“General Assembly President Julian Hunte congratulated President Arroyo and told me that he is glad that President Arroyo will have another six years to continue her work and her governance,” Secretary Albert said after her meeting with President Hunte.

President Hunte would have wanted to attend the 30 June inauguration of the President, according to Secretary Albert.  “However, President Hunte’s duties in the General Assembly, particularly the need for President Hunte to preisde over an important meeting on 30 June that would tackle the issue of revitalizing the work of the General Assembly, prevent him from joining the inauguration,” the Secretary said.

During their meeting, President Hunte also congratulated Secretary Albert for the success of yesterday’s meeting of the UN Security Council on the theme “Civil society in post-conflict peace-building,” which the Secretary chaired. “President Hunte was particularly pleased and very supportive of the role of faith groups in post-conflict rebuilding, a role that we pushed for quite vigorously in yesterday’s Security Council meeting,” Secretary Albert said.

The Secretary also told the General Assembly President that his “leadership and wisdom has to the adoption of UNGA Resolution 58/126, calling for the revitalization of the work of the General Assembly.  This will be a lasting legacy of your Presidency.” On his part, President Hunte said that the Philippines has been doing an outstanding job as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, particularly as the Council’s president for June, during which the landmark resolution on Iraq (Res. 1546) was adopted by consensus. END.