Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák (source: Sme )
“For us to defend ourselves against it effectively, we have to increase cooperation on a global and regional level,” said Lajčák at the Foreign Policy and United Nations Association of Austria (UNA-AUSTRIA) meeting in Vienna on November 18, the TASR newswire learnt a day later.
“The events in Paris have shown that the threats and dangers are closer than we thought,” said Lajčák, as quoted by TASR. “Europe is currently facing new challenges of unprecedented scope, and individual member countries can’t face them on their own.”
This is related to terrorism as well as the migration crisis, the situation in Ukraine and the financial crisis, he added.
Lajčák attended the event in Vienna at the invitation of the Association’s President and former Austrian federal chancellor Wolfgang Schussel, as part of the UNA-AUSTRIA international club at which international personalities from various fields such as international organisations, diplomacy, political elites and civic society hold discussions.
Lajčák focused on the topic of the current challenges that the UN and EU face and how to address them.
Europe and the whole civilised world have the means to defeat terrorism at their disposal. They have political, economic and military power. Countries have to use these powers in the short term to protect our citizens. In the medium and long term we have to focus on restoring peace in the Middle East and in northern Africa, according to Lajčák.
“It isn’t just about defeating the so-called Islamic State, ” said Lajčák. “The main element of the solution has to be an effort to increase the manner of governance and administration of society in problematic regions.”
