Indian Prime Minister To Push For Reforms In Address To UN Saturday

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Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to call for changes to the membership of the United Nations Security Council when he addresses UN General Assembly on Saturday. India is one of several countries hoping to gain a permanent seat on the council if changes are made.

Mr. Singh is also pushing for an international convention establishing a global approach to fighting terrorism.

On Friday at the United Nations, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani told Turkey and Iran to stop bombing northern Iraq’s Kurdistan region, where suspected Kurdish rebels are operating.

Mr. Talabani told members of the UN General Assembly, the bombing is victimizing many civilians. He called on Turkey and Iran to use diplomacy and dialogue to ease tensions with Kurdish rebels.

Mr. Talabani also invited other nations to invest in Iraq, saying the country is restoring its strength after decades of internal and external war, and international sanctions. He said Iraq is working on legislation to protect investors and their capital.

The debate at the U.N. General Assembly continues through Friday of next week.

On Thursday, in one of the most controversial of the speeches, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad harshly criticized the United States, Israel and the West, accusing them of provoking wars, causing worldwide recession, and spreading “totalitarianism.”

His statements provoked a walkout by delegations from the United States, France and more than two dozen other nations. The speech came after several hundred protesters rallied outside the United Nations, voicing their displeasure at Mr. Ahmadinejad’s presence at the General Assembly.

VOA

The VOA is the Voice of America

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