[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 136 (Tuesday, September 30, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1916-E1917]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING MR. BENON V. SEVAN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FRANK PALLONE, Jr.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 30, 2003

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to laud the accomplishments of 
Mr. Benon V. Sevan, and his 38 years of service to the United Nations 
Secretariat. Mr. Sevan, a national of Cyprus, is the recipient of the 
Life Time Achievement Award presented by the Cypress Federation of 
America.
  This award is given to an individual that has shown how valuable and 
effective they have been during their time with the United Nations. It 
is clear to me that Mr. Sevan is truly deserving of this award because 
of his dedication and diligence with every project that he has taken 
on. Over the years, Mr. Sevan has worked in several departments at the 
U.N. and has held several positions within the U.N. Secretariat.

[[Page E1917]]

  Mr. Sevan first began at the United Nations in 1965 where he worked 
in the department of Public Information until 1996. In 1973 he joined 
the Secretarial of the Economic and Social Council and served as 
secretary of the council from 1982 until 1988.
  In May of 1989 Mr. Sevan was appointed to the position of the 
Secretary-General's Personal Representative in Afghanistan and 
Pakistan. A year later he was asked to serve, concurrently, as the 
Secretary-General's Representative on the implementation of the Geneva 
Accords on Afghanistan. In 1991, Mr. Sevan took on yet another duty 
when he assumed responsibility for the overall direction and 
administration of the Office for the Coordination of the United Nations 
Humanitarian and Economic Assistance Programs in Afghanistan.
  From August of 1992 until March of 1994 he served as Assistant 
Secretary-General and Deputy Head of the Department of Political 
Affairs. In 1997 Mr. Sevan was appointed as the Executive Director of 
the Iraq Program. Prior to this position he served as Assistant 
Secretary-General for Conference and Support Services and United 
Nations Security Coordinator, which he carried out until 2002. Since 
1992 Mr. Sevan served as the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for 
issues related to missing persons in the Middle East, where he engaged 
in preventive diplomacy and mediation in the world's trouble spots.
  Once again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Mr. Sevan on 
his Lifetime Achievement award. I would like to thank Mr. Sevan for 
nearly 40 years of service to the international community and I ask my 
colleagues to rise with me in honoring the distinguished Benon V. 
Sevan.

                          ____________________