SOMALIA"S PRESIDENT DESCRIBES FIRST STEP IN NEW ERA OF PEACE, STABILITY AS FIFTY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONTINUES DEBATE
Press Release
GA/9767
SOMALIAS PRESIDENT DESCRIBES FIRST STEP IN NEW ERA OF PEACE, STABILITY AS FIFTY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONTINUES DEBATE
20000915Foreign Ministers of Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Portugal, Iceland, United Arab Emirates, Cuba, New Zealand, Côte dIvoire, Iran Also Speak
In contrast to the anarchy and civil war that had prevailed in Somalia for the past 10 years, the recent creation of the National Assembly ushered in a new era for peace and stability and constituted the first step of restoring order and central authority in the country, the President of Somalia told the fifty-fifth regular session of the General Assembly this morning, as it continued its general debate.
The spontaneous reaction of hundreds of thousands of Somalis, he said, demonstrated vividly that they wanted to leave years of civil war behind and open a new era of peace, tranquillity, good governance, restoration of the rule of law and national unity. He called upon the warlords to review their positions, hear the voice of reason and respect the legitimate aspirations of the Somali people to achieve national unity, social and economic development, and durable peace.
The challenges Somalia faced were monumental, said Abdikassim Salad Hassan. There had been large-scale destruction of the physical infrastructure in both urban and rural areas. Children had not gone to school for two decades. The role of the international community to assist in peace building, rehabilitation and reconstruction was of pivotal importance. He reaffirmed unqualified support to the principles of the United Nations and extended his profound appreciation for the commendable role it had played in the efforts to alleviate the plight of the Somali people over the past 10 years.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand, Phil Goff, said that relative calm and stability had been restored in most of East Timor - and everyone remembered the sacrifices made by peacekeepers from Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal and his own country, who in recent months had laid down their lives to help bring it about. But, the militia continued to hold sway in the border areas among the refugees in West Timor. Unless brought under control, those militias would destabilize both West and East Timor. The Government of Indonesia, without further delay, should disarm and disband the militia immediately, ensure safety and security in the refugee camps and for humanitarian workers, and prevent cross-border incursions into East Timor.
General Assembly Plenary - 1a - Press Release GA/9767 16th Meeting (AM) 15 September 2000
Felipe Pérez Roque, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, said that the emergence of a unipolar world had brought with it direct or covert interventionism under the guise of multilateral actions, selfishness as a behavioral pattern in international relations and the attempt to disregard the principles of equality among States. The recent precedent of unleashing deadly wars against defenceless populations, without even consulting the Security Council, was a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter. Was it not paradoxical that Western powers - while developing new, state-of-the-art killing devices - intended to prevent poor countries from utilizing conventional light weaponry essential to nations that lived under the permanent threat of a military aggression? he asked.
The Foreign Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, said it was important to enhance the Security Councils unity of purpose and avoid the situation of taking international action outside of the Council, such as in the case of Kosovo. The imposition of sanctions should also be thoroughly reviewed. The production and deployment of ultra-sophisticated, hi-tech conventional weapons should be limited. They were used in the wars of developing countries, resulting in the ironic situation of third world countries fighting their wars with first-world weapons, thanks to the aggressive marketing efforts of arms vendors of the developed countries.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea, John Kaputin, the Foreign Minister for Portugal, Jaime Gama, the Foreign Minister for Iceland and External Trade, Halldor Asgrimsson, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of United Arab Emirates, Rashid Abdullah Al-Noaimi, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Côte dIvoire, Charles Providence Gomis, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iran, Kamal Kharrazi also spoke this morning.
The Assembly will meet again at 3 p.m. to continue its general debate.
General Assembly Plenary - 2 - Press Release GA/9767 16th Meeting (AM) 15 September 2000
Assembly Work Programme
The General Assembly met this morning to continue its general debate for the fifty-fifth session. It was expected to hear an address from the President of Somalia, Abidkassim Salad Hassan, as well as from representatives of Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Portugal, Iceland, United Arab Emirates, Cuba, New Zealand, Côte dIvoire and Iran.
Statements
JOHN KAPUTIN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea, said that he recognized the value of global cooperation through bodies like the World Trade Organization, and was disappointed that the next round of World Trade Organization talks had been delayed. Certain security issues, such as climate change, required a global approach, as did efforts to limit the proliferation, and bring about the elimination of, nuclear weapons. However, different regions had different problems, and security policies that worked in one region might not work in another.
Regional cooperation was indispensable to dealing successfully with many important global and national issues, he said. But, it could have a variety of different dimensions, and employ different means. For example, Fiji and the Solomon Islands were experiencing internal difficulties that had given rise to serious concern. Papua New Guinea did not condone the illegal overthrow of democratic and constitutional governments, but regrettably, despite repeated efforts by Papua New Guinea and other States, the Pacific Islands Forum did not have a mechanism for dealing promptly and effectively with challenges to the security of States in the region. Some of their neighbours had responded by looking for support outside the region. The recent addition of six pacific members to the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of States, meant that 14 island States now had a mechanism for dealing with such situations and had set up a ministerial mission to report on the situations in Fiji and the Solomon Islands.
Turning to the question of sanctions, he said that the imposition of sanctions could be a very blunt instrument, indeed. Even smart sanctions could have wide, unintended effects, while leaving their objects largely unaffected. The underlying causes of inter-group tensions in the Solomon Islands and the events that followed the attempted armed coup in Fiji could be difficult to identify and were beyond the influence of sanctions. It was vital that serious difficulties, such as those affecting Fiji and the Solomon Islands, were properly studied and carefully addressed. Sometimes, the best people to understand such situations were neighbours with similar cultures and other shared values.
He said that as a developing country with 25 years of independence, Papua New Guinea was experiencing great difficulty in improving national performance, as measured by human development factors. The support of their economic partners was needed in such things as access to markets, increased investment in priority areas, such as downstream processing, and aid on concessional terms. The recently concluded partnership agreement between the European Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific group of States was an example worthy of wider emulation. Papua New Guinea valued its status as a special observer at Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings, and their membership in Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). That did not, however, detract from other aspects of Papua New Guineas foreign relations and did not affect the commitment made to the People's Republic of China.
DATUK SERI SYED HAMID ALBAR, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, said reform of the Organization was a continuous process, to be vigorously pursued to ensure the United Nations increased effectiveness. He supported an expansion of the Security Council in both categories of its membership, which should include both industrialized and developing countries. For the time being the Council should be enlarged in the non-permanent category, if no agreement on expansion of the permanent membership was reached. It was important to enhance the Councils unity of purpose among its members, so as to avoid the situation of taking international action outside of the Council, such as by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the case of Kosovo. The imposition of sanctions should also be thoroughly reviewed. Future sanctions regimes should be specifically targeted, time-bound, subject to regular review and lifted when no longer necessary.
Weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons, but also chemical and biological weapons, should be eliminated, he continued. The production and deployment of ultra-sophisticated, hi-tech conventional weapons should be limited. They were used in the wars of developing countries, resulting in the ironic situation of third world countries fighting their wars with first-world weapons, thanks to the aggressive marketing efforts of arms vendors of the developed countries, he said. A more proactive approach on preventive diplomacy would require even closer coordination between the Security Council and the Secretary-General. That should not become an excuse, however, to interfere in the internal affairs of member States. There was a growing tendency for the developed countries in the name of civil society, democracy and human rights, to set standards for the developing countries.
Since the East Asian financial crisis, there had been increasing recognition of the need for reform of the existing global financial and economic systems, he said. He hoped efforts in that direction would continue to be pursued by the Bretton Woods institutions. With all its potential benefits, globalization, in its unfettered form, was likely to cause more harm than good to small, vulnerable economies. The principle of transparency should include currency traders and market manipulators, which were now somehow exempted from such a requirement, as well as from the payment of taxes. Until and unless those measures were instituted, globalization would be seen by the developing world as a largely predatory ideology of the rich nations for the exploitation of poor ones.
To assist in the process of globalization, he said, it was incumbent upon the international community to ensure that the developing countries, particularly the least developed among them, continued to receive development assistance, to enable them to make the leap out of chronic poverty. It was imperative for the United Nations to carry out its developmental mission with even greater vigour at a time of increasingly scarce resources and exploding populations. The role of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was especially critical and it required additional resources and more effective programmes, particularly for vulnerable small island and land-locked States. Africas ability to rise out of poverty could only be attained with continued international assistance, which included the forgiveness of external debts.
JAIME GAMA, the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal, reiterated his Prime Ministers statement before the Millennium Summit: the United Nations found itself at a turning point. The importance of its peacekeeping operations was never more evident than during the last decade. On the whole, the results proved that a credible peace-keeping capacity was in itself a deterrent to conflicts.
He considered the Report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations -- the Brahimi report -- a necessary instrument to facilitate the process of reform, because it would strengthen the capacity of the United Nations in conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peace-building. The crucial question would always be political. The international community must gather the courage to broaden the scope of the responsibilities of the United Nations. As the Secretary-General stated, it is our function to intervene. He would go further and say that it was the duty of the United Nations to intervene effectively, on time and on the basis of international law. Portugal was ready to do so, as it had in the past, participating in, among others, peacekeeping operations in Mozambique, Angola, East Timor and Bosnia and Herzegovina. With more than 1,000 peacekeepers, Portugal was the eleventh largest contributor of troops and first among its European partners.
Certain global problems must be addressed in the new millennium, particularly poverty, which dooms 50 per cent of the worlds population to subsist on less than $2 a day. The eradication of poverty seemed utopian, he said, but it was a goal within reach. Furthermore, since the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio the environment had been on the agenda and the United Nations must continue to provide guidance on that matter. Global warming affected everyone and demanded common action on a global scale. Portugals unique link to the oceans taught it to appreciate both the land ecosystem and the renewal of energy resources.
Portuguese foreign policy had regarded Africa as one of its great priorities and it was concerned about the spread of tensions and conflicts in West Africa, he said. He deeply regretted the ongoing civil war in Angola, citing violations by the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) of Security Council resolutions as a major factor. He welcomed the sanctions against UNITA and believed that the continued United Nations presence in Angola remained fundamental, from a humanitarian and political perspective. Also, Portugal had always supported East Timor and expected to expend $50 million in financial assistance in the current year, as well as 2001 and 2002. In sum, guaranteeing peace, fighting poverty, protecting the environment and leaving a better world for future generations - this is our duty at the turn of the millennium. Only a reformed and more democratic United Nations could help meet those common challenges.
HALLDOR ASGRIMSSON, Minster for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Iceland, said that to maintain peace and security, the United Nations needed to be strengthened. His Government had always supported verifiable arms control and arms reduction and would continue to support realistic disarmament proposals. The enormous sums spent on weapons could be used to significantly improve the lives of millions. Even though Iceland did not have a military, it had been able to participate in peacekeeping operations by providing medical staff, policemen and experts in the field of law, media and women's rights. The Security Council had the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, but it had not succeeded in reflecting the tremendous changes in the international arena. In order to ensure its credibility, the reform process must be accelerated.
There were mechanisms to ensure respect and compliance with rules of human rights and humanitarian law, he said. However, as a complement to those mechanisms, an effective international court system should be available to bring to justice those who breached the rules, while acting as a deterrent to potential perpetrators. In Kosovo, the politically motivated and inter-ethnic violence must end. The same applied to similar situations elsewhere in the Balkans, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina. The development of a legal system and free media had been two challenging tasks. He hoped that the upcoming elections in Kosovo would be carried out in an orderly manner. The importance of human rights in securing long-term stability and security could not be overestimated. It was essential that no compromises were accepted in that field and that aims remained high.
Poverty remained one of the main challenges of the United Nations, he said. It was vital to reverse the current trend and allow all peoples to benefit from globalization. Iceland had been strengthening its development cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally. Most of the decisions were based on compromises where all had to give a little in order to reach an agreement. It was important to keep that in mind when discussing the paying of dues to the regular and peacekeeping budgets. It was crucial that all members pay their contributions fully, on time and without conditions.
Iceland's economy was based on the sustainable harvesting of living marine resources, he said. The health and stewardship of the oceans were, therefore, of critical importance to his country. Ocean issues needed to be addressed at the appropriate level and be consistent with the rights and obligations laid down in the Law of the Sea Convention. The sovereign rights of States over their natural resources and the competence of existing international organizations must be fully respected. Above all, the integrity of the Convention needed to be preserved, as it provided the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out. Regional and international efforts to prevent pollution of the oceans had continued to gather strength, and he expected further efforts, in particular, to control pollution from land-based sources.
RASHID ABDULLAH AL-NOAIMI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, supported all regional and international efforts to end conflicts through peaceful means, emphasizing the importance of the political will of all parties to achieve reconciliation and to implement relevant Security Council resolutions.
He called upon Iran to either enter into serious bilateral negotiations aimed at ending its occupation of the islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Moussa, or to accept the submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice. All measures unilaterally taken by Iran, along with the construction of military and civilian installations, were illegal, null and void and did not establish or entail any legal rights on those islands, regardless of the duration of the occupation. They represented, instead, a violation of the territorial sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates, and ran counter to the Charters of the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, as well as to Iranian declarations of peaceful intentions in the region. He also called for a peaceful solution to the Iraqi situation, to end the suffering of the Iraqi people. At the same time, he invited the Iraqi Government to fulfill its obligations, in particular by releasing prisoners of war and restoring Kuwaiti property, while underlining the importance of respecting the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Iraq and Kuwait. Furthermore, he renewed his call to the co-sponsors of the Middle East peace process to continue promoting negotiations towards finding a just and comprehensive settlement of the Palestine issue, including the questions of Al- Quds Ash-Sharif (Jerusalem) and the refugees. He affirmed unceasing support of Syrian efforts to regain control of the Golan Heights, and urged that Israel be required to resume negotiations. He also supported efforts of the Lebanese Government to extend sovereignty over the whole of its territory, and supported lifting the economic sanctions on Libya. He invited all Somali factions to reinforce national unity for the sake of restoring peace, stability and sustainable development to the Horn of Africa.
His country was, he said, also concerned about the slow pace of progress in limiting the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and he called on States to review their relevant policies and to promote zones free of such weapons. He also urged the international community to demand that the Israeli Government accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and subject its nuclear facilities to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.
Finally, he confirmed the determination of his country to support plans to create an environment favourable to development, elimination of poverty, and free access for exports of the developing countries to the markets of industrialized States. And he called for reform of the United Nations, in particular the Security Council and the General Assembly, to encourage regional and international cooperation and to keep pace with the rapid changes in international relations.
FELIPE PÉREZ ROQUE, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba, said that the emergence of a unipolar world, far from having meant greater security, had ushered in a new age in which the hegemony of a sole super-Power prevailed. It had brought with it: direct or covert interventionism under the guise of multilateral actions; insecurity for small countries; selfishness as a behavioural pattern in international relations; and the attempt to disregard the principles of equality among States. The attempt to use pressure to impose the so-called right of humanitarian intervention were currently the greatest threat to international peace and security. It was well known that the reduced group of developed countries, who, led by the United States, attempted to impose that perilous concept on the decisions of the Organization, would not have to fear the consequences of recognizing such a right in international relations.
Actions geared at fragmenting countries and nations, at recolonizing territories and redesigning zones of influence must cease, he continued. The recent precedent of unleashing deadly wars against defenseless populations, without even consulting the Security Council, was a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter. Was it not paradoxical that Western powers - while developing new, state-of-the-art killing devices - intended to prevent poor countries from utilizing conventional light weaponry essential to nations that lived under the permanent threat of a military aggression? The world would be safer if total disarmament took place, nuclear disarmament in particular. While light weaponry must one day be eliminated, other types of deadlier weaponry, owned by a handful of developed countries, must also be disposed of. Why shouldnt the United Nations, instead of tamely following the death game of the Western powers, focus its attention on setting aside a portion of the nearly $800 billion currently used on military expenditure to focus on development?
Had the time not come, he asked, for the international community to rescue the right to development as a United Nations priority? Why should international cooperation be allowed to disappear when it was most needed? The right to development was discussed year after year with no concrete agreement reached, while the Bretton Woods institutions kept on divesting the United Nations of the prerogatives bestowed on it by the Charter. The Millennium Summit had made it clear that the devastating effects of imposing a neo-liberal model in a globalized world were particularly striking in Third World Countries. There was no room for unilateralism in a world in which solidarity and cooperation were the only means for salvation.
Did democracy exist in international relations? he asked. It appeared not. In order to attain it, the United Nations must really contribute to building solidarity among nations. Utilization of the United Nations to impose a new colonial order must be rejected. He demanded that the Security Council act as a representative of everyone, not simply as the servant of only one. Democratizing the Security Council required the abolition of the anachronistic veto privilege, an increase in the number of council members, the application of the principle of equitable geographical representation and the fulfilment of its obligation of truly reporting to the General Assembly.
ABDIKASSIM SALAD HASSAN, President of Somalia, paid a special tribute to the President of Djibouti for his exceptional role in the recently concluded National Reconciliation Conference, held in Arta. Previous conferences had been based on attempts to reconcile the personal differences between power-seeking faction leaders, he said. The Arta Conference had concentrated on the constructive engagement and interaction of traditional clan elders and sultans, religious leaders and other representatives of the Somali society, leading to the general agreement on the adoption of a Transitional Charter and establishing the National Assembly, which elected the President.
In contrast to the anarchy and civil war that had prevailed in Somalia for the past 10 years, he continued, the creation of the National Assembly ushered in a new era for peace and stability and constituted the first step in restoring order and central authority in the country. The spontaneous reaction of hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated vividly that they wanted to leave years of civil war behind and open a new era of peace, tranquillity, good governance, restoration of the rule of law and national unity. He was fully prepared to engage in peaceful dialogue with the warlords and those who still remained outside the reconciliation process. He called upon them to review their positions, hear the voice of reason and respect the legitimate aspirations of the Somali people to achieve national unity, social and economic development and durable peace.
The challenges Somalia faced were monumental, he said. There had been large-scale destruction of the physical infrastructure in both urban and rural areas. Children had not gone to school for two decades. The role of the international community to assist in peace-building, rehabilitation and reconstruction was of pivotal importance. He would give indigenous and international non-governmental organizations and relevant United Nations agencies all the necessary help and assistance, so they could contribute effectively in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of his country.
In the immediate future, priority areas for his Government would be: restoration of peace, stability and national unity and formation of an effective security force; disarmament of the militias and subsequent rehabilitation and training in all the regions of the country; and maintenance of law and order through the creation of effective law enforcement agencies and professional courts of law. He reaffirmed unqualified support to the principles of the United Nations and pledged to cooperate with relevant regional and subregional organizations. He would promote economic partnership, open borders and common services of ports within the countries of the Horn of Africa.
He requested the General Assembly to facilitate the adoption of a resolution under the title Assistance to the Somali Republic in the following areas of need: Urgent assistance from member States for rehabilitation and reconstruction; resumption of sustained economic cooperation with the international community in general and with member States of the United Nations in particular; and calling on relevant United Nations agencies and organizations to redouble their efforts in providing financial and material assistance to the people of Somalia. He extended his profound appreciation to the United Nations for the commendable role it had played in the efforts to alleviate the plight of the Somali people in the last 10 years.
PHIL GOFF, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand, said that relative calm and stability had been restored in most of East Timor - and everyone remembered the sacrifices made by peacekeepers from Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal and his own country, who in recent months had laid down their lives to help bring it about. But the militia continued to hold sway in the border areas among the refugees in West Timor. Unless brought under control, those militias would destabilize both West and East Timor. The Security Council in its resolution 1319 (2000) had insisted that the Government of Indonesia disarm and disband the militia immediately, ensure safety and security in the refugee camps and for humanitarian workers, and prevent cross-border incursions into East Timor. The world awaited implementation without further delay.
Regarding the reform of the Security Council, his Governments opinion was that at the heart of any reform must be the curtailment of the veto. That had been argued since 1945, and it was even more relevant today. A device which 50 years ago might have prevented the Permanent Members from using the Organization to make war on one another had in recent times served to frustrate the will of the wider membership. There was a very broad agreement in the General Assembly on the need to deal with the veto urgently, so that the Council could be more effective in carrying out its important responsibilities.
Over the past year, the South Pacific region had witnessed the collapse of democracy and governance in some countries in the face of disputes over land and economic disparities and ethnic tensions. There were no easy solutions to the problems of the region, but it was clear that the answer was not to adopt political systems that discriminated against particular ethnic groups. That only bred a deeper sense of frustration and exclusion which was a recipe for further instability. It was essential to help countries build for themselves inclusive and democratic forms of government that in turn took account of cultural values. Underpinning that must be robust and accountable institutions, respect for the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, an effective press, strong civil society, and above all greater public education to foster a more widespread understanding of democratic values and processes.
Mr. Goff urged caution regarding decisions on missile developments that could impact negatively on nuclear disarmament, lead to a nuclear arms race or be inconsistent with the commitment to the total elimination of nuclear weapons. This was no time for complacency: the United Nations disarmament and arms control machinery must engage in negotiations on the new programme of action agreed to at the Non-Proliferation Treaty Conference. Sanctions had to be appropriately targeted in order to encourage compliance with Security Council resolutions, he said. Sanctions should not impose blanket measures that harmed innocent populations and strengthened the grip of despotic regimes. He supported efforts to develop proposals for smarter, more effective sanctions which applied pressure where it would have maximum impact.
CHARLES PROVIDENCE GOMIS, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Côte DIvoire, said that the technological progress that had been achieved had created a digital gap, which had marginalized poor countries. If the advantages of globalization were acknowledged, it was not taking into account the developing countries, especially Africa, whose involvement in international trade was still below two per cent. Poverty was almost the same as it was 20 years ago. Poverty and deprivation were further exacerbated by the debt burden. In his country, for example, the Government gave 52 per cent of its budgetary earnings to pay off its debts.
He believed that to resolve conflict, preventive diplomacy must be strengthened. The conflicts that beset the world had meant that peacekeeping operations were in the forefront of United Nations activity, which required considerable effort and means. Peacekeeping operations conducted in Africa, however, had not had the results they had hoped for. He hoped the Brahimi report would be given the attention it deserved.
He reminded the Assembly of 24 December 1999, when his country had registered its first experience of institutional change. The day before, soldiers overthrew the existing constitutional order, claiming to be acting for better living conditions. Previously, his country had been considered a haven of peace and played a role as regulator in West Africa. On 23 July this year, the people of Côte dIvoire had a new constitutional and electoral code proposed by the government in transition. The military powers had played no part in those decisions. The new constitution was approved by a massive vote of 86 per cent. That should, in his view, end speculation that proceeded the referendum. The international community could rest assured that, in October of this year, the people of Côte D'Ivoire would participate in fair and free elections.
He said that, belonging as he did to a subregion beset by conflict, he was only too well aware of the importance of peace. The people of his country were not xenophobic, nor a country of exclusion. In fact, it remained the only country in the world where foreigners accounted for more than 40 per cent of the population. He was proud of being part of one of the most integrated countries in West Africa. He was counting on the understanding and support of the international community in helping his country through its transition to constitutional normality.
General Assembly Plenary - 3 - Press Release GA/9767 16th Meeting (AM) 15 September 2000
KAMAL KHARRAZI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iran, described the United Nations as the "instrument of democratic global change". As the Secretary-General noted in his Millennium Report, globalization had not produced an even distribution of benefits. For instance, since 1950 world trade had increased more than ten-fold, but 75 per cent of the world's population earned less than 20 per cent of total global income.
He said that globalization, while an economic, social and cultural reality, should be collectively managed to ensure a more equitable distribution. The United Nations should direct and coordinate efforts to achieve that. Globalization had also further complicated the global menaces of terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking. To fight them, common and rule-based strategies must be adopted. The role of the United Nations in fighting terrorism was indispensable. Further, combating drug trafficking was a costly exercise that required international will and serious sharing of the burden. Iran had done more than its share in preventing the transit of drugs, accounting for more than 70 per cent of global narcotics seizures. The costs, however, both financial and human, were unbearable. In the absence of assistance, Iran would have to allocate most of its resources to combating domestic consumption and would not be able to sustain its fight against drug trafficking with the same vigour.
Last week, Irans President, speaking to the Millennium Summit, underlined the emergence of a World Culture. It was hoped that participation - not assimilation and imposition - would characterize that new phenomenon, because it was essential that the cultural rights of individuals and communities be recognized and respected. Globalization, especially in the cultural sphere, must be transformed into a democratic and participatory process. The United Nations could facilitate that process by promoting dialogue for the exchange of knowledge, experience and understanding in diverse areas of culture and civilization, thereby preventing alienation and cultural homelessness.
The crises occurring in disparate parts of the world demanded a reform of global governance, he said. The Palestinian situation represented a clear example of international community's failure to provide justice to millions of people deprived of their homeland. Four million of the world's 7.5 million Palestinians lived in diaspora, while much of the rest lived under foreign domination. He said the fratricide in Afghanistan was another humanitarian catastrophe that could only be resolved by abandoning the illusion of a military solution and the domination by one ethnic group. The United Nations continued to provide the most suitable mechanism to facilitate the intra-Afghan dialogue. His own Government had played an active role in that process. There were other challenges emerging, requiring the United Nations to react. Two major tasks ahead were to articulate rule-based reaction and build the United Nations capacity for timely reaction. As the Secretary-General had pointed out, prevention through diplomacy and economic development was the most effective type of global engagement.
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