l< UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES POSTAL ADORES«_ADRESSE POSTALE: UNITED NATIONS. N.Y. 10017 CABLE ADDRESS—ADRESSE TELEOHAPHIOUE: UNATIONS NEWVORK EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL CABINET DU SECRETAIRE GENERAL 10 March 2004 Dear Mr. Sommaruga, The Secretary-General has asked me to write to you to thank you for your 126 January, in which you inquire about a possible preface hv him for vm,P forthcoming biographical memoir. P Y hm f°r y°Ur I should be most grateful if you could please send us a copy of the complete manuscript at the earliest, so that we may consider your request more In the meantime, please allow me to thank you again for your letter and to wish you every success with the book. Yours sincerely, Edward Mortimer Director of Communications Mr. Cornelio Sommaruga Geneve C i I MAR 1 4 2004 EOSG / CENTRAL NOTE TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL Request from Cornelio Sommaruga for a preface for a forthcoming biography about him Cornelio Sommaruga has written to you asking if you would consider writing the preface to a forthcoming biography about him. The book, to be published by Neue Ziircher Zeitung, will focus on Mr. Sommaruga's professional activities, including as a Swiss diplomat, trade negotiator, and President of the ICRC (1987-1999). I would not recommend that you contribute a preface to this biography, given our I guidelines on such contributions, and would like to regret Mr. Sommaruga's request,/ unless you would like me to review the manuscript first. Please advise. I v Mr. Sommaruga also writes that he will be in New York from 16-20 March, when he hopes to be able to visit you, including to discuss this matter further. Edward Mortimer 1 March 2004 1 COKNE1LIO gOMMAMlTGA * 6fij fj H.E. Mr. Kofi Annan jt<_ Secretary General of the United Nations New York J£> Geneva, 26 January 2004 /f b*LLn New York; frgmjylarch 16 to 20 and hope to be able to visit you at that occasion. In the meantime I would like to hunnbiy^submit you the following request: The publishing J3PJj.se of the well known Neu^.jZuxchej_Zejt^jngi.js_preparing a book on"rriy person, Jocused on my professional activities as Swiss diplomat, trade negotiator, ICRC President.and .finally on some of the activities I am carrying out after leaving the ICRC. It will be assort, of .biographical and memories book based on a dialogue with a journalist. We are already rather advanced in this dialogue. The publishing house and myself would like, dear Kofi, to ask_youjf_ypu would_be ready to write the, pr.eface.0f:this., book. A relative short text of one or two pages would certainly"' be welcomed. I allow myself to add my short CV to this letter. Tell me please if you could do that. We would appreciate to have the text by the middle of April. Hoping to see you soon and to have the occasion to also discuss this matter, I remain with my best souvenirs, Cornelio Sommaruga CH. JOES CKlETS-IDE-rHAMIPIEIL Iffl CH-12O© GENEVE TEIL: +41.22.34'7.45.5g / FAX: +41.22.347.45.55 E-MAIL,: C.©<tSMMAIRUGA@GICHlD).CH « Scholarship .research and teaching must be dedicated to solving the most pressing problems facing the world. » ° Dr. Jean Mayer (1920-1993) is presented to Cornelio Sommaruga In recognition of a remarkably eclectic and effective life time of global engagement, diplomacy and public service; and in honor of your many years of compassionate, ethical, selfless and determined dedication to people, not as victims, but as individuals and communities deserving of dignity and respect February 28,2003 By EPIIC Education for public Inquiry and International Citizenship, Tufts University On the occasion of EPIIC's 2003 theme: Sovereignty and Intervention In honor of Dr. Jean Mayer EPIIC Advisory Council Member and Chancellor and President of Tufts University Cornelio SOMMARUGA 16, chemin des Crets-de-Champel, CH-1206 Geneva Phone ++41.22.347.45.52 Fax ++41.22.347.45.55 1932 Born in Rome, as son of Swiss parents from Lugano (Ticino/Switzerland) Schools in Rome and Lugano, High School diploma in literature and humanities Studies at the Universities of Zurich, Paris and Rome 1957 Graduated with a doctorate in law from the University of Zurich 1957-59 Banking in Zurich 1960-68 Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs (diplomatic posts at The Hague, Bonn, Rome) 1969-73 Deputy Head of the Swiss Delegation to EFTA, GATT, UNCTAD and ECE/UN in Geneva 1973-75 Deputy Secretary General of EFTA in Geneva 1976-83 Federal Office for External Economic Affairs in Berne (Minister plenipotentiary, Ambassador, Delegate of the Swiss Government for Trade Agreements) 1984-86 State Secretary for External Economic Affairs in Berne 1987-99 President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Geneva 2000- Honorary Member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) 2000 Member of the Panel on UN Peace Operations 2000-- President of the Swis Foundation Caux-initiatives of Change (former Moral Re- Armament) 2002- President of the International Association Initiatives of Change / Moral Rearmament 2000- President of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) 2000- Chairman of the Karl Popper Foundation, Zug 2000- Member of the Board of the Open Society Institute, Budapest (Hungary) 2000- Member of the Board of the Accentus Foundation, Zurich 2000-01 Member of the international Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS) Honorary Doctorates: University of Fribourg (Switzerland), 1985; University of Minho, Braga (Portugal), 1990; University of Bologna (Italy), 1991; University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis (France), 1992; Seoul National University (Republic of Korea), 1992; University of Geneva (Switzerland), 1997; Webster University of Saint Louis (USA), 1998. Presidential Awards:University of Tel Aviv (Israel); Comenius University, Bratislava (Slovakia); Karl's University, Prague (Czech Republic); Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award, Tufts University, Boston (USA), 2003. 2001 North-South Prize of the Council of Europe 2003 Prize of the Foreign Press Association in Switzerland for the most popular Swiss personality 1977-78 President of the UN Economic Commission for Europe 1982-84 Co-Chairman of the Commissione consultiva culturale Italo-Svizzera State Decorations of Belgium, France, Holy See, Italy, Iceland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Sweden Red Cross and Red Crescent Awards from numerous National Societies Married, four daughters, two sons, 14 Grandchildren. March 2003.