President of the Parliament of Montenegro and emeritus President of the OSCE PA Mr Ranko Krivokapić yesterday met President of United Nations General Assembly Mr Sam Kutesa in the headquarters of the UN in New York. They talked on plans of members states for fulfilling Millennium goals following 2015 as well as strengthening of the agenda for sustainable development, particularly in conditions of increased political and economic instability. They emphasised that strengthening of cooperation among international organisations was of crucial importance, especially in Ukraine, where UN and OSCE have been continuously present, in order to help jointly to citizens.

President Krivokapić, together with President of the Inter-parliamentary Union Mr Saber Chowdhury and UN Assistant Secretary General Mr Thomas Gass, closed the Annual Hearing in the United Nations, being held in UN headquarters in New York, on 19 and 20 November. The Hearing was devoted to Sustainable Development Goals following the year 2015. The participants voiced pleasure over the fact that conclusions of this Conference would be included in Sustainable Development Goals after 2015.

During his speech, President Krivokapić pointed out that parliaments must have a stronger consultative and oversight role, particularly in new democracies, because there was a risk, especially in conditions of ubiquitous economic crisis, a state to become a "corporation", and political elite to defend the interests of financial capital, companies and lobbyists rather than being a strong representative of its citizens.

President Krivokapić also spoke with President of the Inter-parliamentary Union Mr Saber Chowdhury on strengthening of the role of parliaments, but also the necessity of strengthening the parliamentary dimension of international organisations. President Chowdhury expressed great satisfaction over the success of Montenegrin Parliament in recent years, since it has managed to fight for a stronger role.

During his visit to New York, President Krivokapić also met with Mr Jens Toyberg Frandzen, Assistant UN Secretary General for Political Affairs, as well as with Mr Ivan Šimunović, Assistant for Human Rights, talking with them about the work of the Vienna Group to the OSCE PA, chaired by President Krivokapić, and joint activities of the UN and the OSCE in the future.