HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESS BRIEFING BY BRENDEN VARMA, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MIROSLAV LAJČÁK

LANDMARK MEETING ON SUSTAINING PEACE KICKS OFF NEXT WEEK

  • The President will convene a High-Level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace on 24 and 25 April at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
  • It is expected to be the largest gathering of Heads of State and Government and Ministers at United Nations Headquarters since the General Debate in September 2017. World leaders, civil society and the private sector will be brought together to discuss and highlight the need for conflict prevention, mediation, dialogue and diplomacy.
  • Speakers will include award-winning actor and United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador Michelle Yeoh and best-selling author and UNICEF advocate Ishmael Beah.
  • Ahead of the gathering, President Lajčák said, “The United Nations needs a new approach to peace. There is a growing understanding that the United Nations’ efforts should go beyond addressing the immediate needs of war torn countries. It needs to do better in supporting countries to make peace last.”
  • The Spokesperson invited his colleague, Ms. Amena Yassine, Senior Adviser to the President on Peace and Security, Humanitarian and Legal Issues, to give a briefing on why the President was convening the meeting and what to expect in terms of the programme and outcome.

 

PRESIDENT DISCUSSES IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY WITH U.N. AMBASSADORS

  • This morning the President held the ninth in his series of Morning Dialogues with United Nations ambassadors. The topic was: “Leading from the Front – How to strengthen the primacy of the General Assembly.”
  • Ten Permanent Representatives participated.

 

PRESIDENT MEETS WITH IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

  • The President met this morning with the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, H.E. Mr. M. Javad Zarif.
  • They discussed regional developments and the Minister’s participation in the President’s High-Level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace, which will take place next week.

 

PRESIDENT SUPPORTS TWO-STATE SOLUTION FOR ISRAEL & PALESTINE

  • Asked whether Palestinians were entitled to resist occupation according to General Assembly resolutions, the Spokesperson urged the journalist to consult the language of the resolutions themselves.
  • The Spokesperson added that the President supported a two-State solution, whereby Israel and Palestine would live side by side in peace, security and mutual recognition.
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