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49.

The Role of the United Nations and its
Location in Switzerland

NOTES FOR THE ARTICLE
BY MR. VLADIMIR PETROVSKY
UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT GENEVA
SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT

15 May 1997

G
eneva is the world's largest centre for multilateral diplomacy and the
United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) is the operational base of
a mosaic of United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and other
international organizations to which it lends its support. The unique character
of this bustling international city is underlined by the fact that three distinct
diplomatic corps coexist in the same town. Indeed, in addition to the 146
Permanent Missions accreditated to UNOG, it is common practice
among Member States to have separate ambassadors accreditated to the
Conference on Disarmament, as well as to the World Trade Organization.

UNOG is based at the Palais des Nations which formerly housed the
League of Nations. It is the second largest UN office after New York
headquarters and it has the same global vocation. Over 7,600 technical
meetings, attended by some 25,000 delegates took place at the Palais des
Nations last year. In addition to these technical meetings, UNOG is visited by
an ever-increasing number of high-level officials, many of them with Cabinet
rank, if not Heads of State and of Government themselves.

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