15 September 2000

During today's General Debate, the General Assembly heard statements from the President of Somalia and the Foreign Ministers of Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Portugal, Iceland, United Arab Emirates, Cuba, New Zealand, Cote d'Ivorie, Iran, Solomon Islands, Uganda, Saint Lucia, Kenya, Austria, Belarus, Paraguay, and Poland. The representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea also spoke.

Mr. Holkeri, presiding over the debate, was pleased to note that Somalia was again participating in the deliberations of the General Assembly after a long absence. When introducing the President of Somalia, H.E. Mr. Abdikassim Salad Hassan, Mr. Holkeri noted that participants at the Djibouti peace process agreed on a transitional national assembly, which then elected President Abdikassim Salad Hassan who was sworn in at a ceremony held in Djibouti on 25 August 2000.

Before the General Debate started today, President Holkeri met with the Foreign Minister of Switzerland, Mr. Joseph Deiss. Among the issues discussed was the role of Switzerland in international affairs and its relationship with the United Nations.

The President also met with Ambassador Jorgen Bojer, Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations in his capacity as one of the co-chairs of the Financing for Development process. Ambassador Bojer summarized the status of the discussions being held to organize a high-level meeting on this issue and the pending issues.