Jeremić on development of Africa, Syrian crisis

NEW YORK UN General Assembly President Vuk Jeremic says the development of Africa needs to be one of the strategic tasks of the entire system of the global organization. Jeremic on development of Africa, Syrian crisis At the opening of the briefing on the UN engagement within the program of the African Union for Economic Development entitled "The New Partnership for African Development," Serbia's former foreign minister underscored that this is an excellent platform for recovery and development of the continent in the 21st century. “For me, Africa is a place of enormous potential and endurance. It has shown great determination to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, including centuries of exploitation unique in the annals of human history,” Jeremic said. At the ceremony to mark 50th anniversary of independence of some African countries, the UNGA president recalled the importance of the Non-Aligned Movement which staged its Inaugural Summit in Belgrade in 1961, and asserted the aim of establishing what the First Belgrade Declaration termed “new order based on cooperation between nations, founded on freedom, (sovereign) equality, and social justice for the promotion of prosperity.” Jeremic underscored that the UN has become an important factor in the efforts to achieve the full political and economic potential of the continent, and noted that Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan represent positive examples. He also pointed to the serious security and humanitarian situation in the Sahel area, a border area between Sahara in the north and the fertile region of Sudan in the south, and recalled that the UN recently adopted the Action Plan so as to help counter acute crises in this part of Africa. Jeremic underscored that one of the major dangers in Sahel is embodied in the threat of secession, especially in Mali, and called on relevant sides to invest greater efforts so as to ensure peace and stability. The UNGA president also underscored that the Millennium Development Goals must remain at the core of our shared vision for a prosperous, peaceful and equitable Africa. Vuk Jeremic (FoNet, file) "Prompt and urgent end of violence in Syria" Relevant bodies need to act fast in Syria so as to put an end to violence as soon as possible, President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Vuk Jeremic has stated. In an interview for the Russian TV station Russia Today, Jeremic said that it is of strategic importance for the Syrian people to decide on Syria's political future, but that ending violence is more important than self-determination. He added that the international rhetoric on Syria constitutes a failure of monumental proportions. As for the priorities in the UNGA chairmanship, Jeremic noted that he wishes to improve the cooperation and exchange of ideas between G20 and the rest of the world through the construction of a consultative mechanism. We hope that Serbia and Russia can cooperate closely on this goal since Serbia holds UNGA chair this year while Russia is chairing G20, he noted. Jeremic said that the decision on his appointment as the UNGA chairman points out that Serbia has returned to the auspices of the international community after it was expelled from the institution 20 years ago. After very complicated diplomacy over the past few years, Serbia has done a good job and showed to the world that it is a constructive member of the international community, said Jeremic who previously held office as the Serbian foreign minister. We will try to show that Serbia is capable of contributing to world peace and stability, in close cooperation with the rest of the world when it comes to meeting humanity's priorities, Jeremic said. Commenting on the EU request for Serbia to respect the territorial integrity of Kosovo, Jeremic said that representatives of the new government in Serbia will treat this issue in keeping with the Constitution and democratic principles to the benefit of Serbian citizens. “When it comes to territorial integrity and sovereignty, UN is trying to ensure respect for the sovereignty of its member countries, and Serbia is one of them,” he said. Jeremic underscored that Kosovo is not a UN member and that this is an internal matter of Serbia, adding that he does not expect Kosovo ever to become a member of the global organization. Tanjug

Jeremić on development of Africa, Syrian crisis

At the opening of the briefing on the UN engagement within the program of the African Union for Economic Development entitled "The New Partnership for African Development," Serbia's former foreign minister underscored that this is an excellent platform for recovery and development of the continent in the 21st century.

“For me, Africa is a place of enormous potential and endurance. It has shown great determination to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, including centuries of exploitation unique in the annals of human history,” Jeremić said.

At the ceremony to mark 50th anniversary of independence of some African countries, the UNGA president recalled the importance of the Non-Aligned Movement which staged its Inaugural Summit in Belgrade in 1961, and asserted the aim of establishing what the First Belgrade Declaration termed “new order based on cooperation between nations, founded on freedom, (sovereign) equality, and social justice for the promotion of prosperity.”

Jeremić underscored that the UN has become an important factor in the efforts to achieve the full political and economic potential of the continent, and noted that Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan represent positive examples.

He also pointed to the serious security and humanitarian situation in the Sahel area, a border area between Sahara in the north and the fertile region of Sudan in the south, and recalled that the UN recently adopted the Action Plan so as to help counter acute crises in this part of Africa.

Jeremić underscored that one of the major dangers in Sahel is embodied in the threat of secession, especially in Mali, and called on relevant sides to invest greater efforts so as to ensure peace and stability.

The UNGA president also underscored that the Millennium Development Goals must remain at the core of our shared vision for a prosperous, peaceful and equitable Africa.

"Prompt and urgent end of violence in Syria"

Relevant bodies need to act fast in Syria so as to put an end to violence as soon as possible, President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Vuk Jeremić has stated.

In an interview for the Russian TV station Russia Today, Jeremić said that it is of strategic importance for the Syrian people to decide on Syria's political future, but that ending violence is more important than self-determination.

He added that the international rhetoric on Syria constitutes a failure of monumental proportions.

As for the priorities in the UNGA chairmanship, Jeremić noted that he wishes to improve the cooperation and exchange of ideas between G20 and the rest of the world through the construction of a consultative mechanism.

We hope that Serbia and Russia can cooperate closely on this goal since Serbia holds UNGA chair this year while Russia is chairing G20, he noted.

Jeremić said that the decision on his appointment as the UNGA chairman points out that Serbia has returned to the auspices of the international community after it was expelled from the institution 20 years ago.

After very complicated diplomacy over the past few years, Serbia has done a good job and showed to the world that it is a constructive member of the international community, said Jeremić who previously held office as the Serbian foreign minister.

We will try to show that Serbia is capable of contributing to world peace and stability, in close cooperation with the rest of the world when it comes to meeting humanity's priorities, Jeremić said.

Commenting on the EU request for Serbia to respect the territorial integrity of Kosovo, Jeremić said that representatives of the new government in Serbia will treat this issue in keeping with the Constitution and democratic principles to the benefit of Serbian citizens.

“When it comes to territorial integrity and sovereignty, UN is trying to ensure respect for the sovereignty of its member countries, and Serbia is one of them,” he said.

Jeremić underscored that Kosovo is not a UN member and that this is an internal matter of Serbia, adding that he does not expect Kosovo ever to become a member of the global organization.