UNdemocracy - General Assembly Session 61 meeting 107

Date	13 September 2007
Started	10:00
Ended	13:15

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A-61-PV.107 2007-09-13 10:00 13 September 2007 [[13 September]] [[2007]] /

The President: Ms. Al-Khalifa (Bahrain)

The meeting was called to order at 10.25 a.m.

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Tribute to the memory of Ms. Angie Brooks-Randolph, President of the twenty-fourth session of the General Assembly, and Mr. Gaston Thorn, President of the thirtieth session of the General Assembly

The President

It is my sad duty to inform members of the Assembly of the passing on 9 September 2007 of Ms. Angie Brooks-Randolph, former diplomat of Liberia and President of the General Assembly at its twenty-fourth session, and on 26 August 2007 of Mr. Gaston Thorn, former Prime Minister of Luxembourg and President of the General Assembly at its thirtieth session.

Ms. Brooks-Randolph was the first Associate Justice of Liberia and had a distinguished career in Government administration, legal education and the promotion of gender equality. In 1969, she became the first African woman to be elected President of the General Assembly.

Mr. Gaston Thorn had a long and prominent career as a politician and businessman of his country and also served as Chairman of the European Commission from 1981 to 1985.

As Presidents of the General Assembly, both Ms. Angie Brooks-Randolph and Mr. Gaston Thorn played outstanding roles in this Organization and made a major contribution towards the achievement of the objectives set out in the Charter of the United Nations.

On behalf of the General Assembly, I should like to convey our deepest condolences to the Government and the people of Liberia and Luxembourg, respectively, and to the bereaved families of Ms. Brooks-Randolph and Mr. Thorn.

I now invite representatives to stand and observe a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of Ms. Angie Brooks-Randolph and Mr. Gaston Thorn, former Presidents of the General Assembly.

The members of the General Assembly observed a minute of silence.

The President

I call on the representative of Zimbabwe, who will speak on behalf of the Group of African States.

Mr. Chidyausiku (Zimbabwe)

The African Group wishes to express through you, Madame, to the people and Government of Liberia and to the Government of Luxembourg its deepest condolences as we pay tribute on this solemn occasion to the illustrious life-time achievements attained by two of your predecessors, Ms. Angie Brooks-Randolph, Liberia's first Associate Justice and the first female President of the General Assembly, and Mr. Gaston Thorn, Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Luxembourg and the President of the General Assembly at its thirtieth session.

Angie Brooks-Randolph's achievements are best captured in the statement released by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, herself a trailblazer and continental pace-setter, who described her as a woman of great substance whose unmatched characteristics and sterling qualities illuminated Liberia's and, indeed, Africa's image on the international stage at the United Nations, where she chaired with distinction in several capacities in the 1950s and 1960s. Africa joins the rest of the world in paying tribute for the loss of such a quintessential talent.

The President of the General Assembly at its thirtieth session, Mr. Gaston Thorn, was a man of unmatched talent, possessing exceptional leadership qualities that saw him hold the posts of Prime Minister of Luxembourg and Chairman of the European Commission. The Africa Group also pays homage to his achievements and valuable contributions to humanity in general. May their souls rest in peace.

The President

I now call on the representative of the Philippines, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Asian States.

Mr. Davide (Philippines)

On behalf of the Asian Group, which I am chairing for the month of September, I wish to express, at this moment of great sorrow, my most sincere and deepest condolences to the Government, the Permanent Mission and the people of Liberia on the passing away of Ambassador Angie Brooks-Randolph on 9 September and to the Government, the Permanent Mission and the people of Luxembourg on the passing away of Ambassador Gaston Thorn on 26 August.

Being the first Liberian female lawyer -- who became Vice-President for Africa of the International Federation of Women Lawyers and, later, the Federation's President -- and obtaining two doctor of laws degrees were only two of the many trailblazing accomplishments of Ambassador Brooks-Randolph. I need not stress that she was an inspiring leader in global strides in the areas of gender rights and empowerment of women. She served the United Nations in various capacities: as Vice-Chairperson and eventually Chairperson of the Committee dealing with Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories, Vice-President of the Committee on Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories, Chairperson of the Commission for Rwanda-Burundi, Chairperson of the United Nations Visiting Mission to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and Vice-President and then President of the Trusteeship Council. Enthusiastic in her conviction and steadfast in her beliefs, she held positions that demonstrated a singular passion for and commitment to the ideals of democracy, independence, justice and the rule of law.

As the international political arena was mired in the conflicts in South-East Asia and the Middle East in 1969, it was only fitting that this warm, nurturing and powerful soul, the mother of two sons and the delight of 47 other youngsters, should bring order to chaos and preside over the General Assembly at its twenty-fourth session. Always brimming with hope, she said that the United Nations could and should remain the best means of international cooperation that has ever been at mankind's disposal, but that we have to nourish, cherish and cultivate it. Prophetically, those words apply to us now.

We also honour today the memory of Ambassador Gaston Thorn, another lawyer, who also obtained a doctor of law degree and whose passion for law and justice, democracy and liberalism became a way of life. Indeed, he became President of Liberal International, a non-governmental organization whose main objective is to promote liberal ideas and liberalism as a political philosophy.

Ambassador Thorn was a complete diplomat whose skills in conciliation and whose refined knowledge of various cultures and languages were well known. Presiding over the General Assembly during its thirtieth session, he courageously guided the United Nations through the difficult issues of terrorism, colonial independence, the exodus of refugees and migration with much aplomb. We are saddened by his demise, and Luxembourg has lost one of its finest diplomats.

Thus, the passing away of Ambassador Angie Brooks-Randolph and Ambassador Gaston Thorn is, in fact, their journey to immortality. In death, they now live forever in the hearts and minds of the Members of the United Nations. As we honour their memory, we also pay tribute to the Government and the people of Liberia for sharing with us their beloved daughter and to the Government and the people of Luxembourg for sharing with us their beloved son and to both Governments and peoples for bestowing on this institution, the United Nations, the legacy of the presidencies of Ambassador Angie Brooks-Randolph and Ambassador Gaston Thorn.

The President

I now call on the representative of Montenegro, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States.

Mr. Kaludjerovi (Montenegro)

The Group of Eastern European States is deeply saddened by the passing away of two remarkable and outstanding persons: Ms. Angie Brooks, former President of the General Assembly, and Mr. Gaston Thorn, former Prime Minister of Luxembourg, European Commission President and President of the General Assembly. Their deaths have profoundly distressed us all, for their lives and personalities enormously influenced our contemporary world.

Ms. Angie Brooks, President of the General Assembly, served during the twenty-fourth session, in 1969 -- a year of challenging times for the United Nations -- and as the representative of Liberia, a country that has the privilege of having been the first sovereign African republic. She was the second woman and the first African woman to assume the esteemed post of General Assembly President. It is without doubt that that position was the zenith of her career. Ms. Brooks's long fight to promote the ideals of the United Nations, where she had served in a number of bodies since 1954, was clear evidence of her unyielding energy and dedication.

Mr. Gaston Thorn was a renowned man -- one of the great politicians during important times and events in his own country, in the European Union and in the United Nations. Early in his life, he demonstrated tireless energy in fighting tyranny during the Second World War -- energy that he later channelled into guiding and consolidating his country's political development and finally into enlarging the membership of the European Union and, at the same time, deepening its single market and economy. As President of the General Assembly at its thirtieth session, he demonstrated his exceptional humanism and his devotion to achieving the principles and ideals of the United Nations, by which he was guided. With his passing, we in the United Nations have lost a true global politician, diplomat and humanist.

In their own ways, both of these eminent personalities attached great importance to the ideas of peace, freedom, understanding, tolerance, equality and development, cherishing an extraordinary affection for multilateralism as well as for the States that they represented.

Ms. Brooks and Mr. Thorn are no longer with us, but they will be remembered for the examples that they set throughout their lives of hard work and dedication to the goals of the United Nations. On behalf of the Eastern European Group, I express our sorrow to the Government and the people of Liberia and to the Government and the people of Luxembourg, as well as to their families, friends and colleagues.

The President

I now call on the representative of Paraguay, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States.

Mr. Buffa (Paraguay)

It is an honour to address the General Assembly on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean Group on this occasion, when we are paying posthumous tribute to two outstanding former Presidents of the Assembly. I am referring to Ms. Angie Elisabeth Brooks and Ambassador Gaston Thorn, Presidents of the Assembly at its twenty-fourth and thirtieth sessions, respectively. They had a distinguished role before this Assembly during significant times with regard to the existence of the Organization.

Ambassador Angie Elisabeth Brooks, who was born in Liberia and who earned a doctorate in law, was the first African woman to hold the post of President of the General Assembly, at its twenty-fourth session. Before that she had a distinguished career in academia, the law, her country's supreme court and the vice-presidency of the International Federation of Women Lawyers during the 1950s, presiding over the Federation in the 1960s. In addition, Ms. Brooks distinguished herself as Vice-President of the National Political and Social Movement of Liberia in the 1960s.

Ambassador Gaston Thorn of Luxembourg, who held a doctorate in law, presided over the Assembly at its thirtieth session, following an accomplished political career. He was serving as Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Luxembourg when he was elected President of the Assembly. Mr. Thorn also held the post of Minister of Physical Education and Sport until 1974. Beginning in 1961, he served as president of the Democratic Party of Luxembourg, and in 1970 became President of the Liberal International movement.

Both of these distinguished persons, who contributed to the strengthening of multilateralism, took leave of the international community in August and September. September is the month of the General Assembly's annual general debate. We shall remember them during that time, following their great example.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Switzerland, who will speak on behalf of the group of Western European and other States.

Mr. Baum (Switzerland)

I have the honour and sad duty to address the General Assembly today on behalf of the Group of Western European and other States to pay tribute to two former Presidents of the Assembly, Ms. Angie Elisabeth Brooks of Liberia, who served as President at the twenty-fourth session, and Mr. Gaston Thorn of Luxembourg, who presided over the thirtieth session, both of whom passed away recently.

Ms. Angie Elisabeth Brooks overcame poverty to study law in the United States and London. Having had an excellent career as a jurist, she became Liberia's first woman lawyer, then a professor of law and the first woman to be a member of her country's Supreme Court. In her second career, as a diplomat, she was given great responsibilities. She was Assistant State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and served as Liberia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. During her career, she was particularly concerned about non-self-governing territories and trusteeship territories. Her commitment in that area culminated in her becoming Chairperson of the Fourth Committee and President of the Trusteeship Council. In 1969, she became the second woman, and the first African woman, to preside over the General Assembly.

Mr. Gaston Thorn was an eminent statesman from Luxembourg. As a young man, he was involved in resistance to Nazi occupation during the Second World War, for which he was imprisoned. Following studies in France and Switzerland he was admitted to the Luxembourg bar association. Entering into politics, he represented liberal thinking. He held numerous ministerial posts, eventually serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister. He was a polyglot and a great European. As a member of the European Parliament, and in particular as President of the European Commission in the early 1980s, he left his mark on the construction of the continent. He was elected President of the General Assembly in 1975.

The memory of the great figures we are honouring today take us back to another era, one that already seems remote and which was perhaps both more simple and complicated than our own. What has not changed is the concept of multilateralism, which all Member States share and which is reflected in our commitment to the United Nations. In that sense, the commitment of the Presidents of the twenty-fourth and thirtieth sessions of the General Assembly deserves our deep respect.

On behalf of the Group of Western European and other States, allow me to convey my sincere sympathy to the Governments and peoples of Liberia and Luxembourg at this painful time. In particular, we extend our condolences to the families and close friends of Angie Elisabeth Brooks and Gaston Thorn.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Liberia.

Mrs. Osode (Liberia)

Death has once again claimed a victim from among us. It is with deep emotion that I stand at this rostrum to pay tribute to Ms. Angie Elisabeth Brooks, whose passing away on Sunday, 9 September 2007, brought profound grief to her family, colleagues and friends. The world has lost a woman who was so able and so vigorous as a representative of our country.

In 1969, Miss Brooks became the twenty-fourth, and second female, President of the General Assembly. Her election was a moving tribute to Africa, to a sovereign republic, Liberia, and to her personal distinction. She had boldness, humour and the capacity to take on the points which suited her purposes. Her colleagues saw her as a woman who rendered the most faithful service to her Government. She never lost faith in the usefulness and purposes of the United Nations.

In paying tribute to Ms. Brooks on her passing on Monday, Madame Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, hailed Angie Elisabeth Brooks as a true trailblazer and a continental pace-setter, a woman of great substance whose unmatched characteristics and sterling qualities illuminated Liberia's image on the international scene through the able representation of the country at the highest international stage -- the United Nations, where she served with distinction in the 1950s and 1960s. The President went on to say that undoubtedly the passing of this most distinguished trailblazer from the African and world scene will not only be recorded in the history books, but that her memory would be immortalized by the work that other women do to promote gender equality and international peace.

Ms. Brooks was always focused and determined. She often told the story of how the late President William V.S. Tubman of Liberia, realizing her tenacity and responding to her personal entreaty of him, granted her repeated requests for funding to study in the United States, thus fulfilling her dream.

After working with the Justice Department of Liberia, Ms. Brooks was appointed to the Liberian delegation to the United Nations in 1954. Starting in 1954, Ms. Brooks had an illustrious career with the United Nations and served in the following capacities. In 1956 she served as Vice-Chairman of the Assembly's Fourth Committee, which monitored Trust and non-self-governing Territories. In 1961 she became that Committee's Chairman. She was chairman of the United Nations Commission for Ruanda-Urundi in 1962, Chairman of the United Nations Visiting Mission to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in 1964, Vice-President of the Trusteeship Council in 1965 and President of the Trusteeship Council, the watchdog of the Trust Territories, in 1966. She was the first woman and first African woman to serve in that capacity.

Ms. Brooks served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations from 1975 to 1977 and I was very pleased to serve under her leadership. Ms. Brooks held several degrees, including a Bachelor of Arts degree in social sciences from Shaw University, Raleigh, North Carolina, obtained in 1949; a Bachelor of Law degree and Master of Science degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin, obtained in 1952; and Doctor of Law degrees from Shaw University and Howard University, obtained in 1962 and 1967 respectively. In 1952, Ms. Brooks completed graduate work in international law at University College Law School of London University and obtained a Doctor of Civil Law degree from the University of Liberia in 1964.

Ms. Brooks was admitted as counsellor-at-law at the Supreme Court of Liberia in August 1953 and served as Attorney-General of Liberia from August 1953 to March 1958. She served as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia from 1977 to 1980. From 1956 to 1958, she was Liberia's Vice-President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers. She served as the Federation's Vice-President for Africa from 1959 to 1960 and as President of the Federation from 1964 to 1967. In 1958, she represented Liberia and the Federation at the first session of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

Ms. Brooks served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Liberia to the Republic of Cuba from 1976 to 1977. She also served as ambassador-at-large for the Government. For two years, Ms. Brooks was Vice-President of the National Liberian Political and Social Movement, and for many years she served as the special assistant to the Executive Secretary of the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention.

Ms. Brooks demonstrated straightforwardness and tenacity in her approach to the most pertinent issues of her time, which won her praise. During her opening speech to the General Assembly, she did not spare the Organization her criticism, stating that the United Nations had suffered a decline in prestige in recent years because of its lack of dynamism. She said that

"our weakness seems to lie in the fact that we all too often view world affairs somewhat parochially, as if they were being played out at the Headquarters on the East River of New York. We have sometimes failed to realize that neither oratory nor agreements between delegates, nor even resolutions or recommendations have had much impact on the course of affairs in the world at large." (A/PV.1753, para. 54)

I should like to stress that Ms. Brooks was significant not only because of the Government she represented, but because she was very much a personage in her own right. In her death, Liberia suffers the loss of a great patriot and a stalwart fighter for the causes she believed in for most of her life. It cannot be denied that her colleagues at the United Nations, during her tenure here, whether we agreed or disagreed with her, were under the permanent spell of her dynamic personality, the quickness of her smile, her brilliant wit and her great charm in her personal contacts.

In conclusion, having worked with Ms. Brooks at the Mission during her period as Liberia's Permanent Representative, I wish to recall that she was one of the most caring, gentle and honest persons I have come across, all one could wish for in a colleague and a friend. Ms. Brooks never ceased to be a simple person. She will be missed just as much for her charm and natural elegance as for her candid manner with people at all levels, from those in high office to her most junior colleagues. To Ms. Brooks, who has today gone to rest, we can pay no loftier tribute than to offer in remembrance of her the great memory Africans bear in common and the hopes for peace which all of our people share. May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

The President

I give the floor to the representative of Luxembourg.

Mr. Olinger (Luxembourg)

I should like to express my deep appreciation to you, Madam President, for having paid tribute to the memory of Mr. Gaston Thorn, honorary Minister of State of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and President of the General Assembly at its thirtieth session. The condolences you have extended and those extended by the representatives of the regional groups are deeply touching.

It was with great sorrow that the people of Luxembourg learned, on 26 August, of the death of Gaston Thorn, a great statesman who left his mark on Luxembourg and European politics in the 1970s and 1980s. His death is a great loss for my country.

After several terms as a Liberal Deputy in the Luxembourg and European parliaments, Gaston Thorn served with commitment and energy as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1969 to 1979, as Prime Minister from 1974 to 1979 and as President of the European Commission from 1981 to 1985.

As President of the European Commission at a difficult time in the mid-1980s -- described as a time of Euro-sclerosis -- Gaston Thorn faced one of the major crises in the process of building Europe. Amidst the disorder and imbroglio of national interests, President Thorn worked to ensure that the common interest and the European cause prevailed. His strong commitment to bringing Europe closer to Africa also remains in our memory.

As Prime Minister, Gaston Thorn led the Luxembourg Government with great vision and undertook important economic and social policy reform, combining modern liberalism with social responsibility. It is notable that in 1979 under his leadership the death penalty was abolished in Luxembourg.

During his time as Luxembourg's head of Government, Gaston Thorn had the honour to serve as President of the General Assembly at its thirtieth session, in 1975 and 1976. The debate at that session was marked by controversy. To date, Mr. Thorn has been the only Luxembourg national to preside over the General Assembly; this was a source of pride for the people of Luxembourg, who are committed to the ideals of the United Nations, as our country was among the founding Members of the Organization. Gaston Thorn lent great political impetus to the work of the Assembly, a body in which he had great faith and which he held in high esteem. He devoted his life to pursuing the ideals of the United Nations: improving human well-being and working for the cause of international peace and security, development and human rights. His commitment to bringing about understanding among peoples was a leitmotif of his political career.

Permit me once again to thank you, Madam President, and all others who have taken the floor in tribute to the memory of a humanist, a man of culture, an outstanding figure in Luxembourg's contemporary history, a great European and an ardent defender of the United Nations and of the noble purposes that inspire it.