G20 members 'almost ready' with leaders' declaration, India says

[September 08, 2023]  By Nikunj Ohri and Manoj Kumar

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -G20 countries have almost finalised a declaration for the weekend summit of its leaders, host India said on Friday, suggesting that negotiators had made progress in bridging differences in the group over the war in Ukraine.

The streets of the usually bustling capital New Delhi were deserted ahead of the summit with businesses, offices and schools closed as part of security measures to ensure the smooth running of the meeting, the most high-powered to be hosted by the country.

Slums, monkeys and stray dogs have been removed from the streets.

India's G20 sherpa, or negotiator, Amitabh Kant said the summit's concluding statement, the Leaders' Declaration, will be a "voice" of the global south and developing countries.

"New Delhi Leaders' Declaration is almost ready, I would not like to dwell on it," Kant told a news conference. "This declaration will be recommended to the leaders."

Negotiators of the Group of 20 major economies have been struggling for days to agree on the language in the document because of differences over the war, hoping to get Moscow and Beijing on board to produce a communique that will also address pressing global problems like debt and climate change.

The weekend summit in New Delhi is expected to be dominated by the West and its allies. Chinese President Xi Jinping is skipping the meeting and sending Premier Li Qiang instead, while Russia's Vladimir Putin will also be absent.

U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman and Japan's Fumio Kishida, among others, will attend.

China said on Friday it is willing to work with all parties and push for a positive outcome at the summit.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks after a media report said Sunak blamed China for delaying an agreement on various issues, including Ukraine.

Sunak will urge Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "call out" Russia over its invasion and use its clout to help end the war, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.

SHOWCASING INDIA

The hardened stance on the war has prevented agreement on even a single communique at the ministerial meetings during India's G20 presidency so far this year, leaving it to the leaders to find a way around, if possible.

Modi's government is projecting India's presidency of the group and the summit as a showcase for the country's fast-growing economy and its rising position in the geo-political pecking order.

A model of G20 is pictured outside ITC Maurya hotel ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, September 8, 2023. REUTERS/Amit Dave

New Delhi has been decked up for the gathering with a brand new summit venue, fountains, flowerpots and illumination along major thoroughfares, alongside thousands of armed security personnel standing guard.

More than a hundred Tibetan refugees staged a protest away from the city centre on Friday, demanding that the "occupation" of their country by China be discussed during the summit.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who is in New Delhi ahead of Biden's arrival on Friday, earlier said Washington is willing to work with India to help craft a communique at the end of the summit but it would be a challenge.

"I know the negotiators are discussing it, and working hard to do so and we stand ready certainly to work with India to try to craft a communique that successfully addresses this concern," Yellen told reporters at a briefing.

The most important thing that can be done to support global economic growth is for Russia to end its brutal war in Ukraine, she said.

The IMF has forecast lower growth for most G20 nations this year than in 2022.

DISAGREEMENT ON CLIMATE CHANGE

European Council President Charles Michel echoed that view.

It is difficult to predict whether leaders will reach a consensus on a declaration but EU will support efforts made by India for a final communique, Michel earlier told reporters in New Delhi.

Michel said Moscow is violating the UN charter and must stop attacking Ukrainian cities.

Western countries want a strong condemnation of the invasion as a condition for agreeing to a Delhi declaration. India has suggested that the G20, while condemning the suffering caused by Russia's invasion, also reflect Moscow and Beijing's view that the forum is not the place for geopolitics.

In addition, there is some disagreement on climate change cooperation, Indian government sources added.

The group has been divided on commitments to phasing down fossil-fuel use, increasing renewable energy targets and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

(Reporting by Nikunj Ohri, Manoj Kumar, Krishn Kaushik and Aftab Ahmed; Writing by YP Rajesh; Editing by Kim Coghill and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

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