"I believe that dialogue with the Russian Federation is absolutely crucial instrument for world affairs to move in the right direction," Guterres said, when asked to comment on the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held earlier in the day.
The world has to unite to face major global challenges, such as war, terrorism and injustice, Antonio Guterres said.
"War, terrorism, and injustice and inequality," he said, outlining major problems that the world faces today.
"We need everywhere leaders that understand that we live in a common world, that we need to be able to have a common understanding, and that in this world all our societies are multiethnic, multicultural, multireligious," he said.
Guterres once again highlighted the threat of terrorism that the world is facing.
The UN secretary general has to ensure the organization is effective, as it is the base of multilateralism, Guterres said.
"I think the UN is the cornerstone of the global multilateral system. And it is essential for us that the UN works well, but there is a long way to go. We need the UN that is much more effective and much more efficient," Guterres said.
Guterres added that the UN secretary general's role was to ensure the coordination and efficiency of the organization, "that it is fully able to respond to the needs of the present times."
At the same time, he stressed the reliance of the United Nations on what its member states could do.
"The other important role for the Secretary General is to use his office as a bridge builder, as a facilitator of the global dialogue, allowing more and more member states to assume leadership in their common efforts to make the world more peaceful and less insecure," Guterres said.
A new secretary general of the United Nations should be elected in 2016, as Ban Ki-moon’s tenure is due to end on December 31, 2016.
