GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT JAN ELIASSON HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO BE SWEDEN'S NEXT FOREIGN MINISTER BUT WILL CONTINUE HIS DUTIES AT THE U.N. BODY, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SAID MONDAY. 'MR. ELIASSON WILL CONTINUE HIS WORK IN HIS POSITION AS PRESIDENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,' SAID SPOKESWOMAN PRAGATI PASCALE. 'HE WILL BE BASED IN NEW YORK AND RETURN TO STOCKHOLM ON A REGULAR BASIS.' ELIASSON, WHO WILL ASSUME FOREIGN MINISTER DUTIES ON APRIL 24, 'WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE SAME COMMITMENT AND ENERGY TO IMPLEMENT THE UNITED NATIONS REFORM AGENDA, PASCALE SAID. ELIASSON'S U.N. TERM EXPIRES IN SEPTEMBER. ELIASSON SENT A LETTER ON FRIDAY TO AMBASSADORS OF THE 191 MEMBER STATES INFORMING THEM OF THE UPCOMING REFORMS THAT NEED TO BE DISCUSSED IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY PLENARY MEETINGS. AMONG OTHER POSSIBLE REFORMS TO BE SCHEDULED AND DISCUSSED BEFORE SEPTEMBER ARE THE REFORMS OF THE U.N. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC), GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEVELOPMENT WORK ON HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCES, AND REFORMS ON COUNTER-TERRORISM. ELIASSON IS NOT THE FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT TO HOLD FOREIGN MINISTER DUTIES IN HIS HOME COUNTRY. FOR EXAMPLE, HIS PREDECESSOR, JEAN PING, WAS FOREIGN MINISTER OF GABON.
