UN General Assembly
2006

I would like to begin, like previous speakers, by extending my warmest congratulations to Ms. Haya Rasheed Al- Khalifa, the first woman in nearly 40 years to take up the position of President of the General Assembly. This is good news for international politics. I wish her every success in discharging the mandate on which she is now beginning, in which she can be assured of Portugal’s firm support. We are confident that she will continue the excellent work carried out by her predecessor, Minister Jan Eliasson, whom I am very happy to remember here. This session of the Assembly is also notable for being the last during which Secretary-General Kofi Annan will be in office. I therefore solemnly express on behalf of the Portuguese people our heartfelt, deep appreciation for the way in which he has carried out his duties over the last 10 years, contributing concretely and decisively to international peace and stability in a world that we all wish were more just. It was on his watch — and with his indispensable personal help —