General Assembly President meets with senior Government officials in Austria

The ongoing tensions in North Africa and the Middle East and the continuing debate over Security Council reform topped the agenda during a two-day visit by the General Assembly President to Austria, which wrapped up today.

Joseph Deiss met with President Heinz Fischer, European and International Affairs Minister Michael Spindelegger, the spokespersons of the country’s major political parties and Barbara Prammer, President of the National Council of Austria, according to information released by his office.

The officials discussed Security Council reform, the recent unrest in Libya and Syria, the concept of a responsibility to protect civilians and disarmament. They also discussed Austria’s candidature for the Human Rights Council, cooperation between the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Mr. Deiss’ priorities during the current term of the 192-member General Assembly.

Mr. Deiss, who gave an address on global governance to the Foreign Policy and UN Association of Austria during his visit to the Central European country, also thanked Austrian authorities for their strong support of the UN.

Vienna has long been home to a large UN presence, and the Assembly President met with officials from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO).