Greece, 2014

This sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly is taking

place in a global context full of challenges, testing the

efficiency of the current international system. Greece

remains fully engaged with the objectives of the United

Nations, whose universal ideals have never failed to

inspire us.

I should like to take this opportunity to emphasize

my country’s alignment with the positions of the

European Union presented by the President of the

European Council in his statement (see A/69/PV.9).

We reiterate our support for efforts to reform the

Organization, including the Security Council, so that

the United Nations can better adapt to the ongoing

changes of our age and strengthen its operational

nature and effectiveness in the exercise of preventive

diplomacy.

Among the challenges at the global level is

obviously that of climate change, which is an absolute

priority. A new universal agreement, legally binding

on all, is essential. Transition towards a new model of

green economy with a low carbon footprint must be

accelerated. Greece believes that the Climate Summit

held this week offered a unique opportunity to intensify

the efforts to achieve such a universal agreement.

The Greek presidency of the Council of the

European Union (EU), during the first half of 2014,

sought to stress the importance of sustainable

development. A significant joint statement was adopted

in the framework of the ministerial meeting of the

European Union with African, Caribbean and Pacific

countries that was held in Nairobi last June.

The Ebola virus epidemic has become a genuine

threat to global peace and security with its serious

social, economic and humanitarian repercussions. An

international strategy is necessary to contain the virus

and to avoid an unprecedented humanitarian crisis

that would precipitate the collapse of the health-care

system and, eventually, of the social fabric of the States

affected. Therefore we welcome the decision of the

Secretary-General to establish the new mission, the

United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response,

and we pledge that Greece will offer its full support to

any initiative taken in order to combat the epidemic.

The current complex security challenges require us

to unite our forces, both internationally and regionally.

Greece supports the strengthening of cooperation

between the European Union and the United Nations

in crisis management, particularly by implementing the

action plan on United Nations peacekeeping operations.

The world is facing a series of unprecedented

crises in the Middle East and in North Africa, as well

as the eastern area of the European Union. Of course,

in the face of such multiple crises, a consistent and

global comprehensive strategy is required. Certainly,

from this standpoint the role of the United Nations,

especially the Security Council, is the deciding factor.

That is the only way that we will be able to deal with

the critical dilemma confronting us now, the dilemma

between democracy and security. But if there is to be

democracy, there must be a State that is functioning

and does not dissolve, as well as minimal security

conditions.

The Ukrainian crisis seriously affects security

and stability in Europe. We are concerned by the

deteriorating humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine,

and we support the territorial integrity, independence

and sovereignty of Ukraine.

(spoke in English)

We support the 5 September Minsk agreement,

the full implementation of which can contribute to the

resolution of the crisis through diplomatic and political

means. The key is the achievement of an inclusive

solution.

Regarding security concerns in our neighbourhood,

we welcome the adoption in Egypt of the 26 August

Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire agreement, which we

hope will pave the way to relaunching the political

process aimed at establishing a durable peace, which is

obviously a prerequisite for a comprehensive solution

allowing two States, Israel and Palestine, to coexist in

security.

The Secretary-General’s newly appointed Special

Envoy for Syria must continue efforts to ensure the

effective relaunching of the Geneva II political process.

That is all the more imperative given the barbaric

actions of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham

(ISIS) and other jihadist groups in Syria and the Iraqi-

Syrian border regions. Foreign fighters joining jihadist

terrorist organizations are a serious threat to regional

and global security. As a member of the international

alliance against ISIS and extreme jihadists, Greece

fully supports the new Security Council resolution

2178 (2014), on how the international community must

act against ISIS and potential foreign fighters. In that

regard, I wish to make special reference to the grave

humanitarian situation and increasing refugee pressure

on countries of the region, including Greece.

Military means alone cannot eliminate the jihadist

threat. We must also promote an inclusive process of

reconciliation and national dialogue in Iraq to counter

that threat to the country’s national unity and territorial

integrity. We remain seriously concerned at the

displacement of civilians, and we strongly condemn the

systematic persecution of Christians and other religious

communities.

The region’s stability is also under threat from the

ongoing violence in Libya. We strongly support the

United Nations coordination of relevant international

efforts. We therefore welcome the appointment of the

Secretary-General’s new Special Representative.

Deeply concerned at the life-threatening conditions

journalists are increasingly confronting and the

censorship and persecution the media are facing,

Greece co-sponsored last year’s resolution 68/163, on

the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity. We

are now co-sponsoring this year’s draft resolution on

the protection of journalists.

During its European presidency in the first half of

2014, Greece emphasized Western Balkan integration

into the European Union. That objective requires

implementation of internal reforms in accordance with

EU standards and the promotion of good-neighbourly

relations through regional cooperation, reconciliation

and effective confrontation of the sources of nationalism.

We welcome the significant progress so far in the EU-

facilitated Belgrade-Pristina talks. We hope that the

two sides will continue their constructive discussions

in a spirit of compromise.

With respect to the issue of the name of the

former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Greece fully

respects the process directed by the Secretary-General

through his Personal Envoy, Mr. Matthew Nimetz, and

always participates constructively and with goodwill.

Greece has already taken considerable steps. We are

awaiting corresponding steps from the other side. We

propose a mutually acceptable compound name, with

a geographical qualifier before the word “Macedonia”,

for all uses and purposes, internally and internationally,

erga omnes.

Greece supports the European and Euro-Atlantic

perspective of that neighbouring country and has long

been among the top foreign direct investors there. Its

European and Euro-Atlantic perspective hinges not on

the name or on Greece, but on respect for the general

criteria in place for all accession-candidate countries.

It hinges on issues of democracy, rule of law, respect

for human rights, harmonious inter-ethnic relations and

freedom of the press. As the relevant European Council

conclusions say, tangible steps need to be taken on

those issues.

This past summer marked the fortieth anniversary

of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, and the international

community continues to confront the ongoing illegal

military occupation of the territory of a United Nations

and European Union member State. Greece fully

supports the dialogue between the leaders of the two

communities within the framework of the February

2014 joint communiqué and the initiatives of President

Anastasiades for confidence-building measures that

can create new momentum on the island.

A just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem

must be in accordance with the relevant Security Council

resolutions, the high-level agreements, the February

2014 joint communiqué and the European acquis. The

Cypriot people must express their agreement to such

a solution through a referendum. We also attach great

importance to maintaining the mandate, level and

concept of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in

Cyprus and to the Secretary-General’s good offices

mission. We welcome the appointment of Mr. Eide as

his new Special Adviser on Cyprus.

A just and viable solution to the Cyprus issue and

respect for international law, especially the international

law of the sea, are two critical factors on which the

full development of Greek-Turkish relations depends.

These relations have great potential, and are critical to

the stability of the wider region as they are relations

between two NATO member States, while Greece also

supports Turkey’s European perspective.

Challenging times require demanding choices.

The United Nations is in a position to tackle the new

challenges, as it has so often done in the past, provided

we all share the same vision and, most importantly, the

necessary political will.