Addressing the UN General Assembly yesterday (1.10), Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said that Greece is striving to bolster peace, stability and regional security, even as it copes with three complex challenges – an economic crisis, unprecedented migration flows, and huge numbers of refugees.

In his speech, Tsipras pointed to the deterioration of the country’s economy since the 2008 economic downturn and the 'devastating social cost' of the measures Greece has implemented since it signed its first bailout in 2010, repeating calls for debt relief. He urged for a global financial and economic system oriented to fostering national growth strategies and raising the issue of debt restructuring in all competent forums. Greece needs a growth and not a new austerity agenda; his government would implement deep reforms but also focus on growth-inducing measures "to protect the most vulnerable members of society", he added.

Referring to the refugee crisis, he stressed that Europe and our world cannot be "built on ever-higher walls, or children dying at our doorstep", and that Greece was 'taken aback' by "unprecedented migration flows" of more than 300,000 people, mainly from Syria, Afghanistan and Libya.

The country is making every effort to manage the influx of refugees, Tsipras assured, and praised Greeks for showing 'solidarity' with migrants and refugees and giving them food and shelter. He called for more assistance to frontline European states, such as Greece, in their effort to manage these flows and for "a resettlement mechanism from countries neighbouring Syria, while also supporting them directly in hosting refugees and dismantling trafficking networks".

The PM further noted that Greece is also at the centre of a third security crisis responsible that causes this refugee crisis, lying at the heart of a triangle of destabilization, with Ukraine to its North, and the conflicts in Libya and in the Middle East to its SW and SE. He argued that the Middle East Peace process is of key importance for the region and extended Greece’s full support to intercommunal talks to resolve the Cyprus issue, and to improve Greek-Turkish relations and cooperation.

Watch C-SPAN video: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras Address to the U.N.