Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-01-01 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] UN Secretary-General Guterres: 'A call for peace' [02] President expresses his abhorrence for terrorist attack in Istanbul --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] UN Secretary-General Guterres: 'A call for peace' The new Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, send on Sunday his first message for peace on New Year's day through the Athens-Macedonian News Agency. The full message is as follows: "On my first day as Secretary-General of the United Nations, one question weighs heavily on my heart. How can we help the millions of people caught up in conflict, suffering massively in wars with no end in sight? Civilians are pounded with deadly force. Women, children and men are killed and injured, forced from their homes, dispossessed and destitute. Even hospitals and aid convoys are targeted. No one wins these wars; everyone loses. Trillions of dollars are spent destroying societies and economies, fueling cycles of mistrust and fear that can last for generations. Whole regions are destabilized and the new threat of global terrorism affects us all. On this New Year's Day, I ask all of you to join me in making one shared New Year's resolution: Let us resolve to put peace first. Let us make 2017 a year in which we all – citizens, governments, leaders – strive to overcome our differences. From solidarity and compassion in our daily lives, to dialogue and respect across political divides… From ceasefires on the battlefield, to compromise at the negotiating table to reach political solutions…Peace must be our goal and our guide. All that we strive for as a human family – dignity and hope, progress and prosperity – depends on peace. But peace depends on us. I appeal to you all to join me in committing to peace, today and every day. Let us make 2017 a year for peace. Thank you." [Photo credit: UN Photo/Cia Pak] [02] President expresses his abhorrence for terrorist attack in Istanbul President Prokopis Pavlopoulos expressed on Sunday his abhorrence for the deadly terrorist attack on a nightclub in Istanbul early on New Year's Day. The general secretary of the presidency, Ambassador Giorgos Gennimatas, expressed to Turkey's Ambassador to Greece Yaşar Çevik the president's abhorrence "for the barbaric terror attack". Pavlopoulos also expressed the Greek people's full support towards the Turkish people, his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and his best wishes to the injured for a speedy recovery.