The Secretary-General welcomes the appointment of Mr. Herman van Rompuy as first President of the European Union, and Ms. Catherine Ashton as the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

The Secretary-General looks forward to working closely with both Mr. van Rompuy and Ms. Ashton in strengthening cooperation between the European Union and the United Nations. With the Lisbon Treaty soon entering into force, the Secretary-General hopes that the process of EU integration, which has already brought peace, security and prosperity to the continent, will further strengthen the European Union's support for global efforts in the areas of peace, security, human rights and sustainable development.