Modi meets UN Secretary General

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met newly elected UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday on the sidelines of a multilateral business and economic event here.

"Stressing multilateralism to address global challenges such as terrorism. PM @narendra receives UNSG @antonioguterres in St. Petersburg," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted.

A former Prime Minister of Portugal, Guterres assumed office at the UN headquarters at the beginning of this year.

Prior to his meeting with Guterres, Modi met Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern.

Earlier on Friday, Modi attended for the first time the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an annual business and economic event hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He also attended a collective meeting of Governors of 16 regions of Russia.

During the course of the day, Chairman of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Tigran Sargasyan called on Modi in view of India's decision to start discussions with EAEU to have a free trade agreement.

The Indian Prime Minister arrived here on Wednesday on the third leg of his six-day, four-nation tour of Europe.

From Russia, he will leave for France later on Friday on the fourth and final leg of the tour. Prior to Russia, he visited Germany and Spain.

--IANS

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