12 December 2000

The General Assembly today adopted 15 resolutions and one decision on the recommendation of its Sixth Committee, which deals with legal issues. The President also announced that he had decided to re-appoint the present co-chairpersons for the Open-ended Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (UNICPOLOS), Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni Slade of Samoa and Mr. Alan Simcock of United Kingdom.

Mr. Holkeri presided over the first meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council and Other Matters related to Security Council. The meeting was held to appoint the two co-chairpersons, Ambassador Thorsteinn Ingolfsson of Iceland and Ambassador John de Saram of Sri Lanka.

The President met with the Chairmen of the Regional Groups for the month of December. During the meeting, he referred to his initiatives on improving the working methods of the General Assembly (see e.g. the President's statement in the Forum of Small States on 15 November). In this connection, he informed the Group Chairmen, and through them the Membership, about his intention to convene, early in 2001, an informal 'brainstorming' session of the General Committee to discuss how to improve the working methods of the General Assembly. A summary of the issues taken up by the President during the meeting is availabe in the "Statements and Messages" page.

Mr. and Mrs. Holkeri attended a Christmas Dinner, hosted by the Permanent Representative of Finland, H.E. Ms. Marjatta Rasi.