UN chief holds talks with senior officials on range of key global issues

Disarmament, economic development and peacekeeping in global hotspots were all on the agenda today as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon held talks with top national and regional officials visiting New York for the General Assembly’s annual high-level segment.

In a meeting with Japan’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, Mr. Ban discussed the globally agreed anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially those dealing with maternal mortality, children’s health and education.

The two officials also discussed UN reform and nuclear disarmament, particularly in light of an upcoming ministerial meeting on the issue that will be co-hosted by Japan and Australia.

Mr. Ban also discussed the MDGs during a tête-à-tête with Togolese Prime Minister Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo that focused as well on political dialogue and reconciliation in the West African country.

Mr. Ban welcomed the Prime Minister’s efforts to push through political and institutional reforms and encouraged him to further pursue those changes, according to information released by his spokesperson.

In a meeting with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, the Secretary-General thanked the Scandinavian country for its support of the UN on several fronts, including in combating the scourge of sexual violence during conflict.

The two men also discussed events in several global hotspots, including Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Cyprus.

Mr. Ban also met Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who in May this year became the first female Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. Their discussions focused on the MDGs, climate change, women’s issues and the fight against organized crime and the proliferation of small arms.

In a separate meeting with Edwin Carrington, the outgoing Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Mr. Ban paid tribute to his stewardship of the regional bloc during the last 18 years.

The two officials discussed several issues, including organized crime, climate change and progress towards the MDGs.

In addition Mr. Ban held a tête-à-tête with Amr Moussa, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States. Their talks focused on the recently launched direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and the importance of establishing conditions for sustaining the talks, including the extension of the Israeli moratorium on settlement activity.

The Secretary-General also held meetings today with Slovakian President Ivan Gašparovic, San Marino’s Foreign Minister Antonella Mularoni and Tunisian Foreign Minister Kamel Morjane.