General Assembly Admits Bangladesh, Grenada and Guinea-Bissau to Membership in United Nations as Twenty-Ninth Session Opens

The General Assembly, opening its twenty-ninth regular session, this afternoon admitted three new Member States - Bangladesh, Grenada and Guinea-Bissau - to membership in the United Nations. This increased the membership to 138 States. Also this afternoon, the Assembly unanimously elected as its President for the session Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Algeria, who has headed his delegation to the General Assembly since 1963.
Abdelaziz Bouteflika is seen seated at this country's desk in the Assembly Hall before being elected President for the session. Seated next to him is Abdellatif Rahal, Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations.