MaximsNewsNetwork: NEW U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT - JOSEPH DEISS (UNTV)

MaximsNewsNetwork: 14 September 2010 -- UNTV: United Nations, New York - The new President of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (GA), Joseph Deiss, today (14 September) outlined the body's priorities during its 65th session over the next year, identifying the pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), reform of the United Nations and the promotion environmentally sustainable development as key areas of focus.

In his opening statement to the session, which kicked off this afternoon in New York, Deiss, a Swiss citizen, called for efforts to reinstate the UN and its 192-member General Assembly to the centre of global governance.

He said that "too often, public opinion sees a United Nations with a General Assembly that is powerless, a talk shop, with no real impact" and expressed hope that the sixty-fifth session of the GA "will show that we are able to make a difference."

He stressed that General Assembly members must also ensure that there is decisive action towards the internal reform of the UN.

Talking to reporters later, Deiss stressed the need to promote sustainable development, saying that climate change, vulnerability to natural disasters and threats to biodiversity are some of the environmental challenges that affect all States and require a concerted effort from all countries.

He spoke of the need for consensus to advance negotiations on climate change saying that "It makes no big sense" for a country to take individual action while "all the others are behaving on the same way they did up to now"

Deiss also warned that the UN risked being marginalized by emerging international forums if it failed to effectively play its role as the central organ for international decision-making.

Speaking of groups such as the G20, he said that he saw "the danger that things will be discussed, elaborated, outside of UN", and while welcoming "solutions" brought from the outside, he asked "how are we getting people involved if they are not participating in the decision?"

Deiss, a former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Switzerland who led his country's accession to the United Nations in 2002, was elected by the General Assembly elected by acclamation in June.

...... ( UNITED NATIONS TELEVISION: UNTV ) ... ..............................................................
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