Brussels, 22/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - European leaders, who resolutely backed Ban Ki-moon for a second term as United Nations Secretary General, welcomed the news from New York on 21 June that the South Korean will indeed continue in post for a further five-year period. “We warmly welcome the news of the re-election of the Secretary General of the United Nations”, said European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso in a joint statement. “Under his leadership, the UN has played a decisive role in tackling issues of a global nature, from tackling climate change to peace and security, development and eradication of poverty. We look forward to continuing the good cooperation between the European Union and the United Nations in the future”, they said. (H.B./transl.rt)