EU Presidency Statement - Major UN conferences and summits

Sumario: January 27, 2003: Statement by H.E. Ambassador Adamantios Th. Vassilakis, Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN, on behalf of the European Union. Ad Hoc Working Group (AHWG) on the integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major U.N. conferences and summits in the economic and social fields. FIFTY-SEVENTH SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY - SECOND COMMITTEE: Organizational meeting (New York)

Mr. President,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The acceding countries Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Poland and Slovenia, the associated countries Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and the EFTA country of Iceland, member of the European Economic Area, declare that they align themselves with this statement.

At the outset I wish to congratulate the newly elected Vice Chairmen. We wish you and them, Mr. President, every success in this endeavor. At the same time we would like to thank the members of your Office and of the Secretariat as well for their preparatory work. We look forward to continue our cooperation.

We welcome the ideas you have submitted to us. We will give them full consideration and we will work with the representatives of other groups and countries with the view to finalize the program, both in substance and timeframe, and achieve best possible results. E.U. under the Danish Presidency has contributed significantly to the conception, drafting of its mandate and eventual establishment of our group.

We are all fully aware of the magnitude and complexity of the task ahead of us. We will work constructively in a spirit of cooperation, openness and fairness and thus we can permit ourselves a degree of optimism to envisage the fruition of our mission entrusted to us by the General Assembly. For that we will have to use all expertise available and be at all times alert to the need to avoid being repetitive and create added value.

Mr. President,

Although we are at the organizational phase of our work, it is useful to make some brief points on substance:

After almost 12 years of major thematic conferences and summits on economic, social and related issues, we have reached an agreement on an agenda for poverty eradication and sustainable development within the framework of the Millennium Declaration.
Implementation of commitments is now the big challenge. We should make sure that the UN system plays its proper role in support of this.
We have to make optimal and maximum use of existing structures. This of course is complementary to the process of strengthening the UN system and its reform.

I thank you, Sir.

Ref: PRES03-003EN
Fuente UE: Presidencia de la UE
Foro NU: Segunda Comisión (Asuntos Económicos y Financieros, Medio Ambiente)
Fecha: 27/1/2003

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