PM may cite Delhi blast in UN speech

Singh will not meet Obama

Singh, who is leaving for Ne­w York on Wednesday, is likely to address the UNGA on September 24 next. He is likely to refer to the recent bomb blast at the entrance of the Delhi High Court to remind the wo­rld community about the “constant threat posed by terrorism to the security of democratic societies and wellbeing of its citizens”. In a subtle message to Pakistan, he is expected to stress on “compliance by all st­ates of their obligations under different UN Resolutions and mechanisms on counterterrorism”.

Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai told journalists here that the prime minister would have bilateral meetings with leaders of several other countries on the sidelines of the UNGA, but he was unlikely to catch up with the US President. Obama is likely to leave New York at the end of his three-day-tour on Wednesday, a day before Singh arrives in the city.

Singh will attend the UNGA meet after a gap of three years. The prime minister had last attended the annual event in September 2008, when he had a bilateral meeting with the then US President George Bush.

Though speculation was rife about a meeting between Si­ngh and his Pakistani counterpart Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, the latter called off his visit to New York, purportedly beca­use the US turned down a requ­est for a meet between him and Obama. Islamabad, however, said that Gilani cancelled his visit to New York in view of the large-scale devastation caused by rain and flood in Sindh pr­o­vince of Pakistan. External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, also travell­ing to New York, may have a brief chat with his Pakis­tani counterpart Rabbani Khar.

India to support Palestine’s UN bid

New Delhi, dhns: India on Saturday said it would support Palestine’s bid to get membership of the UN as a State during the 66th session of the international organisation’s general assembly in New York. New Delhi reiterated its support to Palestine’s bid to get UN membership even as Washington made it clear that the US would veto any such resolution in the Security Council. “While we remain hopeful (that) the talks and negotiations will lead to peaceful process of final resolution of the Middle East conflict, India will support the resolution of Palestine seeking membership of the UN,” Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai told journalists during a briefing on the PM’s visit to New York.