EAM Jaishankar hosts meetings on UNSC reform, Pacific outreach

United Nations, Sept 25 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar continued his diplomacy among the top officials gathered here for the high-level session, convening meetings on Security Council reform, and outreach to the Pacific.

He also met individually with at least foreign ministers to take stock of bilateral ties and build on them.

To further Security Council reforms, a priority for India, Jaishankar hosted the second edition of L.69 and C10 Joint Ministerial meeting on Wednesday (local time).

"We gather with a unity of purpose -- to push for comprehensive reforms of the UN Security Council as fellow members of the Global South," he said.

The C-10 is a committee of ten prominent members of the African Union, including Egypt, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, while the L.69 is a 42-member group of the Global South that works for Security Council reform.

After hosting the meeting of the 13-member Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) meeting, he said on X that he was glad the 12-point action plan announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023 at the group's summit in Papua New Guinea "is progressing well".

"India and Pacific Island countries are development partners. Our agenda is people-centric and focused on health, technology, capacity building and training," he said of the 12-Point Plan.

Meeting Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, Jaishankar said he "reaffirmed support for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Cyprus Question in accordance with the agreed UN framework and the relevant UNSC resolutions".

Turkey invaded a part of Cyprus in 1974, and, defying Security Council resolutions, continues to occupy it.

Kombos said on X, "Grateful for India's long-standing principled support on the Cyprus Issue and its upholding of international law."

"Discussion focused on further steps of the Cyprus strategic partnership, pertinent international issues, and the priorities of the upcoming Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU (European Union)," he added.

During his meeting with Mexico's Foreign Secretary, Juan Ramon de la Fuente, he said, "We agreed to build on our recent exchanges and create a fresh roadmap for strengthening our bilateral ties."

Other foreign ministers Jaishankar met included Denis Moncada of Nicaragua, Frederick Stephenson of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Mauro Vieira of Brazil, Kalani Kaneko of the Marshall Islands, Paulson Panapa of Tuvalu, Gustav Aitaro of Palau, Aisake Valu Eke of Tonga, and Peter Shanel Agovaka of the Solomon Islands.

--IANS

arul/sd/