Swaraj hold talks with Bhutanese PM, Tunisian counterpart

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held bilateral meetings with Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and her Tunisian counterpart Khemaies Jhinaoui in New York on Monday.

"Such a pleasure meeting H.E @SushmaSwaraj ji, External Affairs Minister of India. We discussed wide range of bilateral cooperation," Bhutan Prime Minister Tobgay said in a tweeted.

EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets with Bhutanese PM @tsheringtobgay in New York," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

"#EAM@UNGA. Starting the business of bilateral with an African friend. EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets the Tunisian FM Khemaies Jhinaoui," Kumar said in another tweet.

Earlier, Swaraj held a ministerial trilateral meeting with the United States Secretary of State, Rex W. Tillerson, and Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Taro Kono on Monday and discussed connectivity and proliferation issues.

In the meeting, the leaders of three nations exchanged views on maritime security, connectivity and proliferation issues.

The ministers emphasised on the need for ensuring freedom of navigation, respect for international law and peaceful resolution of disputes.

They also discussed on connectivity initiatives, the importance of basing them on universally-recognised international norms, prudent financing and respect for sovereignity and territorial integrity was underlined.

On the North Korean nuclear crisis, Sushma Swaraj deplored their recent actions and stated that its proliferation linkages must be explored and those involved be held accountable.

The three ministers also directed their senior officials to explore practical steps to enhance cooperation.

Swaraj will be taking part in a meeting, chaired by Trump, to discuss terrorism, on the sidelines of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly.

India will be supporting broad reform initiatives by Trump and Secretary General of United Nations aiming to increase efficiency, transparency, greater accountability, effectiveness and economise.

The initiatives are related to overall reforms of the UN, including the Security Council reforms, which India has been asking for long time to strengthen objective of the UN Charter.

Swaraj, will also take up the issues of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, reforms in the UN, climate change, and other peace-keeping issues in the United Nation General Assembly.

The Indian foreign minister arrived in New York on Sunday for seven days of back-to-back engagements centring around the UN General Assembly, including her first meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Conclusively, Sushma Swaraj is set to have several bilateral meetings and multilateral commitments, apart from speaking at the UN general debate on September 23.