UNIS/VIC/133
20 July 2005
Foreign Minister of Slovenia Visits the United Nations in Vienna
VIENNA, 20 July (UN Information Service) -- The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, H. E. Dr. Dimitrij Rupel, visited the Vienna International Centre (VIC) today, where he received a briefing on the work of the organizations based here. The Foreign Minister, who was on his first visit to the VIC, was accompanied by the Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the United Nations (Vienna) H. E. Mr. Ernest Petric. Mr. Rupel was welcomed by the Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) Vienna, Nasra Hassan.
“In Slovenia, we are great supporters of the United Nations and are committed to assist the vital work of this Organization wherever we can,” stated Mr. Rupel. “It is a pleasure to be here and to receive such an interesting introduction and warm welcome”.
Ms. Hassan underlined that Slovenia was a major client country of UNIS Vienna, and that UNIS Vienna maintained a Slovene language website on the United Nations and its Vienna-based programmes.
The Foreign Minister was briefed on the work of the VIC-based organizations and programmes, including the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). In response to a query, the benefits of the United Nations presence to the host country were discussed, and the importance of the United Nations and other international entities in Vienna as a hub of the fight against ‘uncivil society’ was emphasized. Mr. Rupel is currently the Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
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