Sushma Swaraj to address UN General Assembly today

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will address the 72ndsession of United Nations General Assembly today evening in New York.

Ms Swaraj is expected to raise issues like the global fight against terrorism, climate change, and Security Council reform in the General Assembly.

Syed Akbaruuddin, India's Permanent Representative to the UN told PTI that issues of climate change, terrorism, people-centric migration, and peacekeeping are key focus areas for India this year.

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This will be the second consecutive address of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the United Nations General Assembly. Last year, the external affairs minister gave her speechin Hindi.

The Union Minister met with the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in New York on Friday where the two leaders discussed bilateral issues along withthe ongoing instability in South Asia because of terrorism.

Spokesperson of India's Foreign Ministry, Ravish Kumar stated that the two leaders discussed issues of trade, investment, defence, H-1B visa and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) during the meeting.

The H-1B visa has been a bone of contention between India and United States since US President Donald Trump ordered a review of it.

After he became president, Trump ordered a review of the US visa, believing that most of the jobs were taken away from Americans and were given to less-paid employees at outsourcing firms, many based in India.

Also Read: H-1B visa, defence feature in talks between Sushma Swaraj, US counterpart Tillerson

On the sidelines of the UN General Meeting, Sushma Swaraj also attended a meeting of foreign ministers from Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) nations.

In her address at the SCO meeting, the external affairs minister raised the issue of the consistent rise in the instability and insecurity in South Asia. She added that regional prosperity, connectivity and cooperation can take place only in a peaceful atmosphere.

Condemning all forms of terrorism in the meeting, Ms Swaraj stressed upon improving India's connectivity with SCO countries and the need for building trust between the nations.

The Union Minister also met with her counterparts from Tunisia, Bahrain, Latvia, the UAE, and Denmark. According to the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, the main discussion in the meeting was focused largely on bilateral cooperation.

Sushma Swaraj is on a week-long visit to the United States for United Nations General Assembly session.

A day before her address, India's First Secretary to the United Nations, Eenam Gambhir, called Pakistan "Terroristan".

Her remarks were in response to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi claims saying India violates Human Rights in areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

She hit back at Abbasi's slur on India by describing Pakistan as a failed state. She said, "world does not need lessons on democracy and human rights from a country whose own situation is charitably described as a failed state."

Also Read:India replies to Pakistan at UN, calls it 'Terroristan'