UNITED
NATIONS
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
News and Highlights from the President
President
concludes General Debate
16 November 2001
Today, it was the last day of the General Debate. Statements were made from Haiti, Russian Federation, Burundi, Sao Tome and Principe, Republic of Moldova, Eritrea, Maldives, Australia, Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Fiji, Antigua and Barbuda and Marshall Island.
During the General
Debate, 188 speakers not including the General Assembly President and
the Secretary-General made statements. Among them were 31 Heads of State,
11 Heads of Government, 9 Deputy Prime Ministers and 96 Foreign Ministers.
There were almost 550 bilateral meetings and there were more than 200
other meetings including 60 meetings of regional and other groupings of
Member States, many at the ministerial level. 76 Member States made 172
treaty actions. The highest number of treaty actions for a single treaty
was for the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing
of Terrorism. 42 Signatures, 6 ratifications, 1 accession bringing the
total to 114 signatures and 13 parties will enter into force when 22 instruments
of ratification have been received. 12 television cameras on a daily basis
covered the General Debate and other events.
Dr. Han concluded the General Debate by elaborating it as the one in a most extraordinary setting unprecedented in the history of the United Nations, in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 11 September. Therefore, this General Debate bore a special meaning and a heightened sense of responsibility. Dr. Han expressed his pleasure to see a very successful conclusion to the debate. In his closing remark, among other things, Dr. Han said, "We share a responsibility to maintain and nurture the spirit of commitment and cooperation at the high political level that has been demonstrated in the General Debate. We should direct out future work in the plenary and the main committees in such a way as to best reflect the concerns, hopes and aspirations expressed by all delegations over the past week. I trust that our collective commitment will ensure that this task is successfully completed."
Full
text of the closing remark