NAY PYI TAW, 24 Oct — A ceremony to mark the 61st anniversary United Nations Day 2006 was held at the hall of Government Office, here, this morning with an address by Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Thein Sein.

Also present on the occasion were the ministers, the deputy ministers and their wives, the directors- general of SPDC Office and the Prime Minister's Office, departmental heads, Ambassadors led by Dean of the iplomatic Corps the Ambassador ofthe Philippines, charges' de affaires ai, resident coordinators and resident representatives of UN agencies, winners of basic education high school level essay competitions, middle school level poster competitions, primary school level painting competitions and guests.

In his address, the Secretary-1 said: It gives me great pleasure to be here with you to celebrate the Sixty-first anniversary of the United Nations. First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to and support for the United Nations as the premier organizations and system addressing the maintenance of international peace and security and the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all people.

In the Millennium Declaration of 2000, world leaders committed themselves to spare no effort to free our fellow men, women and children from abject and dehumanizing conditions of poverty.

This political motivation as well as the economic growth in some parts of Asia has contributed to our shared goal of fighting the poverty. As a result, many of our citizens have been released from the grip of extreme poverty. At the consequent gatherings, we have identified added partnership and adequate financing as key components to development. It is our hope that with new ingredients, we will be able to accelerate our development efforts to a desired pace.

For her part, the Union of Myanmar has been implementing the National Development Plan to speed up economic growth to achieve equitable and balanced development and to reduce socio-economic development gap between rural and urban areas in the country. Notwithstanding the fact that we are implementing it solely on our own resources progress has been achieved in basic infrastructure, education and health care for the people in remote areas. In this regard, we are thankful to the United Nations agencies concerned for the invaluable assistance and cooperation we received from them.

On the environmental front, world leaders decided, at the 2005 Summit on a number of measures aimed at protecting our common environment, including a call for a more coherent institutional framework to address the environment challenges of today. Myanmar is a state party to Kyoto Protocol and considers its entry into force as a timely response to climate change. Yet, a wider United Nations framework is needed to tackle the issue effectively.

The growth of international terrorism is a new reality. We are encouraged by the response of the United Nations to this new reality. Myanmar condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes. We are convinced that no cause can excuse terrorism. It is neither our nature nor culture to resort to violence, and Myanmar will join others in realizing the global counter-terrorism strategy to enhance operational measures to counter-terrorism.

On this occasion, I would like to acknowledge the leading role the United Nations System has taken in the global fight against HIV/AIDS as well as in facing the new challenge of Avian Influenza. Myanmar regards HIV/AIDS as a disease of national concern and making every effort to effectively address the issue. As a result, we have been able to level the HIV/AIDS infection rate and even to reduce it.

It is evident that the United Nations needs change and reform at all times in order to respond to and reflect new realities. No reform of the World Body will be complete without the reform of the Security Council and the Council should be more representative, more efficient and transparent in its working methods. Being a United Nations organ with a powerful mandate to maintain international peace and security it is vitally important that the Security Council acts in conformity with the Charter Provisions. In addition, it should also be the forum where the voices of weaker partners are heard and duly respected.

Before concluding, I would like to take this opportunity to express our profound appreciation and gratitude to the Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan for his wisdom and perseverance through which he has guided the work of the Organization for the past ten years.

During its sixty one years of history, the United Nations has proved to be capable of change and innovation and the United Nations today is much different from that created in 1945. With the cooperation of its membership, it has been able to take an even more responsibilities in various fields. It is incumbent on Member States to continue to cooperate with the United Nations to enable it to effectively carry out the mandate entrusted to it. On this solemn occasion, I wish to reiterate that Myanmar will continue to cooperate with the United Nations in its endeavours for a peaceful, stable and prosperous world. Next, Minister for Foreign Affairs read out the message sent by Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Commander- in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe and Resident Coordinator Mr Charles James Petrie message of UN Secretary- General Mr Kofi Annan.

Afterwards, Minister U Nyan Win presented first, second and third prizes for high school level essay competitions to Maung Tin Phyo Aung of Sittway BEHS-2, Ma Su Su Win of Lamadaw BEHS-2 and Ma Khin Phu Maw of Bago BEHS-1; Minister for Education Dr Chan Nyein presented first, second and third prizes for middle school level poster competitions to Maung Aung Thura of Aungmyethazan Township BEHS-1, Ma May Htoo Myat Mon of Kyauktan Township Myoma BEMS, Maung Aung Paing Soe of Bago BEHS-3; and Mr Charles James Petrie presented first, second and third prizes for primary school level painting competitions to Ma Phu Thinzar Naing of the Practising School of Institute of Education in Kamayut Township, Maung Aung Pyi of Maha Aungmye Township BEPS- 18 and Maung Kyaw Soe Han of Bago BEHS-3 respectively. After the ceremony the Secretary-1 greeted guests and viewed the award winning essays, posters, paintings and posters of the United Nations Information Committee.