STATEMENT BY
H.E. AMBASSADOR MASAO NAKAYAMA
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
ON BEHALF OF THE MEMBERS OF THE
PACIFIC ISLAND FORUM GROUP OF COUNTRIES
AT THE UNITED NATIONS (SOPAC)
WELCOMING TUVALU
AS THE 189TH MEMBER OF THE
UNITED NATIONS
New York, September 5, 2000
Check Against Delivery
Mr. President,
I have the high honor to address this fifty-fifth session of this
General Assembly and to make this statement on behalf of the
following South Pacific countries who are members of this August
body: Australia; my own country the Federated States of Micronesia,
the Republic of Fiji Islands; Kiribati; the Republic of the Marshall
Islands; Nauru; New Zealand; Palau; Papua New Guinea; Solomon
Islands; Samoa; Tonga and Vanuatu.
Let me, at the very outset, offer the warm congratulations of the
South Pacific Group (SOPAC) to Your Excellency on your election to
guide this 5 5th session of this August body at this historic opening
of a new millennium, With your leadership and wide-ranging
experience, Mr. President, we are confident that this session of this
Assembly will deal effectively with the many important and monumental
tasks facing this Assembly. I assure you of the full support and best
wishes of the SOPAC group as you carry out the task of your high
office.
Mr. President,
Let me also extend our most profound appreciation to outgoing
President, H.E. Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, whose dedicated efforts have
guided the 54th session of this Assembly to a successful conclusion
His untiring efforts have smoothly paved the way for this Millennium
Assembly, and prepared us for the Millennium Summit.
Mr. President,
We welcome the adoption by this Assembly of the resolution
admitting another member to our ranks. This resolution is of
particular significance to the SOPAC group as this new member of the
United Nations family, the small island state of Tuvalu, is truly one
of our own and sister island member of our Pacific Forum to which the
SOPAC belongs. While we extend our best wishes and congratulations to
the Government and people of Tuvalu and celebrate with them on this
momentous occasion in their history, the SOPAC group would like to
state its sincere appreciation to the United Nations Security Council
for its wise decision to recommend admission of Tuvalu to membership
in this August body. Our heart felt appreciations are also in order
to the many members of this organization who have also joined in
co-sponsoring and supporting the resolution on Tuvalu's admission to
the United Nations.
Mr. President,
This is the second time in a row that a new member of this
Organization comes from the ranks of small island developing states.
Last year, this Assembly admitted the three Pacific small island
developing states of Kiribati; Nauru, and Tonga. And today, Tuvalu,
another small island country from the Pacific. While today's
admission of another small island country is symbolic and further
strengthens the universality of the United Nations, its significance
is not totally lost on many of us who share the same vulnerabilities
and problems that island countries like Tuvalu faces. Our smallness
and isolation have not insulated us from the impacts of decisions
made elsewhere. We have decided, although with great Sacrifices of
scarce resources to join this organization, that we must participate
with the rest of the world and contribute constructively in little
ways we could in the work of this body. We come to the United Nations
with high aspirations and confidence that our participation as
members of this body will further advance the cause of sustainable
development for small island developing states. With renewed
dedication and commitments by members of this United Nations, the
past efforts of this body will not have been lost in this new
millennium.
Mr. President,
In closing, I wish once again to refer to our joy and humility at
being permitted to speak on this occasion as we welcome Tuvalu to
membership in this organization.
Thank you.
|