Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg today sent the following message to South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, after the UN General Assembly had appointed him new secretary-general of the organisation:

"Your Excellency,

It is a great pleasure for me to congratulate you on your appointment as Secretary-General of the United Nations.

There are important and challenging tasks ahead in ensuring the continued relevance and standing of the UN. Norway is a staunch supporter of the UN, and a strong proponent of UN reform.

As Co-Chair of the High-level Panel on United Nations reform, I have had the privilege of working with other leaders and experts on how the UN system could work more coherently and effectively. What really matters at the end of the day, are results on the ground.

I look forward to sharing the panel's recommendations with you, and to continuing Norway's support of the UN under your able leadership. I wish you all the best in your new position.

Yours sincerely

Jens Stoltenberg"