IRAQ’S ‘COURAGEOUS DECISION’ ON WEAPONS INSPECTORS MUST LEAD TO LIFTING OF SANCTIONS, ALGERIA’S PRESIDENT TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
| Press Release GA/10058 |
Fifty-seventh General Assembly
Plenary
12th Meeting (AM)
IRAQ’S ‘COURAGEOUS DECISION’ ON WEAPONS INSPECTORS MUST LEAD TO LIFTING
OF SANCTIONS, ALGERIA’S PRESIDENT TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Other Speakers Also Welcome Iraq’s Announcement,
Stress Need for Full Compliance with Security Council Resolutions
Describing the Iraqi Government’s announcement to allow the return of United Nations weapons inspectors as a “courageous decision”, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said that move must lead to the definitive lifting of the sanctions under which the Iraqi people had suffered for so long.
Addressing the General Assembly as it continued its general debate this morning, President Bouteflika added that, in accepting the return of inspectors to its territory, Iraq had demonstrated its willingness to engage and cooperate with the international community in order to finally resolve the issue of its weapons of mass destruction.
Several other speakers also welcomed Iraq’s decision, while stressing the need to ensure full compliance with Security Council resolutions.
It was imperative, stated the Foreign Minister of Iceland, Halldor Asgrimsson, that all relevant Security Council resolutions be fully implemented. The decision of Iraq’s Government, announced yesterday, to cooperate with the Organization and to give weapons inspectors unconditional access was encouraging. However, real action needed to follow.
Similarly, Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio hoped, for the sake of international security and stability and the welfare of the Iraqi people, that the announced return of weapons inspectors would be confirmed in action. Iraq needed to destroy its weapons of mass destruction, under the supervision of the international community; that was the only path to a lifting of the sanctions and normalization of Iraq’s relations with the international community.
It was unfortunate that some Member States did not abide by United Nations resolutions, stated Carlos F. Ruckauf, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina. It was intolerable that those resolutions remained unfulfilled when issues concerning the existence of humanity were involved. There was no reason to refuse inspectors, if there was nothing to hide. Therefore, he welcomed Iraq’s announcement that it would finally agree to
let the inspectors in without conditions, and hoped it would fulfil its promise in good faith.
While emphasizing the pivotal role of the Organizations vis-à-vis Iraq, several speakers also highlighted the other areas in which the multilateral nature of the United Nations made it the ideal forum for discussion and action. Bhutan’s Foreign Minister, Lyonpo Jigmi Thinley, emphasized that the United Nations had to continue to play a central and decisive role in order to eradicate the scourge of terrorism. In addition to national efforts, the struggle against terrorism called for work through a multilateral framework. In no way should the battle against terrorism undermine the norms and principles of the Organization.
Statements were also made this morning by the Prime Ministers of Cape Verde and Samoa, as well as the Foreign Ministers of Croatia, Belarus, Thailand and Mauritania. The representative of Qatar also spoke.
The Assembly will continue its general debate at 3 p.m. today.
Background
The General Assembly met this morning to continue its annual general debate.
Statements
ABDELAZIZ BOUTEFLIKA, President of Algeria, spoke out against the scourge of terrorism. He said Algeria had always supported conventions against terrorism, and the time had arrived for the adoption of a global convention to combat it. Such a decision would mean rising above any disagreement on the definition of terrorism. He rejected, however, any association between terrorism and Islam, as well as any attempt to equate terrorism with the legitimate struggle of people for self-determination.
He stated that peace would come to the Middle East only when a State of Palestine was established and Israel totally withdrew from the occupied Arab territories. As a contribution to the peace process in the region, he welcomed the decision by Iraq to allow United Nations inspectors to return there. About the situation in Western Sahara, 27 years after the former colonial Power had withdrawn, the Sahrawi people were still claiming their right to self-determination. The international community could neither remain unconcerned nor accept constant postponement of implementation of the Settlement Plan and Houston Agreements.
In an examination of the importance of globalization, he said the right to development had to be the main concern of all. Solutions had to be found to the problems of foreign debt and access to global markets, which affected States of the South. Firmer political will from the international community would facilitate the formulation of solutions to these problems.
In a world undergoing rapid change, faced with myriad problems, the United Nations had proved to be irreplaceable, he said. It represented a common commitment to the struggle for the survival of humanity. But the Organization needed to undergo structural reform in order to streamline its activities and enhance its credibility and efficiency.
JOSÉ MARIA PEREIRA NEVES, Prime Minister of Cape Verde, said that a safer world was a more just world. It was crucial that the United Nations reinforced its intervention and coordination capacity to promote economic and social development as guarantee for a global climate of peace and security. It was impossible to aim at a climate of peace and security while more than half of the world’s population was still subject to poverty, malnutrition, diseases and ignorance. The international community had to become more committed in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and give meaning to the lives of millions, especially those in the least developed countries.
At great expense, he said, many of those countries had implemented the deep reforms required by their bilateral partners and international financial institutions. Regretfully, in many cases, instead of getting increased support to consolidate reforms, those countries were being devastated by debt burdens, official development assistance (ODA) was being gradually reduced, and they had yet to have access to foreign private investment. The financial commitments announced in Monterrey and the goals set in Johannesburg were vitally important for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The most important thing now was for the decisions adopted to be implemented and efforts redoubled to achieve sustainable development.
In spite of the significant advances made in the past 20 years at the political, social and economic levels, Cape Verde suffered from a structural imbalance between national production and domestic expenditures, which resulted in a permanent deficit of the balance of current transactions, as well as other economic imbalances. Unemployment was high and poverty affected a significant portion of the population. Poverty was one of Cape Verde’s limitations, and poverty reduction was one of its major challenges. At the current time, his country was working in collaboration with both bilateral partners and United Nations agencies to combat poverty.
In the coming years, Cape Verde would have to find rapid and durable solutions to maintain the fundamental macroeconomic balances, consolidate structural reforms, expand the production base, and create competitive advantages for the economy. In that context, the country’s efforts more than ever needed partnerships and foreign private investment, so that it could continue the development process begun with independence in 1975. Encouraging signs in Africa, such as the establishment of the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), should not make the international community lose sight of the scope and complexity of the challenges facing the continent.
TUILA’EPA SAILELE MALIELEGAOI, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Samoa, said the entire world was seriously challenged by the scourge of HIV/AIDS and terrorism, and only cooperation and multilateral action could provide the needed counter-measures and provide a solution. Describing the 11 September terrorist attacks on the United States as “monstrous”, he said the attacks were an assault on the values that were fundamental to humanity and to the United Nations.
On Iraq, he welcomed the news of the Iraqi decision yesterday to allow United Nations weapons inspectors back into the country. He hoped that it would lead to the positive and final resolution of the matter. He said Iraq had remained in violation of Security Council resolutions on the issue “far too long”. Commending the repeated efforts of the Secretary-General to encourage Iraqi compliance, he said, “We think there must be full compliance with obligations under Security Council resolutions without preconditions, without delay.”
He also called for the implementation of Security Council resolutions 242 (1962), 338 (1973) and 1397 (2002) on the Middle East, as they provided the basis for settlement of the conflict. Calling particular attention to reforms of the Security Council, he said that although the issues surrounding those reforms were sensitive, it was also clear that the Security Council needed to reflect the geo-political realities of the times. It needed to be properly representative of the international community of today. He added that Samoa also welcomed the entry into force of the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court, and noted that his country had already ratified the Statute.
HALLDOR ASGRIMSSON, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Iceland, said that in order to continue the fight against terrorism, which had dominated the international arena for the past year, it was essential for States to ratify and implement all the relevant legal instruments and to conclude the draft comprehensive convention against terrorism. In regard to Iraq, it was imperative that all relevant Security Council resolutions be fully implemented. The decision of Iraq’s Government, announced yesterday, to cooperate with the Organization and to give weapons inspectors unconditional access was encouraging. However, real action needed to follow.
In regard to the Middle East, he said that only a comprehensive peace agreement, dealing with all aspects of the dispute, would guarantee security and prosperity for both Israelis and Palestinians. Both parties needed to respect the sanctity of innocent lives. The Palestinian Authority needed to reform in order to deal effectively with terror and to establish a democratic and accountable Palestinian State. Israel needed to respect international humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. A worsening economic situation in the occupied territories could lead to a humanitarian disaster.
Expressing support for the International Criminal Court and urging universal ratification of the Rome Statute, he continued to address the issue of human rights and humanitarian law, saying that respect for the rights of women and children was of particular concern. Trafficking in women had increased; ancient methods of punishment of women had been resumed in some countries; and the lack of education, information and health care and sexual exploitation continued to make women particularly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. In addition, the continued exploitation of children as soldiers and labourers was disturbing.
Sustainable development had become an integral part of the policies and strategies employed by governments, businesses and organizations, he said. Yet, millions of people still lived in poverty. It was essential that poorer countries be allowed to enjoy the benefits of their comparative advantages; trade liberalization and free commerce would help promote equitable and sustainable growth for poorer countries. To that end, Iceland planned to increase its bilateral development assistance through providing training in the sustainable management of living marine resources and in the use of renewable energy resources. The sustainable utilization of those living marine resources was of paramount importance for a country like Iceland. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was, without doubt, one of the greatest achievements of the Organization.
LYONPO JIGMI THINLEY, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bhutan, joined those who condemned terrorism and said the United Nations had to continue to play a central and decisive role to eradicate terrorism. In addition to national efforts, the struggle against terrorism called for work through a multilateral framework. But the battle against terrorism should in no way undermine the norms and principles of the United Nations.
Turning to economics, he said Bhutan remained concern about the decline in ODA, which had been coupled with an emphasis on market efficiency and trade as an engine of growth. For some handicapped countries, “without timely and adequate assistance to fill the resource gap to meet their basic development priorities, many of the developing countries will continue to suffer marginalization”. He endorsed NEPAD, seeing in it the means for rehabilitating those countries that had been victims of conflict, and called for greater political will to realize the goals of the Millennium Declaration.
While others stressed gross national product (GNP), he said Bhutan placed the emphasis on “gross national happiness”. That concept had four pillars: equitable and sustainable socio-economic development; ecological conservation; promotion of basic human values and culture; and, finally, strengthening of good governance.
TONINO PICULA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Croatia, said that the United Nations should continue to keep the development agenda at the forefront of all areas of its work. The international community must work together to improve the lives of people in poverty and to reverse the continuing degradation of the global environment. A true global mobilization of all relevant stakeholders would be necessary to ensure that the outcomes of recent conferences were transformed into reality.
In order to contribute to global peace, security and development, each country had to be stable, secure and function on a well founded economic system, he said. His Government was doing exactly that. Last October, Croatia signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union. For the last two years, it had introduced a set of reforms aimed at bringing Croatian society closer to the Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The commitment of his Government in that respect was recognized by the European Commission. In its first report on the stabilization and association process issued this spring, Croatia was singled out as the most advanced country in the process.
His Government had also significantly improved bilateral relations with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and would continue to do so in the future. Intensive negotiations were in progress on the issue of the identification and delimitation of the land and sea border in the area of Prevlaka, and he believed that some form of temporary solution might be reached soon. The situation in Prevlaka did not represent a threat to peace and security anymore. The United Nations Mission there had successfully accomplished its mandate and, consequently, it should not be extended after the current expiration.
Despite progress made on issues with Bosnia and Herzegovina, he expressed deep frustration with the continued failure to apprehend two of the most notorious war criminals –- Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. Lasting stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina might only be achieved with the arrest and extradition of those two criminals to the appropriate authorities. Bringing those two to trial before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia would serve as closure for many victims that suffered terribly.
ANA PALACIO, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Spain, said that the great collective challenge of the twenty-first century was to ensure the pre-eminence of international law in international relations. It was clear that interdependence among countries and regions would be the core of a new international civil society. In this, the hour of law, the United Nations was the organization that should impose, through the use of force if need be, the collective decisions taken by the community of States. When the United Nations had success, all Members could take credit; in the same way, when the United Nations failed, all Members needed to assume the blame. Terrorism was a clear example of the need to act jointly. Terrorists did not respect borders, so they should not constitute an obstacle in the fight against terror.
Of major concern in the field of human rights, she said, was violence in the family, which affected primarily women, children and older people, regardless of their level of economic development. The International Criminal Court was an essential legal instrument to ensure that serious violation of fundamental rights did not go unpunished. In that context, the Organization should pay particular attention to the challenges that rose from new technology, especially biotechnology. Although reproductive cloning had already been banned, it was necessary to go beyond that prohibition.
Turning to the subject of disarmament, she said that, for the sake of international security and stability and the welfare of the Iraqi people, Spain hoped that the announced return of United Nations weapons inspectors would be confirmed in action. Iraq needed to destroy its weapons of mass destruction, under the supervision of the international community; this was the only path to a lifting of the sanctions and normalization of Iraq’s relations with the international community. If necessary, the international community needed to accept responsibility for ensuring Iraq’s compliance with those resolutions.
Continuing on the subject of regional crises in Africa and elsewhere, she said that the situation in the Middle East was of concern. It was necessary to culminate the peace process begun at the Madrid Conference. Regional crises should be countered with dialogue and negotiation. She made additional note of Spain’s relationships with the Maghreb and Gibraltar, reaffirming that the autonomous communities of Ceuta and Melilla were an integral part of Spain and, therefore, of the European Union. With regard to Gibraltar, substantial progress had been made in negotiations to resolve its status. She condemned any attempt to interfere with the development of the negotiations.
SURAKIART SATHIRATHAI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, told delegates that the post 9/11 world had to rely more on multilateral means to fight terrorism. That problem demanded a broad, sustained and global response. So far there had been no evidence of terrorist activities taking place in Thailand and, additionally, the Association of South-East Asian Nations-United States Joint Declaration for Cooperation to Combat Terrorism demonstrated a regional resolve to fight terrorism.
Continuing to focus on security issues, he took note of Iraq’s decision to allow United Nations inspectors to return, but went on to urge Iraq to implement Security Council resolutions unconditionally and unreservedly. In the security field, Thailand had become involved in the peace process in Sri Lanka and hoped to facilitate dialogue between the Government of that country and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam representatives.
Thailand, he stated, placed emphasis on human security. It had resolutely waged war on drugs and poverty. It had joined with other Asian States to curb trafficking in the region. It had also committed itself to combating the spread of HIV/AIDS. At the fifteenth International Conference on HIV/AIDS to be hosted in Thailand in 2004, his country would share its experiences in dealing with that disease. In endorsing the Millennium Development Goals, he said they rightly placed the interests and welfare of people at the core of socio-economic development.
The World Summit on Sustainable Development was an historic event, which aimed to make sustainable development a reality for mankind, he added. He referred to the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, which began in June, as a mechanism to build upon layers of strategic partnerships in practical economic areas, which would enhance Asia’s economic competitiveness. Coupled with international and regional partnerships, there had to be policies at the national level. For its part, Thailand advocated the philosophy of a “sufficiency economy” which targeted the individual, families and communities.
MIKHAIL KHVOSTOV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belarus, said the terrorist attacks of 11 September should never again be repeated anywhere in the world. There was every reason to believe that the world had managed to confront the threat of terrorism through the formation of a broad international coalition. The measures taken by the United Nations in response to the unprecedented acts of last September had marked a new and significant direction in the Organization’s activities.
Belarus considered itself an integral part of that international anti-terrorism coalition and fully supported the activities of the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the Security Council, he continued. Peace, security and stability were prerequisites for achieving sustainable development. Unfortunately, he noted, the past year had demonstrated that international peace and security still remained fragile, due to the sharp escalation of confrontation in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world. He said the Middle East risked becoming the centre of a dangerous collision between civilizations. It was for that reason that the setting up of the Middle East Quartet (United Nations, United States, European Union and Russian Federation) offered certain optimism in that regard. Consistent implementation of the steps aimed at mutual reconciliation, on the basis of continuous dialogue, would serve the interests of the entire international community.
On the situation in Afghanistan, he said the world community had already allocated significant financial, material and human resources. Efforts there should facilitate the creation of a new Afghanistan that was a stable and predictable partner in modern international relations. Concerning Iraq, he welcomed the decision to allow the immediate and unconditional return of the United Nations weapons inspectors to that country. He added, however, that he was convinced that any actions or attempts on the part of Iraq to evade the authority of the United Nations Security Council undermined international relations and jeopardized the international legal order.
DAH OULD ABDI, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mauritania, said that his country was actively involved in regional and international initiatives to combat terrorism. Terrorism was no longer a marginal issue, but a problem that recognized no borders and required a global strategy of resistance from its opponents. The fight against terrorism was not a clash of civilizations, but a demonstration of humanity’s commitment to work together to bring forth a better future. In order for international peace, security and stability to be achieved, the role of the United Nations and respect for international law needed to be increased.
Mauritania welcomed the sustained efforts of the international community to achieve peace in the Middle East, he said. The Arab peace initiative, adopted at the Beirut summit, offered the ideal framework for a global and definitive peace guaranteeing security and progress for the people of the region. Israel needed to withdraw its forces from all occupied territories immediately, thereby bringing to an end the suffering of the Palestinian people, and to resume negotiations, which were the only path to peace and security in the Middle East. He also voiced Mauritania’s opposition to the use of force against Iraq. The independence and territorial integrity of Kuwait and Iraq must be respected, and the embargo against the Iraqi people lifted.
Voicing support for the progress made on the Western Sahara and Lockerbie issues, he called for the lifting of sanctions against Libya. Mauritania also welcomed the birth of the African Union and NEPAD, which gave Africa a framework for achieving its own goals for progress and development. The world had now seen that violence and extremism resulted from poverty and despair. The international community needed to make more efforts for solidarity and progress everywhere, to increase investment and open up international markets to African products.
Despite its difficult situation, Mauritania had made real progress for sustainable development and had developed a global strategy to combat poverty, he said. Programmes for comprehensive education, access to drinking water and electricity, and communications had been developed, as had programmes aimed at reducing illiteracy and ignorance, which were inhibitors of progress and development. Turning briefly to the subject of reform, he said that the Organization had to adapt to global changes. The Security Council also needed reform.
CARLOS F. RUCKAUF, Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina, said that it was too bad that there were Member States that did not abide by United Nations resolutions. It was intolerable that those resolutions remained unfulfilled when issues affecting the existence of humanity were involved, including the arsenals of weapons of mass destruction. His country, along with the rest of the international community, had consistently called on the Iraqi Government to accept immediately, and without conditions, the return of United Nations weapons inspectors. There was no reason to refuse inspectors if there was nothing to hide. Therefore, he welcomed Iraq’s announcement that it would finally agree to let the inspectors in without conditions, and hoped that Iraq would fulfil its promise in good faith.
Argentina, he said, was today leaving behind an exceptionally deep crisis. It would continue to participate actively in multilateral negotiations within the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and would implement a new trade policy aimed at giving the Argentine economy a clear export profile. Only the generation of foreign earnings, resulting from trade, would promote sustained economic growth, while making it possible to repay the country’s debts. For that to happen, Argentine products must have access to the currently restricted markets of developed countries.
To ensure prosperity, it was necessary to implement the initiatives developed in Monterrey, he said. It was of the utmost importance that tariffs paid on agricultural products be reduced and, simultaneously, protection mechanisms and subsidies be eliminated. Those mechanisms for the year 2000 in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries rose to the staggering figure of $325 billion, 80 per cent of which came from the United States, Japan and the European Union. It was essential that the guidelines for free trade for agricultural products become a reality.
NASSIR ABDULAZIZ AL-NASSER (Qatar) said that his country was fully convinced of the validity of the United Nations Charter and the role of the Organization in maintaining international peace and security. He emphasized the need for the work of the Security Council to be transparent. In that context, the permanent membership of the Council must be reviewed. A select few could not continue to use the veto to invalidate the opinions of others, while the United Nations continued to preach democracy and representation. The Organization must remain neutral.
Qatar had been watching closely and with concern the deteriorating security situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as the blockade imposed on President Yasser Arafat. The actions of the Israeli forces in Jenin and Gaza represented the most blatant violation of human rights and international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention. Israel, to achieve security, must comply with the relevant United Nations resolutions.
Israel, he noted, was the only country in the region which had an arsenal of nuclear weapons. It must accede to the relevant treaties and submit its arsenal to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). As for the situation in Iraq, he welcomed its decision to allow the return of weapons inspectors and the resumption of dialogue between Iraq and the United Nations. He hoped that that dialogue would lead to a comprehensive solution and an end to the sanctions, which had caused so much suffering for the Iraqi people. Also, the United Nations must lift the sanctions on Libya, which had fulfilled its obligations and surrendered suspects to The Hague.
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