(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
The U.S. believes that 'I2U2', a group comprising India, Israel,
the U.S., and the UAE, can become“a feature” of the West Asian
region, just like the Quad is for the Indo-Pacific.
This idea was articulated by U.S. National Security Adviser Jake
Sullivan on board Air Force One, en route to Israel with U.S.
President Joe Biden.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet virtually with
Mr. Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and UAE President
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday.
And we think I2U2 can become a feature of the broader region,
just as the Quad has become a central pillar of the Indo-Pacific
strategy of the United States,” Mr. Sullivan told the travelling
press as per a transcript released by the White House, Trend reports citing The Hindu .
His remarks were made in response to a question on what the
objective was in bringing India“into so many issues” such as the
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the Quad and I2U2.
I2U2, which was launched last autumn, has been called the“West
Asian Quad” by some commentators.
Mr. Sullivan said India was one of the most“strategically
consequential countries” in the Indo-Pacific and therefore“should”
play a central role in U.S. strategy. India also had a
long-standing relationship with the Gulf countries and Israel, he
said, adding that the U.S. was looking forward to Mr. Modi's
participation in the I2U2 summit.
India and the West Asian countries in I2U2 could come together
and work on agricultural technology, an example of Mr. Biden's
vision for West Asia, according to Mr. Sullivan.
He said Mr. Biden had a vision for a globally integrated West
Asian region, one that is not“just focused on issues that have
been top of mind for American foreign policymakers over the last 20
years - terrorism and wars”.
Mr. Sullivan said there would be a“significant” announcement
around food security and agricultural technology from the I2U2
meeting, as this was an area where there was a current crisis that
the four countries could come together to address.
With regard to price caps for Russian oil, the U.S. is engaging
not just with the EU and the U.K. but also“key consuming
countries” and others, including India and China, Mr. Sullivan
said.
The U.S. was being“transparent, direct, and straightforward
with the major consuming countries” about reducing Russian revenues
while minimising economic disruptions globally, in the countries
concerned, and the U.S., Mr. Sullivan said.
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