Wednesday September 24, 2003

Prime Minister to deliver final speech at UN tomorrow

NEW YORK: Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad will deliver his final speech at the United Nations General Assembly at its 58th session tomorrow, emphasising international peace and security.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the Prime Minister was expected to cover a broad range of issues including post-war Iraq, failure of the Cancun World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

“Dr Mahathir will present Malaysia's gift to the UN that depicts Malaysian sovereignty at his meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan,” said Syed Hamid at a media conference at Malaysia's Permanent Mission here yesterday.

The UN general assembly is expected to draw more than 60 heads of state and government. The UN has a current membership of 191.

Dr Mahathir, who is scheduled to meet Annan tomorrow, is expected to exchange views with the latter on regional and international issues, and the future role of the UN in post-war Iraq.

He is also scheduled to meet with the president of the UN general assembly, Julian Hunte of St Lucia. They will focus on the restructuring of the UN general assembly and transparency and democracy of the UN. – Bernama

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