Council with great skill last month. On behalf of the Council, I have pleasure in conveying to him our con- gratulations, in paying a tribute to him and in thanking him for the efforts he made while he held the office of President. Adoption of the agenda The agenda was adopted. ‘The situation in the Middle East: (a) Security Council resolution 331 (1973); (6) Report of the Secretary-General under Security Council resolution 331 (1973) (S/10929) 2. The PRESIDENT (translation from Russian): As Presi- dent of the Security Council, I have received letters from the Permanent Representatives of Egypt, Israel, Jordan, the United Republic of Tanzania, Chad, the Syrian Arab Republic, Nigeria and Algeria to the United Nations. These letters contain requests that the delegations of those countries be invited to participate in the discussion of the item just included in the Council’s agenda, In accordance with established practice and the provisional rules of procedure, I propose to invite the representatives of those countries to participate, without the right to vote, in the consideration by the Council of the question of the situation in the Middle East. 3. In view of the regrettably limited number of seats at the Council table, and bearing in mind the chronological order in which the letters requesting permission to participate in the discussion reached me, I propose, in accordance with the Council’s established working practice, to invite the representatives of the parties directly concerned, Egypt, Israel and Jordan, to take the places reserved for them at the Council table and I propose to invite the representatives of the other countries to take the seats reserved for them in the places specially set aside for that purpose at the side of the Council chamber, on the understanding that they will 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a transcript of a United Nations Security Council meeting, discussing a specific issue related to international relations and conflicts. The topic of the Middle East and the requests from various countries to participate in the discussion suggest that the category should be related to international relations or diplomacy.

**Category**
International relations, Humanitarian aid and relief