Security Council President briefs the press on work programme for October – Press conference (excerpts)

5 October 2015

Security Council
Press Conference

Press Conference by Security Council President on Work Programme for October

In October, the Security Council would focus on a range of issues, from the women, peace and security agenda, to the fight against terrorism, to humanitarian crises around the world, the Permanent Representative of Spain said today at a Headquarters press conference.  Among his country’s priorities for October were also the Council’s methods of work and the situation in the Middle East.

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Turning to the Middle East, he said Spain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs would chair a 22 October open debate on that topic.  The “extremely delicate” situation in the region required the Council to examine the issue, in particular the Palestinian question, at the ministerial level.

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Asked if there were any new ideas to address the situation in Palestine, he said high-level talks within the Middle East Quartet would impact the Council’s discussion of that topic.  The Quartet, comprising the United Nations, Russian Federation, United States and the European Union, had been around for some 10 years and it might be time to expand the group with countries from the region and others who could influence the process.  Should that happen, he said, “we could make progress”.  If agreement on that new coverage could be reached, that would offer more hope.  European States could play a fundamental role, and that new impetus would be brought to the open debate on 22 October.

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On participation in the open debate on the Middle East, he said invitations had been sent and he hoped there would be a “significant” presence of Foreign Ministers, especially from important regional players and from those States that would take part in the expanded Quartet.

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For information media. Not an official record.

http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/151005_SC.doc.htm