Summary: April 23, 2002: EU Speaking notes for the 57th Session of the UN ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) on Agenda Item 1: Adoption of the Agenda (Geneva, May 7-10, 2002),(New York)
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
We would also like to congratulate Mrs. Schmögnerova again on her appointment as Executive Secretary. This is a significant period, in which the ECE is consolidating the important reform of 1997 and preparing itself for new challenges both in the region and globally. We look forward working with her constructively to make her mandate as fruitful as possible for the ECE, its member countries and the Secretariat.
Furthermore, we would like to congratulate Mr. Garonna on a successful interim mandate in charge of the Organization and to the Secretariat as a whole for their commitment to the mandate and purpose of our UN Regional Commission.
Mr. Chairman, the EU will not have a formal opening statement this morning. We have prepared specific contributions to almost all agenda items and plan to make a more substantive and general statement in the closing session, commenting broadly on the results of this Annual Session. We would nevertheless like to make use of the opportunity to assure you of our support in your tasks as Chairman of this 57th Session of the UN ECE. We are sure that thanks to your experience, we will succeed in
tackling the challenges of this rather exceptional Annual Session, characterized by the abundance of seminar-like discussions. However, we regret that it was not possible for member countries to receive more documentation on substantive items translated into all official languages and earlier.
Mr. Chairman, on this first Agenda Item, we would like to propose some changes in the program: We believe strongly that, because of its significance, item six "Strengthening the Organization" should be dealt with at the end of the afternoon session on the 8th of May. In this way, the informal discussions organized for 9 May could profit from our new Executive Secretary's views on the ECE and from the discussions that could follow them. In addition, the other items of the last day of the
Commission would be able to receive enhanced attention.
Item four "Discussion of decisions arising from the high level policy segment for inclusion in the report of the Commission", would be transferred at the end of the afternoon session on the 7th of May.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman for doing the necessary to accommodate this request.
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