GENERAL ASSEMBLY HEARS AFGHANISTAN CLAIMS OF PAKISTAN SUPPORT OF TALIBAN ALSO, ASSEMBLY RE-ELECTS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES
Press Release
GA/9458
GENERAL ASSEMBLY HEARS AFGHANISTAN CLAIMS OF PAKISTAN SUPPORT OF TALIBAN ALSO, ASSEMBLY RE-ELECTS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES
19980929 Hears Views on UN Reform, Greenhouse Gas EmissionsAn evil triangle, consisting of the Pakistani military intelligence service, international terrorism and drug traffickers operating in Afghanistan, and the "infamous Taliban militia" was haunting the region, A. Abdullah, Vice Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, told the General Assembly. As the general debate continued, he said terrorism, drugs and violation of human rights originated from the Taliban-held areas of Afghanistan, but were instigated from across the border.
Afghanistan and other members of the Non-Aligned Movement condemned the practice of recruiting, financing, training, using or supporting mercenaries as a violation of the principles of the Organization's Charter, he continued. "Let us make it clear once again here that the Taliban are Pakistani mercenaries." Moreover, the only country that recognized the Taliban and urged others to do the same was Pakistan. When a fragile and vulnerable country like Pakistan dragged itself into a great game, "it digs its own grave", he added.
In other action today, the General Assembly re-elected Sadako Ogata (Japan) to a further two-year period as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The extension of her mandate followed a recommendation by the Secretary-General in which he respected the High Commissioners's request not to serve another full five-year period for personal reasons. Upon completion of her term, which will run from 1 January 1999 to 31 December 2000, Mrs. Ogata would have served as High Commissioner for 10 years. When Mrs. Ogata took office in 1991, UNHCR was responsible for 15 million refugees. Today, UNHCR cares for 22.4 million people, including refugees, returnees and internally displaced people.
Several other speakers in this afternoon's general debate once more focused on United Nations reform. Carlston Boucher, Chairman of the delegation of Barbados, cautioned against reforms that were driven by staff reduction targets or predetermined by budgetary constraints. To do so could
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well jeopardize implementation of the programmes of action of the global conferences that were the priorities endorsed by Member States. Also, he added, prolonged non-payment of arrears by the largest contributor was not a proud legacy to the United Nations of the twenty-first century.
Expressing the concerns of small island States, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Chairman of the delegation of Samoa stressed that neither the efforts in implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, nor the emissions reduction targets represented an adequate effort to stabilize greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere at safe levels. Immediate cuts in emissions of up to 60 per cent and more were needed. Furthermore, developed countries, primarily responsible for the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, should be the first to redress the situation since they possessed the skills and capacity to do so.
Kolawole Idji, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Benin, said humanity would continue to be threatened as long as stockpiled nuclear weapons were not destroyed. However, while those weapons represented permanent danger, the proliferation of small arms represented permanent insecurity. In their absence, armed conflicts would be less extensive and outlaws would not enjoy the efficiency they had enjoyed today. He stressed that the massacres must stop and that responsibility for that lay with the producers and exporters of small arms.
Statements in the general debate were also made by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Water Resources of Nepal, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Mauritania, Hungary, Andorra and Kenya, and the Assistant Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia.
Statements after the re-election of the UNHCR were made by the representatives of: Japan; Austria (on behalf of the European Union); the United States; Cuba (on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean Group); Mongolia (on behalf of the Asian Group); Australia (also on behalf of Canada and New Zealand); Rwanda (on behalf of the African Group); and the Republic of Moldova (on behalf of the Eastern European Group).
The Assembly also heard statements in exercise of the right of reply from the representatives of the United States, United Kingdom, France and Libya.
The Assembly will meet again tomorrow at 10 a.m. to continue its general debate.
Assembly Work Programme
The Assembly met this afternoon to consider the election of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It had before it a note of the Secretary-General (document A/53/389), in which he proposes to the Assembly that the term of office of Sadako Ogata as UNHCR be extended for a period of two years, beginning on 1 January 1999 and ending on 31 December 2000.
The Assembly would also continue its general debate. It was expected to hear addresses from Sailaja Acharya, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Water Resources of Nepal, and the Foreign Ministers of Mauritania, Benin, Hungary, Andorra and Kenya. It would also hear statements from the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, the Assistant Foreign Minister for Saudi Arabia and the Heads of the delegations of Samoa and Barbados.
Statements After Election
The General Assembly approved the extension of Mrs. Ogata's office for a period of two years without a vote.
HISASHI OWADA (Japan) said Mrs. Ogata had been the High Commissioner for refugees since 1991. That had been an extraordinary period for her Office in light of the unprecedented proliferation of regional and internal conflicts that had brought about a massive exodus of refugees and displaced persons. The success of humanitarian operations, particularly those carried out by the UNHCR and efforts to protect refugees all over the world, had become crucially important as a prerequisite for peace and stability. The Office of the UNHCR, under the leadership of Mrs. Ogata, had met that challenge with great dedication and considerable success.
He said the Office of the High Commissioner, however, had to redouble efforts in order to meet new challenges. Among them was the problem of how to ensure the safety of personnel engaged in humanitarian operations. It was also important to develop a comprehensive approach to enhance the sustainability of plans to effect the repatriation of refugees. Another fundamental issue faced at the United Nations was how to link the stage of humanitarian rescue operations for refugees, which was the proper domain of the mandate of UNHCR, on the one hand, and the stage of post-conflict rehabilitation on the other. Cooperation between the Office of the High Commissioner, other organs of the Organization and institutions such as Bretton Woods was crucial in achieving a satisfactory result in that regard.
ERNST SUCHARIPA (Austria) speaking on behalf of the European Union, welcomed the readiness of Mrs. Ogata to serve in the High Commissioner's office for another two years. She had discharged her responsibility with diligence and dedication. The Union would continue to fully support her in the fulfilment of her task.
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BETTY KING (United States) said the erosion of commitment to the respect for humanitarian principles and the breaches of refugee protection had "distressed us all". Protection was at the heart of the international community's responsibility towards refugees. The UNHCR could not provide protection alone. Governments must be responsible for protecting refuges on their territory, for ensuring their safety and their non-refoulement to countries or territories where their lives or freedom would be threatened.
She said the United States remained concerned about the vulnerability of refugee women and children and felt that it was essential to keep them at the centre of protection and assistance policies and programming. She expressed her Government's appreciation, to Mrs. Ogata and her staff, for their constant attention to the fundamental principles of refugee protection.
RAPHAEL DAUSA (Cuba), speaking on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean Group, said the Group recognized the distinctive contribution of Sadako Ogata as head of UNHCR. He recognized the complexities of protecting refugees and serving their needs, and appreciated her work in that area. The Group urged the international community to continue to work with UNHCR on the basis of firm adherence to its statutes. He also reaffirmed the Group's support to Mrs. Ogata in her continued term at UNHCR.
JARGALSAIKHANY ENKHSAIKHAN (Mongolia), speaking on behalf of the Asian Group, said it was broadly recognized that under Mrs. Ogata's direction, UNHCR had made tremendous efforts regarding refugees and displaced persons. It had taken measures to help alleviate the plight of refugees, and enable them to live in peace and security. Based on her experience, there was no doubt she would continue her efforts to alleviate the plight of the needy ones.
PENELOPE ANNE WENSLEY (Australia), speaking also on behalf of Canada and New Zealand, said Mrs. Ogata had demonstrated outstanding vision and leadership in her efforts to protect millions of refugees worldwide. It pledged its continued support for her future endeavours.
GIDEON KAYINAMURA (Rwanda), speaking on behalf of the African Group, extended warm congratulations to Mrs. Sadako Ogata and said that Africa was a continent with a large number of refugees and displaced persons. Mrs. Ogata had played an important role in the alleviation of their plight. Her Office dealt with current humanitarian crises and provided protection and humanitarian assistance to people forced to move across national borders. He strongly supported the work of the Office and commended her actions in the Great Lakes region, where many refugees had been able to return home.
Speaking on behalf of the Eastern European Group, ION BOTNARU (Republic of Moldova) also congratulated Mrs. Ogata on her reelection and commended her dedication in pursuit of the implementation of her humanitarian mandate. Members of her staff also deserved praise for working under hostile conditions in order to help people deprived of their homes and countries. The work of the UNHCR
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could be successful only through cooperation on the part of the affected States. Mrs. Ogata's achievements had been impressive, and her leadership over the past years had been outstanding.
The President of the Assembly then informed the members that a draft resolution on assistance to Bangladesh had been distributed for the delegations.
SAILAJA ACHARYA, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Water Resources of Nepal, expressed on behalf of the Government and people of Nepal her deep sympathy and condolences to Bangladesh and China on the massive loss of lives and property due to the recent devastating floods. She also expressed sympathy with the victims of Hurricane Georges.
She went on to say that Nepal was a small country with a great heritage. Centralized planning had failed to produce desired results in the country, and administrative, financial and political systems needed to be decentralized. Real power needed to be transferred to the people, and steps were being made in that direction. As a step towards the empowerment of women, 20 per cent of seats in local bodies had been reserved. As a result, 36,000 women were now in political hierarchy at the grass roots level.
In its march towards a democratic and just society, Nepal faced many challenges, including poverty, mass illiteracy, environmental degradation, a population explosion and gender inequality. Tremendous opportunities were available for sub-regional cooperation among the countries of the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin. Among them were water resources development, flood control, energy supply, forestry management and environmental protection.
Speaking about peacekeeping efforts of the United Nations, she said that Nepal had contributed more than 32,000 troops and military and civilian police monitors to various peacekeeping missions around the globe and had signed a standby system agreement with the Organization.
On the subject of disarmament, she welcomed the setting up of ad hoc committees by the Disarmament Conference in Geneva to initiate negotiations on a fissile materials cut-off treaty, and said her country regretted that no agreement was possible on the formation of a committee to begin negotiations on a programme for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons within a time-bound framework. Her delegation was also happy to note that the Secretary-General had recognized the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament, known as the Kathmandu Centre, as a valuable forum for meetings on regional confidence and security-building measures. As host to that Centre, Nepal urged Member States of the Asia-Pacific region to use its services.
In conclusion, she said that the recent Colombo Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) had agreed to draw up a Social Charter to give further dimension to regional cooperation. The seven SAARC
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countries had also finalized the text of a Regional Convention on Combatting the Crime of Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution.
TUILOMA NERONI SLADE (Samoa) said for small island States, climate-related events had occurred with alarming force, and citing Hurricane Georges called for the most generous assistance to the people and communities of the Caribbean and those areas bordering the southern parts of the United States. The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) welcomed the action authorized by the Assembly last year towards early understanding of the El Niño phenomenon and its impacts. Moreover, AOSIS fully supported the United Nations system-wide strategy now being developed, which included reducing the impact of environmental emergencies through early warning and preparedness.
Placing priority on human resource development and the transfer of appropriate environmentally-sound technologies were essential, he said. Samoa's national institutions and administrative capacities had been hampered by a severe lack of financial and technical skills, and the use of regional institutions and mechanisms for coordination needed to be strengthened or supplemented. The AOSIS countries continued to set high priority on the development of the Vulnerability Index and took particular note of the conclusion of the Expert Group on Vulnerability Indices that as a group, small island States were more vulnerable than other groups of developing countries.
With the passing of each season, he said, small island States experience ever more serious impacts, and practical steps must now be taken to assist them. The impacts of climate change put at risk habitats and fresh-water reserves, the very life-force of our islands and communities. As the globe suffered what was on track to be the hottest year in recorded history, it was essential that the international community as a whole be formally and unequivocally reminded that neither the efforts made thus far in implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, nor the emissions reduction targets adopted in Kyoto last year, represented an adequate effort to stabilize greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere at safe levels. Much more needed to be done, immediately, by cuts in emissions of up to 60 per cent and more. Furthermore, developed countries party to the Convention remained primarily responsible for the accumulation of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, and they should be the first to make good their responsibility to redress the situation. They possessed the skills and capacity to do so.
Our Pacific region is one of peace, he said, but our security and environment had been put under threat by explosions and the testing of far too many nuclear weapons. Samoa would continue with its quest for a total ban through the development and implementation of the South Pacific nuclear-free-zone treaty, and it called for the active participation and support of all nuclear weapons States for the treaty and its protocols. Samoa condemned the underground testing in India and Pakistan earlier this year, and joined with others in urging that they commit to a lasting moratorium by becoming parties to
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the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
NIZAR O. MADANI, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, said Saudi Arabia had supported the Middle East peace process from the very beginning. The Arab countries had adopted a firm position in support of peace - - an Arab strategy from which there was no retreat. Regrettably, the peace process had suffered repeated setbacks due to the actions of the present Israeli Government. That Government's policies retreated from the principles of the peace process, as well as from the agreements it had signed with the Palestinian National Authority. Also, the Israeli Government had continuously refused to resume negotiations with Syria, from the point which had previously been reached.
In its efforts to destroy the peace process, the Israeli Government had continued to build "settlements" on Palestinian land in order to alter its character and create new so-called "realities", he said. It had also adopted a policy of judaizing Jerusalem by planning more settlements in and around it, as well as annexing areas with Jewish settlers and emptying it of its Arab residents. Unless those and other practices were met with firm measures, which compelled Israel to completely implement its agreements with the Palestinians, all previous efforts would have been in vain. Israel must also respect the principles on which the peace process had been founded, and enter into serious negotiations with the Palestinians, with Syria and with Lebanon. The Syrian Government had declared its readiness to resume negotiations with Israel from the point at which they had stopped. Tension and the cycle of violence in southern Lebanon could be brought to an end through Israeli withdrawal from that part of Lebanon and the Western Beka'a Valley.
On Iraq, he said Saudi Arabia's position had two fundamental bases -- guaranteeing the comprehensive, total, indivisible and non-selective compliance of the Iraqi Government with the resolutions of international legality and insuring the preservation of Iraq's independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, as well as alleviating the sufferings of the Iraqi people. Since the responsibility for the suffering of the Iraqi people lay solely on the shoulders of their Government, the only way to rid Iraq and its people of their dilemma and to allay the fears of neighbouring states was to commit to implementing all Security Council resolutions and to refrain from policies of manipulation and manoeuvres intended to circumvent those resolutions.
He said that Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) hoped to establish the best of relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. They had been particularly pleased with the recent positive signs from the Iranian Government, which would leave a positive impact on Iranian-Gulf relations and on the environment of peace and stability in the region. In that regard, they welcomed the positive signs in the statement of President Mohammad Khatami to the General Assembly, whether on Gulf-Iranian relations or on the issue of armaments. Saudi Arabia looked forward to the peaceful resolution of the outstanding issues of dispute between the two sides, especially the issue of the three United Arab
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Emirates islands of Greater Tunb, Smaller Tunb and Abu Musa, in accordance with international law, including the option of referring the matter to the International Court of Justice.
Expressing concern over the current tension between Iran and Afghanistan, he said Saudi Arabia called upon the two sides to exercise self-control and resolve their dispute by peaceful means. At the same time, Saudi Arabia strongly deplored efforts to make Afghanistan a haven for sheltering and training terrorists, which could only bring further calamities to the Afghan people. Violence and terrorism were universal phenomena, rather than the characteristics of a certain people, race or religion. Precisely because of its comprehensiveness and universality, the only way to combat terrorism was through a unified and collective international action within the framework of the United Nations. Combatting terrorism would also require international cooperation against sheltering terrorist groups, thus banning them from exploiting the territories and laws of states to continue their destructive activities.
On disarmament, he said his country was greatly worried because of Israel's continued refusal to join the NPT, thus keeping its nuclear programmes outside the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and constituting a serious threat to the region. While rejecting double standards that allowed Israel to be excluded from nuclear disarmament, Saudi Arabia had also expressed its concern over the nuclear tests in South Asia, begun by India and followed by Pakistan. His country believed in the need to increase the effectiveness of the NPT through the activation and universalization of the IAEA regime of guarantees. It also considered it of the utmost importance to establish the necessary controls and measures to assist in achieving progress towards comprehensive disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction.
CHEIKH EL AVIA OULD MOHAMED KHOUNA, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mauritania, said that in July of last year the Secretary-General had presented his report on reform to the General Assembly to modernize its working methods and enhance its efficiency on the threshold of the third millennium. Implementation of the provisions of that reform package would assist the Organization in achieving its aims -- the maintenance of peace and security among nations and securing economic and social development for all people. He reaffirmed Mauritania's support for the expansion of the membership of the Security Council to secure equitable geographical distribution and to reflect the universal nature of the Organization.
The threats facing today's world were not only political and military, but also economic and social, he said. Those threats called for prompt and practical solutions. The scourge of drugs and the ravages of their consumption, commercialization and distribution were among the most serious challenges facing the world today. Awareness of the dangers of those evils was growing, as reflected by the unanimous adoption of the political declaration and declaration of principles during the General Assembly's special session on drugs last June.
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There was no doubt that international peace and security, economic growth and social development were interdependent, he said. It was evident that the United Nations and its special agencies had undertaken much work in that area, which could be seen in the adoption of a number of programmes and recommendations at international conferences and meetings under the auspices of the United Nations. However, the translation of those recommendations into action remained to be seen.
Developing countries had to be given the opportunity to catch up on growth, he said. Also, developed countries had to assist by providing official development assistance (ODA), giving developing countries' products access to markets and dealing with the repayment of debt. The 1997 Human Development Report stated that debt servicing absorbed a fifth of developing countries' earnings. That was a significant drain on their resources.
He said that despite the magnitude of the challenges of development and the unfavourable world situation, Mauritania had taken significant steps to raise its citizens' standard of living and to consolidate democracy in a climate of peace, security and stability. Pluralistic democracy had come into being in December 1997 with the holding of presidential elections in a democratic and free environment. Further, the third municipal elections for the end of the year were being prepared. Mauritania was also engaged in the struggle to combat poverty and illiteracy, with a view to enhancing the socio-economic standards of its citizens.
Mauritania was pursuing a foreign policy based on the fostering of good neighbourly relations, peaceful coexistence, and regional and international cooperation, he said. Concerning the Middle East, he said that, while reaffirming support for the peace process, his country knew that no fair and lasting peace could be achieved until Israel withdrew from all occupied territories, in conformance with relevant United Nations resolutions and the principle of land for peace. Peace could also not be achieved until Palestinians could create an independent state on their territory with Al-Quds as their capital. He hoped the necessary steps would be taken to restart the stalled peace process. Mauritania further hoped that all regional and international efforts would combine to bring peace and stability to the Gulf region. He repudiated anything that undermined the territorial sovereignty of Kuwait, and called for the lifting of the embargoes against Iraq and Libya.
In conclusion, he said the situation in many parts of Africa was worsening due to civil war and violence. Those crises should be given sustained attention by the United Nations, since the international community bore the responsibility of containing them. He hoped the Assembly would define ways of implementing the recommendations contained in the Secretary-General's report on Africa.
KOLAWOLE IDJI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Benin, said that while his country was perhaps only a small point on the globe, it wanted to be a point of
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convergence not just for Africa but for the international community. Benin wanted to build peace, not bombs, and promote international cooperation. His Government had a commitment to building peace by cultivating tolerance and a spirit of sharing. There was no substitute for the ever-growing democratic consolidation in Benin. After years of restriction, his country had chosen openness and multi-party politics.
The culture of violence and war which had marred humanity had to be replaced with a culture of peace, he said. In that context, the foremost duty of the Organization was still to promote peace, its values and the conduct that could strengthen that process. Within that process, the first value was the spirit of sharing. There could be no peace in the world if only a small portion of the world could surf the Internet and explore outer space, while the remainder lived in a quagmire of poverty and wars. Power to control the land, gold, oil and other natural resources proliferated among the weapon mongers. That apocalyptic picture sadly illustrated Africa.
Continuing, he said regional efforts to restore peace to Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Liberia were commendable. In Africa and the Balkans, the question to be asked was what lasting solution could be imposed by arms. Why in Angola, for instance, could Jonas Savimbi, the leader of National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), not see that the time for peace had come? The appeal by the Secretary- General in his report on the causes of conflict in Africa deserved to be heard not only by Africans but by the international community. Benin also welcomed the intention of India and Pakistan to sign the NPT, since the possession of atomic bombs could not offer either of them a lasting victory.
Humanity would continue to be threatened as long as stockpiled nuclear weapons were not destroyed, he continued. However, while those weapons represented permanent danger, the proliferation of small arms represented permanent insecurity. In their absence, armed conflicts would be less extensive and outlaws would not enjoy the efficiency they had today. The massacres must stop, he stressed. Responsibility for that lay with the producers and exporters of small arms. On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, his delegation also felt that the affirmation of such rights must go hand-in-hand with the eradication of poverty. One could not speak of human rights if people did not have food.
He said the richer countries should give a hand to those left by the side by globalization. Debt was another issue that had to be addressed. Benin had taken hold of its destiny by carrying out reforms. Such efforts were often carried out with great pains, but they expressed the willingness of States and people to emerge from underdevelopment and poverty. The economic growth in his country had surpassed demographic growth. He called on those responsible for global action to support the efforts of poorer countries to bear their burdens. Referring to the operational activities of the United Nations development system, he noted that the decline in core resources was a handicap fraught with danger.
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There was, therefore, a need to act, so that the next century would be the one of civilization par excellence and one based on the spirit of sharing.
JANOS MARTONYI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Hungary, said that despite the setbacks that the United Nations could encounter in the future, it would remain the global forum for negotiations aimed at formulating norms in various spheres of human activity. For that purpose, the reform process should be given a fresh boost. Revitalization of the Organization and the reform of the Security Council were of great importance. Hungary advocated the expansion of the Council in both categories of members, with inclusion of Japan and Germany in the category of permanent members. All newly-introduced organizational and structural measures must go hand-in-hand with efforts to establish the financial stability of the Organization.
Speaking about the situation in his country, he said that Hungary had gone through a difficult transition period. Externally, the new Hungarian Government intended to remain a factor for stability and security in Central Europe. Together with its future allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and partners within the European Union, it was prepared to contribute to common efforts. Hungary was looking forward to a historic reunion with the rest of Europe after a long period of separation. It was also prepared to participate in United Nations activities. National, regional and international cooperation was needed to counteract the new global threats, including terrorism, drug trafficking, environmental pollution and international crime. The United Nations should be the centre of those operations.
Hungary attached great importance to the development and expansion of regional and sub-regional cooperation and to active participation in the structures of Euro-Atlantic integration. Respect for the rule of law and promotion of human rights, including the rights of minorities, were indispensable for establishing integration structures.
He expressed concern over the worsening situation in Kosovo and supported the efforts aimed at stopping that conflict by peaceful and political means. Resolution 1199 (1998) of the Security Council could lay the foundation for solving that conflict. He also pointed out that the primary responsibility for regulating the conflict belonged to Yugoslav authorities. On its part, Hungary was ready to contribute to the international activities aimed at reviving that region.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the primary objective was full implementation of the Dayton Agreements, he said. However, that process could turn out to be more difficult and protracted than anticipated. The international efforts to assist that country were very important in that respect.
He went on to say that the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights presented a fine occasion for festivities, but new measures were needed to implement its noble notions, so that it could be an
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effective instrument in protecting human rights. International machinery was needed, and in that connection we commend the institution of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the creation of the International Criminal Court. Grave abuses continued in the area of human rights. The fundamental question was whether the international community had done everything possible to prevent them, and the answer to that was probably negative. In order for peace to be lasting, it must be bolstered by democracy, the rule of law and the system of responsible governments. He also noted introduction of human rights components into all spheres of the United Nations activities, including peacekeeping operations. He added that those responsible for human rights violations everywhere from the Great Lakes region to former Yugoslavia should be brought to justice.
ALBERT PINTAT SANTOLARIA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Andorra, affirmed his Government's commitment to human rights, world peace and security and preventative diplomacy. His country would work to consolidate its position on these matters, as well as work to reinvigorate the United Nations. In making the Organization a more effective instrument in the globalization process, the international community must consider strategies towards promoting justice, democracy and the rule of law.
Andorra firmly supported the reform projects of the Secretary-General to restructure the United Nations, he said. Greater transparency and access for the General Assembly to the workings of the Security Council were needed. Expanding the Council, he added, would better reflect the increasing membership of the Organization. His Government would present its ideas to the working group on council reform to debate the matter.
The most important theme in his speech would be the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he said. The Declaration should not be understood as utopian, but rather a means to ensure a proper relationship between the individual, the community and the environment. He asked how fundamental human rights could be respected in light of the proliferation of armed conflicts, racism, xenophobia and the marginalization of people. The international community must not become blinded by absolute truths and dogmatic positions, as those led to authoritarianism and exclusion. The fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights gave the United Nations a reason to exist. Exterminations, wars and religious assassinations demonstrated that the universal application of human rights had not been achieved.
Fifty years of universal human rights instead gave the international community a standard by which it could differentiate between good and evil, he said. His Government did not believe that this was an occasion for celebration, but rather a chance to reflect on how respect for human rights might effectively be achieved. Democracy, he said, was a synonym for the respect of human rights. What excuse could exist to deny people their right to elect those who held public office? he asked. A lack of consensus in the rules of the political game led
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directly to totalitarianism, corruption and manipulation. The international community should take action.
In an effort to do its part, Andorra had made a great legislative effort to adhere to a large number of international conventions, including the NPT and the treaty on anti-personnel landmines, he said. It had also participated in the writing of the text for the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. It also planned to adhere to the Convention of the Council of Europe for the Protection of Human Rights, which aimed to abolish the death penalty. At the United Nations, it gave priority to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention to Eliminate all Forms of Sexual Discrimination. He pointed to every-day occurrences of child labour, child pornography, sex crimes and juvenile delinquency that needed to be addressed. His Government had announced today that it would accede to the International Convention on Political and Civil Rights and the Convention against Torture. Terrorism, drug trafficking and associated money laundering were also crimes which must be prosecuted relentlessly, he added.
On security matters, he stressed the importance of preventative diplomacy. Dialogue and diplomatic relations would advance world peace. The diplomacy of small countries, such as Andorra, was favourable for discreet diplomacy and conflict mediation. Andorra's noted lack of enemies or historical conflict especially suited it to that role.
ABDULLAH ABDULLAH, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, said an evil triangle, consisting of the Pakistani military intelligence service, international terrorism and drug traffickers operating in Afghanistan and the "infamous Taliban militia" was haunting the region. Three major concerns -- namely terrorism, drugs and the violation of human rights -- originated from the Taliban-held areas of Afghanistan, yet were instigated from across the border.
Afghanistan, along with other members of the Non-Aligned Movement, condemned the practice of recruiting, financing, training, using or supporting mercenaries as a violation of the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, he said. "Let us make it clear once again here that the Taliban are Pakistani mercenaries", he said. Moreover, the only country that recognized the Taliban and urged others to do the same was Pakistan. When a fragile and vulnerable country like Pakistan dragged itself into a "great game", he said, "it digs its own grave".
Citing Article 1 of the Charter, he called for effective and collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to peace. Over the past three years, Afghanistan had warned the international community of the mounting threats to regional peace and security posed by the Pakistani Military Intelligence Service and the Taliban mercenaries in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, those early warnings had gone unheard. The international community had done too little in the face of the aggressive Pakistani Intelligence Service policy toward Afghanistan and had done too much to appease the Taliban. The Security Council, moreover, must determine the existence of that threat to peace and should take
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appropriate measures. The presence of approximately 28,000 armed Pakistanis in Afghanistan must be dealt with in accordance with Article 39 of the Charter.
As was well known to the international community, Taliban's attitude towards peace and human rights was rejectionist and intransigent, he said. For example, when requested to hold elections, the Taliban refer to elections as "un- Islamic" and when told to respect human rights, they refer to their own human rights standards. In addition, when asked to respect women's rights and reopen girl's schools, they say they know best what to do with women and girls. In essence, the Taliban intransigence stemmed from their conviction that the only solution would be through the use of force, which was indicative of their Pakistani mentors, who were determined to dominate Afghanistan.
There was no military solution to the conflict, he said. In order to ensure an environment of peace in Afghanistan, the following were necessary: the withdrawal of foreign military and armed personnel; the return of the opposition to the negotiating table in a political dialogue aimed at achieving a lasting political settlement; and the formation of a fully-representative, broad-based, multi-ethnic government. All those criteria should be in accordance with the Charter and Afghanistan's tenets and culture, which included the principles of Islam, democracy and human rights.
CARLSTON BOUCHER (Barbados) said he was pleased with the encouraging start to the process of reform of the United Nations, but he cautioned against reforms that were driven by staff reduction targets or predetermined by budgetary constraints. To do so could well jeopardize implementation of the programmes of action of the global conferences -- from Rio to Rome -- that were the priorities endorsed by Member States. Prolonged non-payment of arrears by the largest contributor was not a proud legacy to the United Nations of the 21st century.
The post cold war world had not become a safer place, he said. New eruptions of strife and the intractability of old conflicts had worsened the fragile political situation in many developing countries. Such instability had diverted the energies and resources from the policy priorities of sustainable development and poverty reduction. The widening scenario of strife and instability threatened global peace and security on a number of fronts. Remedies were beyond the capacity of individual countries, even the most developed. The reality of global interdependence demanded a greater commitment to collective security goals, and better coordination of actions against the global security threat.
The global financial crisis pointed in part to deficiencies in the global architecture and governance of finance, he said. Small island developing States, given their vulnerability to both environmental and economic shocks, were following the economic developments associated with globalization. As a group, small island developing States were more vulnerable than other groups of developing countries. Barbados recognized that adaptation to the irreversible
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process of globalization and liberalization was imperative. It was implementing a broad programme of social, economic and institutional reform to better manage global change, while deepening its integration into the regional economy, especially the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
BONAYA ADHI GODANA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kenya, said his country supported the legitimization and strengthening of regional bodies in peacekeeping. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), under the auspices of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), stood out as examples of regional organizations that had contributed immensely to peacekeeping in conflict situations.
In Africa, he said, the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Observer Group (ECOMOG) forces had reinstalled the democratically- elected Government of President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah in Sierra Leone and had restored constitutional order in Liberia. In the Eastern African region, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) continued to promote political dialogue between the warring factions in the Sudan and Somalia. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) had embarked on initiatives to address, among other things, the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Those regional organizations had made significant progress in conflict resolution and should be given due recognition and the necessary support. However, the responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security remained primarily that of the United Nations Security Council.
On international economic cooperation for development, he said that the process of development during the past decade had been uneven. Despite high growth rates among some developing countries, many of those countries, especially those in Africa, had had modest progress. The disparities in economic growth among developing countries had largely widened against a backdrop of rapid changes in the world economy, characterized by the twin processes of globalization and liberalization, which had become the hallmark of global economic policy. Preferential treatment enjoyed by a large number of developing countries, under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and such other preferential trading arrangements as the Lome Convention, continued to be eroded.
He said it was imperative for the international community to strengthen commodity-dependent countries through expanded market access for their products. Kenya urged the effective implementation of the Uruguay Round results, especially with regard to market access for goods and services of export interest to developing countries.
The external debt problems of low-income developing countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, remained unresolved, he said. The international community was called upon to take actions aimed at finding lasting solutions to the debt problem. The problem of multilateral debt also needed to be accorded
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serious attention, taking into account such issues as increased concessional finance, debt cancellation, debt reduction and debt relief.
On United Nations reform, he said it was imperative for the Organization to ensure maximum and rational use of existing facilities within the system to minimize waste. As host to the only United Nations centre in the developing world, Kenya was concerned that facilities at the Nairobi Office continued to be under-utilized. It urged maximum utilization of facilities at the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) to try and reach the capacity utilization levels of Geneva and Vienna.
He expressed his delegation's outrage and condemnation of the terrorist bombings in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, on 7 August. Terrorist acts were, by design, ruthlessly indiscriminate, and the bomb blast in Nairobi, which had occurred at one of the busiest locations in terms of human traffic and commercial activities, had been no exception. It had so far claimed 250 lives and the toll continued to rise. Damage estimated at more than $500 million had been caused to property.
The bombings in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam had brought mayhem and terror of an untold magnitude to two countries which had hitherto considered themselves far removed from threats and dangers posed by acts of terrorism, he said. The two incidents not only made it abundantly clear that nobody was safe and unaffected by such heinous acts, but also exemplified the expanding reach and growing menace of the perpetrators of terrorist acts.
A. PETER BURLEIGH (United States), speaking in exercise of the right of reply to the statement made by Libya, said the Libyan representative had made several gratuitous references to the United States that sadly reflected the position of hostility and isolation from which Libya still looked out at the world. Such comments did not warrant specific response. Instead, he wanted to exercise his right of reply to encourage a quick resolution to the problem. Libya had emphasized that it was essential to observe the principles of the United Nations Charter. The United States agreed. Member States must honour all such obligations, especially those mandated under Chapter VII. He called on Libya to comply fully with Charter obligations by giving a clear, unequivocal and unconditional response to relevant Security Council Resolutions.
The United States and the whole Security Council demonstrated a unanimous and genuine desire to resolve the problem, he said. Within the parameters established by previous resolutions, the United States had launched an initiative that had taken into account the recommendations of the OAU, the Arab League, the Non-Aligned Movement, and Libya itself. Instead of clear acceptance, however, Libya had responded with more conditions and sharp rhetoric. Other countries had moved to change the very laws of their society to accommodate the initiative embodied in Security Council resolution 1192 (1998). The Secretary-General had offered the assistance of his Office to clarify and execute the terms for the
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transfer of the suspects to trial. Libya had taken no concrete steps. Instead, it had used valuable time to retard progress towards resolution. It had even violated the sanctions regime more times since the adoption of Security Council resolution 1192 (1998) than at any time before.
He urged Libya to comply without further delay, and called on all participants in the Assembly to urge Libya to do so. Such an effort would lead to suspension of sanctions -- a result which the United States and the international community would welcome. He noted that Libya, in its statement, had said it would accept "a trial of the two suspects before a Scottish court that would sit in the Netherlands". That was precisely what was being offered. He urged Libya to move expeditiously to implement that decision.
DAVID RICHMOND (United Kingdom), speaking in exercise of the right of reply to the statement made by Libya this morning, said the initiative of the United States and the United Kingdom, announced on 24 August this year, to hold a trial of the two Libyan nationals accused of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 in a Scottish court and under Scottish law in the Netherlands was a genuine one. It had been put forward in good faith, because they wished to bring the case to a close and to secure justice for the victims of that terrible crime and their families. The United Kingdom had recently passed the necessary legislation to give effect to the initiative in domestic law and had signed the agreement with the Dutch Government, which would allow the trial to take place in the Netherlands.
Any suggestion that they were in fact intending to hold the trial in Scotland or the United States was patently false, and he rejected it absolutely, he said. Libya itself had, on many occasions including today, said that it accepted a trial in the Netherlands under Scottish law. The initiative would enable precisely that to take place -- nothing more, nothing less. Libya had raised a number of detailed queries about the procedure of the trial. As Libya well knew, any queries it might have could, and were, being clarified through the offices of the Secretary-General, for whose assistance he was most grateful. He would only reconfirm his country's readiness to clarify issues where that was required.
He now looked to Libya to fulfil its obligations under Security Council resolution 1192 (1998) by ensuring that the two accused were transferred to the Netherlands to stand trial under Scottish law. He hoped all those countries who had urged the United Kingdom and the United States to agree to a trial under Scottish law in the Netherlands would now urge Libya to act responsibly and surrender the two accused so that justice could finally be done.
HENRY ZIPPER DE FABIANI (France) said that the representative of Libya had said in his statement this morning that the drama of flight UTA 770, in which 170 people had died, had had nothing to do with the subject addressed by resolution 1192 (1998).
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Paragraph 8 of resolution 1192 (1998) modified the conditions that would have suspended the sanctions concerning the Lockerbie affair, he said. That was an approach he supported. However, paragraph 8 of resolution 1192 (1998) was appropriate in that it maintained the recommendation of resolution 883 (1993) relative to the UTA affair. The Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Security Council were being kept appraised by the French authorities on the subject, he added.
ISA BABAA (Libya) speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said he wished to respond to remarks made by the United States, the United Kingdom and France this afternoon. He reaffirmed that Libya had accepted that the trial of the suspects in the Lockerbie incident would be held before a Scottish court in the Netherlands so that the sanctions against its people would be lifted. Libya wanted guarantees that the suspects would not be extradited to the United States and the United Kingdom. His country also wanted the other parties to take consideration of the request for the legal rights of the suspects -- that request was supported by other delegations and described as just legal and reasonable. Finally, Libya was ready to cooperate to close the file, providing the practial procedures regarding the trial were clearly and accurately specified and in accordance with international law.
He said Libya had responded to all the requests of the Security Council. While Libya agreed that the suspects could be transported to the Netherlands, he stressed that his country was still responsible for its nationals and wanted to ensure that their rights would be preserved.
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