Secretary-General: Press Release

This is the text of the statement made today by Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali at the fifth summit conference of Ibero-American Heads of State and Government at San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina:

The United Nations values highly the association of nations of shared cultural and linguistic heritage -- the Commonwealth, the Francophone countries, the Lusophone countries, the Ibero-American family of nations gathered here today. Such associations are a critical component of international cooperation.

The following was received from the spokesman travelling with Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali:

The heads of State and governments attending the Ibero-American Summit in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, have decided today to add the following paragraph to the final declaration to be issued at the conclusion of their deliberations:

"Point 13:

Biographical Note: Boutros Boutros-Ghali became the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations on 1 January 1992, when he began a five-year term. At the time of his appointment by the General Assembly on 3 December 1991, Mr. Boutros-Ghali had been Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs of Egypt since May 1991 and had served as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs from October 1977 until 1991.