Annex 2

The Honourable Mohammad Ali Najafi, President Deputy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Members of the Iranian Organising Committee, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen.

It fills me with enormous satisfaction to be standing here today delivering this opening speech, and I say this for two reasons.

Firstly, it is with great joy that I am able to welcome you all to the 4^th meeting of our Permanent Committee; a meeting that promises a lot for the future of the Committee and the role it is playing in the Asia and the Pacific region, and globally. We certainly have a good attendance from member countries and invited guests.

The second reason for my good feeling is that I was nearly not able to travel to Iran. For some time there was doubt that I could attend this meeting due to the economic crisis and the austerity drive of my government, which resulted in approval to attend this meeting being delayed.

However, in being here, I will do my best with the able assistance of you, the participants, to ensure the meeting$BCT(B success. We have a lot to achieve in session, but as well I am sure I can speak, in particular, for the overseas visitors, that we look forward to the related events with enthusiastic anticipation.

I offer my utmost gratitude to the Government of Iran and to the Members of the Iranian Organising Committee for their excellent and tireless work in making this meeting happen. As well, I extend my thanks to the Australian Secretariat for the assistance and support provided to the Permanent Committee, to me, and to the Organising Committee.

I$BCN(B sure you will agree that it is vital for the Permanent Committee to look to the future and I would very much value your input while the meeting addresses the future directions of the Committee and the related role of the parent body, the United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific.

The working groups are the arms and legs of the Committee when it comes to carrying out our projects and other activities. This meeting will not only report on their activities but look to how the working groups can best deliver on their workplans into the future.

As the Committee becomes more and more involved in global spatial data matters the importance of relationships with associated regional and global bodies has emerged. I am delighted that we are able to have in the audience a number of eminent international guests who can help strengthen these relationships by their participation here in Tehran.

I am very proud to report that Permanent Committee is well recognised as an important part of the global spatial data community and for the lead role it is taking. For example the United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for the Americas is considering the operating model of our Committee for a similar Permanent Committee for the Americas. A ‘ Special Working Group of the UN Regional Cartographic Conferences’ is scheduled for 25 to 27 March 1998 in Mexico, at which the role of the UN and coordination between UN Regional Cartographic Conferences are likely to be disucussed. In conjunction with its November 1997 Executive Board Meeting held in Kobe, Japan, the Permanent Committee also actively participated in the Global Mapping Forum as well as in the Meeting of the International Steering Committee for Global Mapping.

Additionally, the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference held in North Carolina during October 1997 invited the Committee to host the next GSDI Conference in the Asia and the Pacific region. Australia will be hosting the Conference on behalf of the Committee and I am pleased to report the Secretary has advised that arrangements are well in hand for a Conference in Canberra in November this year. More details about the Canberra Conference will be made available during this meeting.

We have made considerable progress towards the initial steps of developing a spatial data infrastructure for Asia and the Pacific, particularly in the area of institutional arrangements and with the fundamental geodetic component.

Establishing a regional spatial data infrastructure is a complex and demanding task but I am sure this meeting will move us one more step closer to our goals. However, there is much more to achieve beyond this meeting and I seek your continued cooperation for the efficient and timely conduct of our activities.

I thank you all very much for making the effort to attend this meeting and I wish you the very best for its success.

In closing, I once again express my gratitude to the Iranian Organising Committee for its excellent arrangements and wonderful hospitality.

Thank you.

I now have much pleasure in asking the President Deputy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to formally open the meeting $B)e(B….

Please welcome Mr Mohammad Ali Najafi

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