Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his maiden speech at the United Nations has said that terrorism is taking a new shape and new name and no country- big or small- is free from its threat. Addressing the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York yesterday, the Prime Minister called upon the nations to put aside their differences and mount a concerted effort to combat terrorism. He asked the UN to pass the convention on international terrorism at the earliest to unitedly contain the menace.
Mr Modi said India wants to hold serious bilateral dialogues with Pakistan without the shadow of terrorism. He said it is required that Pakistan should create an appropriate environment and come forward for bilateral talks. The Prime Minister said raising issues in this forum is not the way to make progress towards resolving issues between the two countries. He highlighted that during the recent floods in Kashmir, India offered aid to flood hit areas of Pakistan also.
The Prime Minister said his government has placed the highest priority on advancing friendship and cooperation with the neighbors.
Highlighting the importance of multilateralism, Mr Modi said no single country or a group of few countries can decide the flow of the world.
The Prime Minister said the world body is completing 70 years of its existence next year but it needs to be looked into how it can become more credible and meaningful platform that can solve global problems.
He said once should change as per the requirement of time. Mr. Modi said we should ask whether the United Nations has really united us. He said despite having a wonderful body like UN, we have so many groups, like G-7, G-4 and willingly or unwillingly India is also part of some groups. He stressed that there should be a meaningful dialogue on this and a single G ALL group should be there. He also called upon the world body to include countries involved in security and peace keeping operations in the decision making process of the United nations be expanding its security council.
Mr. Modi also stressed the need for pursuing a more stable and inclusive global development. He said on one hand globalization has created new levels of growth and employment and on the other hand there are billions on the edge of poverty. He said development and empowerment can spread with the same speed as Facebook and Twitter spread around the world. He said each country should decide its own path for growth and development but at the same time there is a need of genuine international partnership. He stressed that a better coordination is required so that nations become mutually supportive and not mutually damaging. He asked countries to double their efforts for the development of all.
Mr. Modi said that as a developing country, India is ready to share its modest resources with those countries that need this assistance as much India does.
Highlighting that 2.5 billion people across the globe do not have access to basic sanitation facility, 1.5 billion without electricity and 1.1 people without access to drinking water, the Prime Minister said we need a more comprehensive and concerted direct international action. Mr. Modi emphasized that eradication of poverty must remain at the core of the post-2015 development Agenda and command our fullest attention. Stressing on the importance of Yoga in one’s life, he called upon the international leaders to adopt an International Yoga Day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate meetings in New York with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and leaders of Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh yesterday.
He first met with Ban Ki Moon just before addressing the UN General Assembly. They broadly discussed the UN Peace keeping Mission. Mr. Modi put forward India’s view point that those countries who are contributing to the peace keeping forces should be included in the decision making process. He also pitched for UN reforms ahead of world body’s 70th anniversary next year.
Mr Modi also held three separate bilateral meetings with the President of Sri Lanka and Prime Ministers of Nepal and Bangladesh in the New York Palace hotel immediately after his address at the UN General Assembly. All the three leaders of the neighboring countries congratulated him on his maiden speech at the UN. They were also supportive of International Yoga Day proposal which the Prime Minister mooted in his UNGA address. They said they are looking forward to his visit to their respective countries.
It was Mr Modi’s first meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as she could not attend his oath taking ceremony in May this year. The perennial issues on Teesta water and Land border issues were raised by Ms Hasina with Mr Modi. On Land Border issue, Mr Modi told Bangladesh leader that it has been referred to the Select Committee in Parliament and process will be taken forward very soon. On Teesta, he said said there is a need to work for a consensus on the issue. Ms Hasina also raised the issue of transit connectivity of Bangladesh with North eastern states. She also stressed the need to improve infrastructure in the region if this has to be done on regular basis. Mr Modi acknowledged that if there are any specific projects requiring India’s help, he will will look into it.
Sri Lanka was the first country to extend its support in writing to Mr Modi’s proposal on the Yoga Day. Mr Modi thanked President Mahinda Rajajpaksa for this. The two leaders discussed developmental projects in Sri lanka in which India is assisting. On his meeting with the TNA delegation, the Prime Minister told Mr Rajapaksa that he explained to the TNA leaders that the dialogue is the best way to reconcile differences. The Prime Minister took up the issue of 76 Indian fishermen, who are in the custody of Sri Lanka. He said this is a humanitarian issue and it needs to be dealt with sensitivity.
With Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, Mr. Modi inquired about the state of implementation of the two major decisions taken during his visit to Nepal some months ago. The projects include power trading and power development.
Mr Koirala asked for logistic support for the conduct of SAARC Summit in Nepal. Mr. Modi assured all assistance to Nepal for the successful conduct of the summit.
