Sushma Swaraj at UN General Assembly: Foreign Minister addresses 73rd United Nations debate.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj addresses the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in New York today. Ms Swaraj, who addressed the General Debate last year as well, reached New York last Saturday. She participated in several bilateral and multilateral meetings with her global counterparts, as well as met top UN officials. Speaking at a SAARC meeting on the sidelines of the UNGA session, Ms Swaraj called for efforts to eliminate terrorism in all its forms. In a move that was seen as a snub to Pakistan, Ms Swaraj left the SAARC meeting early.
Here are the highlights of Sushma Swaraj's UN General Assembly speech:
Pakistan addresses the UN General Assembly:
- Pakistan keen to pursue partnerships for peace and prosperity in our immediate neighborhood and beyond
- We will continue to be a leading voice of UN reform but oppose new centres of power and prestige
- Pakistan desires relationship with India based on mutual respect. Seek resolution of disputes through dialogue
- India and Pakistan were supposed to meet on the sidelines of the UNGA.
- But India called off dialogue for third time on flimsy grounds under the Modi government
- India prefers politics over peace
- The strongest antidote to the poison of terrorism is development. China's belt and road project is one of great vision.
In 1996, India proposed a draft document on CCIT at the United Nations. Till today, that draft has remained a draft, because we cannot agree on a common language. On the one hand, we want to fight terrorism; on the other, we cannot define it.
The United Nations must accept that it needs fundamental reform. Reform cannot be cosmetic. We need change the institution's head and heart to make both compatible to contemporary reality. Reform must begin today; tomorrow could be too late.
Sushma Swaraj at UN speaks on cross-border terrorism:
In our case, terrorism is bred not in some faraway land, but across our border. Our neighbour's expertise is not restricted to spawning grounds for terrorism; it is also an expert in trying to mask malevolence with verbal duplicity.
We are accused of sabotaging the process of talks. This is a complete lie. We believe that talks are only rational means to resolve the most complex of disputes. Talks with Pakistan have begun many times. If they stopped, it was only because of their behavior.
Who can be a greater transgressor of human rights than a terrorist? Those who take innocent human lives in pursuit of war by other means are defenders of inhuman behavior, not of human rights. Pakistan glorifies killers; it refuses to see the blood of innocents.
Last year, Pakistan's representative, using right to reply, displayed some photographs as "proof" of "human rights violations" by India. The photographs turned out to be from another country. Similar false accusations have become part of its standard rhetoric.
Sushma Swaraj at UN addressed the challenge of climate change:
- The biggest challenge of our era comes from the existential threats of climate change and terrorism.
- If we have to save the world from the adverse effects of climate change, then developed nations must lift the deprived with financial and technical resources.
Here are the highlights of the Sushma Swaraj's UN General Assembly speech:
- First woman to occupy this eminent chair was an Indian, Vijaylakshmi Pandit in 1953
- On behalf of India, I would like to extend condolences to govt of Indonesia and at the same time express assurance that india will help co-op in this tragic time.
- Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has initiated unprecedented economic and social transformation that will help India achieve its sustainable development goals much before time.
- Worlds biggest health insurance program was launched by PM Modi, this will benefit 5 million Indians.
- PM Modi has pledged to built clean India, healthy India, educated AND energised India. This is is horizon for year 2022.
Currently the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Papua New Guinea is speaking after which Minister for Foreign Affairs of Oman will speak, then the Foreign Minsiter Sushma Swaraj will speak.
Sushma Swaraj to address UN General Assembly shortly.
India Willing To Take Lead In Combating Climate Action
- Sushma Swaraj at the high level meeting on climate change convened by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres during the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly said, India is the sixth largest producer of renewable energy, and fifth largest producer of solar energy in the world.
- For its part to fight climate change, it has set a target of generating 175 Giga Watts of solar and wind energy by 2022, Ms Swaraj said.
- For its part to fight climate change, it has set a target of generating 175 Giga Watts of solar and wind energy by 2022, she said.
- She also told the UN meeting that India will reduce the emission intensity of its GDP by 25 per cent over 2005 levels by 2020, and further by 33-35 per cent by 2030."India is a firm believer in multilateralism," she said, adding that the International Solar Alliance (ISA) launched with France, has been already signed by 68 countries. The alliance aims to mobilise technology and finances to lower unit costs.
"The number of threats and incidents that endanger South Asia are on the rise. Terrorism remains the single-largest threat to peace and stability in our region, and indeed in the world. It is necessary that we eliminate the scourge of terrorism in all its forms, without any discrimination, and end the ecosystem of its support," the foreign minister said in an indirect reference to Pakistan as she addressed the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) foreign ministers.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be addressing the United Nations General Assembly at 7 pm.
- External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to speak on issues such as India-Pakistan relations, cross-border terrorism and the country's long-pending demand for inclusion into the Security Council when she addresses the high-level United Nations General Assembly.
- Ms Swaraj's appearance on the global stage comes at a time when India-Pakistan bilateral ties have hit a particularly rocky stretch in the aftermath of the brutal murder of a Border Security Force jawan in the Jammu region about 10 days ago.
- India did not take the incident lightly, a sentiment that found reflection in Ms Swaraj's apparent snub to Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly yesterday.
- Ms Swaraj's speech is also expected to address the issue of granting India permanent membership in the UN Security Council.
- While the Trump administration in the United States has reiterated its support for India's bid for the same in a reformed security council, China remains unconvinced.
- Also, the developing country faces stiff competition for the seat from better-placed countries such as Germany, Japan and Brazil.