Respect of the central role of the United Nations and International Law, and confidence in the principle that diplomacy is the means for resolving differences, will be the crux of Greece's presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of September, which it formally assumes on Friday, foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos said Thursday.

Greece, which holds a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the period 2005-2006, assumes the monthly rotating presidency of the Council on September 1.

During the Greek presidency, several major issues of international concern are slated to be discussed by the Security Council, including the situation in Kosovo, the Middle East crisis, and the situation in Lebanon, while a discussion, at foreign ministers' level, will also take place on September 20 concerning UN cooperation with regional organizations aimed at preserving international peace and security.

An exhibition titled "Encomium to the Olive" will also be organized at the UN building in the course of the Greek Security Council presidency, to be inaugurated on September 19 by UN secretary general Kofi Annan, Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis, and Greek culture minister George Voulgarakis. The exhibition is organized by the Athens Academy's Archive Centre for Folklore.

Foreign minister Bakoyannis is due to arrive in New York on September 15, and will address the UN General Assembly on September 22.

Afterwards, she will visit Washington on September 26-27, where she will have meetings with US National Security advisor Stephen Hadley and energy secretary Samuel Bodman.

Source: Athens News Agency

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