UNITED NATIONS ALLOWED TO GO INSOLVENT WHEN MUCH MORE DEMANDED OF IT AS CENTRAL MECHANISM FOR MULTILATERAL COOPERATION, ASSEMBLY HEARS

Press Release
GA/9605

UNITED NATIONS ALLOWED TO GO INSOLVENT WHEN MUCH MORE DEMANDED OF IT AS CENTRAL MECHANISM FOR MULTILATERAL COOPERATION, ASSEMBLY HEARS

The United Nations had been allowed to go insolvent when so much more was demanded of it as the central mechanism and catalyst for multilateral cooperation, Ali Alatas, the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, told the General Assembly as it continued its general debate this afternoon.

The unhappy truth was that the inequities, imbalances and discrimination in international relations that the Organization was supposed to cure had infected its own vital organs and processes, he stated. The situation was the same in multilateral economic forums which had also been afflicted by the inequities and imbalances they were meant to rectify. The introduction of irrelevant social issues and undue emphasis on unfettered markets in those forums had brought about the neglect of core development issues.

On the question of East Timor, he said Indonesia’s current responsibility was to help make possible the fulfilment of the newly expressed will of the majority of East Timorese -– to seek a new destiny outside of Indonesia. “We will abide by that responsibility and commitment and, at the same time, ensure that the parting of ways will proceed honourably, peacefully and amicably”, he stated.

Lakshman Kadirgamar, Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, said the issue of child soldiers was an intractable problem that humanity would carry into the next century. While some governments were to blame for such practices, no government of his country had ever recruited children under eighteen years of age into the armed forces. Only the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam had resorted to that abominable practice, conscripting children for battle at age ten and training boys and girls to be suicide bombers. If the world's conscience was not outraged by the tragic fate of those children, nothing would spur action in defence of the young and helpless anywhere.

The tragedies in the Balkans had taught the international community to be cautious and balanced in addressing conflicts, said Ismael Cem, Foreign Minister of Turkey. It could not afford to impose solutions that did not correspond to the realities and aspirations of the peoples concerned. Similarly, a just and lasting compromise in Cyprus could not be based upon existing realities. There were two separate people and states. "These two states should be able to solve their differences through their own free will", he said.

Rosario Green, Foreign Minister of Mexico, said that, in response to the recent financial crises, earlier this month a meeting for the Latin American and Caribbean region had been held in Mexico City as part of a broader effort to involve other areas, including developed countries and international financial agencies. Based on the theme of creating a stable and predictable international financial system linked

General Assembly Plenary - 1a - Press Release GA/9605 11th Meeting (PM) 23 September 1999

to social development, the meeting’s conclusions would be presented at a United Nations high-level meeting on financing for development in 2001. Those conclusions included concerns over the complacency that set in once financial crises had died down.

Statements were also made by the President of Equatorial Guinea, the Prime Ministers of Lesotho and Lebanon, the Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg and the Foreign Ministers of Kuwait, Uruguay, Romania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Statements in exercise of the right of reply were made by the representatives of Iraq and Kuwait.

The Assembly will meet again tomorrow, at 10 a.m., to continue it general debate.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this afternoon to continue its general debate. Statements were expected to be made by the President of Equatorial Guinea, the Prime Ministers of Lesotho and Lebanon, and the representatives of Luxembourg, Kuwait, Uruguay, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey, Romania and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Statements

OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO, President of Equatorial Guinea, said that, despite the end of the cold war and the presence of world progress and new technology, the world had not been able to secure peace and security for all. It was imperative to ensure that all humankind enjoyed their basic rights. Power-seeking, ethnic discrimination and fanaticism had forced a climate of terror and war in many areas of the world. The Balkans, the Middle East, Africa and, more recently, South-East Asia, were perfect examples of such a climate of terror. There was still an unjust economic system that impeded equality between North and South.

The African population suffered from hunger, poverty, war and epidemics, he said. That continent needed an economic input and the transfer of technology so that democracy could flourish. In Africa, there was a drive downwards towards underdevelopment, poverty and unemployment. The latter motivated many African intellectuals to depart for more developed countries. He called for United Nations support to increase humanitarian help for African refugees. He hoped African refugees would receive help at least equal to that given to refugees from other areas of the world.

There was no political determination to cooperate between the North and South, he said. Rather, there was a confrontation of selfish interests where the strongest or richest always succeeded. There was a lack of political will to foster economic development in Africa. Its natural resources could not just be extracted by more affluent nations. There needed to be an equitable price system for trading natural resources and manufactured goods. In addition, a credit system that satisfied the needs of the population must be devised. Furthermore, it was important to lighten the debt burden of developing countries. He urged the further promotion of United States’ investment in Africa.

The unequal economic distribution worldwide had given rise to social and political insecurity in many parts of the world, President Mbasogo said. Peace and security seemed to be maintained by some and ignored by others. He hoped that the new millennium would not perpetuate the progress of some and the underdevelopment and poverty of others.

The current United Nations system was obsolete in the way in which it dealt with the difficulties and challenges that many of its Member States faced, he emphasized.

The United Nations must assist its Member States economically, socially, technically and culturally. In addition, the proliferation of peacekeeping in various parts of the world demonstrated that the current system of preventing conflicts was also obsolete. As a democratic organization, the United Nations needed to reform procedures in all its organs, including the Security Council, which took decisions that affected its Member States.

PAKALITHA BETHUEL MOSISILI, Prime Minister of Lesotho, said that perhaps no other conflict had tested the capacity of international conflict resolution machinery as intensely as the one in Kosovo. He concurred with the Secretary- General that the United Nations faced a moral dilemma when the Security Council was unable to act because of lack of consensus. The ethnic cleansing and impunity of the Kosovo crisis represented the most serious violations of human rights. "It would indeed be a sad comment on the efficacy of the United Nations if the next millennium were to begin under a cloud of tolerance of impunity in the face of acknowledged genocide and other gross violations of human rights", he said.

Charged with the responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, the Security Council must discharge this function with seriousness and firmness, he continued. "It must resist the temptation to view questions of international peace and security through the lenses of national fear and preoccupations", he said . "If it is paralyzed by parochial interests, the temptation for unilateral action increases". The belated submission of the Kosovo issue to the jurisdiction of the Security Council was therefore very welcome.

Despite the unprecedented democratic changes and reforms that had transformed the political landscape of the African continent, the President was concerned that continued conflicts had had serious negative impacts overall on African economic and political growth and development. He expressed concern for the situations in Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular. The States of southern Africa would continue to search for solutions to those crises. He also expressed continued support of United Nations efforts to hold a referendum that would determine the true wishes of the peoples of western Africa. He congratulated those countries under the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Observer Group (ECOMOG) for the sacrifices they had made to bring about peace in their neighbourhood.

The United Nations of the twenty-first century should give humankind hope for a world of diminished poverty with no threat of nuclear war. "The need to secure our global neighbourhood has never been greater", he said. Unfortunately, the threat from weapons of mass destruction continued, and there appeared to be no global determination to eliminate them. Unless the United Nations of the future was able to make significant progress in nuclear disarmament, it ran the risk of losing credibility as an institution dedicated to the pursuit of peace.

He called for the creation of a judicial body that would broadly extend the rule of humanitarian law to address the plight of civilian populations that had become the main target and direct victims of fighting between armies. Women and children suffered disproportionately from atrocities such as rape, sexual exploitation, murder and mutilation. Following the overwhelming endorsement of 120 nations last summer, the idea to create an international criminal court whose authority could be set up immediately was now a top priority.

"For us in the developing world", he said, "the most crucial question facing the international community is how to bridge the gap between the haves and have- nots." That problem must be reflected in the deliberations during the Millennium Summit. Lesotho, one of the world’s least developed countries, had committed a considerable portion of its resources to the war against poverty. He said that Lesotho had undertaken several measures -- such as deciding to tackle educational deficiency as one of the main contributors to poverty -- but he was puzzled by the skepticism of some of the developmental partners regarding their sustainability. "If viability were a cause for concern", he said, "we would have expected expressions of support to ensure the success of a worthy initiative which is in keeping with so many of the global conferences for poverty eradication".

SALIM AL HOSS, Prime Minister of Lebanon, said it seemed that there must be eventual recognition of either the relative sovereignty of States, the obligation to interfere in the internal affairs of States or the marginalization of the Security Council as the body responsible for international peace and security. The establishment of a new world order was for some States predicated on some historic development in global concepts and visions. For others, it was no more than a desire on the part of some States to impose ideas that corresponded to the balance of power. Dialogue, however, would provide consensus on, and understanding of, the issues at hand. No system could prevail if it were not based on justice and equality.

He said that no world order could condone the occupation of the lands of others by force or allow acts of aggression against people and property. The terms of Council resolution 425 (1978), calling on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon, had yet to be enforced. In the interim, Israel continued its aggression against Lebanon and its people. That aggression included killing, wounding, property damage, and forced eviction from homes and land. Most of the fallen Lebanese martyrs were women, children and elderly men. Furthermore, Israel had frequently violated the terms of the ceasefire established under the "April 1996 Arrangementsb.

He called for redoubled efforts by the international community to secure the release of all Lebanese detainees in Israeli prisons. There were many elderly and sick among them who were often denied humanitarian care, in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which protected civilians in times of war. Support for the Lebanese resistance movement was based on the principle of the legitimate right to self-defence. Israel had also deliberately circumvented the mandate of the United Nations Force in Lebanon.

His country was committed to the Middle East peace process and was ready to provide the impetus to resume the stalled Syrian-Israeli negotiations, he said. While there were serious prospects for the resumption of peace negotiations, recent declarations by senior Israeli officials cast doubts on whether there was genuine will on Israel's part for peace.

It was impossible for a peaceful settlement to be achieved unless Palestinians were allowed to return to their homeland. Lebanon renewed its call to the international community to shoulder its responsibility and come up with a just and equitable settlement. In the interim, his country was working steadfastly to revitalize its economy and become a part of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It also attached importance to environmental issues. The phenomenon of globalization had both positive and negative elements. The United Nations was the proper forum to check that phenomenon.

LYDIE POLFER, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Luxembourg, said that while there was economic globalization in some areas of the world, there was also fragmentation in other countries and increased economic disparity. “Our security and prosperity will depend on how our Organization confronts such challenges”, she emphasized. The effective functioning of the United Nations should be the responsibility of all Member States. In that connection it was necessary that all Member States paid without delay the sums owed to the Organization.

There were beneficial aspects of globalization, but also negative ones such as instability and high unemployment, the ravages caused by AIDS and the inequalities between North and South were other factors hindering the progress, she said. Member States had a major responsibility to provide a social and ethical dimension to globalization. Issues related to poverty could not simply be solved by an economic plan. It was necessary to implement a plan that included family services, education, health and adequate administrative structures. Democratic principles, respect for human rights and political transparency were also essential for the success of the progress of developing nations. The United Nations was a catalyst in achieving more equitable societies.

It was paradoxical that a decade that was characterized by openness had ended with an increase of intolerance, nationalism and the refusal to accept diversity, she continued. It was necessary to explore new ways to make democracy work so that internal integration would be possible. The international community will no longer allow those responsible of atrocious crimes to go free, she said. She hoped for the creation of an international criminal court. Small States such as hers were conscious of their vulnerability.

The Kosovo crisis demonstrated that the international community still lacked adequate instruments and the determination to avoid such tragedies. Military intervention there had been inevitable, she said. The international community could no longer afford such tragedies to continue. The commitment of the international community to rebuild the multi-ethnic democratic society in the Balkans was welcomed. Also, peace in Africa could only be achieved through collective action by the international community and the United Nations system.

SULEIMAN MAJED AL SHAHEEN, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, said experience had proved that the sanctions system employed by the Security Council under Chapter VII of the Charter was effective in making States change their behaviour and dissuading them from pursuing an aggressive policy. Sanctions were not an end in themselves, but a means to impose respect for the Charter and for Council resolutions.

He said that although there had been three panels established by the Council last January to explore the possibility of mitigating the impact of sanctions and improving the humanitarian situation in Iraq, Iraq had regrettably declined to participate in their work. An intensive effort was currently under way in the Security Council to pass a new resolution in relation to Iraq’s remaining obligations, taking into consideration the recommendations of the panels. While concurring with the good intentions underlying those efforts, Kuwait reaffirmed the need for Council unity in dealing with that issue and demanded assurances that Iraq would remain committed to all the requirements of Council resolution 687, which should be treated as an indivisible political and legal unit.

Confirming Kuwait’s support for all efforts aimed at resolving peacefully the dispute between the United Arab Emirates and Iran over the Emirates’ three islands, including referral of the matter to the International Court of Justice, he welcomed Iran’s willingness to start direct negotiations with the United Arab Emirates. He also welcomed the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement signed recently between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. However, Kuwait demanded that the new Israeli Government fulfil all pledges and agreements signed with the Palestinian Authority, including the restoration to the Palestinian people of their full national rights, especially the establishment of their independent State on their national territory with Jerusalem/Al Quds as its capital.

Israel must also cease its illegitimate settlement-building and land confiscation policy, and end its unilateral creation of realities on the ground, especially in Jerusalem/Al Quds, he said.

Israel’s withdrawal from the Syrian Golan was the litmus test of its genuine commitment to the land-for-peace principle. Also, Kuwait demanded that Israel end once and for all its repeated acts of aggression against the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon.

DIDIER OPERTTI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, said that the central role that the United Nations must play in terms of peacekeeping and international security must be recognized. The Organization could not shirk its duties to confronting religious fundamentalism; fight discrimination, whatever its pretext; and promote tolerance among peoples.

Reform of the Organization was a priority that must continue at a pace imposed by the complexity of the matter and the present situation of international relations, he said. Such reform required a balance between urgency and efficiency, between rigidity and flexibility, and between firm principles and new realities.

He stressed that Uruguay was in favour of change and against stagnation. It must be a change that would give back to the Organization a level of international recognition without sacrificing efficiency. He attached special significance to improving the rules of procedure and working methods of the Security Council and trusted that the proposals elaborated by the working group on that subject would be adopted.

He called on the United Nations to address the abusive use of light or small weapons, whose uncontrolled proliferation was reaching inadmissible levels with devastating effects. Uruguay strongly supported the convening of an international conference to deal with the illicit trade in such weapons. The culture of conflict must be replaced by a culture for peace. The entry into force of the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Landmines in March had been an optimistic sign in that direction.

LAKSHMAN KADIRGAMAR, Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, said a rebel group in Sri Lanka had been conscripting children for battle beginning at age ten. They had even trained both boys and girls to be suicide bombers, creating an unprecedented depravity and cruelty. If the world conscience was not outraged by the tragic fate of those children, nothing would spur action in defence of the young and helpless anywhere. While the governments of some countries were to blame for such practices, no government in Sri Lanka had ever recruited children under eighteen years into the armed forces, he added.

Only the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam had resorted to that abominable practice, he said. They operated with impunity in affluent countries, wearing the garb of charitable, religious or social organizations and raising money for ostensibly anodyne purposes -- whereas the money bought weapons for war. Host governments sheltering those organizations should know that the monies raised were fueling the war into which the children were dragooned. Those governments would not be able to claim a lack of laws by which to punish fund-raising for terrorist purposes once the convention on suppressing financing of terrorism was adopted, hopefully during the Assembly's current session. Sri Lanka had set up a rehabilitation centre for children who deserted the rebel army, he added. The task of restoring them to normalcy was daunting and experienced help was needed.

Poverty, illiteracy, illness, hunger, unemployment and uncontrolled urbanization were old problems deeply affecting half of humanity, he said. In an abundant era of conspicuous consumption, it was morally outrageous that the poor were still deprived of basic necessities. Any development agenda needed a social dimension and had to protect the most vulnerable. The international community had to move beyond the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative and the foreign debts of the least developed countries had to be cancelled. Those countries had been marginalized in the globalization and liberalization process. Since a crisis in one part of the global structure had the power to wreak havoc in the rest of the world economy, "we must look beyond national solutions to global ones@ð, he said.

Nations had been pooling their resources and strength for collective security and economic development during the second half of the century, he said. The regional cooperation of South Asia had produced incremental, durable achievements. For the humanity as a whole, the new problems of heightened terrorist activities and proliferating criminal activities in narcotics, human trafficking and arms smuggling, required that a question be asked: do moral considerations motivate actions, or have pragmatic considerations overtaken humanity? A rash of terrorist bombings in the West had galvanized the rich and powerful countries into action, and the Buddha could add to that lesson. The Buddha had renounced the world, and yet his teachings had spread all over Asia without violence. Today, there were 150 million Buddhists worldwide and nowhere were his teachings more avidly practised than in the West. A resolution introduced to the Assembly during the present session would recommend that the holy day of Buddhism, occurring on the full moon day of May, be observed as a special day by the United Nations.

ROSARIO GREEN, Foreign Minister of Mexico, said three issues were of paramount importance for the future of the Organization and of the community of nations. Those were: global peace and security; international cooperation in the field of natural disasters; and the financial architecture of the new century.

She said that the search for solutions to conflicts, whether internal or international, had to abide by the principles of the Charter. The Organization's authority and legitimacy must not be damaged by accepting actions that contradicted the intention of the founders and weakened the community of States. The use of force, even when motivated by the loftiest humanitarian causes, was never a solution but instead generated more instability, uncertainty and violence. A most pressing challenge was to provide the United Nations with the political framework that would enable it to face new threats to peace and security through global negotiating tools.

In addition, she said, a creative, effective international division of labour had to be devised for dealing with natural disasters. The responses of countries, regions and forums to those situations should not consist of isolated efforts or temporary relief, but rather be coalesced into a comprehensive strategy contributing to lasting stability.

She noted that, in response to recent recurrent financial crises, a meeting for the Latin American and Caribbean region had been held earlier this month in Mexico City as part of a broader effort aimed at involving other actors, including developed countries and international financial agencies. With the theme of creating a stable and predictable international financial system linked to social development, the meeting’s conclusions would be presented at a United Nations high-level meeting on financing for development in 2001. It had expressed concern over the complacency that had set in once various financial crises had died down, and emphasized the imperative need for a stable, orderly and safe international financial system.

ALI ALATAS, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, said investor confidence was beginning to trickle back to the Asian economies which had been struck by the financial and economic crisis. Positive signs in those economies, such as currency stability and lower interest rates, could be the first indications of a recovery. The United Nations, however, had been allowed to go insolvent when so much more was demanded of it as the central mechanism and catalyst for multilateral cooperation, and when its organs should be working in harmony. "Instead we have the spectacle of a Security Council, when not paralyzed by the veto of a permanent member, venturing out to take over the work of other organs in such fields as human rights, democracy and humanitarian aid", he stated. The unhappy truth was that the inequities, imbalances and discrimination in international relations that the Organization was supposed to cure had infected its own vital organs and processes.

That was the reason, he continued, it had been so difficult to reform, democratize and empower the Organization, and that it had been so difficult to make the membership on the Council truly reflect the political, economic and demographic realities of today's world. Although the Council's work focused on conflict situations that were mostly in the developing world, developing countries were woefully under-represented on the Council. For the same reason, nuclear disarmament had achieved no substantial progress in recent years. The nuclear arms race surged along as countries sought to join and enjoy the dubious privileges of being nuclear-weapon States. The world was thus still in danger of nuclear self-destruction. The situation was the same in multilateral economic forums which had also been afflicted by the inequities and imbalances they were meant to rectify. The introduction of irrelevant social issues and undue emphasis on unfettered markets in those forums had brought about the neglect of core development issues.

He said the international agenda had been steered by developed countries to open doors for their foreign investments, private capital flows and their exports. That had led to the eclipse of development. Technology unlocked the power of globalization which had been used by the strong to press their advantage over the weak. "Our tragedy is not in our ignorance but in the waste of our wisdom", he said. "The truth is that we know the solutions to our problems." The necessary decisive moves were not made, however, because they required change -- profound and radical change. That kind of change brought no comfort and posed the deepest challenge to faith and courage. There was, therefore, hesitation. The protracted debates in the Assembly and other forums were in reality just one long hesitation.

He said Indonesia knew how difficult change could be. In the case of East Timor, its responsibility had changed. Today its responsibility to the Territory was to help make possible the fulfilment of the newly expressed will of the majority of East Timorese -- to seek a new destiny outside of Indonesia. "We will abide by that responsibility and commitment and, at the same time, ensure that the parting of ways will proceed honourably, peacefully and amicably", he said. Solutions to the global problems of the times meant courage to take action where there had been previous lip service. It also meant the courage to recognize that many problems were complex and demanded more creativity than had been demonstrated so far. "If many of us have grown cynical, I do not believe that it is out of arrogance -- but out of fear of the consequences of change, the loss of some privilege or advantage over another, or out of fear of futility and failure", he added.

ISMAIL CEM, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkey, said the wide spectrum of United Nations activities over the last half century had taught the international community that there existed no greater force than the strength derived from unity. A little more than a month ago, his country had suffered the deadliest earthquake of the century which had claimed more than 15,000 lives and had left more than half a million people homeless. He hoped that the United Nations would take further steps with regard to natural disasters. His Government, together with that of Greece, had introduced a draft resolution on the subject.

The tragedies in the Balkans had taught the international community to be cautious and balanced in addressing conflicts, he went on. The international community could not afford to impose solutions that did not correspond to the realities and to the aspirations of the peoples concerned. In the same way, a just and lasting compromise in Cyprus could not be based upon existing realities. There were two separate people and two separate states. "These two states should be able to solve their differences through their own free will", he stressed. He hoped the embargo on the Turkish Cypriots would be lifted.

His country and Greece had begun a new dialogue by holding two rounds of talks where they had explored the possibilities of promoting cooperation in the fields of tourism, environment, trade, culture, regional cooperation and the fight against organized crime, illegal immigration, drug trafficking and terrorism. Also, following the earthquakes of the two countries, the emotions and solidarity that had been displayed by both had demonstrated that they would not accept confrontation and tension as a way of life.

His country would host the November Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Summit, the last one of the century, he said. The Summit’s outcome would play a significant role in shaping future security and cooperation in the Eurasian landscape. His Government had presented its candidature for membership of the United Nations Security Council in 2001-2002, and hoped it would receive the support of Member States.

ANDREI GABRIEL PLESU, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania, addressed the subject of globalization. He said, "Globalization brings about great benefits as well as risks". Many of its benefits would not be evenly distributed. Those who were better equipped to face the challenge of "going global" would reap its benefits sooner. Those who were not would have to try harder.

The moral underpinning of globalization was solidarity, he said. To belong to the United Nations meant making solidarity the norm. Social, political and economic solidarity, as well as cultural, inter-ethnic and regional solidarity, along with the solidarity born of respect for values, fostered by goodwill and good faith, were the ethics he wished for the coming century.

He said that Romania had submitted a draft code of democratic conduct for examination at this session of the General Assembly. The novel thing about the document, he said, was that in addition to listing principles and aims, it also spelled out practical modalities for carrying them out in the political, legal, administrative, economic and social spheres. It also emphasized the crucial role of non-institutional players -— business communities, unions, non-governmental organizations civil society and the media in shaping policies and in building consensus for their implementation.

He also said the stability pact for South-East Europe was proof of a bold new approach to deal with the entire region. Romania had welcomed the plan from the very beginning, and would do the utmost to bring it to fruition. Romania had passed the "acid test" of the Kosovo crisis, he added, and its commitment to the strategic goals of European and Atlantic integration was steady and unwavering. "We are looking forward with confidence and hope to the major decisions which are due to be taken before the year's end and thereafter."

ALEKSANDAR DIMITROV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, said that the Kosovo crisis had had particularly adverse effects on his country. The enormous influx of refugees -- nearly 18 per cent of the population -- had caused great economic, social and political difficulties. Throughout the crisis, in which the unemployment rate had reached 40 per cent, the economy had suffered enormous damage, and although his country had managed to overcome those hardships, the consequences were still being felt.

He said that financial assistance and support from the international community was indispensable for the recovery of his country’s national economy. He appreciated the assistance provided by the international community thus far, but expected United Nations Member States to fully carry out their commitments. There were still 30,000 refugees in the country and he urged continued cooperation with the United Nations for their safe return home.

All the countries of the region should join the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and become full-fledged members, he said. That was the most serious guarantee for security of the region, and would transform it into an area of democracy, development, stability and cooperation. In that regard, he also strongly supported the adoption of the Stability Pact and the necessity for full implementation of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).

He said that the approaching Millennium would provide the General Assembly with a genuine forum for the evaluation of achievements in the sphere of promotion and protection of human rights and freedoms. His Government supported strengthening the United Nations bodies that dealt with those very important issues. Increased world poverty and unemployment were key problems, which should be the main preoccupation of the international community. "In a world where half its population lives with less than $3 per day, and with unemployment rate increasing continuously, the international community has to face the challenge to overcome such a situation”, he said.

Rights of Reply

SAEED HASAN (Iraq) said he would respond to a number of points made by the Foreign Minister of Kuwait. First, the Minister had referred to the effectiveness of sanctions, but sanctions actually caused humanitarian disasters. The Minister had forgotten the international rejection of sanctions. The sanctions against Iraq were a call for genocide.

Secondly, he said, the conclusions of Kuwait's Foreign Minister with regard to the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) reports were drawn the same way as they were by the United States, which was, selectively. It had been shown that UNSCOM was a tool for spying. The UNSCOM was a black spot in the history of the United Nations and its conclusions were lies intended to keep the sanctions in place.

He added that Kuwait kept raising the issue of missing persons, which was a normal consequence of any conflict. It was time to stop sanctions and interference in Iraq's internal affairs. If Kuwait really wanted stability for the region, it would stop its aggression against Iraq in the no-fly zone. All relevant Council resolutions had reaffirmed the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iraq.

MANSOUR AYYAD AL-OTAIBI (Kuwait) supported the Foreign Minister's views. Sanctions were generally imposed against those who had violated international laws. Iraq had clearly done that. The Security Council had been forced to take action to expel Iraq from Kuwait.

He said Kuwait had not made up any facts but had simply quoted from the reports. The simple fact was that Iraq had not fulfilled its obligations underh the Security Council resolutions. With regard to the missing persons issue, it had become boring to respond to Iraq's lies on the matter. Kuwait had agreed to sit down with Iraq and talk from the humanitarian angle.

With regard to fulfilling obligations under the Council resolutions, was the entire international community wrong and only Iraq right? he asked. Many regional organizations had called for Iraq to comply with the resolutions. Iraq well knew that to see light at the end of the tunnel of sanctions meant implementing the steps that would lead to the region's stability and prosperity.

Mr. HASAN (Iraq) said Iraq had implemented the resolutions. It was the Council that had not implemented its own resolutions, because there was a political programme against Iraq, the aim of which was to "bring in a stooge government". Iraq had asked to see a single shred of evidence about the