ASSEMBLY'S GENERAL DEBATE, CONCLUDED TODAY, IS ONLY UNIVERSAL OPPORTUNITY FOR STATES TO SHARE VIEWS WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR

10 October 1996

Press Release
GA/9126

ASSEMBLY'S GENERAL DEBATE, CONCLUDED TODAY, IS ONLY UNIVERSAL OPPORTUNITY FOR STATES TO SHARE VIEWS WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR

19961010 Says Razali Ismail (Malaysia), Assembly President, in Concluding Statement

This is the text of the statement by the President of the General Assembly, Razali Ismail (Malaysia), at the conclusion of the general debate of the fifty-first session this afternoon:

We have heard the last speaker of the general debate since it began on 23 September. During the general debate, 181 leaders participated, including 12 heads of State, 1 Crown Prince, 17 Prime Ministers, 17 Deputy Prime Ministers/Foreign Ministers and 106 Foreign Ministers. The impressive list of speakers underlines again the importance attached to the general debate, it being the only universal opportunity where leaders of the 185 Member States can share their views without fear or favour.

The major themes addressed during the debate cover all the pressing issues that define and challenge our role as countries with specific interests and our understanding of the multidimensional nature of global issues. If we appear to be able to gravitate towards common grounds of definition, we are not always clear or together on common courses of action.

Many statements were made that reaffirmed the need to reform the United Nations, restore its credibility and delivery capacity to make the United Nations enhance its relevance and applicability. The reform of the Security Council and the financial crisis besetting the United Nations were particularly stressed.

Many leaders underlined the critical issue of development, stressed the need for the United Nations to be the major forum for development cooperation and elaborated on the need to address the issues of debt, trade, finance and the environment in an integrated manner. A number of leaders of Africa and other developing regions of the world spoke of the need for the international community to support and assist them in their efforts towards economic and social upliftment and subsequent integration into the global economy for fear of even greater marginalization.

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The consideration of specific steps including eliminating nuclear weapons, with the signing of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was a recurring issue. Disarmament in all its aspects, including the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones, a ban on the export of anti-personnel mines and illicit arms trade figured prominently.

The situation in the Middle East and other areas of conflict, such as in the Great Lakes region of Africa, the Balkans and central Asia were major concerns that put at risk fragile accords of peace and continue to threaten present and future lives and opportunities for societies and States. There is a strong protest against "silent armies of the night" which bring chaos, despair and destitution to innocent people.

Transboundary threats involving terrorism, drug trafficking and environmental pollution were raised, coupled with issues relating to human rights, women, children and the role of public information in an age of satellite communication.

The general debate has concluded a day ahead of schedule as a result of our collective determination to improve our method of work and time management. There were only 27 plenary meetings instead of the estimated 30 meetings. According to the Secretariat, there has been a notional savings of some $81,600, with other significant savings in overtime. The lessons we draw from how we have managed our work methods should become an integral part of the work culture of the United Nations on a system-wide basis, committed to both by delegations and the Secretariat. It should be a small but significant signal that we are seriously committed towards enhancing the efficiency of the United Nations and that we are tired of being bashed about by others outside.

Efficiency in our work method is only a part of the tasks ahead. The work in the committees and the plenary and the level and manner of decision- making will determine the quality of our output. Committee and plenary work at the lowest common denominator will have no meaning and fail to impact on real life issues and the real world. I need add that work in the committees and the plenary precedes what we will collectively examine in the working groups, and the United Nations will be judged first by what we do in the committees and the plenary, even if so much interest and focus is being given to the issues of the working groups.

Another 68 days remain before the session adjourns on 17 December, and 272 days before the end of the fifty-first session. This sets the time-frame within which delegations are encouraged to meet some of the challenges that were so eloquently defined by the political leaders who began this fifty-first session. I look forward to the continued commitment and constructive cooperation of all in ensuring that this session is productive by reinvigorating the United Nations.

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