North Korea nuclear threat clouds UNGA meet

A US B-1B bomber (right) flies over Osan airbase with a South Korean Air Force jet in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, on Tuesday. The US flew nuclear-capable supersonic bombers over ally South Korea in a show of force meant to cow North Korea after its fifth nuclear test. (Photo: AP)

The 71st session of the UN General Assembly was set to begin here on Tuesday, setting the stage for the annual high-level gathering of global leaders amid North Korea’s growing nuclear threat, unprecedented refugee crisis and greater push to ratify the Paris Climate deal.

The session will be the last for Barack Obama as the US President and opens less than two months before America goes to polls to elect its next commander-in-chief.

The 71st session is also the final one for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon with his 10-year tenure ending on December 31.

Heads of state and government and foreign ministers from 193 nations will descend at the world body’s headquarters here next week to participate in the high-level General debate, which opens on September 20, to highlight their national priorities and global concerns.

Mr Obama will give his last address to the General Assembly as United States President on September 20.

India will be represented by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who will address world leaders from the iconic green lectern of the UN General Assembly hall on September 26.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given his maiden address as India’s leader in the General Assembly in 2014 and last year he had attended the Sustainable Development Summit when the ambitious 2030 global agenda was adopted by world leaders.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will address the General Debate on September 21 and Islamabad has made it clear that he will raise the issue of Kashmir at the multilateral platform.

Last year, Mr Sharif had proposed a four-point “peace initiative” on Kashmir.

In a strong response, Ms Swaraj, in her address had said India does not need four points but just one that Pakistan should “give up terrorism and let us sit down and talk”.

The 71st session is also expected to help efforts to secure early entry into force of the Paris Climate Change agreement.

US and China, the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases, formally joined the Paris climate accord earlier this, submitting their signed documents to Ban Ki-Moon in Hangzhou, China.

Given that the session will be the last for Mr Ban as UN Secretary-General, he will hold a special event on September 21 for all world leaders.