UN General Assembly
1976

Mr. President, the Tunisian delegation sincerely rejoices at your election to head this session of the United Nations General Assembly. The tribute thus paid, through you, to your country is richly deserved. Your role as representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations for many years and your competence and your courtesy, which have been unanimously recognized, in particular in your work as President of the important Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, make you singularly qualified to guide the work of this session of the General Assembly, from which we the third world and non-aligned countries expect much. The responsibilities which Sri Lanka assumed as host of the Fifth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries and the part your country played in the development of its work also means that this honor is conferred on all the non-aligned countries, whose efforts and positions in regard to the numerous problems with which the international community is faced your Government and your Mission will strive to co-ordinate.