Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:Namashkar, Good Evening. Thank you all for coming to this briefing on India’s participation at the UNGA. Today was another hectic day of engagements for India. EAM had a series
of meetings, in total she had 9 different engagements, from bilateral meetings to multilateral meetings. To give you a flavor of what she did throughout the day, EAM called on the Prime Minister of the Mauritius and she had meetings with Foreign Ministers
of Mexico, Norway and Belgium. In addition to these meetings EAM chaired the India-CARICOM meeting, she delivered her address on NAM Ministerial meeting on Palestine and also spoke on the Leadership Summit on environment pact which was presided by the President
of France. In the end she also attended the Secretary General’s meeting with select leaders on Climate Change, later this evening she is also going to attend a reception which is hosted for Commonwealth Heads of Governments by the Prime Minister of UK.
I will not specifically get into the details of what transpired at each of these meetings. I have been tweeting and I have also shared her speeches which she has delivered at all the important engagements but I would just touch upon the highlights of what happened
today during these interactions.
In the NAM Minister’s meeting on Palestine we reiterated our commitment to the cause of Palestine and our solidarity with the Palestinian people. In the India-CARICOM meeting which was the third such meeting to be held we announced an emergency aid of USD 200000
to countries which are effected by recent hurricanes in this region.
At the Leadership Summit on Environment Pact which was presided by the President of France, we have said that India has been at the forefront of debate on environment and development. We have also mentioned that India and France are working together on International
Solar Alliance.
At the SG’s meeting on Climate Change we have said that India is willing to work above and beyond the Paris Agreement. As far as bilateral meetings go focus again was on bilateral issues with these countries. There were some discussions on the possibilities
of high level visit from Belgium to India later this year. So this was the overall agenda of the EAM on the second day of the UNGA and also on the sidelines of the UNGA session here in New York. Thank You.
Aaj Videsh Mantri Ji ke engagement ka doosra din tha aur yah ek bahut hi vyast din tha. Sankshepmeinbataoon to unkeaajkulmilaakar 9 alag-alag engagement aur dwipaksheeyvaartayein thi. Videsh Mantri Ji ne Mauritius ke Pradhan Mantri se mulaqaat ki aur jahantakdwipaksheeymulaakaat
ki baat hai to unki Mexico, Norway aur Belgium ke Videsh Mantriyon ke saath bhi baat-cheethui. Iske alaawaa unhone India-CARICOM meeting ki adhyankshata ki. Unhone NAM Ministerial Meeting on Palestine johuiusmein bhi wo sammilithuin aur uskealaawaa do aur
meeting thi jinmeinunkabhaashan hua. Pehli meeting thi Leadership Summit on Environmental Pact presided by President of France aur doosari thi Secretary General’s meeting jo chuninda leaders ke saath Climate Change ke mudde par hui thi.
Aaj sham ko Commonwealth Heads of Government ke liyeaayojit ho rahe ek reception jisko UK ke Pradhan Mantri host kar rahe hain, usmeinsammilit hone jaayengi.
Question:Climate Change meeting kya khaasbaateinhuin?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:Jaisa maine tweet bhi kiyaa hai ki humnekahaa hai ki hum Paris Agreement se above aur beyond jaane ki koshish karenge. Humneapnipratibaddhata bhi jataai hai ki hum ki hum climate
change ke muddeko seriously lete hain aur jo environment aur development ki debate hain usmein hum sabseaageykhade hain.
Question:EAM ka Solar Alliance par kaafi focus hai, Bhaaratmeinuska head quarter banane ko lekar bhi baat ho rahi hai, uskolekarbaithakmein kya charchaahui?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:Jaisa mainekaha ki jo Environment Pact uspar Videsh Mantri nekhudkaha ki Bhaarat aur France is par saathmilkarkaam kar rahe hain aur hum chaahate hain ki ismein aur desh bhi shareek
ho aur iskosafalbanaanemeinhamaarimadadkarein.
Question:President Trump ki speech par Bhaarat ka koi reaction?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:Nahi, normally aapkopataa hai ki jodoosare countries aur leaders ka bhaashan hota hai UNGA mein us par hum koi tippaninahikarte.
Question:Was the EAM present at the UNGA during President Trump’s speech?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:I think she was around but if you understand how these meetings happen, there are several meetings both bilateral and multilateral, which are happening at the sidelines so it is
not possible to be present in such meetings throughout but she was at the UN Headquarters during that time.
As I mentioned there will always be the conflict, the idea is to maximize the participation of the Foreign Minister at such events, maximize her meetings with as many leaders as possible and that is what we are trying to do.
Question:Could you brief a little about what happened in the meeting with Mauritius Prime Minister because that is a country we have a close relationship with?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:Again the focus was on bilateral cooperation. As you are aware that India and Mauritius go a long way, there are civilizational land historical linkages and there is a lot that
is happening on the developmental partnership front as well. So discussions basically were based on the bilateral issues in India and Mauritius.
Question:I know you would not comment on a specific speech but just wanted to understand that there has been conversation about the US in particular and that was reflected in the speech about moving away from multilateral
forums. Given our particular thrust on climate change, is there any concern in New Delhi in terms of shift away from multilateralism that is being signaled by the US?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:You are talking about specific topic or in broader terms?
Question Contd.:Climate change in particular but broadly President Trump’s speech today was a lot on sovereignty and individual country. Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:As I mentioned to you that I would not like
to comment on what President spoke at the UNGA. We have expressed our commitment to the cause of climate change and it was reiterated in two meetings which EAM had this afternoon.
Question Contd.:One clarification I wanted, from yesterday’s trilateral between Japan and the US there was a report by the Kyodo News Agency that mentioned that there had been a conversation about setting a joint maritime
infrastructure ports within the region. Could you confirm if such a conversation happened?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:Whatever transpired in that trilateral meeting we have already a press release on that. We had outlined three areas of cooperation and there is nothing further which I have to add
on that.
Thank you very much.
(Concludes)