IMPORTANT LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM DIFFICULT YEAR FOR UNITED NATIONS, ASSEMBLY TOLD AS IT CONTINUES GENERAL DEBATE

Press Release
GA/9600

IMPORTANT LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM DIFFICULT YEAR FOR UNITED NATIONS, ASSEMBLY TOLD AS IT CONTINUES GENERAL DEBATE

There were important lessons to be learned from what had been a difficult year for the United Nations -- crises had occurred around the globe, and at times, it had seemed, in the court of international public opinion, that the Organization was incapable of assuming its central and rightful role, Abel Matutes, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Spain, told the General Assembly this afternoon as it continued its general debate.

“The United Nations is only able to act to the extent that the Member States allow it to do so”, he said. It was the responsibility of the leaders of those States to explain to the public that the image sometimes projected of the Organization was mistaken and unjust. Noting the need to revise some aspects of the Organization, he said Spain viewed United Nations reform as a project whose essential aim was to enable it to successfully meet the challenges of the new century. A key aspect of that was Security Council reform which should pursue three basic goals: greater transparency in working methods; greater efficiency -- perhaps limiting the right of veto which at times had prevented the Organization from performing the essential duty of keeping international peace and security; and greater democratization.

Mikulas Dzurinda, Prime Minister of Slovakia, said the United Nations could not afford a Security Council that was paralyzed. He, too, stressed the importance of Security Council reform. Fifty years of political change since its inception, however, posed a challenge to its future role and legitimacy.

Anna Lindh, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, said the most obvious alternative to the use of force was conflict prevention and early action. Member States must share information on conflict situations and early warning signals with the Secretariat. The Council should hold consultations on a regular basis on regional situations to identify potential conflicts and measures to prevent them. The Organization's capacity for rapid deployment of peacekeeping operations needed to be improved. In such operations, the Council should not be hampered by short-term budgetary considerations. All countries, including the host, must pay their assessed contributions in full, on time and without conditions.

Masahiko Koumura, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, said that in dealing with conflicts, it was important to take a comprehensive approach that included conflict prevention and resolution, peacekeeping and peace-building, and

General Assembly Plenary - 1a - Press Release GA/9600 7th Meeting (PM) 21 September 1999

the elimination of potential causes of conflict, such as poverty. It was also necessary to deal with conflicts in a manner suitable to each region. In the context of peace-building, it was necessary that international assistance, from post-conflict emergency humanitarian assistance to long-term development aid, be seamlessly implemented. It had also become important to ensure the security of humanitarian or development assistance personnel, he added.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Austria, said that much faster action by the international community was needed to avoid human catastrophes, as witnessed in Kosovo and East Timor. The Council must maintain its ability to act. Permanent Members bore a particular responsibility in that regard, including financial obligations. The privileges of permanent membership came with a heavy obligation: to act whenever necessary. If a peace operation had to be established, it must not matter if the conflict was located in an area of little strategic interest or if the country in question maintained unwelcome relations with another entity. “Should the Security Council be seen to be unable to fulfil these functions, we will have to heed the call for reforms, including the role of its permanent members”, she said.

Statements were also made this afternoon by the Presidents of Venezuela and Argentina, and the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Mali, Ukraine, Morocco, Uzbekistan, and the United Arab Emirates.

Statements in right of reply were made by the representatives of Spain, Iran, United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this afternoon to continue its general debate. It was expected to hear statements from the Presidents of Venezuela and Argentina, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, and the Foreign Ministers of Mali, Japan, Austria, Ukraine, Morocco, Uzbekistan, Sweden, United Arab Emirates and Spain.

Statements

HUGO CHAVEZ FRIAS, President of Venezuela, said that his country was once again raising the flag of genuine democracy. It was filled with incalculable wealth; however, 80 per cent of the people were poor –- in a country which had once been called the model of democracy in Latin America. Political, moral and social crises had brought Venezuela to dangerous extremes. None the less, “we have found a peaceful way out of the tragedy”, he said.

He said Venezuela had found a democratic path, and promoted changes while respecting human rights. However tragic or urgent the situation, human rights must never be disregarded. Around the world, there was a lot of disruptive news about Venezuela. In his country, there was respect for a democratic process that stemmed from the will of the people. Today, 132 Venezuelans representing the broadest segments of the population, including indigenous peoples, represented the people of Venezuela in the National Assembly. By the year 200O, Venezuela would have a new fundamental political charter which would be the foundation for a new republic. It would be for the people by the people. Efforts would also be made to combat corruption, to promote the educational rights of children and to establish a balance of power. A new, humanistic, economic model would also be promoted in light of the breakdown of the old one.

In six months, he said, Venezuela would be able to present successes to the world. Inflation was being lowered, and school attendance had increased this year by 25 per cent. The highest priority was also being given to health. He highlighted the Bolivar Project 2000, which addressed the priority needs of Venezuelans.

A genuine process of transformation was being promoted and a new Venezuela was being born, he said. Peace had broken out in the world; he hoped that, in the next few years, peace and democracy could be said to have triumphed.

CARLOS SAUL MENEM, President of Argentina, reviewed the process of transformation that his country had undergone in the last 10 years. Since the recovery of democracy, a stable political system had been built, based on popular will and respect for the rule of law. At the regional level, all the border and demarcation issues had been solved. Consultation and coordination mechanisms on security and defence issues had been established with Brazil and Chile.

As one of the guarantors of the Rio de Janeiro Protocol, his country had contributed to the peace agreement between Peru and Ecuador, he continued. Argentina was also taking steps in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation, including joining in last year's declaration at the MERCOSUR Summit of a zone of peace, free of weapons of mass destruction. A compromise had also been reached on declaring that zone free of antipersonnel landmines. All States must renounce nuclear weapons and give unequivocal guarantees that their nuclear capability and most advanced technologies would be used exclusively for peaceful purposes.

Turning to the pending sovereignty dispute concerning the Malvinas, Georgias del Sur and Sandwich del Sur islands, he said that one of his first actions upon taking office in 1990 had been to re-establish diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom. Since then, Argentina had worked harmoniously with that country on various issues related to the South Atlantic, including: preservation of live marine resources; exploitation and exploration of hydrocarbons; and re-establishment of air traffic between the continent and the islands. Circumstances were now conducive for Argentina and the United Kingdom to start a dialogue towards a definitive solution of the sovereignty dispute, as requested by the Assembly.

Argentina was the sixth largest troop contributor to the Organization, he said. It was involved in 10 out of 17 operations, including Kosovo and East Timor. Argentina agreed with the Secretary-General that the White Helmets could provide assistance, in close partnership with the Blue Helmets, in conflict situations. The Organization had a responsibility to protect the men and women of the Blue Helmets, and those who performed humanitarian work in cases of conflict. He called on Member States to ratify the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel.

He said that his country promoted a world economy of open markets. However, it had witnessed the re-emergence of hidden forms of protectionism. For that reason, it was making a call to all States, particularly the most developed ones, to take part in the "Millennium Round", with the goal of attaining an open multilateral system that embraced all economic sectors. Argentina was also concerned with the preservation of the environment and living resources.

He said the Security Council was uniquely responsible for the maintenance of peace and its authority must be strengthened. To be effective, the Council must work in close cooperation with other bodies of the United Nations system and with regional organizations. Concerning the reform of the Council, Argentina supported creation of a system of open rotation, in which no country could be discriminated against. At the beginning of the new millennium, it would be unfair to multiply the privileges and discriminations that had been established in the aftermath of the Second World War. No new categories of membership should be introduced in regions where they did not exist.

MIKULAS DZURINDA, Prime Minister of Slovakia, said the Assembly was the most suitable forum in which to emphasize the new political processes that had profoundly changed the political landscape since the end of the cold war. An ever-growing number of nations had embraced democratic principles and implemented them in practice, giving momentum to the work of the United Nations and making the current international political climate more propitious for pursuing the goals and principles of the Charter.

He attached great importance to the reform of the Security Council. The 50 years of political change since its inception posed a challenge to its future role and legitimacy. Since there was no alternative to the concept of collective security embodied in the Charter, the United Nations could not afford to have a Security Council that was paralyzed

The key task of Council reform, he went on, would be to strengthen its representative character, and improve its effectiveness, its working methods and ultimately, its legitimacy. To reach that goal, it would be necessary to reach the widest possible agreement on enlarging membership. Since there had been a fundamental divergence of views on enlarging the group of permanent members, Slovakia was ready to support expanding only the non-permanent category. Any expansion should take into account an appropriate increase in the representation of the Eastern European Group, whose numbers had more than doubled in recent years.

Slovakia’s active participation in United Nations peacekeeping had proved its responsible approach to the maintenance of international peace and security, he said. That had led logically to the submission of its candidature for a non- permanent seat in the Security Council for the 2000-2001 term. Slovakia would like to prove that small countries could make an important contribution tot he resolution of conflicts and crises in the world. They were not burdened with power interests and thus could present and advocate solution acceptable to all.

He stressed the importance his Government attached to the political solution of the Kosovo conflict and the establishment of a just peace in the Middle East. He hoped that Israel, Syria and Lebanon would engage in dialogue. He urged the African countries to deal with their problems peacefully, and adhere to principles of good governance, including respect for human rights and promotion of transparency in public administration. At the same time, he stressed that international assistance was needed not only to promote economic development in Africa, but also to build the African States’ capacity for conflict prevention and resolution. He offered the services of Slovakia’s Training Center for Peacekeeping Operations.

He also expressed grave concern over non-African countries’ violation of Security Council arms embargoes in African. The Council’s sanctions committees should be actively engaged in identifying the sources of arms flows into zones of conflict, in order to cut off military forces and rebel groups from such sources.

MODIBO SIDIBE, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mali, said the initiative for the poorest heavily-indebted countries and this year's decisions adopted by the Group of Seven industrialized countries in Cologne constituted important steps in the right direction. However, more work needed to be done regarding cancellation of debt. Development assistance was an expression of essential solidarity; the trend towards reduction of that aid should be reversed.

His country had undertaken profound political, economic and structural reforms, he said. It appealed to the developed countries to provide assistance to the African countries to reinforce their economies and facilitate access to markets for their commodities. It was necessary to share burdens and ensure more equitable distribution of benefits. A high-level meeting on the financing of development was of particular importance; it should take place within the context of the tenth anniversary of the Agenda for Development.

He said the United Nations still had much to do in the area of disarmament and maintenance of international peace and security. The establishment of nuclear- free zones would make a significant contribution in that regard. Anti-personnel mines still presented a significant threat on the African continent. The convention on the banning of such mines needed to be universally signed and ratified. He saluted the historic decision of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to declare a moratorium on the production, import and sale of small arms. Those efforts deserved the support of the international community. The moratorium needed to be supported and extended.

His country effectively participated in peacekeeping operations, he said. Mali placed great hopes on the decision of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to proclaim the year 2000 the year of peace and security in Africa. The appalling question of child soldiers should be resolved, along with that of illicit proliferation of small arms. A real culture of peace should be developed, and the reintegration of child soldiers through education was most important.

He also appealed for a lifting of the sanctions against the people of Libya. The cost for civilians in countries targeted by sanctions was unacceptable.

He reiterated Mali's support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, and called for a lifting of sanctions against Libya, which imposed

unacceptable humanitarian costs on the Libyan people. He also called for renewed efforts against drug trafficking, organized crime, international terrorism, money laundering and corruption.

Finally, he stressed the need to democratize the Organization by restructuring its principal organs, particularly the Security Council.

MASAHIKO KOUMURA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, said that in dealing with conflicts, it was important to take a comprehensive approach that included conflict prevention and resolution, peacekeeping and peace-building, and the elimination of potential causes of conflict, such as poverty. It was also necessary to deal with conflicts in a manner suitable to each region. In the context of peace-building, it was necessary that international assistance, from post-conflict emergency humanitarian assistance to long-term development aid be seamlessly implemented. It had become important to ensure the security of humanitarian or development assistance personnel.

He said his country looked forward to working with other countries for the implementation of the recommendations of the Group of Governmental Experts on Small Arms. Japan would actively contribute to the convening of the "International Conference on the Issue of Small Arms" to be held by the end of 2001. With the entry into force last March of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, it was now necessary to achieve a universal and effective ban on anti- personnel landmines and to clear the mine areas, while assisting mine victims, many of whom were children. On this question, Japan, having contributed more than $40 million to international organizations and non-governmental organizations, would strive for the goal of "zero victims" at an early date. Regarding refugees and displaced persons, Japan commended the activities of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and would continue to cooperate with that agency and others.

Stressing the importance of dealing with biological and chemical weapons, and with the issue of delivery vehicles, including missiles, he said Japan would make efforts for the early conclusion of negotiations on the Protocol to the Biological Weapons Convention. Japan appreciated and welcomed the important progress achieved in the recent talks between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Turning to the need to have the Security Council reflect the current international situation, he said Japan would like to assume greater responsibilities as a permanent Council member. While Japan had been faithfully fulfilling its obligation to pay its assessed contribution, as well as making substantial contributions to the United Nations and related organizations, Security Council reforms and necessary budgetary reforms had not been realized. It was hardly fair for Japan to be expected to pay an assessed contribution exceeding the sum contributed by all the permanent members with the exception of the United States.

BENITA FERRERO-WALDNER, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Austria, said the United Nations had a duty to provide “human security” in its fullest sense. Individuals and communities should be protected against conflict, discrimination, poverty, organized crime, corruption or repression. Her Government was working very actively to promote that human security agenda focused on three priorities: human rights education, the fight against child pornography and the fight against the “uncivil society”.

She called for redoubled support for the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education and initiation of a long-term and multi-generational process of human rights learning. “Every man, every woman must know their rights in order to become full and equal members of society.” The family, as the fundamental unit of society, should be afforded the necessary protection and assistance so that it could fully assume its responsibilities within the community. Child pornography on the Internet was an area where further resolute action was needed.

The fight against “uncivil society”, including drugs and transnational organized crime, had rightly been accorded priority status in the work of the United Nations, she said. Austria was particularly worried by reports about the situation in Afghanistan, where the poppy cultivation area had apparently doubled in 1998. She called for assistance to the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to combat the growing and production of drugs in that region and elsewhere.

The Security Council must maintain its ability to act, she continued. It went without saying that the permanent members bore a particular responsibility in that regard, including financial obligations. The privileges of permanent membership came with a heavy obligation: to act whenever necessary. If a peace operation had to be established, it must not matter if the conflict situation were located in an area of little strategic interest or if the country in question maintained unwelcome relations with another entity. “Should the Security Council be seen to be unable to fulfil these functions, we will have to heed the call for reforms, including the role of its permanent members.”

BORYS TARASYUK Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, said that the role of the United Nations had grown immensely during the unprecedented ideological clashes and tumultuous periods of transition that had marked much of the twentieth century. He called the United Nations a "firm anchor in these troubled waters", but placed special emphasis on the fact that, while the United Nations Charter had remained the most ambitious and realistic code of world order for over 50 years, mankind was still far from achieving the Charter’s purposes.

Two years ago, he said, Member States welcomed the programme of institutional reforms designed to adapt the United Nations to modern requirements and ensure its ability to respond promptly to the challenges of the time. What began as promise slowed down, he said, and the programme of reforms remained largely unrealized.

This criticism was also pertinent, he said, when it came to reform of the Security Council. As the principal United Nations organ entrusted with the responsibility to maintain world peace and security, the Council should be replenished with new energy and fresh ideas, he said. The United Nations should have adequate tools to protect the basic values outlined in its Charter, he said. Those values must enjoy full support by means of legal, political and military enforcement. Member States should strive to create a world order where it would not be one's self-interest to wage war, oppress national minorities or exert economic pressure on other nations. Broad regional and subregional cooperation could serve that purpose.

Ukraine believed that the establishment of the International Criminal Court would serve the future system of international security and it would sign the Statute of the Court during the current session. He also said it was Ukraine’s ambition to be elected a non-permanent member of the Security Council.

MOHAMED BENAISSA, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco, said the Security Council's working methods and composition must be reconsidered in order to enhance its credibility, promote its ability to preserve international peace and security and ensure that it was balanced on the basis of equitable geographical representation.

He said his country had been calling for the implementation of an initiative by the late King Hassan II aimed at setting up a joint Moroccan-Spanish reflection cell to reach a final settlement on the status of the cities of Sebta and Mellilia and the neighbouring islands in a way that ensured Morocco's sovereignty over them while guaranteeing Spain's economic interest.

Morocco hoped that the sanctions imposed on Libya would be completely and definitively lifted as soon as possible, he said. Similarly, it called for the pooling of international efforts to lift the embargo imposed on Iraq and find a peaceful settlement to the issue within the framework of international legality and in compliance with Security Council resolutions.

He called on the international community, especially the developed countries, to devise a new approach to their relations with Africa in order to provide the resources needed for the continent to achieve socio-economic development. Morocco devoted 95 per cent of its annual international assistance appropriations to African countries.

Regarding the question of the Western Sahara referendum, he reiterated Morocco's full support for United Nations efforts to complete the process as soon as possible and in the best conditions of transparency and justice. Morocco had endeavoured from the start to inform the Organization of any deviations affecting the legitimate rights of potential participants in the referendum.

On the Middle East, he said that while the Arab community was committed to pursuing the peace process as an irreversible and strategic option, international legality mandated that Israel make a decisive, serious and clear-cut commitment to withdraw from all occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem/Al-Quds, the Syrian Golan and south Lebanon. The current Israeli Government should adopt a new approach to its interaction with the Palestinian side and with the various tracks of the peace process.

ABDULAZIZ KAMILOV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, said that terrorism was one of the main challenges and threats to international security and stability of the twenty-first century. In the Central Asian region terrorists were using one of the most peaceful religions –-Islam –- as a cover to create a new regional and global order. Uzbekistan did not understand the rather constrained reaction of the international community, as well as that of the large States to the spread of terrorism in Central Asia, which threatened regional and global destabilization. He proposed that the General Assembly adopt a resolution to consider the problem of terrorism in the framework of the Security Council.

Uzbekistan strongly supported the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones had acquired a special importance in light of nuclear tests in South Asia, he said. Central Asian countries, with the support of the United Nations, had come close to concluding a treaty on establishment of the Central Asian nuclear-weapon-free zone.

On the reform of the Security Council, Uzbekistan supported permanent membership for Japan and Germany and an increase in the number of non-permanent members.

The Foreign Minister said Uzbekistan once again asked for help with the Aral Sea problem. That crisis could not be resolved by humanitarian operations alone. It was necessary to develop and implement, with assistance from the United Nations specialized agencies and donors, a concrete long-term strategy and programme for revitalization of the Aral area, which would affirm principles of sustainable development and prevent a reduction in the quality of life of the people.

ANNA LINDH, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, said that when intervention was needed to secure peace, regional organizations and arrangements could play important roles together with the United Nations, as seen in East Timor. However, the Security Council must provide the mandate for such action, in particular when force had to be used. Without such a legal foundation, there was the risk of anarchy in international relations, and the prospects for peace and security could be undermined. Council action did not necessarily mean the use of force. Other tools were available under the Charter. The most obvious alternative was conflict prevention and early action. Member States must share information on conflict situations and early warning signals with the Secretariat. The Security Council should hold regular consultations on regional situations to identify potential conflicts and measures to prevent them.

United Nations capacity for rapid deployment of peacekeeping operations needed to be improved, she said. When considering those operations, the Council should not be hampered by short-term budgetary considerations. All countries must pay their assessed contributions in full, on time and without conditions -- naturally, that also applied to the host country.

She reiterated her country's call for a new agenda for complete nuclear disarmament. She called on India and Pakistan, as well as on all other States, to give up their nuclear ambitions. All countries should become parties to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The five nuclear-weapon States also had the responsibility to complete nuclear disarmament. She encouraged the United States and Russia to re-establish the stalled START negotiations.

She appealed to all governments to assist in the conclusion of the two optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The abolition of the death penalty would also enhance human dignity worldwide.

She said that an enlarged Security Council would better reflect today's realities, and a geographical balance was important in that regard. The right of veto was hampering the work of the Council; as a first step, it should be limited to decisions under Chapter VII of the Charter. She would like the five permanent members to agree on a moratorium on the use of the veto. The Council should be able to hear the views of all relevant parties to a conflict without the implication of a political recognition. Involvement of humanitarian organizations in the Council's deliberations would enhance its work.

RASHID ABDULLAH AL-NOAIMI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, said the continued occupation of his country's three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Mussa by Iran revealed that State's true nature -- to violate the territorial integrity of the United Arab Emirates. He had hoped that the Iranian rhetoric on the issue would have been translated into practical and positive steps in response to the peaceful initiatives of his head of State, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nihayan. It was deplorable that consecutive Iranian Governments had instead deliberately resorted to a policy of escalation and provocation by carrying out naval and aerial manoeuvres and erecting civilian and military installations on the three islands. They had also sought to change the demographic, legal and historical characteristics of the islands in order to consolidate their occupation and dictate a fait accompli by force. Those Iranian excesses were null and void with no legal validity or basis in the rules of international law.

He said the security of the Arab Gulf was the collective responsibility of the States of the region. In that context, he called upon the Iraqi Government to complete its implementation of the relevant Council resolutions, in particular those relating to revealing the whereabouts and the release of Kuwaitis and other nationals who were being detained or held as prisoners of war. He also called on Iraq for the restitution of Kuwaiti cultural property. Compliance would contribute to the restoration of Iraq's normal role at the regional and international levels. Nevertheless, the inhuman conditions visited upon the Iraqi people made it incumbent on all to seek an early end to their suffering. He called upon the Council to reach consensus on the drafts before it. That would lead to the implementation of resolutions in full in order to lift the international economic embargo imposed on Iraq. Addressing other regional issues, he called upon the Israeli Government to implement fully and scrupulously, without further delay or obstruction, all the undertakings and commitments it had assumed within the framework of the Sharm El-Sheikh Accords.

He also renewed complete and unqualified support for Lebanon and demanded that the Government of Israel implement Council resolution 425. He also demanded that Israel resume negotiations on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks from the point where they had been cut off to ensure a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Syrian Arab Golan to the line of 4 June 1967, in accordance with Council resolutions 242 and 338 and the principle of land for peace.

He said his country also renewed its call on the international community to exert more efforts demanding that Israel accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and subject all its nuclear facilities to the safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The continuing state of conflict and military tensions between Indian and Pakistan over the question of Kashmir was a direct threat to regional and global security and stability. The United Arab Emirates invited both governments to exercise a policy of self-restraint and to resort to dialogue and peaceful negotiation in settling their differences.

His country had also been one of the first countries to participate in the international relief operations in Kosovo, he said. Its troops had also participated in the United Nations peacekeeping operations in the Province. Addressing conflict issue in Africa he called upon the States concerned to solve their problems through peaceful means. He also reiterated the necessity of lifting the sanctions imposed on Libya after it had implemented the Council resolutions on the Lockerbie issue. On the issue of globalization and liberalization, he said that dealing with the associated phenomena and imbalances required a comprehensive and objective assessment in the areas of finance, investment, trade and customs tariffs.

ABEL MATUTES, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Spain, said that there were important lessons to be gleaned from what had been a difficult year for the United Nations. Crises had occurred around the globe and at times it had seemed that in the court of international public opinion, the United Nations was incapable of assuming its central and rightful role. But, the United Nations was only able to act to the extent that the Member States allow it to do so. It was the responsibility of the leaders of the Member States to explain to the public that the image sometimes projected of the United Nations was mistaken and unjust.

"The United Nations has its success and failures like any human institution", he said. Nevertheless, it had been a key factor in international relations during the first half of the twentieth century and continued to fulfil an essential function that would be progressively strengthened as the phenomenon of globalization continued to develop. The United Nations would be a unique instrument in the task of shaping international relations in the twenty-first century, he said, and it was the responsibility of the Member States to use it wisely and do everything possible to strengthen it.

While he acknowledged the unique value of the United Nations, he noted the need to revise some aspects of the Organization. He emphasised that Spain did not view United Nations reform as a project whose essential aim was the pursuit of savings, but rather one of enabling it to successfully meet the challenges of the new century. A key aspect of this process was Security Council reform. He said that the reform should pursue three basic goals: greater transparency in working methods, by increasing the number and quality of consultations of the countries forming part of it; greater efficiency, perhaps limiting the excercise of the right of veto which at times had prevented the United nations from performing the essential duty of keeping international peace and security; and, lastly, greater democratization or adapting its composition to the recent evolution of the international community.

He also said that delays in payments of the contributions by some States were unjustifiable and endangered the very operation of the Organization. It was not possible to tolerate the current level of non-payment, he said, and at the same time require the United Nations to set up a mission in Kosovo, organize the transition to independence in East Timor, establish international courts, deal with the plight of refugees, send peacekeeping forces to different regions of the world and allocate sufficient resources to its numerous development programmes. As the eighth largest contributor to the Organization's regular budget, Spain, he said, had a direct interest in matters such as budgetary discipline and the efficient use of resources.

Turning to the question of decolonization, he said that as the "decade of decolonization" was about to close, Spain still suffered from the presence of Gibraltar, a colonial enclave on its territory. Until only a short time ago Spanish citizens in Gibratler had been subjected to serious discrimination in the exercise of their rights. General Assembly resolution 2353 recognized that Gibraltar's colonial situation should not be settled through self-determination but rather through the restoration of Spain's territorial integrity. Unfortunately, its terms had been ignored by the colonial Power. Spain and Great Britain had begun a process of negotiation of issues, including sovereignty, with the 1984 Brussels Joint Communique, but no significant progress had been made.

Spain had made a proposal to the United Kingdom that took into account the interests of the inhabitants of the colony and which would allow for the recovery of sovereignty after a lengthy period. No reply had been received. The Spanish Government would continue to cooperate with the Decolonization Committee in following up on that issue.

Right of Reply

Mr. FLORES (Spain) said that his delegation wanted to respond to the references to the two cities contained in the statement of Morocco. Spain maintained excellent relations with that country. Places mentioned in the statement of Morocco were an integral part of Spain, and their population enjoyed the same privileges and obligations as the rest of the country.

Mr. KOUROSH (Iran) said that the statement by the United Arab Emirates referred to the territorial integrity of his country. The position of his Government was clear, and his country was fully commited to its international obligations. His country's message to its neighbours was that of friendship and cooperation. Iran valued peace and security in the region.

DAVID RICHMOND (United Kingdom) said that the long-standing position of his Government was well known to the Government of Spain. British sovereignty over Gibraltar had been clearly established in the Treaty of Utrecht. That legal fact was incontrovertible. Moreover, the British Government stood by its commitment to the people of Gibraltar, as contained in the preamble to the 1969 Constitution of Gibraltar, which stated that the United Kingdom would not enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another State against their freely and democratically expressed wishes. Issues relating to Gibraltar could only be resolved by direct talks, such as those established under the 1984 Brussels Declaration. In that regard, his Government attached importance to continuing the dialogue with Spain as a means to overcoming the differences between the two countries.

MOHAMMAD SAMHAN (United Arab Emirates) spoke in reply to the statement by Iran concerning the question of occupation of its three islands by that country. The position of Iran threatened peace and stability in the region. The behaviour of that country should be in observance of the United Nations Charter and norms of international law. It should not be manifested through occupation. Iran had threatened to use force in case the United Arab Emirates restored its legitimate rights to the islands. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of his country had made clear the intention to peacefully resolve the situation, and he hoped that Iran would respond to his country’s peaceful initiatives to ensure stability and security in the region.

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