Bangkok--17 Jul--UN Kim Hak-Su, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and the Executive Secretary of the United Nation Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), was presented today with the “Medal for Contribution to InternationalCooperation” by the Russian Federation. Mr. Kim, who is completing his seven-year term at the end of this month, received his medal at a simple ceremony at his office in Bangkok from Mikhail V. Baranov, Charge d’Affaires of the Russian Embassy to Thailand. In a letter that accompanied the medal and read by Mr. Baranov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, praised Mr. Kim for his “significant contributions to the joint efforts of the UNESCAP member-states aimed at finding solutions of pressing problems of socio-economic development in the Asian-Pacific region.” Mr. Lavrov said that, as a result of the “dynamic leadership and direct involvement” of Mr. Kim, UNESCAP’s role as a unique regional forum had been strengthened. He mentioned as examples of important initiatives the completion of agreements on the Asian Highway Network and Trans-Asian Railway Network during Mr. Kim’s tenure. The Russian Foreign Minister said UNESCAP had played an active role in the impressive achievements made by the Asian-Pacific region in the past six decades. He noted that UNESCAP remained “the only universal — by its membership — and well organized organization of multilateral cooperation in economic and social spheres in the region”. Mr. Kim thanked the Russian Federation for the award and for its support of UNESCAP’s work. He said the medal was a tribute not only to himself but to UNESCAP as a whole. Nikolay Pomoshchnikov, Minister Counsellor and Deputy Premanent Representative to UNESCAP, and more than twenty UNESCAP staff members were at the ceremony. Headquartered in Bangkok, UNESCAP is the largest of the UN's five Regional Commissions in terms of its membership, population served and area covered. The only inter-governmental forum covering the entire Asia-Pacific region, UNESCAP works to promote economic and social progress. More information on UNESCAP is available from www.unescap.org. United Nations Information Services Bangkok United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Rajadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel: (+66-2) 288-1866-69 Fax: (+66-2) 288-1052 E-mail: [email protected] Click for photo release at www.thaipr.net