The Secretary-General has issued this statement: “I welcome the conclusion of negotiations between the Russian Federation and the United States of America on a successor agreement to the Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. It is an important milestone for the international efforts to advance nuclear disarmament and to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons. I congratulate President Medvedev and President Obama on this accomplishment and commend their leadership."
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
The Secretary-General reconvened his Group of Friends on Myanmar today to review developments ahead of this year’s elections -- the first in two decades. He said that the Group stressed the need for elections to be inclusive, participatory and transparent, in order to advance the prospects of stability, democracy and development for all the people of Myanmar.
The Secretary-General spoke this morning at the High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development, and he said that the meeting takes place at a time when the world economy shows signs of recovery, yet growth remains fragile. He welcomed the efforts of the International Monetary Fund to improve its lending framework and the support from Group of 20 leaders to expand the Fund’s lending capacity. However, he said, much more needs to be done.
The Secretary-General returned to New York early this morning, having visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Gaza, where he saw the problems resulting from Israeli closures, which he said cause unacceptable suffering.
The Secretary-General met with the other principal members of the Quartet in Moscow today. Following their meeting, he read out a joint statement on behalf of all the Quartet principals. The Quartet welcomed the readiness to launch proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians, and emphasized that the circumstances which made it possible to agree to launch those talks be respected.
The Secretary-General condemned today’s rocket attack from Gaza which killed a civilian in Israel, saying all such acts of terror and violence against civilians are totally unacceptable and contrary to international law.
The Secretary-General has arrived in Moscow, where he will participate in the meeting of the Middle East Quartet on Friday. He is scheduled to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, among other senior officials.
The Secretary-General returned in the early hours of this morning from a visit yesterday to Haiti, where he met with President René Préval and Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive in Port-au-Prince and he also visited a camp for displaced people in Petionville. Speaking after his meeting with the President, the Secretary-General praised the Haitian people for their courage and sense of solidarity in these difficult times.
The Secretary-General will be travelling to Haiti this Sunday on a one-day visit to assess conditions on the ground. This will be the Secretary-General’s second visit to Haiti since the tragic earthquake of 12 January. He will meet with Haitian President [René] Préval and Prime Minister [Jean-Max] Bellerive, as well as with the leadership of MINUSTAH [the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti] and the UN country team.
The Secretary-General addressed a Panel on Violence against Women this morning and said that women’s empowerment is central to all of the Millennium Development Goals. Freedom from fear and violence is a precondition for this empowerment. He said the United Nations must have the resources it needs to pursue this goal with the urgency it deserves.