UN General Assembly
1966

17. I wish on behalf of my Government to pay a tribute of admiration and gratitude to the Secretary-General. As the representative of Colombia it was my privilege, at a time when the United Nations was going through one of its gravest crises, to co-operate in his felicitous appointment and to make known publicly on behalf of the Latin American group, the satisfaction felt by our Governments and our continent at his election. Today we can say that the hopes placed in his administration have been fully justified. No major error can justly be attributed to him in the discharge of his duties. Hence, the Latin American nations did what was right in expressing the desire that U Thant would agree to offer his services and endeavours to the world community once again.