Palestine and reform of the Security Council were at the centre of Luca Beccari’s engagements in New York, where the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs is taking part in the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. The day of 24 September also included the signing of the agreement establishing diplomatic relations between San Marino and Trinidad and Tobago.
Beccari spoke at the Glass Palace during the ministerial meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, dedicated to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. San Marino reaffirmed its recognition of the State of Palestine as a sovereign and independent state, a decision taken following a unanimous mandate from the Grand and General Council (Consiglio Grande e Generale). According to the Foreign Secretariat, Beccari described that recognition as a contribution to the political path towards a two-state solution, while also pointing to the worsening situation on the ground. “A two-state solution,” Beccari stated, “cannot be built by governments alone, but must also be built within societies.”
The Secretary of State also took part in the meeting of United for Consensus at the Permanent Mission of Italy. The group, of which San Marino is a member, opposes the allocation of new permanent seats to individual countries. In the debate on Security Council reform, Beccari argued for the need to continue negotiations in search of consensus, without introducing artificial deadlines or prematurely presenting consolidated texts.
In the afternoon, Beccari and the Foreign Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Sean Sobers, signed the agreement establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries. On the sidelines of the General Assembly, the Secretary of State also met with the Foreign Minister of Cyprus, Constantinos Kombos, to discuss San Marino’s European integration process and bilateral cooperation. At the reception of the Forum of Small States, he then held talks with the Foreign Minister of Singapore, Vivian Balakrishnan.
The programme announced by the Secretariat also included a dinner with representatives of Andorra and Monaco, focused in particular on the relations of the three small states with the European Union.
