Aglaia Balta (Greece/Security Council President) on the program of work for the month of October - Press Conference Press Conferences Date: 1 October 2026 Language: English Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/es/asset/k1k/k1kfba6ag8?lang=en Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations. --- Greece · Spokesperson [0:00]: Good afternoon to all. Okay, so dear correspondents and members of the press, thank you very much for your turnout and for your interest, particularly after an intense high-level week. My name is Achilles Rakinis. I am the spokesperson at the Permanent Mission of Greece to the United Nations. and I am pleased to welcome you to the press conference of the Greek presidency of the Security Council for the month of October 2026. Greece assumes the high responsibility of the presidency of the Security Council for the second time during its current elected term. It is my pleasure to introduce the permanent representative of Greece to the United Nations, Ambassador Aglaia Baltah. who, in her capacity as President of the Security Council, will brief you on the programme of work for the month of October, which was adopted earlier this morning, and, as I see, it has already been distributed to you. Yes, great. The Ambassador is accompanied by our Political Coordinator, Mr. Konstantinos Stanopoulos. Following the Ambassador's remarks, we will proceed to a Q&A session and we'll try to accommodate as many questions as time allows. And with that, Ambassador, the floor is yours. Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [1:50]: Thank you. Thank you, Achilleas. And thanks to all of you for being here today. Greece assumes for the second time the presidency of the Council, and we feel particularly honored to be serving the Council at this moment. I would like, before starting my comments, to thank and congratulate France for the successful presidency of the Security Council in September. We are very pleased to be taking over from our French colleagues and we look forward to building on their work, particularly on emerging technologies and AI. We are also continuing a sequence of European presidencies. Denmark, France, Greece, and finally Latvia in November, a rather nice coincidence. courtesy of the alphabetical order and reflection of the close cooperation and continuity among the European members of the Council. Europe looking outwards. It is great honor and privilege for Greece to assume the presidency for a second time during the month of October as an elected member, our third term. As we have done throughout our tenure, we will be guided by the UN Charter and international law, as well as by the Council's provisional rules of procedure and agreed working methods. Our objective is to ensure that the Security Council works efficiently and transparently. As you can see on the program of work already distributed to you, October will be a very busy month. There is a substantial number of important mandated meetings, some high-level meetings, and a number of events that we hope will contribute to the Council's broader work. Let me now turn to our key priorities. We will organize two signature events. a briefing on CAC on the 26th of October, and a briefing on emerging technologies and peace and security with an emphasis on maritime security on the 29th of October. Our Prime Minister will chair the briefing on emerging technologies, while our Foreign Minister will chair the briefing on CAC. We have scheduled two mandated open debates, one on Middle East on the 15th, and another on WPS on 27th of October. The Foreign Minister will chair the open debate on WPS. Let me go into a bit more detail regarding our signature events and open debates. On children and armed conflict, this will be to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the CAC mandate. As I said, the Foreign Minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, will chair the meeting. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Ms. Vanessa Frazier, the Executive Director of UNICEF, Ms. Kathy Russell, and the African Union Special Envoy for Children Affected by Armed Conflict, Ambassador Jagne, will brief the Council. We plan to have a CSO briefer as well. Then our main signature event on emerging technologies and the maintenance of international peace and security, with an emphasis on maritime security, on the 29th of October, will be a briefing under the item of maintenance of international peace and security, chaired by the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The discussion will seek to identify how the optimal and responsible use of new technologies can strengthen existing capacities. Also, how to provide innovative tools for addressing evolving threats to international peace and security while remaining consistent with international law and the UN Charter. It will place an emphasis on maritime security, which has been one of our core priorities during our tenure in the Security Council. Finally, on women, peace, and security on the 27th, Our Foreign Minister will chair this meeting also. The Secretary General will brief the Council and the Executive Director of UN Women, Ms. Sima Bahous, will present the annual report on WPS. The Council will also be briefed by a CSO representative. Prior to the open debate, we will hold the media stake in of the signatories of the shared commitments on WPS plus other interested member states. Moving on, we will also seek to ensure meaningful participation by civil societies representatives in a number of our meetings, like emerging technologies, CAC, WPS, Haiti, and Yemen. Another important part of our program will be our engagement with Africa Union, and I want to emphasize on this. We give a particular importance on the partnership between the UN Security Council and the African Union, and we are going to host the informal joint seminar between the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council on the 21st and 22nd 2nd of October, as well as the annual joint consultative meeting on the 23rd. And of course, we will continue to address the main pressing situations that are already before the Council across the Middle East, Africa, Haiti, Colombia, Western Sahara, and the Balkans. Now, I'm sure that you would like to know about the straw polls. October is the month where we need to make progress and perhaps even agree on a new Secretary General. We have set aside a couple of slots for the straw polls of the selection of the SG in the first and second-half of the month. Of course, We will consult with all member states, including on the use of color-coded ballots, and we'll remain attentive to events. Now, if you want me, I can continue with a bit more detail on the program that has been adopted We have on the 6th of October, the Security Council will hold its annual briefing on AU-UN cooperation, where the Secretary-General's report will be discussed following the usual format of three institutional briefers, two from the UN and one from the AU. On October 8, we will have consultations on UNDOF. On the same day, we have scheduled consultations on MINURSO, and the following day, we have briefing and consultations on Yemen. The 12th, we have scheduled the briefing and close consultations on Colombia, and in the afternoon, we will hold briefing and consultations on Syria. You can see the program is packed, but we have so many mandated meetings that we have to honor. On the 13th, we will hold the briefing followed by close consultation on Great Lakes region. The 14th, the Council will adopt a resolution renewing the mandate on the Sanctions Committee on Haiti and the Panel of Experts. And then we consult on UNSMIL and Libya. In the afternoon, we will hold a 1559 consultations on Lebanon. On the 14th, we will have an open debate, our quarterly open debate on the Middle East peace process. And then the following day, Sudan will be discussed. followed by Haiti, MINUSCA, UNMIC. I spare you with the dates because we have the program, obviously. And we arrive on the final week of our presidency with our signature events. This is the outline, more or less, of the program. I prefer not to go into the detail because I'm sure you have questions. to ask, we will try to facilitate consensus in the Council while remaining available to the wider membership of the Member States in what is always a busy month in the Council. It is an ambitious program and certainly a very busy one. We look forward to keeping you informed and updated throughout the month. Thank you, and I open the floor for your questions and comments. Oui, la la. Greece · Spokesperson [11:33]: Thank you, Ambassador. Thank you. We will now begin the Q&A. A little bit of housekeeping. As always, please introduce yourselves before the question and indicate the media organization you represent. We will begin, as it is customary, with the United Nations Correspondents Association, and I see Pamela representing today the association. Pamela, over to you. Journalist [11:57]: Thank you, Achilles, and thank you, Ambassador. We're looking forward to the month. You obviously have a packed agenda. So on that front, could you give a little more granularity to the signature event, the combining or merging AI with maritime security? How will that work? What are you looking to accomplish? We've seen a lot with Sam Altman and others here during UNGA week. We've seen a lot from the White House. What would you like to see come out of it? Thanks. Pamela Falk from U.S. News and World Report. Sorry. Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [12:35]: Thank you, Pamela. When we first started discussing with my team the signature event of our presidency this year, it was the month of January. And the question of AI and emerging technologies popped up. But it was too soon. we were still looking whether there was utility of having a signature event of this item. But we all have seen and we all have been witnesses of how this subject took traction because it's here. It's evolving, it's developing, I'm not one, and we're not one of those who only see risks, uh, of the development of AI and technologies, but we think. that we must not be left behind. And that's why I commend the discussion that has already started. France has organized a very important discussion during High-Level Week. with AI briefers, and we would like to build on this, but from a different perspective, from the perspective of maritime security with geopolitical aspect. How can we use all this instruments that emerging technologies and AI offers offer us in order to advance. The security, the maritime security. So yes, to answer to your question for more granularity, we are going to build on the discussion that has already been taken and hopefully that And I'm sure, not hopefully, Latvia will follow because it's not a one-time item. Journalist [14:55]: Is there anything you're expecting out of it, a presidential statement? Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [15:02]: We are thinking of a presidential statement, but it won't be on this vast item. We are going to select a particular theme. so as to make so as to be more understandable to because you see there are so many misinterpretations and misunderstandings. We do not want to feed this type of discussion. We want clarity. Greece · Spokesperson [15:36]: Thank you so much. A couple of questions from our national correspondents. Yurya. Journalist [15:42]: Thank you, Ambassador. Before I jump into my question, I'm wishing you good luck. Best of luck to your presidency. Greece has consistently attached great importance to the women, peace, and security agenda. During your presidency of the Security Council, are you planning any specific initiative or action to advance the implementation of the WPS agenda? particularly in the context of the conflicts currently before the Council? Thank you. Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [16:14]: That's why we've raised the item of WPS as one of our main signature events because we attach particular importance. The landmark resolution 1325 was adopted 26 years ago. If we compare the period 26 years ago and now, the debate will be, let's say, Not alarming, concerning. Because we have-- I'll give you an example. There were 117 national action plans adopted. How many are there being implemented? Another thing is that the world today faces many challenges. And the main problem is that we make a lot of rhetorical commitments, but we need to advance the agenda. And that's what we are aiming during this open debate that will be chaired by the foreign minister, just to take stock and see how we advance, but with concrete steps. That's our main focus for this open debate. Greece · Spokesperson [17:54]: Thanasis. Okay. Adla. Journalist [18:00]: Thank you, Ambassador. Adla Masoud with The National. So I see on the 14th you're going to be discussing Lebanon. And my question is really about UNIFIL, and we know it's not going to be renewed. And the Lebanese authorities are worried about security vacuum. So what are the options for the Security Council? What would you be discussing? Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [18:20]: We had the resolution 2790 adopted that extended the UNIFIL's mandate until the 31st of December 2026. And what this renewal is aiming is to have an orderly, safe drawdown and withdrawal within this year. The coming period will be very important, and we are all aware that it's a period that we have to consider the different options, because as you said, we cannot leave a vacuum, a security vacuum, once UNIFIL is withdrawn. So from what I can tell you, because the discussions are ongoing, The Council is well aware that once Unifi leaves, something has to fill the gap. I cannot tell you what. I cannot tell you what the solution will be, but we have the conditions. We have 2790, we have the resolution 1701 that all members want fully implemented. So in that direction, we are working. Speaker 14 [20:03]: Thank you very much for the briefing. I would like to ask you if you are planning to have any meeting concerning Ukraine during this month and what would be the objective? Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [20:16]: The Ukraine and the discussion on Ukraine is done every month because the urgency and the emergency is there. I cannot tell you because it is when the members will ask for it. And it's, you know, it's something, it's in Europe. I spoke about European presidencies. I should now refer to a European war. And I must say, because we all feel emotional, may I say. And please don't get me wrong, because there is always this critique by colleagues that do not come from Europe, that, yes, you are sensitive because you have a war in Europe, but when something else happens in another part of the world, you don't seem to have the same sensitivity. It's not right. It's not right. We are talking about Ukraine because it was an invasion, a war that was unprovoked. And I must take now a national position and tell you that Greece, together with the partners in the European Union, We have taken a clear position in favor of the respect of international law and the UN Charter, opposing this change of borders by force, by the use of force. So as far as the meeting is concerned, I can tell you that The Ukraine situation maintains an element of urgency and unpredictability and requires an agile response. As soon as we have a request by Council members to include the issue in the programme of work, we are going to do it. Greece · Spokesperson [22:41]: Abdelhamid, and just please do not forget to use the mic when you pose the question, Abdelhamid. Journalist [22:46]: Thank you so much, Achilles. Thank you, Madame Ambassador. My name is Abdul Hamid Sayam from the Arabic daily Al Quds Al Arabi, and I will ask you in your capacity as the representative of Greece. Madam Ambassador, the Greek people support the Palestinians. I've been reading about polls. 80% of the Greek people support Palestine. The Israeli standing at 13.5% only. Yet your prime minister He ran into the General Assembly to hug Netanyahu. One of the opposition party wrote in Greece, "Don't talk to us, Mr. Prime Minister, about international law." There is historic ties between Greece and the Palestinian and the Arab world. What turned Greece all the way to the other side to sit in the lap of Israel? It's very mind-bustling. I don't understand why, against the will of your people. Why is that? Thank you. Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [23:50]: I'm glad to answer this question. I must tell you that you've seen a photograph. You haven't seen who other leaders the Prime Minister has hugged. So it's not we we cannot judge by photograph the policy that the government has is following. We have repeatedly are, uh, said that we are for the two-state solution. We ha- we are in constant, and, uh, my prime minister has met, uh, repeatedly with, uh, uh, the Palestinian leaders and with the representatives in Athens. We have, as you said, we have traditional relations with the Arab world and the Palestinians. We haven't changed that. That doesn't mean that you do not talk to Israel, that you do not have, it's either or. This, I will disagree with you. It is, in order to advance, I will offer you another example, in order to advance the cause of the Palestinians, you have to talk to both parties. So, it's not a matter of the quorum or -- it's substance. And I can assure you, and you will see it from our presidency throughout the month of October, but also in the future, we haven't left Palestinians aside. Journalist [25:34]: Sorry, but you signed an arms deal with the $3 billion with us, right? So. Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [25:39]: And it wasn't the only one, dare I say. Greece · Spokesperson [25:43]: Thank you. Linda, please. Journalist [25:46]: Thank you, Ambassador. Regarding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, aside from the special event on the special high-level meeting, on navigational security, do you expect that the secretariat, for example, will be giving an update in terms of its efforts in working out some kinds of resolution of this? You know, I know there are talks going on, et cetera, but do you think we'll be able to, sorry. Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [26:18]: Can you repeat, please? Journalist [26:21]: Okay, so my question is, do you see the, secretariat briefing the Security Council soon about the results of their current efforts to work out some kind of resolution in the Strait of Hormuz. Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [26:38]: By secretariat, what do you mean? Journalist [26:40]: I mean the high level, you know, the Secretary-General's leadership. Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [26:45]: There are talks. There are talks, and hopefully they will bear fruits shortly. But other than that, I cannot tell you more because I'm not privy of concrete discussions. Journalist [27:02]: Thank you, Madame Ambassador. My name is Sylvie Anze from Le Jour. And so in light of the Security Secretary General's latest report on the implementation of Resolution 1559, how does Greece see the role of the Security Council in supporting the Lebanese authorities in restoring full state sovereignty throughout the country? And how can this objective be advanced in parallel with the post-UNIFIL transition? Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [27:40]: Thank you for this question, because it complements the question that I've answered on UNIFIL. Both bilaterally, but through other channels, Greece is helping and assisting the Lebanese Armed Forces to organize. So because what is needed is that the LAF, the armed forces of Lebanon, to extend their presence throughout the Lebanese territory. So this 1559 resolution locks with what I said earlier for UNIFIL. We are going to work in the direction of having concrete results. I cannot tell you specifics because discussions are being held as we speak, but I would be very optimistic on the end result. Greece · Spokesperson [28:52]: Kari, and then we'll go there. Kari, please. Journalist [28:55]: Thank you, Achilles. Good luck for this month of presidency, Ambassador. Kari Notten from Radio France Internationale. I don't see it on the program, but I think you have AU-UN seminar this month. Can you tell us a little bit more? Oh, sorry. Can you tell us, though, a little bit more about what you expect, what are the goals of those three days? Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [29:21]: So, I'll start by the end. The goal is to strengthen the partnership between UN Security Council and AU Political and Security Committee. It's very important that this partnership that has started be strengthened. So we have organized a retreat in Greentree. It will start with dinner on the 21st, and we will have a guest speaker to discuss an item. I cannot tell you the name yet because we haven't yet determined the speaker, but it will be around the cooperation between the two bodies. And then the following day, we will have the seminar. Discussions are underway concerning the agenda and the program, and it will be concluded on the 23rd in Ecosoc with a joint consultative meeting between the two bodies. Greece · Spokesperson [30:30]: Please go ahead. Journalist [30:31]: Thank you so much. Thank you, Madam Ambassador. My name is Susan Tehrani from Voice of America. Can you tell us about any specific steps that you're planning to take during your presidency to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz? And also regarding the draft U.S.-France resolution on the Strait of Hormuz, can you update us on that? Would you put it to vote this month? Thank you. Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [30:59]: That's a tricky Because I haven't seen officially a draft resolution. Once we've seen it, I can reply on that. But for us, a country that is a leading maritime country, it's very important that freedom of navigation is respected to the fullest. So anything that we are going to do and lead during this month is to uphold international law, UNCLOS, and freedom of navigation. Once the draft resolution or a draft resolution appears, I can brief you on that. But at the moment, I cannot say something. Greece · Spokesperson [31:53]: Can we take a couple more? Please go ahead. Journalist [31:58]: Thank you, Madam President. This is Namu Abdullah with Rudaw Media Network. I have two questions. One, in your capacity as the ambassador for Greece, I know Greece is home to a sizable Kurdish minority, mostly fleeing the discriminatory policies of the countries in the Middle East. I just wonder whether I don't see any item about Syria here, I see just Middle East in general. Would you discuss Kurdish rights in Syria in the new constitution, or would you have a meeting on Syria where you will discuss that? And my second question is on your relations with Turkey. President Erdogan, as you probably you heard him in the General Assembly, we all heard him call for the recognition of the Turkish Cypriot state. And would you see a room for like is there like a is the Security Council a good place to uh like talk about those disputes that you have with turkey especially the seabed cable that I think Greece was trying to explore thank you. Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [33:11]: In a nutshell you put everything in two questions let let me clarify because today I'm speaking as the presidency of the Security Council for the month of October. So, first of all, the Secretary-General is continuing its efforts to advance the Cyprus question. The process has been long. and fruitful, I might say, during his last visit in Cyprus, I think it was last July. So the efforts are continuing, and I will leave it to that. Good offices of the Secretary-General with his special envoy, Maria Oulin. As far as the Syria question, I think we have an item. We have on the 12th of October, UNDOF in Syria. And you might have heard, if you're following the works of the Council, that we always, in our national capacity, say that Syria having made considerable steps, and I know that the Kurdish, I forgot that, not community, the armed part of the SDF. has been -- is being integrated in the Syrian -- so steps are being made. But we always say that the rich composition of the Syrian population has to be integrated and be allowed to fully live according to their beliefs and their culture. Journalist [35:14]: So just one last one. Do you not think it's necessary to discuss your tensions with Turkey in the Security Council. Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [35:25]: You're improvising now. There's no -- who I discuss? I don't see -- we have good relations. We have good relations with Turkey. And you saw it in President Erdogan's speech. Greece · Spokesperson [35:41]: I'll take two questions before we wrap up. Thanasis, are you ready? And Sherwin? Journalist [35:46]: Thank you, Ambassador. You mentioned before, you're closing a previous answer during its term on the UN Security Council in Greece, he has worked to promote and defend the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. According to the today's reports, Turkey Defense Ministry says it will not allow the laying of the Greece Cyprus power cable without Turkish permission claiming that the plan survey work its on its continental shelf. Turkey, as you know, it's not a party to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. I would like to ask you a comment on this and how do you Council members view Greece's position in the light of international law? Thank you. Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [36:32]: I will reply the same way that I replied to your colleague earlier. This is not a matter for the Council. Today I'm here to present the program and to talk about what Greece is going to do in the Council. I do not remember the relations between Greece and Turkey being discussed in the Council. I will leave it at that. Greece · Spokesperson [36:58]: I'm sure, Sherwin, this is going to be a question about the program of work. Journalist [37:01]: Yes. Hi, Ambassador. Sherwin, Broadcasting. My question is about the race for the Secretary-General. You mentioned the fact that you could, the Council could potentially deliver a recommendation to the General Assembly this month. I wonder what the potential or the percentage in your brain of that person potentially being a woman. And secondly, What's your understanding of this process not actually delivering a recommendation to the Council come the 31st of December, and what is your understanding of what will happen then? Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [37:36]: I'm an optimist by nature. I do not believe that we'll arrive on the 31st of December and not have a recommendation, and I will tell you why. It's very important. We are always saying that the UN is ineffective. This is what the world sometimes say about the organization. We do not want them. We do not want to prove them right. Discussions are taking place. The process is moving. We had already four straw polls, the last one on the 29th of November. We pick it up and in consultation with other Council members, we are going to try to move and speed the process. But at the same time, we are not going to move without the consent of all Member States. So I am confident that you will see some action during the month of October. And if it's not during our month, it will be during the month of the presidency of Latvia. Journalist [38:51]: And what does your optimism say about the potential of this candidate being a woman? Greece · Permanent Representative; President of the Security Council [38:57]: It's a provocative question because you're asking a woman. So what do you expect that I say? Greece · Spokesperson [39:04]: Thank you, Ambassador. Thank you very much for your participation today. For any questions that we were unable to take, please feel free to send them over and we will seek to provide written answers as soon as possible. Thank you all for joining us today.