ID :
20676
Tue, 09/23/2008 - 11:40
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/20676
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Financial crisis, UN reforms, MDG to dominate UNGA agenda By Dharam Shourie
United Nations, Sep 22 (PTI) The ongoing financial
crisis, poverty reduction, UN reforms besides expansion of the
Security Council, uneven progress in the achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals (MGDs) and Darfur conflict are
likely to dominate the agenda of the General Assembly which
begins Tuesday.
More than 170 heads of States and governments, foreign
ministers and senior diplomats will participate in the
discussions lasting for about two weeks.
President George W. Bush will deliver his last address
to the 192-member Assembly Tuesday morning in which he will
give his administration's perspective on the issues facing
the world and also attempt to set the agenda for the world
body for the coming year.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is slated to address the
Assembly on September 26, a day after Pakistani President Asif
Ali Zardari. That would give Singh a chance to reply to the
bilateral issues raised by Zardari if any and needs a
response.
With inter-government negotiations on expansion of the
15-member Council set to begin before February 28, Singh is
expected to make a strong case for permanent membership for
India.
Singh is slated to have a series of bilateral discussions
during his stay, the highlight of which would be his first
summit with Zardari during which the issue of terrorism is
expected to figure prominently.
With tensions between the US and Russia rising over
Georgia, the addresses of American and Russian leaders will be
closely watched.
The World leaders have already started converging in
New York and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had bilateral
discussions with some of them, including American Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice, ahead of the session.
Among his many other meetings Sunday, the prominent was
with former British PM Tony Blair, who is currently the
Representative for the Middle East diplomatic Quartet that
comprises the UN, the EU, Russia and the US.
Several issues like the situation in the occupied
Palestinian territory and Blair's work in that regard were
discussed, the world body said.
However, both Ban and Blair recognised the progress that
had been made in improving the situation on the ground in West
Asia region but stressed that more work still needed to be
done.
The UN chief also met with the Presidents of Finland,
Burkina Faso, Paraguay, Austria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon,
Marshall Islands, Cape Verde and Slovenia. PTI DS
RRD
crisis, poverty reduction, UN reforms besides expansion of the
Security Council, uneven progress in the achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals (MGDs) and Darfur conflict are
likely to dominate the agenda of the General Assembly which
begins Tuesday.
More than 170 heads of States and governments, foreign
ministers and senior diplomats will participate in the
discussions lasting for about two weeks.
President George W. Bush will deliver his last address
to the 192-member Assembly Tuesday morning in which he will
give his administration's perspective on the issues facing
the world and also attempt to set the agenda for the world
body for the coming year.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is slated to address the
Assembly on September 26, a day after Pakistani President Asif
Ali Zardari. That would give Singh a chance to reply to the
bilateral issues raised by Zardari if any and needs a
response.
With inter-government negotiations on expansion of the
15-member Council set to begin before February 28, Singh is
expected to make a strong case for permanent membership for
India.
Singh is slated to have a series of bilateral discussions
during his stay, the highlight of which would be his first
summit with Zardari during which the issue of terrorism is
expected to figure prominently.
With tensions between the US and Russia rising over
Georgia, the addresses of American and Russian leaders will be
closely watched.
The World leaders have already started converging in
New York and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had bilateral
discussions with some of them, including American Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice, ahead of the session.
Among his many other meetings Sunday, the prominent was
with former British PM Tony Blair, who is currently the
Representative for the Middle East diplomatic Quartet that
comprises the UN, the EU, Russia and the US.
Several issues like the situation in the occupied
Palestinian territory and Blair's work in that regard were
discussed, the world body said.
However, both Ban and Blair recognised the progress that
had been made in improving the situation on the ground in West
Asia region but stressed that more work still needed to be
done.
The UN chief also met with the Presidents of Finland,
Burkina Faso, Paraguay, Austria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon,
Marshall Islands, Cape Verde and Slovenia. PTI DS
RRD
