Bali, Nov 16 (PTI) The G20’s Bali Declaration Wednesday acknowledged differences among members on the Russia-Ukraine war but stressed that it was essential to adhere to international law, including protection of civilians caught in conflicts.
The members of the grouping made it clear that they were against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and sought “peaceful resolution of conflicts.” But the “G20 Bali Leaders’ Declaration” also reflected the contentious debate that went into drafting it, with Indonesian President Joko Widodo acknowledging this at his press conference at the end of the two-day summit here.
“Today’s era must not be of war,” the declaration said, echoing the remark made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the margins of the SCO summit in September.
Talking to reporters, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the Indian delegation, guided by Prime Minister Modi, played a key role in bringing about the “consensus”.
As the summit ended, India took over G20 presidency for the coming year with Modi promising an “inclusive” and “ambitious” agenda for the group that includes the world’s major economies.
Reflecting the divisions within the G20, the Bali Declaration said the member nations “reiterated our national positions” as expressed at the UN Security Council and the General Assembly.
“Most” members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine, it said but noted that there were “other views and assessments” of the situation.
The declaration welcomed the Turkey and UN-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative that secured a Russia Guarantee to allow the export of Ukrainian grain, but is lapsing in the next few days. Russia is now seeking concessions from the West to let the deal continue.
Though the section on the war was the toughest for the delegations to draft, the 52-para declaration covered a range of issues, from climate change to corruption, and from Covid vaccination to imparting computer skills to women.
But some of them too indirectly referred to the impact of war.
“We are deeply concerned by the challenges to global food security exacerbated by current conflicts and tensions,” it said, committing itself to taking urgent action to “save lives, prevent hunger and malnutrition”.
It pushed for “sustainable and resilient agriculture and food systems and supply chains.” Indonesian President Widodo acknowledged that there had been apprehension over whether the members would even agree to a common document.
Russian President Putin had opted out of the Summit and his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, who represented him, took a flight home a day before the declaration was released.
And at one session, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky virtually addressed the leaders, seeking an end to the “destructive war” in a just manner. He pointedly called the gathering the “G19”.
The G20 members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union.
The G20 Declaration said the summit was held at “a time of unparalleled multidimensional crises”.
“We have experienced the devastation brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, and other challenges including climate change, which has caused economic downturn, increased poverty, slowed global recovery, and hindered the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,” it said.
And in para-3, the 52-para document dived into the contentious territory of the war in Ukraine.
“Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy — constraining growth, increasing inflation, disrupting supply chains, heightening energy and food insecurity, and elevating financial stability risks,” the declaration added.
“There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions,” it said in an apparent reference to countries that have stopped short of outright condemnation of Russia.
The declaration recognised that the G20 is “not the forum to resolve security issues” but agreed that “security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy”.
The declaration was clear on the need to uphold international laws but avoided any attempt at identifying the rule-breaker in the Russian-Ukraine context.
“It is essential to uphold international law and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability,” it stated.
“This includes defending all the Purposes and Principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and adhering to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and infrastructure in armed conflicts.” It added that the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is “inadmissible”.
Echoing Modi, it said, “The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue, are vital. Today’s era must not be war.” The declaration committed itself to protecting the most vulnerable from hunger “by using all available tools to address the global food crisis.” The G20 also supported the adoption of “innovative practices and technologies, including digital innovation” in agriculture.
It reaffirmed “steadfast commitment” towards tackling climate change through “effective implementation” of the Paris Agreement.
The group recognised the need for “extensive COVID-19 immunization” and said it will advance efforts to ensure timely, equitable and universal access to safe and affordable vaccines.
The G20 called for international collaboration to develop digital literacy and harness the positive impacts of “digital transformation”, the theme of one of three working sessions of the summit.
It also asked the international community to step up efforts to combat money laundering and terror financing. PTI ASH ZH AKJ ZH ZH
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