20:17 (IST)
Iraq's deputy prime minister speaking at the moment
Walid Al_Moualem, Iraqi deputy prime minister, is currently addressing the UNGA. Sushma Swaraj is slated to speak next, according to the UN schedule.
Sushma Swaraj at UNGA LIVE: External affairs minister to speak shortly, likely to discuss terrorism, climate change
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Prime minister of Papua New Guinea currently addressing UNGA
Peter Paire O’Neill, Papua New Guinea's prime minister is speaking at the moment.
India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj will address the General Assembly after two more speakers.
19:59 (IST)
Excerpts from India's response to Pakistan at UNGA
Exercising its right to reply after Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi raked up the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly, India's First Secretary to the United Nations Eenam Gambhir on Thursday called Pakistan a "terroristan". Here are excerpts from her statement:
It is extraordinary that the state which protected Osama Bin Laden and sheltered Mullah Omar should have the gumption to play the victim. By now, all Pakistan's neighbours are painfully familiar with these tactics to create a narrative based on distortions, deception and deceit.
In its short history, Pakistan has become a geography synonymous with terror. The quest for a land of pure has actually produced "the land of pure terror". Pakistan is now "Terroristan', with a flourishing industry producing and exporting global terrorism. Its current state can be gauged from the fact that Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, a leader of the UN designated terrorist organization Lashkar-i-Taiba, is now sought to be legitimized as a leader of a political party.
In so far as India is concerned, Pakistan must understand that the State of Jammu and Kashmir is and will always remain an integral part of India.
19:48 (IST)
Topics Sushma Swaraj is likely to touch upon
North Korea: North Korea is perhaps the most pressing issue. According to this article in Firstpost, India's North Korea policy has undergone a marked shift recently, even to its own detriment. India has banned all trade with North Korea — except for food and medicine — even though it is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus.
Rohingya refugee crisis: With India constantly trying to guard its borders against huge influx of Rohingya refugees who are trickling in through the porous borders, Swaraj has a tough job at hand if the issue comes up in the General Assembly address. Swaraj will have to tread carefully.
On Pakistan: India has already indicated the tone it will take regarding Pakistan at the UNGA. On Thursday, the Indian statement made in its right of reply to the United Nations said: "In its short history, Pakistan has become a geography synonymous with terror. The quest for a land of pure has actually produced 'the land of pure terror'. Pakistan is now Terroristan." The statement was made by Eenam Gambir, India's First Secretary to the United Nations.
In 2016, Swaraj slammed Pakistan in a powerful speech, calling it a "terrorist haven" and stating that India, despite extending a hand of friendship, only received terrorism in the form of Pathankot, Uri and Bahadur Ali in return.
19:38 (IST)
Sushma Swaraj also met Ivanka Trump earlier
Swaraj on Monday had also met US President Donald Trump's daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly session in New York.
"We had a great discussion on women's entrepreneurship, the upcoming GES 2017 and workforce development in the US and India," Ivanka said in a tweet after the meeting.
India and the US will co-host the GES in Hyderabad from November 28 to 30. The GES is the preeminent annual gathering of emerging entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders from around the world.
Ivanka, 35, took to twitter to express her respect for Swaraj, whom she described as the "charismatic" foreign minister.
PTI
19:21 (IST)
Sushma Swaraj is now slated to be the 8th speaker
At present, the Federated States of Micronesia's vice president Yosiwo George is addressing the UNGA. Swaraj will be speaking after Syria's deputy prime minister Walid Al_Moualem.
19:18 (IST)
Swaraj also met Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina
Sushma Swaraj met the Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
"The meeting with the prime minister of Bangladesh was more in the nature of a courtesy meeting. It was a very short meeting. The issue of Rohingya did not come up during the meeting for discussion," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told reporters at a news conference in New York.
Kumar said that the discussion between Swaraj and Hasina was "purely bilateral".
Bangladesh, which is facing a big influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar, has called on the international community to intervene and put pressure on Myanmar to address the exodus.
PTI
19:12 (IST)
Swaraj has held 27 meeting with foreign counterparts so far
The external affairs minister has had as many as 27 bilateral meetings with her foreign counterparts.
Swaraj attended 12 multilaterals and two trilateral meetings.
PTI
19:06 (IST)
Sushma Swaraj to address UNGA at 8.15 pm
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted that Swaraj will speak at the UN at 8.15 pm (IST) approximately.
The Big Speech! EAM @SushmaSwaraj to address 72nd UN General Assembly session approx. 8.15 PM India time. Live on https://t.co/wWfXa9htpG
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) September 23, 201719:00 (IST)
Sushma Swaraj expected to talk about terrorism, climate change and UNSC's reforms
Swaraj, who arrived in New York last on Sunday, spent a major part of her day on Friday giving final touches to her speech. Among other things, it is expected to include mention of the fight against terrorism, reform of the UN Security Council, climate change and an emerging India's role and responsibilities in the 21st century.
PTI
18:57 (IST)
Morning session of UN General Assembly is currently underway
At the moment, South Sudan's first vice president Taban Deng Gai is addressing the UN. Sushma Swaraj is slated as the seventh speaker of the day.
14:56 (IST)
On Friday, Swaraj had only one bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during which she raised the issue of terrorism and H-1B. They also discussed strengthening of the US-India political and economic partnership.
14:55 (IST)
Swaraj is the 7th speaker in the list
The General Assembly debate would begin at 6.30 pm. Swaraj is listed 7th in the list of speakers. On an average, a speaker addresses the general assembly for 10 minutes, but most of the time leaders take more time than that.
14:54 (IST)
Second UNGA appearance for Swaraj
When Swaraj, 65, takes the podium she would be addressing the UN General Assembly for the second consecutive time. She is expected to deliver her speech in Hindi like the last year.
14:53 (IST)
Sushma Swaraj to speak at UNGA today
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to raise issues like the global fight against terrorism, climate change and the Security Council's reform in her address to the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday night.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to raise issues like the global fight against terrorism, climate change and the Security Council's reform in her address to the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday night.
When Swaraj, 65, takes the podium she would be addressing the UN General Assembly for the second consecutive time.
She is expected to deliver her speech in Hindi like the last year.
Swaraj, who arrived New York last Sunday, spent a major part of her day on Friday giving final touches to her speech. Among other things, it is expected to include mention of the fight against terrorism, reform of the UN Security Council, climate change and an emerging India's role and responsibilities in the 21st century.
On Friday, Swaraj had only one bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during which she raised the issue of terrorism and H-1B.
Sushma Swaraj at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday. AP
They also discussed strengthening of the US-India political and economic partnership.
In all, the external affairs minister has had as many as 27 bilateral meetings with her foreign counterparts.
Swaraj attended 12 multilaterals and two trilateral meetings.
"Our goals are broad. They are global in nature. Some of them are inspirational. There are some of them where we are working for several years and there are some where we hope to have an outcome this year," Syed Akbaruddin, India's Permanent Representative at the UN, told Indian reporters last week.
In addition to the reform of the United Nations, in particular that of the Security Council, Akbaruddin said that issues of climate change, terrorism, people-centric migration and peacekeeping are other key focus areas for India this year.
Indian officials remained tight-lipped on the content of Swaraj’s speech.
While India strongly responded to Pakistan prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's rhetoric on Kashmir in the UN General Assembly, it would not be surprising that Swaraj asserts the government’s position on this issue one more time.
India on Friday ripped into Pakistan, describing it as "terroristan" and a land of "pure terror" that hosts a flourishing industry to produce and export global terrorism.
The General Assembly debate would begin at 6.30 pm. Swaraj is listed 7th in the list of speakers. On an average, a speaker addresses the general assembly for 10 minutes, but most of the time leaders take more time than that.
With inputs from PTI
Published Date: Sep 23, 2017 08:12 pm | Updated Date: Sep 23, 2017 08:17 pm
