UNITED NATIONS, July 30 -- In response to U.S. President Donald Trump's intention to attend this year's General Assembly General Debate in person, a German diplomat said on Thursday that it makes no sense for world leaders to be physically present given the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We have been looking at developments in the United States on COVID. We have been looking at the situation in New York. And we know what the high-level week means when you have 190 delegations coming into the city," said Christoph Heusgen, Germany's permanent representative to the United Nations.
"Taking into consideration the prognostics for September, we believe that it doesn't really make sense to have a high-level week, to have the General Assembly, where you have leaders attending," he told a press encounter at the end of his country's Security Council presidency for the month of July.
Heusgen confirmed that there are no plans in Germany for either Chancellor Angela Merkel or Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to fly to New York for the General Assembly high-level week.
"We have to be careful. We must not endanger people by coming with a big delegation here. And therefore we agreed to the proposal to have the leaders present their speeches in a virtual way."
U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft, said Thursday that Trump hopes to address the UN General Assembly in person in September.
A UN spokesman said Trump's presence at the General Assembly is a matter to be coordinated by the United Nations and the United States.
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