Bratislava, Slovakia, 17 May 2018?– Today, the President of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Miroslav Laj?ák, opened the GLOBSEC 2018 Bratislava Forum, a gathering that brings together international Government officials, academics and civil society, including the private sector.
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In his opening remarks, and during his keynote address at a panel on “Multilateralism in the ‘Me-First’ World,” he said, “We have never needed multilateralism more. Yet, calls for unilateralism and isolation seem to be louder than ever.”
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Calling for a “multilateral renaissance”, he said that the multilateral system we created can produce solutions – but only if we use it the right way.? In that regard, he called for a recommitment to dialogue, which he described as “the most basic but most powerful tool in our toolbox.”
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President Laj?ák also met with a number of officials who participated in the conference.
He commended H.E. Mr. M.J. Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs of the Republic of India on India’s contribution to United Nations peacekeeping operations. The President and Mr. Akbar also talked about migration, sustaining peace and sustainable development, as well as regional issues.
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The President and H.E. Mr. Carmelo Abela, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Malta, agreed on the need to strengthen multilateralism. President Laj?ák also briefed the Minister on the current status of the negotiations on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
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With H.E. Mr. Thomas Greminger, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), President Laj?ák discussed the importance of strengthening 蘑菇视频-OSCE relations.
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He also met briefly with H.E. Ms. Fabiola Gianotti, Director-General of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) to discuss sustainable development and innovation, as well as the role of young people and women in science.
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The President will hold additional bilateral meetings in Bratislava tomorrow.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Katharina Kandt, Communications Adviser to the President of the General Assembly, +1 917 244 3890; kandt@un.org
