IRAQ COMPLETELY FREE OF NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL WEAPONS, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Fifty-seventh General Assembly

Plenary

16^th Meeting (AM)

IRAQ COMPLETELY FREE OF NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL WEAPONS,

IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Sweden Welcomes Iraqi Decision to Cooperate with United Nations;

Stresses that Weapons of Mass Destruction are ‘the Heart of the Issue’

Declaring his country free of all nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri this morning stated that the United States was fabricating the problem with Iraq to derail the lifting of sanctions and the application of relevant Security Council resolutions.  But in targeting Iraq, the United States was acting on behalf of Zionism.  Clearly, the United States did not want to embarrass the “Zionist entity” or deprive it of the nuclear, chemical and biological weapons in its possession.

As the General Assembly continued its general debate, Mr. Sabri stated that the counter-obligations under the relevant resolutions contained a clear provision requiring that the Middle East be made a zone free from weapons of mass destruction.

Reading excerpts from a letter from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein,

Mr. Sabri said that the United States Administration wanted to destroy Iraq in order to control Middle East oil, and, consequently, control global politics and economics.  If it succeeded, it would dictate what each country needed for its economic development, the quantities of oil it was allowed to buy, and at what prices, along with other conditions. 

Welcoming Iraq’s recent decision to cooperate fully with the United Nations, Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh said that would be the right way to go about suspending the sanctions.  At the heart of the issue lay the question of weapons of mass destruction.  It was important to ensure that Iraq fulfilled its obligations to halt all programmes for developing such weapons.  Likewise, it should be ensured that any such weapons already developed were now destroyed.  The credibility of the United Nations required that Iraq be made to fulfil its obligations. 

Habib Ben Yahia, Tunisia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, added that the question of Iraq needed to be dealt with on the basis of peaceful means and Security Council resolutions.  Tunisia held firm to the Arab position, which rejected attacks against any Arab country and called for an end to the suffering of the Iraqi people and maintenance of the safety, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq.

Also this morning, raising concerns about the transport of radioactive materials through the Pacific, the Prime Minister of Fiji, Laisenia Qarase, said that recently such materials had been transported across the Pacific in arrogant defiance of the protests of the countries of the region.  “We are told there is no risk, but when we propose payment of compensation if there is an accident, there is instant rejection.”  The danger those shipments posed was underscored by the disaster off the coast of South Africa where a freighter had run aground with a hold full of toxic chemicals.

Statements were also made by the Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uganda and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados.  In addition, the Assembly heard from the foreign ministers of Brunei Darussalam, Slovakia, Dominican Republic, Myanmar, Namibia and Liechtenstein.

The Assembly will continue its general debate at 3 p.m. today.

Background

The General Assembly met this morning to continue its general debate.

LAISENIA QARASE, Prime Minister of Fiji, said the Pacific Islands Forum was heartened that at last the world was awakening to the importance of the oceans and starting to see that conservation and sustainable ocean use was vital to the survival of the planet.  The Forum considered it a significant achievement that the Plan of Action adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development had a comprehensive section on oceans and numerous allied issues.

He raised concerns, however, about the transshipment of radioactive materials across the Pacific, in arrogant defiance of the protests of the countries of the region.  “We are told there is no risk, but when we propose payment of compensation if there is an accident, there is instant rejection.  The danger these shipments pose to us is underscored by the disaster off the coast of South Africa where a freighter ran aground with a hold full of toxic chemicals.  We read of a ship carrying hazardous cargo on fire in waters off Britain.  We do not want the Pacific put at risk in this way”, he said.

He went on to praise those countries that had ratified the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and asked those that had not done so to display the courage, generosity and largeness of spirit the world needed from them.  Fiji, he said, was angered by the indiscriminate commercial exploitation of the region’s tuna by distance water fishing fleets, for example.  They had no compunction about using purse seine methods and drift nets, which took huge amounts of small tuna and destroyed other species.  He called on those nations to act responsibly and stop this “ruthless exploitation”, pointing out that more than 95 per cent of the annual value of the South Pacific catch was taken by the commercial distance fleets.  Where there were arrangements for fees for such fishing, the return to the region was less than three per cent of the annual commercial worth of the harvest, he said.

He also appealed for the acceptance of small island developing States as a special candidate for trade and aid assistance, which would bring them into line with the least developed and landlocked developing countries.

JAMES FRANCIS WAPAKHABULO, Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uganda, said that the primary role of the United Nations, to maintain international peace and security, needed to be strengthened to prevent future terrorist attacks.  Uganda, whose people had been the victims of senseless acts of terrorism perpetrated by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), was committed to bringing the perpetrators of terrorism to justice.  Conflict had contributed to socio-economic decline throughout Africa and made countless civilians refugees and internally displaced persons. 

He therefore welcomed the new commitment to collective security embodied in the creation of the African Union's Peace and Security Council.

He said that Uganda had agreed to withdraw all its troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and to normalize its relations and cooperation with the DRC in the economic and social fields.  Uganda had played a leading role in the search for a solution to Burundi’s internal conflict, and had agreed to restore political, security and diplomatic cooperation with Sudan.  However, the situation in Somalia and the lack of progress in resolving the status of Western Sahara were of concern.

On the development front, he welcomed the commitment made in Johannesburg to focus on poverty eradication, thus establishing the essential integration of the three concepts of people, planet and prosperity.  The challenge now before the international community was to translate the aspirations of the developing countries into reality.  The new development assistance commitments made in Monterrey needed to be honoured. 

Trade -- especially free and fair trade -- was the engine of growth and development, he said.  The international community needed to ensure that the multilateral trading system catered to the special needs of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), whose terms of trade had experienced a drastic decline with the collapse of commodity prices. Market access for major agricultural products was of critical importance to the LDCs.  The rules of origin, therefore, should be simplified and programmes of donor assistance coordinated, so as to increase the LDCs’ capacity to produce, market and export their products. 

ANNA LINDH, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, said Iraq’s defiance of the Security Council must come to an end.  At the heart of the issue lay the question of weapons of mass destruction.  It was important to ensure that Iraq fulfilled its obligations to halt all programmes for developing such weapons and to ensure that any such weapons already developed were destroyed.  That was the task of the United Nations weapons inspectors.  Welcoming Iraq’s recent decision to cooperate fully with the United Nations, she said that would be the right way to go about suspending the sanctions.  The credibility of the United Nations required that Iraq should be made to fulfil its obligations. 

The principles of non-discrimination and diversity were fundamental to a humane and decent society, she said, and the sovereignty of States must never be used as a shield behind which violations of human rights took place.  She called the creation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) a remarkable achievement in international law.  It was important to carefully safeguard the integrity of the Rome Statute, so that its objective and purpose would not be undermined.

International and national security depended on strong multilateral frameworks, she said.  That was no less true in the field of disarmament.  The important international conventions banning or regulating weapons of mass destruction must be implemented and reinforced.  A verification regime was necessary to strengthen the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.  A failure to achieve concrete progress in November would have serious consequences.  Implementing the agreements made at the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference was of fundamental importance, as was the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).  In addition, the Conference on Disarmament must start substantive work when it resumed its session early next year.  It was unacceptable that a few countries continued to block progress there. 

The challenges ahead required a modern and more efficient United Nations, she emphasized, with a Security Council that reflected the realities of today’s international relations.  Sweden favoured an enlargement of the Council to make room for increased representation of Member States, including developing countries.

PRINCE MOHAMED BOLKIAH, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, said his country was trying to move beyond condemnation of the terrorist attacks of 11 September.  Having taken immediate and practical short-term measures, it had now committed itself to long-term action.  Brunei Darussalam had had to do this because it believed that without security and stability, it could not implement the far-reaching programme of development it had set itself.

He said that his country supported efforts aimed at ending what he termed “historical injustices”, especially those that the people of Palestine continued to suffer, and advocated determined efforts to help communities earn a good living in a responsible manner.  “These were the basic hopes I believe we all had here at the turn of the century.  We do not wish to see them set aside.  So we appeal to all our fellow members to make sure they are not forgotten.  We urge everyone to use the mechanisms we have here to strengthen cooperation.”  Whenever there were grave threats to international peace, he said, Brunei was confident that the Security Council would provide good guidance.

EDUARD KUKAN, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia, said the United Nations was crucial to the fight against terrorism.  He acknowledged the Organization’s efforts to help every Member State defeat terrorism in a globally coordinated manner, in conformity with Security Council resolution 1373.  Since 11 September 2001, the Slovak Republic had adapted and strengthened its domestic legislation to combat that problem.  His country was equally committed to arms control, disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. 

With an upsurge in ethnic, social and religious violence around the world, peacekeeping, he said, had become even more necessary.  Slovakia had always been involved in that aspect of United Nations activities and would continue to do so.

On the situation in the Middle East, he noted the decision of Iraq to allow the return of United Nations weapons inspectors and appealed for the creation of two States –- Israel and Palestine -– living side by side in peace.  He then turned to the legal institutions of the United Nations -– the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the recently established ICC.  Because of the importance of its work in resolving inter-state disputes, the ICJ deserved full support, including financial support, from the General Assembly.  He also commended the Criminal Court because it had the potential to promote the rule of law and ensure that those who had committed serious crimes did not enjoy impunity.  The Security Council needed to be expanded, with more permanent and non-permanent members, so that it could be more representative.  A seat should be allocated to the Group of Eastern European States.

HUGO TOLENTINO DIPP, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, said that only through great and sustained efforts to build a common future, based on the world’s common humanity and diversity, would it be possible to ensure that globalization was fully inclusive and equitable.  Efforts in that regard must include policies and measures that met the needs of the developing countries and those with economies in transition at a global level.  Also, they must be formulated and applied with the effective participation of those countries. 

From August 2000, his Government had taken a series of measures aimed at adapting legislation in both public and private institutions to the demands of the unavoidable globalization process.  It had set forth a social plan to reduce poverty and had increased its support in the fight against illiteracy.  The creation of the ministries for women and the environment were also substantial initiatives, in view of the lack of attention those sectors had traditionally suffered. 

Unfortunately, it could not be said that developed countries had manifested positive support for such issues.  Hence, the United Nations had to act decisively in favour of countries unjustifiably constrained by protectionism and subsidies, which created barriers that hindered competition on equal terms and consequently negated free trade.

He then turned to the situation of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), which was headquartered in his country and was one of the few United Nations bodies located in a developing country.  On 13 December 2001, the Assembly decided to create a working group with the mandate to make recommendations on the future work of the Institute.  That Group had held eight meetings in July and August.  He was confident that the Assembly would support its recommendations favourably, and that very soon INSTRAW would continue to exercise its mandate, with the mission to realize one of the objectives of the Millennium Summit -– to work towards gender equality.  

WIN AUNG, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, said in a world racked with problems, the Charter of the United Nations provided countries with the bedrock principles for maintaining peace and security.  Those principles had contributed to multilateralism and had prevented a global conflagration.  Myanmar opposed terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

To ensure a better future for mankind, the teachings of the great religions should be taken to heart in order to rid the world of animosity and self-centred behaviour, he said.  For all nations to enjoy prosperity, international cooperation was necessary or else some States would remain mired in poverty forever.  Poverty bred discontent and despair –- ingredients that could lead to a vicious circle of conflicts and violence.

At home, Myanmar was engaged in the task of building a modern and developed nation where peace, prosperity, justice and democracy flourished.  It was also laying the foundation for a multi-party democratic political system that would be able to withstand any challenges that emerged in the future.  And, in cooperation with the United Nations, it was making headway in combating the scourge of narcotic drugs.  A 15-year narcotics elimination plan had been worked out and it was now in its fourth year of implementation.  In addition, the “New Destiny” project had been launched, aiming to educate poppy farmers, distribute substitute seeds, provide financial assistance to those farmers and enhance law enforcement.    

HIDIPO HAMUTENYA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Namibia, expressed deep concern over the ever-escalating violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  The continuous destruction of Palestinian towns, demolition of homes and institutions and the unabating loss of thousands of lives were manifestations of the tragic plight of the Palestinian people.  While rejecting all acts of violence against innocent civilians, Namibia recognized the urgent need to address the root cause of the violence -– the continued occupation of the Palestinian territory by Israel.  It was imperative to stop the ongoing carnage and destruction in the Middle East.  "We stand for the immediate establishment of an independent Palestinian State, existing side by side with Israel in peace and mutual security”, he said.

He repeated his country’s call for the lifting of the unilateral economic blockade against Cuba.  It was causing immense suffering to the people of that island nation, who had manifested “deep solidarity” with the Namibians during their struggle for national liberation.  Appealing for increased international contributions to Africa’s fight against HIV/AIDS, he said that just as the people of the continent had began in earnest to address the problem of armed conflicts, they had now to grapple with the pandemic ravaging their populations.

He said HIV/AIDS was no longer only a health issue.  Its devastating impact was now undermining economic growth and development in sub-Saharan Africa, with millions already infected and dying.  He appealed for increased and generous contributions to the Global Health Fund to help fight the scourge and other infectious diseases more effectively.  He added that the drought situation in southern Africa had placed over 12 million people at risk of hunger and destitution.  He welcomed the Secretary-General’s efforts to stress the urgency of the situation and mobilize resources for relief, and thanked the donor community for its positive response so far.

HABIB BEN YAHIA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Tunisia, advocated the adoption of a new modus operandifor the international community, based on understanding and interaction among religions, civilizations and cultures, for the promotion of solidarity, moderation, tolerance, and collective opposition to extremism and terrorism.  It was past time to hold an international conference where the parameters of a common code of conduct, mandatory for all parties, would be laid down in order to facilitate constructive and conflict-free cooperation within the international community.  

Many regions continued to suffer the horrors of poverty and deprivation, he said.  Yet it was imperative to eradicate poverty if the international community wanted to guarantee social stability and prevent further manifestations of the scourges of war, terrorism and disease.  In that regard, Tunisia had proposed the creation of a World Solidarity Fund to contribute to the eradication of poverty in the world.  He hoped the studies conducted on the operation of the fund would enable the mechanism to begin its activities this year. 

Africa, plagued by continued conflict and economic and development problems, still demanded the international community’s attention.  Most analyses showed that instability on the continent arose from economic and social causes.  The international community could no longer afford to marginalize Africans’ basic needs or to link international aid to unfair conditions and unattainable terms.

To guarantee peace and stability in the Middle East, the international community needed to address the situation in both Israel-Palestine and Iraq, he said.  Israel must be prevailed upon to stop its aggression against the Palestinian people, withdraw from the occupied territories and abide by the relevant Security Council resolutions.  Both parties must resume negotiations to make real the vision of two States living side by side within secure and recognized borders.  The question of Iraq must also be dealt with on the basis of peaceful means and Security Council resolutions.  Tunisia held firm to the Arab position, which rejected attacks against any Arab country.  He called for an end to the suffering of the Iraqi people and maintenance of the safety, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq.

NAJI SABRI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iraq, said that in response to several appeals by the Secretary-General, peace-loving States and regional organizations, his Government had decided to allow the return of United Nations weapons inspectors without conditions -- a first step towards a comprehensive solution that included the lifting of sanctions and the timely implementation of other provisions of the relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolution 687 (1991).

He then read excerpts from a letter from President Saddam Hussein addressed to the Assembly.  It was a good sign, he said, that the United States had resorted to the Assembly, for the first time since the end of the cold war, to put forward one of its problems, after years of disregard for the weight, effect and opinion of others.  The American President had talked about the importance of applying democracy in Iraq.  He pretended to care for the people of Iraq after he and other presidents before him had killed, by the use of weapons and the blockade, more than 1,700,000 innocent Iraqis. 

In targeting Iraq, he said, the United States was acting on behalf of Zionism.  The United States Administration wanted to destroy Iraq in order to control Middle East oil, and, consequently, control the politics and economics of the whole world.  If it succeeded, it would dictate what each country needed for its economic development, the quantities of oil it was allowed to buy, and at what prices, along with other conditions. 

He declared that Iraq was clear of all nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.  If anyone had doubts about that, he said Iraq was ready to receive anyone who might want to see for themselves the facts as they were.  The United States had concocted the problem with Iraq in order to derail the application of Paragraph 14 of resolution 687, and thus prevent the Council from lifting sanctions against Iraq.  The reason lay in the fact that the counter-obligations under the relevant resolutions contained a clear provision requiring that the Middle East be made a zone free from weapons of mass destruction.  Thus, the United States did not want to embarrass the “Zionist entity” or deprive it of the nuclear, chemical and biological weapons it possessed.   

ERNST WALCH, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein, reflecting on the number of high-level conferences held in the last year, declared, “Bigger is not always better.  We believe that the era of such world conferences and summits has come to a close.  We have established good standards and must now focus on their implementation.  The Millennium Development Goals must be given primary importance in this respect.”

He said countries had pulled together because of 11 September to oppose and eliminate the threat of global terrorism.  That reaction had raised hopes for an era of genuine multilateralism, but such hopes had quickly been replaced by unilateralism and confrontation.  The debates on the ICC had crystallized that confrontation.  He found it disquieting that the Security Council had viewed the Court as a threat to international peace and security.

The work of the Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee had been accorded the highest priority by Liechtenstein, he said.  In taking stock of the Committee’s achievements, he saw the need for minimal standards to which all States adhered. Such standards would ensure the practical impact and continued relevance of the Committee.  In fighting terrorism, States had the obligation to observe basic

standards of the rule of law and to treat suspects accordingly.  The United Nations had to be the guardian of the rule of law.  Its actions, especially when it came to armed interventions, also had to be consistent with the rule of law.

BILLIE MILLER, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados said that the multilateral commitments made at the Millennium Summit had been eclipsed by the events of 11 September and the attempt to construct new mechanisms of international peace and security.  Yet the basic concept of security needed to be redefined; the greatest potential harm to the world’s citizenry would come, not just from terrorism, but also from other new and non-traditional threats such as narco-trafficking, organized crime, money laundering, corruption, illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, HIV/AIDS, environmental degradation, ecological and natural disasters and the inequitable liberalization of trade.

Diverting resources and attention from the development agenda to the fight against terrorism would not produce lasting results, she said.  For small developing countries, security necessarily entailed support for social development, economic viability, good governance, and the promotion of democracy.  As the doctrine of non-intervention was of paramount importance for the survival of small States, the possibility of unilateral preemptive action was alarming.  The preeminent role of the United Nations in seeking to impose responsible behaviour through dialogue rather than through force should be reaffirmed.

Barbados had been prompt and responsible in fulfilling its international obligations in regard to the fight against terrorism, she affirmed, despite the financial, human and administrative burden of participating in that fight.  Yet the burden had been exacerbated by some lawmakers’ charges that Barbados was a haven for corporate tax evasion and the laundering of terrorist funds.  As its jurisdiction was more transparent and better regulated than many in the developed world, Barbados fully intended to defend its reputation from such unwarranted attacks. 

With the advent of a prolonged economic recession, it was important that the United Nations be returned to its basic mandate and its energy focused on achieving the twin goals of peace and development, she said.  International summits and global conferences, while raising awareness and expectations, had not delivered on the implementation of fiercely negotiated plans of action.  Simpler, more effective, ways to carry forward the development agenda needed to be found. 

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