Alternate FM Droutsas' statements following his meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki- moon
Thursday, February 04, 2010
  

Mr. Droutsas: I just met with the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki-moon. We had a very good discussion. We also had the pleasure of having the SG just a few months ago in Athens. So it was a good continuation of our talks at that time. I also had the pleasure of meeting with the SG few days ago in London, in the framework of the International Conference on Afghanistan. We discussed especially issues of specific Greek interest and concern. The developments in Cyprus, the negotiating process in Cyprus. The SG informed me about his recent visit to the island. We also tackled upon the issue of the name of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and I had the opportunity of outlining again the Greek position and expressing the willingness and the wish of Greece and the Greek government to contribute constructively and positively in the negotiating process for finding a settlement; a solution to the name issue of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

 Besides that, we also had the opportunity to discuss major international issues and developments like the climate change and the Copenhagen Summit. We also discussed the Development Summit that the SG is initiating in the framework of the next General Assembly, where PM George Papandreou will certainly be present and will lend his full support to these activities. We also discussed the issue of piracy in Somalia. Once again it was, as always, a fruitful discussion with the SG and I had the opportunity of expressing our thanks for all his efforts and his commitment, and of course the full support of Greece and the Greek government to all the activities of the UN.

HEADLINES

Statement by H.E Ambassador Anastassis Mitsialis, Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations, to the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly
Monday, February 08, 2010

Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of H.E. the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic Ms. Dora Bakoyannis, who unfortunately could not be in New York today, I would like to address to the General Assembly the following statement.

Allow me first to congratulate the President of this august body, H.E. Dr. Ali Abdussalam Treki. I am confident that your extensive prior experience will serve us well and guide us through the trials we are called upon to address. I would also like to pay tribute to H.E. Mr. Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, for his tireless efforts to promote the work of the General Assembly during the 63rd Session.

I cannot but take pride in addressing the General Assembly of the most important ecumenical institution mankind has ever created, the original idea of which was initially conceived and put into practice by Greeks, twenty-five centuries ago.

Ancient Greek Amphictyony is the precursor and the matrix of the concept of multilateralism, which is the only way to deal effectively with the many and varied challenges faced by the international community. The United Nations is in fact, along with the various regional alliances and organisations, the essential framework for joining forces and collectively confronting our common threats and promoting our common values.

Greece currently has the privilege of being at the helm of one of the most important regional security organizations, the OSCE. Its consensus-based decision-making process, along with its comprehensive approach to security, is a testament to the power of multilateralism. Greece pledged to be an honest broker. To work with every single participating state to realize the common vision for peace, security and development for all 56. The Corfu Process, our common promise to turn the page on European Security within the framework of a structured all-inclusive dialogue, proves once more that where there is a will there is a way. 

6th Plenary Session of the Contact Group on piracy off the coast of Somalia
Friday, June 11, 2010

The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) held its sixth meeting in New York on 10 June 2010, under the Chairmanship of Greece.