Russian FM meets UN General Assembly head Bozkır

MOSCOW- Anadolu Agency

A meeting between Russia's foreign minister and the U.N. General Assembly president took place on July 23 in Moscow.

Volkan Bozkır, President of the 75th session of the U.N. General Assembly, said the purpose of the meet with Russia's Sergey Lavrov was to share and discuss plans of the U.N. General Assembly's future activities.

"The Russian Federation is one of the most important members of the United Nations Organization. Along with the fact that the Russian Federation is a member of the U.N. Security Council, it is also an important member that has its own weight and voice. In addition, Russia is a neighbor of the Republic of Turkey and an important friend of our country.

"In addition, given that Mr. Lavrov was the head of the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the U.N. for ten years, of course, we would like to take advantage of his experience and listen to his valuable advice," said Bozkır.

The former Turkish diplomat said the U.N. General Assembly is "one of the three fundamental structures of the U.N.," along with the Security Council and the office of the General Secretariat, stressing the need to ensure strong coordination and close connection among the three bodies.

"Here, I would like to note that the U.N. authority and effectiveness have been declining in the eyes of the international community in recent years," he said.

Noting that it had become increasingly difficult under the novel coronavirus pandemic to implement the decisions of the General Assembly, Bozkır suggested working together with Moscow towards this goal.

For his part, Lavrov congratulated Bozkır on his recent election to his post, underlining his confidence in the former Turkish diplomat's "vast experience of parliamentary diplomacy," and his will to pursue "a balanced, unbiased line" to help temper tensions and find solutions acceptable to all members of the international community.

Lavrov stressed that the next session of the General Assembly would be inextricably bound to two critical anniversaries - the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 75th anniversary of the U.N.'s foundation.

"This demands from all of us to build the work of the General Assembly around a unifying agenda with an emphasis on strengthening the central coordinating role of the U.N., strictly observing its charter, and establishing a true multipolarity that is based on taking into account and balancing the interests of all members of the world community without exception," he said.

Lavrov criticized alleged attempts to exert undue influence on administrative bodies of the international organizations and to misinterpret international conventions.

"You are assuming the post of General Assembly President at a very important time. We are well aware of all the difficulties that the international situation and the world order are currently experiencing. I assure you that in Russia you will find the most reliable and consistent ally in defending the original goals and principles on which the U.N. is based," Lavrov said.