UN General Assembly
1996

in recent years in the difficult search for common ground, particularly on issues relating to environmentally sustainable development. We are heartened by your past achievements and are thankful for your willingness to undertake an even greater commitment as our President during this session. This is a year of strong reflection for the people of the Federated States of Micronesia. Ten years have passed since we emerged from the United Nations trusteeship system, and five years since we took our place as a member of the United Nations. During these years we have worked hard to build our capacity to contribute, even as a remote small island State, to the advancement of our common goals. Despite severely limited resources, both in terms of personnel and finances, we have accorded high priority to our participation in United Nations activities and to meeting our financial commitments to this Organization. It remains our strong belief that this priority has not been misplaced. At the time we joined the United Nations the world’s attention was focusing on the global aspects of