UN General Assembly
1982

is clear from some of those replies, in particular the one from Yugoslavia, that Mediterranean countries are giving very serious consideration to the question of how they can themselves best take charge of security matters in their own region. We also find great significance in the fact that in its reply France has indicated that it considers its formal recognition and support of Malta's status of neutrality as a direct contribution to the process of strengthening security and co-operation in the Mediterranean. Similar interest has emerged in the various statements made during the current general debate, in particular by Italy and Algeria. It is our intention this year, in collaboration with our partners, to seek to add to the growing consensus on the question and to identify pragmatic ways of developing the initiative further. One important consideration concerns the need to keep all Member States, and especially those in the Security Council, fully informed of relevant developments in our region. Various initiatives are converging to lend further strength and credibility to the formation of a Mediterranean built upon the