..Press Release................................ UNESCAP News Services

Date 18 May 2007
Press Release No. L/21/2007/CS63/14

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia
Government of Kazakhstan

Asia-Pacific Business Forum 2007
“At the Crossroads between Asia and Europe: Harnessing the Possibilities
of Central Asia"

18-19 May 2007
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Gala Dinner: 18 May 2007

Welcome address of Mr. Kim Hak-Su
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and
Executive Secretary, UNESCAP

“Opportunities and challenges for development of Almaty City as a regional centre, at the crossroads of Asia and Europe”

Your Excellency, Mr. Imangaly Tasmagambetov,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour for me to welcome you to this Gala Dinner and to thank the Government of Kazakhstan and the City of Almaty for hosting the Asia-Pacific Business Forum 2007 in this beautiful city.

On this occasion, I would in particular like to take the opportunity, on behalf of UNESCAP and all the participants in the Forum, to thank the City of Almaty, through its Mayor, H.E. Mr. Imangaly Tasmagambetov, for so graciously offering to host this wonderful Gala Dinner tonight. 

After an afternoon of serious discussions and debate, this will provide us with an excellent setting to meet old friends and make new ones.  Indeed, the discussions in the meeting so far have been very fruitful, and I am looking forward to the continued debate tomorrow, and to summarizing the discussions to bring the recommendations forward to policy makers both in the region and elsewhere. It is my sincere hope that this will help harness the possibilities of Central Asia in general and of this beautiful city of Almaty in particular.

Thank you.

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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 aims to promote economic and social progress. More information on UNESCAP is available from www.unescap.org