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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 10 said he held a “fruitful discussion” with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer during which they discussed in detail the ongoing disputes in the world, including the Ukraine conflict and situation in West Asia, reaffirming that “this is not the time for war”.
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“Today, Chancellor Nehammer and I had a very fruitful discussion. We have identified new possibilities to further strengthen our mutual cooperation. We have decided to give a strategic direction to our relationship. A blueprint for cooperation has been prepared for the coming decade,” Mr. Modi said in a joint media appearance with Chancellor Nehammer after their talks.
“Chancellor Nehammer and I have spoken at length about ongoing conflicts around the world, be it the conflict in Ukraine or the situation in West Asia. I have said before that this is not the time for war,” the Prime Minister said.
Asserting that solutions to problems can’t be found on the battlefield, Mr. Modi said India and Austria emphasise dialogue and diplomacy, and for that, they are ready to give any support required.
Mr. Modi said both India and Austria strongly condemn terrorism and agree that it is not acceptable in any form. “This cannot be justified in any way,” he said.
India is an influential and credit-worthy country whose role is more than important when it comes to the Russia-Ukraine peace process, Mr. Nehammer said and offered his country as a site for dialogue as a neutral country.
“We had very intensive talks about the Russian aggression against Ukraine. For me as the Federal Chancellor of Austria, it is particularly important to get to know India’s assessment and to understand it and to familiarise India with European concerns and worries,” he said.
“Moreover, the conflict in the Middle East was a major topic,” he added.
“We agree to reform the United Nations and other international institutions to make them contemporary and effective,” Modi added.