68th UN General Assembly

President Abdullah Gül paid a visit to the USA along with First Lady Hayrünnisa Gül on the occasion of the 68th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

Addressing the UN General Assembly during the plenary session after the two speeches traditionally made by the Brazilian and US Presidents for the first time, President Gül told his audience about Turkey’s vision as to the regional and global issues and made important suggestions regarding the UN system and its functionality. President Gül further pointed to the need for a strong, efficient and credible UN, which fits for purpose in the face of current global realities. The UN of which I speak, he emphasized, should be a body capable of taking action to maintain international peace and security, declaring that the world needs a Security Council “which is truly democratic, representative, effective, and accountable.”

President Gül also made a speech at the UN Inaugural Meeting of the High Level Political Forum with the theme of Sustainable Development entitled ‘Leaders Dialogue: From Vision to Action’. The President later co-chaired the roundtable meeting held as part of the ‘Special Event to Follow Up Efforts Toward Achieving the Millennium Development Goals’, with President Zuma of South Africa, and delivered the keynote speech at the meeting.

Attending the reception hosted by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, in honor of the heads of delegation participating the UN General Assembly President Gül sat at the main table with President Obama as representatives of the West Group in the UN.