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19^th UN Special Session

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): June 17, 1997 - On June 9, 1997, President Jacob Nena informed Congress Speaker Jack Fritz that he will be heading a delegation from the FSM to attend the 19th Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly scheduled for June 23 to 27, 1997, in New York to review on progress made by member nations since the first international Summit in Rio de Janerio, Brazil in 1992.

It was agreed in the Rio Summit that every five years a UN Special Session will be called for a review of how countries, international organizations and sectors of civil society have responded to the challenge of the Earth Summit.

Nena invited Fritz and members of Congress to join him and his delegation which is tentatively scheduled to arrive in New York on June 20, 1997, for the opening of the 19^th Special Session on June 23, 1997.

The Department of External Affairs together (with) the FSM Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York are coordinating the arrangements for FSM's participation.

President Nena is scheduled to deliver the FSM Government's statement in the afternoon of June 23, 1997. Other Heads of State and Government, including U.S. President Bill Clinton, are scheduled to deliver statements on June 26, 1997.