By Lalit K. Jha, IANS,
United Nations : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday refrained from commenting on US president-elect Barack Obama’s election campaign statements about hot pursuit of terrorists inside Pakistan.
“I would refrain from making any positions on the part of the United Nations on any specific issues involving the questions that you have raised,” Ban told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York when specifically asked about the world body’s position on Obama’s statements.
During his campaign Obama said if the US had any actionable intelligence on the presence of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden inside Pakistan, his administration would go ahead and strike out such places inside Pakistani territories with or without Pakistani consent.
The UN secretary general hoped that the president-elect would engage various leaders of the world and also parties to the conflicts and problems.
“I am sure that will help in accelerating and making progress in the resolution of the issues. That is what I hope,” Ban said.
Referring to the statements made by Obama during his election campaign, Ban said: “I understand that he values highly the resolution of all conflict issues through dialogue.”
The president-elect has expressed publicly that he is willing to meet anybody, any country – so that will provide a good opportunity for not only the US but the UN as a whole to resolve all the issues through dialogue.
“I also expect that the United States will take a more active participation in all United Nations organizations and activities,” Ban said.