UN General Assembly
1997

﻿I should like at the outset to make two imperative acknowledgments. The first is to congratulate Ambassador Hennadiy Udovenko on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly — and to congratulate the Assembly on the election of an insightful and experienced politician to preside over this session — which may, for many reasons, prove to be an exceptional one. The second is addressed to the Secretary-General at this first regular session convened under his mandate. Mr. Kofi Annan is a veteran of the United Nations system, which explains how, in the short time since he took up the post of Secretary-General, he has been able to submit an important programme for the comprehensive reform of the Organization. I wish also to state my Government’s full support of the statement made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg on behalf of the European Union. Spain shares the commitment of the European Union to the reform of the Organization; it is specifically upon this matter that my statement will be focused.