Non-state military actors main issue of concern in Modi’s letter to UN

From Yoshita Singh
United Nations

The historic 70th year of the UN must be used to send an “unambiguous message” of “zero tolerance against terrorism”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, citing the threats posed by “non-state military actors”, in a letter to UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

“The United Nations must be made more effective for dealing with the new security challenges. The United Nations was born out of the ashes of the Second World War when conflict was an inter-state phenomenon.

“However, we are now living in an era when non-state military actors are a major factor,” Modi said in a veiled reference to threats posed to India from Pakistan.

He also called for the adoption of a comprehensive convention against international terrorism this year.

The letter dated July 4 was made available by India’s Permanent Mission to the UN during a press briefing here yesterday.

Modi arrives at the world body’s headquarters in about a week to address the high-level Sustainable Development Summit on September 25.

In the letter, Modi said terrorism and violent, intolerant extremism did not exist earlier as a primary threat to nations and societies at large.

“Indeed, with expanded geographical spread, vast resources and new instruments to spread its ideology and draw recruits, the menace of terrorism and extremism has acquired a new dimension that requires a comprehensive global strategy.

“We must use this historic year to jointly send an unambiguous message of zero tolerance against terrorism.

“An important step in this direction would be adopting the Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism at the United Nations this year,” the Indian leader writes in the letter.

Modi said for 70 years the world has remained a “better place” because of the UN but the world has changed dramatically since 1945.

“Threats to peace and security have become more complex, unpredictable and undefined. In many ways, our lives are becoming globalised, but fault-lines around our identities are growing,” he said.

Modi underscores that his purpose in writing the letter to the UN Chief is to “remind ourselves that we need to seize this moment to rethink how the multilateral system can be made more inclusive, more effective and, ultimately, better fit for the purpose it was conceived.”

The 70th anniversary year of the world body is a landmark when member states should ask if the United Nations is adequately equipped to deal with the times they live in. PTI YAS NSA AKJ

“Drawing lessons from the past, including policy failures, and keeping in view today’s global priorities, we must challenge our existing thinking on each of the three fundamental pillars of the United Nations — peace and security, human rights and development,” Modi said.

On peacekeeping operations, Modi said that there is need to examine if the traditional peacekeeping missions of the United Nations are adequately equipped to deal with the new international security environment and the evolving nature of conflicts, especially at a time of continuing resource constraints and the consequent demands placed on the existing machinery.

“We need to review the approach and systems of the UN in this regard. Our exercise will be more productive if we involve the troop contributing countries and give them a greater say in formulating mandates and ensuring that the missions have adequate resources.

“In the long run, peace can only be sustained through an inclusive political dialogue to bring about the peaceful resolution of disputes,” Modi said in the letter.

India is the single largest contributor to UN peacekeeping and so far 180,000 Indian troops have participated in 44 of the 69 operations mandated by the Security Council.

India to focus on number of critical issues at UN session

New York

India will focus on critical issues of Security Council reform, peacekeeping, terrorism, climate change and development agenda at a landmark session of the UN General Assembly here next week, a top Indian official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrives here on September 23, will address the high-level Sustainable Development Summit hosted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on September 25, when the new and ambitious post-2015 development agenda will be adopted.

Slated to be one of the largest ever gatherings at the UN, the Sustainable Development Summit will be attended by more than 150 heads of state and world leaders.

Pope Francis will also address the UN General Assembly on September 25.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Asoke Mukerji told reporters here yesterday that Modi will address the summit on the morning of September 25.

The Prime Minister “has given a lot of attention to the substance of the development agenda. The focus of his speech will be Agenda 2030,” Mukerji said.

Outlining the priorities of India during the 70th session of the General Assembly, Mukerji said India’s focus will be peacekeeping, Security Council reform, terrorism and climate change.

Modi will then head to the West Coast to visit San Francisco on September 26-27 and will return to New York on September 28, when he is expected to have a bilateral meeting with US President Barack Obama, who will be in the city to address the General Debate on its opening day.

On UNSC reform, Mukerji said “we are very upbeat” after the General Assembly endorsed beginning of negotiations on reform of the powerful UN body on the basis of a text.

“We are looking forward to beginning the negotiations when the General Assembly convenes on this agenda item in early November,” he said.

India’s focus will also be to conduct “active outreach” in taking matters forward on the reform process, he added.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will deliver India’s statement in the General Debate in the morning session on October 1.

Modi will also speak at the Second Peacekeeping Summit on September 28 at the world body’s headquarters, that will also be addressed by the UN Secretary-General and Obama.

PTI