctions on a dozen political figures from the region.
