Ban Ki-Moon Hopes Narendra Modi Would Attend Key UN Climate Summit
UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend the General Assembly and particularly participate in a key climate change summit, an area he said India can make important contributions.
Ban's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters here that he is aware of reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Modi will not be attending the Secretary General's climate change summit on September 23 during the upcoming 69th UN General Assembly session that begins this month.
"I think the important issue for us is really on the commitments that countries will bring. And the Secretary- General expects every Member State to come with strong and bold commitments on climate change," Dujarric said.
Modi is expected to reach New York on September 26 and will address the UN General Assembly the next day, giving his first global speech to an audience of nearly 200 world leaders and foreign ministers at the annual gathering of the world body's policymaking organ. After a grand community reception at the Madison Square Garden on September 28, Modi will head to Washington for his crucial bilateral meeting with President Barack Obama.
Dujarric had said in May that Ban expressed "hope" that Modi would attend the General Assembly and particularly participate in the climate change summit, an area he said India can make important contributions. Dujarric had said that India has a big role to play on the issue of climate change and it has very important contributions to make.
