Putin to attend UNSC debate chaired by PM Modi!

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin, Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix- Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, who is also president of the African Union, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken are among several heads of states and governments and world leaders who are expected to attend the UN Security Council high-level debate on Maritime Security that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair on Monday.

UN diplomats familiar with the organisation of the meeting said confirmations are still coming in and the list of those likely to participate in the debate could grow.

The meeting on Monday will be the first UN Security Council debate to be chaired by an Indian prime minister, though this is the eighth time that India has the rotational presidency of the top world body as a non-permanent member. Modi will chair the debate virtually in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Maritime Security debate is the first of three signature events India is holding as Security Council chair for the month of August. The other two are debates on UN Peacekeeping, to which India has been a generous and steadfast contributor, and counter-terrorism, which is a subject India has championed at the world body for decades as a leading victim, especially from state-sponsored groups and individuals across its western border. External affairs minister S Jaishankar will chair the other two, and in person at the UN headquarters in New York City.

President Putin's participation was noted as a significant gesture as he rarely attends such debates; the last one, people familiar with the matter, said was possibly 15 years ago.

DRC's President Tshisekedi is participating in the debate as a briefer on behalf of the African Union, 54 of whose members are part of the 55-member African Group, which is the largest group of geographically categorised groups that UN members are divided into. Prime Minister of St Vincent and Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves was confirmed as a participant as well, but has pulled out for health reasons and will be represented by his son, who is a member of the cabinet.

Meanwhile, India's presidency of the UNSC faced its first pushback and from expected quarters. Pakistan has reacted strongly to the UNSC's rejection of its formal request to attend the Friday briefing by the UN Assistance Mission on Afghanistan (UNMA) on the evolving security situation in the country as US-led international forces end their 20-year presence.

'It is a matter of deep regret that, as the closest neighbour of Afghanistan, whose contribution in the ongoing peace process has been recognised by the international community, Pakistan's request to the President of the Security Council to address the Council's session and present its perspective on the Afghan peace process and the way forward was not acceded to,' Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement Saturday.

Pakistan had indeed made a formal request, but people familiar with the matter said, 'it was turned down because, one, neighbours do not automatically qualify to attend or address under rules, as are affected countries — Afghanistan attended. And, two, where do you stop if all neighbours make the same request, to attend.'

Some of Afghanistan's other neighbouring countries had indeed expressed the desire to attend and address the meeting, but they were politely turned down as well, citing the same reason.

Pakistan took aim in the comment at the president of the council, which for the month of August is India. But, the people cited earlier insisted, the decision to keep out neighbours was taken collectively by the UN Security Council as a body.