UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th September, 2020) New Delhi has given serious consideration to the Collective Security Concept for the Persian Gulf Region proposed by Russia last year and finds such a discussion useful, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations T.S. Tirumurti told Sputnik.
"Any proposal from Russia is given serious consideration by us. In this particular context, we have noted the proposal put forth by Russia," Tirumurti said on Thursday. "In fact, an Indian expert had participated in the Track 2 Conference held in Moscow last September and found the discussions exploratory and useful."
Any security architecture for the Persian Gulf must be inclusive, considering the interests of all countries from and beyond the region, Tirumurti said.
He added that India has been playing a "leading role" in maintaining peace and security in the area of its "strategic importance," including through the enhancement of the cooperation among countries within the Gulf area and increased naval presence.
The Russian Foreign Ministry unveiled in July 2019, amid heightened US-Iran tensions, an updated version of an initiative called Collective Security Concept for the Persian Gulf Region, which proposed the "renouncement of permanent deployment of troops of extra-regional states" in the region. The concept further promotes multilateralism as the core of the new security system in the region. Moscow has also suggested that a security organization be created that would include Russia, the United States, China, India, the European Union and other interested parties.
Tensions have escalated in the Persian Gulf last year, in large part due to the standoff between the United States and Iran over the 2015 nuclear deal as Washington unilaterally withdrew from the pact last year, which prompted Tehran to begin rolling back its nuclear commitments. A series of attacks on tankers in Gulf waters and, most recently, a drone attack against oil facilities of Saudi Arabia have worsened the situation, with Washington and its allies placing the blame on Iran. Tehran has refuted all accusations.�
