7 July 2006 Excellency, As we enter the summer period, I am writing to take stock of our progress to date in implementing the World Summit outcome, and to highlight the outstanding matters to be dealt with before the end of the 60th session. --There are a significant number of areas where the General Assembly has already taken action and where subsequent work is progressing: · The Peacebuilding Commission held its first meeting on 23 June. The Organizational Committee is planning the first two country-specific meetings in early September; · The Human Rights Council has been established and has recently concluded its first session; · We have adopted an important resolution on follow-up to the development outcome of the 2005 World Summit, including the Millennium Development Goals and the other internationally agreed development goals; · We have today adopted a wide-ranging resolution on `Investing in the United Nations for a stronger Organization Worldwide', by which a number of concrete measures on Secretariat and Management reform have been agreed. The resolution also charts the course for continued work in the 61st session. And it builds on progress already made: an Ethics Office is already functioning and systems for whistleblower protection, and for financial disclosure, have been instituted; · We have made progress in our consultations on the environment. Yesterday, I circulated the Co-Chairs' summary of the discussions. I understand that the incoming President looks forward to continuing discussions on these important matters in the 61st session; All Permanent Representatives and Permanent Observers to the United Nations New York

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· The Central Emergency Response Fund has been established; · We have adopted the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel. The Protocol is now open for signature, and I encourage Member States to sign as soon as possible; · We held a successful High-level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, which saw the adoption of a strong Political Declaration. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Co-Chairs and others who have played leading roles in bringing about these outcomes. Without their creativity and perseverance, many of the important results we have achieved might well have eluded us. I would also like to thank all of you for committing yourselves to the negotiations, and for your willingness to work together in order to reach strong agreements. --For the outstanding Summit Outcome follow-up items remaining on our agenda in the 60th session, I foresee that we will need to bring our work to a conclusion as follows: Mandate review We are all grateful for the manner in which the Co-Chairs Ambassadors Akram of Pakistan and Rock of Canada have guided our informal consultations since November last year. Next week, my Office will meet with Ambassador Akram and the new Co-Chair, Ambassador Cooney of Ireland, to consider the way forward. There appears to be a widely held view that the established informal working group should continue and conclude its work on the first phase. Economic and Social Council reform This is an important outstanding item in the overall reform agenda. I understand that many elements of the draft resolution proposed by the CoChairs, Ambassadors Diarra of Mali and Verbeke of Belgium, in consultations earlier in the year had met with broad agreement. That said, there are areas where some final work is needed.

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It is difficult to make progress now, while so many of our experts are in Geneva. I have therefore asked the Co-Chairs to bring delegations together for a final phase of consultations on the draft resolution starting in the week beginning 21 August. Counter-terrorism strategy The Co-Chairs, Ambassadors Menon of Singapore and Yáñez-Barnuevo of Spain, held another round of informal consultations from 28 to 30 June. They are now working on a revised text for a UN global counter-terrorism strategy based on contributions from Member States, with the aim of circulating it before the end of July. Another round of informal consultations will be convened early in the week of 21 August. It remains my strong hope that Member States will be able to adopt a UN global counter-terrorism strategy before the end of this session. Security Council reform As I set out in my letter of 27 June I am convening, at the request of some Member States and after consultations with others, a plenary meeting on 20 July to discuss reform of the Security Council, under agenda items 117 "Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council" and 120 "Follow-up to the Outcome of the Millennium Summit". I expect the meeting to be constructive and to assist us in achieving progress in the reform of the Council. General Assembly revitalization From February to June, the Ad Hoc Working Group on General Assembly revitalization has held nine meetings under the leadership of Ambassadors Alsaidi of Yemen and Silkalna of Latvia. The Working Group has considered issues such as the role and authority of the General Assembly, the role of the General Assembly in the selection of the Secretary-General, and the working methods of the General Assembly. At the most recent meeting of the group on 29 June, a revised draft report and draft resolution were considered. The Co-Chairs will continue working with

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Member States over the coming days and weeks to find agreement on these texts. On the matter of the selection of the next Secretary-General, I met earlier this week with the President of the Security Council. My letter of 6 July attaches a memorandum summarizing the content of that discussion. --Aside from direct follow-up to the Summit outcome, there are some other important issues we are to address before the end of this session. Migration and Development In accordance with General Assembly resolution 60/227, the General Assembly will hold a High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development in New York on 14-15 September, at the beginning of the 61st session. There have been a number of preparatory events over the last month. On 6 June, the Secretary-General presented his report on International Migration and Development (A/60/871) to the plenary. On 8 June the first of two panel discussions was held in New York, and on 4 July the second panel discussion was held in Geneva. Next week, on 12 July, an informal interactive hearing will take place in New York together with representatives of non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private sector. I encourage all of you to attend. We have also begun preparations for the High-level Dialogue in September. In my letter of 22 June, I asked all delegations to indicate to their respective regional group chair by 14 July their preference for round table participation. Least Developed Countries In accordance with General Assembly resolution 60/228, the General Assembly will hold a High-level Meeting on the Mid-term Comprehensive Global Review of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 in New York on 18 and 19 September, shortly after the beginning of the 61st session. In preparation, informal interactive hearings with civil society and the private

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sector were held on 22 June. Preparations are now underway for the experts meeting on 4 to 6 September. Further details on the organizational arrangements for the High-Level Meeting will be communicated shortly. I encourage you to ensure the participation of your respective delegations in these events at the highest possible level. Conflict prevention Resolution 57/337 requested the Secretary-General to submit a comprehensive report to the 59th session of General Assembly on its implementation. The item was referred to this session. The SecretaryGeneral's report is expected to be circulated to Member States in early August. In light of this timeline, I suggest that we hold a plenary meeting on 7 September to have a first exchange of views on the report. It is unlikely that we will be able to complete our consideration of the report during the 60th session. I will therefore work closely with the incoming President on this issue, which is so vital for the work of the UN. General Assembly's relationship with civil society The 60th session has seen a number of examples of the successful involvement of civil society in the work of the General Assembly. Building on this, Ambassadors Jenie of Indonesia and Løvald of Norway, whom I appointed in May as my advisers on this issue, have recently delivered to me a report on the General Assembly's relationship with civil society. I have today circulated it to all Member States. --I will be away from New York for the remainder of July, travelling in part in my capacity as President of the General Assembly. I am pleased to confirm that Ambassador Diarra of Mali has agreed to serve as Acting President from 9 to 22 July, and that Ambassador Bahemuka of Kenya has agreed to serve in the same capacity from 23 to 30 July. For your convenience, my Office will remain available to you throughout the summer period. My Chef de Cabinet Ambassador Lars-Hjalmar Wide and my Deputy Chef de Cabinet Anna-Karin Eneström will, between them, be

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here throughout the summer to assist you. My staff will also continue to maintain an up to date calendar of informal consultations and other Summit follow-up meetings for the remainder of the 60th session at: http://www.un.org/ga/president/60/summitfollowup/schedule.pdf . In closing, I wish to thank all of you for your exceptionally hard work, your support and your friendship during this vital year for the General Assembly. I look forward to working with you in the remaining weeks of this session to bring the outstanding items on our agenda to successful conclusions. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Jan Eliasson