MALTA ELECTED TO SERVE AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE 56TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Having been endorsed by the Western European and Others Group (WEOG), the Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Walter Balzan was elected as one of the Vice Presidents of the 56^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the 13^th September 2001.

The General Assembly elects 16 Vice-Presidents for each United Nations General Assembly sessions, who are joined by the 5 candidates of the Permanent Members of the Security Council.

As Vice President, Malta will automatically be a member of the General Committee, which interalia is entrusted with the tasks of considering the provisional agenda, assisting the President of the General Assembly in drawing up the agenda for plenary meetings, determining the priority of agenda items and coordinating the proceedings of the committees. The General Committee also assists the President in the conduct of the work of the General Assembly which falls within his competence.