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Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two were martyred in an initial toll of the Israeli drone strike that targeted the al-Asira neighborhood in the city of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli drone strike targeted the al-Asira neighborhood east of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are the greatest resistance. Know that 'Israel' will fall because it embodies aggression, crime, and occupation; victory is truly yours
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: The value of what you are doing despite your wounds is immense, and here you are, treading the path of the Master of Nation's Martyrs and the leaders
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are moving forward with insight deeper than sight itself. The enemy sought to eliminate your role in the battle, yet you remain steadfast and continue the fight
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors one year later: You are healing from your wounds and rising above them. You have successfully passed the test
Palestinian media: Reports of stabbing operation in occupied al-Quds.
Israeli media: Sirens blare in Arava in South, near Ramon Airport.
Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouli: Egypt is targeted in plans to redraw regional map
AEOI Chief Mohammad Eslami: Our presence in IAEA General Council and fact-checking helped in preventing unilateral rhetoric that aims to portray Iran as an unregulated country

Fear of embarrassment drives Sunak to steer clear of UN meeting

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 9 Sep 2023 16:02
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

After the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, conditions entry to the climate ambition summit on September 20 making UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak worried about not getting an invite and feeling embarrassed.

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  • Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leaves 10 Downing Street to go to the House of Commons for his weekly Prime Minister's Questions in London, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
    Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leaves 10 Downing Street to go to the House of Commons for his weekly Prime Minister's Questions in London, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (AP)

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would be the first prime minister in about a decade to steer clear from attending the annual UN General Assembly (GA) to avoid the risk of embarrassment after the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, urged world leaders to attend the climate ambition summit he called for on the sidelines of the GA.

However, Sunak wanted to avoid embarrassment, as Guterres set a condition to which leaders were allowed to attend the climate ambition summit, limiting it to leaders who have implemented policies in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement's goals, and who have real ambition to reduce national emissions, underscoring that merely having net zero targets would not be sufficient to guarantee participation.

According to the Secretary-General, the summit would take place at the New York headquarters on September 20.

Half-measures will not prevent full climate breakdown.

Today I urged the #G20 to demonstrate far more ambition on reducing emissions & supporting climate justice.

We have one planet.

Let’s save it.

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 9, 2023

While Sunak avoided attending, it is expected that the UK Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, and Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden, will likely attend.

“If it is the case that Rishi Sunak has been excluded from global climate discussions, it will confirm what we in the UK already know – that he is a prime minister who is trashing the UK’s reputation of climate leadership, just like he has trashed our nation’s clean power resources,” noted Ed Miliband, the shadow net zero secretary.

“The UK delegation at the UN general assembly high-level week will be led by the deputy prime minister, accompanied by the foreign secretary and others," said a No. 10 spokesperson who then added, “The prime minister is expected to hold discussions with a number of world leaders in the coming weeks, including at the G20 summit in New Delhi and the Cop28 summit in the UAE."

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Sunak will meet with Narendra Modi in Delhi this weekend to discuss a range of issues, including a potential free trade agreement, The Guardian reported on Friday. Sunak is also expected to use the meeting to urge Modi to take a tougher stance against Russia, given that India continues to import Russian oil.

Downing Street said Sunak would "raise the issue of the relationship between Delhi and Moscow" during the meeting.

The UK government is concerned that India's continued imports of Russian oil are helping to fund Russia's efforts in its special military operation in Ukraine, The Guardian stated. 

Modi has been reluctant to condemn Russia's military operation in Ukraine, and he has not imposed sanctions on Russia.

He even said India has a "long-standing relationship" with Russia and that he wants to maintain a neutral stance in the conflict.

It is unclear how receptive Modi will be to Sunak's calling. However, the UK government is hoping that the meeting will help to persuade India to take a more critical stance against Russia.

Read more: Rich countries breach climate promises, increase fossil fuel spending

  • United Nations
  • Rishi Sunak
  • Climate crisis
  • UK
  • Antonio Guterres
  • Climate Summit

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