Foreign Secretary Shringla, UN chief discuss issues on UNSC's agenda including Ukraine, Afghanistan

United Nations, March 24

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres here and discussed issues on the UN Security Council’s agenda, including evolving situation in Ukraine, Afghanistan and Myanmar.

Shringla arrived in New York on Tuesday and participated in the UN Security Council briefing on cooperation between the UN and the League of Arab States held under the Council Presidency of the UAE on Wednesday. The UNSC briefing was chaired by UAE Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Almarar.

After the UNSC briefing, Shringla met Guterres at the UN headquarters.

“Foreign Secretary @harshvshringla met UN Secretary General @antonioguterres at the UNHQs, New York. Discussed issues on the UN Security Council’s agenda, including Ukraine, Afghanistan and Myanmar,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

Sources said that Shringla’s meeting with Guterres lasted for about an hour and the two discussed the situation in Ukraine.

It is understood that Guterres said that a country like India has a very major role to play given that India is one of the few countries that commanded respect across the board and was able to reach out to both the sides over the current situation, which needs countries and leaders who can play a role in helping resolve the issue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held several phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and called for immediate cessation of violence as well as concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue.

Last week, Guterres had said that he was in close contact with a number of countries, including China, France, Germany, India, Israel and Turkey, on mediation efforts to “bring an end to this war”.