General Assembly Session 51 meeting 88

The President

I call on the Secretary-General.

The Secretary-General

I should like to begin my statement by expressing my deep sense of gratitude and appreciation. I convey a personal greeting to all States Members of this Organization, a special greeting and acknowledgement to all the Heads of State or Government who have honoured me with their support and assistance, and my sincere gratitude to Their Excellencies the Ministers, Permanent Representatives and members of delegations for their support and help. I am grateful for the valuable help provided by my aides, who have assisted me in discharging my functions over the past years. I should like also to acknowledge everyone who has helped to maintain the credibility of the United Nations and the independence of its soul.

The Secretary-General

Five years ago, responsibility for the Office of Secretary-General was placed in my hands. I am grateful to have had the privilege of serving the peoples of the United Nations during this time. Today I am proud of the way the United Nations has responded to the challenges of these difficult years.

I have had the difficult task of guiding the United Nations during the post-cold-war period. The next century has already begun. Great transformations do not wait for the calendar. The past five-year period opened with optimism and enthusiasm. Member States called on the United Nations to take action, on an unprecedented scale, for peace, development, democratization and reform.

My first act for peace as Secretary-General was to sign at Chapultepec on 16 January 1992 the Agreement on peace for El Salvador, a great achievement by my distinguished predecessor, Mr. Pérez de Cuéllar.

The first-ever Summit Meeting of the Security Council took place on 31 January 1992.

My report issued in May 1992, "An Agenda for Peace", launched an international debate on preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, peacekeeping and the new concept of post-conflict peace-building.

From El Salvador to Cambodia to Angola and Mozambique, the United Nations adapted United Nations peacekeeping to unprecedented forms of conflict.

Development also was given a new opportunity. The easing of ideological tensions and the expected peace dividend raised hopes for development cooperation. The landmark Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 yielded the first-ever global plan -- Agenda 21 -- for a new and equitable partnership to achieve sustainable development.

Democratization became a new feature of the work of the United Nations. Member States, new and old, turned to the United Nations for support in democratization. The United Nations quickly developed its capacity to provide electoral assistance.

It was clear to me, as I took up the office of Secretary-General, that the United Nations would have to undergo comprehensive change. I simplified Secretariat structures and began a process of managerial reform. This, in turn, stimulated more demand for reform.

Throughout the period leading up to the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations, reform was the issue of the day. In Governments, universities and foundations drew up proposals for restructuring and reorganizing.

But the middle years of this half-decade were deeply troubled. Disillusion set in. Where peacekeepers were asked to deal with warfare, serious setbacks occurred. The first came in Somalia, and it weakened the will of the world community to act against genocide in Rwanda. In Bosnia, too, hard choices were avoided. The concept of peacekeeping was turned on its head and worsened by the serious gap between mandates and resources. The volume of assistance to developing countries was not only failing to grow, it was, in fact, declining. Resources for long-term development were being diverted to emergency efforts. Africa was hit hardest.

Despite high hopes for democratization, a counter-trend emerged. Atrocities in violation of human rights reached unprecedented levels. The horror of ethnic cleansing emerged. In some countries, democratization proved more difficult than expected, creating political instability, social disarray and economic disappointment. Democratization in some cases slowed, or was even eroded.

And it emerged that the conditions for major reform of the United Nations did not yet exist. The decisions required far exceeded the authority of any Secretary-General. Extensive reform of the United Nations can emerge only from a consensus among Member States on the goals of reform. Until such a consensus exists, and until the political will emerges to take hard decisions and to reform intergovernmental machinery along with Secretariat structures, major institutional reform will be very difficult. And throughout this time of disillusion, the Organization's financial crisis continued to pose a serious obstacle to reform.

The United Nations is emerging from the mood of disillusion. The fiftieth anniversary brought an impressive recommitment by Member States to their world Organization. A new sense of maturity seems possible. We have begun to restore the logic of United Nations peacekeeping and to clarify our approach to the range of instruments contained in the Charter. The division of labour between the United Nations and regional organizations continues to improve.

As I described to the Lyon Summit of the Group of Seven last June, the United Nations is now working closely with the Bretton Woods institutions on development policy and on projects in the field. The flagship of this effort is the System-wide Special Initiative on Africa, which I inaugurated earlier this year. And a new global policy consensus has begun to take shape. The Rio Conference on Environment and Development, the Vienna Conference on Human Rights, the Yokohama Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction, the Cairo Conference on Population and Development, the Naples Conference on Transnational Crime, the Barbados Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, the Copenhagen World Summit for Social Development, the Beijing Conference on Women; the Istanbul Conference on Human Settlements and the ninth United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD IX), on globalization and liberalization in South Africa -- all have been dedicated to the betterment of the individual human person.

Taken together, this series of conferences has created an entirely new dimension of international cooperation. It has set the stage for restoring development and international economic cooperation to the place it should occupy on the agenda of the United Nations, as a major objective of the Organization in its own right and as a precondition for lasting peace and progress. This is the Charter's conception. This is the conception that the Group of 77 has struggled long and hard to defend. And this should be a key objective of further reform of the Organization in the economic and social area.

For democratization, a more comprehensive and effective United Nations approach is taking shape. Beyond help in holding free and fair elections, the United Nations today offers a range of forms of assistance, from support for a culture of democratization to institution-building. To succeed over time, democratization within a nation must be supported by a process of democratization among nations. The democratization of the international system is one of the greatest tasks ahead.

The past few years have brought a new and wide recognition that reform is well under way. The path forward can now be seen. Roles and responsibilities are more clearly understood. Key issues of intergovernmental reform relating to the Security Council, assessments and peacekeeping debts are seen to be linked. Proposals are being put forward by Member States for the settlement of arrears.

Most importantly, there is a new recognition that reform is not an end in itself. Reform which seeks to turn the United Nations away from its fundamental responsibilities under the Charter can legitimately be opposed. The test of true reform will be whether it will improve the capacity of the United Nations to meet those responsibilities and to advance the common objectives of the peoples of the United Nations and its Member States.

The downward trend has been broken. What is emerging is a United Nations that is more mature in outlook and stronger in achievement; a United Nations aware not only of its potentialities, but also of its limits. Enthusiasm, disillusion and realism: This has been the history of the United Nations over the past five years.

Now, let us look to the future. Some old problems appear to be solved. But new problems and old problems in new forms have emerged. For some, the world seems more secure. But for many others, devastation, death and despair have become more common. For some, economic progress races forward. But for vast numbers of others, stark poverty crushes hope in every dimension of personal and community life.

What use the world makes of the United Nations in the next few years can affect the course of world affairs for generations to come.

Most immediately, the financial crisis continues. Just as my predecessor said to this Assembly in his last address, I too must state that I have been unable to resolve the financial crisis. This is a threat to the future of the United Nations that began over a decade ago. We know what is causing it, and we know what is needed to end it. It is not the result of mismanagement. It is the refusal to fulfil a treaty obligation.

Now that a new Secretary-General is being appointed, all arrears should be paid at once, as has been promised so often in the past few months.

In saying farewell to this great Assembly, I want to stress that nothing is more precious to the United Nations than its reputation. That reputation rests on four pillars: impartiality, equity, efficiency and achievement. A fifth principle is independence. If one word above all is to characterize the role of the Secretary-General, it is independence. The holder of this office must never be seen as acting out of fear or attempting to curry favour with one State or group of States. Should that happen, all prospects for the United Nations would be lost. The Secretary-General's loyalty must be international, and nothing but international. An international civil service must be a real civil service.

Throughout the past five years, the first thing I thought about when I woke up in the morning was my responsibility as Secretary-General to the ideals of the Charter, and the independence and credibility of the Organization.

The Secretary-General

By way of conclusion, my thoughts go to all the men and women of goodwill with whom I have worked over these past years to confront the difficulties that we have all faced together. I have appreciated their competence, their devotion and their self-denial. Sometimes I have also had to pay tribute to their sacrifices. All those men and women who are devoted to the general interests of the international community are the real wealth -- the real future -- of this world Organization. I assure them today of my highest consideration and gratitude.

In particular, I should like to congratulate the new Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, who has served this institution for many years with tenacity, competence and great energy. I am convinced that his varied experience will be useful in resolving problems that he will confront and in defending the interests of the Secretariat and of the entire staff of this world Organization.

Finally, I would like to thank the General Assembly for having five years ago to me entrusted this high post in which I have continued the work that I have been conducting for so long now in the service of peace, development and human rights.

You can count on me to continue to place my energies in the service of the great ideals of the Charter. You can count on me to continue to defend the United Nations.

The President

I thank the Secretary-General.

The Assembly has before it document A/51/732 containing a letter dated 13 December 1996 from the President of the Security Council addressed to the President of the General Assembly. Members will recall that on that same day I transmitted copies of that letter by fax to all Permanent Missions. In this regard, I call on the President of the Security Council, who will report to the Assembly on the work undertaken by the Council on this matter.

Mr. Fulci (Italy)

It is an honour and a privilege for me, in my capacity as President of the Security Council for the month of December, to address the General Assembly in order to convey to it the recommendation of the Security Council for the appointment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

At its 3725th meeting, held in private on 13 December 1996, the Security Council adopted by acclamation two resolutions: resolution 1090 (1996), concerning the recommendation for the appointment of the Secretary-General; and resolution 1091 (1996), expressing appreciation to Secretary-General Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali.

I shall now read out the texts of the two resolutions. Resolution 1090 (1996) reads as follows:

"The Security Council,

"Having considered the question of the recommendation for the appointment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations,

"Recommends to the General Assembly that Mr. Kofi Annan be appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations for a term of office from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2001."

Resolution 1091 (1996) reads as follows:

"The Security Council,

"Recognizing the central role that Secretary-General Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali has played in guiding the Organization in the discharge of his responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations,

"Further recognizing his sustained efforts towards finding just and lasting solutions to various disputes and conflicts around the globe,

"Commending the reforms that he has initiated and the many proposals that he has made on the restructuring and strengthening of the role and functioning of the United Nations system,

"1. Acknowledges the contribution of Secretary-General Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali to international peace, security and development, his exceptional efforts to solve international problems in economic, social and cultural fields, as well as his endeavours to meet humanitarian needs and to promote and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all;

"2. Expresses its deep appreciation to Secretary-General Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali for his dedication to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter and to the development of friendly relations among nations."

Allow me to add, also on behalf of the members of the Security Council, our warmest wishes to Mr. Kofi Annan and the assurances of our deepest respect for Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali.

Mr. Kofi Annan, whose name is now being submitted to the decision of the General Assembly, is an eminent son of Africa who fully understands the origins and the often devastating effects of the crises to which our world is prey. On many occasions he has shown the ability to find a fair, impartial and effective middle road by which the United Nations can help to ease the tensions at the heart of so many of today's conflicts.

The curriculum vitae of Mr. Kofi Annan is a testimony to more than 30 years of almost uninterrupted dedication to the many-faceted tasks that the United Nations performs. Time and again, the Organization, and Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali in particular, have entrusted assignments of grave responsibility and diplomatic delicacy to the capable hands of Kofi Annan. Time and again, Mr. Kofi Annan has not disappointed the faith in him. We have no doubt that, as Secretary-General, he would once again meet and exceed all our expectations and carry out his duties in the most impeccable, impartial and independent way.

At the same time, allow me to say that we all owe an immense debt of gratitude to Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, whose vision of the United Nations and message of mutual understanding between diverse peoples and cultures will remain a source of continuous inspiration to our Organization and to all of us.

The high visibility and dignity that he and his wife, Leia, have given to the Organization during the past five years is only one measure of their success in our behalf.

Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali leaves us a legacy that will guide our debates for years, if not for generations, to come. The testimony to his monumental efforts is there for all to see in his outstanding studies, "An Agenda for Peace" and "An Agenda for Development," concerning the two key tasks of the United Nations.

The President

In connection with the recommendation of the Security Council, we are here this afternoon to consider two draft resolutions, A/51/L.66, "Appointment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations," and A/51/L.67, "Tribute to Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali".

Delegations will also recall that earlier in the afternoon heads of delegations had the opportunity to meet with the candidate recommended by the Security Council prior to taking action on agenda item 16.

In terms of action, the Assembly has before it the two draft resolutions, which were made available on the initiative of the Chairman of the Group of African States and which enjoy the support of the other four regional groups.

The General Assembly will now consider the two draft resolutions. The Assembly will first take a decision on draft resolution A/51/L.66.

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to adopt draft resolution A/51/L.66 by acclamation?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/51/L.67.

May I also take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to adopt draft resolution A/51/L.67 by acclamation?

The President

I request the Chief of Protocol to escort the Secretary-General-elect, His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, to the platform.

The President

We have just taken action to appoint the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan. We have also placed on record our recognition of the contribution made by Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali to the work of the United Nations. This is an auspicious moment.

Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali became Secretary-General of the United Nations at a time of unprecedented change and considerable flux in the world. Notwithstanding the challenges, he has served the United Nations with dedication and selfless service and with a resolute sense of purpose. Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali will be remembered for his seminal intellectual contributions to our understanding of preventive diplomacy, humanitarian intervention and democratic nation-building and for laying the essential building blocks for the reform and revitalization of the United Nations system. Under his guidance, the United Nations charted a better understanding of the multifaceted implications of our globalizing world through a series of world conferences. His legacy will serve us well in the challenging years ahead.

It is a singular honour for me, the President of the fifty-first session of the General Assembly, to welcome on behalf of all Member States our Secretary-General-designate, Mr. Kofi Annan. Both he and the incumbent are illustrious sons of Africa. In appointing him to this key post, the General Assembly takes into account his long record of accomplishment and his understanding of the needs of the Organization at this critical juncture. He is well known to all of us. We place our trust in his ability to articulate and defend a vision of the United Nations that meets the expectations of Member States and the peoples of the world.

It is no easy task. The Charter itself specifies relatively little beyond assigning an administrative and political function to the Secretary-General. For marginal elaboration, paragraph 1 of General Assembly resolution 11 (I) of 1946 speaks in stilted and sexist terms of

"a man of eminence and high attainment".

The oath of office provides a little more illumination by referring to the Secretary-General's discharging his functions and regulating his conduct with the interests of the United Nations only in view, and not to seek or accept instructions from any Government or other authority external to the United Nations.

Given these vague terms, it is left to us Member States and to the incoming Secretary-General to make the most of the United Nations penchant for constructive ambiguity and to trace the parameters of the role more precisely. The debate will not finish. At the end of the day, it is only in the performance of his office in all its aspects that he will be judged.

The agony and the ecstasy of the secretary-generalship include what can and cannot be done in battle against empire-builders and against the vacuous who repose comfortably in the United Nations without a care for multilateral issues. Good leadership and consummate management skills are needed to inspire a dedicated staff to work with unquestioned integrity and creativity. Although many are brilliant, some are creatures of habit and process, suffering apoplexy at each prospect of change. The United Nations should not be donor-driven; we do not covet the Bretton-Woods impersonation award. And although finance and finite resources may be facts of life, the Secretary-General should not have to pose as a mendicant, petitioning Governments and legislatures alike, at the expense of all else.

The secretary-generalship has increasingly become a focal point for preventive diplomacy and a bully pulpit for the articulation of global perspectives. Despite possessing little power in traditional terms, the Secretary-General nevertheless retains the power of persuasion, knowing the message will be heard no matter how unpopular or inconvenient. The General Assembly believes in a Secretary-General with an independent perspective in defence of the Charter. With discretion, authority and responsibility, the Secretary-General must speak up and act for the wider international interest, one that transcends that of any particular country or region and is greater than the sum total of power dictates. Every important action the Secretary-General takes has a legal dimension, and while the success of these actions may not be ensured by legalism, any serious departure from the legal mandate will put the United Nations at risk.

As Mr. Pérez de Cuéllar said in 1986,

"the Secretary-General is the bearer of a sacred trust and the guardian of the principles of the Charter ... [and] ... to understand correctly the role of the Secretary-General is to appreciate the whole mission of the United Nations".

Ultimately it is not important that he be a world leader, so long as he is able to influence the opinions and decisions of world leaders. In bearing this sacred trust, he should defend the marginalized, and not those who create and enforce their marginalization.

Such an office does not undermine the primacy of the intergovernmental process in any way. Let me say that as Member States, we see ourselves as partners and not competitors. Multilateral organizations and multilateralism can and do work when Member States and the Secretariat believe they are on the same team. Mr. Annan is taking office at a time of deep crisis for the United Nations, when its coffers are all but empty. Important States place inordinate and unfair demands on the Organization, while others dwell more on what is wrong rather than on what can be done. Each of us has decisive steps to take to learn from the lessons and the dead-ends of the recent past collectively to define the architecture of the United Nations for the twenty-first century.

Today's appointment of a new Secretary-General is a landmark in the life of the United Nations. The process we have just completed had ingredients that could have made it go away. I believe that wise decisions taken as a result of wise counsel arrested what could have brought impasse and discredit to the United Nations integrity. Many parties, particularly in Africa, took steps to ensure that the office remained with Africa, to the satisfaction of all. Decisions to strengthen the United Nations in future should draw more from democratic well-springs to balance power factors.

The process of succession is about change and about continuity. Although we need to reform the United Nations and regain confidence in its central authority, we are not forfeiting the past and its achievements. Like a rock climber, the Organization must scale new heights by advancing slowly, sometimes boldly, and, whether deliberately or unconsciously, always keeping three limbs attached to already established territory while probing for a new hold with the fourth. The Member States and the Secretary-General are linked together in advancing and consolidating their hold on the international landscape.

Finally, to paraphrase a Chinese saying, every crisis is an opportunity in disguise. If we can, with wisdom and integrity, take note of the compass of our actions, we may draw benefit in our attempts to steer a course that better serves the needs of humanity. Mr. Secretary-General-designate, we warmly welcome you to this collective endeavour.

I now call upon His Excellency Mr. Daniel Abibi of the Congo, who will speak on behalf of the African States.

Mr. Abibi (Congo)

As I address the Assembly from this rostrum it is night in Africa, but from Algiers to Cape Town, from Praia to Mombasa, Africans of all generations are passionately following the event for which we are gathered today here at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Indeed, since Friday, the great news has travelled across our deserts, our savannahs and our forests, proclaiming that Africa, after an outstanding five-year mandate carried out by one of its eminent sons, has been entrusted, through the choice of another of its sons, with the responsibility of guiding the destiny of the most prestigious international Organization for five more years, thus leading it across the bridge that is to take it to the twenty-first century.

As was the case five years ago, today is a great day for all the sons of Africa, including those whom the vicissitudes of history have scattered across the continents. Today -- 17 December -- will most certainly leave an indelible mark on the minds of present and future generations of Africans, thanks to two men.

The first is Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, a statesman of international stature whom an esteemed newspaper once described as the perfect example of a late-twentieth-century gentleman. His work at the head of the United Nations Secretariat is a constant source of legitimate pride for his brothers in Africa.

Mr. Secretary-General, great qualities were needed to keep a firm hand on the helm of the enormous ship of the United Nations and to navigate it through the turbulent storms unleashed by the unceasing turmoil of a world in flux. These qualities were needed to guide the ship from one port to another, avoiding the reefs along the way. Your contribution to the consolidation of international peace and security was indeed outstanding, as was your contribution to sustainable human development and to the protection of fundamental human rights. You have achieved inspiring results because of your constant efforts to adapt the Organization to the realities of our times. The high quality of your service in these and many other fields redounds to the honour of your continent. For all this, Africa thanks you.

The adoption by acclamation of the draft resolution appointing another of our brothers, Kofi Annan, to be the next Secretary-General of the United Nations is not only a collective recognition by the States Members of the Organization of Africa's right to hold a second term of office, but also a testimony to the exceptional qualities of a man who has dedicated his entire life to the cause of cooperation and international peace and security. These qualities certainly impressed those who had the difficult task of deciding among the candidates, all of whom were extremely meritorious. And these qualities will help reduce the uncertainty inherent in guiding an Organization such as ours in a world in full flux and beset by increasingly complex challenges.

Africa knows that the United Nations will be in good hands, hands that, throughout these past 30 years, have dealt effectively with the many obstacles in the difficult missions that have been entrusted to Mr. Kofi Annan. The unbounded enthusiasm felt by so many staff members, the many posts of great responsibility within the Organization that he has occupied with such brilliance, the admirable management of sensitive issues such as Kuwait and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the smooth conduct of delicate peacekeeping operations attest to the competence and effectiveness of the man and justify the great hopes his appointment has inspired.

We are particularly proud at this appointment, which was supported by all. Its symbolic value is clear to everyone. This appointment is, in particular, an incentive for the international community not to despair of Africa despite its current problems, because this continent possesses unsuspected resources, both human and material, that are begging to be used. It also represents a vote of confidence in Africa by the international community, as well as an exhortation to Africans to work harder and to persevere in trying to find solutions to the problems the continent now faces.

The African Group wishes, through me, solemnly to convey its heartfelt and fraternal congratulations to Mr. Kofi Annan on his well-deserved election, which Africa and the international community are celebrating today. We wish him every success in the difficult task entrusted to him. The Group reiterates here its complete willingness to cooperate as well as the abiding support it will give to the initiatives that the new Secretary-General will surely take in the best interests of us all, and in particular of our continent. It is with confidence and serenity that we will witness our brother Kofi Annan take the reins of the Organization on 1 January 1997.

On behalf of the African Group, I should like also to express, here and now, our profound gratitude to all those whose united efforts enabled the international community to accede to Africa's legitimate claim to a second term of office at the head of the United Nations. I thank in particular the President and all the members of the Security Council for all of their efforts in gradually shaping the historic decision that was taken unanimously on Friday, 13 December 1996. I thank also the President of the General Assembly and the regional Groups of Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Western Europe for their friendly understanding. And I thank our fellow members in the Non-Aligned Movement and in the Group of 77 for their active solidarity.

In order to meet, as it must, the challenges of today's world, the United Nations needs both human and financial resources. The African Group hopes that the consensus that prevailed in the election of the Secretary-General will also have a beneficial impact on the issue of financial resources, with the spirit thus created giving new momentum to the Organization's activities.

United, guided by the wisdom of its Heads of State -- in particular President Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon and current President of the Organization of African Unity -- and actively supported by its friends, Africa has succeeded in obtaining the second term of office to which it legitimately aspired. The lessons drawn from this experience will no doubt serve as points of reference to help the continent confront and resolve the many crises that today are sapping its efforts to bring true prosperity to its people.

The President

I call on the representative of Mongolia, His Excellency Mr. Jargalsaikhany Enkhsaikhan, who will speak on behalf of the Asian States.

Mr. Enkhsaikhan (Mongolia)

On behalf of the States members of the Asian Group, it is my great honour and pleasure to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Kofi Annan of Ghana on his well-deserved appointment to the high post of Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Asian countries truly believe that Mr. Kofi Annan, an outstanding African personality, a seasoned diplomat and a skilful negotiator with long years of experience in the international civil service, will competently guide this world Organization into the twenty-first century and towards the full realization of the underlying principles and purposes enshrined in its Charter.

The Asian countries are confident that the Secretary-General-designate will contribute substantially to the further enhancement of the role and prestige of the world Organization through, inter alia, continuing the reform, restructuring and strengthening of the United Nations system so that it can better serve as an indispensable mechanism for the maintenance of international peace and security and for the promotion of economic and social development and growth.

We welcome the Secretary-General designate most warmly and wish him every success in fulfilling his highly responsible mission at this crucial juncture in international relations as a whole, and in the work of the United Nations in particular. The Asian States pledge their firm support to him in the discharge of his formidable and weighty responsibilities.

While welcoming the Secretary-General designate, the Asian countries would like to pay tribute to the outgoing Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, for his valuable contribution in guiding the work of the United Nations in the pursuit of its noble aims, finding just solutions to disputes, developing international cooperation in various fields, proposing the concepts of preventive diplomacy and post-conflict peace-building, and for his evolutionary vision of development, which have been duly reflected in the Secretary-General's reports on an Agenda for Peace and on an Agenda for Development. They have stimulated constructive discussion on the strengthening of the activities of the United Nations system in various areas. We are grateful for, and appreciative of, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali's leadership over the past five years and wish him and his family every success, health and happiness.

The President

I call on the representative of Poland, His Excellency Mr. Zbigniew Wlosowicz, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States.

Mr. Wlosowicz (Poland)

I have the great honour to speak on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States. It gives me great pleasure to congratulate Mr. Kofi Annan on the occasion of his appointment as the new Secretary-General of the United Nations -- the one who will lead our Organization into the twenty-first century.

The Eastern European States welcome the decision by acclamation of the Security Council to recommend Mr. Kofi Annan for this high post, as well as his appointment today by acclamation by the General Assembly. Both those decisions reflect Mr. Annan's recognized qualifications: his diplomatic skills, profound knowledge of the contemporary world's challenges and proven dedication to the cause of the United Nations. By appointing Mr. Annan as the Organization's new Secretary-General, the Member States have also reconfirmed the importance of Africa and its role in international relations, including within the United Nations system. The members of the Eastern European Group of States fully share this opinion.

I should like to conclude this part of my statement by conveying to the newly appointed Secretary-General the best wishes of Poland and its fellow countries for every success in discharging his important and, undoubtedly, extremely complicated and difficult mandate and by declaring the willingness of the Eastern European States to cooperate with him in all his endeavours.

On this important occasion I should also like to express our deepest appreciation to the outgoing Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, for what he has accomplished during his tenure. Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali's dedication to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations can hardly be overestimated. During his term of office he has initiated the reforms and made many proposals on the restructuring and strengthening of the role and functioning of the United Nations system.

Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali has contributed immensely to the cause of peace, security and development in its broadest sense. Speaking on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States, I would like once again to thank Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali for guiding the Organization's work during this crucial period of the world's modern history.

The President

I call on the representative of Mexico, His Excellency Mr. Manuel Tello, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States.

Mr. Tello (Mexico)

I have the pleasure of extending to Mr. Kofi Annan the warmest congratulations of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States for his well-deserved appointment as Secretary-General of the United Nations for the next five years. It is particularly gratifying for the region in whose name I have the honour to speak to see once again a worthy son of Africa occupy the high post of Secretary-General. The recommendation of the Security Council and its confirmation by this General Assembly, both adopted by acclamation, is a well-deserved tribute to his personal and professional qualities, which, for a substantial part of his life, have been dedicated to the service of the United Nations.

Throughout the years during which we have had the privilege of observing his work as an international civil servant, we have witnessed his unshakeable commitment to the aspirations of peace and harmony that give life to our Organization. We have admired Mr. Kofi Annan as a person of character who knows how to blend firmness with conciliation and who consistently endeavours to resolve difficulties and differences through dialogue and negotiation. Those virtues, together with his experience as an administrator, will doubtless guarantee the success of his work at the head of the Secretariat.

On the international stage, we continue to see upheaval, uncertainty and unfulfilled hopes. Humankind is facing problems that originated in past conflicts and others that are arising out of new disputes. In his work at the head of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Annan worked tirelessly to guide the conduct of the United Nations in the search for solutions to disputes that threatened international peace and security. We are certain that, as a national of a developing country, he will display equal vigour in working to reduce the gap that, unfairly, still separates rich and poor.

The activity of the United Nations in Latin America and the Caribbean is broad and diverse. The Organization has played a decisive role in overcoming long-standing and bitter conflicts. It has been present when circumstances or natural phenomena harmed our countries. The United Nations has always been very responsive to our requests for cooperation in the economic, social, cultural and institutional fields. In short, the Organization, its goals and its purposes and principles provide an essential framework for the international action of Latin American and Caribbean countries and are common points of reference for dialogue and understanding among ourselves and with all the nations of the world.

The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are confident that, under the leadership of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the United Nations will consolidate and expand its presence and work in our region. We are convinced that, ultimately, he will lead the United Nations with accomplishment, skill and a steady hand into the twenty-first century.

I cannot conclude without saying to Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali that he can feel proud of his work at the head of our Organization. He was called upon to lead the United Nations at a difficult and complex time of deep transformations in regional and global realities. In those times of turmoil, the Organization had the good fortune to have a statesman of vision and experience. The Secretary-General's dedication and perseverance allowed the United Nations to face with dignity the major challenges of our day. The Agenda for Peace and the Agenda for Development are concepts that will go down in history beside his name.

The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean have been especially sensitive to his particular interest in and commitment to resolving problems of our region. Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali should know that he will always have the heartfelt gratitude of his Latin American and Caribbean friends, who sincerely appreciate and recognize his efforts in and dedication to the best and noblest causes of mankind. He leaves his post with the greatest reward to which a public servant can aspire: the satisfaction of a job well done.

The President

I now call on the representative of Canada, His Excellency Mr. Robert Fowler, who will speak on behalf of the Western European and other States.

Mr. Fowler (Canada)

I have the honour to speak today in my capacity as Chairman for the month of December of the Group of Western European and other States on the occasion of the appointment of the new Secretary-General. It is also a great privilege to have this opportunity to thank Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali for his outstanding contribution to the Organization over the past five years, as well as to congratulate Mr. Kofi Annan on his appointment to his vitally important post.

Since 1992 Mr. Boutros-Ghali has served the United Nations with extraordinary vision and energy. He took the helm of the Organization at a turbulent time in history and at a turning point in the Organization's evolution. Under difficult circumstances, he sought to find solutions to deep-rooted political, economic and social problems while identifying and responding creatively to new global challenges. He took important steps to restructure and strengthen the United Nations system in order to give us the Organization we need to respond to these new challenges.

His devotion to the purposes of the United Nations Charter throughout this period has been unwavering. He has pointed our Organization in the right direction. This will be his legacy, one for which we offer our deep and unreserved appreciation.

Mr. Fowler (Canada)

We warmly welcome the appointment of Kofi Annan as Secretary-General. The chief executive of this Organization has two main tasks: to work with Member States to fulfil the vision of the Charter and to manage the Organization. At this point in the Organization's history, it has never been more important that the Secretary-General possess the necessary attributes to carry out these tasks. The record of the Secretary-General elect in working closely and productively with Member States and his distinguished career in the United Nations system, throughout which he has won the respect, admiration and abiding loyalty of all who have worked with him, give us every confidence in his capacity to respond fully to these diverse demands.

The next five years will be critical for the Organization. The highest priority will be to redefine and articulate clearly the role the United Nations system ought to play in the twenty-first century. We, the Member States, owe our new Secretary-General all the support we can muster to move the process of renewal creatively forward and to establish with him collective goals, priorities and objectives which meet all of our needs.

As head of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Annan has demonstrated his determination and ability to work effectively with Member States and, during a period of enormous change and often conflicting demands, to find common ground and consensus. At this time of uncertainty for the Organization, we will rely heavily on these skills to support and guide us in restoring our common sense of purpose and commitment to the ideals which guided the framers of the United Nations Charter half a century ago.

It is equally vital that the Organization have the appropriate structure and the necessary resources to carry out its responsibilities. Mr. Annan has worked within the United Nations system for over 30 years. He understands its strengths and he knows its limitations. Through his steadfast leadership he has already won the support of the dedicated people who work for the Organization throughout the world. He is thus uniquely qualified to implement the changes so clearly required to adapt the structure of the Organization to fit the needs of our rapidly changing world.

Mr. Annan's appointment as Secretary-General is also an occasion to reaffirm and strengthen the links between Member States and our Organization. This is an area that needs work if we are to ensure that the United Nations has the continuing moral authority, as well as the financial capacity and the political legitimacy, to fulfil the expectations of the Member States it represents.

Kofi Annan has dedicated his life to pursuing the noble goals of the United Nations and to serving the common interests of humanity. He is now being tasked with the job of retooling the United Nations to meet the challenges of the next century. We offer him our congratulations and our full cooperation, and we look forward to working closely with him as he embarks on this important mission.

The President

I now call on the representative of the United States of America, Her Excellency Mrs. Madeleine Korbel Albright, speaking on behalf of the host country.

Mrs. Albright (United States)

As representative of the United Nations host country, we welcome heartily the election of the seventh Secretary-General.

Mr. Kofi Annan, a distinguished son of Africa, will lead the United Nations across the threshold of a new century. It will be his duty to manage the United Nations so that its resources are put to the best possible use in service to the people we have each been sent here to represent.

Mr. Kofi Annan assumes office at a time of uncertainty about the course this institution will take. There are those who believe the United Nations is too encumbered by habits of the past and too divided by its very nature to achieve a high standard of efficiency and performance. The United States of America is among those having a different, and more optimistic view.

We live in an era in which international cooperation is both more possible and more necessary than ever before. We see institutions of all kinds learning to adjust to the demands imposed by technological, demographic and political change. We have seen the United Nations profit from lessons learned in peacekeeping and begin a process of reform. And we have today elected an individual of high distinction and humanity to serve as Secretary-General for the next five years.

During his career, Kofi Annan has become known to all of us. He has done the difficult jobs well, with fairness, sound judgement and humour and has not shrunk from accountability. He brings to his new office a wealth of experience, a profound knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the United Nations and deep dedication to its success. The United States offers its congratulations, and we promise to do our fair share to help.

The first Secretary-General, Trygve Lie, called his job the most impossible on earth. I am sure that there are many in this room who would share that view. Mr. Boutros-Ghali has served the international community long and well. He has presided over the United Nations during a time of immense turbulence and transition and will be remembered for his intelligence, dignity and diplomatic skill. I join my colleagues today in expressing gratitude and personal best wishes for the future.

This is a historic day for the United Nations. As it begins its second half century, we must, each of us, think anew about this institution, about our responsibilities and about its possibilities. We must all rededicate ourselves to the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

And we must join our efforts with those of our new Secretary-General to make this Organization increasingly effective as a force for peace, a voice for human rights, an instrument of law and, in the words of the Charter, a means for promoting social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.

The President

I invite the President of the Security Council, former Presidents of the General Assembly, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the Economic and Social Council, the President of the Trusteeship Council, the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly and the Chairpersons of the Main Committees to come to the platform.

The President

Your Excellency, I have the honour to inform you officially that the General Assembly has appointed you Secretary-General of the United Nations for a term of office beginning on 1 January 1997 and ending on 31 December 2001.

I ask Mr. Kofi Annan to repeat after me the oath of Office.

Mr. Annan (Secretary-General)

I, Kofi Annan, solemnly swear to exercise in all loyalty, discretion and conscience the functions entrusted to me as Secretary-General of the United Nations, to discharge these functions and regulate my conduct with the interests of the United Nations only in view, and not to seek or accept instructions in regard to the performance of my duties from any Government or other authority external to the Organization.

The President

I now invite His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan to make a statement.

Mr. Annan (Secretary-General)

Mr. President, respected Secretary-General -- or rather, respected Secretaries-General, as I see my old boss, Secretary-General Pérez de Cuéllar is here today -- welcome home, Sir -- distinguished Ambassadors:

Thank you all for your kind words. I am deeply moved by the good wishes of so accomplished a group of speakers.

Mr. President, I have long admired the imagination and determination you have brought to the difficult challenges of multilateral diplomacy, and I should like to express my appreciation for the leadership you have demonstrated in taking the General Assembly through its demanding schedule to an efficient and productive conclusion.

The Assembly has done me a great honour and at the same time bestowed on me a great responsibility in electing me the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations. As a son of Africa and a lifetime international civil servant, I pledge that I will do everything within my power to be worthy of members' trust.

Mr. Annan (Secretary-General)

I wish to pay tribute here to the vision, far-sightedness and energy of Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, an exceptional statesman who was called upon to lead the United Nations during the turbulent period of transition from the cold war to the new era opening up before us. We are all aware of the importance of his contribution, the great value of which will go down in history.

In a period of great change the Organization is at a crossroads. For 45 years the rivalry between the super-Powers pervaded its very existence and to a large extent determined its mission. The cold war having come to an end, Member States, while redefining relations between themselves, must now agree on what the United Nations should become in order for them to continue to lend their support.

Mr. Annan (Secretary-General)

The time to choose is now, for this Organization, along with the rest of the world, must change. Let every Member State welcome this change, not resist it. Let us make change our ally, not our enemy; seize it as an opportunity, not a threat; recognize it as a necessity, not an imposition. All of us in this Hall together, with the participation of all nations, large and small, East and West, North and South, can make this Organization leaner, more efficient and more effective, more responsive to the wishes and needs of its Members and more realistic in its goals and commitments. Then and only then will we be serving both this Organization's high purpose and the planet's best interests.

There is no lack of blueprints for a new, post-cold-war United Nations. There is no lack of ideas or debate. What we need is consensus and commitment. Our task now is to find common ground to shape together the changes that will move this Organization forward.

All the problems, particularly the old ones -- peace and security among nations and social justice for their peoples -- still confront us. But the old approaches to these problems must be broadened. A new understanding of peace and security must emerge. The world is beginning to recognize the many roots of conflict, the economic base of stability and the grim truth that intolerance, injustice and oppression and their consequences respect no national frontiers. Similarly, we now know more than ever that sustainable economic development is not merely a matter of projects and statistics. It is above all a matter of people, real people, with basic needs: food, clothing, shelter and medical care. Let us ensure that the resources and facilities of the United Nations system are effectively channelled towards those who need them most, those whom globalization has left behind. Let us ensure that the voice of the United Nations in economic matters is heard by those Member States with the greatest capacity to give. These and other challenges are not the Secretary-General's alone, not the Security Council's alone, not the Economic and Social Council's alone. The role of the General Assembly will become still more important as we seek to perfect the triangle of development, freedom and peace.

In this common effort, I shall neither overstep nor minimize my role as head of one of the six principal organs of this Organization. I intend to present my independent views to Member States for their consideration. I intend to offer my services and good offices as mediator and intermediary wherever and whenever I feel it can be helpful. I intend to lead an international civil service that will be honest, efficient, independent and proud of its honourable contribution to the improvement of life on this planet. Finally, I intend to stress not only our legal obligations, not only our fiscal limitations, not only our political and diplomatic considerations, but above all the moral dimension of our work in this Organization.

In that spirit, let us embark on a time of healing: a healing of fractures and frictions between Member States and this Organization, which cannot function without their political and material support, and a healing of wounded morale and ideals within the Secretariat, whose dedicated staff deserve our thanks and encouragement.

To the nations and peoples of the world whose representatives are gathered here today, I say simply this: the United Nations is your instrument for peace and justice. Use it; respect it; defend it. It can be no wiser, no more competent and no more efficient than those Member States that now comprise and guide it. But those of us who serve you here pledge our every effort and all our energy to the causes set forth in the Charter. No nation needs to face or fight alone the threats which this Organization was established to defuse. But we cannot succeed without your political, moral, financial and material support and participation. Applaud us when we prevail; correct us when we fail; but, above all, do not let this indispensable, irreplaceable institution wither, languish or perish as a result of Member States' indifference, inattention or financial starvation.

I accept the high post entrusted to me, humbled by the formidable challenges that lie ahead, but filled with confidence in the nobility of our goals, in the determination of our common spirit and in the success of our common effort. Alone, I can do nothing. Together, we can irreversibly advance the frontiers of peace, dignity and justice for all mankind.

The President

This concludes our consideration of agenda item 16.