Mr. Chairman,

Allow me at the outset to congratulate you and other members of the bureau on your elections and to express our full confidence in the bureau's collective abilities to bring the current session to a successful conclusion. My delegation commends the Secretary-General for his reports concerning developments in the various facets of UN public information activities as contained in documents A/AC.198/1999/2 to 8, and the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, Mr. Kensaku Hogen, for his informative statement at the opening of our session.

My delegation fully associates itself with the statement made earlier by the distinguished Permanent Representative of Guyana on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. We would like to avail this opportunity to comment on some pertinent aspects deemed to be of particular concern to Indonesia.

Mr. Chairman,

My delegation attaches great importance to the question of realizing the establishment of a new, more just and effective global information and communication order. The principles enunciated in this context by the Non-Aligned countries more than two decades ago and later addressed by the General Assembly during its 33rd session remain equally valid today. We continue to believe that there is an imperative need to establish a balance in the dissemination of information to ensure diversification of its sources and to attain a mutually beneficial partnership between the developed and developing countries. The discussions during the World Press Freedom Day last Monday testifies to that need.

At a time when new media technologies are opening up new vistas and horizons before us, the vast majority of peoples cannot be deprived of the realities surrounding them, as well as benefits that would accrue from a better quality of life. Ongoing struggles against poverty and pestilence, malnutrition and illiteracy are being waged by millions of people globally. If a more comprehensive mass-media coverage could be provided to these struggles, the world would be better informed and motivated to sustain efforts toward the attainment of our common interests in economic progress and social emancipation.

We continue to believe that in developing the mass media for the years to come, it is most relevant to stress the need for professionalism, ethics as well as a sense of self-defined responsibility. The principles of the UN Charter should be consistently upheld, especially in making information available to humankind and not be left to the media of a few countries with technological preeminence that seek to impose their own narrow perceptions.

Mr. Chairman,

We welcome the Secretary-General's continuing efforts to reorient public information activities of the United Nations to better inform the peoples of the world of its aims and activities. We have noted, as mentioned in paragraph 4 of the Secretary-General's report on the "Reorientation of United Nations activities in the field of public information and communications" (document A/AC.198/1999/2), that the main thrust of such endeavors is focused on the Organization's response to the imperatives of what is described as the "age of information". We have also noted the importance placed on the UN website as a central communications medium and delivery vehicle for its outreach programmes, as contained in the Secretary-General's report on "Proposed Medium-Term Plan for the Period 2002-2005: Programme 23. Public Information" (document A/AC.198/1999/8).

Indeed, the internet is the main theme that cuts across all of the Secretary-General's reports to the current session. My delegation recognizes the role of the internet, both as a means of information dissemination as well as a means of communications. We are also fully cognizant of the fact that web technology was commercialized barely five years ago, amazed of its impact today, and wonder what its effects would be in five year's time.

The Secretariat should, nevertheless, approach the issue in a cautious manner. The United Nations, after all, like a chain, is as strong as its weakest link that is, the developing countries. We are, therefore, encouraged that the role of the traditional media is recognized by the Secretary-General, as stated in his report (document A/AC.198/1999/2, paragraph 8), that "care has to be taken to maintain and expand the Department's capacity to use the _traditional' media for dissemination of information, especially in developing countries where access to the Internet is only at its initial stage." We would like to see that imperative be made a reality through concerted efforts.

In addition, we believe that the DPI should undertake a study on the fundamental impact of internet technology on its public information activities. Because, as the internet compresses time and space, the UN would then have achieved direct contact with its constituents with internet access.

Mr. Chairman

We have noted the Secretary-General's report regarding United Nations Information Centres (UNICs) contained in documents A/AC.198/1999/3 and 4, and we appreciate his frankness regarding the problems encountered by the integrated UNICs. We have also learnt that the Secretariat intends to elaborate together with UNDP a set of guidelines, on the basis of relevant provisions of General Assembly resolutions, that spells out the operational framework for the integrated information centres, and that these guidelines will affirm the information functions and autonomy of UNICs. My delegation looks forward to studying those guidelines in this Committee before they are implemented.

One of the functions of UNICs outlined in the Secretary-General's report (A/AC.198/1999/4) is "to keep the Secretariat informed of local public opinion and media coverage of the UN activities, and respond to misperceptions about the UN when they arose in the local media." In this regard, we encourage the DPI to further strengthen this process and make UNICs an important source of feedback that could be taken into account in formulating and tailoring public information activities in a specific country.

Finally, Mr. Chairman, my delegation pays tribute to the men and women who have consistently endeavored to bring the news to the people and to keep them informed of developments in various fields around the world. Often they work under difficult and even dangerous circumstances. We owe them a deep debt of gratitude for commitment to their profession.

Thank you.