FSM Permanent Mission to the United Nations Coordinates Visit of South Pacific Forum Secretary General to New York.NEW YORK, 8 October 1998: Secretary General W. Noel Levi, CBE, of the South Pacific Forum made a one week visit to the United Nations (U.N.) Headquarters in New York from 3-7 October 1998. The visit is part of the Secretary General's annual commitment to fulfil Forum Leaders directives for him to maintain the Forum Observer's seat at the U.N. In its role as chair of the group of South Pacific countries in New York (SOPAC) - the FSM President chairs the Forum for the 1998-1999 period -, the Permanent Mission of the Federated States of Micronesia to the United Nations undertook the coordination of the Secretary General's visit which includes meeting with U.N. Deputy Secretary General Ms. Louise Frechette; Under-Secretary for Political Affairs Kieran Pendegrast; Under-Secretary for Economic & Social Affairs Netin Desai and UNDP Associate Administrator Rafeeuddin Ahmed. Other meetings arranged were with the Director of the Asia-Pacific Region Division, the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Unit and with the SOPAC Ambassadors. Prior to making his round of meetings with UN officials, the Forum Secretary-General called on SOPAC Chair FSM Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Masao Nakayama for a briefing session with the Ambassador. The Forum Secretary-General's visit culminated in his address in the Second Committe general debate where Mr. Levi advocated the Forum's position on issues such as climate change, vulnerability index, the 1999 United Nations Special Session on Small Island Developing States (UNSSSIDS), among others. In a show of Pacific solidarity, all SOPAC missions to the United Nations were present in the Committee room during the Secretary General's presentation. The Secretary General was accompanied on the visit by Ms. Makurita Baaro, Director of Political and International Affairs Division, and Ms. Fiu Williame-Igara, Regional Coordinator Adviser, both from the Forum Secretariat. |