A/47/PV.106 General Assembly

Before proceeding with the consideration of the items on ~U~ agenda for this meeting, I should like to invite the General Assembly to join in a tribute to the memory of the late Perm~nent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Ramadi Khouini. Ambassador Khouini had a distinguished career as a respected civil servant and esteemed diplomat. He also served in an exemplary manner as the Chairman of the Special Political Committee of the G~neral Assembly at its forty-seventh session. Re will be remembered for the devotion with which he served his country and the cause of the United Nations. On behalf of the General Assembly, I request the representative of Tunisia to convey our heartfelt condolences to the Government of Tunisia and to the bereaved family. I now invite members of the Assembly to stand and observe a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of Ris Excellency Mr. Ramadi Khouini. The members of the General Assembly observed a minute of silence. The PRESIDE~l I now call on the representative of Togo,.who will speak; on behalf of the Group of African States. Mr. PENNANEACH (Togo) (interpretation from French): It is barely a week since His Excellency Mr•. Hamadi Khouini left us. He was but 50 years old. Even today, it is very difficult for us to admit that our eminent colleague and friend is no longer among us; he was so accustomed to being among us since his appointment as Permanent Representa~ive of. Tunisia to the United Nations in January 1992. We are still experiencing emotion and consternation. We were able to appreciate here the significant roles played by Ambassador Khouini, sometimes as inspirational force, sometimes as coordinator, sometimes as arbitrator in our discussions and negotiations. It was thanks to him that good questions were asked, and it was he who brought satisfactory solutions to our problems. Because of his unshakeable faith in freedom and progress and because of his deep commitment to human rights, His Excellency Mr. Hamadi Khouini ~njoyed the esteem, admiration and respect of all. We know that his outstanding qualities made it possible to achieve happy results in the work of the Special Political Committee, which he chaired during the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly. We remember the competence with which he chaired, last year, the Confer-ence of States Parties to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Pu~ishment. We are pleased to recall also the dynamism and intelligence with which he took bold initiatives at the Non-Aligned Summit in Jakarta, and he did so to our c~mplete satisfaction. His premature passing will leave a great void in the heart of the African Group, to which he never ceased to bring messages of wisdom and generosity. We are honoudng today the memory of a man of integrity whose life was an example to. us al~. Ambassador !houini passed through our midst like a meteor. Today hG is no more, but his memory will nevertheless remain, alive and sparkling, more than ever among us. His presence here, so brief yet so solid, seems to t~ll us in a unique way that it is neither the length of life nor its rapidity that constitutes the man. Ambassador Khouini was a man of action, experience snd conviction, a sensitive man with lofty aspirations. What counted for him was, above all, his generous relationship with the world. I still hear, resounding in my memory, in this paraphra~e, the warm voice of our dear colleague and friend: "Those who have died are never gone: They are in the lightening shadow They are in the thickening shadow. The dead are not under the ground: They are in the soughing trees They are in the flowing waters They are in the sleeping waters They are· in the sighing woods They are in their homes, they are in the crowds. The dead are not dead." On behalf of the African Group, allow me to convey to the Tunisian Government, the Tunisian M~ssion to the United Nations and the Khouini family all our most heartfelt condolences.

I now call on the repre~entative of Cyprus, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Asian States. Hr. JACOVIPES (Cyprus): On behalf of the Asian Group of States Members of the United Nations, I wish to extend to the Government and the people of ~UDisia and the bereaved family of Ambassador Hamadl Khouini, our most sincere and profoun~ condolences on his untimely demise. Ambassador Khouini, a dear friend to all and a distinguished colleague, will be sorely missed. In his person Tunisia had an exceptional and very capable diplomat with an active and substantive participation in our common endeavours within this Orqanization. Most recently, his outstandinq stewardship as Chairman of the Special Political Committee ensured the successful conduct of that Committee's work durinq the current session. Ambassador Khouini had a distinguished career in public service prior to his most recent appointment as his country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. From the vary early years of his life Ambassador Khouini saw it as his duty to offer hiDself and his formidable capabilities to the service of his country, be it in its internal affairs - as Governor of a number of districts - or as Ambassador abroad, promoting and defendinq the interests of not only his beloved homeland of ~unisia but also the whole Maghreb region. In this workinq environment of ours, which is quite often hampered by diplomatic trimminqs that often tend to blur the essence of our work, Ambassador Khouini's calm and result-oriented app~oach to all tasks he undertook acted as a catalytic force around which consensus would develop and progress in our common endeavours would be achieved. His work as Vice-Chairman of the CommiBsion on Sustainable Dovelopment, Chairman of the Committee established under the International Covanant on Civil and Political Riqhts and Chairman of the Special Political Committee, to mention but a few of the many activities throuqh which he sought to make a substantive contribution, will alwaya be remembered and very much appreciated. (Mr. Jacovides, Cyprus) With these brief remarks concerning Ambassador Khouini the diplomat and public servant, I would be remiss not to mention Harnadi Khouini the man and person with the many human qualities that so endeared him to all who were fortunate enough to know and associate with him. His untimely passing has not only deprived us of a friend and colleague in the United Nations community and his country of a very capable diplomat, but has also deprived his family of a loving husband and father. On behalf of the Asian Group of States, allow me to say from the heart to all those closest to him that we join in their prayers and share in their grief.

I now call on the representative of Lithuania, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States. Mr. SIMUTIS (Lithuania): On behalf of the Group of Eastern European States, I convey my sincere condolences to the Tunisisan delegation on the sudden passing of His Excellency Ambassador Hamadi Khouini, Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations. Allow me also to express our sympathy to the family and friends of Ambassador Khouini and the Government of Tunisia, which has lost an able and gifted representative and spokesman. Ambassador Khouini had a distinguished diplomatic career not only in the service of his own country but also on behalf of the world community. Of his many contributions to the development of humankind, one of the most significant was surely his participation as Vice-Chairman in the establishment of the Commission on Sustainable Development. Ambassador Khouini was a strong advocate of economic and social rights, particularly for the young. At this difficult hour, on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States, I salute the memory of His Excellency Mr. Hamadi Khouini.

I call on the representative of Brazil, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States. M~. de ARAUJO CASTRO (Brazil): I have the honour and the sad duty to speak on behalf of the Group of Latin ~erican and Caribbean States to state that the members of our regional Group have learned with a profound sense of sorrow of the passing away of Ambassador Harnadi Khouini, Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations. Deeply saddened by this tragic occurence, the Latin American and Caribbean delegations wish to pay a very sincere tribute to his memory. In ~ expressing our feelings of loss and sympathy, we wish to request that the Tunisian delegation convey to his bereaved family and to the Government and the people of Tunisia the condolences of all the members of the Latin American and Caribbean Group. Ambassador Khouini's untimely death cut short a distinguished career as a diplomat and as a public official who had been entrusted with a number of high-level posts in his country. Here in the United Nations, he was known, well-liked and respected by his colleagues as a man of remarkable skills, a man who very well reflected his region's unique talent for promoting dialogue, understanding and friendship. Among other achievements, we should recall the skilful and professional manner in which he conducted the work of the Special Political Committee during the present session of the General Assembly. Ambassador Hamadi Khouini will'undoubtedly leave his mark as a man who served his country with vision and who dedicated his tireless efforts towards the goals, of peace, justice and prosperity for all nations. In this moment of grief, I would like to express once again the heartfelt sorrow and the solidarity of the members of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States.

I call on the representative of Liechtenstein, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Western European and Other States. Mrs. FRITSCHE (Liechtenstein): I have the sad duty to extend, on behalf of the Group of Western European and Other States, our sincere and heartfelt condolences and feelings of sympathy to the Government and the people of Tunisia and to the bereaved family of His Excellency Ambassador Hamadi Khouini, Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations, who passed away on 15 June. We would furthermore like to express our full solidarity with the delegation of Tunisia at this difficult time. During his short tenure in New York, Ambassador Khouini undertook manifold activities in various fields. Let me recall his chairmanship of the Special political Committee durinq the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly and his vice-chairmanship of the Commission on Sustainable Development, to whose work he made invaluable contributions. We were all impressed by his knowledge, his outstanding diplomatic skills and his personal kindness. We have lost a remarkable representative of the African continent, a dear colleague and a good friend.

I now call on the representative of the United States of America; the host country. Mrs. ALBRIGHT (United States of America): On behalf of the host country; I would like to express the deep regret of my Government over the tragic loss to the United Nations and the world of our esteemed colleague and dear friend; the Permanent Representative of Tunisia, Ambassador Hamadi Khouini. I am sure that we will all sorely miss Ambassador Khouini's warm friendship, wise counsel and unceasing commitment to the international ideals for which this body stands. Ambassador Khouini represented the highest caliber of diplomat, and we offer our condolences to the Government of Tunisia and the people of Tunisia. We pay a tribute to the dynamic leadership role he played as Chairman of the Special Political Committee and during his tenures as Chairman of the Arab Group and Vice-President of the General Assembly. In Ambassador Khouini's honour; I trust that we will continue our efforts to work together on the issues to which he was so strongly committed; including the protection of the environment and sustainable development. I should like to extend a personal expression of condolence to Mrs. Khouini and her family. The world shares in their grief at this very difficult time. We wish them courage and strength. Mr. ABDHAQUI (Tunisia) (interpretation from French): It is with deep emotion that my delegation and I have just heard the various delegations that have spoken in turn to evoke the memory of our departed colleague and to pay a last tribute to Ambassador Hamadi Khouini. It is said that it is in the difficult moments that one recognizes one's friends. We now see that the friends of the Tunisian dele~ation have turned out to be all the delegations of the States Members of the United Nations. Indeed, over and above any particular group or set of positions, we have come to see that the United Nations is one big family, a true, tight-knit family. At the Tunisian Mission, we have felt to what extent we belong to that family. During the sad days brought upon on the Tunisian Mission by this ordeal, it has not felt itself alone affected by this painful event. That is why the Tunisian delegation would like to express here its deepest thanks to all those Missions which, by their close presence, their correspondence, telephone calls and their signing of our memorial book, wished to join us in our grief and to offer us their sympathy and solidarity. What can I add to what has already been said about the person and qualities of Ambassador Hamadi Khouini? I shall simply say just a few words. The late Hamadi Khouini was among those persons who sincerely believe in the ideals of the United Nations and in the noble task of the United Nations. From his hospital bed he continued to be deeply involved in the agenda for peace, in preventive diplomacy. He was concerned over the situation in Bosnia. He shared the suffering of his brothers in Somalia. When the Tunisian Government decided to send a large contingent to Cambodia to assist in the maintenance of peace, he was happy about that gesture of solidarity by his country with the United Nations. That, then, was his life. Man is so fragile that he can be suddenly blown away, just as the autumn leaf is blown away by a breeze or by the wind.

In his note (A/47/966) the Secretary-General, pursuant to rule 15 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, requests that an additional item, entitled "Financing of the United Nation,S Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus", be placed on the agenda of the forty-seventh session. Owing to the nature of the item, the Secretary-General further requests that the item be allocated to the Fifth Committee. Unless there is an objection, I shall take it that the General Assembly agrees that, under the circumstances described in the note by the Secretary- General, the provision of rule 40 of the rules of procedure which would require a meeting of the General Committee on the question of the inclusion and allocation of an additional item should be waived. It was so decided.

May I take it that the General Assembly, on the proposal of the Secretary-General, wishes to include in the agenda of its forty-seventh session an item entitled "Financing of the Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus" and to allocate it to the Fifth Committee? It was so decided.

The Chairman of the Fifth Committee will be informed of the decision just taken.