New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Monday supported New Delhi’s bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, saying India has an important role in India and its size and geopolitical heft is important.
At a address in the Raisina dialogue, Luxon underlined the need to ensure a rule-based order in the Indo-Pacific and said “may be right” approach was unacceptable, the comment between China’s growing muscle-flexing in the region.
The Kiwi leader said that countries like India play such a central role globally and New Zealand supports New Delhi to get a permanent seat in a improvised United Nations Security Council.
Luxon commented after inaugurating the Raisina Samvad with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In his comment, the Prime Minister of New Zealand said in the economic and political aspects of the Indo-Pacific, analyzing the growing power-game in the region.
He said, “We should move forward with great confidence as we live in the heart of the world’s most exciting and dynamic region-Indo-Pacific,” he said in the presence of many foreign ministers, top diplomats and foreign policy experts.
“There is no prosperity without security,” he said.
Luxon also explained in detail on New Zealand’s approach to Indo-Pacific and said that his country is looking at the rapidly developed dynamic sector to “protect and move” its interests.
“As the New Zeraland looks to protect and pursue our interests in Indo-Pacific, we can only do this with partners like India who have an important role in the Indo-Pacific sector,” he said.
“India’s size and geopolitical heft gives you autonomy in a rapid multi-polar world,” he argued.
“We want to live in an Indo-Pacific, where the country is free to choose its way free from intervention, an area where no country comes to dominate,” he said.
Luxon stated that New Zealand is working with other Pacific countries to promote their abilities and help them to create “independent options”.
He said, “My government is investing in major relationships-from traditional partners to deepening our relations in South-East Asia and also with India,” he said.
Luxon also described the quad as a “important vehicle” to promote an open, stable and rich Indo-Pacific.
“And India’s contribution to the development of Quad has been important,” he said.
Luxon suggested that while New Zealand has no intention of being part of the quad, it is ready to work to carry forward the initiative of the group.
Kiwi Prime Minister said that his country will promote defense cooperation with similar -ideology countries like India.
He also praised ASEAN (Southeast Asian Union) for continuing regional peace and economic development through his centrality in Indo-Pacific.
In his conversation first during the day, Modi and Luxon considered the status of Indo-Pacific.
A joint statement stated that the two Prime Ministers confirmed their commitment to support an open, inclusive, stable and rich Indo-Pacific, where sovereignty and regional integrity are respected.
He said that, an open, inclusive, stable and rich Indo-Pacific in the form of marine nations, India and New Zealand has a strong and general interest, where the rule-based international order has been retained, it has been said.
Modi and Luxon also confirmed the freedom of navigation and the right to overflight and other legitimate uses of the seize, as per international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the C (UNCLOS).
The statement said, “The Prime Ministers confirmed the need to carry forward the peaceful resolution of disputes according to international law, especially UNCLOS.”
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