GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES GENERAL DEBATE; TOTAL OF 180 SPEAKERS HEARD

Press Release
GA/9621

GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES GENERAL DEBATE; TOTAL OF 180 SPEAKERS HEARD

Afghanistan Calls for Sanctions against Pakistan; Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi Urge One Another to End Interference

Amid a barrage of charges of illegal intervention in Africa’s Great Lakes region and a call by Afghanistan for sanctions against “the Taliban and its Pakistani mentors”, the General Assembly today concluded its general debate, having heard from 180 nations.

Due to the currency of situations in Kosovo and East Timor, the question of the legitimacy of humanitarian intervention undertaken outside the framework of the Security Council, and its implications for State sovereignty and the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of States dominated the debate, which began on 20 September. Whereas some speakers stressed the paramount importance of intervening promptly in the face of gross and systematic violations of human rights, others felt that recent actions along those lines had the potential to destroy the Charter, undermine State sovereignty and overthrow legitimate governments.

As Secretary-General Kofi Annan suggested at the opening of the debate: one might ask in the context of Rwanda, if a coalition of States had been prepared to act in the defence of the Tutsi population, but had not received prompt Council authorization, should it have stood aside and allowed the horror to unfold? On the other hand, was there not a danger of such intervention undermining the security system created after the Second World War and of setting dangerous precedents for the future?

In his closing remarks, Assembly President Theo-Ben Gurirab (Namibia) reviewed the common themes that had emerged during the debate, chief among them, the need to create a world of peace and security and the development of humankind. Other key topics had included globalization, poverty eradication, the international monetary system, conflict situations, humanitarian intervention, disarmament, reform of the Security Council, the financial situation of the United Nations, the plight of children, including child soldiers, and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. (For a full text of the Assembly President’s remarks, see Press Release GA/SM/105, issued today.)

General Assembly Plenary - 1a - Press Release GA/9621 22nd Meeting (AM) 2 October 1999

Abdullah Abdullah, Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, said this morning that the United Nations appeared at last to have developed an in-depth perception of the reality of the Pakistani intervention and the Taliban agenda in his country. Pakistan was in blatant breach of the Charter and numerous Assembly and Council resolutions, including those on terrorism and the use of mercenaries; the Security Council should consider immediate sanctions against the Taliban and Pakistan. Afghanistan earnestly desired a broad-based, fully representative and multi-ethnic government, along with restoration of human rights, particularly the rights of women, who had been reduced by the Taliban to “voiceless and invisible non-beings”.

Monie R. Captan, Foreign Minister of Liberia, urged that equal treatment be accorded to all conflicts, irrespective of where they occurred. “Liberia takes a dim view of the disparity in the resources committed by the Security Council to conflicts in Kosovo and East Timor, on the one hand, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the other.” He endorsed the request of Zambia’s President Chiluba for the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo exchanged statements in exercise of the right of reply with both Rwanda and Burundi this afternoon. The Democratic Republic of the Congo charged that Rwandan troops had invaded Congolese territory just this morning. The Rwandan speaker maintained that it had been Congolese troops and their allies who had launched an attack today, and called for a ceasefire. Burundi, having been included among those called upon by the Democratic Republic of the Congo to withdraw troops from Congolese territory, the Burundian representative reiterated his country’s neutrality and said that his Government had taken legitimate steps to protect itself from Burundian rebels based inside the Democratic Republic.

Cameroonian Foreign Minister Augustin Kontchou Kouomegni, having questioned Nigeria’s willingness to accept a ruling from the International Court of Justice in respect of the border dispute between those two countries, a Nigerian representative expressed surprise that a matter before the Court would have been raised in this forum, and stressed his country’s commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes.

Arthur R.V. Khoza, Deputy Prime Minister of Swaziland, called for the Assembly to establish a working group to examine the situation of the Republic of China on Taiwan and ensure that the fundamental right of its people to participate in the United Nations was fully respected.

Fathulla Jameel, Foreign Minister of the Maldives, said that the most persuasive argument for reform of the Organization was the need to increase its ability to realize the objectives for which it had been set up. Reform must enhance its legitimacy, make it more democratic

General Assembly Plenary - 1b - Press Release GA/9621 22nd Meeting (AM) 2 October 1999

and transparent, and reinforce its ability to uphold equality among nations.

Also this morning, the President drew the attention of the Assembly to the change in the schedule for the consideration of the report of the Security Council; instead of being taken up on 21 October, it would be taken up on 20 October.

Statements in today’s general debate were also made by the Foreign Ministers of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Moldova, the Comoros, Cameroon, Rwanda, Burundi, and a representative of Kyrgyzstan.

A statement in exercise of the right of reply was also made by the representative of the United Republic of Tanzania.

In the course of the entire debate, which was punctuated on 27 and 28 September by a special session on the "Review and Appraisal of the Implementation of the Programme of Action Adopted at the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (1994)", the Assembly heard addresses from 36 heads of State, one Vice-President, one Crown Prince, 19 Prime Ministers, 14 Deputy Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers, and 104 Foreign Ministers. The eight Member States that did not participate in this year’s debate were the Central African Republic, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Somalia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 4 October, to begin its consideration of social development questions, including the world social situation and measures to improve the status of vulnerable groups.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to conclude its general debate. The Deputy Prime Minister of Swaziland and the Foreign Ministers of Trinidad and Tobago, Afghanistan, Republic of Moldova, Comoros, Cameroon, Rwanda, Burundi, Liberia and the Maldives, and a representative of Kyrgyzstan were expected to address the Assembly.

Statements Made

ARTHUR R.V. KHOZA, Deputy Prime Minister of Swaziland, said that with respect to the 22 million people of the Republic of China on Taiwan who believed that they had a right to representation in the United Nations, the principle of universality was not being equally applied. That country had shown its willingness and capacity to contribute actively to global development and peace, through disaster relief and development support to many countries and regions. He called for the Assembly to establish a working group to examine the situation of the Republic of China on Taiwan and ensure that the fundamental right of its people to participate in the United Nations was fully respected.

Turning to Africa, he said the peace efforts made by Sierra Leone, Ethiopia and Eritrea, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo underlined the principle that African problems required African solutions. However, that did not preclude the help of others, such as the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the United Nations and individual countries, especially in training, material and financial support. He urged the transformation of the United Nations into a structure that was truly representative of all Members, and that was transparent and efficient in its operations. The Security Council, in particular, required reforms to strengthen its legitimacy and to reflect the diversity of the Organization's membership.

He also stated that future global stability depended on the ability of national governments to increase the momentum for economic development and improve the delivery of job creation and essential social services. It was important to take into account that some countries were better prepared than others to take full advantage of the opportunities of globalization and liberalization, which must adopt a more human face.

He drew attention to his country's launch of a national development strategy meant to achieve a sustainable increase in the standard of living of all Swazis, in particular, to eliminate poverty, to create the conditions for a vibrant economy, and to reach a high level of human development. The AIDS crisis was having a severe impact on the lives of many Swazi families. Swaziland had one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world, and hospitals were stretched to their limits as a result. Every effort had been made, but it was a struggle which involved change in attitude and moral behaviour. The chief concern was to promote awareness of the danger and the means of prevention. He called on the international community for support, and for the United Nations to coordinate an international response to the crisis.

RALPH MARAJ, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, said that the economic models of the past century had failed to create economic and social justice. Poverty had reached staggering proportions around the world. The individual and the family had suffered the horrendous consequences of ethnic, cultural and religious intolerance. Meanwhile, the assets of the three richest people in the world were more than the combined gross national product (GNP) of all the least developed countries.

The task of the new century was to save the world from self- destruction, he said. No fortress, whether military or economic, would be strong enough to protect any country from the consequences of a world where only a few feasted at the table while the majority had only crumbs. “In this era of globalization, we have excellent opportunities to put in place new and innovative global structures that would make possible global solutions to ensure social, economic and cultural security of the individual.” Such meetings as the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Seattle, the South Summit and the Millennium Assembly provided the international community with opportunities in that regard.

"National governments cannot be exonerated from their responsibilities", he said. There were too many countries in the world whose major problem was the imperfection of their own governments. "Many who speak about marginalization are themselves alienating their own populations, and some who lament global poverty are themselves pauperizing their own citizens through their own inadequacies."

He said the real test for the United Nations of the twenty-first century was whether it would be effective at dealing with all forms of injustice to humankind. The United Nations must come to understand that it had been made for real people who might never know of or understand the intricacies of its inner workings, but who nevertheless were dependent on its decisions and policies. It remained the only organization where every voice could be heard, every individual could be represented, and every opinion or idea could contend.

ABDULLAH ABDULLAH, Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, said the international community must consider why threats to international peace and security were variably defined and selectively determined from place to place; why State violators of the Charter and international law were not brought to justice; and why the instigators of ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity were not checked. The Pakistani-Taliban occupation of the land in Afghanistan was a clear breach of the fundamental principle of inadmissibility of acquiring territory by force through transborder aggression. Crimes against humanity, including forced deportation, massive forced displacement of population and destruction of houses and the agricultural base, had been continuously committed by the Taliban, particularly in the Shamali Plains. The Taliban was engaged in genocide and advocated a terrorist and extremist agenda, as well as being involved in drug production and trafficking.

The responsibility for the turmoil in Afghanistan lay with the Pakistani leadership, which had long undermined the peace process, he continued. Thousands of Pakistani military and para-military personnel and thousands of recruits and "volunteers" from Pakistani religious schools had been trained and dispatched to Afghanistan for a so-called "Jihad". Credible testimony existed to that effect. Following years of scepticism or illusion, the United Nations appeared – perhaps, for the first time -- to have developed an in-depth perception of the long- standing reality of the Pakistani role, its intervention and the Taliban agenda in Afghanistan. He wondered if it were possible to hope that the United Nations system would resolve this and other similar crises. The United Nations' survival would depend on its abilities to engage in rigorous implementation and enforcement of its Charter.

He said that Pakistan was in blatant breach of the Charter, as well as numerous General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, including those on terrorism and the use of mercenaries. In accordance with paragraph 15 of General Assembly resolution 1214 of 8 December 1998, the Security Council should consider imposition of immediate sanctions against both the Taliban and its Pakistani mentors. His country expected the United Nations system, through the Security Council, to convince the Pakistani leadership to steer away from intervention in Afghanistan. Pakistani military intelligence should no longer thwart peace initiatives.

As a first step, all armed Pakistanis should withdraw from Afghanistan, he said. Pakistan should halt its direct assistance to the Taliban. Afghanistan fully supported the 19 July Tashkent Declaration of the member States of the "Group of Six-plus-Two". Regrettably, the Taliban remained in adamant opposition not only to the Tashkent Declaration, but to all other peace initiatives. Afghanistan earnestly desired a broad-based, fully representative and multi-ethnic government in Afghanistan and restoration of human rights in the country, particularly women's human rights. Under the Taliban, women had been reduced to voiceless and invisible non-beings.

NICOLAE TABACARU, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, pointed to progress made at the national level since the admission of his country to the United Nations in 1992. Enhanced regional and subregional cooperation had given new competencies to some regional organizations, including those in the field of peace and security. As a founding member and next president of the Organization for the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), Moldova welcomed the recent decision of the Assembly’s General Committee to include in this session’s agenda an item on the BSEC’s request for observer status.

He said that since the majority of the ex-Soviet republics had became Members of the United Nations in 1992, dozens of interventions concerning conflicts in those States had been brought before the United Nations and the international community, which had played an important role in ending violence and, and bringing parties to the negotiating table.

Turning to Moldova, he expressed his concern about the lack of a comprehensive settlement in Transnistria, the eastern region of the country where separatist tendencies persisted. There, the Government was striving for a speedy and lasting solution, and a return to stability and respect for human rights.

He called upon the United Nations and the international community to suppress any manifestations of separatism and defend the principles of sovereignty, integrity and inviolability of national borders. He also stressed the over-militarization of Transnistrian, which negatively affected the peace process. An immediate and complete withdrawal of foreign troops, as stipulated in the decisions of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Summit and required by the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty), was needed.

SOUEF MOHAMED EL-AMINE, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Comoros, said that the United Nations was the best organization to take the necessary steps to achieve world peace, but it must be supported by all the Member States. Its decisions must be made, not with "passion or uneasiness", but with intelligence and understanding of the political and economic complexities of the nations of the world. For the United Nations to bring out "a disarmed world that will guarantee peace and social justice” would require more vigilance on the part of the international community.

Turning to the marginalization of Africa and its rising debt burden, he said that a major portion of the financial flows of his country was applied to debt service, rather than sustainable development. Furthermore, the increasing debt made foreign investors uneasy. The country was marginalized by globalization, which had increased the already extreme poverty and debilitated its healthcare system. The international community must promote economic reforms and sustainable development in Africa, but it was solidarity between all the African nations that was most needed. Those countries must share their experiences and work together to improve the lives of their peoples.

He expressed concern over the political unease and the threat to peace and harmony that had surrounded the secession crisis of Comoros’ sister island, Anjouan. His Government could not endorse the secession, which was contrary to the spirit of territorial unity and social cohesion among the islands, he said. Three inter-island conferences had been held in conjunction with representatives from the OAU, to work out an agreement that would resolve this crisis. However, Anjouan’s lack of cooperation and intransigence had postponed any further dialogue. His country’s concern was that to hold elections without including Anjouan would be to accord official recognition to the secession. To do so would be counter to the principle of country unity, and the spirit of relevant international agreements. The Comoros invited the OAU and the entire international community to assist in resolving this dilemma. At the same time, it appealed once more to France to enter into a direct and constructive dialogue on the restoration of the Comorian territory of Mayotte.

AUGUSTIN KONTCHOU KOUOMEGNI, Minister for External Relations of Cameroon, said that African crises had been basically ignored by the international community. Was it conceivable that Somalia could be simply abandoned to perish? Should the international community abdicate its duties in Western Sahara, Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea? Cameroon deplored the bloody crisis in Angola, which also seemed to have been forgotten. The Standing Consultative Committee on Security in Central Africa had made efforts to disseminate the culture of peace. The Lusaka Accords had been concluded due to the persistence of African mediators. That proved that Africa could overcome its difficulties. He urged the speedy establishment of a United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was necessary to end the spiral of fighting in Central Africa.

As head of the Consultative Committee, Cameroon wanted to emphasize that that progress had been achieved by joint action of Member States, he said. Significant regional initiatives had been advanced this year at Yaounde in February, and at Malabo in June. At those meetings, heads of State of Central Africa had made plans to establish a Central African Peace and Security Council; adopt a declaration of peace, stability and security of the region; establish a centre for the promotion of human rights and democracy; and create a subregional parliament. A subregional court of justice, based in N'Djamena, Chad, was also being established.

The illicit circulation of small arms was another major concern, he said. A subregional conference would be held at the end of October to assess the scale of the phenomenon and identify the steps to be taken. Cameroon was committed to the legal settlement of its difficulties with Nigeria over the maritime border and urged the international community to help the two countries adopt effective measures towards peace and confidence. Pending the verdict of the International Court of Justice, Nigeria could demonstrate its commitment to respect the legal process by withdrawing its forces and also withdrawing its reservations to the world Court’s jurisdiction. Positive political changes in Nigeria had given Cameroon enormous hope in that regard.

Cameroon was also determined to protect the environment and safeguard national resources. A summit on the conservation of forests, held in Yaounde in March, with the participation of heads of State of the region, had raised awareness of the need for sound forest conservation and management, and adopted recommendations to that end. However, there were high costs attached to protecting species and reforestation, as well as administrative costs. For that, international assistance was needed. Cameroon would be sponsoring a draft resolution on the subject, for the forests of Central Africa were "the lungs of the world", and the whole world should join in efforts to save them.

SEVERIN NTAHOMVUKIYE, Minister for External Relations and Cooperation of Burundi, welcomed progress made in the peace negotiations which had commenced in Arusha in 1998, aimed at putting an end to his country's civil war. Nevertheless, new obstacles, such as the rebels' refusal to accept the Arusha principles and their continued acts of violence, were delaying the implementation of the final Arusha Accord on peace and national reconciliation. Therefor, he called upon the United Republic of Tanzania to implement the security agreements made earlier this year, which would curtail the rebel operations. He also called on neighbouring countries to assist in the fight against rebel movements and arms trafficking.

The lack of bilateral and unilateral cooperation from some partners and financial institutions, even after the suspension of sanction, was also a source for great concern, he said. He urged the international community to support Burundi, noting that his Government had demonstrated a strong willingness to reach a negotiated peace.

Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he stressed that Burundi was neither at war with that country nor allied with those who were. He welcomed the Lusaka Accords and reiterated that Burundi, having no political ambition in that country, adopted a neutral position on the matter. However, Burundi had taken defensive measures on the borders because the Burundian rebels had been infiltrating the Democratic Republic of the Congo troops and obtaining arms to enforce their bases in Tanzania, and blocking the only path of import-export to and from Burundi.

Accordingly, he said, Burundi had been forced to defend itself and take necessary security measures at its land borders and on Lake Tanganyika to counteract the onslaught of the rebels. It was a matter of life and death. Those measures would remain in place as there remained the spectre of insecurity caused by Burundian rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

AUGUSTIN IYAMUREMYE, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation of Rwanda, said that the atrocities of genocide were of particular concern to his country, which had lost nearly 1 million lives to this horrible practice in 1994. "This genocide was carried out in full view of the international community, which was unable to stop it." He urged the international community to cooperate to ensure that such a tragedy would never happen again. "And we have the right to expect it." He gave thanks to the OAU and the United Nations for conducting investigations to root out the parties responsible for this genocide and bring them to justice. He also reiterated the suggestion of United States President Clinton, who had proposed an International Coalition against Genocide.

He said that in the wake of the genocide, almost all the population of Rwanda had been displaced. Most of the displaced people had been widows, and the many children who had taken part in the genocide needed special assistance for their retraining and reintegration into society.

The Government had decided to rebuild its destroyed judicial system; its priority would be to punish those responsible for the genocide, he said. While he welcomed the efforts of the International Criminal Court, it moved slowly and lacked transparency. One of the problems with prosecuting genocide was that most of the responsible parties scattered quickly. In this case, some of the perpetrators had been stopped by other countries. He urged the international community to fulfil their humane obligations and assist Rwanda in this process.

The Lusaka Accords signed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo demonstrated the willingness by both parties to participate in and respect for the peace process. Yet, the Democratic Republic of Congo had violently attacked Rwanda on several occasions. This was not in the spirit of the Lusaka Accords. Rwanda supported the outcome of the African initiative and urged the entire African community to give its full support. He hoped that a United Nations peacekeeping force would begin work as soon as possible.

ALIKBEK DJEKSHENKULOV, First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, said that, since independence, his country had aspired to democracy and friendly relations in regional and world affairs. Of most significance to his country had been its admission to the WTO. He hailed also the Assembly's adoption of the year 2002 as the Year of the Mountain. He drew attention also to his country's doctrine of "Silk Road diplomacy", which sought to revive the Silk Road as a bridge between nations.

Kyrgyzstan wanted to establish links with all the countries of Central Asia and provide for the security of that area, turning it into a region of peace, he continued. In that context, the activities of the "Shanghai Five Group" -- consisting of Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation and Tajikistan -- were of particular importance. Since the creation of the Group, its members had resolved outstanding border issues and mutually reduced armed forces along common borders. Last August, the fourth Summit of the heads of State of the Group had addressed political aspects of mutual cooperation and the development of trade relations. A recently signed border agreement with China had established the demarcation of border between the two countries.

Recently, there had been an incursion of bandits and international Islamic terrorists in the south of his country, he said. They had resorted to hostage-taking and murder. The bandits and forces behind them attempted to impose their extremist views and attack the democratic State. His country had been confronted with the internationalization of Islamic extremism, supported by foreign mercenaries. He thanked neighbouring countries for their support, and appealed for further support from the international community to assist Kyrgyzstan in its fight against the terrorist threat.

He noted that a recent meeting on confidence-building measures, held in Kazakhstan, had adopted a joint declaration on the situation in Kyrgyzstan and expressed support to his Government. International Extremists based in Afghanistan were spreading their unsettling influence on the whole region. Continued illegal transportation of drugs was a great source of the funding of the extremist activities, which must be curbed. His country was prepared to host an international conference on Afghanistan under auspices of the United Nations.

MONIE R. CAPTAN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Liberia, urged that equal treatment be accorded to all conflicts, irrespective of where they occurred. “Liberia takes a dim view of the disparity in the resources committed by the Security Council to conflicts in Kosovo and East Timor, on the one hand, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the other.” He endorsed the request of Zambia’s President Chiluba for the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He stressed his Government’s commitment to ensuring: national unity through national reconciliation, resettlement and reconstruction; good governance through accountability, efficiency and transparency; and guaranteed protection of human rights. Special attention was being given to the situation of women and children. He reiterated Liberia’s call for an end to the arms embargo imposed on it in 1992 by the Security Council. Refusal to lift the embargo was a clear infringement of Liberia’s sovereignty and its right to self-defence. Given Liberia’s fragile situation, characterized by cross-border aggression, insecurity and suspicion, the embargo could lead to instability. He detailed his Government’s campaign to destroy arms and ammunition; that did not negate the need to lift the embargo so that the elected Government could fulfil its constitutional duty for national security.

Liberia found it disheartening that donors, who had pledged $230 million to Liberian reconstruction at the Donors’ Conference convened in Paris in April 1998, had so far not honoured their commitments. His Government could not rejuvenate the economy, stimulate productive activities, restore social infrastructure or improve the general standard of living, without international support and assistance. The debt it had inherited was such that each Liberian man, woman and child bore a burden of $1,200, although per capita income was barely $275. He called on Liberia’s creditors to consider relieving his country of that enormous financial burden. He welcomed the offers of debt-forgiveness extended to the poorest countries by United States President Clinton.

He said Liberia was committed to finding a diplomatic solution to its border dispute with Guinea. He called on the international community to support efforts to reactivate the establishment of the Mano River Union. He also urged the Assembly to review its denial of membership to the Republic of China on Taiwan. Finally, he said that it might be unintentional, but it was nonetheless regrettable, that the issue of African refugees, like African development issues, received the least attention from the international community. The United Nations must ensure that the treatment of refugees did not remain “skewed ... against a particular region”. FATHULLA JAMEEL, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, said his country had been earmarked for graduation from the list of least developed countries as of next year. National pride, however, could not transcend harsh economic realities. The economy of the Maldives was small and narrowly based, and its short-term capacity for diversification was limited. Graduation would impose unbearable burdens on it. He appealed to the Assembly to consider the realities on the ground and review the graduation criteria this year. The seven nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) were working together to enhance their prospects in the new international economic climate. The Maldives had called for the drawing up of a regional social charter to institutionalize social development. "We are also pressing for an SAARC convention or regional arrangements to promote and protect child welfare."

He urged the international community “to temper our obsession with economic growth with concerns for the quality of life”. The clear message that had emerged from the Assembly’s review of the Barbados Programme of Action was one of weak commitment and poor implementation. The Maldives and many other low-lying regions could cease to exist if sea-level rose by one metre. If that happened, the developed countries would also be significantly affected and the direct impact on biodiversity would be unfathomable. The Maldives was, therefore, disappointed by the lack of action in implementing the Barbados commitments.

He also expressed concern that the United Nations’ response to crises, especially those involving small States, had been found wanting in speed and effectiveness. "It is a pity that we have to enter the new century and the new millennium still carrying baggage containing many unresolved and deep-seated problems that confronted the United Nations at its birth", he said.

The post-cold-war years had seen the bitter betrayal of the promise of greater freedom and development, he said. Rather than a celebration of human rights and the legitimate rights of communities to their own identities and cultural values, arrogant ethnocentrism and intolerance appeared to be rampant. Strategies of nuclear deterrence, which presumably relied on the credible threat of mass destruction, could not be justified on moral grounds. The persistence of conflicts called into question the efficacy of the Organization. The most persuasive argument for reform of the Organization was the urgent need to increase its ability to realize the objectives for which it had been set up. Reform must enhance its legitimacy, make it more democratic and transparent, and reinforce its ability to uphold equality among nations.

Statements in Exercise of Right of Reply

Mr. AKINSANYA (Nigeria), responding to the comments of the Foreign Minister of Cameroon, said that silence must not be taken for acquiescence. He was surprised that a matter before the International Court of Justice should have been raised in this forum. Nigeria maintained excellent relations with its neighbours, including Cameroon, and had no territorial ambition for any country. The attack by Cameroon had not been necessary; justice would prevail. Nigeria was committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes, but reserved the right to deploy military forces to secure its borders.

ATOKI ILEKA (Democratic Republic of the Congo) said that the representatives of Rwanda and Burundi had once again proffered inaccuracies and lies regarding their countries’ intervention of his country. They were only distracting and insulting the intelligence of the Assembly.

His government had already presented its position on the dramatic situation prevailing in his country. He wished Rwanda had come with a delegation of peace. But on the contrary, a few hours ago, Rwandan troops had initiated a major offensive against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Lusaka Accords, signed by both parties, did not allow for that.

He said that his people wanted all Rwandans, Ugandans and Burundians out. "The bottom line is, we invite all of them and their uninvited military forces out of the country using the same roads they took when they came in."

“The rest is only history and literature”, he said, "and we will now wait to see who the true aggressors are.” His Government and people had decided to defend their national territory, even at the expense of extreme sacrifice, to preserve their territorial integrity and sovereignty.

He urged the OAU and the United Nations to make all possible efforts to find lasting peace for all the countries of the Great Lakes region as soon as possible. If the international community were "shy or silent" in its response, it would have on its conscience the atrocities of the human catastrophe that might ensue. “My government will continue to sound the alarm”, he said.

Mr. MWANDEMBWA (United Republic of Tanzania) said that Burundi had alleged that Tanzania harboured terrorist bases on its territory. His Government had never provided bases for terrorists from Burundi. It had received refugees from that country and maintained camps for those refugees on its territory. Those camps were not used as bases by Burundi rebels.

Mr. KONTCHOU KOUOMEGNI, Foreign Minister of Cameroon, reiterated that “positive winds were blowing” in Nigeria, where a democratically elected government had given hope to many, including his country. Those hopes included a peaceful solution of maritime disputes between the two countries.

He had the duty to inform the Assembly of some disquieting facts, however. First of all, there had been incidents on the common border, started by the armed forces of Nigeria. He had sent a note of protest to that country. Under present circumstances, if there were a particular dispute with Nigeria, the two countries would not be able to resolve their differences before the Court. His country did not want to have to use force to find a solution.

Also, some of the leaders of Nigeria were telling the press that no matter what the decision of the International Court would be, there was no way the territory in question would be returned to Cameroon. He hoped that Nigeria would respect the norms of international law.

JOSEPH MUTABOBA (Rwanda) said that the Lusaka Accords spoke for Rwanda; he would not waste the Assembly's time responding to the baseless allegations of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Assembly had only to refer to his country's statement of 29 September, made in response to another deplorable speech by the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

However, he said, if the Congolese speaker had been able to follow the news correctly, he would have seen that it was, in fact, Congolese troops and their allies who had launched the attack. Rwanda was in the process of drafting a letter to the Security Council demanding a ceasefire. He was certain that all the members of the international community would agree.

Mr. ILEKA (Democratic Republic of the Congo) was pleased that Rwanda acknowledged the presence of Rwandan troops in a location 2,000 kilometres from the common border.

Mr. NTAHOMVUKIYE, Foreign Minister of Burundi, reiterated his country’s position on the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Burundi was not recognized as a belligerent party in the conflict. Having stated its security concern about the borders, following the disorder provoked by the presence of rebel troops, Burundi would continue to participate in discussions aimed at a settlement of the situation.

Closing Statement by General Assembly President

THEO-BEN GURIRAB (Namibia), President of the General Assembly, said in his closing remarks that the clarion call heard from almost all speakers concerned the need to create a world of peace and security and the development of humankind. There was a clear consensus on the need to ensure that the benefits of globalization were shared equitably among nations and peoples. Many had argued that for developing countries to benefit from that process, the multilateral system should be strengthened. Most had agreed that the eradication of poverty and fulfilment of peoples’ aspirations for development required genuine international solidarity and mutually beneficial cooperation between developed and developing countries.

He said that in discussing the international financial and monetary system, some speakers had stressed its positive qualities and argued to keep it as it was. Others had urged further reform of the Bretton Woods institutions. Still, others had argued that the system should be scrapped altogether and replaced with a new, just and open system. Clearly, the debate on that matter would continue. In the face of regional wars and other armed conflicts, all speakers had agreed on the need to further strengthen the international and regional systems of collective security.

On the issue of humanitarian intervention, he recalled that some speakers had stressed that respect for human rights had become more important than the sovereignty of States, arguing that the international community should intervene in the face of gross and systematic violations of human rights, with or without the prior approval of the United Nations.

Other Member States, however, warned that the new notion of humanitarian intervention had the potential to destroy the Charter, undermine the sovereignty of States and overthrow legitimate governments. They stressed that the obligation to protect human rights was incumbent on all governments within the context of the exercise of their sovereignty and constitutional order. Still, other speaker had taken the position that nations could not intervene in the internal affairs of others without a specific Security Council mandate. Their view was that massive violations of human rights leading to humanitarian emergencies required the coordinated action of the international community through the United Nations, rather than a fiat of unilateral action or creation of faits accomplis.

Previewing the discussion of the reform, restructuring and democratization of the United Nations, he said there was a strong consensus among many States on the need to further strengthen the Security Council through enlargement and to make it more effective, representative and responsive to the challenges facing the world. There had been a clear call for new forms of cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations to advance the cause of peace, justice and development around the world.

He said there was also a clear consensus on the obligation of all Member States to pay their assessed contributions in full, on time and without preconditions, recognizing that the United Nations could not perform effectively without funds, resources and competent personnel. Virtually all participants had addressed the plight of children, especially the phenomenon of child soldiers. There was a growing commitment to the development of international instruments to outlaw the use of children under the age of 18 in armed conflicts, to protect future generations from the scourge of war. Another theme of general concern had been the alarming HIV/AIDS pandemic; speakers had underscored the importance of enhanced global cooperation in fighting that killer disease, which had declared war against humanity.

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