UNITED NATIONS, Aug 23: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to pay a visit to Tehran at the month-end to participate in the Non-Aligned Movement summit.
The spokesperson for the UN chief had a meeting with reporters yesterday where he discussed details of Mr Ban’s visit to Tehran for the 16th summit of the NAM in which India, a leading member of the movement, is also taking part.
The Secretary-General looks forward to the summit as an opportunity to work with the participating heads of state and government, including the host country, towards solutions on issues that are central to the global agenda including follow-up to the Rio-20 Conference on sustainable development, disarmament, conflict prevention and support for countries in Transition,the spokesperson said.
The NAM summit will be held on August 26-31, and is expected to draw representatives from its 120 members, as well as from various associated observer countries.
There have been news reports of calls—from Israel and the US—for Mr Ban to boycott the meeting.
The spokesperson said the UN chief takes seriously his responsibility and that of the UN to pursue diplomatic engagement with all of the world body’s member states, in the interest of peacefully addressing vital matters of peace and security.
With respect to the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Secretary-General will use the opportunity to convey the clear concerns and expectations of the international community on the issues for which cooperation and progress are urgent for both regional stability and the welfare of the Iranian people,the spokesperson said. These include Iran’s nuclear programme, terrorism, human rights and the crisis in Syria.
The spokesperson said the UN chief was dismayed by recent remarks threatening Israel’s existence attributed to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and condemned the comments, which he described as offensive and inflammatory.
(UNI)
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