ABSTRACT

Malta's role in the United Nations was never dictated by its size or by the constraints and limitations of the Organization. A few months after attaining independence in 1964, Malta joined the United Nations which was then in its nineteenth year of exist­ ence. Between this time and the next milestone in Malta's participation in the Organization - its presidency of the fortyfifth session of the General Assembly - it made its mark by introducing a number of bold initiatives which became major items on the United Nations Agenda, resulting in General Assembly resolutions and, in some cases, international conven­ tions. Since Malta's General Assembly presidency, certain world events have demonstrated the relevance of some of our ideas and determined that they be pursued with more vigour and urgency. By drawing on our past work and contributions and particularly on the experience of presiding over the work of the General Assembly during its forty-fifth session, we have consolidated our ideas on the restructuring and streamlining of the United Nations and developed them further as a contribution to the debate on the occasion of the Organization's 50th Anni­ versary.