“Greece understands the enormous responsibility that comes with the position of elected member” at Security Council of UN the foreign minister said George Gerapetritis at the high-level open session of the Security Council on “Maintaining International Peace and Security: Leadership for Peace”.

“During our term, we aspire to become a bridge, an honest mediator, between North and South, East and West,” he underlined.

“We will seek to promote a UN Charter-based approach to all current challenges with full respect for International Law and find solutions through cooperation and inclusiveness,” it said.

“We aspire to restore the original meaning of fundamental concepts such as the peaceful resolution of disputes. After all, leadership for the common good follows the rule “Non Ministrari sed Ministrare”, meaning “Not to be served, but to serve”, he added.

As he said, “the UN Security Council is at the center of the world order and the role of the E10 in this endeavor is decisive, echoing the voices of those who are not always heard.”

The foreign minister noted that the discussion “takes place at a time when the challenges to peace and security are multidimensional and more complex than ever.”

“The ever-deteriorating situation in the Middle East, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the severe humanitarian crisis in Sudan are just a few examples of the serious threat posed to global stability by the tendency to erode respect for the United Nations Charter. The United Nations, however, has always responded to the dangers,” he added.

Since its inception, he noted, the United Nations has helped prevent a third world war, averted a possible nuclear holocaust and facilitated the process of decolonization.

In cases of wars, as he pointed out, “they have often contributed to reducing their duration. Peacekeeping operations have had many successes in protecting civilians. And according to a recent estimate by the secretary-general, the deployment of blue-collar workers reduces civilian deaths by 90%. Two main assumptions that were faithfully followed led us to these results.”

First, that “the Charter should be our guiding framework, emphasizing the value of peaceful dispute resolution and collective responsibility, maintaining international peace and security, and setting out basic obligations, such as strictly regulating the use of force only in self-defense and the commitment to the promotion of universal human rights’.

As he underlined, although the faithful application of the rules of the Charter is a necessary means to achieve peace, it is not always sufficient.

“Leadership is required to enforce them. This is the second assumption. It is not enough, however, just a good leadership, but a leadership for the common good. This is related to something more important. Not only by setting the rules, but above all by standing up for values, seeking change where necessary, conceiving a vision that transcends the boundaries of the current situation, which, in turn, will inspire others to work together for such a higher purpose.” .

“As we seek leadership for peace, we must prioritize dialogue and negotiation as part of a consistent, deliberative effort to ensure that all voices are heard. Because multilateralism offers the only viable path to a future where peace prevails and the rights and dignity of all individuals are fully respected,” he concluded.