Greece Policy GA

Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Delegates, and Honorable Guests,
The Hellenic Republic of Greece is honored to be with you all at the 2010 Session of the New Mexico United Nations General Assembly. We find the issues of Kidnapping, Immigration, and Human Trafficking extremely pressing in this day and age and of immediate importance for discussion these next few days. Greece would like to keep an open mind, hearing all positions, to make sure that the solutions we come to are viable and beneficial to all.
The topic of immigration is of great relevance to Greece. Because of our position on the edge of Europe, we see many immigrants entering our country as refugees from war-torn Middle-Eastern, Asian, and African countries. Europe law states that all asylum-seekers must apply in the first country they enter in Europe. Because Greece receives so many applications, we grant the fewest asylums to people than any other country. In fact, it is less than one percent. So the vast majority of immigrants in Greece are there illegally and forced to live in slums and work second-hand jobs. This also means that they must violate European law if they want to seek refuge in another country. Greece asks the United Nations to form clear-cut laws of asylum seeking, not just in Europe, but all over the world. We do not want to deny these people citizenship, but the fact is that we do not have the economic resources to compensate as many immigrants. Therefore, we need policies on the procedure of immigration especially in cases of refuge.
Kidnapping on an international scale is something that needs to stop. As part of a Committee in October of 2004, Greece helped to create a resolution entitled “International Cooperation in the Prevention, Combating, and Elimination of Kidnapping and in Providing Assistance to Victims.” It is apparent that Kidnapping is a crime that affects all countries. We need a resolution that stops what is happening right now, but will prevent it in the future. The other matter associated with kidnapping that is of importance to Greece is aid for victims. Kidnapping is a traumatic crime for those kidnapped and their families and it is the responsibility countries involved to assure a victims’ wellbeing after the fact.
Finally, men, women, and children are being trafficked and exploited all over the world. We believe the approach to this must be three-fold. The United Nations needs to prevent more trafficking from happening, hamper the trafficking already happening, and guarantee that any person caught trafficking will be punished under international law. Not only are people being trafficked and forced to work, they are denied rights of civility and work. And this is never acceptable.
Once again, we would like to say how honored we are to be here. We are also excited to see what this committee can do in regard to these three topics. These are problems that not only affect us all as individual countries, but also as member nations of this world. We need to work tirelessly these next few days in pursuit of solutions. If we have the ability to put aside our difference for the common good, we have the ability to solve the issues set before us.
Thank You