New York, United States—“Building Peace and Stability in Northeast Asia” was the theme of a high-level special luncheon held by UPF and the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP) at the United Nations.
The 120 distinguished guests included H.E. Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, the high representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilization; H.E. Mrs. Marie Chatardová, the ambassador of the Czech Republic; H.E. Mr. Baudelair Ndong Ella, the ambassador of Gabon; and H.E. Ms. Katalin Annamária Bogyay, the ambassador of Hungary, as well as diplomats from the Missions of Canada, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Sweden, Ukraine, and Zambia. Other distinguished officials from Asia, Africa and Europe came to attend the luncheon, which was held on July 14, 2017.
Dr. Thomas G. Walsh, the president of UPF International, opened the special luncheon by introducing the work of UPF in all parts of the world and delineating its efforts to promote peace during this time of global crises.
The keynote speaker, appearing on behalf of the secretary-general’s office, was H.E. Mr. Miroslav Jenča, the assistant secretary-general for political affairs. He briefed the participants about the work of the United Nations to ensure that peace is maintained in Northeast Asia. He strongly condemned North Korea’s violation of the Security Council’s emergency resolutions, calling on Pyongyang to allow space for the resumption of sincere dialogue.
He stated that the UN is working quietly and systematically to build trust, reduce tensions and resume dialogue. He emphasized the importance of the international community, including civil society, in maintaining unity in face of the challenges, and he reiterated the secretary-general’s commitment to seek peaceful and political solutions.
Other notable speakers provided valuable knowledge about the crucial situation on the Korean Peninsula. Hon. Dan Burton, a U.S. congressman from 1985 to 2013, spoke about the vital need for awareness of the current crisis. He compared our time to the period after World War I in which Germany was able to build a gigantic army unnoticed by the world’s populations.
With his extensive experience as former special envoy to the Six-Party Talks, Ambassador Joseph DeTrani recounted the complicated circumstances surrounding the resolution of the conflict on the Korean Peninsula. He realistically stated the dangerous direction and trends of the recent launching of the intercontinental ballistic missile rocket. But he ended on a positive note, noting his optimism that a peaceful resolution of conflict is possible to attain on the Korean Peninsula.