UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST CORRUPTION

NOTES FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONFERENCE Mr. Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista, President of the Conference

I wish to express my gratitude al¡ delegations for the honour they have bestowed upon my country and myself personally.

I would now like to ask the Conference to proceed with the election of its other officers.

Given the fact that the Conference in Mérida represents the culmination of a process of negotiation carried out by the Ad Hoc Committee for the Negotiation of a Convention against Corruption, it is recommended that, with the exception of the President, the bureau of the Conference be composed of representatives of the States constituting the bureau of the Ad Hoc Committee. Thus, the remaining members of the bureau of the Conference would be as follows: Vice-Presidents: the representatives of Austria, Hungary, Jordan, Mauritius, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and Rapporteur: the representative of Poland.

Do I take it that the Conference wishes to proceed in this manner?

1 see no objection. It is so decided.

As a tribute to the memory of the late Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee, Hector Charry Samper (Colombia), and in recognition of his contribution to the advancement of the negotiation process, it is also recommended that the Conference confer on the representative of Colombia the position of Honorary President.

I see no objection. It is so decided.

The Conference is convened pursuant to General Assembly . resolution 571169. In view of this, and considering its nature, it is recommended that the Conference have the rules of procedure of the Assembly apply, mutatis mutandis, to its proceedings.

Do I take it that the Conference wishes to proceed in this manner?

I see no objection. It is so decided.

In its resolution 571169, the General Assembly requested the Centre for International Crime Prevention of the Secretariat to work with the Government of Mexico, in consultation with Member States, in formulating proposals for the organization of the Conference so that it might provide opportunities for high-level delegates to consider issues connected with the Convention, in particular follow-up activities for its effective implementation and for future work in the areas of fighting corruption. The provisional agenda for the Conference and the proposed organization of work were finalized following consultations held in Vienna with representatives of Member States.

The provisional agenda and proposed organization of work are contained in document A/CONF.205/1.

Do I take it that the Conference wishes to adopt its agenda and organization of work as contained in document A/CONF.205/1

I see no objection. It is so decided.

I would like to inform the Conference that the Executive Director, assisted by the Legal Officer and the Secretary of the Conference, shall examine the credentials of representatives participating in the Conference and report thereon to the Conference.

We have now concluded the procedural matters of the Conference.

Therefore, I would like now to ask the Conference to proceed to item 3 of its agenda.

I now have the pleasure to call on the first speaker on my list, His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mauritius