Greece calls for closer cooperation between Europe, UN in crisis management

Addressing the General Assembly today, Greek Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos called for strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union to maintain world peace.

“The current complex security challenges demand that we unite our efforts both at the international and regional levels,” he told the Assembly on the fourth day of its 69th annual high-level meeting.

“Greece supports reinforcing cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union in crisis management, notably by putting into practice an action plan for UN peacekeeping operations.”

He also called for full support for UN efforts to battle the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, stressed the need for a coherent global strategy to confront the multiple crises in the Middle East and North Africa and reaffirmed Greece’s backing for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty.

Since Wednesday, speakers have taken to the podium in the UN’s renovated General Assembly Hall to address the 193 Member State on the theme of “Delivering on and Implementing a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda” as well as urgent crises ranging from the ongoing conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Ukraine and South Sudan.