I
congratulate Mr. John Ashe on his election as President
of the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session.
I convey my deep gratitude and appreciation to the
Secretary-General for his work to strengthen the
role and effectiveness of the United Nations, fully
supporting the principles of the Charter of the United
Nations.
I take this opportunity to emphasize my country’s
alignment with the positions of the European Union,
presented by the President of the European Council,
Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, in his address (see
A/68/PV.8).
Greece remains fully committed to the objectives
of the United Nations, whose universal ideals have
never ceased to inspire us. We are deeply committed
to our collective work for sustainable peace, prosperity
and safeguarding human dignity. In that spirit, we lend
our full support to the efforts to reform and strengthen
the Organization in order to meet the challenges of the
twenty-first century.
We welcome the special event on the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) and the High-Level
Political Forum that took place this week and highlighted
the broad themes of international development and
cooperation.
The effective management of migration can have
a positive impact on the countries of origin and of
destination. The High-Level Dialogue on International
Migration and Development to be held on 3 and 4 October
presents an important opportunity to develop a global
agenda for the effective and inclusive management of
migration and to reaffirm the necessary political will.
Greece is committed to participating actively in joint
efforts to that end.
Greece and the other countries of southern Europe
are under great pressure with regard to the issue of illegal
immigration, which weighs heavily on our financial and
administrative capacities. The effective management
of migration represents for our country a key political
option in that it relates directly to safeguarding and
respecting human rights, social cohesion and public
security, and to maintaining the economic stability
of our countries. On the basis of our experience of
recent years, we have reviewed our national action
plan to reform the system of asylum and immigration.
Furthermore, migration and mobility issues will be
among the priorities of the Greek presidency of the
European Council in the first term of 2014.
The promotion of human rights is a priority interest.
Greece will lend its full support to strengthening the
Human Rights Council with a solid mandate. Greece is
determined to contribute actively to the mission of the
Human Rights Council and is presenting its candidature
for the 2017–2019 term. Greece is strongly devoted to
the decisive role of the United Nations in peace and
security. In spite of financial restraints, we remain
firmly committed to peacekeeping operations, to which
we contribute personnel and resources, including to the
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. We support
efforts to prevent conflicts and promote the peaceful
settlement of disputes. Moreover, we attach particular
importance to cooperation between the European
Union and the United Nations in the field of crisis
management, and we welcome the work undertaken to
further strengthen that cooperation.
(spoke in English)
The relaunching of peace negotiations between
Israel and the Palestinian Authority, facilitated by the
United States, provides an important opportunity to
reach a final settlement to this long-standing problem,
to the benefit and stability in the wider region, based
on a two-State solution with a secure Israel and a
sovereign, contiguous and viable Palestine living side
by side. Prime Minister Netanyahu and President
Abbas must be praised for their leadership and courage
to engage in the peace talks. Now is the time to take
bold and concrete steps towards peace.
Greece is very concerned with the ongoing
crisis in Syria, which jeopardizes stability in a very
fragile region. Greece and the European Union have
unequivocally condemned the use of chemical weapons,
and we strongly support the United States-Russian
Federation initiative for the collection and destruction
of Syria’s chemical arsenal. We welcome the diplomatic
breakthrough expected to be achieved by the Security
Council on the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons.
It is our fervent hope that it will be a crucial turning
point in the Syrian crisis, providing vital momentum
towards a “Geneva II”-type process that can take us to
a viable and inclusive political resolution of the Syrian
crisis.
Greece has always been a firm supporter of a
European future for the Balkan region. The process
of European integration means leaving behind old,
divisive mentalities and moving towards an era of close
cooperation, on the basis of shared values and principles.
Demonstrating political courage, Belgrade and Pristina
concluded an historic agreement in April, which is a
major development towards consolidating peace and
stability in the Western Balkans and advancing the
European integration of both sides.
We seek to develop our relations with the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on the basis of the
principles of the Charter of the United Nations and
within the framework of good neighbourly relations.
Greece is committed to the ongoing United Nations-
led negotiation process and to finding a solution on
the issue of a name. We therefore continue our efforts
to reach a mutually acceptable name for all uses, erga
omnes, that will leave no grey areas and allow for a clear
distinction between our neighbouring country and the
region of Macedonia in northern Greece. The solution
of the name issue will enable both Greece and its
neighbour to develop multidimensional and productive
cooperation at the bilateral and regional levels. It will
also contribute to the stability and prosperity of South-
East Europe and boost the country’s Euro-Atlantic
aspirations.
Thirty-nine years after the Turkish military invasion
of the island, the Cyprus problem remains first and
foremost an issue of illegal military occupation of well
over one third of the territory of a Member State of the
United Nations and European Union. A comprehensive
agreed settlement of that major international problem is
a top priority for the foreign policy of Greece. In that
context, Greece greatly values the Secretary-General’s
mission of good offices, in particular his ongoing efforts
to successfully relaunch the intercommunal negotiating
process. We also fully support President Anastasiadis’
renewed constructive package proposal.
We hope that Ankara will decide at long last to
pursue a new policy of normalization of its relations
with the Republic of Cyprus. Such a Turkish policy
would decisively facilitate the relaunching of
intercommunal negotiations on a just and viable
solution to the Cyprus issue within the framework of
the relevant Security Council resolutions, in line with
the acquis communautaire and approved by the Cypriot
people through a referendum. The new developments
in the energy sector regarding the exploitation of
hydrocarbons can serve as a factor for development,
peace and stability throughout the region.
Relations with our neighbour Turkey are set on
a positive course. Institutionalized cooperation at
the highest governmental level, as well as increasing
tourism and economic cooperation, can create further
potential for the future. Nevertheless, critical factors
needed to promote substantial and promising prospects
for our relationship with our eastern neighbour are full
respect for international law and international legality
and, within this framework, a just and viable solution
to the Cyprus issue.
The Greek people have succeeded in restoring
the country’s credibility. Greece has already
achieved the highest structural primary surplus in the
Eurozone — 5 per cent of gross domestic product. Greece
has achieved a peacetime historical first — a fiscal
adjustment of 19 per cent of gross domestic product
in the four years from 2009 to 2013. We have done so
in spite of six years of recession. We have carried out
necessary structural reforms in public administration,
the investment sector and the labour market, and our
privatization programme is already yielding results. But
all of that has, of course, come through great sacrifices
borne by the Greek people and at a very high social
and political cost. Defending democracy and the rule of
law against forms of racist, xenophobic conduct and all
forms of social violence is a fundamental engagement
of the Hellenic Republic.
I also wish to say a few words about the priorities
of Greece’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the
European Union in the first half of 2014. Coming at
a time of unprecedented economic challenges for the
Union, our presidency will carry forward the vital
debate on the future of Europe — a debate that will
intensify as we approach next year’s European elections.
All the issues that humankind is facing and that are
being dealt with by General Assembly at this session
highlight the need to enhance the role of the United
Nations and to further consolidate the institutions of
global economic and political governance. The hopes of
the international community are oriented towards the
United Nations. Our Organization has to send a strong
and clear message of peace, security and prosperity
to the peoples of the world, particularly the younger
generation.