rediff.com: UNGA chief apprised of Pak designs

India today apprised visiting UN General Assembly president Theo-Ben Gurirab of sustained attempts by Pakistan at aiding and abetting cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country.

Considerable significance is being attached to the visit of Gurirab, who is Namibia's foreign minister, ahead of the UN's Millennium Summit in New York next month.

The scourge of international terrorism is among the issues to be highlighted at the UN meet by the Indian delegation, which will be led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Gurirab and Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh discussed the broad regional situation, issues before the upcoming UN summit and peacekeeping operations, a foreign office spokesman told reporters in New Delhi.

While referring to the situation in Sierra Leone, Gurirab informed that the UNAMSIL mandate would be reviewed in September after the UN secretary general submits his report on the issue to the world body.

The UNGA chief commended India for its generous peacekeeping contribution in Sierra Leone. Gurirab expressed his outrage over Indian peacekeepers being held hostage for several weeks by rebels of the Revolutionary United Front.

He said as a result of the UN operation to free the Indian soldiers, peacekeepers would be better prepared and the UN would be able to discharge its obligations better than before.

The two leaders discussed the issue of restructuring of the Security Council. India has been insisting on getting a permanent seat in any expansion of the Security Council.

Singh said India was committed to the peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone and made it clear that the country does not harbour any strategic objectives in Africa apart from consolidating bilateral ties with African countries.

He will also visit the training centre for UN peacekeeping operations and deliver a brief talk on UN peacekeeping at the United Service Institution of India.


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