RENEWED INSTABILITY MIGHT PREVAIL IN MIDDLE EAST IF CURRENT TRENDS OVERSHADOW HOPE FOR PEACE, ASSEMBLY TOLD

7 October 1996

Press Release
GA/9118

RENEWED INSTABILITY MIGHT PREVAIL IN MIDDLE EAST IF CURRENT TRENDS OVERSHADOW HOPE FOR PEACE, ASSEMBLY TOLD

19961007 Seven Foreign Ministers Address Assembly, As General Debate Continues

The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Jordan, Khaled Madadha, warned this morning that a new cycle of violence, instability, terror and extremism might come to prevail in the Middle East if hopes for peace were allowed to falter. Addressing the Assembly as it continued its general debate, he called for continuation of the comprehensive peace process in the face of current negative developments.

The Sudan's Minister for External Relations, Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, said the Security Council's persistent attempts to impose sanctions on his country defied logic and justice. No evidence had been produced to prove that the suspects in the assassination attempt on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Addis Ababa were in the Sudan at the time of the incident or when extradition was requested. His country condemned that incident, as well as all forms of terrorism, he said.

The Foreign Minister of Tajikistan, Talbak N. Nazarov, said an undeclared small war in the south-east of his country and on the Tajik-Afghan border, imposed by the opposition's Islamic Revival Movement, was interfering with Tajikistan's development. The opposition's armed wing was torpedoing the agreements reached in the inter-Tajik talks. The road to peace must be through continued dialogue and the political resolution of differences.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas, Janet G. Bostwick, denounced the continued shipment of nuclear material and hazardous waste through the Caribbean. She also called for renewal of the fight against small-arms trafficking. The large amount of small arms being smuggled into Caribbean countries was alarming. Manufacturers and vendors of arms should impose stricter controls and help vulnerable States to combat such illegal activities.

Also addressing the Assembly were the Foreign Ministers of Cape Verde, San Marino and Lithuania.

The General Assembly will meet again at 3 p.m. today to continue its general debate.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to continue its general debate. It was scheduled to hear addresses by the Foreign Ministers of Cape Verde, San Marino, Jordan, Bahamas, Sudan, Lithuania and Tajikistan.

Statements

AMILCAR SPENCER LOPES, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Communities of Cape Verde, said his small developing country was particularly affected by drought and desertification and lacked means of defence. It therefore had every reason to place great hopes in the success of the United Nations. Cape Verde supported the re-election of Boutros Boutros-Ghali as Secretary-General.

Situated near the Sahara desert, Cape Verde was particularly affected by ecological problems which put the survival of its population at stake, he said. Africa was the continent most affected by drought and most threatened by desertification. Cape Verde was committed to establishing an international mechanism to facilitate implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification. Nevertheless, his country was still suffering from the devastating consequences of drought. He called for international solidarity in support of the people and Government of Cape Verde.

Reforms of the United Nations should reflect the deep changes of the past 50 years and ensure fair representation of all regions of the world, the Foreign Minister said. African countries should be permanent members of the Security Council.

For the past three decades, Africa had seen the lowest level of development, as well as a succession of sanguinary conflicts, he said. The Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) had been a far-sighted decision. Nevertheless, it was important to underline that international peace and security remained the primary responsibility of the Security Council. The intervention of the OAU was justified in specific missions of peace-keeping and observation.

He stressed the primary importance of facing the cause of the conflicts in Africa, which lay in persistent underdevelopment. Key elements for attaining peace were the promotion of lasting development, investment in human resources, and success in the current process of democratization. Africa was the main challenge the United Nations was facing today.

The objectives of the Cairo Agenda for Action, adopted last year by the OAU, depended on political will and external support for the achievement, he said. Despite its brief history as an independent country, Cape Verde had several times had the opportunity to play a positive role in the international

General Assembly - 3 - Press Release GA/9118 24th Meeting (AM) 7 October 1996

sphere, either by contributing to dialogue or through participation in United Nations peace-keeping operations. His Government understood its duty to contribute to the creation of a peaceful international environment.

GABRIELE GATTI, Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs of San Marino, said development issues were inextricably intertwined with the destiny of nations, changing the face of both countries and peoples. Underdevelopment was a real and constant threat to peace. In some cases, the situation was aggravated by the fragility or the absence of democratic institutions. Power was often wielded as an end in itself and not as an instrument for the common good. Sometimes, those who retained power did not bother to address the needs of a rapidly changing society. The United Nations should spare no effort to help both countries and peoples remedy those errors.

All efforts must be pooled to improve and update the United Nations and to make it more effective, he said. That objective could be achieved through a reform of the system, inspired by equality, justice and wider democracy. It should aim at broader participation, and the fair sharing of duties and powers among all Member States. Undoubtedly, in strengthening the United Nations, it was necessary to review the composition, role, functioning and the powers of the Security Council. However, that process was proceeding very slowly. The Council must adapt to historical changes and the enlarged membership of the Organization. The Council would have to increase its membership, since it no longer reflected the world's reality. Neither did it promote a rotating system where all States were equally represented. It was also necessary to reconsider carefully the maintenance, exercise and potential extension of the right of veto.

He also stressed the need to reconsider the use, effectiveness and repercussions of the embargo, especially in cases where, in the absence of armed conflict, international isolation had proved sufficient as a moral and political means of exerting pressure. The elimination of coercive economic measures as a means of political compulsion was on the Assembly's agenda for the current session. That debate should lead to a proper solution, so that innocent people who were already suffering would no longer be the main target of such measures.

KHALED MADADHA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Jordan, said the peoples of his region had suffered devastating wars over the past five decades. Signs of hope had appeared with the convening of the Madrid peace conference in 1991 and the ensuing bilateral and multilateral negotiations between Arabs and Israelis. Palestinian hopes revived following the Oslo accord of 1993 and the interim self-government agreement. Hope was also rekindled by the 1994 peace treaty between Jordan and Israel and the progress made on the Syrian-Israeli and Syrian-Lebanese peace tracks.

General Assembly - 4 - Press Release GA/9118 24th Meeting (AM) 7 October 1996

What was happening in the occupied territories now, however, was a series of negative developments, he said. They included a return to the policy of building settlements, violation of holy places, closure of the territories, denial of work opportunities, refusal to implement signed agreements, postponement of self-government negotiations, and a unilateral determination on the status of Jerusalem. They also included refusal to resume negotiations with Syria and Lebanon from where they stopped seven months ago, and a refusal to return to the terms of reference and framework of the Madrid peace conference.

Despite the excessively negative slogans of the new Israeli Government during its election campaign, Jordan had welcomed the new Prime Minister out of respect for the free will of the Israeli people. Jordan had also called for continuation of the comprehensive peace process. Nevertheless, calls were again being heard for revival of the obsolete theory that security can be achieved through force.

In the midst of the current gloom, a ray of hope remained, which must not be lost, he said. If it was, a new cycle of violence, instability, terror and extremism might come to prevail in the region. The course of war and destruction, and the ensuing peace process, had been described as a series of missed opportunities. Now, there was the danger of a return to those insane policies. By challenging the opponents of peace, President Arafat and the Palestinian leadership had demonstrated a serious and clear desire for peace. It was not wise to reward him by embarrassing him before his Palestinian people and putting him in a difficult position with the opponents of peace who believed his course would fail. It was time to return to working together in the peace process, so the peoples of the region might have a chance for a better life after decades of death and destruction.

One of the most important factors that gave credibility to the Middle East peace process was the improvement in living conditions through increased investments, that would result in lowered unemployment, he said. Jordan had taken a number of steps to promote investment. It was regrettable that, despite those measures and guarantees, and the convening of two international economic summit conferences, actual foreign investment in the region remained small. If private companies might be reluctant to invest, out of historical and political fears, the governments of industrial countries had no excuse for failing to give sufficient guarantees against such investment risks.

JANET G. BOSTWICK, Attorney General and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas, said the Security Council should be enlarged to make its membership more representative, democratic and transparent. The assessment system should be reformed through the establishment of a more equitable scale which incorporated all special circumstances and a vulnerability index. A country's per capita gross national product (GNP) should not be the sole measurement of its capacity to pay. However, reforms must not be made for

General Assembly - 5 - Press Release GA/9118 24th Meeting (AM) 7 October 1996

reform's sake alone. Efforts must aim at raising the standard of living and quality of life for the most underprivileged. The international community should give priority attention to the protection of human rights, the advancement of women, social justice and development.

She drew attention to Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. During the 1997 review of its implementation, priorities and recommendations should be set out for the achievement of sustainable development in a manner which recognized the particular problems of small developing States. The new international trade regime had put small States at a disadvantage. Regard must be given to the fragile domestic economies of small States.

The escalation of the drug trade, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, was of concern to her country, she said. At the 1998 special session of the Assembly, the international community should renew its commitment to eradicate such illicit activities.

The fight against small-arms trafficking must also be renewed, she said. The large amount of small arms being smuggled into Caribbean countries was alarming. Manufacturers and vendors of arms should impose stricter controls and help vulnerable States to combat such illegal activities. The Bahamas also denounced the continued transshipment of nuclear material and hazardous waste through the Caribbean. The heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) declared in 1992 that the Caribbean should be a nuclear- free zone and bar the shipment, storage or dumping of any radioactive or hazardous substances or toxic waste.

ALI OSMAN MOHAMED TAHA, Minister for External Relations of the Sudan, said reform of the Security Council should ensure equitable representation for the developing countries, including permanent membership. Efforts should include reviewing the Council's procedures and decision-making mechanisms, as well as the concept of the veto. The Council should discharge its political responsibilities without addressing legal issues that fall under the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice.

Noting a new trend of the imposition of sanctions by the Council as a means of settling certain disputes, he said sanctions had adversely affected countries' most vulnerable populations, the very sector the United Nations had pledged to protect. The best way to settle most recent conflict was through strict adherence to conflict-resolution measures stipulated in the Charter, and by relying on cooperation, dialogue and the promotion of a common understanding. The Sudan welcomed efforts to enhance mechanisms for carrying out preventive diplomacy.

Reviewing conditions in certain African countries, he called for increased support for the OAU's efforts to settle regional conflicts. Africa,

General Assembly - 6 - Press Release GA/9118 24th Meeting (AM) 7 October 1996

as the continent of the future, needed international support to achieve political stability and economic development. Greater international efforts were needed to help settle the dispute between Libya and three Western countries, so the sanctions against Libya might be lifted. Social and economic development was vital for political stability, but Africa's debt burden continued to hinder its development. A unified strategy on cancelling or reducing the debts of all countries was needed.

The protection of human rights continued to occupy its appropriate place, high on the United Nations agenda, he said. However, the growing tendency to exploit human rights issues for political purposes could jeopardize the very principle of human rights. Selectivity did not serve the cause as did objectivity. The Sudan had resumed its cooperation with the United Nations Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights following the removal of the circumstances which had caused it to suspend its cooperation.

Drawing attention to recent Security Council actions relating to the Sudan, he said the persistent attempts to impose sanctions on his country defied logic and justice. It was necessary to consider the matter, in order to address the injustice inflicted on his country and prevent the negative impact of recurrent sanctions. Addressing the assassination attempt on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during a visit to Addis Ababa, he said no evidence had been produced to prove that the suspects were in the Sudan at the time of the incident or when extradition was requested. The Sudan had condemned the incident and expressed its readiness to cooperate with the concerned parties. His country condemned all forms of terrorism and was involved in regional efforts to combat them.

POVILAS GYLYS, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, said that five years after Lithuania had resumed its place in the international community, there was no doubt that some of the historic opportunities of that era had been seized. However, many cross-border problems remained, such as crime, drugs, environmental pollution and terrorism. Those challenges had far- reaching implications for the United Nations.

Nevertheless, new opportunities for cooperation had been fruitfully applied in many areas. The best example of that was the cooperation within the European Union on such core United Nations issues as humanitarian affairs, human rights and peace-keeping. Such cooperation should be deepened and broadened.

He said Lithuania recognized that developing countries had a case for improving their representation on the Security Council. Some countries, such as Germany and Japan, were ready to assume special political, military and financial responsibility as new permanent members. A new, non-permanent seat for Eastern Europe should also be considered. Lithuania was involved in

General Assembly - 7 - Press Release GA/9118 24th Meeting (AM) 7 October 1996

several United Nations peace-keeping operations. However, too often, United Nations intervention came too slowly and too late. The preventive capacity of the United Nations should be emphasized, and there should be improved coordination between peace-keeping operations and related humanitarian efforts.

The maintenance of peace and security was too complex to be solely a United Nations enterprise, he said. In Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) operated on agreed principles and engaged in activities to facilitate the resolution of disputes without recourse to fighting. Lithuania supported the role of the OSCE as a primary instrument for early warning, conflict prevention and crisis management in its own area.

Any tangible strategy for avoiding armed conflicts also involved pursuing disarmament objectives, especially in the areas of nuclear non- proliferation and conventional arms control. The historic Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) should advance further efforts in nuclear disarmament. A ban on the production and trade of anti-personnel land-mines was also gaining support.

No one country was sufficiently equipped to deal with the problem of transnational crime on its own. Efforts to combat money laundering could be among the best measures to undermine the economic roots of the criminal world.

TALBAK N. NAZAROV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, said the civil war in his country had been aimed at undermining its re-emerging state foundations and interfering with its economic growth, market reforms and democratic development. The scope of the conflict, along with the level of involvement by forces from the territory of a neighbouring State, posed a threat to peace and security in Asia. Fortunately, in its struggle for political survival, Tajikistan had received support from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) -- primarily the Russian Federation and central Asian countries -- as well as from the United Nations and the OSCE.

He said Tajikistan had concentrated its efforts on reconstructing the socio-economic infrastructure in the southern part of the country, reintegrating the regionally disrupted sectors of the national economy, and converting the centralized national economy into a modern market economy. Those tasks were all the more complex because of the chronic shortage of funds. Humanitarian support was still being received, but its overall volume was insufficient. Nevertheless, a solid basis for a progressive and steady development was being created. The stabilization of Tajikistan's economy would satisfy the people's pressing social and economic needs, while promoting the national reconciliation, consolidation of society, and the formation of democratic institutions.

General Assembly - 8 - Press Release GA/9118 24th Meeting (AM) 7 October 1996

One of the main problems interfering with the building of a new society in Tajikistan was an undeclared small war in the far south-east of the country and on the Tajik-Afghan border, he said. That war had been imposed on the Tajik people by the opposition's Islamic Revival Movement. The opposition's intransigent armed wing was building up the tension in the country by torpedoing the agreements reached in the inter-Tajik talks. By constantly and flagrantly violating the Tajik-Afghan sector of the southern borders of the CIS, it inflicted pain and suffering on the civilian population.

The leadership of Tajikistan felt that the road to peace lay in continued dialogue and the political resolution of differences, he said. The United Nations active mediation in the search for peace was appreciated, as was the constructive role played by the Russian Federation in protecting the country's border and ensuring its security.

The Government had repeatedly demonstrated its good will by taking positive steps in the peace process, he said. However, it considered the opposition's demands for a parity division of power and dismantling of existing state bodies to be unrealistic. It was fully determined to find a mutually acceptable formula for peace in the country. If the opposition assumed a similar constructive stance, there would be grounds for hope of results towards a long-awaited peace.

* *** *