Sushma covers range of issues from development, UN reform to terrorism, climate change

Highlights of External Affairs Minister Swaraj's address to the United Nations on Saturday:

*World is trapped in a deluge of troubles of which the most dangerous is the relentless rise of violence and terrorism, and the ideas that promote them are spreading.

*Climate change threatens the world and developed countries have to step up to help the developing countries deal with it.

*Nuclear proliferation has re-emerged as a global threat -- a reference to North Korea.

*Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen "the more radical route" of fighting poverty by empowering the poor, ho had been denied opportunities, instead of the traditional method of "incremental levels of aid and hand-holding."

*In an unusual gesture to the Opposition, especially the Congress party, Swaraj acknowledged, "Every government has done its bit for India's development."

*Demonetisation was a courageous decision to challenge one of the by-products of corruption, the "black money" that disappeared from circulation.

*More than 160 countries support text-based negotiations on the reform and expansion of the Security Council and adopting it and continuing with the reform efforts should be a priority.

*Terrorism is the top problem for the UN and the Comprehensive Compact on International Terrorism should be adopted.

*If the Security Council cannot agree on the listing of terrorists, the world can't fight terror. "Stop seeing this evil with self-defeating and indeed meaningless nuance.

*Swaraj lampooned Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's attacks on India as a way to blunt them in the international forum: "He accused India of State-sponsored terrorism, and of violating human rights. Those listening had only one observation: 'Look who's talking'."

*India has offered the hand of friendship and agreed to bilateral dialogue, but "Pakistan is responsible for the aborting that peace process."

*Contrast the flow of history between the two neighbours: National development for the people in India and development of factories of terror export in Pakistan.

*Pakistan's leadership should introspect why the two nations were on different trajectories.

*UN resolutions have been overtaken by history and bilateral negotiations are the only way forward.

--IANS

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