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Hello Jammu News at 2:27:00 PM 0

New York, Sep 24: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will hold bilateral meetings with several of her foreign counterparts and attend multilateral meetings such as SAARC and BRICS during a busy week at the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.

Swaraj, who arrived here Saturday for the General Assembly week, will on Monday attend the high-level event on Counter Narcotics hosted by US President Donald Trump.

The event, which kicks off the high-level UNGA week, will be a global call for action on the world drug problem and is expected to see participation from over 120 UN member states.

Requests have been received for about 30 bilateral meetings with Swaraj, Joint Secretary for UN Political in the Ministry of External Affairs Dinesh Patnaik told reporters at India's Permanent Mission to the UN.

She will also attend the Nelson Mandela Peace Conference, a high-level plenary meeting on global peace in the honour of the centenary of the birth of the late South African President, as well as attend a reception hosted on Monday by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Over the course of the week, Swaraj will make a statement on climate change and participate in the NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) Ministerial conference on Palestine, besides attending other plurilateral meetings including the G4, IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa), BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) - a meeting on September 27 that will also be attended by Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Indian diplomats will also be participating in the G77, LDCs (Least Developed Countries), Commonwealth and Heart of Asia meetings to be held on the sidelines of the UNGA.

Health Minister JP Nadda will be attending the high-level meetings on tuberculosis and non-communicable diseases.

Heads of State will participate at the first-ever high-level meeting on tuberculosis (TB) on September 26 to accelerate efforts in ending TB and reach all affected people with prevention and care.

On September 27, the UNGA will stage the third high-level meeting on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which will undertake a comprehensive review of the global and national progress achieved in putting measures in place that protect people from dying too young from heart and lung diseases, cancers and diabetes.

Swaraj's early engagements included a meeting Sunday with World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to discuss global health issues.

She also held discussions with a few members of the Indian diaspora.

On Monday, she will have bilateral meetings with Morocco Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini, Liechtenstein Foreign Minister Aurelia Frick, Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell, Colombian Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo, Ecuador's Foreign Minister Jose Valencia, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Mongolia's Foreign Minister Tsogtbaatar Damdin.

Asked about the possibility of a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said New Delhi and Washington just completed a successful round of 2+2 dialogue and discussions are being planned with nations with which India has not had an opportunity to hold bilateral talks. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 1:20:00 PM 0

New York, Sep 24: Reformed multilateralism, climate action, sustainable development, peace and security will be the key priorities for India during the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly as the high-level week for global diplomacy kicks off Monday.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived in the city Saturday to attend the high-level UNGA session and will address world leaders on September 29.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, accompanied by Joint Secretary for UN Political in the Ministry of External Affairs Dinesh Patnaik, told reporters during a press briefing Sunday that priorities for India during the 73rd UNGA session will be reform of the multilateral system, climate action, sustainable development, peace and security.

"There are threats and challenges facing the multi-lateral system," Akbaruddin said adding that India agrees with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres assessment that multilateral remains as important as ever.

"We are by tradition and inclination multilateralists and we would be articulating our position on how we need to strengthen the multi-lateral system and move towards a reformed multilateral system," he said.

Responding to a question, Akbaruddin said it is quite obvious that multilateralism is not in good health. "The Security Council is unable to move decisively on a whole range of issues. It's clear that great power rivalry has replaced great power cooperation," he said.

Emphasizing that multi-lateralism is under stress and being challenged, Akbaruddin said significant actors on the global platform are "disassociating" on very important areas of global interaction, whether migration or human rights, a veiled reference to the US withdrawing from the UN Global Compact on Migration and the UN Human Rights Council. Further the finances of international organisations are becoming increasingly contested.

"All these are clearly indicators that multilateralism as was practiced previously is under stress, therefore we are advocating reformed multilateralism."

He added that one aspect of it is Security Council reform, which needs to be undertaken as otherwise there is no decision making in the 15-member body. "Once this reform takes place, India will find its rightful place on the Security Council table."

Akbaruddin added that climate action and issues of health will be other focus areas for India, as the country has a good story to tell and narrative to articulate on both the issues.

As the General Assembly addresses several issues of global health through landmark events during the week, including on non-communicable diseases, tuberculosis and universal health coverage, Akbaruddin said the ambitious health coverage scheme Ayushman Bharat launched by the Narendra Modi government has the attention of the entire global health fraternity.

Heads of State will participate at the first-ever high-level meeting on tuberculosis (TB) on September 26 to accelerate efforts in ending TB and reach all affected people with prevention and care.

On September 27, the UN General Assembly will stage the third High-level Meeting on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which will undertake a comprehensive review of the global and national progress achieved in putting measures in place that protect people from dying too young from heart and lung diseases, cancers and diabetes. India is also among the early co-hosts of a high-level meeting organized by the US on counter narcotics.

"We are dedicated in this effort to combat the scourge of drugs," Akbaruddin said.

On the priority area of development, Akbaruddin said sustainable development is integral to India's approach to international cooperation. He added that South-South cooperation is increasingly emerging as a major area of India's activity both in the UN but also in other areas, citing India's cooperation with Africa, with Pacific Island nations as well as the India-UN Development Partnership.

"Development cooperation for us also encompasses digital cooperation , which will be a major issue as we proceed during the course of this session.

India's other key priority area will be peace and security given that India is one of the largest troop contributing countries to UN peacekeeping missions and has also lost the highest number of its peacekeepers in the line of duty. India will be participating in a high-level meeting on Action for Peacekeeping convened by the Secretary General on September 25 to renew commitments to UN peacekeeping operations.

The objective of the Secretary-General's Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative launched on 28 March 2018, is to establish a shared understanding of the achievements and challenges of peacekeeping, as well as to renew the individual and collective commitments of Member States to strengthen peacekeeping operations on the ground.

The high-level event will serve as an opportunity to bring the international community together in pursuit of these goals. The Declaration of Shared Commitments on UN Peacekeeping Operations, part of this initiative, is an unprecedented effort by the Secretary-General to renew political support for UN peacekeeping operations. (PTI)

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Hello Jammu News at 6:16:00 PM 0

Colombo, Sep 14: Sri Lanka will seek "concessions" from the UN, including a special request to the drop war crime charges against its troops during the civil war with the LTTE, President Maithripala Sirisena said Friday.

Sirisena, who will lead a delegation to the 73rd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, will address the general debate on September 25.

According to the government figures, around 20,000 people are missing due to various conflicts including the civil war with Lankan Tamils in the north and east which claimed at least 100,000 lives.

Relatives of the missing Tamil people allege that the Lankan state - particularly its army, navy and police - were behind most of the disappearances.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE), which led the separatist war for a separate Tamil homeland, was finally crushed by the Lankan military in 2009 with the death its supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Addressing the media persons here Friday, Sirisena said he would use his address at the UN general assembly later this month to make a case for removal of war crimes charges.

"I will make a special request at the UN," he said, adding that "I will also make a written request to the (UN) human rights council to settle this issue of war crimes."

"I want to tell them to remove these charges and give us some concessions to resolve this issue."

Since 2013, Sri Lanka faced three UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolutions for the alleged human rights abuses during the last phase of the conflict.

The UNHRC resolutions demanded Colombo to set up a credible international investigation. It also condemned the government troops and the LTTE for alleged war crimes.

The resolutions were adopted during the regime of his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Following the defeat of Rajapaksha in 2015 general elections, Sri Lanka was given an extension to implement the mechanisms prescribed by the UNHRC.

The government had set up the Office of Missing Persons (OMPs) and also introduced a bill of reparations for the victims of the three-decade-old armed conflict.

President Sirisena also said that some pro-LTTE and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were making various allegations regarding human rights violations.

He said that his government was able to avoid Sri Lanka's isolation in the UNHRC, which had prevailed before it came to power and succeeded in fostering friendship. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 1:42:00 PM 0

United Nations, Aug 7: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will address the annual high-level UN General Assembly session here on September 29, according to the provisional list of speakers released by the UN.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not likely to attend this year's UNGA session. He had given his maiden address to the UN General Assembly as Prime Minister in 2014.

According to the first provisional list of speakers for the General Debate of the 73rd session of the General Assembly, Swaraj will address the high-level session in the afternoon of September 29. She had addressed the General Debate last year as well.

The General Debate will open on September 25 and run through October 1. US President Donald Trump, who had delivered his first address to global leaders from the General Assembly hall's iconic green podium last year, will address the high-level session on the morning of September 25. The US is traditionally the second speaker on the opening day of the General Debate, after Brazil.

According to the list of speakers, Pakistan's Head of Government is scheduled to address global leaders on September 27.

Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan is expected to make his debut in New York for the high-level session. Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had emerged as the single largest side in the National Assembly in the July 25 general elections. The party's parliamentary committee has officially nominated Khan as the party's prime ministerial candidate and he is likely to take oath as the country's next Prime Minister on August 14.

In 2015, Modi had attended the high-level UN Sustainable Development Summit ahead of the General Debate, when world leaders had adopted the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an intergovernmental set of aspiration Goals with 169 targets.

He had also attended the UN Peacekeeping Summit hosted by President Barack Obama when he had announced that India will contribute an additional battalion of 850 troops for UN peacekeeping operation. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 12:56:00 PM 0


Islamabad, Dec 23: Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi has said the world has clearly opposed and refused to support the US policy regarding Jerusalem.
Rejecting the United States’ policy on Jerusalem by world community is the victory of international law and principles, Dr Lodhi said in an interview to a private news channel.
The Ambassador said that she presented a clear stance of Pakistan at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the same policy will continue in future. 
Pakistan will never compromise on its principles, Dr Lodhi was quoted as saying by Times International News Service.
Dr Lodhi said the United States’ illegal decision and policy on Jerusalem had been rejected by majority of the countries at the UNGA. UNI
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Hello Jammu News at 1:56:00 PM 0


New Delhi, Nov 21: India's nominee Justice Dalveer Bhandari won the crucial mandate to get the berth in the prestigious International Court of Justice.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and the Ministry's "diplomatic missions" for their efforts, leading to India's re-election to the International Court of Justice. President Ram Nath Kovind congratulated Justice Dalveer Bhandari on his re-election to the International Court of Justice. In a message here, Mr Kovind said, "Congratulations to Justice Dalveer Bhandari for his re-election to the ICJ. A diplomatic milestone for India'. "Congratulations to EAM @SushmaSwaraj and her entire team at MEA & diplomatic missions for their untiring efforts that have led to India’s re-election to ICJ. Our deep gratitude to all the members of UNGA as well as UNSC for their support and trust in India," the Prime Minister tweeted. India's Dalveer Bhandari, 70, won the last seat in the world court after Britain withdrew its candidate Christopher Greenwood in a down-to-the-wire race between the two nations. After the two designated days and multiple rounds of voting that ended up in a deadlock, choice of the majority prevailed.
Mr Bhandari received 183-193 votes in the General Assembly and secured all the 15 votes in the Security Council after separate and simultaneous elections were held at the UN headquarters in New York. It will be the first time since the International Court of Justice (ICJ) was established in 1945 that there will be no British judge. In another message, Mr Modi congratulated Justice Dalveer Bhandari. "I congratulate Justice Dalveer Bhandari on being re-elected to the International Court of Justice. His re-election is a proud moment for us," he said. Last night, in her tweet, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj wrote: "Vande Matram - India wins election to the International Court of Justice. Jai Hind". In another missive in the micro blogging site, Ms Swaraj wrote: "Congratulations to Justice Dalveer Bhandari on his re-election as a Judge of the ICJ. Huge efforts by Team - MEA. Syed Akbaruddin @AkbaruddinIndia our Permanent Representative in UN deserves a special mention." In his tweet, Mr Syed Akbaruddin, India's Permanent Representative in UN Mission, wrote: "A vote that brings cheer to a billion India's nominee Judge Bhandari re-elected to ICJ. General Assembly - 183, Security Council-15". UNI
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Hello Jammu News at 11:40:00 AM 0


United Nations, Sept 13 : The United Nations General Assembly has opened its 72nd session, with an emphasis on striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet. “The UN was created for people,” Miroslav Lajč ák said in his first address as President of the General Assembly yesterday while the opening ceremony, according to the UN News Centre here. “The people who need the UN the most are not sitting in this hall today. They are not involved in the negotiation of resolutions. They do not take the floor at high-level events. It is one of the tasks of the General Assembly to make sure that their voices can still be heard.” Ahead of today’s opening, the career diplomat from Slovakia spoke to UN News about his hopes for his one-year tenure, and said that conflict prevention and migration would top his agenda. In today’s address, he noted that while it was “impossible” to select one priority for the UN to focus on this year, his aim will be to strive for balance, so that all points of view are represented. He also stressed quality and transparency in his future work. Mr. Lajčák takes the reins one week before the start of the high-level General Assembly debate, and said he hoped the 193 UN Member States participating would treat each other with diplomacy and mutual respect. Speaking to reporters later in the day, Mr Lajčák reiterated the importance of using the world body to assist people around the world. Addressing the opening of the General Assembly, Secretary-General António Guterres also emphasised the importance of focusing on people in the UN’s work and underscored his proposed reforms to streamline the Organisation. “We all agree that the United Nations must do even more to adapt and deliver. That is the aim of the reform proposals that this Assembly will consider.” He added that one key change within and beyond the UN must be the empowerment of women and girls around the world, and highlighted his own roadmap for achieving gender parity. UNI

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