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President Türk on a working visit to Oxford and London

Oxford, London, 23.11.2010  |  press release


President Dr Danilo Türk visited the prestigious British university society, the Oxford Union, where he gave a lecture entitled “What kind of United Nations for the 21st century?” (Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA)During a working visit to Oxford and London, President Türk first visited the prestigious Oxford Union, a British university society, where he gave a lecture entitled “What kind of United Nations for the 21st century?”

In his lecture, he said that the role of the United Nations, as the world’s central organisation and a global instrument, continues to be important. However, he observed that its organisational structure would have to be changed because circumstances since World War II have changed significantly. In this connection, President Türk explained his views on the functioning and organisation of the UN Security Council, the Human Rights Council and the Economic and Social Council. In addition, he commented on the role of the UN General Assembly, and advocated that changes in the operation of this body should be aimed at emphasizing its plenary work and at guiding the operative functioning of other UN bodies.

President Dr Danilo Türk visited the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he gave a lecture entitled “EU as a Global Player: Reality or Illusion?” (Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA)President Danilo Türk then visited the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he met members of the school management and gave a lecture on the theme ”EU as a Global Player: Reality or Illusion?

In his lecture, President Türk stressed that the European Union is not yet ready today to take a leading global role. In order to do so, it must successfully overcome the current euro-zone crisis, develop a hierarchy of geopolitical priorities and develop a sophisticated policy of human rights, at home and abroad. President Türk reminded his listeners that the European Union has been successful in the past in turning crisis conditions into an opportunity and added that, in order to do so, it requires adequate political leadership.
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