New Delhi: On the issue of whether Bangladesh was discussed during telephonic conversations between PM Narendra Modi and US President Biden, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that press releases issued after such conversations between leaders are not like joint statements and the absence of an aspect of one press release or the other is not evidence of its absence in the conversation itself.
Further, Jaiswal also clarified that the topic of Bangladesh was substantially discussed by both leaders during the call.
PM Modi spoke with Biden on August 26, where the two discussed views on regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine and also stressed on situation in Bangladesh
Addressing the weekly press briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson said, “Firstly, press releases issued after a conversation between leaders are not like joint statements where every word is negotiated and mutually agreed upon.
“Secondly, such press releases are not meant to be comprehensive readouts of such conversations. Finally, it is not unusual for two sides to emphasize different aspects of the same conversation in their respective readouts. The absence of an aspect of one press release or the other is not evidence of its absence in the conversation itself,” he added.
Jaiswal also reaffirmed the accuracy of its press release on the phone call and stated that it is aware of the conversation’s contents and can confirm that the press release is a faithful record of what was discussed.
“I am very much aware of the contents of the conversation between the Prime Minister and the President of the United States and I can tell you that our press release is an accurate and faithful record of what transpired in the conversation. The subject of Bangladesh, which has been highlighted, as you pointed out, by certain quarters was very much discussed substantially by both the leaders,” said MEA.
The MEA statement released after the conversation states, “The President commended the Prime Minister for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector,” the statement read.
PM Modi and President Biden affirmed their continued support for a “peaceful resolution” of the conflict “in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter.”
The leaders also emphasised their continued commitment to work together, including through regional groups like the Quad, to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
Agencies
