I am here to pay my deepest respect to Yitzhak Rabin who lived through the war to become a champion of peace and security for the region and Israel.

As Secretary-General of the United Nations, it is a great honour for me to work together with the people of Israel to build upon his legacy. He has left a great legacy of peace and security of the world. I am very much grateful to his children, family members, and particularly Yuval Rabin, who really tries to build upon and carry on his father’s legacy of peace.

I sincerely hope that both parties, Israelis and Palestinians, now they have just started very important peace negotiations, will remember the legacy of Prime Minister Rabin and realize a two-state solution. I am sorry that Mr. Rabin has not lived to see his vision realized. [It is for] his children and also the people of Israel to realize this vision.  The United Nations is committed. That is why I am here to lend my full support to this ongoing Middle East peace process.

Thank you.