DUSHANBE, September 24, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon will not attend the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York as it was planned earlier.

According the Tajik MFA information department, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi is representing Tajikistan at the session and he will deliver a statement on behalf of the President of Tajikistan on September 29.

The sixty-seventh session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was officially opened on September 18, 2012. The President of the United Nations General Assembly was chosen from the eastern European Group (EEG, which is the smallest regional grouping) with Serbia''s then foreign minister Vuk Jeremic beating out Lithuania''s Dalius Cekuolis in an election.

The opening session of the 67th UNGA includes: September 18 – the session was officially opened; September 24 – a high-level meeting takes place in regards to the rule of law; and September 25 – the annual General Debate begins and continues for about week.

The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations. Comprising all 193 Members of the United Nations, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter. The Assembly meets in regular session intensively from September to December each year, and thereafter as required.

Tajik minister is also scheduled to attend a number of events that will take place on the sidelines of the session, including the ministerial meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, the source said.

The Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) is a body created in 2002 to promote Asian cooperation at a continental level and to help integrate separate regional cooperation organizations such as ASEAN, SAARC and the Gulf Cooperation Council.  The ACD was founded by 18 members and currently comprises the 31 states (including all current members of ASEAN and the GCC).

Tajikistan will take over leadership of the ACD from Kuwait.

During his stay in New York, Zarifi is also expected to hold talks with senior officials from the United Nations and his counterparts from separate countries, the source added.