Jaishankar After Meeting Marco Rubio: ‘Brief Discussion On Bangladesh, Quad Activities To Intensify’

Jaishankar After Meeting Marco Rubio: ‘Brief Discussion On Bangladesh, Quad Activities To Intensify’
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who was on a four-day visit to the United States as Donald Trump took over as the President, on Wednesday said he had a brief discussion on the current situation in Bangladesh with newly-appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
Responding to a query on whether the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh came up during his meetings with Rubio and Waltz, S Jaishankar said, “Yes, we had a brief discussion on Bangladesh. I don’t think it’s appropriate that I get into more details.”
The EAM, however, added that there was no discussion on the attacks on Indian consulates in the US or the threat to Indian diplomats in Washington.
“I didn’t raise those issues on this occasion,” he said.
“But I do want to say that the attack on our consulate in San Francisco is a very, very serious matter. It is something for which we expect accountability, and we would like to see that people who did it are held responsible,” Jaishankar said.
Asked about two cases – one against a former Indian official and another against an Indian business tycoon – which have come up in US courts in the last two years, Jaishankar said, “No, the subject didn’t come up (during the meetings).”
QUAD TO BE FORCE FOR GLOBAL GOOD: JAISHANKAR
As Jaishankar participated in the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Washington on Tuesday, the EAM discussed with his counterparts “different dimensions” of ensuring a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific adding in a tweet that “Quad will continue to be a force of global good”.
Apart from EAM Jaishankar, the Quad Ministers, which also included Rubio, Australia’s Penny Wong and Takeshi Iwaya of Japan, agreed on intensifying collaboration with each other.
EAM Jaishankar said the meeting was “significant” as it took place a day after Donald Trump took oath as the 47th US President.”Attended a productive Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting today in Washington DC,” he wrote on X.
“Significant that the Quad FMM took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump administration. This underlines the priority it has in the foreign policy of its member states. Our wide-ranging discussions addressed different dimensions of ensuring a free, open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” he added.
“We agreed on the importance of thinking bigger, deepening the agenda, and intensifying our collaboration. The meeting today sends a clear message that in an uncertain and volatile world, the Quad will continue to be a force for global good,” he further said.
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