Daijiworld Media Network – Beijing

Beijing, Jul 4: India's Ambassador to China, Vikram Doraiswami, on Saturday dismissed comparisons between India and Pakistan over mediation efforts in the West Asia conflict, saying each country must decide for itself whether such a role serves its national interests.

Speaking at the World Peace Forum organised by Tsinghua University in Beijing, Doraiswami responded to a question from a Chinese journalist regarding India's role in global leadership and Pakistan's attempts to mediate in the Iran-US conflict.

"I think the comparison, if I might be a little direct, with Pakistan, is a little... a little unfair. I think the economy in the two countries will tell you a lot," he said.

He said countries should be judged by their actual contributions to the international system.

"We should look at countries according to what they are and what they are actually doing in the larger global system," Doraiswami said, adding that India's integration with the global economy was unmatched by most countries.

"This includes the idea of economic integration with European countries, with Asian countries, our willingness to contribute to larger questions of peace and security," he said.

The envoy said India remains committed to contributing to international peace and security but stressed that mediation is a sovereign decision based on national interest.

"We're willing to do all of this. The question about mediation that you're talking about, this is one that, you know, it is for individual countries to decide whether that adds value to their larger national position," he said.

"We have done our bit of that in the past. I don't see how that, at this point of time and what is already a crowded field, would benefit us in any particular way," he added.

Drawing a comparison between India and China, Doraiswami said the two countries have adopted broadly similar positions on recent conflicts in West Asia and Eastern Europe.

"As far as I see it, our position in recent crises, both in West Asia or even in East Europe, has been quite similar to that of China," he said.

He added that neither India nor China had stepped forward to offer mediation in the ongoing conflicts.

"I don't see China or India actually stepping forward to offer mediatory services," Doraiswami said.

Earlier in the day, the Indian envoy participated in a panel discussion on 'Protectionism and Global Governance' at the World Peace Forum.