Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,

I thank Turkey for hosting this important meeting of the G20.

Let me start by reiterating my profound condolences to the people of France following the barbaric terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday night. My thoughts are with the families of the victims at this time of grief and loss.

Terrorists continue to commit atrocious acts across the world. Their inhumanity is clear; their ideologies are bankrupt. No grievance or cause can justify such violence. Those who claim to be acting in the name of religion are only harming their religion.

Terrorism is a threat to all humankind. As we have seen over the years with grim regularity, no country, and no city, nobody is immune. In the past four days alone, horrendous terrorist bombings have also killed dozens of people in Beirut and Baghdad.

It is heartbreaking to see so many families, communities and societies hardened or left in ruins. It is tragic to see so many people – largely young men -- so radicalized that they are willing to lose their lives in spasms of meaningless violence.

We will be discussing terrorism at this Summit.

I will stress to world leaders that our response needs to be robust, but always within the rule of law and with respect for human rights. Otherwise, we will only fan the fire we are trying to put out.

We also need to address the underlying drivers of violent extremism. I will soon present to the Member States of the United Nations a comprehensive Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism.

At this time of heightened tensions, I caution against actions that would only perpetuate the cycle of hatred and violence. I again offer condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and to all the people of France.

This Summit takes place as we approach the end of what has been a watershed year for international cooperation.

Governments have agreed a new and visionary sustainable development agenda with 17 Sustainable Development Goals to the year 2030. These goals can set the direction for a prosperous, inclusive and environmentally sustainable world. They should be a priority at this Summit.

Governments will soon meet in Paris to finalize a global climate change agreement. One hundred and sixty-one countries representing more than 90 per cent of global emissions have now submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions or INDC. These plans will bend the emissions curve downward, and move us in the right direction.

But they will not keep us under the dangerous 2-degree Celsius threshold. We have to go much further and faster.

I see four essential elements for success in Paris.

First, durability. Paris must send a clear signal to markets that the low-carbon transformation of the global economy is inevitable and beneficial.

Second, flexibility. The agreement must be able to accommodate changes in the global economy while striking balance between the leadership role of developed countries and the increasing responsibilities of developing countries.

Third, solidarity. An agreement must provide financing and technology transfer for developing countries. Developed countries must keep their pledge to provide $100 billion a year by 2020 for both adaptation and mitigation.

And fourth, credibility. An agreement must establish strong monitoring mechanisms, be able to respond to rapidly escalating climate impacts, and ensure that we are on a path to a low carbon economy, as science demands.

With two weeks left before the start of COP-21, it is urgent that all leaders work to find compromises.

I also count on G20 leaders for support as we address the biggest crisis of forced displacement since the Second World War.

This is not only a crisis of numbers; it is a crisis of global solidarity.

I pay tribute to Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon for hosting 4 million Syrian refugees.

We must ensure enhanced support to these and other countries accommodating the greatest numbers of refugees -- without at the same time cutting back on official development assistance.

I strongly appeal to European nations coping with mass forced displacement not to reduce development assistance to finance the cost of refugee flows. Helping people in need should not be a zero sum game.

I urge G20 leaders to heed the growing global call for a recovery plan for the region – perhaps akin to the Marshall Plan in scale.

We should also work together towards a much-needed global compact for human mobility.

I will soon present to the General Assembly further thoughts on this matter.

And of course, reaching a political settlement in Syria should be a top priority. I welcome the renewed sense of urgency that the International Syria Support Group is bringing to these efforts, and I commend the leadership of U.S. Secretary of State Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and others involved in the talks yesterday in Vienna. I urge the participants to move beyond their differences so that they can push further for a nationwide ceasefire, combat terrorism and address key governance and constitutional issues. After years of division, this is a rare moment of diplomatic opportunity to end the violence and advance the search for a negotiated political solution.

Thank you.