LAST YEAR, THIS COMMITTEE WAS SEIZED WITH THE ISSUE OF SECURITY PROCEDURES THAT REPORTEDLY CAUSED DELEGATIONS AND DELEGATION MEMBERS INCONVENIENCE DURING THE OPENING DAYS OF THE GENERAL DEBATE. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE MY COLLEAGUES AGAIN ON THIS ISSUE AND TO INDICATE WHAT THE HOST COUNTRY HAS DONE IN AN ATTEMPT TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTIONS DURING THIS YEAR'S SESSION.

     IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE MANY HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT WHO WILL BE IN NEW YORK DURING THE GENERAL DEBATE NEXT WEEK, THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED, PURSUANT TO THE UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS AGREEMENT, THE ASSISTANCE OF HOST COUNTRY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND PARTICULARLY THAT OF THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE AND THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT. IN PARTICULAR, THE UNITED NATIONS REQUESTED THAT, ONCE THE UN GARAGE HAS BEEN EMPTIED AND SEARCHED, THOSE AGENCIES ENSURE THAT THE ONLY VEHICLES COMING TO THE UNITED NATIONS COMPLEX NEXT WEEK ARE EITHER INSPECTED BEFORE ENTERING THROUGH THE U.N. GARAGE OR HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY CLEARED BY THOSE SECURITY SERVICES TO USE THE 43RD STREET ENTRANCE AS PART OF PROTECTED MOTORCADES. THESE PROCEDURES WILL, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, COMPLICATE ACCESS TO THE HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT BY AUTOMOBILE. NONETHELESS, THE ORGANIZATION BELIEVES THAT THESE SPECIAL SECURITY MEASURES ARE NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE, AND THE HOST COUNTRY IS PREPARED TO SUPPORT THE U.N.'S REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE CONSISTENT WITH OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THE ORGANIZATION UNDER THE HOST COUNTRY AGREEMENT.

     MANY MEMBER STATES ARE ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE SECURITY OF THEIR HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT WHILE IN NEW YORK FOR THE GENERAL DEBATE, AND HAVE CONSEQUENTLY ASKED THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE TO ARRANGE PROTECTIVE DETAILS INCLUDING SECURE MOTORCADES FOR THEIR HIGH-LEVEL DELEGATIONS. OTHER MEMBER STATES WITH CHIEFS OF DELEGATION BELOW THE LEVEL OF HEAD OF STATE OR GOVERNMENT HAVE ASKED THE DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE TO PROVIDE PROTECTION AND MOTORCADES. THE SECURITY SERVICES HAVE AGREED TO DO SO, AGAIN IN ORDER TO CARRY OUT OUR OBLIGATIONS TO MEMBER STATES PURSUANT TO THE HEADQUARTERS AGREEMENT, AND OTHER APPLICABLE TREATIES AND CONVENTIONS. THE MOVEMENT OF THESE DELEGATION MOTORCADES MAY, FOR A MATTER OF MINUTES, COMPLICATE BOTH VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENTS ALONG THEIR ROUTES IN THE VICINITY OF THE UNITED NATIONS.

     I AM SURE ALL MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THIS TABLE AGREE THAT SECURITY CONCERNS OF THE ORGANIZATION AND OF MEMBER STATES MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, EVEN IF THE MEASURES REQUESTED CAUSE CERTAIN INCONVENIENCE TO THE REST OF US. IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE INCONVENENCE AND DELAYS, THE HOST COUNTRY MISSION HAS SUGGESTED - AND IN SOME CASES INSTITUTED -- CERTAIN PROCEDURES DESIGNED TO EASE PERSONAL MOVEMENTS. THOSE PROCEDURES ARE SET OUT IN A CIRCULAR NOTE VERBALE TO BE SENT BY THE U.S. MISSION TO ALL OTHER MISSIONS IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. OTHER PRECAUTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY THE ORGANIZAITON ITSELF, INCLUDING, NOTABLY, PROVISIONS TO REPLENISH THE AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINES IN THE U.N. COMPLEX.  THAT WAS A PARTICULAR COMPLAINT OF SOME DELEGATIONS LAST YEAR. THESE ISSUES WILL ALSO BE DISCUSSED AT A MEETING TO BE CHAIRED BY THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY AND SAFETY SERVICE LATER THIS WEEK. I URGE ALL DELEGATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SESSION, AND NOTE WITH SOME ALARM THAT ONLY 15 DELEGATIONS ATTENDED A MEETING CHAIRED LAST WEEK BY THE UN SECURITY AND PROTOCOL SERVICES IN THIS REGARD.

     THE HOST COUNTRY'S SECURITY OBLIGATIONS TO THE ORGANIZATION AND OTHER MEMBER STATES MUST BE MET. WE HOPE TO DO SO WITH A MINIMUM OF DISRUPTION TO ALL. OFFICERS FROM BOTH THE UNITED STATES MISSION AND THE UN PROTOCOL AND SECURITY SERVICES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE VICINITY OF THE HEADQUARTERS COMPLEX TO ASSIST DELEGATION MEMBERS AND SECRETARIAT STAFFERS WITH MOVEMENTS INSOFAR AS POSSIBLE. PLEASE LOOK FOR US.