ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS REFORMED SECURITY COUNCIL SHOULD NOT FURTHER DIVIDE COUNTRIES INTO CATEGORIES
Press Release
GA/9310
ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS REFORMED SECURITY COUNCIL SHOULD NOT FURTHER DIVIDE COUNTRIES INTO CATEGORIES
19970925 General Assembly also Hears Statements by Foreign Ministers Of Jamaica, Slovak Republic, Peru, Croatia, Romania and United Arab EmiratesEvery aspect of Security Council reform must be addressed at the same time and in the same context, the Foreign Minister of Italy, Lamberto Dini, told the General Assembly this morning as it continued its general debate. He said the question of the veto power should not be discussed independently of the issue of enlarging the Council. Nor should the reform process further divide countries into categories.
Before determining the Council's size and the names of new members, the criteria governing reform must be defined, he said. Ad hoc approaches would not work and no solution could be adopted without broad consensus. Forcing the issue would deepen divisions and jeopardize the Secretary-General's reform package.
The Prime Minister of Jamaica, Percival James Patterson, said liberalization and globalization did not take into account the genuine interests of small States, as Caribbean banana producers had learned. The recent ruling by the World Trade Organization on the European banana regime had exposed the economies of the smaller States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to ruin, endangering the economic stability of the entire region. It demonstrated the vulnerability of small economies which operated under severe resource constraints.
The United Nations could play a decisive and strategic role in redressing the negative effects of globalization. It should direct and channel international cooperation to correct distortions and inequities in the system, and contribute to the creation of an international economic environment, facilitating economic growth and the benefits of development for all.
Statements were also made by the Foreign Ministers of the Slovak Republic, Peru, Croatia, Romania and the United Arab Emirates.
The Assembly will meet at 3 p.m. today to continue its general debate.
Assembly Work Programme
The General Assembly met this morning to continue its general debate. The scheduled speakers are the Prime Minister of Jamaica; and the Foreign Ministers of the Slovak Republic, Peru, Croatia, Italy, Romania and the United Arab Emirates.
Statements
ZDENKA KRAMPLOVA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, said if the United Nations was to meet the expectations and needs of the new era, it must come through a process of reform. Slovakia supported the Secretary-General's reform proposals in the endeavour to achieve greater unity of purpose, strategic deployment of resources, coherence of effort and flexibility in response.
Financing the Organization was an integral part of its reform, she said. Honouring the legal obligations in the area of payment of assessed contributions should be a basis for any solution, although some countries were in arrears due to their inability to pay. In terms of capacity to pay, Slovakia should remain part of "group C" of Member States, a small group of countries know as "good contributors".
She said the maintenance of international peace and security remained one of the priorities of the United Nations, with peace-keeping operations as a key component. Slovakia supported efforts to build up the United Nations stand-by arrangement system and to establish a rapidly deployable mission headquarters team. Post-conflict peace-building was of crucial importance, although the process lacked integrated coordination. Slovakia welcomed the Secretary-General's decision to entrust the United Nations Department of Political Affairs with the responsibility of defining the objectives, criteria and operational guidelines in that regard, as well as his intention to strengthen the role of the Special Representative in the implementation of peace-building initiatives.
Experience had proven that small- and middle-size States were capable of bearing their share of responsibility to ensure stability and security in world regions, she said. In that respect, Slovakia wished to be considered for a non-permanent seat in the Security Council. It sought support for the increased representation and democracy of that body. Council reform should result in enhancing its legitimacy and representativeness, while maintaining its capability to react promptly. A new geopolitical situation in the global scene should be reflected in a new concept of the Council. However, efforts aimed at its restructuring within a pre-determined timetable might be counterproductive.
General Assembly Plenary - 3 - Press Release GA/9310 11th Meeting (AM) 25 September 1997
In view of the perceived shift towards prioritizing socio-economic problems over issues of arms control and disarmament, disarmament should be again given priority, she said. As a new member of the Conference on Disarmament, Slovakia was convinced of that body's importance. Besides negotiations prohibiting the production of fissile materials for weapons, it was especially important to start negotiations on a global and comprehensive ban of anti-personnel land-mines. Also welcome were the conclusions of the first session of the Preparatory Committee of the Sixth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). In addition, Slovakia was prepared to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) before the end of the year. The entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention was the most significant event in the field of disarmament.
Supporting economic and social progress was one of the basic missions of the United Nations, she said. In that regard, the creation of a new Department of Economic and Social Affairs was welcome. The role of the Economic and Social Council needed to be revised. Reforming its subsidiary bodies by rationalizing their structure, work and functions required a careful approach which respected their autonomy. Steps made so far by the Secretary- General were in the right direction. Although the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly had not produced expected results, it was an important step in global discussions on strengthening the principles of sustainable development. The creation of the Regional Centre of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for Central and Eastern Europe, established in her country's capital this year, was a concrete example of United Nations reform.
The issue of human rights was a matter of highest priority, she said. Consistent implementation of relevant United Nations resolutions in that area was needed. Slovakia supported the ambitious proposals for restructuring the Organization's human rights institutions. In that connection, it was appropriate and necessary to harmonize the activities of the Commission on Human Rights with relevant expert committees. Slovakia supported effective conditions for tripartite cooperation among governments, the United Nations and non-governmental organizations.
PERCIVAL JAMES PATTERSON, Prime Minister of Jamaica, said globalization and liberalization were not removing the barriers between rich and poor. The benefits of increased production and the expansion of global trade had been unevenly spread. Many developing countries were being increasingly marginalized in the process. Expected transfers of resources from increased trade and investment flows had not materialized, while the burden of debt remained a major constraint on development. Unless the imbalance was redressed quickly, the disparities would increase exponentially. There had to be a reversal of the pattern of technology transfers and more liberal access to the markets of developed countries. The United Nations had a decisive and
General Assembly Plenary - 4 - Press Release GA/9310 11th Meeting (AM) 25 September 1997
strategic role to play in the process. It should direct and channel international cooperation to correct distortions and inequities in the system, and contribute to the creation of an international economic environment, facilitating economic growth and the benefits of development for all.
For developing countries, access to larger markets was difficult, due to a variety of protective barriers. Special and historic market arrangements for small producers were now under threat from alliances of powerful governmental and private interests. Developing countries must use the positive elements of modernity, work organization and efficiency, to advance their societies.
He said liberalization and globalization had not taken into account the genuine interests or practical possibilities of small States, as Caribbean producers of bananas had learned. The recent panel ruling by the World Trade Organization in Geneva on the European banana regime had exposed to ruin the economies of the smaller States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), endangering the economic stability of the entire region. It demonstrated the vulnerability of small economies which operated under severe resource constraints and which needed to conserve the natural environment. The CARICOM countries attached special importance to international recognition of the peculiar circumstances and needs of small island developing States, as highlighted in the Barbados Programme of Action, adopted by the United Nations Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States. It was disappointing that little progress had been made to implement the Programme of Action. Special financing arrangements to develop production capabilities, infrastructure and environmental protection programmes were needed.
Small island States suffered other disadvantages, he said. The Caribbean was renowned for its natural beauty, but was also vulnerable to a range of frequent natural disasters. Montserrat's plight was of grave concern to all CARICOM States, he said. On behalf of the Community he acknowledged the categorical commitment by the administering Power, the United Kingdom, for emergency assistance to Montserratians and the sustainable development of their Territory. The costs of reconstruction were immense, he said. The international community should also respond in a humanitarian gesture of solidarity. He appealed to the Assembly to demonstrate support for Montserrat through the adoption of tangible measures to assist in the rebuilding and sustainable development of the island.
The United Nations should be ready to respond promptly to crises as they occurred and defuse tensions and conflict situations through preventative diplomacy, he said. The present time afforded a significant opportunity for creating the framework to fulfil this role and for shaping a rapid response capability.
General Assembly Plenary - 5 - Press Release GA/9310 11th Meeting (AM) 25 September 1997
The conclusion of the CTBT during the fifty-first session of the General Assembly and the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention had enhanced the prospects for real progress towards the goal of general and complete disarmament, he said. But more needed to be done in the areas of arms regulation and disarmament, especially in respect of conventional weapons and the proliferation of small arms. Jamaica welcomed steps to prohibit the use of anti-personnel landmines, and urged Member States to give full support to the Ottawa Process for the conclusion of an international treaty to ban that category of weapons so as to command universal obedience.
Illicit trafficking in drugs posed a serious threat, he said. A transnational network of criminals with considerable resources and influence was particularly threatening to small States such as those in the Caribbean, where the State apparatus was often stretched to deal with their coercive capability. The CARICOM had taken such threats seriously, and had committed significant resources to confront them. Its geographic proximity to the major destination for the consumption of drugs made the Caribbean particularly vulnerable as a transhipment point. Therefore, bilateral and regional cooperation was critical to combatting drug smuggling. An associated problem, the smuggling of arms and weapons of destruction, was a significant factor in spreading a cycle of crime and violence. The CARICOM had pushed for a regional initiative to attack that problem. It looked forward to hemispheric support, particularly in restricting illegal exports from the main areas of manufacturing and sale of small arms.
The reshaping of the United Nations had to take into account new and complex international realities, he said. The reform of the Security Council, in terms of composition and mode of operation, was important. Jamaica supported an expansion of membership which would make it more representative of the international community. It advocated the adoption of procedures which would make it more democratic and transparent in decision-making. The process should not be mired in endless debate, as there was sufficient consensus on proposals to form the basis for decisions soon. A more efficient management and more scope for effective initiative by the Secretary-General and his officials was essential.
Jamaica had no quarrel with reform to streamline and rationalize the system. However, reform was not synonymous with cost-cutting. Jamaica wished to see a process that strengthened the capacity of the Organization to deliver the services required by Member States. Above all, for small developing nations it was important that the Organization continued to play a leadership role in defining global development priorities.
EDUARDO FERRERO COSTA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Peru, said further postponement of Security Council reform could affect the prestige and authority of the Organization at a time when it was essential to strengthen it
General Assembly Plenary - 6 - Press Release GA/9310 11th Meeting (AM) 25 September 1997
as the supreme world forum for dialogue, understanding and cooperation. It was necessary to make the Security Council representative. This would enhance its legitimacy, secure equitable geographical representation by its expansion, give greater transparency and move towards abolition of the veto. Peru supported increasing both categories of members in a legitimate agreement that did not discriminate against developing countries.
The problem of internally displaced persons had taken on dramatic dimensions, he said. Numbers had increased five-fold during 1984-1994. The Assembly should address the question of institutional responsibility for the internally displaced.
The financial situation of the Organization was of concern, he continued. Contributions to the regular budget were a legal obligation that should be discharged in full and on time. The principle of capacity to pay, however, should remain the fundamental criterion.
Peru, he continued, had participated actively in the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty negotiating process, signing it on the day it was opened for signature. It was also gratified at the result of the Oslo Conference in the context of the Ottawa Process to prohibit the production, transfer and use of anti- personnel landmines. Peru had participated as a full member and was preparing to sign the first global agreement in December. The Rio Group had also undertaken to make the Latin American region the first in the world to be free of such devices.
The campaign to reduce poverty in Peru had taken a comprehensive approach, he said. It was pursuing consistent sectoral policies financed by 40 per cent of its national budget in areas such as health, housing, education, population and justice. Concrete results had also been achieved in the area of drug trafficking, terrorism, and corruption and Peru hoped for a substantial increase in international cooperation to help step up its anti- drug policy. He pointed out that the recent Anti-Corruption Conference in Lima had produced a declaration which is to focus on identifying specific problem areas, with the knowledge of public opinion and participation by civil society.
There was a lack of progress in the area of environment and development, he observed. Five years after Agenda 21 was adopted in Rio de Janeiro by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), the lack of progress and erosion of political commitment was discouraging. The General Assembly should establish a global programme of integrated cooperation for the "El Nino" phenomenon. That would assist countries to prevent its effects and mitigate .
General Assembly Plenary - 7 - Press Release GA/9310 11th Meeting (AM) 25 September 1997
MATE GRANIC, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Croatia, said a peace operation could be successful only if its mandate was clearly defined, in terms of its goal as well as its time framework, actively and fully supported by the Security Council and the Secretary-General, and spearheaded by an uncompromising leadership explicitly determined to use all means required for the completion of its mission.
This knowledge had been gained at a high political, material and human price. Hopefully, it would be wisely used in the future.
A more efficient, economical and rational Secretariat was at the top of the United Nations list of priorities, he said. But equally important was the reform of other segments of the United Nations system, above all, the Security Council. The existing structure and methods of decision-making of the Council were obsolete in the present world of growing democracy, transparency and interdependence. Some progress had been noticeable recently in terms of a greater transparency of the work of the Council, but it was still far from the desired reforms.
Considering the new geopolitical realities, half-a-century-old stereotypes ought to be phased out. Permanent member status for Germany and Japan should be granted, with the right to permanent membership kept in mind for those parts of the world, primarily Africa, which for more than 50 years, without any justified reason, had been left deprived of permanent Council representatives. One seat on the Council should also be allocated to the East European group.
Croatia's interests in the global landmine problem was motivated by personal affliction. Millions of mines laid in the formerly occupied territories of Croatia during the war continued to pose a direct threat, especially to the most vulnerable -- the civilians. It was also a great impediment to the reconstruction of war-affected areas.
He said that sustainable growth was an imperative to satisfy present human needs without jeopardizing the resource base for future generations. The Economic and Social Council was the most appropriate framework for the overall coordination of the implementation of States' obligations in the economic, social and environmental fields.
Cultural and societal differences needed to be considered, in regard to the protection of human rights. However, such factors should not serve as an excuse for the failure to respect internationally recognized human rights. There was also a need for more objective criteria in evaluating human rights situations in the countries being monitored.
General Assembly Plenary - 8 - Press Release GA/9310 11th Meeting (AM) 25 September 1997
He said Croatia's own human rights situation should be evaluated in the context of the exceptional circumstances of its recent history. Despite the trying circumstances of its inception, Croatia had managed to build the foundations of a democratic society based on respect for human rights. Next month Croatia would ratify the European Convention on Human Rights. There were, of course, many outstanding issues, largely stemming from the war of aggression waged against Croatia. These included the return of displaced persons and refugees; identification of the missing; the rights of ethnic Croats in neighbouring States, as well as the return of all Croatian Serbs who left Croatia under the instigation and orders of their leaders and who wished to return to Croatia. Croatia intended to continue to deal with all of these issues in keeping with its international human rights obligations as well as its legitimate concerns for the security of the State and the safety and welfare of all its citizens.
As a victim of aggressions, Croatia advocated the need to set up an international tribunal for the prosecution of war crimes committed in Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatia had been cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia since its foundation. Croatia's principle position was to cooperate with the Tribunal within its obligations, as defined in international law and relevant resolutions, as well as the Statute of the Tribunal passed by the Security Council.
The charges raised and the ethnic composition of the persons who had been indicted and tried in The Hague did not reflect the nature and extent of the war crimes committed. On the other hand, by issuing subpoenas to States and their high officials, the Tribunal had acted beyond its own Statute and international law. The Tribunal's failure to fairly reflect the degree of responsibility for committed war crimes, and the fact that it had acted beyond its own powers, could have harmful effects upon the future development of international law.
Current peace operations upon the territory of Croatia, the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) and the United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP), had been successful. The two-year UNTAES mandate expired on 15 January 1998, and there are no reasons whatsoever for any prolongation of the mandate beyond that date. This mission would go down in history as one of the most successful United Nations peacekeeping operations.
LAMBERTO DINI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Italy, said at the opening of the last Assembly, there was a unanimous consensus on the need for a far-reaching reform of the United Nations system. Since then, progress had been made on some of Italy's proposals to make the United Nations peacekeeping operations more effective. Procedures for periodic meetings between the
General Assembly Plenary - 9 - Press Release GA/9310 11th Meeting (AM) 25 September 1997
Security Council and troop-contributing countries had been consolidated. Italy recently became the sixth country to formalize its participation in stand-by arrangements for United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Last March, the Council -- with full support of the Secretary-General -- had acted promptly, authorizing a coalition, led by Italy, to form a Multinational Protection Force to Albania. "Operation Alba" enabled the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance, created a secure environment for the missions of international organizations, and made democratic elections possible. It had helped put the country back on its feet.
One of the keys to its success, he went on, was an innovative approach to peacekeeping, involving rapid planning and deployment of the Force, and close coordination among the participating countries and the host country, under the constant monitoring of the United Nations. The next step was to rehabilitate Albania's state institutions and economy. The Italian Government will convene in Rome a Ministerial conference in October, with the participation of all the relevant international organizations, to assess needs and decide on a common course of action.
For over half a century, he said, the United Nations had been seeking to establish a permanent international criminal court to prosecute and punish genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, wherever and by whomever they were committed. Italy was prepared to host in Rome the diplomatic conference to adopt the statute for the international criminal court.
A Second major challenge was arms control, he said. New standards of security could only be produced through international cooperation, under the leadership of the United Nations. Italy had some of the world's strictest and most advanced legislation on the export of arms. In June, the Italian Government had unilaterally decided to renounce the production, export, stockpiling and use of anti-personnel landmines. But the full value of that commitment could only be realized if it was shared by all countries, whether or not they were parties to the "Ottawa process". The recent Oslo Conference had made remarkable accomplishments, but they were not yet universal. To achieve that goal, efforts should be complemented by the continuing involvement of the Conference on Disarmament.
One important goal of the Secretary-General's reform plan was to energize the strategic direction provided by the Assembly, he said. The agenda needed to be streamlined and priorities for consideration in the short- and mid-term identified. Since the time available for plenary debates was limited, matters of general interest should be the focus.
General Assembly Plenary - 10 - Press Release GA/9310 11th Meeting (AM) 25 September 1997
To function properly, the Organization had to be able to rely on adequate resources. Assessed contributions must be paid in full, on time and without conditions by Member States. Italy had always complied with that fundamental rule. Nevertheless, the time had come to agree on a realistic new scale of assessments, based on Member States' capacity to pay, and making the Organization less dependent on the contributions of a single country. However, there could be absolutely no link between Members' contributions and Security Council reform, lest the impression be created that permanent seats were up for sale.
He said there was broad agreement that reform was needed to bring the Council more in line with the new realities of the world. Reform must be inspired by the principles of democracy, equitable geographic representation, and transparency. The international community must guard against those advocating a system that would divide Member States into first-class countries whose five current permanent members retained the veto power; second-class countries of new permanent members from industrialized nations, without veto power; third-class countries of "pseudo-permanent" rotating members, without veto power, from developing nations in different regions. "Fourth-class" countries, the overwhelming majority of United Nations Member States, would have fewer chances than ever of serving on the Council. Such stratification of membership would defy the fundamental principles of logic and democracy and marginalize some of the countries most active in the Organization. Such a problem would not be generated by the Italian proposal, which called for an increase only in non-permanent members, to be democratically elected by the General Assembly.
The question of the veto should not be discussed independently of enlarging the Council. Every aspect of Council reform should be addressed at the same time and in the same context. Before determining the future size of the Council and the names of new members, the criteria that should govern the reform must be defined. Ad hoc approaches would not work, and no solution could be adopted without a broad consensus. Forcing the issue would deepen divisions and jeopardize the larger and more urgent question before the General Assembly: approving the Secretary-General's reform package. In a longer-term perspective, a recent fact-finding inquiry conducted by the Italian Parliament envisaged a permanent seat on the Council for the European Union, as a natural evolution of its common foreign and security policy.
ADRIAN SEVERIN, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania, agreed with the position of the European Union that reform should not be a cost-cutting exercise, but rather a strengthening of the role of the Organization as an active and efficient world forum. At the same time, the "dividends of reform" should be reallocated to development activities.
General Assembly Plenary - 11 - Press Release GA/9310 11th Meeting (AM) 25 September 1997
He said that a new political philosophy, the philosophy of partnership, promoted in the last 50 years by European and Euro-Atlantic structures, had achieved positive results in the area of stability and cooperation on the continent. Romania's participation in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Angola and in the stabilization efforts in Albania, as well as in Bosnia and Herzegovina under the coordination of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), were testimonies of its willingness to support stabilization, and revealed its ongoing passage from totalitarianism to democracy. Romania was now qualified to play a more clear and active role in defining and designing the common projects of security and progress in the region and in the world, including within the United Nations and its specialized agencies.
Specific steps by the United Nations system and the international community were required to eradicate poverty, a causes of crises and conflicts, he said. With regard to strengthening the rule of law institutions, a "civilian rapid reaction force" should be created alongside the peacekeeping rapid reaction force to support the establishment of institutions capable of maintaining State order and coherence in a free society.
He said that the United Nations should strive to dismantle the global infrastructures of terrorism by giving up rhetoric and spectacular gestures in favour of direct negotiations between the interested parties. In that regard, Romania supported recent initiatives by the United States and others to unlock the peace process in the region of the Middle East. Also welcome were the direct negotiations, under the aegis of the United Nations, between the two Cyprus communities.
In the field of arms control and disarmament, the United Nations should bypass the remnants of bloc mentalities in favour of solutions capable of ensuring global security, he said. Romania paid special attention to issues of nuclear non-proliferation, such as the negotiation of a treaty to ban the production of fissile materials for weapons. It also hailed the entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention, the United Nations Register of conventional weapons, as well as the processes aimed at banning anti-personnel land-mines.
He said that conceptual reconsideration of the development process was required and the establishment of a "social solidarity fund" should be considered. Its resources could be used for humanitarian actions and for integrating the unemployed and marginalized person into productive activities. Development assistance required a new and increased mobilization by the international community. Enhanced coherence of the country programmes undertaken by United Nations bodies were favoured, as well as more efficient utilization of development resources.
General Assembly Plenary - 12 - Press Release GA/9310 11th Meeting (AM) 25 September 1997
Among other items supported by Romania, he said, were measures aimed at strengthening the Organization's capacity to ensure control over international drug trafficking and the fight against corruption and organized crime; measures envisaged by the Secretary-General to strengthen the Office of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights; and efforts to improve the Organization's financial situation. In that regard, Romania attached great importance to feasible solutions to the future payments of arrears and a new scale of budget assessments based on a country's capacity to pay.
RASHID ABDULLAH AL-NOAIMI, Foreign Minister for the United Arab Emirates, said the reforms must reflect the aspirations of all countries, particularly developing countries, in order to achieve sustainable development and to promote peace, security, stability and growth.
The Security Council needed to be enlarged and restructured and its rules of procedure improved. This would ensure equitable geographical representation, equality among States, transparency, objectivity in resolutions, follow-up of implementation and prevention of double standards that were dangerous to peace and security.
The United Arab Emirates and States of the region attached great importance to Iran's occupation of the three United Arab Emirates islands -- Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Mousa. It was a major source of tension and instability, since the Iranian Government had persisted in changing the historic, legal and demographic character of the islands. Iran needed to fulfil its legal and political obligations and eliminate what it had implemented in the three islands in order to demonstrate its good intentions and the credibility of its policies.
The sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Iraq should be respected and the suffering of its people considered within the framework of the implementation of Security Council resolution 986. The Iraqi Government needed to carry out its full legal obligations especially those Security Council resolutions dealing with the release of all prisoners of war and detainees who were citizens of Kuwait and other countries, and the restitution of Kuwaiti property.
The peace process in the Middle East was at a dangerous point as a result of the policies pursued by the Israeli Government, which had reneged on most of its obligations regarding the peace process and the principle of land for peace inherent in Security Council resolutions 242 and 338. The United Arab Emirates condemned all such irresponsible Israeli policies and reiterated the importance of continuing the peace process as the only alternative for the stability and security of that region.
General Assembly Plenary - 13 - Press Release GA/9310 11th Meeting (AM) 25 September 1997
The United Arab Emirates welcomed the efforts of the United States' Secretary of State during her recent tour of the Middle East. It was hoped that she would continue her endeavours to ensure that the Palestinian-Israeli accords were implemented and that negotiations on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks were resumed on the basis of the principle of land for peace and the inadmissibility of unilateral actions that would only prejudice the final phase of the negotiations. The United Arab Emirates also commended the efforts of member States of the European Union to persuade the Israeli Government to reverse its position and abide by all its commitments.
The Middle East and Arab Gulf should be a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, he said. Israel needed to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and adhere to the control and safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Tensions and ethnic and racial bias still persisted among factions of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina because of certain Bosnian Serb policies that were in contradiction with the Dayton Accords, he said. It was imperative that more effective international and regional efforts be made to find peaceful and objective solutions to that conflict as well as conflicts such as those in Afghanistan, Somalia and the Great Lakes region.
The United Arab Emirates announced that it would be hosting a conference on "The Role of the Private Sector in Supporting the United Nations" in the Emirate of Dubai in mid-October. This was in line with the Government's policies to hold a series of multifaceted regional and international conferences.
* *** *