The Hindu : India will focus on terrorism at U.N., says Nambiar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 23, 2003

International

International - India & World

India will focus on terrorism at U.N., says Nambiar

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

UNITED NATIONS SEPT. 22. Although India has no dramatic new initiative or proposal at the 58th General Assembly session — the formal two-week debate is set to begin on Tuesday — there would be continued emphasis on issues such as terrorism, reform of the various organs of the world body, implications of the failure of the Cancun meeting and disarmament, according to India's country's Permanent Representative at the U.N., Vijay Nambiar.

Mr. Nambiar was talking to members of the Indian media both accompanying the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and others based in this country on the broad agenda of the next several weeks and months.

On terrorism, he said India would keep the focus on the salience of the continued fight against the scourge.

New Delhi would lay stress on the need for the U.N. to clearly identify those countries that fall short in this area, to push for a complete agreement and consensus of the Convention on Terrorism as well as look at those areas of threats to international peace and security. If an accord on the Convention on

Terrorism was not to come about, some of this would have to do with definitions and exclusions, Mr. Nambiar said.

`Direct request needed'

On Iraq where the United States is seeking a new Security Council resolution, Mr. Nambiar argued that for India's participation the bottom line would have to be a direct request coming from the Iraqis within the context of an overall political process as far as the restoration of Iraqi sovereignty. The request, Mr. Nambiar argued, "must come from Iraq and in the framework of a political process... after which we will consider".

Iraq is expected to be a dominant theme of discussion for the next several days as the U.S. will be stepping up its efforts to get a new resolution from the Security Council.

The U.S. President, George W. Bush, will broach the subject in his opening remarks on Tuesday and in his various bilaterals on September 23 and 24, including the one with Mr. Vajpayee on Wednesday. Washington is keen on countries such as India, Pakistan and Turkey participating in the so-called stabilisation of Iraq by sending peacekeeping troops to that country.

There is a debate in the U.N. on how it should deal with issues and challenges particularly in the context of what took place in Baghdad on August 19 when its headquarters was targeted.

The attack has "affected very deeply the entire self-perception of the relevance of the organisation", especially as it related to, among other things, the quest for a greater degree of efficiency within the framework of legitimacy, Mr. Nambiar pointed out.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

U.N. debating pull out?

Bush to defend Iraq policy at U.N.

PM's pal and `ambassador'

Nepal court orders Sobhraj's detention

India will focus on terrorism at U.N., says Nambiar

PM asks Indian-Americans to speak up on Kashmir

Musharraf's remarks "rubbish'': Sinha