Page 31 - 100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International_V-Petrovsky_private special edition

Bringing the Concept to Life

In connection with development, both the Economic Commission for
Europe's and UNCTAD's efforts will be fully integrated in the overall strategy
of the Secretary-General for sustainable development.

As the Secretary-General has repeatedly indicated, the role and responsi-
bilities of the regional commissions should be strengthened. The action of the
ECE should thus become, whenever feasible, even more supportive of the po-
litical and security missions, regionally, of the United Nations.

Three: It is also equally essential and indispensable to strengthen cooperation
and dialogue with the agencies and other parts of the UN family that
operate in Geneva and in Europe, particularly in connection with their
action at the regional level.

Four: As a focal point for European activities of the UN in particular in pre-
ventive diplomacy, peace-keeping, peacemaking, and peace-building -
and here the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia pro-
vides already an important example of regional cooperation as the
Conference is indeed a joint UN-European Community effort. In ad-
dition, Geneva will give high priority to effectively strengthening the
relation and cooperation with such regional organizations as the
CSCE, the European Economic Community, the Council of Europe,
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, etc.

Let me give you some figures on the importance of the some of the activi-
ties carried out by the United Nations Office at the present time: nearly 300
conferences are held there every year, representing between 6,500 and 7,000
meetings (calculated in half­ days), which is twice the number held at the New
York Headquarters. They are attended by some 25,000 delegates from all over
the world. The number of States Members of the United Nations has risen
from 51 in 1945 to 180 at the present time, thus attesting to the Organization's
vigour.

The Palais des Nations also plays an essential role in respect of
information. Each year the Information Service accredits some 230 press
correspondents, who are joined by some 300 journalists for short periods, from
the print media, radio and television. These figures can easily be doubled on
the occasion of major conferences.

The Organization, which is designed to serve the peoples of the world, has
to have its doors wide open to the public at large, to all these men and women

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