I'm very happy to make your acquaintance.

In September 1995, I had the honour of being elected President of the General Assembly.

And before the kind of collapse of the communist system, I was privileged to meet a lot of cosmonauts in Space City and other places in Russia.

One of the big ideas, one of the big projects I've been honored to work on is a new website. And I would encourage you all to please go to it.

I am particularly delighted that I had the privilege of presiding over a General Assembly that covered a vast spectrum of crucial items on its agenda.

Qatar's interest in international development stems also from its membership of the Group of 77 and China, over which it had the honour to preside in 2004.

The State of Qatar, which seeks to participate in furthering development issues, was honoured to host the second South Summit last June.

I am honoured, as are all my colleagues judges of the Court and the entire staff of the Court to be a part of the Special Court and of the determination of the international community to end impunity.

Having had the occasion and privilege to work with you on many disarmament issues within and outside the framework of the CD, I have every confidence in your abilities to steer the work of the Conference.

I travel a lot while I'm teaching, and I don't always get to watch all of my students reach their step three, but I was very lucky with Charlotte, that I got to watch her journey unfold the way it did.

Finally, as Chairman of the African Union for the past year, I have had the privilege of working closely with brother African heads of State or Government in transforming the African Union into a truly potent and effective organization for the development of African peoples.

As Managing Director of the IMF, I have had the privilege of working closely with Jim Wolfensohn, seeing up close a man with an extraordinary mission the sustainable reduction of global poverty.

I had the honor of being one of those reporters that lived through that siege, and I say I have the honor and the privilege of being there because it's taught me everything, not just about being a reporter, but about being a human being.

Sri Lanka was privileged to chair the Ad Hoc Committee that finalized the draft convention and it is our hope that Member States will work with similar enthusiasm and dedication with a view to concluding a comprehensive convention on terrorism before the end of the sixtieth session of the General Assembly, as recommended by the Secretary General.