India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Asoke Kumar Mukerji, on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the issue of terrorism in his speech at the UNGA because the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had on September 24 adopted a resolution on terrorism, focusing on foreign terrorist fighters.
"The issue of terrorism has always been a highlight for India but this year it has become even more important because on the 24th of September, that is three days ago, the UNSC adopted a resolution on terrorism, focusing on foreign terrorist fighters. Now with our own experience of having foreign terrorist fighters in the 26/11 Mumbai attack, for us this resolution is very important and we have supported it," said Mukerji.
"And if you look at that resolution, you will see that the obligations through international law of the United Nations for countries to cooperate, to prosecute and to prevent the abuse of infrastructure for terrorism is now in black and white," he added.
Talking about Prime Minister Modi's first address at the UNGA, Mukerji said it was a very broad ranging speech which has brought together the main strands of India's policy in the United Nations and the multilateral world.
Mukerji further said that the Prime Minister's announcement of an initiative to have an International Day of Yoga declared by the United Nations fits into the holistic approach that India has been advocating.
"In terms of our objective, the most emphasis has been placed on the 2015 Summit of the United Nations next year to mark the 70th anniversary and the Prime Minister has again reiterated India's desire that the reform of the United Nations Security Council to make India a permanent member of the new Security Council should be completed by next year," he added.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York in Hindi earlier, Prime Minister Modi raised the issue of terrorism and said no country in the world was today safe from it.
He condemned the use of terms such as 'good terrorism' and 'bad terrorism', and said some countries were still harbouring terrorists and using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.
Prime Minister Modi emphasized the need for an early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on Global Terrorism, saying it is a matter that has been pending for long.
The Prime Minister said his government has given priority to friendship and cooperation with neighbours, and has the same policy towards Pakistan, adding that it is up to Islamabad to create an appropriate atmosphere for talks.
