70th Session of the UN General Assembly: Full Agenda, Sharp Questions

• 09.16.2015, 12:18
•  Other,  World,  Armenia,  Info

On September 15 the opening ceremony of the 70^th Session of the General Assembly of the UN in New York took place. The session was opened by the elected Chairman of this session of the General Assembly, the representative of Denmark Mogens Lykketoft, who urged the participants to deliver on objectives outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.Then, according to the tradition a minute for prayer or meditation was declared, after which diplomats discussed procedural matters, Russia Today reports.

It is expected that this commemorative session will be different from the rest with its busy agenda, and the sharpness of the issues to be discussed.

As stated in the resolution adopted by the General Assembly on December 29, 2014, the session for the organization of the UN Summit, for adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, will be held on September 25-27, 2015. The general debate of the General Assembly at its seventieth session will begin on September 28, 2015 and will continue on October 3, 5 and 6.

At the opening plenary meeting, on September 25, the initial speakers will include the two Co-Chairs, the Secretary-General and the head of the delegation of the host country of the Organization.

As Novostnik.ru reports, questions that will be raised during the forthcoming session of the General Assembly, are divided into several thematic blocks, among them promotion of economic growth, maintenance of international peace and security, disarmament, development of human rights.

In the block for maintenance of international peace and security are included questions on the situation in the Middle East, the question of Palestine, Israel's actions against the Palestinian people, the situation in Afghanistan, Cyprus, the armed aggression against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the question of the Falkland Islands, the situation of refugees and displaced persons, the prevention of armed conflicts in general, etc.

In the block of disarmament such questions as reduction of military budgets, prevention of arms race in outer space, nuclear disarmament and the notification of nuclear tests will be discussed.  

An interesting fact is that at the initiative of Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan at the 70th session of the General Assembly the issue of granting an observer status to the Eurasian Economic Union in the UN General Assembly will also be discussed. Also the question for establishing an International Tribunal for bombing down the Malaysian Boeing in the east of Ukraine may be included on the agenda.

The proposal of France to limit the use of the veto will also be among the number of issues to be discussed. More than 40 countries, including Ukraine has joined this initiative, golos.com.ua reports.

This year's session of the UN General Assembly will be different from others also by the fact that for the first time in the last 8 years, Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver a speech. Such a decision of Russian President can be associated with many things, but the most obvious "motivator" is the questions that are included on the agenda of the session, as well as the opportunity in such an unfavorable geopolitical situation to reiterate his plans, opinions and suggestions.

The Presidnet of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan will also deliver a speech at the 70^th session of the UN General Assembly. Though, it is not known on what the RA president will put his main emphasis, it is expected that he will touch upon the regional instability, security questions, as well as humanitarian problems.