President ERSHAD: Mr. President, warm felicitations are due YOU on your well-deserved election. This is not just a testimony to the high esteem in which the Assembly holds you; it is also a reflection of the confidence reposed in Malta by the world community. JVM/8 A/45/PV.10 27 (President Ershad) Your predecessor, Mr. Joseph Garba, deserves our appreciation. He was firm and disciplined as well as gentle and generous. He performed his task with distinction. He has brought honour to himself and to his country, Nigeria. Tributes are also owed Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar. His relentless quest for peace and his tireless endeavours for development have justly won high praise. The expansion of the United Nations family attests to its credibility. We welcome Liechtenstein in our midst. We look forward to its active participation in our affairs. We meet at a complex time. Tt may not be the end of history, as some believe. On the contrary, we are on the threshold of a new epoch. Euphoria over the end of the cold war must not give way to complacency. Challenges and opportunities are both in prospect. These must be met and seized. The emerging scenario is not unmixed with danger for the weaker and poorer States. Our concern remains paramount that their political. and economic interests be taken into account. We cannot allow them to be compromised by regional hegemonism. Doubtless great-Power rapprochement is a most positive development. We welcome it. But we must remain on guard that this is not perceived as a licence to unleash new disruptive tensions. Heady political and economic transformations are under way in Europe. These carry an immense potential for the good. The resulting peace dividends could be replicated world wide. However, these changes can impinge 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech or address by the President of the United Nations General Assembly, discussing global politics, international relations, and the future of the world community. It touches on themes such as the end of the Cold War, regional hegemonism, great-power rapprochement, and the potential for peace and economic development. The text does not specifically focus on any of the categories related to economic development, natural resources, health, education, employment, humanitarian aid, or culture. Instead, it seems to be more focused on the broader political and international landscape.

**Category**
International relations