22 February 2001

The General Assembly today adopted a Resolution on the organizational arrangements for the special session of the General Assembly on HIV/AIDS and its preparatory process. After the adoption of the Resolution the President, on behalf of the General Assembly, thanked the two facilitators, Ambassador Penny Wensley of Australia and Ambassador Ibra Ka of Senegal, who had held consultations and negotiations on the adopted resolution.

The President met with Mr. Jin Yongjian, Under-Secretary-General of the Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services. They discussed the President's recent initiatives to enhance the effectiveness of the General Assembly as well as matters related to the functioning of the Office of the President.

During his meeting with the President, the Executive Director of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Dr. Klaus Töpfer, briefed the President on the recent meeting of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum as well as on the implementation of resolution 53/242 on reform measures in the field of environment and human settlements. Dr. Töpfer mentioned that the Environment Management Group, one of the reform measures, in addition to the Global Ministerial Environment Forum were implemented. Global Environmental Governance issues were also briefly touched in view of discussions in the Governing Council of UNEP.

The President gave a lecture at the New England Center for International and regional Studies in the University of Bridgeport. The topic of his lecture was "Towards a stronger UN". The full text of his lecture is available on the "Statements and Messages" page. Prior to his lecture, Mr. Holkeri attended a dinner, hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Neil Salonen, President of the University of Bridgeport.

H.E. Mr. Dirk Jan van der Berg, Permanent Representative of the Netherlands paid a courtesy call to the President.

The President attended a luncheon, hosted by Mr. and Mrs. James Marx.