The next speaker on my list, who will also speak on this same issue, is the distinguished Ambassador of Germany, Ambassador Volker Heinzberg.

Like other colleagues we would also extend our best wishes to Ambassador Volker Heinsberg for his future career and for his future life.

I also wish to use my access to the microphone to wish Ambassador Volker Heinsberg all the best in his new and important mission.

Today we are going to bid farewell to our distinguished colleague, Ambassador Volker Heinsberg of Germany, who will soon leave Geneva to assume new important duties.

Mr. CAUGHLEY (New Zealand) Mr. President, I should like to associate my delegation with your warm welcome to Under Secretary General Abe, and also with your tribute to Ambassador Volker Heinsberg, and best wishes to him for the future.

Mr. SKOTNIKOV (Russian Federation) (translated from Russian) I would like to start by thanking and wishing all the very best to Ambassador Volker Heinsberg, and I would also like to welcome Under Secretary General Ambassador Abe here in this room.

Before concluding, and as our colleague and neighbour Ambassador Volker Heinsberg bids us farewell, I would like to remind him of the words of farewell addressed to him by my Ambassador, François Rivasseau, last week, knowing that he would not be here today.

Mr. MEYER (Canada) Let me first join my voice to those of others who have welcomed Under Secretary General Abe's presence here amongst us today and wish our colleague, Volker Heinsberg, all the very best in his future professional and personal endeavours.

Mr. da ROCHA PARANHOS (Brazil) My delegation would also like to welcome Under Secretary General Abe and, like others, we would like very much to wish all the best to the German Ambassador, Volker Heinsberg, a good friend who is leaving us.