PRESS CONFERENCE BY FOREIGN MINISTER OF ITALY

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE BY FOREIGN MINISTER OF ITALY

Migration flows had assumed such a large dimension that they were no longer just a problem for individual countries but for the entire international community, Lamberto Dini, Foreign Minister of Italy, told correspondents at a Headquarters press conference this morning. Although there were a number of international agencies dealing with migration, he called on the United Nations to take the lead in a coordinated effort to guarantee effectiveness.

The year 2001 would be the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations, and within that dialogue, migration flows had to be stressed. Mr. Dini noted that since the beginning of the 1980s the number of immigration countries had risen from 39 to 67, while emigration countries had risen from 30 to 55. It was no longer a problem of immigration towards industrialized countries, but a problem that concerned any neighbouring country whenever there was disparity in level of incomes and prosperity. Governments could no longer solve those problems bilaterally.

He said that in his speech to the General Assembly, he had indicated the areas where the United Nations could undertake more effective action. In her address to the General Assembly yesterday, United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright had called for a stop to the illegal trafficking of human beings. He associated himself with those comments.

The international community was witnessing a great gap between the capacity of individual governments to cope with those problems and the individual’s ability to move from one country to another in an era of globalization. In an effort to tackle the problem, he had urged the General Assembly and the Secretary-General to see whether a cooperative effort with precise rules could be established.

The Foreign Minister said that migration flows were the broad issue that he had dealt with this year in the General Assembly. He had not dealt with the many other problems that confronted the United Nations. They included the financial aspects and effectiveness of the Organization, as well as the reform that was being pursued by the Secretary-General.

Asked by a correspondent where Italy stood with development assistance, Mr. Dini replied that Italy was the fifth highest contributor to the United Nations regular budget, and the third highest contributor of troops to peacekeeping missions. In addition, Italy had taken the lead in debt cancellation and debt reduction. An Italian law had been passed recently that provided for the canceling of $6 billion of debt owed to Italy over the next three years. Italy was also increasing its contribution to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

There had been some talk by members of the Italian Parliament about the convening of an international conference to map out a new Bretton Woods monetary system, said a correspondent. Did the Foreign Minister think that this was a good move? Mr. Dini said that there was always room to improve the strength and functions of international organizations. However, he did not think that the defects of the international monetary system could be cured by “wrong medicine”.

Dini Press Briefing - 2 - 13 September 2000

He added that the clock could not be turned back on the era of rapid communications and the globalization of markets. A multilateral trading system free of controls had made an important contribution to the growth of many developing countries. He felt that it would be wrong to go back to capital controls, but he urged developing countries to remain mindful of them when they liberalized their markets.

What was Italy’s position on the expansion of the Security Council? a correspondent asked. Mr. Dini replied that there was consensus within the community of nations that the Security Council had to be reformed. However, there was no consensus as to how that should be done. Italy felt that the reform should make the Security Council more representative and more democratic. Ideally, the Council should include countries that, taken together, would represent the majority of the world’s population and the majority of global wealth.

A formula had not been found, however, and so far, there was no consensus on one. The problem would not be resolved by adding one or two countries to the Council. First, a criterion had to be established in order to reach a determined objective. The Council would not become democratic by adding one country. The only formula that could achieve a consensus would be one that added more non-permanent members. Italy felt that a desirable number for the Security Council would be no larger than 24 or 25 members, including permanent and non-permanent ones.

Asked by a correspondent to comment on the recent lifting of sanctions on Austria by the European Union, Mr. Dini replied that it was important to go back to why contacts with the Government of Austria were initially restricted. Those were not measures taken by the European Union. They were measures taken individually by the 14 member countries of the European Union in the face of a new situation that, in their judgement, presented dangers for the maintenance of democracy throughout the continent.

He noted that Austria had always been in full compliance in its activities and its policies with the principles that govern the European Union. He felt that Austria had to be judged by its own behaviour, and not on political propaganda that one party or another might make for electoral purposes. The sanctions had been a sign of displeasure on the part of the member countries of the European Union. The situation of the last six months had shown that Haider’s Freedom Party had not influenced Austria’s policies in any negative way. Therefore, he welcomed the recommendations of the wise men for the lifting of the sanctions. He said that there would be continued surveillance of Haider’s party.

Asked what sort of support Italy had gained in its bid for a non-permanent seat in the Security Council for the 2001-2002 biennium, the Foreign Minister said that he felt Italy was very popular within the United Nations. It was popular for the policies it had been pursuing within the Organization regarding poverty reduction, human rights and peacekeeping. Therefore, he felt there was considerable support by both large and small countries.

Noting that Norway had announced it would offer aid to Yugoslavia should the democratic opposition win the election, a reporter asked if that was something Mr. Dini felt the European Union should also do. He replied that Norway was not part of the European Union and as a result, it could take an

individual, uncoordinated action. In essence, Norway was following what the European Union had already announced. If democracy emerged as a result of the elections in Serbia, the European Union had set aside several billion dollars that would be devoted to the Balkans and in particular to Serbia.

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