Mr. President,

India has taken the floor to welcome and congratulate Her Excellency Ms. Tatiana Valovaya on taking over as the Secretary General of the Conference on Disarmament and Personal Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations. India also aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Group of 21 welcoming her appointment. We are particularly pleased to see her in this important role as she hails from the Russian Federation, a country with which India enjoys close bilateral relations.  She brings a wealth of diplomatic and multilateral experience and we are confident that the Conference would be able to advance its substantive work with her guidance and leadership.

My delegation assures her of its full cooperation and support in her new assignment.       

Thank you, Mr. President.