Modi, Joe Biden to discuss
ways to fight ‘common enemy
terrorism’; says US official

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By Reena Bhardwaj

WASHINGTON: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden will have the opportunity to talk about the broader threat of terrorism and situation in Afghanistan, said a senior Biden administration official, adding that they will discuss ways to work together to fight a common enemy of terrorism.
Prime Minister Modi and Biden will hold the first in-person bilateral meet on September 24 in the US. The meeting will take place before the first-in-person Quad Leaders meeting. In a briefing, the official said: “This will be the first in-person meeting [of President Biden] with Prime Minister Modi on Friday, and it will be an opportunity to really go from strength to strength from the point of view of our global partnership with India, by working together to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific and our two countries were both vital in the global fight against COVID-19. And by taking conservative actions to address the climate crisis.”
The official said that the discussion between Biden and PM Modi will give momentum to the Quad discussion.

President Joe Biden

“In the bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi, the two leaders will have the opportunity to talk about the broader threat of counterterrorism, and the situation in Afghanistan and how we can work together to fight, a common enemy of terrorism, as well as to talk about a range of issues that development will have the opportunity to compare notes,” the official said.
The official also sketched out how President Biden will use his speech at the United Nations on Tuesday to stress that ending the military engagement in Afghanistan will open a new chapter of “intensive diplomacy.”
President Biden will leave the White House on Monday afternoon to travel to New York. Biden is to meet U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres late on Monday afternoon, give his first speech as president to the U.N. General Assembly at mid-morning on Tuesday, meet Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison afterward in New York, then return to Washington to meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
“The president will essentially drive home the message that ending the war in Afghanistan closed a chapter focused on war and opens a chapter focused on … purposeful, effective, intensive American diplomacy,” the official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to the United States this week to attend the first in-person Quad Leaders Summit and address the UN general debate.
He will also have a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden. This will be PM Modi’s second visit abroad since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. His first such visit was to Bangladesh earlier this year.
During the significant visit to the US, PM Modi would on September 24 participate in the Leaders’ Summit of the Quadrilateral Framework in Washington along with his US, Japanese and Australian counterparts.
The bilateral meeting with the US President is also scheduled for the day. This is PM Modi’s first visit to the US since Joe Biden became the President.

A file picture shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Left) and US President Joe Biden (Right) meeting at a White House luncheon in 2014

PM Modi’s speech awaited: says Tirumurti

India’s Permanent Representative to United Nations TS Tirumurti on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is one of the most awaited among the world leaders on September 25.
In an exclusive interview with ANI about the possible agendas to be discussed by PM Modi at UNGA, he said, “PM Modi’s speech is one of the most awaited among the world leaders. He has always addressed some of the core issues confronting the world, and those of importance and concern to us in India, including some of our achievements on the domestic front.” “As you know Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the General Debate of the high-level segment of the 76th session of UNGA on September 25th morning. The theme for this year’s General Debate is “Building resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, Rebuild sustainably, Respond to the needs of the planet, Respect the rights of the people and Revitalize the United Nations,” added the Indian envoy.
The 76th session of UNGA commenced on September 14 and the high-level meet will be starting tomorrow.
This is far from normal UNGA sessions as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to cast a shadow on this important annual gathering of world leaders.
As per Tirumurti, “There is a slight improvement in the pandemic situation in the US and also the vaccination measures which has been undertaken. This has allowed the UN to organise the 76th UNGA in a hybrid format.”
He said that apart from the COVID-19 pandemic, its humanitarian impact, other issues may dominate the 76th UNGA like the global economic slowdown, and financing for development, terrorism and related issues, climate change, ongoing conflicts going internationally, recent developments in Afghanistan, UNSC reform etc.
Talking about the importance of India addressing the UNGA at this crucial juncture, Tirumurti said, “There is an expectation that India as a leading voice for developing world as well as the member of Security Council will use its voice to take up global issues such as climate change, Sustainable Development Goals, equitable and affordable access to vaccines, poverty eradication and economic recovery, women’s empowerment and their participation in government structures, combating terrorism, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, UNSC reforms etc.
Tirumurti further reiterated that India has done so before and we will continue to do so in future.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to the United States this week to attend the first in-person Quad Leaders Summit and address the UN general debate.
He will also have a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden. This will be PM Modi’s second visit abroad since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. His first such visit was to Bangladesh earlier this year. (ANI)