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24.

The United Nations and Geneva:
A Dynamic Relationship

WRITTEN STATEMENT
BY MR. VLADIMIR PETROVSKY
UNITED NATIONS UNDER-GECRETARY-GENERAL
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT GENEVA
FOR THE
COMITE POUR LE 50ÈME ANNIVERSAIRE DE L'O. N.U.
TO APPEAR IN ITS PLAQUETTE

Submitted for publication on 10 March 1994

S
ecurity, stability and well-being of people represent the central
core of United Nations undertakings. To fulfil their various
mandates and further the Organization's continuing efforts to
promote peace, development and democracy, the 40 or so distinct corporate
entities that comprise the United Nations system have established offices and
deployed personnel throughout the world. Geneva serves as a central hub
through which many of these entities coordinate their activities, particularly in
the fields of economic and social development, and humanitarian operations.

The United Nations Office at Geneva, perhaps best known as the most
active centre for conference diplomacy in the world (more than 7,000 technical
meetings on disarmament, trade, human rights issues, and high-level political
meetings are held at the Palais des Nations throughout the year), actively
works to facilitate the operations of the various entities within the UN system.
Although European-based, UNOG and the other UN entities based in Geneva
are not Eurocentric. UNOG is becoming evermore active in supporting
operations and events in Africa and the Middle East. Furthermore, the Palais
des Nations has been the site for recent efforts to end hostilities in East Timor,

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