Brushing aside speculations about an India-Russia-China "strategic triangle," Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has said these countries only enjoy "prominence" in Moscow's foreign policy.
"I wouldn't construct any triangles in these relations. There are other Asian countries also, like Japan and South Korea, with which Russia needs to develop its ties," Ivanov said.
"The speculation about a strategic triangle is no more than the product of some minds," he said.
Speaking in the weekly Vremena (Times) analytical programme of the Channel 1 national TV network on Sunday, Ivanov said that India and China "simply enjoy prominence" in Russia's foreign policy and the course of strengthening cooperation with them was not directed against anyone.
"Russia has an objective interest in developing relations with India and China and this policy was not stimulated by the Balkan war," Ivanov said, commenting on his predecessor Yevgeny Primakov's idea of a trilateral cooperation between New Delhi, Moscow and Beijing, floated in 1998 after NATO forces bombarded Yugoslavia.
He, however, agreed that the combat against international terrorism, formation of a multipolar world, strengthening the role of the United Nations in global affairs and economic cooperation objectively bring the three countries together.
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