SECURITY COUNCIL'S SELECTIVE RESPONSE TO CONFLICT UNDERMINES COLLECTIVE SECURITY, GHANA'S PRESIDENT TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

22 September 1998

Press Release
GA/9447

SECURITY COUNCIL'S SELECTIVE RESPONSE TO CONFLICT UNDERMINES COLLECTIVE SECURITY, GHANA'S PRESIDENT TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

19980922 Crises in Rwanda, Liberia, Sierra Leone Examples of Failure to Act; President of Burundi Calls for End to Sanctions Regime Imposed in July 1996

Where was the prompt and effective action of the Security Council when Rwanda was on fire, when Liberia was in turmoil and when the people of Sierra Leone agonized under the yoke of a brutal dictatorship? the President of Ghana asked this morning, as the General Assembly continued its general debate.

President Jerry John Rawlings said that although conflicts within States threatened regional and State security, the tardiness and selectivity of the international community's response to those conflicts had been rather disturbing. That reaction had undermined the concept of collective security as enshrined in the United Nations Charter, which had not only conferred "primary responsibility" on the Council for the maintenance of international peace and security, but had also called for its "prompt and effective" action when a breach occurred. Faced with the Council's selectivity, Africa had to use its meagre resources and subregional efforts to contain internal strife.

Another African President, Pierre Buyoya of Burundi, told the Assembly that the economic sanctions imposed on his country by neighbouring States in July 1996 had destroyed the economic and social fabric of his country and had jeopardized its stability. Moreover, those sanctions were eroding the trust between the mediating parties and the parties to the conflict. The security situation in Burundi was no worse than in other countries of the Great Lakes region and, as such, it deserved the same treatment as others. The sanctions must be lifted today, for tomorrow might be too late, he said.

Addressing the global economic situation, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria and President of the Council of the European Union, Wolfgang Schussel, speaking on behalf of the Union, said it was imperative that both industrial and developing countries elaborate a common strategy for a framework of international financial cooperation. Long-term forward-looking policies were required, as well as investment in sustainable growth and solidarity. Today's financial turmoil must address the political, financial

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and economic aspects of the crisis. The European model of a social market economy deserved serious consideration in such a turbulent and complex age.

On the same issue, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Igor Ivanov, said that ensuring global economic stability and overcoming the current upheaval in the world financial markets required joint efforts, rather than the pursuit of unilateral advantage. Interaction among States, including interaction within the United Nations system, should be elevated to a new level.

Statements were also made by the Foreign Ministers of Germany, Bangladesh and Peru, as well as the representative of Australia.

The Assembly will meet again at 3 p.m. today.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to continue its general debate. It was scheduled to hear addresses from the President of Burundi, Pierre Buyoya, and the President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings. It was also scheduled to hear statements from the representatives of Austria, Germany, Russian Federation, Australia, Bangladesh and Peru.

Statements

PIERRE BUYOYA, President of Burundi, said that, in August 1996, radical change in the governmental and political situation in his country had become explosive. Burundians were dying daily and the threat of genocide and widespread chaos posed a real danger. The United Nations had followed the evolution of that crisis, which had disrupted the country for many years. Thus, the restoration of security and the onset of a peace process were Burundi's basic concerns.

Despite some acts of terrorism, security had now been fully restored in Burundi, he continued. The threat of genocide today was "no more". The peace process, initiated two years ago, was proceeding in a satisfactory manner. That peace project was based on the realization that, despite the ethnic-based violence that had brought such tragedy to the country for the last three decades, the underlying cause of the crisis was essentially political. Efforts, therefore, focused on seeking a political solution. Indeed, the dynamic nature of the peace process had led to a political partnership comprised of the Government, the majority of political parties and representatives of civil society -- from which a provisional constitution had emerged.

He said it was within that framework that a negotiated Government was now in place and had been functioning for some three months. Moreover, that Government was resolved to continue consolidation of that partnership within Burundi. The existence of that partnership at the domestic level had made possible global negotiations involving Burundians abroad. Indeed, those negotiations were proceeding in a satisfactory manner to all the participants, and the Government of Burundi was resolved to do its utmost to ensure the success of the negotiations.

Although the peace process was now satisfactorily under way, there were still obstacles along the path to lasting peace, he said. For example, the economic sanctions, imposed on his country in July 1996, affected the most vulnerable sectors of society, destroyed the economic and social fabric and jeopardized the country's stability. Since their imposition, school attendance had dropped from 70 per cent to 43 per cent, the vaccination rate had dropped from 80 per cent to 40 per cent and the incidence of malnutrition under the age of five was at 43 per cent. The embargo was now enriching a few individuals and impoverishing millions of others. Moreover, it was eroding

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trust between the mediating parties and the parties to the conflict. As such, those sanctions must be lifted today, for tomorrow might be too late.

He said the continuing violence from some armed factions in neighbouring countries was another obstacle to peace. As such, he urged the cessation of hostilities. As a landlocked country suffering from the effects of economic sanctions, Burundi required international solidarity and an increase in humanitarian aid. The security situation in Burundi was no worse than in other countries of the Great Lakes region and, as such, it simply sought the same treatment as others. At a time of globalization, a sustained effort must be made by the international community to promote balance in all parts of the world. Africa deserved special attention, for it was still fragile and being crushed under the weight of debt.

JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS, President of Ghana, said that women's rights must be at the centre of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and "we should remain focused on their worldwide promotion and protection". On the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration, 12 million children under five years of age died every year from preventable diseases, 200 million under the age of five years were undernourished, 110 million were denied basic education, 800 million people had no access to basic health services, and 1.3 billion human beings lived in abject poverty.

That state of affairs persisted because of the inequitable international economic system which discriminated against the developing world, particularly Africa, he continued. Many of that continent's countries continued to suffer from a heavy debt burden and crippling debt servicing obligations, which diverted resources away from development, prevented the provision of adequate social services to populations in basic areas such as education and health, and reduced the capacity to compete in the global market.

It had been clear for some time that sustainable development across the globe could not be achieved without a measure of fairness in the economic relations between the North and South, he said. Yet, because of short-term considerations of profit, the countries benefiting from the unjust economic order chose to ignore the serious impact of that situation on living standards in most parts of the world, as well as in limiting world economic growth. He noted that "instead, we received sermons on the truths, realities and moralities of life and countries and peoples were victimized if they were shown not to have lived up to expectations".

Conflicts within States posed a threat to the security of many States and regions, he continued. The tardiness and selectivity of the international community in dealing with some conflict situations had been rather disturbing, as it had undermined the concept of collective security enshrined in the United Nations Charter. That Charter not only conferred "primary responsibility" for the maintenance of international peace and security on the Security Council, but also called for "prompt and effective" action when a

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breach occurred. Where was the prompt and effective action when Rwanda was on fire, when Liberia was in turmoil and when the people of Sierra Leone agonized under the yoke of a brutal dictatorship? he asked. In the face of the Council's selectivity, Africa had to use its own meagre resources in responding to internal strife.

He said the international situation continued to be poisoned by unilateral acts of economic, commercial and financial sanctions, which in some cases even had extra-territorial consequences. Such actions had undermined the positive socio-economic gains made by Cuba. The world stood to gain from a peaceful solution to the differences between the United States and that country. He expressed equal concern over the imposition of sanctions by the Security Council against Libya and also called on that body and the Secretary-General to continue their efforts in Western Sahara.

He said Ghana had remained true to its commitments to contribute to the promotion of international peace and security, the principle raison d'être of the Organization, and was listed as the fourth largest troop contributor to United Nations peacekeeping, with personnel serving in eight missions in Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Once again, his country had the unpleasant task of joining others to express concern at the financial situation that persisted in the Organization. That situation was characterized by very low cash and huge arrears. The persistence of such placed the Organization in jeopardy at the time of reform. Support of the United Nations must be demonstrated, not in pious proclamations, but in the willingness of all Member States to met their Charter obligations.

WOLFGANG SCHUSSEL, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria and President of the Council of the European Union, speaking on behalf of the Union, said today's turmoil in the financial markets could only be dealt with at a global level. It was imperative that industrial and developing countries elaborate a common strategy in a framework of international financial cooperation, and formulate standards and rules for financial transactions. Now leadership was needed. Long-term, forward-looking policies were required and an investment in sustainable growth and solidarity was necessary.

The European model of market economy had served well to harness the forces of globalization, he said. Respecting the interests and wishes of the people, showing solidarity for the poor and disadvantaged, promoting social partnership between employers and employees, and combating unemployment by creating jobs were intrinsic elements of a social market economy. The Union believed the European model of a social market economy deserved serious consideration in such a turbulent and complex age.

He said Europe's answer to the challenges of globalization were two millennium projects, which would shape the face of the continent: the introduction of the Euro; and the enlargement of the Union. The single currency would improve the functioning of the internal market, help secure

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employment and provide incentives for the market-oriented structural reforms needed to safeguard Europe's competitiveness. Its creation had the potential to stabilize the international economic environment and to promote international trade. As for enlargement of the Union, he said the Union was convinced that the integration of its neighbours was the best way to safeguard lasting political stability and economic progress in Europe. He assured the United Nations that an enlarged Union, with a strong common currency, would be a reliable and strong partner for the Organization and the world.

A subject to which he attached the highest priority was the protection of the most vulnerable group in societies, children, he continued. A global coalition had to be forged to fight the abuse of children, particularly sexual exploitation, the despicable phenomenon of child soldiers and child labour. The Union supported the International Labour Organization (ILO) draft convention on child labour. The involvement of children in armed conflict and its disastrous consequences required attention and action by the international community. He called on all States and parties to conflicts to respect existing standards, to stop the use of children as combatants and to fully support the work of the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflicts, Olara Otunnu.

The Union put special emphasis on combating child prostitution and child pornography, he said. That included the spread of child pornography on the Internet. Now, more than ever, the prohibition of the production, dissemination and possession of child pornography in all its forms -- print, video, audio and electronic media -- was needed. Only a worldwide ban on child pornography would be effective. In that context, he hoped that the optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography would be finalized in the near future. Legislative action at the international and national levels had to be complemented by improved cooperation among national and international law enforcement and judicial authorities.

Respect for and promotion of human rights had become a crucial component of Union policies, he said. They played a significant role in contractual relations with third countries, in development cooperation and in the common foreign and security policy. The Union, in commemorating the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December in Vienna, would send a strong signal to further strengthen the United Nations human rights programme, particularly the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Union welcomed the progress made on the draft optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and on the draft protocol to the Convention against Torture and hoped that those working groups could complete their work next year.

The Union was deeply committed to the primary role of the United Nations in maintenance of international peace and security, he continued. That strong support was reflected in the number of troops, policemen and other personnel

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from the Union serving in United Nations peacekeeping operations. The financial contribution of the Union represented almost 40 per cent of the United Nations peacekeeping budget. The Union was also gravely concerned about the increasing security threat to United Nations personnel in the field.

He said the Union attached great importance to progress in the areas of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation as a key element in the maintenance of peace and security. In that regard, the Union was deeply concerned about the grave threat to international peace and security posed by the nuclear tests carried out by India and Pakistan in May. He called on both countries to adhere to international non-proliferation regimes, in particular to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) as it stood. Also, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) remained the cornerstone of the global non-proliferation regime and the essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament.

The Union reaffirmed its commitment to the goal of totally eliminating anti-personnel landmines worldwide and welcomed the opening for signature of the Convention on the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti- Personnel Mines and Their Destruction, he said. The Union, being the major donor to anti-mine activities, was contributing significantly to solving the problems caused by those weapons. A serious challenge to the international community was raised by the combination of internal conflicts with the proliferation of small arms. The Union had adopted a code of conduct on arms exports and was also engaged in the implementation of a programme for preventing and combating illicit trafficking in conventional arms.

The fight against illicit drugs was a major priority of the Union, he said. The Union welcomed the balanced, integrated and gender-sensitive anti-drug strategy adopted by the General Assembly's Special Session on the World Drug Problem. Further, the Union fully endorsed the outcome of the Rome conference for the establishment of an International Criminal Court and its Statute. The General Assembly must adopt appropriate decisions to make the Court a reality.

As in the past, the Union has described its relations with third countries and its positions on areas of conflict throughout the world in a memorandum that was circulated as an integral part of the current address, he said. The issues highlighted included: the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia/Kosovo; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Albania; Cyprus; the Middle East; Africa; the Great Lakes Region; Afghanistan; Cambodia; East Timor and Burma/Myanmar.

Regarding Kosovo, he continued, without a cessation of the ongoing Serb offensive, an end to further bloodshed and a significant improvement of the humanitarian situation, a meaningful dialogue could not be started there. The Union also remained committed to the implementation of the Dayton Accords, to political and economic stabilization, the return of refugees and the

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strengthening of civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Regarding Albania, the Union was seriously concerned at the recent outbreak of violence following the assassination of a leading politician, and called on all Albanian political parties to adopt a constructive attitude to solving the crisis by peaceful means through political consultations. Also, the Union once again stressed that the current status quo in Cyprus was not acceptable and reaffirmed its strong support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Special Representative aimed at a negotiated and lasting solution to the Cyprus question.

The Union was committed to finding solutions to the United Nations financial crisis, he said. Continuing high levels of unpaid assessments were undermining the financial stability and liquidity of the Organization, which placed a heavy and unfair burden on troop-contributing countries. Union member States had consistently honoured their financial obligations towards the United Nations. A sound financial basis required that all Member States fulfil their Charter obligations and the United States could not be exempt from such obligation. As a permanent member of the Security Council, it had a special responsibility to the Organization.

KLAUS KINKEL, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, said it had become increasingly clear that the human race had never been so bound up together in their common destiny, united by common challenges. No State, whether super-Power or small island, could master the global challenges alone. And none could escape them, least of all the suffering people -- the homeless in Bangladesh, the drug addict in Europe, the victim of civil war in Africa.

Noting that 51 of the world's 100 largest entities were now companies and only 49 of them States, he said the time had come for new alliances for peace, freedom and prosperity throughout the world. "The age of globalization is the age of the United Nations... Only here can we find joint solutions to the global challenges of today and tomorrow", he said. Recent experience had taught that the burden of the United Nations should be eased rather than added to. That was a task especially for regional organizations, such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). If they succeeded in settling conflicts locally, the Security Council would not need to deal with them.

Together with the Russian Federation, the Ukraine and other Commonwealth of Independent States members, Germany was developing a comprehensive security partnership. "True, the Russians are having a rough time at present, but the world needs a democratic and stable Russia which will play the role commensurate with its size, its status and its potential... The crisis in Russia affects us all. We won't abandon Russia. It can count on us", he told the Assembly.

A humanitarian disaster was looming in Kosovo, he said. Most of the responsibility for the drama lay with Belgrade, with President Milosevic. The

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international community will react with military force if necessary, he said. Also, the peace process in Bosnia must continue to be buttressed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the multinational Stabilization Force (SFOR). Germany had the second largest number of refugees in the world. There were 150,000 refugees from Kosovo alone. Stating that a global refugee policy was needed, he said that striking at the root of mass flight and migration also meant eliminating the economic, ecological and social causes.

On other topics, he said drying up the sources of terrorism -- poverty, ethnic conflict and fundamentalism -- was a common responsibility. "But to fight terrorism is not to fight Islam... Nothing could be further from the truth than the cliché that Islam equates with fundamentalism and violation of human rights", he said, adding that Germany wanted a dialogue of cultures and religions, especially with Islam.

He proposed setting up a contact point to coordinate worldwide efforts to eradicate sexual abuse of children. He also said that Germany intended to stay in the vanguard of the international campaign to protect the environment, and he emphasized the need to establish effective global early warning systems and develop emergency management arrangements.

IGOR IVANOV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, said the worsening of the world monetary and financial crisis showed the wisdom of the popular Russian saying that "to be part of the world, you needed to live in peace". In order to ensure global economic stability, the current upheaval in the world financial markets could be overcome only through joint efforts, without the pursuit of unilateral advantages. Cooperation between States, including within the framework of the United Nations, should be elevated to a new level.

Having overcome an acute political crisis, the Russian Federation President Boris Yeltsin, the Government and the leading political forces of the country were making vigorous efforts to stabilize the economic and financial situations. Russia would not deviate from the path of reform. It would do its best to pass the highly critical test it was undergoing in order to preserve the accumulated democratic gains and to score new ones. Russia's foreign policy would also be consistent and constructive.

The international community had developed a unique arsenal of political and diplomatic tools intended for resolution of every international problem, he continued. The settlement of the Iraqi crisis which had erupted earlier this year by political means, the joint efforts of many States and the participation of the Secretary-General, showed that constructive and active diplomacy was more efficient than reliance on military force alone. Concerted action on the part of the world community was required to unblock the crisis situation in Iraq.

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Political logic must prevail in Kosovo and Afghanistan, he said. Collective political efforts were required to give a "second breath" to the Middle East peace process. Russia had consistently advocated the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, through political means and negotiations.

Speaking about nuclear non-proliferation and reduction of nuclear weapons arsenals, he said that the new head of the Russian Government, Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, would seek the early ratification by the Duma of the 1993 Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START II). Likewise, it was important for the United States to ratify all the documents relating to that Treaty. Serious consideration should be given to President Yeltsin's proposal, which called on the nuclear Powers to deploy nuclear weapons exclusively within the boundaries of their national territories. Strong action was also required to prevent nuclear terrorism. His country had submitted a draft convention to combat acts of nuclear terrorism, and he hoped that it would be adopted at the current session of the General Assembly.

While supporting United Nations reform, he noted a dangerous tendency to "adapt" the United Nations to meet individual requirements. He also cautioned against attempts to undercut the powers of the Security Council articulated by the Charter. "We must not allow creation of a precedent involving the use of military potential in a crisis situation without the consent of the Security Council", he said. Also, the use of United Nations sanctions as an instrument of international coercion required a highly balanced approach. They should not become a tool to fight a regime one disliked. Neither should they destabilize the economic situation in a country.

PENNY WENSLEY (Australia) said recent events in the field of non-proliferation and disarmament had brought the United Nations to a crossroads in its attempt to steer the world away from the threat of weapons of mass destruction. More work needed to be done, as it was vitally important to maintain broad-based political commitment to the norms and institutions on arms control and disarmament.

Although the balance sheet on constructing a global security architecture was impressive, she warned against serious challenges to the non-proliferation and disarmament regimes from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iraq, as well as the recent nuclear testing conducted by India and Pakistan. Unresolved regional tensions in South Asia and the Middle East continued to thwart universal membership of the NPT. It was vitally important that the international community ensure that such events were no more than temporary deviations from accepted norms.

International non-proliferation and disarmament regimes could not be taken for granted, she said. Existing regimes required continual care, maintenance and vigilance to ensure their effectiveness. The international

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community must press ahead with the implementation and verification provisions of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (CCW), the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons. Regional institutions that worked to support international arms control and disarmament should also be supported. Australia, in collaboration with other countries, would convene an informal meeting of Foreign Ministers tomorrow in New York, to work towards an effective protocol to strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention. Also, commencement of negotiations for a fissile material cut-off treaty was a logical follow-up to the CTBT, and she urged the Assembly to lend unequivocal support.

Addressing the United Nation's reform process, she said she supported the Secretary-General's reform package, adding that it was now important to ensure that what had been agreed upon was effectively implemented. The next phase of reform must entail a thorough review of United Nations priorities. Another element in the reform debate should be the reconfiguration of the electoral group system. Substantial disparities in the size of various groups and inadequate level of representation of many sub-regions warranted a change. She also expressed concern that the debate on Security Council reform had stalled, noting that a remodelled Council that was more representative, transparent and suited to the new millennium was necessary.

ABDUS SAMAD AZAD, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, said that unprecedented floods had affected some two thirds of his country's land and impacted nearly 31 million people, leaving more than 20 million homeless. It was disturbing to learn from the Human Development Report 1998 that global warming could permanently flood large areas and destroy harvests, potentially devastating poor countries like Bangladesh. Such a potential for disaster could only be addressed through concerted international action that accorded that issue the highest priority.

He said his Government was also focusing on the issue of human rights. It sought to inform people at the grass-roots level of their basic rights, and to provide them with a system of justice that was both accessible and affordable. While much remained to be done, a good beginning was under way; it included setting up an independent national human rights commission. Social development remained the main focus of his country's development strategy. Thus, education, health care, employment generation and women's empowerment continued to receive priority attention.

The globalization process, which provided both challenges and opportunities, had also resulted in economic shocks that were too powerful for the vulnerable economies to absorb, he continued. A global economy should leave no one behind. The processes of globalization and liberalization should meet our development needs. In that regard, an agenda should be formulated that promoted equity and benefit for all. An integral component of the

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process was the unfettered movement of the factors of production, including capital and labour. Thus, the migration of labour should be encouraged. Further, the decline of official development assistance (ODA) must be halted and reversed.

He said that the world had been free from large-scale regional conflict over the past year, yet, a global and meaningful peace remained a distant goal. Of particular concern was the need for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Although the principle of land for peace had been accepted by all, the hopes and aspirations of the Palestinian people continued to be frustrated. New settlements, the expansion of the Jerusalem municipal area, and the large scale internment of Palestinians without a fair trial could not promote peace. Every moral pressure should be brought to bear upon the Israeli authorities to enable the peace process to progress to its logical culmination.

In addition, the cause of the suffering in many African countries, particularly in the Great Lakes region, needed to be addressed more comprehensively, he said. Also, on that list was the plight of the people of Kosovo, which was a stark reminder of the not-so-distant memories of Bosnia. Moreover, the peace initiatives in Afghanistan had yet to make any headway. Indeed, the Afghanistan problem could only be resolved by the Afghan people, without outside interference. In each of those cases, the United Nations had a significant role to play as a peace-builder.

Some noteworthy progress had been made in the area of arms control and disarmament, he said. The landmines Convention would soon enter into force. Also welcome was the decision of the Conference on Disarmament to establish committees on security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States, and on a ban of fissile material for nuclear weapons. For Bangladesh, the pursuit of general and complete disarmament was a constitutional commitment. As such, his Government would support any step aimed at fulfilling that objective. The nuclear tests in South Asia had been the subject of much debate and concern. In the light of his country's commitment to the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world, the announcement of a moratorium on further nuclear testing was welcome.

EDUARDO FERRERO COSTA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Peru, said his country remained committed to eradicating poverty, allocating more than 40 per cent of its national budget to social spending with the hope of reducing extreme poverty by 50 per cent by the year 2000. The Government also aimed at achieving gender equality and providing protection for the most vulnerable -- children, the elderly, the handicapped and the displaced.

Global threats such as international terrorism, the intensification of organized crime, corruption and the problem of drugs, added gravity to the present international situation, he said. Peru, which had suffered from terrorist violence, knew that barbarism aimed to destroy democracy and

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fundamental freedoms while threatening the peace and security of nations. His country categorically condemned terrorism in all its forms and varieties, and urged the international community to combat it.

Turning to the problem of drugs, he said that in the land in Peru used to grow coca had been reduced by half since 1990 and, with it, the number of families linked to the coca economy. National programmes of alternative development made it possible to avoid a resurgence in the supply of coca production in Peru. National efforts, however, must be combined with international efforts to overcome the complex problem.

Peru was promoting programmes which swapped debt for financing of alternative development projects. It was also convening a donor consulting group which would meet next in November in Peru, with the sponsorship of the Inter-American Bank, the Inter-American Commission to Control Drug Abuse and the European Union to ensure complementary financial resources for the implementation of alternative development, prevention and rehabilitation programmes.

Peru also faced major difficulties from internally displaced communities, he said. With the dramatic global increase in displaced persons made it essential for the United Nations to strengthen its work in that area. The Organization must review and prioritize assistance to those countries affected by the problem of displaced communities.

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