DUSHANBE, September 20, 2008, Asia-Plus — On Friday September 19, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi left for New York to attend the 63 rd session of the UN General Assembly.
According to the MFA information department head Davlat Nazriyev, during his stay in New York, Zarifi will coordinate preparation of President Emomali Rahmon’s visit to New York for participation in the UN General Assembly session. Rahmon’s visit to New York is scheduled for September 23-27.
In New York, Zarifi is expected to hold talks with Mr. Adam Melkert, Under Secretary General of the UN and Associate Administrator of UNDP, Mr. John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency, Dr. Salaheddin Al-Bashir, Foreign Minister of Jordan, Mr. Ehud Gol, Israeli Ambassador to Tajikistan, and Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic Social Affairs.
The 63rd session of the General Assembly of the United Nations opened on September 16 and the general debate will take place from September 23 to October 1 2008. According to the UN News Center, more than 120 heads of state and government as well as foreign ministers and heads of delegations will make speeches at the session.
On September 25, The UN Secretary General and the President of the UN General Assembly will convene a high-level event on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). At the halfway point towards the target date, significant progress has been made, but urgent and increased efforts are needed by all stakeholders in order to meet the Goals by 2015. The high-level event will be a forum for world leaders to review progress, identify gaps, and commit to concrete efforts, resources and mechanisms to bridge the gaps.
Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly occupies a central position as the chief deliberative, policy-making and representative organ of the United Nations. Comprising all 192 Members of the United Nations, it provides a forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter. It also plays a significant role in the process of standard-setting and the codification of international law. The Assembly meets in regular session intensively from September to December each year, and thereafter as required.
