National
India can take UNSC permanent membership sans veto power: Finland
By Aroonim Bhuyan
New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS) One way for India, along with Japan, Germany and Brazil, to get permanent membership of the UN Security Council is to take this without assuming the veto power, Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini said here on Thursday.
Soini, who also visited Myanmar before arriving here on Wednesday on a four-day visit, described the Rohingya refugees issue in that country as “worrisome” but stressed that the dialogue process with the Myanmarese leadership should continue.
“The P5 (the five permanent members US, Britain, France, Russia and China) are not going to give up their veto right and they are not going to give the veto right to any newcomer,” he said during an interview with IANS.
The G4, comprising India, Japan, Germany and Brazil, have been demanding permanent membership in the UNSC given the changing global scenario.
“One solution could be that Japan, India, Germany and Brazil could become permanent members in the Security Council without taking veto power because the world is very different from when this P5 system was created after the Second World War,” Soini said.
“Some of the bigger countries (today) are more influential than some of those who are there on a permanent basis.”
Soini also said that Finland has “no problem” with India getting membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
China has been blocking India’s membership in the NSG on the ground that for a country to become a member of the 48-nation bloc, it should be a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Regarding the Rohingya refugee crisis, he said that he spoke to Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and expressed his worries over the violence behind it, access to humanitarian aid, and also the safe return of the refugees to their homes.
More than 600,000 Rohingyas have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh since violence erupted in Myanmar’s Rakhine state late in August.
The minority Rohingya community does not enjoy citizenship in Myanmar and are sparingly given refugee status in Bangladesh.
Human rights monitors accused Myanmar’s military of atrocities against the minority population during its clearance operations following Rohingya militants’ August 25 attacks on multiple government posts.
On Thursday, however, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali and Minister for the Office of the State Counsellor of Myanmar Kyaw Tint Swe signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Nay Pyi Taw for the return of these refugees.
Soini said that a situation should not arise where the Rohingyas live in Bangladesh as refugees forever.
“We should remember that Aung San Suu Kyi is still not the supreme actor with the military still in charge and there are constitutional restrictions,” he said. “But we shouldn’t isolate Myanmar. We should have dialogue.”
Asked about India’s approach that the issue should be handled in a humane manner, development activities should be initiated in Rakhine state and conditions should be created for the safe and secure return of the refugees to their homes, the Finnish Foreign Minister said that “we deal (with problem) with the same kind of approach” and that New Delhi can play an important role in finding a solution.
Soini said that the Rohingya crisis will be among a number of issues that will come up for discussion when External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will hold a bilateral meeting with him on Friday.
The Finnish Foreign Minister said that India-Finland commercial ties will be an important part in Friday’s because there is “much unfulfilled potential”.
India’s trade with Finland has crossed $1 billion and is in favour of the Nordic country. Finnish companies have invested $419 million in India between April 2000 and July 2017.
Soini listed renewable energy, sanitation, education and information and communication technology (ICT) as among the sectors where there is scope for greater bilateral cooperation.
Here to attend the Fifth Global Conference on Cyber Space, the Finnish Minister is of the view that international rules and agreements are needed to handle cyber issues.
“An international rules-based system is important for cyber issues,” he said.
(Aroonim Bhuyan can be contacted at [email protected])
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.