The Secretary-GeneralForeword

Helmut Volger: UN Encyclopedia

This new encyclopedia on the United Nations is a welcome addition to the works ofacademic research and political analysis covering the Organization, its complex goals in thepost-cold war era, and its ever broader role in the new millennium.

While taking stock of more than half a century's achievements and setbacks, theencyclopedia also reflects the many ways in which the United Nations touches the lives ofpeople everywhere. It sets out to provide concise and comprehensive information not only aboutrecent developments and reform efforts in the UN system, but also about the growing globalopportunities and challenges that have an impact on the work of the Organization.

Much has happened on both fronts over the past few years to give us cause for optimism.Significant breakthroughs have been achieved in reforming and renewing the UN family. Butmuch remains to be done. We have not yet succeeded in putting the Organization on a soundfinancial basis. The composition of the Security Council still reflects the geopolitical realities of1945.

In the world as a whole, today's realities bring both threat and opportunity to our hopesfor world peace and prosperity. The spread of democratic principles is creating wider freedomthan ever before. The era of globalization is disseminating knowledge, information and economicopportunity to more people than ever before.

But while the end of the cold war opened new prospects for peace and cooperation, it alsounleashed nationalistic and ethnic tensions that inflict war and want on millions of people. Theera of economic opportunity has yet to bring hope to hundreds of millions more people who livein desperate poverty.

The forces of globalization are taking a severe toll on social cohesion, cultural diversityand the environment. Countries increasingly confront the same challenges: terrorism, armsproliferation, financial crises, climate change, drug trafficking, money laundering.

These challenges know no borders and respect no conventions. Nor can they be addressedby any one Government acting alone. In confronting these problems without passports, theUnited Nations — the only universal organization capable of building global consensus and ofacting in the name of all nations — is an indispensable institution.

On behalf of the United Nations, I therefore commend this work as a valuable resource --not least for young people who will take over in the next generation. It will help them understandthat the UN's agenda is also their agenda, that the issues that concern the UN concern us all ashuman beings. I trust this encyclopedia will also become a useful companion for Germanspeakers of all ages who are interested in helping to build a better and more equitable world forall peoples in the 21st century.

^49-228-8152777 . UN 1C

UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIESInformation Centre Bonn ^jiijjl? Centre d'information Bonn

VEREINTE NATIONENInformationszentrum Bonn

TELEFAX

TO: Ms.Gillian Martin Sorensen DATE: 9Julyl999Assistant Secretary-General for External RelationsExecutive Office of the Secretary-GeneralFax: (1-212) 963-1185

FROM: A. Wustenhagen, Director /)( L. , PAGE: l o f l'UNIC BonnFax: (49-228) 815 2777

SUBJECT: UN Encyclopaedia- Oldenbure Vcrlae

1. I wish to come back to our earlier correspondence last year on the above project forwhich the publisher, Mr. Helmut Volger, had asked for a foreword by the Secretary-General.You may recall that, at that stage, I recommended granting this request, but suggested to waituntil the book is practically ready so that we can both learn more about the expected contentsand enable the Secretary-General's foreword to be more "up-to-date".

2. I was now informed by Mr. Volger that the manuscripts were practically ready andthat he planned to go to print in late August. Hence, he came back with his request for theforeword, and I believe it may be timely now to prm/iri^ pnma fort Mr. Volger also mentioneda request sent to the Dcputy-Sccrctary-General for a brief contribution of her duties, of which 1was not awexe.

3. Authors of the encyclopaedia so far include La.: Prof, Beyerlin, Max-PlanckInstitute, Htidelberg; Prof. Van Bovcn, University of Maastricht; Mr. Brauch, Peace Researchand Euroge<in SecurityJELolicyLlnstitute; Prof. Dicke, University of Jena and Chairman GermanTJNTA-rlg^rgdEisclc. former ASG/DPKj>; Mr. Fassbcndcr, Humboldt University Berlin;Prof. Fastenrath, University of Dresden; Prof. Haedrich, University of Jena; Prof. Heideking,University of Cologne; Prof. Klein, University of Potsdam; Mr. Mclchcrs, editor, epd,Frankfurt; Mr. Neugebauer, former PR of GDR; Mr. Paque, former Head of GermanTranslation Service, UN; Ms. Von Schorlemer, Universities of Munich and Lausanne; andmany other?-1 myself have contributed a brief article on the new orientation of publicinformation policy as part of the Secretary-General's reform project.

Please let me know if I can be further helpful in any way on this project.

Best regards, \

UNIC BONN, Mattm-Luther-King Str. 8, D-53175 Bonn • Tel : (+49-228) 815-2770 • Fax : (+49-228) 815-2777 • unicfahino.de

UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNffiS

NEW YORK

Executive Office of the Secretary-General

To: Mr. A. Wustenhagen, Date: 29 June 1998Director UNIC Bonn

From: Christa Giles,Executive Office of the Secretary-General

Fax: 49-228-815-2770 Ref. #

Organization: Page 1 of 1

Dear Mr. Wustenhagen,

Thank you for the background information on Helmut Volger, the gentleman whorequested the Secretary-General to contribute a forward for a German encyclopedia, which youforwarded to Gillian Sorensen. Mrs. Soresen has asked me to enquire as to what the time frameis for Mr. Volgers request. I would appreciate it if you could e-mail me with your response atGiles@un.org Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

S-3840A, United Nations, NY USA 10017Telephone: (212) 963-5495 Fax: (212) 963-1185

4̂9-238-8152777 UNIC BONN 19/06/98 12:14 ~M

UNITED NATIONSInformatio i Centre Bonn

NATIONS UNTOTED NATION:Centre d'informMlitoritalMn Centre Flo

VERBINTE NATIONENInformationszentrum Bonn

YE!Info

TELEFAX

TO: Ms. Gillian Martin Sorcnsen,Assistant Secretary-General for External RelationsExecutive Office of the Secretary-GeneralFax: (1-212) 963-1185

FROM: A. WQstenhagen, Director.UNIC BonnFax: (49-228) 815-2777

SUBJECT: R. Oldenburg Verlac fMimioh/Vienna)

DATE: l?4yn«s 1998 Ms Giina;i MiiniAssistant Secrcta

Fax: ( l - 2 ! 2 ) 9 f H ~ i

PAGE;

Fax: (49-228) S1

SUBJECT: .̂.O-l'Mb

With reference to your fax message of 27 May regarding Mr. Volga's requestby the Secrttary-General for his planned German encyclopaedia on the United Na%n%k •$$§&( l a rvG; ,;::,'!* 1>-to inform yru that I have been aware of this project, as I was invited to contribute aj^q^fepiL, -,(* hat I JTJ ve bvUN public: i ifonnation activities for this book. I have contacted university professor^T^qi^flj ifannareri -ciivjalso contribute to get their views on the project. The following are my findings: ajc.0 conir h «c to •./# their \-i?

I. Tac publishing house "Oldenburg Verlag" is known among academic qircles as £T i r -i.''r Hs?:hv;! bc:sorious publisher. .. . ^'Ticus oubush^.

2. Mr. Volgcr is also known and so are his two books he wrote so far on the JJTM.

3. The project is not "unique", in as much as there is a standard handbook*m thepublished by Professor Wolfrum (Max Planck Institute, University of Heidelberg -..Ma id Vice President of the International Law of the Sea Court in Hamburg). There i$ uia .50 Professor Unser's paperback on the UN (with a foreword by former Secretary;-, r,o PCieneral Boutros Boutros-Ghali) as well as several other publications. However, f-<;aeri

fsel that the project is both serious and useful and will help boost further interest 115 K\ ^.the United Nations among students and NGOs. 11C \iTi

Unless you wish to "reserve" forewords by the Secretary-General to only one pub^ijq^igji •$$; w

country, 1 ^/ould recommend it for this publication. UNIC .Bonn is, of course, at yq»ir-J"snr"Ki1

to provide a German language translation and/or follow-up on the project ast

is a!;x? ki

v,, 'rcs;.f ••£-

Best regsrc s.

appsopritie.

Best rsgtrc's.

UMIC BOKN, Martin-..uttoer-King Str. 8, D-53175 Bonn • Tel: (+49-228) 815-2770 » Fax: (i-4

UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

NEW YORK

GILLIAN MARTIN SORENSENAssistant-Secretary-General for External Relations

Executive Office of the Secretary-General

To: Mr. Axel Wuestenhagen, Director Date: 27 May 1998

Fax: 011-49-228-815-2777 Ref. #

Organization: UNIC Bonn Page 1 of 8

Enclosed is a letter from Dr. phil. Helmut Volger who is requestingthe Secretary-General to contribute a foreword for a German encyclopaedia.Could you please advise on the background of the publishing houseR. Oldenbourg Verlag (Munich/Vienna) and the appropriateness of theSecretary-General's contribution.

With best regards.

S-3840A, United Nations, NY USA 10017Telephone: (212) 963-5495 Fax: (212) 963-1185

Dr. phil. Helmut VolgerBussardstrafie 51D-14612FalkenseeGermanyPhone: 0049-3322-216916

United Nations HeadquartersSecretary-General Kofi AnnanNew York, N.Y. 10017USA

Falkensee, April 16, 1998 ,

Re: Invititation to write a foreword for a German encyclopedia on the United Nations

Dear Mr. Secretary-General,

Ijwould like to invite you to^writeji foreword for a German encyclopedia in one volume on theUnited Nations. It is going to be published in 1999 under my editorship in the German pu-blishing house R. Oldenbourg Verlag (Munich/Vienna). A number of renowned German rese-archers and diplomats have agreed to write contributions for the encylopedia, among themProfessor Hiifner (Berlin), Professor Simma, Professor Opitz and Dr. Arnold (Munich), Pro-fessor Dicke (Jena) and Professor Klein (Potsdam) as well as Dr. Brecht, the Chairman of theSubcommittee of the Deutsche Bundestag on the United Nations, and Mr. Gerhart Baum, thepresent Chairman of the German delegation to the Human Rights Commission.

The task of the encyclopedia is to provide concise information on the United Nations and anoverview on the current problems and chances of the institution and the reform discussion, andthis at a price affordable for students and NGO-members..For your information I have enclosed the list of items of the encyclopedia.

If you would agree to write a foreword, I could either publish it in English or I could translateit into German and send you a proof copy of the translation.

To give you some information about my qualifications for editing an encyclopedia on the Uni-ted Nations: In 1987 I have completed my doctoral thesis on the discussion of disarmamentand development in the United Nations and in the following years I have published a readerand two monographies on the United Nations (1994 and 1995) and have written a number ofarticles for scientific journals and contributions for scientific handbooks on the United Nations.Enclosed you will find a list of my publications.

For any further information about my scientific work on the United Nations, you might askUnder-Secretary-General Paschke (OIOS), whom I have sent in 1996 my recent books on theUnited Nations, which were published in 1994 and 1995.

With kind regards

Yours sincerely

End.:List of items of the encyclopedia on the United NationsList of publications

Information about theEnycyclopedia of the United Nations

Ed.; Dr. Helmut Volger (Falkensee/Berlin)

Publishing House: R. Oldenbourg Verlag, Munich/ViennaPlanned Date of Publication: September/October 1999ca. 600 pp., Hardcover

The main entries (in bold print) should cover 4-6 pages, the other entries 1-2 pages.The manuscripts should be sent to the editor until the end of December 1998.

List of items of the Encyclopedia;

Agenda for DevelopmentAgenda for PeaceAssistance for Development and the UNCESCRCharter of the Economic Rights and Duties 1974Charter of the UNChina, UN-PolicyCollective SecurityCommittee System of the UNCoordinating System of the UN (incl. ACABQ, ACC, CPC)CPCRDecolonisationDefinition of AggressionDeputy-Secretary-General of the UNDevelopment of International Law in the United NationsDisarmamentDocumentation SystemECOSOCEnemy State Clause in the CharterEnvironmental Protection of the UN (incl. Stockholm 1972 und Rio 1992)European Union, Common Foreign and Security Policy in the UNFAO/WFC/WFPFederal Republic of Germany, UN-PolicyFinances/Budget of the UNFrance, UN-PolicyGDR, UN-PolicyGeneral Assembly of the UNGeneva GroupGeographic RepresentationGlobal Commons of HumanityGreat Britain (UK), UN-Policy

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Group Formation in the UNGroup of the 77 and the UNHistory of the UNHost State AgreementHuman Development ReportsHuman Rights CommissionHuman Rights CommitteeHuman Rights/Protection of Human Rights in the UNHumanitarian International LawIAEAIBRD/IMF/World Bank GroupICJILCELOIndependent Commissions, Reports of (e.g. Brundtland-Report etc.)Internal Inspection of the UN (incl. J1U and OIOS)International Conflicts and the UNInternational Criminal CourtInternational Economic Relations/NIEOInternational Law of the Sea/International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)International Organisations, Theory ofInternet Homepage of the UN/UN-related WebsitesJapan, UN-PolicyLaw of TreatiesLeague of NationsMembershipModel United NationsNGOsNon-Aligned Movement and the UNNorth-South-Relations and the UNObserver Status in the UNOfficial Languages of the UNPeace/Threat to Peace/Peacekeeping/Peacekeeping ForcesPeaceful Means of Settling a Dispute/Mediation/ArbitrationPermanent Missions at the UNProtection of Minorities in the UNPublic Opinion and the UNPublic Relations Work of the UN/DPIReform of the UNRefugees/UNHCRRegional Economic Commissions of the UNRegionalisationResearch about the UNResolution/Declaration/DecisionRight of Self-DeterminationRules of Procedure (GA, SC)

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Russia, UN-PolicySanction/EmbargoSecretariat of the UNSecretary-General of the UNSecurity Council of the UNSovereigntySpecialised Agencies and the UNStaff of the UNSubcommittee on the United Nations of the Deutsche BundestagTrusteeship CouncilUN Offices (New York, Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna, Bonn)UN-SystemUN World ConferencesUNAECUNCITRALUNCTADUNDROUNEPUNESCOUNFPAUNICEFUNIDIRUNIDOUNITARUnited Nations High Commissioner for Human RightsUniting-for-Peace-ResolutionUniversal Declaration of Human Rights 1948UniversalityUNRWAUNTSUNUUSA, UN-PolicyVetoVoting Right/Voting ProcedureWFUNAWHOWTO/GATT

Annex:List of AbbrevationsGraphic Illustrations of the UN-SystemChronological Tables about the History of the UNList of Member StatesMembership of the Security CouncilThe Secretaries-General of the UN and their Terms of OfficeBibliographyIndex of Names and Subjects

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Dr. phil. Helmut Volger (Falkensee/Berlin)

List of scientific publications:

Der Wandel der Perzeption von Abriistung, Entwicklung und Konversion in der UNO (TheChange of Perception of Disarmament, Development and Conversion in the United Nations),Frankfurt/Main: Haag + Herchen Verlag, 198, 283 pp.

Die Wiederentdeckung der Vereinten Nationen (The Rediscovery of the United Nations), in:Blatter fur deutsche und internationale Politik, vol. 34 (1989), No. 2, pp. 199-211.

International vergleichende Aspekte von Abriistung und Entwicklung - unter Beriicksichtigungdes Welthandels- und Weltwahrungssystems und der Riistung in der Dritten Welt (ComparativeInternational Aspects of Disarmament and Development - with Consideration of the WorldTrade and World Finance System and of the Armament in the Third World), in: BurkhardFfuck/Lutz Kollner (Eds.), Abriistung und Konversion (Disarmament and Conversion),Frankfurt/Main 1990 (Campus Verlag), pp. 235-270.

Co-Editor (together with Giinter Doeker): Die Wiederentdeckung der Vereinten Nationen (TheRediscovery of the United Nations), Opladen:Westdeutscher Verlag, 1990, 363 pp.

Braucht die UNO neue Strukturen? Konzepte und Chancen einer Reform der Weltorganisation(Do the United Nations Need New Structures? Concepts of and Chances for a Reform of theWorld Organisation), in: Blatter flir deutsche und internationale Politik, vol. 36 (1991), No. 9,pp. 1087-1098.

Handelskonflikt und Machtrivalitat zwischen Japan und den USA und die Perspektive fur dieZukunft (Trade Conflict and Power Rivalry between Japan and the USA and the Prospects forthe Future), in: Asien, vol. 49 (October 1993), pp. 50-65.

Japan - eine Weltmacht sucht ihre Rolle (Japan - a World Power Looks for Its Role), in: Blatterfur deutsche und internationale Politik, vol. 38 (1993), No. 4, pp. 445-456.

Die Vereinten Nationen (The United Nations), Miinchen/Wien: R. Oldenbourg Verlag, 1994,229 pp.

Reform des Minderheitenschutzes in den Vereinten Nationen (Reform of the Protection ofMinorities in the United Nations), in: Klaus Hiifner (Ed.), Die Reform der Vereinten Nationen(The Reform of the United Nations), Opladen: Leske + Budrich Verlag, 1994, pp. 173-204.

Co-Author (together with Claudia Roth): Die Reform des VN-Systems im Bereich derMenschenrechte (The Reform of the UN-System in the Field of the Protection of HumanRights), in: Klaus Hiifner (Ed.), Die Reform der Vereinten Nationen (The Reform of the UnitedNations), Opladen: Leske + Budrich Verlag, 1994, pp. 141-172.

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Co-Author (together with Imke Keil): Die Umweltpolitik der Vereinten Nationen (TheEnvironmental Policy of the United Nations), in: Klaus Hufher (Ed.), Die Reform der VereintenNationen (The Reform of the United Nations), Opladen: Leske + Budrich Verlag, 1994, pp. 81-98.

Geschichte der Vereinten Nationen (History of the United Nations), Munchen/Wien: R.Oldenbourg Verlag, 1995, 290 pp.

Zur Geschichte der Vereinten Nationen (On the History of the United Nations), in: Aus Politikund Zeitgeschichte, Supplement to the Weekly Newspaper ,,Parlament" (Parliament), 1995, No.B42 (13.10.1995), pp. 3-12.

Die vergessenen Volker (The Forgotten Peoples), in: Blatter fur deutsche und InternationalePolitik, vol. 40 (1995), No. 11, pp. 1358-1366.

UN-Reform im Alleingang? Das konfliktreiche Verhaltnis zwischen USA und UN (UN-ReformOn Its Own? The Conflict-Prone Relationship between the USA and the United Nations), in:Internationale Politik, vol. 52 (December 1997, No. 12, pp. 39-44.

Co-Editor (together with Ulrich Albrecht): Lexikon der Internationalen Politik (Encyclopediaof International Politics), Munchen/Wien: R. Oldenbourg Verlag, 1997, 588 pp.

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