Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon held wide-ranging discussions with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the UN headquarters in New York during which he emphasised New Delhi's concerns on proposals to reform the UN Secretariat.
After the half-an-hour meeting Monday evening, Menon said that they discussed the reform proposals in UN but did not elaborate. Asked about Ban's reaction, he said, "Let's see what comes out".
Though Menon did not go into the details, India is especially concerned about the proposal to bifurcate the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. New Delhi has repeatedly made it clear that Ban must ensure that there is no breakdown of the command structure which adversely impacts on the peacekeepers on the ground. India had third largest number of peacekeepers.
Ban had proposed that the Department be bifurcated into operations and support with each headed by an Under-Secretary General. But India along with other troop contributors had expressed the concern it could lead to delays in peacekeepers getting vital support fighting equipment at crucial time.
Menon said this was his first meeting with Ban and they had spent time getting acquainted with each other. He was accompanied by Indian Ambassador to the UN Nirupam Sen during the discussions.
Photograph: Mohammed Jaffer/SnapsIndia
