SECRETARY-GENERAL, IN EGYPT, VISITS ARAB LEAGUE HEADQUARTERS
Press Release
SG/T/2018
SECRETARY-GENERAL, IN EGYPT, VISITS ARAB LEAGUE HEADQUARTERS
19960103 Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali visited the Headquarters of the League of Arab States in Cairo, at 10:30 this morning, where he was received by its Secretary-General Esmat Abdel Meguid. Mr. Abdel Meguid described the visit as historic, it being the first ever by a United Nations Secretary-General to the Arab League's Headquarters.Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali said the purpose of his visit was to underline the importance of cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter, and to discuss means of strengthening it. In that context, he referred to the forthcoming second meeting between the United Nations and the heads of regional organizations worldwide, due to be held in New York in February. The first such meeting was held in the summer of 1994.
During this morning's meeting, the two Secretaries-General reviewed a wide range of issues relating to the Arab world, including Iraq, Libya, Western Sahara and Kuwait, as well as the situation in Somalia. On the dispute between Yemen and Eritrea, Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali pointed out that he was hopeful that a peaceful solution could be found soon.
Mr. Abdel Meguid acknowledged the efforts exerted by the United Nations Secretary-General to persuade both the Iraqi Government and the Libyan Government to implement the relevant Security Council resolutions which would lead to a lifting of the sanctions against those countries. He also referred to the demarcation of the border between Kuwait and Iraq as a great success for the United Nations.
During their discussion, the United Nations Secretary-General also emphasized the vital role of economic cooperation as one of the cornerstones of peace.
At 11:30 a.m., Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali called on the Speaker of the Peoples' Assembly, Fathi Sourour. The Secretary-General said the United Nations regarded its relationships with parliaments as being of great importance. It was through these contacts that the United Nations increased its channels of communications with the peoples of the world, who the Organization's Charter was designed to serve.
- 2 - Press Release SG/T/2018 3 January 1996
At 12 noon, the Secretary-General met the Chairman of the People's Assembly Foreign Relations Committee, Mohamed Abdellah, with whom he reviewed a number of regional and international issues.
At 12:30 p.m., the Secretary-General met the Chairman of the Shoura (Consultative) Council, Moustafa Kamal Helmi. Mr. Helmi briefed the Secretary- General on matters before the Council, including social and economic development, the Middle East peace process, the question of water resources in the region, the environment and inter-Arab relations.
The Secretary-General underscored the importance of new actors on the world stage, such as non-governmental organizations, the private sector and parliamentary bodies, affirming their crucial role in international affairs.
At 1 p.m., the Secretary-General met Foreign Minister Amre Moussa at the new Foreign Ministry headquarters in Cairo. They conducted a review of international and regional affairs. The Secretary-General was the guest of honour at a luncheon hosted by the Foreign Minister, which was attended by the Speakers of the Peoples' Assembly and the Shoura Council, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, members of the Cabinet of Ministers, senior officials at the Foreign Ministry and Editors-in-Chief of major Egyptian publications. The Secretary-General was accompanied at all the abovementioned meetings by the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Constante Muzio.
At 6 p.m., the Secretary-General addressed a major seminar organized by the Al-Ahram Center for Strategic and Political Studies, on the role of the United Nations in the post-cold war era.
* *** *