THREATS TO STABILITY IN MIDDLE EAST, GREAT LAKES REGION OF AFRICA HIGHLIGHTED IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE
Press Release
GA/9110
THREATS TO STABILITY IN MIDDLE EAST, GREAT LAKES REGION OF AFRICA HIGHLIGHTED IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE
19961001 Speakers Also Address Consequences of Economic GlobalizationThe current threats to peace and stability in the regions of the Middle East and in the Great Lakes Region of Africa were highlighted by the Foreign Ministers of Lebanon and Burundi this morning, as the General Assembly continued its general debate.
On the situation in the Middle East, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lebanon, Fares Bouez, said that the new Israeli Government had forsaken the peace process and adopted a manifesto with four negatives -- no to the withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan, no to withdrawal from the occupied West Bank, no to the settlement of the question of Jerusalem and no to the realization of the Palestinian people's inalienable right to establish their State. The violence prevailing in Palestine and in southern Lebanon was a direct result of flawed Israeli formulas. Israel did not have a policy for peace.
The Minister for External Affairs and Cooperation of Burundi, Luc Rukingama, said in the face of a terrible crisis, his new Government had assumed power to rescue the country and to prevent a new genocide in the Great Lakes region of Africa. The Government had the primary task of putting an end to massacres and impunity, and protecting the security of the people of Burundi. It was not an act against democracy, but rather the consolidation of leadership for the good of the whole country. The sanctions by neighbouring countries against Burundi were unjust, illegal, catastrophic to the people, and constituted a dangerous precedent.
Another common theme in this morning's debate concerned the two sides of economic globalization -- as a catalyst encouraging successful economic reforms in many countries in transition, and as a negative factor that further marginalized many developing countries. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Somsavat Lengsavad, said that interdependence and globalization had provided new opportunities while increasing the marginalization of developing countries. While noting that
economic reforms in his country had yielded positive results and had supported political stability, he cautioned that the international community must ensure a more favourable international environment in which developing countries could wage their struggle against poverty.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Francophonie of Congo, Destin-Arsene Tsaty-Boungou, said Africa needed the mobilization of the richest countries to confront the problems of its economic integration into the global economy. The competition of the free market often meant that poor countries would lose market share and become increasingly marginalized. Confronting its colonial and tribal past, Africa could not develop democratic societies by merely mechanical means.
Drawing attention to the disadvantaged position of land-locked developing countries, the Prime Minister and Minister for External Relations of Mongolia, Mendsaikhany Enkhsaikhan, stressed the importance of implementing the global framework for transit transport cooperation between such countries, the transit developing countries and the donor community, which was endorsed by the Assembly at its last session.
Other statements were made this morning by the Crown Prince of Monaco and the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Romania and Oman.
When the Assembly meets again at 3 p.m. today, it will continue its general debate.
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Assembly Work Programme
The General Assembly met this morning to continue its general debate. It was scheduled to hear statements by the Crown Prince of Monaco, the Prime Minister of Mongolia and the Foreign Ministers of Romania, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Congo, Lebanon, Oman and Burundi.
Statements
TEODOR MELESCANU, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania, said his country was in the process of building a new, democratic society based on the rule of law, respect for human rights and the market economy. His country had emerged as a stabilizing factor in the region. The private sector in Romania had become the major contributor to its gross domestic product. In the effort to overcome transition difficulties, important assistance had come from the European Union. The United States had granted, on a permanent basis, the most favoured nation status to Romania. His country had also become a full member of the Central European Initiative and next year would join the European Free Trade Agreement. The signing of a treaty of understanding, cooperation and good neighbourliness between Romania and Hungary was important to the historic reconciliation of those two countries and for stability in central Europe.
Concerning the former Yugoslavia, he said Romania would contribute to developing normal relations among countries in the area and to the full implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, including the termination of the sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). Regarding sanctions, his country had been deeply affected by the strict implementation of the economic sanctions, especially in the former Yugoslavia, and believed that the United Nations should play a more important role in the process of compensating third countries affected by sanctions. He also expressed concern about the maintenance of a complex and destabilizing situation in the eastern part of the Republic of Moldova, and reaffirmed the necessity of an unconditional and orderly withdrawal of foreign troops from the Transdniestr region.
He endorsed the idea that the United Nations could and should contribute to implementing a new global partnership for development among developing countries, developed countries and multilateral institutions. Within that framework, the United Nations and its institutions should continue their effort for adjustment and reform, which would bring closer a consensus on development objectives. He welcomed the positive results of the ninth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which paved the way for the reforming of the intergovernmental structure, the reorientation of its priorities, and the improvement of cooperation with the World Trade Organization and the Bretton Woods institutions, in order to integrate the developing countries and economies in transition into the global
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commercial and financial system. By convening in Bucharest, in September 1997, the Third International Conference on New or Restored Democracies, Romania hoped to continue the dialogue about building democratic societies.
SOMSAVAT LENGSAVAD, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, said tension caused by ethnic divisions and differing religions continued. Unfortunately, some countries had undertaken efforts that constituted interference in the internal affairs of some States, including the imposition of sanctions. The international community must find ways to resolve tensions while respecting the sovereignty of all countries.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United States continued to implement agreements on the Korean peninsula, he said. He supported the aspirations of the Korean people for the peaceful reintegration of Korea. In south-east Asia, decisions had been taken regarding the construction of trans-regional railroad. The countries of the region were attempting to solve problems in accordance with regional realities and had agreed to a nuclear-free zone in south-east Asia. He also welcomed the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Economic reforms in his country, which began in 1986, had yielded results, with the average annual income increasing and the inflation rate stabilized, he said. Those accomplishments had supported political stability. Thus, it had been decided to continue economic reforms. The material and technical foundation was being established for economic development, and his country would continue efforts to join the general trends of the region in relation to global economic development. All States had the right to exploit their resources, but sustainable economic growth must go hand in hand with environmental protection.
Interdependence and globalization had provided new opportunities while increasing the marginalization of developing countries, he said. The international community must ensure a more favourable international environment in which developing countries could wage their struggle against poverty. The right to adequate housing must be guaranteed. The recent World Congress on the Sexual Exploitation of Children had considered the situation affecting more than 1 million children who were victims of abuse. The Congress presented recommendations on how to combat the situation. He supported those measures. International cooperation was also needed to solve the drug trafficking problem.
Crown Prince ALBERT of Monaco said that, for development to be sustainable, the resources of the planet must be preserved. Monaco had worked for a century to promote the preservation of marine resources. In 1998, Monaco would participate in the activities of the International Year of Oceans. Monaco would also convene a special session to review the implementation of Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on Environment
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and Development (UNCED) and it would host the meeting of the High-level Advisory Board on Sustainable Development next year.
He said he welcomed the adoption of the CTBT, which he would sign. He also praised the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as the Agency's work in the field of disarmament was vital. The strengthening of security in the Mediterranean region was of concern and the Secretary-General had undertaken valuable consultations on the matter. Also, the spread of land-mines across areas of conflict continued to take a high toll on civilian populations. Monaco regularly provided financial assistance to the United Nations to finance demining efforts. The world programme of action for young people adopted last year by the Assembly must be implemented, particularly in the area of education.
Work against the exploitation of children should be supported by the international community, he continued. Efforts were under way to change Monaco's penal code to fight against the sexual exploitation of others. The international community should strengthen international legal instruments designed to protect children against abuse and to protect against slavery. Judicial prosecution should go beyond borders and see that the exploitation and trade in children were labelled crimes against humanity. Further, programmes were needed to rehabilitate the victims of exploitation.
MENDSAIKHANY ENKHSAIKHAN, Prime Minister and Minister for External Relations of Mongolia, said the distribution of the world's enormous wealth remained uneven among regions, individual states and even groups within states. The world found itself at a momentous time of both opportunities and challenges.
As a result of last summer's elections, Mongolia had been peacefully transferred to democratic forces for the first time in 75 years. Like many other developing countries, however, it was faced with a host of problems such as poverty, unemployment and an external debt burden.
He said the CTBT was a "landmark event" in the attainment of a nuclear- weapon-free world, and he urged all the declared nuclear powers and threshold states to accede to it so that the years of hard work that had brought it about would yield tangible results. He expressed "deep concern" over the uncertain situations in the Balkans and the Korean peninsula. On the Middle East, he advised parties involved to exercise restraint and resolve, so that recent events did not affect the peace process.
He said recent United Nations conferences on children, the environment, human rights and other subjects had forged a clear vision and a forward- looking strategy for concerted action toward the betterment of the human condition. The new framework should be given attention in the Agenda for Development; a coherent coordination of the policies and activities of the various entities of the United Nations system and those of the Bretton Woods
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institutions was vital. The international community should substantially increase the resources for sustainable human development; donor countries that had yet to honour their long-standing commitment of 0.7% gross national product (GNP) should do so.
Drawing attention to the peculiar problems of land-locked developing countries, he stressed the importance of implementing the Global Framework for transit transport cooperation between such countries, the transit developing countries and the donor community endorsed by the Assembly at its last session. The disadvantages suffered on those land-locked countries risked further isolating them from the globalization process. The elaboration of a strategy for sustainable development was well under way in Mongolia, and the countries attached particular attention to the special session of the Assembly scheduled for 1997 to review the subject. He called for a study on the root causes of the considerable increase in natural disasters in recent years, as noted in the Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization.
DESTIN-ARSENE TSATY-BOUNGOU, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Francophonie of the Congo, said the United Nations remained the best tool to consolidate peace and progress, and to maintain planetary diversity. The visions of its founders were still only an ideal. The increased disparity between nations with respect to wealth and knowledge made it easy to say that they would remain as ideals and not become realities. His own continent of Africa was sick, and needed the efforts of the richest countries to promote its integration in the global economy. Africa could not develop democratic societies by merely mechanical means. It was important to balance the need for peace with the need to develop democratic institutions.
The Congo had required a period of democratic transition following its civil war, he said. Such an approach could reduce conflict between those elected to power and those who lost the elections. The pursuit of democracy was often difficult in poor countries, with many opposing forces. Africa's economic development would be decisive to the achievement of stability and democracy. Free-market competition often meant that poor countries lost market share and became increasingly marginalized. The international community must help the developing African countries to meet the needs of the poor. The ongoing decline in official development assistance was not encouraging.
Peace was threatened daily in Africa, he said. Regional efforts were under way to develop conflict-management tools. International assistance to those regional efforts had been vital and should continue. The Congo had turned its attention to consolidating peace in the country and in organizing elections. His country had demonstrated its willingness to make the necessary sacrifices to implement a development programme.
FARES BOUEZ, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lebanon, told the Assembly that the need for consultation and constructive dialogue among nations had
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become essential. Today's challenges required invigorating the United Nations and renewing confidence in its credibility, justice and efficiency.
The Foreign Minister expressed his country's concern over the situation in Iraq and called for the implementation of Security Council resolution 986 (1995), which should be taken as a token of commitment "not to change the geopolitical map" of the region. "Should this genie be let out of the bottle in Iraq, we will not be able to restrain it in this extremely sensitive region", he said. He also supported referring the case of the Greater Tunbs, Lesser Tunbs and Abu Moussa islands to the International Court of Justice. Supporting and reaffirming the unity of Cyprus and its sovereignty over all its territory would also put an end to the suffering of its people.
The Foreign Minister said that Israel, as well as other States, had not signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Israel, he noted, "was allowed to maintain a dangerous nuclear arsenal in one of the most sensitive and volatile regions of the world, without any safeguards and controls". That situation continued to threaten the people of the entire region. Also, Israel had not acceded to the CTBT.
He enthusiastically supported enhancing the role of the United Nations, particularly increasing the scope of representation on the Security Council. Further, the sense of hegemony that some countries had developed about the Council's role must be eliminated. Under current procedures, some major powers had a monopoly over the Council's decisions. Also, he supported the renewal of the Secretary-General's mandate.
Turning to the situation in the Middle East, the Minister said that the new Israeli Government had adopted a manifesto with four negatives -- no to the withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan, no to withdrawal from the occupied West Bank, no to the settlement of the question of Jerusalem and no to the realization of the Palestinian people's inalienable right to establish their State. The principle of land for peace had been replaced, by the principle of peace for security. "We, the aggressed, were asked to give security guarantees to the aggressor," he said. Those who did not possess weapons were asked to give assurances to the State with one of the largest nuclear arsenals in the world. Since the new Israeli government came to power, the peace process had been forsaken. Israel did not have a policy for peace.
Today, the violence prevailing in Palestine and in southern Lebanon was a direct result of flawed Israeli formulas, he said. It was necessary to return to the basics of peace as agreed five years ago at the Madrid Peace Conference and resume the negotiations from where they were halted. Lebanon had suffered the repercussions of the Middle East crisis and had paid a heavy toll. Lebanon's national unity and full sovereignty over all its national soil were not negotiable. When Lebanon restored its sovereignty over all its territories by recovering major parts of its land occupied by
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Israel, when the United Nations implemented its resolution 425 (1978), and when Lebanese citizens were released from Israeli detention camps, "then and then only the wounds will heal and the bleeding will stop", he said.
YOUSEF BIN ALAWI BIN ABDULLAH, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Oman, said the 1991 Madrid Conference had been an important breakthrough in the Middle East peace process, and concerted efforts had since been made by the concerned parties. However, due to the "procrastination and hesitation" of the newly-elected Israeli government to fully implement previous agreements, the peace process in the region needed immediate international care and assistance.
He said Oman did not see any justification in Israel's continuation to isolate Palestinian territories. Oman called upon Israel to assume its primary responsibility of revitalizing the peace process through resumption of peace negotiations, and by taking credible steps towards the tangible and practical implementation of all agreements reached in that regard.
The Foreign Minister said that Oman would welcome the implementation of resolution 986 (1995) which should alleviate the suffering of the people of Iraq. It also called upon Iraq to fully cooperate with the United Nations to guarantee the swift and efficient implementation of that resolution. Additionally, it asked Iraq to implement other international resolutions regarding the Kuwaiti detainees and properties, as well as expatriates of other countries detained in that country. Oman supported the convening of an international conference to address and eliminate international terrorism.
He said Oman was participating actively in the foundation of a new economic group comprising a number of African countries overlooking the Indian Ocean. The aim would be to activate trade and mutual cooperation among those nations, already bound by many common historical and cultural ties. Oman had also requested full membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Oman, as a developing country, was looking forward to receiving the global support and assistance extended by the international community to developing nations in the general context of the preferential service system. Oman had also decided to accede to the World Organization for Intellectual Property (WIPO).
He said Oman supported the reform of the United Nations and he urged Member States to fulfil their financial responsibility regarding the Organization itself and its peacekeeping operations.
LUC RUKINGAMA, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Burundi, said his country was going through the worst crisis of its history. The end of the cold war had been succeeded by ever more complex conflicts, most of them within existing nations. Since October 1993, Burundi had "sunken into a tragic situation". The consensus government that had assumed power in October 1994 lacked the will for peace. In order to avoid the threat of implosion, renewed genocide and another genocide, Burundi's people asked
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President Buyoya to assume the heavy task of putting the country back on track.
He said the new Government's tasks included reintegrating people displaced by the war, reconstructing the country and ensuring the security of the people of Burundi. This was not an act against democracy, but rather the consolidation of leadership for the good of the whole country and not of a single ethnic group.
The present embargo against Burundi, the Foreign Minister asserted, was unfriendly, unjust and illegal. It went against international law and international conventions, and constituted a dangerous precedent since it also violated Article 1 of the United Nations Charter. The nature of the sanctions against Burundi also went against the principle of non-use of force and the peaceful settlement of conflicts, and it flouted the principle of non- interference.
The embargo, he continued, weakened the chances for peace and encouraged the country's militias and armed groups. It had had catastrophic effects on the population, depriving it of medicine, vaccines and other medical needs.
By a decree of 13 September 1996, the Burundi Parliament, political parties and political associations had been restored. The government had reiterated its solemn commitment to dialogue with all interested political partners, and renewed this commitment before the General Assembly. He called for an immediate lifting of the embargo to ease the "indescribable suffering" and permit dialogue.
In the Great Lakes region, he said, the political situation remained disquieting because of the high number of refugees and displaced persons. The Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) should intensify efforts to encourage the return to their countries of displaced people who wished to do that, as soon as the conditions of peace and security permitted. The government of Burundi was ready to receive all its nationals in a climate of peace and reconciliation.
He said that the training of militias, organized terrorism in certain neighbouring countries and the spread of the ideology of genocide should be a matter of concern to the whole international community. The killings seen in the South Kivu, in particular the Massissi region, and more recently in the Uvira region, were the best illustrations of the threats to peace in the sub- region. Burundi remained convinced of the importance of preventive diplomacy and a peaceful settlement of conflicts through dialogue and negotiation.
He said his country supported the reform of the United Nations and the aspirations of Germany and Japan to permanent seats on the Security Council. Africa, Asia and Latin America should have at least two permanent seats per region as well. * *** *