President Türk discusses climate change with the President of the UN General Assembly

New York, UN, 11.2.2008  |  press release

In the margins of the high-level thematic debate on climate change “Addressing Climate Change: The United Nations and the World at Work”, held at the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, met the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr Srgjan Kerim. In their talks, Dr Türk stressed that climate change should be treated as a priority on a par with other international crises. In his opinion, the negotiation process needed to be launched with more energy than was usual for the United Nations. In the context, special methods enabling a dynamic approach of this kind should be elaborated. In Bali, efforts were clearly directed at speeding up the negotiations with a view to reaching a comprehensive global agreement on the climate regime post-2012. “It is a genuine and a grave problem,” said the Slovenian President, acknowledging the contribution of the Secretary-General and the President of the UN General Assembly, who had paved the way for negotiations of this kind by holding this year’s thematic debate.

The President of the UN General Assembly, Mr Kerim, pointed out that effective partnerships were important in the negotiation process. He cited the example of over 700 American cities that were adhering to the commitments of the Kyoto Protocol even though the United States of America was not a signatory to it. The Mayors of New York and Milan had taken part in the day’s thematic debate as well. Mr Kerim emphasised that combined efforts were required, bilaterally and regionally, and he also highlighted the importance of public awareness of climate change issues.

The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, will later meet the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, and the President of the European Parliament, Mr Pöttering.