LE PRESIDENT : Nous passons au point 7. de l'ordre du jour qui concerne le calendrier 1986-87 des sessions du Conseil et des organes qui lui font rapport (document CL89/6-Rév.1). Est-ce que ce document appelle des observations de la part des Membres du Conseil ? Ce calendrier concerne le Conseil et les Comités y afférents. S'il n'y a pas d'observations, je vous propose de bien vouloir le considérer comme étant approuvé par le Conseil.
Il n'y a pas d'observations ? Je considère ce calendrier comme approuvé par lé Conseil.
Nous passons au point 8 de l'ordre du jour qui concerne la Nomination d'un Directeur-général adjoint* Je voudrais passer la parole à M. le Directeur général qui va nous présenter la question.
LE DIRECTEUR GENERAL : Pour remplacer mon collègue M. West comme Directeur général adjoint, mon choix s'est porté sur M. Declan J. Walton, qui est ici présent devant vous, que je connais depuis dix-huit ans, et avec qui j'ai travaillé pendant plusieurs années. M. Walton est une personne de très grande expérience. Il a une très bonne connaissance du système des Nations Unies, puisqu'il a tour à tour travaillé au Haut Commissariat des Réfugiés à Genève et au Maroc; il a travaillé aussi aux Nations Unies avec M. Philippe de Seynes qui était Sous-Secrétaire général, responsable du Département économique et social.
M. Walton connaît bien le Programme alimentaire mondial, il y a travaillé plusieurs années.
Mon prédécesseur, M. Boerma lui a fait confiance en le nommant Directeur de son Cabinet; ensuite M. Walton est resté avec moi à la FAO comme Directeur du Bureau des affaires interinstitutions. Puis il a décidé à 50 ans, après avoir longtemps travaillé aux Nations Unies, de se retirer un peu, de voir les choses d'un peu plus loin. A ce moment-là, il a été recruté par plusieurs organisations comme consultant, et aussi par moi-même, et depuis maintenant plus de dix-huit mois, il travaille comme Conseiller principal du Directeur général.
Je connais très bien M. Walton; je sais qu'il va m'apporter beaucoup d'expérience, je connais ses qualités intellectuelles, ses qualités morales, et je pense qu'il est la personne la plus appropriée pour être Directeur général adjoint, pour me conseiller et m'aider dans ma tâche, et pour me remplacer. Il a évidemment toute ma confiance et je serais heureux, M. le Président, d'avoir confirmation du Conseil sur le choix que j'ai fait et sur la proposition que je viens de faire.
Simplement une précision que j'ai oublié de donner, il peut intéresser le Conseil de savoir que M. Walton est de nationalité irlandaise.
Gonzalo BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Me complazco, Sr. Presidente, en reiterar mi admiración y simpatía al Sr. West.
A principios de los años 60, muy cerca del Dr. A.H. Boerma, de los Países Bajos, Primer Director Ejecutivo del PMA, estaba siempre un joven irlandés, atento, premuroso, discreto,inteligente, despierto, quien ya comenzaba a revelar sus grandes capacidades. Su trato era siempre amable y cordial, porque cuando se tiene el sentido del propio valor las apariencias, las arrogancias son superfluas.
Unos años después, en 1967, el Doctor Boerma fue elegido Director General de la FAO y ese modesto joven, cada vez más sobresaliente por su inteligencia y competencia, cumplió funciones importantes en los ocho años siguientes. Esa figura que hoy exaltamos con méritos propios al cargo de Director General Adjunto tiene muchas características admirables, pero entre todas ellas la delegación de Colombia desea destacar su sentido pragmático en favor del entendimiento de los problemas del tercer mundo; su comprensión por las necesidades y aspiraciones de los países en desarrollo y su disponibilidad de ayudarnos siempre para que, de manera adecuada y justa, todos los representantes de gobiernos podamos cumplir eficazmente nuestras funciones.
Esa larga vinculación y la amistad que me une al Sr. Walton me permite hoy decir que el Director General he hecho una excelente escogencia que la delegación de Colombia aprueba plenamente.
Mohamed ABDELHADI (Tunisie) (langue originale arabe): C'est un grand plaisir pour moi d'intervenir au nom de la région du Proche-Orient qui m'a chargé ici de dire combien de pays de cette région appuient cette proposition du Directeur général, à savoir la désignation de M. Walton au poste de Directeur général adjoint.
C'est le départ prochain de M. West qui rend ce poste vacant; nous tenons à cette occasion à remercier M. West pour tout ce qu'il a fait à ce poste de Directeur général adjoint.
Nous sommes persuadés que les qualités de M. Declan J. Walton lui permettront de succéder dignement à M. West et qu'il sera un bras droit pour le Directeur général, et qu'ainsi, l'on pourra renforcer les activités multiples de la FAO, en particulier celles qui visent à aider les pays en développement .
Voilà pourquoi la région du Proche-Orient se félicite de la désignation de M. Declan Walton, nous lui souhaitons plein succès dans l'exercice de ses fonctions.
M. TRKULJA (Yugoslavia): May I first say to you, Mr Chairman, that I do not need to spend many words in assuring you that you will always enjoy the full support of Yugoslavia in your challenging and I hope very rewarding task.
I would like to congratulate Mr Walton most warmly. I extend our congratulations to the Director-General who has again made such a good choice. I was personally privileged to work with Mr Walton on many occasions and I can testify here to his enormous ability and to his vast knowledge and experience of FAO and the United Nations system as a whole. When I was thinking about who was going to replace Mr West, I thought that no better choice could have been made than to appoint Mr Walton as Deputy Director-General. Once more, I congratulate him and the Director-General. I am looking forward very much to working again very closely with Mr Walton.
Octavio Rainha da SILVA NEVES (Brazil): We have already expressed our feelings in the Plenary Session of the Conference on the retirement of Mr Edward West. My delegation would now like through you, Mr Chairman, to convey to the Director-General our satisfaction with his choice of Mr Declan Walton as Deputy Director-General of FAO. The choice falls upon someone with a fine career in the United Nations system, including the WFP and FAO itself, as was pointed out to us by the Director-General. My best wishes to Mr Walton, who can count on our full support.
SUHARYO HUSEN (Indonesia): Since it is my first opportunity to speak, allow me first of all, Mr Chairman, on behalf of the Indonesian Delegation to congratulate you and the three Vice-Chairmen on their election in this Eighty-ninth Session of the Council. My delegation would like to give full support to the proposal of the Director-General to elect Mr Walton as Deputy Director-General.
Finally, my delegation would like to endorse the Draft Resolution before us.
M. SUBRAMANIAN (India): On behalf of India as well as of the Asian Group, my delegation welcomes the very wise choice made by the Director-General of Mr Declan Walton to the post of Deputy Director-General of FAO. We are very happy that the Director-General has chosen such an experienced and competent official, with such wide-ranging knowledge and experience of FAO and the United Nations system. We assure the Director-General and the incoming Deputy Director-General, Mr Walton, of our support and confidence in the resolution of his duty. We welcome him on behalf both of ourselves and of the Asian Group.
Furthermore, we understand Mr Walton is not new to FAO, so for him it is almost like a homecoming. We Indians always value the Irish sense of humour and I am sure he will always bring a sense of humour to an organization which sometimes gets involved in endless and acrimonious debate. We welcome Mr Walton to the post of Deputy Director-General.
John GLISTRUP (Denmark): I am sure that the whole of the OECD Group will join me in congratulating the Director-General on making the choice and selecting Mr Declan Walton as Deputy Director-General of the FAO. I have had the privilege of knowing Mr Walton for quite some years. I am sure he will be able to follow in the very difficult footsteps of Mr Edward West who is leaving us shortly. We welcome Mr Walton, and give him our full support in the difficult task which lies ahead. However, one thing worries me a little. When I speak on behalf of the Danish delegation alone, I hope Mr Walton will not take this up against me. Recently Denmark beat Ireland very badly in soccer, and I hope he will forgive me that in the future.
José-Ramón LOPEZ PORTILLO ROMANO (Mexico): A nombre del Grupo de los 77, de la Delegación de Mexico y mío proprio, deseo que exprese usted, Señor Presidente, al Dr. West nuestro reiterado agradecimiento y admiración por la forma eficaz y eficiente con que desempeñó sus tareas como Director General Adjunto de esta Organización.
Deseamos también, Señor Presidente, que exprese al Director General nuestro pleno aprecio por la acertada designación del Sr. Declan Walton para sustituir en su cargo al Dr Edward West.
Las altas cualidades y experiencia del Dr Walton sin duda le permitirán estar a la altura del alto cargo que desempeñó como Director General Adjunto y a la altura de la misión cumplida del Dr West.
Yuli MINTCHEV (Bulgaria): On behalf of the Socialist Countries Group I would like to congratulate Mr Declan Walton on his appointment to the office of Deputy Director-General. We wish him every success in his future endeavours.
Jacobo C. CLAVE (Philippines): Although I do not know him personally, I welcome the appointment of Mr Walton, although I must admit I have not had time to read his biography. Nevertheless, I welcome his appointment on the premise that the Director-General, as chief executive and leader of this Organization, must be given absolute freedom to choose the people who should assist him in carrying out the various programmes of our administration. It is on the basis of faith and confidence in the Director-General that I welcome the appointment of Mr Walton.
To Mr Walton I would say that to him I give my prayers and good wishes. The challenge before him lies in the fact that his predecessor set high standards of performance. Mr Walton will be doing a job which demands a higher degree of performance if he expects the congratulations of Members of this Council when one day, like Mr West, he will be retiring from the Organization. I assure you, Sir, that I personally will be collaborative, cooperative and supportive whenever it is possible.
Joseph TCHICAYA (Congo): Nous voudrions au nom du groupe africain et en notre propre nom exprimer tout d'abord notre admiration et notre sympathie pour M. West qui nous quitte. Nous avons déjà eu l'occasion de lui exprimer toute notre gratitude pour les services qu'il a rendus à la FAO. En même temps, nous voudrions souhaiter la bienvenue à M. Walton. Nous sommes certains que le Directeur général a fait un bon choix, nous le disons parce que nous ne connaissons pas personnellement M. Walton. Ne le connaissant pas, c'est pour nous une raison supplémentaire du lui faire confiance. En tout cas, il peut compter sur la collaboration de notre délégation et des membres de ce Conseil appartenant au groupe africain.
Patrick J. O'DONOGHUE (Observer for Ireland): May I be permitted to say on behalf of my authorities at home and on behalf of our delegation here how pleased and honoured we are that Mr Declan J. Walton, a countryman of our own, should attain such high office in this Organization. After a brilliant scholastic career his working life has been, as the Director-General has already said, one of service to a number of United Nations Organizations, including FAO, which are concerned with helping the less fortunate people of the world. We believe him to be an admirable choice for this post, to which we are confident he will add lustre. We wish him every success in the future and good luck in his new job.
By the same token, may I also be permitted to convey our best wishes to the retiring Deputy Director-General, Mr West. I have not known him very well, but we have known him just as a very wise and fair-minded man. Mr Walton will have a difficult path following him. So - to Mr West all the very best to you, Sir, and to your good wife.
LE PRESIDENT: Je remercie tous les délégués qui ont pris la parole pour rendre hommage aussi bien ' à M. West qu'à M. Walton. Nous avons sous les yeux le projet de résolution sous la cote 89/LIM/5 qui propose M. Walton au poste de directeur adjoint. Je vous propose de l'adopter par consentement général manifeste.
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Tout en m'associant aux voeux qui ont été formulés pour M. Walton, et je tiens à féliciter M. West pour le travail remarquable qu'il a effectué pendant ses nombreuses années passées à la FAO, je propose de passer la parole à M. West et ensuite à M. Walton.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: May I say very personally that I agree with all of you, that the Director-General has made a wonderful choice to succeed me. Mr Walton has been a close colleague and a close friend for many, many years, and I can testify personally to the great, great qualities which he has and to the admiration and respect which they have caused in me. I regret that you have said he will have a difficult job: I don't think he will have much of a job in meeting and over-fulfilling the expectations which you may have of him.
I thank you once again for the very kind things you have said about me - but the last words I would wish to say are those of very good wishes for Mr Walton's success and happiness in the tasks which he is now taking up under the Director-General.
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Declan J. WALTON (Deputy Director-General designate): I would like first to thank the Director-General for selecting me for this post, and the Council for confirming the appointment. I would like to express my particularly warm appreciation to the speakers for the kind remarks which they have made.
I return to the rostrum after a voluntary exile of five years, not without mixed feelings. Mixed feelings first of all because I must admit it has not been an altogether easy decision to give up the happy life of an independent consultant and put on again the harness of a staff member. Mixed feelings also because I can hope to fill only partially the gap left by Mr West, whose methods I have admired and secretly envied ever since we became colleagues in 1970. At the same time, it will be something of a relief, after five years devoted mainly to writing, to dealing with words, to start once more dealing mainly with people.
In the first place, I am looking forward to this new relationship with the Director-General. I have worked closely with Dr Saouma, with only short recent breaks, since 1976. I have always valued and enjoyed our relationship, and I greatly look forward to this new and closer association.
I also look forward to developing this new relationship with my former colleagues, who will again become my colleagues now. Over the last five years there have been many changes in the Permanent Representatives to FAO and in the regular delegations to meetings of the Committees and the Council, as well of course as the Conference. I am glad to recognize a few old friends, and I shall be very happy to revive some old friendships - and of course to develop many new contacts which will, I hope, in turn develop into new friendships. I have been working with only very short breaks for 18 years on the Fourth Floor of Building B.
Over the years I have had, I must say, ample opportunities for a change of scene, but I have always stayed with FAO and am now coming back to it because I believe in the Organization, I believe in its objectives, and I believe in the usefulness of its activities. The objectives of FAO must transcend politics. They must transcend the interests of individual countries and groups of countries. I am convinced that it is essential for the continuing vitality and relevance of FAO to maintain the integrity and cohesion of the Organization which the Director-General referred to just this morning. In this spirit, I hope to be able to make some small contribution to the Director-General, to FAO, and to our member countries.
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LE PRESIDENT: Nous passons au point 9 de l'ordre du jour, c'est-à-dire l'adoption d'amendements à l'Article VII-2 du Règlement intérieur du Conseil relatif aux frais de voyage des représentants des membres du Conseil. Cette question, qui fait l'objet du document CL 89/LIM/6, découle d'un amendement adopté par la Conférence de l'Article XXV-6 du Règlement général. Y a-t-il des observations sur ces amendements? Daus la négative, je vous propose de les déclarer adoptés.
It was so agreed
Il est ainsi décidé
Así se acuerda
Nous passons au point 10 de l'ordre du jour qui concerne l'invitation d'Etats non membres à participer à des réunions de la FAO. Il s'agit du document CL 89/5. Y a-t-il des commentaires ou observations? En l'absence d'observations, nous considérons ce document comme approuvé.
Nous passons au point 11 qui concerne la date et le lieu de la quatre-vingt-dixième session du Conseil.
LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL: En fait, la question a déjà été réglée par la décision qu'a prise le Conseil d'adopter le calendrier pour les années 1986 et 1987 qui figurait dans le document CL 89/6/Rev.1. Le Conseil a donc d'ores et déjà décidé que sa quatre-vingt-dixième session aurait lieu à Rome du 17 au 28 novembre 1986.
LE PRESIDENT: Nous passons au dernier point à l'ordre du jour intitulé "Questions diverses". A ce propos, le Directeur général voudrait faire une communication.
DIRECTOR-GENERAL: Sadly, the moment has come when we must say goodbye to one of my most valued colleagues. At the end of the year, Dr Bommer will be retiring after eleven years of service as Assistant Director-General, Agricultural Department. Dr Bommer brought to this post a wide experience and a high reputation as an agricultural scientist. As an Assistant Director-General he has run his Department with remarkable skill. The position of Assistant Director-General in a multi-disciplinary Department such as that of Agriculture is by no means an easy one. Almost all departmental activities are funded and in practice directed at the Divisional level. The ADG's effectiveness depends to a large extent on his personality, on his technical abilities, and on his capacity to inspire as well as guide a group of heterogeneous Divisions carrying out a very wide range of tasks.
Dr Bommer has been outstandingly successful during his tenure of office. The Agriculture Department has attacked important problems with great dynamism. The Conference, at its Session which finished this morning, adopted the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides. The safe arrival at its destination of the Code of Conduct owes much to the personal contribution of Dr Bommer.
There are many other examples which I could cite. Dr Bommer will be retiring to Germany and I am sure that we all wish him a long, happy and fruitful retirement. I hope he will take back with him good memories of his time in FAO and will be ready to give us the benefit of his advice from time to time. In the Organization he will long be remembered as one of the most effective Assistant Directors-General in FAO's history.
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Gonzalo BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Hace once años cuando el Dr. Bommer y su gentil esposa llegaron a Roma tuve ocasión de conocerles inmediatamente, entre otras razones porque en ese momento yo ocupaba el sitio donde usted se encuentra hoy. Desde entonces he admirado la capacidad, la inteligencia y la consagración del Dr. Bommer, todo lo cual él lo ha dedicado al Departamento de Agricultura, uno de los más importantes de nuestra Organización.
El Dr. Bommer es un hombre de ciencia extraído de la Universidad a cuyo seno universitario regresa de nuevo en el país al cual pertenece, el noble Estadto de la República Federal de Alemania.
La Delegación de Colombia propone que en el Informe de este período de sesiones del Consejo se consigne un párrafo mediante el cual se reconozca y agradezca al Sr. Bommer los inmensos y eficaces servicios que prestó a nuestra Organización.
Me honro con la amistad personal del Dr. Bommer y por eso me permito desearle a él, a su gentil señora y a toda su familia salud, felicidad y prosperidad en el porvenir.
Joachim WINKEL (Germany, Federal Rep. of): It was at the outset of our Conference Session that a German officer of FAO, Mr Scherer, was honoured by the B.R. Sen Award. His long services as a specialist in marketing were thus acknowledged. My delegation has taken note of this recognition with satisfaction.
Today at the conclusion of our meetings the Director-General has announced that Mr Bommer will leave the active service of FAO. So, Mr Chairman, I request your permission to repeat some words of my Minister of Agriculture that he addressed to Mr Bommer during a meeting in Rome with his closest colleagues, the other Assistant Director-General, as well as with the Division Heads in Mr Bommer's Department. On this occasion my Minister said:
"It is not the place nor the opportunity here to place on record our appreciation for your work with FAO, Mr Bommer. I would, however, like to stress only some points. Self-confident of your profound professional knowledge and your wide experience as well as of your roots in the Federal Republic of Germany, you have been able to act efficiently and independently. The great challenge of FAO has always been the target that you were striving for.
As one of the main pillars of the FAO Headquarters you might not have always been in agreement with your own country's position. I am convinced, however, that our delegation did not give you any real trouble.
These twelve years of serving the international community as a leader in international agricultural affairs must have given you great satisfaction. Judging only on the basis of contacts I had with other ministers I can happily confirm that your action and work have met with worldwide consent and appreciation. I hope this satisfaction will be lasting, and I should like to include here also Mrs Bommer, when you again join, for the next few years, our agricultural research service to fulfill an important coordination role. So while you are on the eve of saying goodbye here in Rome I am looking forward to that cooperation with you at home. Good luck, Dr Bommer."
This is what my Minister said. My country is very proud that it could provide FAO with such an excellent collaborator and as a credit, we from our country look forward to having him back again and in good shape very soon.
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John GLISTRUP (Denmark): On behalf of the Group of OECD countries I would like to say thank you for the great contribution which Dr Bommer, as a genuine agricultural scientist, has made over the eleven years he has been with us to the work of this Organization. In the latter years he has dedicated his life to bringing agricultural science beyond computers and laboratories to the help of joining forces in developing the agricultural sector in the developing countries.
One thing which I think we have all admired in Dr Bommer is that he has always been able to guide us with a very solid calmness along technical lines. I think the technical line of thinking which Dr Bommer has has greatly facilitated lots of our work.
May I add a personal note, that I have had the opportunity to serve with Dr Bommer both as a staff member and as a representative of a member government and it has been equally precious for me to consult him in both these capacities. I would like to wish him and his wife a long and rich life when they leave this Organization.
Joseph TCHICAYA (Congo): Nous aussi nous connaissons très bien M. Bommer. M. Bommer nous est apparu comme un homme ayant des connaissances scientifiques très étendues, très intelligent, ayant beaucoup d'expérience, et je crois qu'il faut le dire, il était chef d'un Département central au niveau de la FAO, le Département de l'agriculture. Nous avons très souvent collaboré avec M. Bommer et mesuré l'étendue de ses connaissances. Je cois qu'il alliait en lui non seulement l'homme de science que nous connaissons mais également un homme de coeur, très dévoué aux services de l'Organisation et des pays membres. C'est pourquoi nous voudrions ici nous associer à la proposition faite par notre collègue de Colombie, l'Ambassadeur Bula Hoyos, pour que dans notre rapport on fasse mention de la reconnaissance que nous tous, ici, nous témoignons à M. Bommer pour les services rendus avec efficacité et un dévouement exemplaire à notre Organisation.
Ramesh Chander GUPTA (India): As a non-technical person I would not attempt to refer to the technical qualifications and sound scientific approach of Dr Bommer. But I would certainly like to mention that Dr Bommer, great agricultural scientist that he is, had a unique facility of communicating with non-technical people, of putting the most complex concepts in language which lay people could understand.
This morning I referred to the achievement of Asia in the field of food and agriculture and I spoke of the role of FAO in that great endeavour. In that role we find the role of Dr Bommer, an agricultural scientist, and this is the tribute which Asia would like to pay to Dr Bommer today. We have found him an exceptional human being, an extremely unassuming great scientist that he is. I have briefly known Dr Bommer and Mrs Bommer. We found them a most charming couple. Knowing them has been an enriching experience. I can say as an individual that my family and I would always wish the very best to Dr and Mrs Bommer and hope that wherever they are they are engaged in their constructive useful activity and spread light around them, as they have done in FAO and in Rome here.
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José-Ramón LOPEZ PORTILLO ROMANO (México): La faz de la FAO está cambiando. Yo tengo aquí, señor Presidente, una breve experiencia en Organización, y durante ella he aprendido que la FAO no es sólo un organigrama, un conjunto de reglas y de relaciones administrativas, burocráticas o diplomáticas. Es algo mucho más sutil e importante que éso. Está hecha de una substancia que se llama seres humanos y de relaciones mucho más finas que complican o facilitan los trabajos que se llaman relaciones humanas.
En este sentido, señor Presidente, debo reiterar que mi apreciación de la FAO cambia, su faz cambia.
Ahora, se van dos de sus grandes pilares y un tercero, el Sr. Carroz, ha desaparecido de una manera prematura. Debo decir y lo hago de nuevo con la misma tristeza con que lo expresé respecto del Dr. Carroz y el Dr. West, que el Grupo de los 77 se siente triste porque el Dr. Bommer nos deja . para jubilarse, y sin duda, para tener un destino tan importante, por lo menos igualmente significativo a título personal y para su familia, en su país de origen.
Con el Dr. Bommer mi experiencia se ha reducido a dos años y medio de un trato importante, del cual recuerdo con particular significación, la epopeya en favor de los Recursos Fitogenéticos, del Compromiso Internacional y de la Comisión de Recursos Fitogenéticos.
El Dr. Bommer ha sabido en todo momento prestar, con la disciplina y la diligencia que caracteriza a su raza, y la cual me educó a mí en mi niñez y en mi juventud, repito, ha permitido que los trabajos del Comité de Agricultura, que los trabajos del Departamento de Agricultura se hayan siempre cumplido con los requisitos, las peticiones y los intereses de todos los Estados Miembros.
Su alta capacidad técnica y su distinción científica, nos han permitido recibir, en todo momento, los consejos adecuados y precisos a nuestras cuestiones.
Señor Presidente: deseo que transmita usted al Dr. Bommer cuánto sentimos que nos deje y que le desee, a nombre del Grupo de los 77 como se lo estamos expresando, que tenga un destino tan feliz para él y para su familia en su país.
Mrs Millicent H. FENWICK (United States of America): I would like to join, speaking I might say at the request of Canada and my own country - in other words for North America - I would like to join with what India has said about the extraordinary scientific contribution that Dr Bommer has made, and with what my friend from Mexico has said about the human contribution too.
I do not know, Dr Bommer, who is going to have the patience you have had to sit and answer our questions in the Programme Committee speaking, as we do, from such a lower level of competence and knowledge. The patience and the thoroughness of your answers, the clearness of the information that you could give us - I do not know how that will be duplicated, but all we can say now - and I do not want to belabour it - is that we do thank you. We recognize what you have done for us, we recognize what you have done for this Organization and we recognize what you have done for the people in this world who must, must, be enabled to produce more food. Your contribution is irreplaceable and we thank you. Thank you Dr Bommer.
M. TRKULJA (Yugoslavia): Although I have known for quite a while that Mr Bommer wanted to leave FAO to retire after many many years of most successful service, I simply, Mr Chairman, refused to believe-that this day would eventually come.
I do not need to take much of your precious time, Mr Chairman, to express in my own name and in the name of the Yugoslavian delegation how deeply we always appreciated him, I personally in particular, and the manner in which Mr Bommer cooperated with all of us. In particular, we appreciated his competence. Mr Chairman, whenever I wanted to understand for myself the most profound connotation of the word "competent", Dr Bommer always came to my mind. He is a symbol for me, he is a real symbol of competence.
It is a sad day Mr Chairman, but we can do nothing more than wish Mr Bommer and his lovely wife and his family every best in their future lives.
Yousef A. HAMDI (Egypt) (original language Arabic): The delegation of my country and I myself have the pleasure of mentioning our excellent relations with Dr Bommer. We had very high quality scientific discussions which were most valuable.
I would like to extend to Dr Bommer my thanks for the high-quality scientific and personal relations we had with him. I hope we will pursue this relationship. We thank him for he played a very important role in achieving the goals of this Organization.
We thank him, and hope for him and his family a most successful and peaceful life.
Yuli MINTCHEV (Bulgaria): Very nice and true words were expressed by my colleagues who spoke before me. With them I associate ourselves, but please allow also the Socialist Countries Group to be added to the list of those who thank Dr Bommer for his tireless and devoted work as Assistant Director-General responsible for the agricultural questions in the Organization. We know him very well and our countries have collaborated very well with him.
For all that we thank him and we wish him and his family all the best.
David R. GREGORY (Australia): On behalf of the Southwest Pacific Region may I also associate my region with the thoughts expressed by previous speakers in paying tribute to Dr. Bommer and wish both he and Mrs Bommer well in their future activities. I personally have had reason from time to time over the past three years to work closely with Dr. Bommer, and I have always had a high regard for his thoroughly professional approach to his work as well as for the friendship and warmth that he has shown to me personally. I know that my warm wishes will also be shared by many other Australians, who, over the years, have had the opportunity to be associated with you Sir.
Good luck and good wishes.
Octavio Rainha da SILVA NEVES (Brazil): Mr Chairman, on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean Group I would like to tell Dr Bommer that it is difficult for us to add something new to the thoughts expressed by the previous speakers, so we just now wish him all the best in the world for the future, and we thank him very much indeed for his fine work.
Mohamed ABDELHADI (Tunisie): Nous aussi avons connu et abordé à maintes reprises Dr. Bommer et avons apprécié ses qualités d'homme affable, ses compétences d'administrateur et d'homme de science, son expérience confirmée dans les domaines qu'il a su si bien diriger. Il est donc tout à fait approprié que le Conseil rende hommage au Dr. Bommer pour les valeureux services qu'il a rendus à notre Organisation.
A cet égard, la délégation tunisienne voudrait s'associer à la proposition formulée par notre collègue et ami le délégué de Colombie, pour qu'il soit fait mention dans notre rapport de l'hommage rendu à M. Bommer par le Conseil, et que M. Bommer agrée notre estime et notre considération.
SUHARYO HUSEN (Indonesia): I will be very brief. My delegation would like to associate itself with all the speakers in appreciation of Dr Bommer for his excellent services to the Organization.
Mr Chairman, the relationship between Dr Bommer and my country is very close. It is due to that fact tha we have self-sufficiency in rice , for example , in Indonesia. It is not a small contribution of FAO, especially in this role of Dr Bommer to help us. That is why at this time my delegation would like to thank Dr Bommer for his efforts during his services with the Organization. Finally, Mr Chairman, my delegation wishes Dr Bommer and his family well-being and happiness in their retirement in his own country.
Antonio RODRIGUEZ PIRES (Observateur du Cap-Vert): Je crois que je suis un peu privilégié dans cette salle car j'ai connu le Prof. Bommer en tant qu'étudiant et je l'ai beaucoup apprécié comme professeur pendant de longues années à Göttingen. Je dois dire que quand il nous a quittés pour partir à Rome, tous les étudiants étaient tristes d'avoir perdu un grand professeur et un cher ami. Je m'associe à tous ceux qui m'ont précédé et je suis tout simplement d'accord pour rendre les hommages que le Conseil devrait donner à notre Professeur Bommer pour les services louables qu'il a rendus à la FAO.
En qualité d'Ambassadeur à Bonn, je dis au Prof. Bommer que nous allons nous revoir.
LE PRESIDENT: Je voudrais m'associer à cet hommage général, particulièrement au plébicite rendu aux qualités de M. Bommer et je lui passe la parole.
D.F.R. BOMMER (Assistant Director-General, Agriculture Department): Mr Chairman, Director-General, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues, I am really moved by this completely unexpected tribute you have paid to the more than 11 years of service I have had with this Organization. I am particularly grateful to the Director-General for his encouraging words which are supported by your views, and apparently the Agricultural Department has achieved something and contributed something to the goals of this Organization, and this is certainly of deep satisfaction to me leaving now the Organization.
But although the Department has contributed something, most of this goes to my very distinguished and able colleagues, those sitting here, and certainly many more in the building and outside in the field. It is really these very excellent devoted people who carry the work of the Department, carry the work of the Organization, and this was maybe the most challenging and at the same time the most enjoyable part of being at FAO, to have such capable colleagues to work with who you can absolutely trust and who certainly will carry the work of this Organization in the future.
I came to this Organization, and I leave with the conviction that the strength of this Organization depends on its technical capability and this technical capability rests in the resilience and quality of our staff. I hope and wish that the Director-General of this Organization will be able to keep and even increase this capability which really gives this Organization the right course for the future, to meet all the challenges and to adapt to the constant changing conditions in our member countries.
I was particularly pleased to learn from your comments that we could serve our Member Nations, the first and primary purpose of the Secretariat. I certainly will miss all our excitement and our enthusiasm about genetic resources, about fertilizers, about pesticides and foods, and about many other issues that I had the privilege to share with you and certainly will continue to share. As you have heard I will return to my country, and I am very grateful to my country for having released me for service to FAO and for taking me back now. I am going back into agricultural research especially as it concerns research orientation for the tropics and sub-tropics of all those countries in the. developing world and I am certainly not leaving the subject of genetic resources, which will be one of the main topics as well. This and many other things will hopefully keep me in contact with the Organization. Certainly, part of my heart will be here with you, with you, the Director-General and with my colleagues for the future and for the future development and achievement of this Organization.
My wife joins me in thanking you for these very nice words, and our thanks goes to our Member Nations, to you the Director-General, to you Mr Chairman and to my colleagues and we hope to keep in contact in the future.
Before I came to Rome I certainly tried to make up my mind and I read a letter by one my forefathers who was a painter, quite a well-known painter, Kaspar David Friedrich, at the time of the Romantics in the middle of the last century. This was a time when many painters went to Rome to improve their skills and to learn from the Roman landscape - lighting and such things. He never went to Rome and in one of his letters he writes about one of his painter friends who did and then returned. He wrote the following (freely translated into English): "Would he have not gone to Rome he might have been more advanced in his art, but since he returned he has considerably improved." I hope to find a different sentiment when I come home from my colleagues in my country.
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Humberto CARRION MC DONOUGH (Nicaragua): Esta es la primera vez, Sr. Presidente, en la historia de la FAO que Nicaragua interviene en el Consejo como miembro del mismo. En este sentido deseamos felicitarlo por su elección como Presidente de este importante órgano deliberativo y decisional de nuestra Organización; así como felicitamos a los tres Vicepresidentes elegidos para este 89° período de sesiones del Consejo.
Nuestra delegación, Sr. Presidente, le ofrece todo nuestro apoyo y colaboración en sus trabajos. También agradecemos a la Conferencia la confianza que ha depositado en mi país por habernos elegido como miembros de este Consejo. Nuestra intención es la de contribuir a las tareas del mismo ya que consideramos a la FAO como un instrumento estratégico del desarrollo agrícola y la producción de alimentos, tanto a nivel nacional, como regional y mundial.
Por último, Sr. Presidente, deseamos reconocer y agradecer la labor realizada por el Dr. West como Director General Adjunto, al mismo tiempo que damos la bienvenida al Sr. Walton para ese mismo puesto. Igualmente reconocemos y agradecemos el trabajo del Sr. Bommer, como ya se ha expresado por muchas delegaciones.
Mame Balla SY (Sénégal): Vous vous souviendrez que lorsque j'avais pris la parole cet après-midi je n'avais pas accompli un devoir qui était de vous féliciter et de vous témoigner toute la sympathie de la délégation sénégalaise. Ce n'était ni un oubli, ni une rupture avec les traditions généralement africaines, et particulièrement sénégalaises, mais c'était une intention délibérée puisque je prévoyais, à la clôture de nos débats, de dire au revoir à ce Conseil puisque je pars servir ailleurs, à Bruxelles précisément.
Je voulais déjà savourer les prémisses des qualités importantes que vous avez déjà faites entrevoir à la délégation; et je dois dire que j'ai été comblé. En effet, vous avez admirablement dirigé nos travaux et démontré que vous êtes un Président d'une compétence rare et vous nous faites déjà regretter moins l'excellent Président que vous avez remplacé et auquel je voudrais rendre hommage parce que j'ai beaucoup appris de sa sagesse et de sa compétence.
Je voudrais également dire aux membres de ce Conseil avec qui j'ai travaillé, de bien vouloir comprendre le "dérangement" que j'ai pu leur apporter; il s'agissait simplement en fait d'une volonté de bien faire, de coopérer, et surtout d'apprendre parce qu'à mon âge il y a des carrières qui nécessitent beaucoup d'expérience. C'est à force de se brûler les doigts avec le feu que l'on devient un bon forgeron. Et puisque j'en avais l'ambition, je me devais de me comporter de cette manière.
Au moment où je suis appelé par un autre devoir, je voudrais dire combien j'ai apprécié les deux années passées à la FAO au cours desquelles j'ai pu bénéficier de la grande expérience et de l'amitié de tous les délégués ici; j'ai surtout beaucoup appris des responsables de la FAO en commençant par son Directeur général dont les principes coincident avec ceux que doit avoir un responsable d'une Organisation comme la nôtre, je veux dire le courage, la fermeté, l'engagement dans les décisions prises. Il était de mon devoir de le souligner.
Le Directeur général est également entouré de collaborateurs qui m'ont beaucoup apporté; malheureusement deux d'entre eux vont nous quitter: M. West et M. Bommer. Je passe sous silence les hommages que l'on doit leur rendre et qui ont été rendus par des voix plus autorisées, mais je voudrais dire qu'ils m'ont beaucoup appris.
Je m'excuse encore d'avoir un peu retardé cette séance mais je rie voulais pas m'en aller à la sauvette et je voulais m'excuser de tous les "dégâts" que j'ai pu faire au niveau de Cette Assemblée.
MOHAMED MAZLAN bin JUSOH (Malaysia): At this late hour I do not wish to prolong the discussion. However, since my delegation has not taken the floor in this short Session of the Council, I would therefore like to convey a few things all at once* Firstly, we wish to Congratulate you, as well as to convey our admiration to you for chairing this Council in such art excellent way, and we look forward to a more rewarding experience in future sessions. We also Congratulate your three Vice-Chairmen on their election.
Secondly, we wish to say goodbye to Mr West and Dr Bommer, and record Our sincere appreciation for their most remarkable service to the Organization. We cannot say anymore nice words about these two remarkable gentlemen because all the good words have already been said and I would just be repeating them. So, I will just associate myself with all the other speakers who have already spoken in paying tribute to both Mr West and Dr Bommer.
Being a fisheries man myself, I would like to pay a special tribute to Mr Carroz, Whom I had the opportunity to know personally. It is with a deep sense of sorrow that we have lost him because he had always been a help to my country in the field of fisheries.
LE PRESIDENT: Je crois que nous arrivons à la fin de nos débats; je me permettrais de remercier les honorables délégués pour leur contribution si efficace aux travaux de ce Conseil.
Pour ma part, je retiens d'abord un sentiment de cohésion très fine entre les délégués et le staff et, la Direction générale, et j'en veux pour preuve le nombre et la qualité des intervenants qui ont rendu hommage aux cadres de la FAO qui viennent rejoindre ou Viendront rejoindre la FAO; cela montre à l'évidence avec quelle compétence le Directeur général choisit ses Collaborateurs, et les services rendus par ces collaborateurs à l'agriculture mondiale.
Je voudrais donc me permettre à mon tour de féliciter tous les cadres de l'Organisation et leur tête, le Directeur général pour cette harmonie qui règne entre les délégués, le staff et la Direction ' générale.
Je voudrais également souligner que, quelle que Soit la difficulté des questions posées, avec de la bonne volonté nous arrivons toujours à Une solution. La question soulevée aujourd'hui était très difficile à résoudre. Mais j'ai pu constater que grâce à la compréhension de tous et par un effort de bonne volonté, cette question a pu être résolue et ceci présage bien de l'avenir, et démontre à l'évidence que tout est soluble si un climat de confiance et de coopération constructive règne au sein de ce Conseil.
Je voudrais donc remercier Messieurs les délégués qui ont facilité la tâche à l'administration et au Président et je vous souhaite un bon retour chez vous en nous donnant rendez-vous pour les prochains Comités et les prochains Conseils. Merci.
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The meeting rose at 19 hours
La séance est levée à 19 heures
Se levanta la sesión a las 19.00 horas
