Kotzias begins meetings at the UN General Assembly High Level Week

During the meeting, UNSG Guterres commended the solidarity and compassion exhibited by Greece and the Greek people towards large numbers of refugees and migrants who arrived in Greece. The discussions focused on the next possible steps in the framework of the Cyprus negotiations, as well as on the prospects of the name issue between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The two men diplomats also discussed UN reform.

On Monday, September 18, Greece’s chief diplomat, at the helm of the Greek delegation at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, will participate at the UN Reform event, which both US President Donald Trump and New UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are expected to address, according to the relevant press release. Discussions on UN reform have been ongoing for more than 10 years, without however seeing any substantial progress, given disagreements between member- states on the nature and depth of the reform.

The meetings on Monday will kick off with a high-level meeting on UN reform, during which the UNSG will present his ideas and proposals on the reform of the organization, which will be based on three pillars: peace and security; development and management of the UN.

Nikos Kotzias will then meet with representatives of American-Jewish organizations, while early in the afternoon a reception will be hosted in honor of the Greek Foreign Minister by the World Jewish Congress, for his contribution to the strengthening of relations between Israel and Greece and to the peace prospects of the Middle East region.

On Monday, according to information obtained by IBNA, the program of the Greek FM includes bilateral meetings with Ukrainian FM Pavlo Klimkin, the Secretary-General of the Arabic League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and his Libyan counterpart Mohamed Taha Siala.

With his Ukrainian counterpart, Nikos Kotzias will, according to sources, discuss the issues of the Greek minority, the bilateral relations, the situation in the country regarding security and stability, the recent law on reforms in education and the issues of the Eastern Partnership relationship.

The situation in Libya, the implementation of the Skhirat political agreement, the refugee issue and migratory flows in the Central Mediterranean, the fight against terrorism, the educational co-operation and the opening of the Greek Embassy in Tripoli will be, according to information, on the agenda of the talks between the Greek FM and his Libyan counterpart.

In his meeting with the Arab League’s Secretary General, Mr. Kotzias is expected to discuss relations between the League and the European Union, while stressing the need for further co-operation between the two organizations in tackling common challenges.

The Greek Foreign Minister will conclude the first day of the High-Level Week by attending the EU Foreign Ministers Meeting.

According to IBNA, Foreign Ministers of 28 will meet with the new Special Representative and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya Ghassan Salamé of Lebanon, as important initiatives will be taken this week in New York to achieve political stability in the country