General Assembly President meets with Chinese minister during Asian visit

General Assembly President Ali Treki spotlighted the United Nations’ priorities today as he continued his visit to China by discussing development topics and peace and security in the Middle East and Africa with Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

“They underlined the need to strengthen multilateralism, with the United Nations at its core, to address effectively the global challenges confronting the international community,” Jean-Victor Nkolo, spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, told journalists in New York about today’s meeting.

Dr. Treki and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will host a high-level plenary meeting in September in New York to stress the importance of increasing efforts to achieve the internationally agreed upon Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the 2015 target year.

In addition, Dr. Treki told Mr. Yang that he plans to hold General Assembly thematic debates on disarmament, peacekeeping, dialogue among civilizations, and the Middle East peace process.

“Both sides emphasized the urgent need for a just and lasting settlement of the question of Palestine and a comprehensive peace in the Middle East and the enhanced role that the United Nations should play in that regard,” Mr. Nkolo said.

He added that the Chinese minister also expressed his country’s support for development and peace in Africa, including the issue of piracy off the coast of Somalia.

The Security Council yesterday raised the possibility of special international tribunals to deal with piracy and requested that the UN Secretary-General present a report within three months on possible options for prosecuting and imprisoning suspects in connection with piracy and armed robbery at sea near the Horn of Africa.

Dr. Treki and Mr. Yang also discussed efforts to reform and strengthen the UN, including the ongoing debate over the composition of the Security Council.

Later in the day, Dr. Treki visited with prominent Chinese scholars and researches at the China Institute of International Studies.

He will attend the opening ceremony of the Shanghai World Expo before continuing his tour of Asia with stops in India and Pakistan.