At the outset, allow me to express our appreciation for your invitation to co...

At the outset, allow me to express our appreciation for your invitation to convene this ministerial meeting of the Security Council on this important occasion. Our appreciation also goes to the Secretary General for his important report on the steps and measures taken to implement resolution 1325, as well as to the role played by the United Nations machinery, including in both the Security Council and the General Assembly and to all UN Member States taking effective steps in that regard. We express our appreciation to the briefings we heard at the beginning of the Council's meeting today.