Prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has left New York for Frankfurt enroute to New Delhi on his return journey home after attending the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Dr. Singh, who reached New York on 22nd of this month, also held wide ranging discussions with global leaders on the common challenges facing the world.

In his address to the UN General Assembly, Dr. Singh strongly advocated for reassuming leadership role by the United Nations to meet global challenges. He said, India is ready to play its own role. Dr. Singh stressed the need for making the UN stronger and more effective by strengthening the UN General Assembly and through reforms and expansion of the decision making Security Council to reflect contemporary realities.

He dwelt at length on a range of issues including the slow down in the world economy, terrorism, social and political upheaval in West Asia and North Africa besides the Palestinian bid to get full membership in the United Nations.

The Prime minister held bilateral meetings with the leaders of Srilanka, Iran, Japan, Nepal, and South Sudan and discussed issues of mutual concern and the international situation. In his discussions with the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadnejad, he accepted his invitation to visit Tehran.