Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks to the high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council, in New York, today, 28 June:

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The sixteenth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women this morning elected by secret ballot 12 members of the 23-member body, which monitors compliance with the Treaty.

The Security Council committee monitoring implementation of sanctions on Iran was continuing to examine reported violations and was ready to carry out the tasks assigned to it by the 9 June Council resolution that imposed a fourth round of sanctions against that country, its Chairman told the Council this afternoon.

The peace process in the Central African Republic had reached a critical stage, with progress hinged on the successful holding of elections and the completion of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of some 8,000 former combatants, both of which had so far met with delay, the Security Council heard today.

The following Security Council press statement on the Central African Republic was read out today by Council President Claude Heller (Mexico):

Tackling complex development issues required pragmatic decision-making, the President of the Economic and Social Council said today, challenging diplomats to come up with straightforward solutions to the need for higher standards of living and greater socio-economic progress, especially for women, as the 54-member body opened the high-Level segment of its 2010 substantive session.

In a vote held simultaneously with the General Assembly, the Security Council today elected Xue Hanqin of China, by secret ballot, to the International Court of Justice to fill the remainder of the term left vacant by the resignation of Judge, Vice-President and former President of the Court, Shi Jiuyong of China.

In one round of balloting today, the General Assembly elected Xue Hanqin (China) as a member of the International Court of Justice, in an election run independently of but concurrently with the Security Council.

Recognizing the crucial role of the Decolonization Declaration to the expansion of the United Nations membership, the General Assembly adopted a decision today to commemorate on 14 December 2010 the fiftieth anniversary of resolution 1514 (1960), which contains the landmark document.