Quad holds first ministerial at UNGA

New York, Sep 27 (IANS) AThe Quad – the four-way dialogue between the US, Japan, India and Australia – for a free and open Indo-Pacific was held at the foreign minister’s level for the first time on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly here.External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Australia’s Marise Payne, met to discuss the Indo-Pacific strategy.”Thank you #Quad Foreign Ministers @SecPompeo @moteging Aand @MarisePayne,” tweeted Jaishankar.Pompeo tweeted: “Positive meeting with @MarisePayne, @DrSJaishankar, and @moteging.”We discussed our shared interest in building a free and open #IndoPacific, denuclearization of #NorthKorea, and joint efforts to promote regional stability.”Payne tweeted: “I met today in New York with my counterparts from the US, Japan and India to discuss our efforts to maintain and promote an open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific, and reaffirm our #Quad commitment to shared values and cooperation.”–IANSrn/rt