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97.

STATEMENT
BY MR. VLADIMIR PETROVSKY
UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT GENEVA
AT THE LUNCHEON TO VISIT OF SWISS DELEGATION

Friday, 28 September 2001

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I t is a pleasure to welcome you to the Palais des Nations. I would

like to thank the Swiss Mission to UNOG for organizing this visit
and seminar and Ambassador François Nordmann for his cease-
less efforts to bring closer Switzerland and the United Nations.

Allow me first of all to refer to the tragic events of the 11 September in
New York and Washington. They have shocked the very foundation of
civilization and the United Nations stands in by the United States in the
terrible ordeal to which they have been subjected. The Secretary-General, the
Security Council and the General Assembly have unanimously condemned
these barbaric acts and voted to support actions to bring those responsible to
justice. Terrorism is a global scourge and must be met by a united response of
all nations.

If anything, these fateful events make the work of the United Nations more
necessary and important. The United Nations is an indispensable Forum in
which an effective global response can be worked out and coordinated. The
United Nations and UNOG retain the global perspective and outlook to face
the new multidimensional challenges. The humanitarian tragedy taking place

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