A/39/PV.3 General Assembly

I now invite the General Assembly to consider the recommendation by the Security Council for the admission of Brunei Darus- salam to membership in the United Nations. In this connection, a draft resolution has been submitted [A/39/L.lIRev.I and Add. 1]. 3. May I take it that the General Assembly adopts the draft resolution by acclamation? The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 39/1). 4. The PRESIDENT: I therefore declare Brunei Darussalam admitted to membership in the United Nations. 5. I request the Chief of Protocol to escort the delegation of Brunei Darussalam to its place in the General Assembly Hall. The delegation ofBrunei Darussalam was escorted to its place in the General Assembly Hall. 6. The PRESIDENT: It ~s indeed an honour and a privilege for me, at the start of the thirty-ninth session of the General Assembly, to welcome Brunei Darussalam as the 159th Member of the United Nations. The assumption by Brunei Darussalam of its full international responsibilities as a sovereign and independent State on I January 1984 and its membership in this Organization mark yet another *Resumed from the Ist meeting. Friday, 21 September 1984, at 10.45 a.m. NEW YORK step towards the achievement of one of the funda- mental goals of the United Nations, universality of membership. 7. I am happy to see Brunei Darussalam assume its rightful place In the international community. I am confident that it will support the work of the United Nations and its efforts to promote the ideals ofpeace, justice, co-operation and understanding in the South- East Asian region and throughout the world. 8. On behelf of the General Assembly, and on my own behalf, I should like to convey my congratula- tions to the new Member State of Brunei Darus- salam. I wish also to welcome most warmly the Head of State and Prime Minister of Brunei Darussalam, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, and the other members of his delegation. Their presence here today marks a historic moment both for the United Nations and for the Governm~nt and pecple of Brunei Darussalam. 9. I now call on the representative of the United Kingdom. 10. Sir John THOMSON (United Kingdom): Mr. President, in my first statement at the thirty-ninth session of the General Assembly it gives me the greatest pleasure to congratulate you on behalfof the United Kingdom Government. Your high qualities are universally acknowledged. Your experience we have all learned to value, and we know that it will enable you to guide the proceedings of this General Assembly in accordance with the high standards of your predecessors. That said, I would like to add my own very personal congratulations and my delight that a friend should be sitting in the seat you now occupy. It seems particularly a~)propriate that you, as a great representative of Africa and especially as a notable representative of the Commonweaith, should be presiding on this occasion when we have just admitted as the 159th Member ofthe United Nations the 49th member of the Commonwealth-and the 45th to be a Member of the United Nations. 1I. On 7 December last year the General Assembly unanimously adopted a decision extending to the Government and people of Brunei its warm congrat- ulations on their forthcoming independence and best wishes for peace, happiness and prosperity in the years ahead [decision 38/417]. I could not improve on those sentiments but I do wish te echo them on this auspicious occasion and to extend a very warm welcome to His Majesty the Sultan and the delega- tion of Brunei Darussalam, who join us for the first time today. 12. It is always a pleasure to welcome newly independent States into the United Nations. That pleasure is naturally all the greater for my delegation when the State concerneu is one with which Britain has enjoyed close ties of friendship stretching back youn~ State of Brunei Darussalam will undoubtedly contnbute effectively, together with the international community, to the realization ofthe lofty goals of the United Nations in a manner which will promote international peace and security in an era of interna- tional political tension and economic crisis. 59. I should like to refer to the special relationship that Brunei DarussaIam enjoys with many of the member States ofthe Arab Group. In addition to the historic links between the Arab States and Brunei Darussalam, a fertile common heritage oflong stand- ing unites them, despite the great geographic distance separating them. For exarr.ple, hundreds of thou- sands of Yemenis continue to live in many of the States of South-East Asia, induding Brunei Darus- saIam. 60. In the light of this special relationship between many of the Arab States and Brunei DarussaIam, we look forward to the young State's participation in and support for the efforts of the Arab States in this international forum to find solutions to their just causes, particularly that ofPalestine and the Palestin- ian people's struggle to regain their national rights and ofthe struggle by the Arab States to recover their occupied territories. 61. The PRESIDENT: I now call on the representa- tive of the United States of America, the host country. 62. Mrs. KIRKPATRICK (United States of Ameri- ca): It is a real pleasure to see you, Sir, presiding here over the work of the General Assembly. We have all observed your very considerable diplomatic skills in the years that I have been present at the United Nations and, like all other Members whom we know, the United States feels confident that the Assembly will benefit greatly from your guidance during this session. 63. The United States is extremely pleased to have been among the sponsors ofthe application of Brunei Darussalam for membership in the United Nations. As host country, the United States welcomes Brunei to New York, and as a founding Member of the United Nations we welcome Brunei Darussalam to the United Nations. We believe that Brunei Darus- salam will be a most constructive Member of the Organization. 64. Brunei and the United States have enjoyed a variety of ties, all of them friendlY, extending back over the past 100 years and more. Our consular relations date from the late nineteenth century, and commercial contacts and mutually advantageous trade go even further back. Full diplomatic relations were established with the resumption of Brunei's independence on 1January ofthis year, and a United States embassy has opened for business in Bandar Seri Begawan, just as the embassy of Brunei Darus- salam has opened in Washington.

The General Assembly will first examine section II of the first report of the General Committee [A/39/250], which deals with the organization ofthe thirty-ninth session. Members are aware that by its decision 34/40I, which is repro-

As indicated in a note by the President ofthe General Assembly [A/39/503 and Corr.1], the Assembly is required, during its current session, to appoint a person to fill the unexpired portion of the term d office of Mr. Mark E. AlIen, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as a member of the Joint Inspection Unit. Mr. AlIen has resigned from mer.1bership of the Unit with effect from 21 September 1984. 166. In accordance with the procedures described in article 3, paragraph I, of the statute of the Joint Inspection Unit, the regional group concerned was consulted and it was determined that the Federal Republic ofGermany should be requested to propose a candidate to replace Mr. AlIen. 167. As a result of further consultations in accord~ ance with article 3, paragraph 2, of the statute of the Joint Inspection Unit, including consultations with the President of the Economic and Social Council and with the Secretary-General in his capacity as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Co- ordination, I now submit to the Assembly the candidature of Mr. Siegfried Schumm, of the Federal Republic of Germany, for appointment as a member of the Joint Inspection Unit for a term beginning immediately and expiring on 31 December 1987. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to appoint this candidate? It was so decided (decision 39/305 A).