SECRETARY-GENERAL RECOGNIZES MEXICO'S CAPITAL AS CITY OF PEACE, NOTING ITS ROLE AS HOST OF PEACE TALKS ON EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, NICARAGUA
Press Release
SG/SM/6651
SECRETARY-GENERAL RECOGNIZES MEXICO'S CAPITAL AS CITY OF PEACE, NOTING ITS ROLE AS HOST OF PEACE TALKS ON EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, NICARAGUA
19980723 The following is a statement given yesterday, 22 July, by Secretary- General Kofi Annan to the Department of the Federal District of Mexico City, following his being presented the key to the City:It is truly an honour for me to participate in this ceremony and to accept the key to one of the world's most renowned capital cities and centres of civilization. In bestowing this recognition on me, you also recognize the close partnership that exists between Mexico and the United Nations, and the deep and abiding solidarity between the international community and the aspirations of all peoples of Mexico for lives of peace, prosperity and progress.
Throughout Mexico's history, there has always been a great city on this spot. This is a place to which the best peoples have come, mixed and produced endearing works of art, architecture and literature. It is a hub of activity from which new ideas have emanated to enrich and inspire all Mexicans, all the Americas and beyond. It continues to dominate the political, cultural and economic life of the country.
For the United Nations, Mexico City is also a city of peace. Throughout the past decade, it has served as a generous host to many rounds of negotiations that put an end to eras of devastating conflict in El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua, and established conditions for the reconstruction of those societies. The international community is grateful for this contribution.
The peace accord of El Salvador, let me remind you, is known as the Chapultepec Agreement for the castle where the pact was signed. It is also where the nations of Latin America met 53 years ago for the Inter-American Conference on the problems of war and peace, which laid the basis for the region's participation in the United Nations established that same year in San Francisco. The problems of war and peace are still with us, of course.
Like all of the major cities in our rapidly urbanizing world, Mexico City faces complex and urgent challenges such as pollution, crime, joblessness and crumbling infrastructure. But, as the Governor said, this is not a problem of Mexico City alone. We have it in all the major cities, and that is why we organized the 1996 United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in Istanbul to try and see if we could share experiences and
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improve quality of life in our cities. Like all other nations, Mexico is trying to find its place in a global economy and to take advantage of the opportunities created by a new era in global affairs.
The United Nations gives us hope. Mexico a founding Member and a very active Member State, is part of the reason why, joining others there in common cause the same way that Mexicans come together not far from here in the central square, the Zocalo. We are stronger when we all come together and pool our efforts. Our work is not without risks and not without sacrifices, as we were reminded by the Monumento a los Niños Heroes: that the potential of the future is unlimited, and I look forward to fulfilling it with you. I also look forward to even closer cooperation between United Nations and Mexico.
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