New Delhi: There was no consensus among world leaders on a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict during the virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit held by India Wednesday. The meet was skipped by Chinese and American Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden, respectively, while Russian President Vladimir Putin and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were both present.
Chinese premier Li Qiang attended in place of Xi and US Treasury secretary Janet Yellen, in place of Biden.
Briefing the media after the event, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar denied that any proposal on the situation in Gaza came to the fore at the summit.
While multiple leaders of the G20 attended the event, what is of significance is Xi skipping the meet, even though he attended the virtual conference of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) also held this week.
The virtual G20 meeting was hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking at the briefing, Jaishankar said: “There was a broad overlap of views. Was there a G20 proposal on Gaza? No… on the two-state solution, many countries spoke about it explicitly — overwhelmingly — but in all honesty, not everyone did. So, I can’t say there was a consensus on a two-state solution.”
He added that all country leaders welcomed what had been agreed upon by Qatar, the US and Egypt in brokering a “humanitarian truce” on the Gaza Strip.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had Wednesday said the trio’s mediation efforts also covered a planned exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
Putin, in his address at the virtual G20 meeting, reportedly in a first, said it was necessary to stop “the tragedy” of the war in Ukraine.
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Resuming e-visas was ‘logical’ step
Amid a diplomatic row between India and Canada, Trudeau attended the Virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit as well. He had confirmed his participation hours after India resumed e-visa services for Canadian nationals that had been temporarily suspended due to “security” considerations.
“We had temporarily suspended visa issuance because the situation in Canada made it difficult for our diplomats to go to office and do the necessary work for processing visas,” said Jaishankar.
“As the situation there has become more secure or relatively improved, I think we have found it possible for the visa services to progressively resume. I think it was a logical consequence,” he added.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who was also present at the press briefing, said the larger template on a “cryptocurrency roadmap” was ready, but nations will eventually have the last say on their own legislative framework regarding crypto assets.
“Maybe the early stages of the Brazilian presidency will come out with a bit more clarification,” she said.
Brazil will take over the G20 Presidency in 2024.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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