UN General Assembly: India to focus on terror, Security Council reform

Ahead of the annual session of the UN General Assembly here, India on Monday said its focus at the high-level meeting will be terrorism, United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reform, managing the global financial system, Palestine and piracy.

Over 120 world leaders will gather here for the 67th session of the General Assembly, with the theme of this year's general debate being 'Adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations by peaceful means.'

External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, who is scheduled to reach New York on September 27, will address the world body on October 1, apart from attending a number of meetings, including the G4, BRICS, G77 and the Commonwealth.

Sources here said Krishna is also likely to have bilateral meetings with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as well as with leaders from China and Egypt. However, they said it is "unlikely" that a meeting will take place between Krishna and his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar.

Sources said they do not forsee another meeting in New York between the two, given that Krishna had visited Islamabad for a three-day visit earlier this month.

Outlining India's focus for the general assembly, the country's Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri told PTI that focus would be on the evolving situation in the Middle East including Palestine, the hot spots in Africa like Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia and piracy, which he said is "becoming an increasing nuisance from India's point of view".

Puri said the other major preoccupation for India has been the issue of Security Council reform, a "tough and lonely battle" for which "you have to fight each day in order to keep the process alive." He said India was able to get a reference to Security Council reform included in the outcome document for a high level meeting on 'Rule of Law' which will take place today.

He said for India, key issues would also include managing the global economy and financial system, securing stable food and energy supplies, challenges of economic development, poverty alleviation and sustainable development