of one of our leaders, over the difficult and important debates which the Council held in the month of June. This meeting, however, Mr. President, affords me the first opportunity to address to you the congratulations of my delegation on your assumption of the presidency, which you have exercised since the beginning of this month. If you have not had occasion to convene meetings very often during the 18 days you have been presiding, everyone here knows that nonetheless your burden has not been as light as it might appear. You may be assured that my delegation and I have appreciated your ability and wisdom and the efforts that you have undertaken during these three weeks to prepare the work of nthe Council for the rest of this month. 37. My delegation welcomes most warmly the ap- plication for admission to membership of the United Nations submitted by the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. 38. In achieving independence on 10 July last,, after an evolutionary course conducted with wisdom and vision by the United Kingdom, the administering Power, the new State immediately expressed its wish to join the 132 other Members of the international community which form our Organization. The Govern- ment of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas an- nounced at the same time that it accepted the obliga- tions of the Charter and was ready to comply with them. The French delegation has no doubt that that Government is determined to fulfil that solemn under- taking. We therefore were only too willing to favour the admission of the new State. 4 39. For the Members of our Organization, and in parmticular for the permanent missions in New York, the Bahamas is certainly not a distant and unknown land. Furthermore, for the French and the British, 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech or statement by a delegate of the French delegation to the United Nations, congratulating the new President and welcoming the admission of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas to the organization. The text does not mention specific economic, industrial, or environmental issues, but rather focuses on the political and diplomatic aspects of the Bahamas' admission to the UN. It seems that the category would be related to international relations or politics.

**Category**
International relations