September 24, 2007	Monday	Ramazan 11, 1428

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 23: Leaders from around the world are meeting at the United Nations from Tuesday in a general debate to consider a 163-item agenda that includes questions of international peace and security, sustainable development, environment and human rights.

They will also debate the development in Africa, humanitarian assistance, justice and international law, disarmament and the fight against drugs, crime and terrorism. It also includes many organisational and administrative matters.

The Pakistan delegation will be led by Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan as President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz are busy with the upcoming elections. He will address the assembly on Friday.

Some 80 leaders, including President George W. Bush, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, will take part in the debate as also a host of foreign ministers.

Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram told reporters that the Pakistani team will play an active role in the Security Council reform process as well as UN management reforms.

Pakistan, he said, also have direct interest in the issues of Afghanistan, the Middle East and Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon.

On Sept 24, there will be a high-level event, organised by the Secretary-General entitled: “The Future in Our Hands: Addressing the Leadership’s Challenge of Climate Change”; and following the general debate, on Oct 4 and 5 the General Assembly will convene a High-level Dialogue on Inter-religious and Intercultural Under-standing and Cooperation for Peace.

In addition, a High-level Dialogue on Financing for Developing will be held on Oct 22 and 23 and a commemorative high-level plenary meeting devoted to the follow-up to the outcome of the 27th special session on children will be convened on Dec 11 and 12.

The president of the General Assembly, Srgjan Kerim, has identified five pillars for the session: climate change, financing for development, management reform, counter-terrorism and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at tackling poverty.

Kerim, a diplomat and economics professor from Macedonia, told reporters that he will press for more debate rather than the usual “series of monologues,” and for action on unresolved issues.

The General Assembly will also continue to consider issues relating to Security Council reform, system-wide coherence, revitalisation of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, sustainable development and HIV.