UNITED NATIONS: The newly elected president of the United Nations general assembly Ambassador Samir S Shihabi of Saudi Arabia has expressed concern over the rising gap between rich and poor nations and said it would disrupt the balance in every field of human society unless corrected quickly.
Addressing the assembly immediately after he was elected in a secret ballot Shihabi called for steps to eliminate ‘scornful social barriers’ and reduce “painful economic imbalance” between individuals and nations.
There must be a reduction in the widening gap between the north and south and a race towards productive cooperation must replace the arms race he said.
Shihabi won the requisite majority in the first round itself securing 83 votes against the 47 polled by the foreign minister of Papua New Guinea Sir Michael Somare and 20 by the Yemeni ambassador Abdalla Saleh Al Ashtal. This is first time that Saudi Arabia has been elected to this post.
Usually the candidate is decided beforehand and election is a mere formality This time however the Asian group which was expected to name its candidate could not reach a consensus and left the selection to the general assembly.
Saudi Arabia has tilled now played a low key role in the United Nations. Diplomats interpreted its insistence this time that its candidate be elected president 4s its desire to play an active role in the affairs of the world body.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 27, 1991
