Thank you, Mr. President.
I am most grateful to you, Mr. President, and to
this General Assembly for the adoption by consensus of this Resolution on the
participation of the Holy See in the work of the United Nations, under agenda
item 59, entitled “Strengthening of the United Nations system.”
Mr. President,
The adoption of this Resolution could not have come
at a more auspicious time than this, as the Permanent Observer Mission of the
Holy See is happily celebrating the fortieth anniversary of its presence at
this Organization this year.
In the context of strengthening the role of the
United Nations and of revitalizing the work of this General Assembly, the
adoption of this Resolution is an important step forward and reflects the
lofty values and collective interests shared by the Holy See and the United
Nations. We are committed to the same objectives that necessitate the
protection of the fundamental human rights, the preservation of the dignity
and worth of the human person and the promotion of the common good. To achieve
these goals, we need an ordered international community built upon the strong
edifice of law – a law not of whim and caprice but of principles stemming from
the very universality of human nature – that can guide human reason for the
future. With an edifice built on such principles guiding our efforts, we can
be assured of attaining our mutual quest for a lasting and universal justice
and peace.
Mr. President,
Allow me to say a word of warm
thanks to you for the unflinching support and much appreciated willingness to
submit this Resolution as a presidential text. My gratitude also to the
esteemed members of the staff in the Office of the President and of the
Department of the General Assembly and Conference Management for their kind
support.
Mr. President, through you, may I
also thank His Excellency, Ambassador Marcello Spatafora, Permanent
Representative of Italy to the United Nations, for having assisted you, and
facilitated so skillfully and efficiently the consultation on this draft
Resolution leading it to a successful conclusion.
Finally, Mr. President, I would
be remiss if I do not express a word of gratitude to so many Permanent
Representatives who expressed to me their personal and their Governments’
support for the Resolution just adopted. My thanks as well to all Member
States for their invaluable support in the adoption of this Resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President.
