UN General Assembly
2008

and can prosper and thrive. The United Nations must be at the helm of this effort. In order to play its role efficiently, the United Nations needs increased support from us all, particularly in its efforts to develop and improve. Discussions about Security Council reforms and the need to breathe new life into the General Assembly have been going on for far too long. We hope that, starting at this session, today, concrete measures will be adopted to reach our objective. (spoke in English) This year we celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Unfortunately, gross violations of human rights persist throughout the world, and we Member States need to redouble our efforts to reduce them. The Human Rights Council could be a powerful force in that struggle, and Greece has decided to become a candidate for membership for the term beginning in 2012. We ask for the Assembly’s support and trust. Along with protecting human rights, the United Nations must strengthen its efforts to alleviate the bitter