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PRESS RELEASE
NYPM-055-2006
22 DECEMBER 2006
RP ENDS YEAR AS ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE 61ST UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
NEW YORK —The Philippines will end the year by again taking over as Acting President of the 61st
United Nations General Assembly, the Philippine Mission to the United Nations said today.
In a statement, the Philippine Mission said General Assembly President Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa of
Bahrain has requested Ambassador Lauro L. Baja, Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN, to
again assume her functions in an acting capacity from Sunday, 24 December to Sunday, 31 December
2006.
A ccording to the Philippine Mission, the designation of Ambassador Baja makes the Philippines the
first vice president of the 61st General Assembly to be asked to serve as acting president twice. It could
be recalled that President Al-Khalifa first designated Ambassador Baja as Acting President of the
General Assembly on 19 October.
As acting president, Ambassador Baja can sign correspondence, represent the General Assembly in
the meetings of the other organs of the United Nations, receive callers and assume related functions in
addition to presiding over plenary meetings.
The designation of Ambassador Baja as Acting President is different from the other occasions where
he presided over meetings of the General Assembly because these were done in his capacity as vice
president. The Philippines first presided on 13 September when Ambassador Baja was asked in his
capacity as vice president to chair the High Level Dialogue of the 61st General Assembly on the agenda
item Migration and Development.
A week later, the Philippines was given another opportunity when Secretary Romulo was requested to
chair the general debate of the 61st General Assembly also in the country's capacity as vice president.
Ambassador Baja had been asked to preside on several occasions since then. END
--
Elmer G. Cato
Second Secretary
Philippine Mission to the United Nations
556 Fifth Avenue, New York 10036
Telephone No. 212.764.1300 Extension 38
