Pompeo dials Jaishankar; discussion held on COVID-19, security of Indo-Pacific region

In order to boost the global cooperation to tackle the Coronavirus pandemic, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo spoke to External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Thursday, revealed Morgan Ortagus, Spokesperson for US State Department. 

EAM Jaishankar and Pompeo spoke over the phone and discussed the bilateral and multilateral cooperation on issues of international concern. One of the prime topics of discussion is said to be the combined efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and the Indo-Pacific region, a senior US official told news agency PTI.

"Both leaders agreed to continue close cooperation on a full range of regional and international issues and look forward to Quadrilateral consultations and the US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue later this year," said Cale Brown, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the State Department.

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Discussion on the South China Sea

Apart from the pandemic, the leaders also discussed multilateral cooperation on issues of global concern including the security in the Indo-Pacific, where China has been trying to spread its influence. They also touched upon the need to hold an early meeting of the Quadrilateral which comprises of countries such as the US, India, Australia, and Japan, focusing on ensuring freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

Pompeo also spoke to his counterparts and Foreign Ministers of Australia, Brazil, India, Israel, and the Republic of Korea as well. A discussion on the importance of continued close coordination in response to the COVID19 pandemic was talked upon, as per the US State Department. 

"They noted the importance of close cooperation to reopen our economies and counter disinformation, while also addressing the need for concerted efforts to prevent future pandemics," said Morgan Ortagus, to news agency ANI.

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(With Agency Inputs)