UN General Assembly
1959

58. The Secretary-General in his introduction to the annual report included a paragraph which we regard as very important. For this reason, may I be permitted to quote a part of that paragraph: “The most important United Nations activity in South-East Asia is related to the development of the lower basin of the Mekong River. Assistance to the co-operation among four riparian countries, Laos, Cambodia, the Republic of Viet-Nam (South Viet-Nam) and Thailand, which has been established with a view to furthering this development, is being given through the United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East and the technical assistance programmes of the United Nations and the specialized agencies, m well as on a bilateral basis. The work has been making good progress and it is to be hoped that results may be achieved fairly soon regarding some tributaries of the river, while research and planning activities are continuing regarding the river basin as a whole. The whole project is one of great promise where regional co-operation and assistance from or through the United Nations creates possibilities unattainable for any of the countries concerned if they work in isolation or in a more limited co-operation with others." [A/4132/Add.1, P.4.]