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UN, Portuguese leaders meet on Guinea-Bissau, refugee crisis in Europe

Xinhua, September 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday met with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and they discussed the issues of Guinea-Bissau and the refugee crisis in Europe.

During the meeting, the secretary-general and the president discussed avenues for a lasting solution to the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here.

The meeting took place as world leaders are gathering at UN Headquarters in New York for the annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly, which is set to kick off here Tuesday.

They also exchanged views on the refugee and migrant crisis in Europe, the spokesman said.

"In that regard, the secretary-general commended Portugal's welcoming approach, which can serve as an example for others, especially in promoting the rights of vulnerable migrants and refugees," he said.

Meanwhile, the secretary-general expressed his appreciation for the active role of Portugal in ocean governance and called for its speedy ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, he added. Endit