http://www.euronews.com/ UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is in Strasbourg for the World Forum for Democracy at the Council of Europe.

Euronews caught up with him and asked him about the main challanges faced by the international community and the future aims and goals of the United Nations in an ever more fragile and uncertain world.

Giovanni Magi, euronews:” The Arab Spring has raised hopes all around the world, but the transition to democracy seems very difficult and in some cases adds new geopolitical tensions.

How can the UN can contribute to this transition?”

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon :

“I’m sure that wind of change will continue to blow.
We have seen very positive developments in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and elsewhere, while still we have troubles by the continuing violence in Syria.
And therefore we need to help those countries in transition. That is one of my top priorities as the Secretary General of the United Nations.
We need to bring immediate end to the violence in Syria.

Nineteen months have passed already, more than 20 thousand people have been killed. I myself and together with joint special representative Lakhdar Brahimi will continue to consult with the countries, key countries, to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

This is our political and moral responsibility to help those people.”

euronews:” In the last General Assembly you said that you are against the threat of military action by one State against another. Where you referring to the war of words between Iran, Israel and the United States?”

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon:
” I have warned to the members of the United Nations that exchanges of very strong political rethoric, shrill talk of war, is very alarming, doesn’t help anybody.

Therefore I have been urging them to refrain from using such rethoric.

That means all the pending issues should be resolved peacefully through a dialog, and this message has been conveyed to the parties concerned, both Iran and Israel.

Iran must fully comply with the relevant resolution of the Security Council and fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The world has a serious concern about their intentions of nuclear issues.”

euronews: “Another international emergency is that of Mali, Northern Mali. The Security Council is discussing right now of a possible military intervention. Do you think that it’s a suitable solution to the problem?”

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon :
“We have been urging that the Constitutional authority should be returning to normalcy.
The Northern part of Mali has been run by these extreme Islamists. These are very worrisome.
They are applying extreme Islamic law, Sharia law.
This is a totally unacceptable situation.
Interim leader of Mali, Traoré, has asked to the United Nations to deploy some military forces.
I know that the Security Council have been discussing this matter …but before deploying any military forces we need to be very careful …
I would urge that all issues should be resolved through peaceful purposes, including Mali.
The countries in Sahel area are suffering multiple crisis, political instability, security instability and coupled with humanitarian situations.

United Nations is mobilising all necessary humanitarian agencies to provide urgent humanitarian assistance.

And I’m going to appoint a special envoy on the Sahel.

The special envoy, whom I have proposed to the Security Council, will coordinate with key partners in the region.”

euronews: “In the last General Assembly, you said that “We live in a time of distress, marked by growing unemployment, inequality and intolerance. The United Nations must rise to this situation. How?”

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon :
“I have sounded a strong alarm to the world leaders: we are living on an era of instability, inequality, injustice, intolerance. We have to address these issues.

These are the collective responsibilities of the world leaders, particularly when world economic situation is still going very difficult way.

I have condemned this video which ridiculed and criticised the leaders of certain religions.

Everybody has a freedom of speech and freedom of expression. But that doesn’t mean that one should provoke hate and anger through this abuse of freedom of speeches.

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