President Iliana Yotova expressed her expectation that the European Union (EU) will play a more important role in resolving conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Yotova spoke to Bulgarian journalists in New York, where she participated in the general political debates that began yesterday Bulgarian time within the framework of the 81st annual session of the UN General Assembly. Peace was the most used word that I heard at my meetings at the UN, she said.
President Yotova heads the Bulgarian delegation to the forum. She arrived in New York late on Monday, as the plane she was traveling on was diverted to Boston due to the air traffic problem in the northeastern part of the United States, caused by a fiber optic cable cut during construction work in New Jersey.
What I noticed and what worries me is that Europe was mentioned very little in today's speeches at the UN, the head of state noted. Iliyana Yotova added that Europe, and especially the EU, somehow remains in the background.
I expect many European leaders to speak tomorrow (today Bulgarian time - ed. author's note) on this topic, because there can be no peaceful solution to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East without ambitious, categorical and expert proposals from the European Union, the Bulgarian president emphasized.
Iliyana Yotova said that she would speak in her speech about the war in Ukraine. "This is a conflict in the heart of Europe. We cannot stand aside and say that the conflict is being resolved between Russia, Ukraine and the United States," she stressed.
President Yotova expressed hope to have the opportunity to talk in New York with the Chairman of the Peace Council, Nikolay Mladenov, to learn the latest news on what the next steps will be regarding the Gaza Strip.
In my speech from the UN rostrum tomorrow, I will talk about the humanitarian aspect of this crisis. I will talk about the fact that a Bulgarian died there on a humanitarian mission (Captain Marin Marinov - ed.), Iliana Yotova also said.
She said that the most used word she heard at her meetings at the UN was "peace". Not war, not conflicts, not crises, but the word "peace" of all the leaders at the meetings I have had so far, noted Iliana Yotova.
The head of state said that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had made an "extremely accurate diagnosis of the world we live in": last year there were 60 armed conflicts around the world - the most since World War II. From now on, in addition to findings, dialogue and discussions, however, it is time for concrete solutions, Iliana Yotova emphasized.
The president specifically declared himself in favor of diplomacy and a joint search for solutions at the negotiating table. At the same time, Iliana Yotova reported the record number of conflicts in the world since World War II and the increasing armament of countries.
The UN was established after the end of World War II to prevent new conflicts after the deadliest war in the history of mankind.
Earlier today, President Yotova met with his Slovak counterpart Peter Pellegrini, with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, with the President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald S. Lauder and with King Abdullah II of Jordan.
The Head of State also participated in an event on the topic of "Protecting Children's Rights in the Context of Artificial Intelligence (AI): The Coalition for the Rights and Protection of Children in the Age of AI as a Tool for Practical Action.". The event was organized by France, Kenya, Spain and Australia.
Speaking to Bulgarian journalists in New York, Yotova said that she had told Volker Türk in detail about the case of Iva Mihaylova in the Republic of North Macedonia. She had received assurances from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that she would take a position on the case.
Following the briefing, President Iliana Yotova met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. In the evening, she attended a reception given by US President Donald Trump on the occasion of the general political debates within the framework of the 81st session of the General Assembly of the world organization.
President Yotova will make her statement during the general political debates within the framework of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly today at around 9:00 p.m. Bulgarian time. This evening, the Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria in New York will host a meeting with the Bulgarian community in the city.
Source: www.bta.bg