Challenging task to draft G20 joint statement, says Yellen

New Delhi, Sep 8 (EFE).- The United States acknowledged on Friday that crafting a joint statement at the conclusion of the G20 Summit in New Delhi over the weekend would be a “challenging” task.

Differences regarding the war in Ukraine have deepened divisions within the forum of the 20 developed and top emerging economies.

“So I understand that it is challenging to craft such language, but I know the negotiators are discussing it, and working hard to do so,” US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told reporters at a briefing in New Delhi.

Yellen, who is in India for the G20 summit over the weekend, said the US was prepared to work with India in formulating such a statement..

“We stand ready, certainly, to work with India to try to craft a communiqué that successfully addresses this concern,” she said.

Since India assumed the presidency of the group last year, the forum of the world’s 20 wealthiest nations has been unable to produce a joint statement at the conclusion of its ministerial meetings, primarily due to China and Russia’s refusal to condemn the Ukraine war.

During the last summit in Bali, Indonesia, negotiations were similarly complicated.

However, an agreement was reached at the last moment to issue a “leaders’ declaration” that reflected the perspectives of the majority of G20 countries, including mention of the war in Ukraine.

“Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed that it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy,” the Bali declaration said.

Nonetheless, this year’s negotiations appear even more challenging, with the US tempering its expectations of reaching a consensus on a joint statement, given Russia’s unchanged stance on the Ukraine conflict.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also conceded during a press briefing on Tuesday that the task would be arduous due to Russia’s unaltered position on the Ukraine war.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought the G20 as a platform to showcase India’s ascent as a major power capable of garnering consensus on significant global issues.

If the New Delhi summit concludes without a joint statement, it would mark the first instance in G20 history, raising questions about the group’s geopolitical relevance.

Yellen affirmed the US was prepared to boost global support for Ukraine at the G20 summit because it was “critical that we continue to provide timely economic assistance.”

“Even without Russia’s active participation and the tensions the war has created, I still see that the G20 is highly effective,” Yellen said.

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