‘There is more awareness than ever before that we can only solve global problems by working together. President Obama is willing to listen to other countries. This creates new chances for the United Nations.’ So said Dutch foreign minister Maxime Verhagen before the opening of the Annual General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.

Some 125 heads of state and government, including Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, will be attending the General Assembly to discuss, amongst other things, the financial and economic crisis, climate change, limiting the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Middle East.

‘More so than in the past, the United Nations is the forum to tackle global problems,’ said Mr Verhagen. ‘And those global problems are also the problems we are facing in our own country. In New York this week we will be discussing our jobs, our climate and our security.’

Mr Verhagen will have more than 20 direct meetings with counterparts and heads of government during the opening week of the General Assembly. He will also organise a conference with the US and Brazil on violence against girls, take part in a brainstorming session on combating the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and call in a speech for the signing of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.



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