China’s President Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin skipping this week’s G20 summit in New Delhi is not unusual and has nothing to do with India, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told ANI. He added that sherpas of the G20 countries are negotiating to build a consensus and arrive at a declaration at the September 9-10 summit in New Delhi.
The leaders of China and Russia have regretted their attendance at the summit in Delhi, but Mr. Jaishankar denied that their absence would cast a shadow on the summit.
“At different points of time in G20, there have been some presidents or prime ministers have chosen not to come. But that country’s position is reflected by whoever is the representative on that occasion.... The sherpas are in touch with each other, trying to hammer out the final document. Everyone is coming with a great deal of seriousness,” he said.
