The foreign ministers of Russia, India and China have been holding talks in Ekaterinburg in the Urals. The discussions are focusing on economic and military co-operation, but the ministers also touched on international affairs.

Russia, India and China insist that talks between Serbia and Kosovo, its breakaway province which unilaterally proclaimed independence in February, should be resumed.

Commenting on the issue, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, “We believe it must be solved solely on the basis of international law”.

“In our statement, we recorded our fundamental position that the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo contradicts Resolution 1244. Russia, India and China encourage Belgrade and Pristina to resume talks within the framework of international law and hope they reach an agreement on all problems of that Serbian territory,” Lavrov said.

The three ministers have also pledged to tighten security around Afghanistan in an effort to stop drug trafficking and terrorism.

Tomorrow they will be joined by their Brazilian colleague for a full meeting of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China), with the focus of the discussions likely to remain the same.

People living in these countries account for almost half the world’s population, while the combined GDP of Brazil, Russia, India and China is about $US 15.5 trillion.