President Van Rompuy voorafgaand aan zijn komst naar de Algemene Vergadering van de VN (en)

EUROPEAN COUNCIL THE PRESIDT

New York City, 25 September 2013 EUCO

PRESSE 387 PRPCE 171

President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy i ahead of his intervention at the 68th UN General Assembly

I'm going to speak in the first place on Syria. We want a clear resolution on the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria. At the same time, if we can agree in the UN Security Council on that kind of resolution, there are new perspectives. New perspectives on a lasting peace in Syria. For a new Syria, a democratic, united, secular Syria

We can also use the new openings created by the new President of Iran. Of course we have to see if, after those kind words, there are new realities. The proof of the pudding, as always, is in the eating

Finally, Ministers Lavrov and Kerry agreed on the relaunching of the direct peace talks between Israel and Palestine

So negotiations, dialogue, is absolutely key for solving the problems of this part of the world. The EU stands ready to cooperate on all those avenues, in some we have more responsibilities than in others, but where we can we are supportive of a peace process

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