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Mr. Chairman,
It gives me great pleasure to introduce in the Sixth Committee, on behalf of
the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the draft
resolution on the agenda item 162 entitled “UN Observer Status for SAARC in the
General Assembly” contained in document A/C.6/59/L.21. The request for observer
status is contained in Document-A/59/234 which includes a letter from the
Permanent Representative of the SAARC Member States, an Explanatory Memorandum
and a draft resolution entitled “Observer status for the South Asian Association
for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in the General Assembly”.
I also wish to express our gratitude to the General Assembly and its General
Committee for including our request for observer status in the agenda of the
59th UNGA at such a short notice. We hope that the same spirit of cooperation
would prevail in the consideration and adoption of this agenda item in the Sixth
Committee and General Assembly.
SAARC represents the seven countries of South Asia, i.e. Bangladesh, Bhutan,
India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and was launched at the
first-ever Summit meeting of the South Asian Heads of State or Government in
Dhaka in December 1985.
SAARC’s objectives are to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and
to improve their quality of life by accelerating economic growth, social
progress and cultural development in the region through mutual cooperation.
SAARC also aims at strengthening cooperation with other developing countries and
with international and regional organizations with similar aims and objectives.
The draft resolution is being introduced pursuant to the decision of the SAARC
Council of Ministers authorizing the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to
initiate the process for obtaining observer status for SAARC in the UN General
Assembly. We trust that SAARC’s request for observer status will receive the
unanimous support of the Sixth Committee and the General Assembly and lead to
the earliest possible adoption of the draft resolution.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman.