SPEAKERS IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE CALL FOR FURTHER EFFORTS TO ADDRESS CONFLICTS IN CENTRAL ASIA, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA

Fifty-seventh General Assembly

Plenary

17^th Meeting (PM)

SPEAKERS IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE CALL FOR FURTHER EFFORTS

TO ADDRESS CONFLICTS IN CENTRAL ASIA, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA

Saudi Arabia Cites Need for Achievement of Palestinian Rights;

Georgia Draws Attention to Deterioration of Georgian-Russian Relations

While welcoming several recent successful peace initiatives in different parts of the world, speakers in the General Assembly this afternoon drew attention to the need for further efforts regarding conflicts in Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa.   

The Foreign Minister of Georgia, Irakli Menagarishvili, drew attention to the recent deterioration of Georgian-Russian relations.  Referring to the “mounting aggressive attacks emanating from the Russian authorities” on his country, he said the root of the problem lay in Abkhazia, where Chechen fighters had been sent to do battle.  Those fighters had turned on Russia, with the eruption of the crisis in Chechnya.  He urged the Russian side to reconsider its approach to the problem.

He also felt the United Nations peacekeeping operation in that region needed to be substantively transformed.  Instead of helping refugees return to their homes, the all-Russian peacekeeping force had established an artificial border between the territory controlled by the separatists and the rest of Georgia.  Three years of burdensome work by the United Nations to resolve the conflict in his country had yielded no results because of the attitude of separatists.

The cycle of violence in the occupied Palestinian territories, said Saudi Arabia’s representative, would never diminish unless the legitimate rights of the Palestinians were achieved.  The promise of security by the current Israeli Government would never materialize due to its policies and practices.  The starting point out of the dilemma was for Israel to realize the importance of the existence of a Palestinian State.  The Arab Peace Initiative, adopted at the Beirut Summit, constituted a historic move that accommodated all the requirements for a just and permanent peace in the Middle East. 

Youssouf Ouedraogo, Minister of State, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation of Burkina Faso, hailed the many commendable initiatives to bring back peace to many regions of the world, including Africa.  It had been possible with the efforts of the United Nations and regional organizations, such

as the Organization of African Unity (OAU), to extinguish many hotbeds of conflict ravaging the continent.  While welcoming the return of peace to Angola, Ethiopia and Eritrea, and Sierra Leone, he regretted the suspension of peace talks between the Sudan and the rebel groups in that country. 

Similarly, Andre Bumaya, Rwandan Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation said that despite hotbeds of violence, there was reason to be optimistic at initiatives designed to resolve ongoing conflicts, such as the recent talks between the two Koreas.  Regarding the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he announced his Government’s decision, taken just two days ago, to withdraw its troops from that country’s territory, in accordance with the provisions of the Pretoria Accords. 

Statements were also made this afternoon by the Foreign Ministers of Mali, Maldives, Nepal, Djibouti, Uzbekistan, Central African Republic and El Salvador.

In addition, the representatives of Armenia and Turkey spoke in exercise of the right of reply.

The Assembly will continue its general exchange of views at 10:30 a.m.

on Friday, 20 September.

Background

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

Statements

LASSANA TRAORE, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mali, said the Assembly was opening its fifty-seventh session in an international context marked by hotbeds of tension, growing inequalities and increasing poverty of those in developing countries as well as the difficult circumstances arising from the 11 September attacks.  Mali had ratified all the legal instruments relating to the fight against terrorism.  Mechanisms had been put in place so that the territory of Mali could not be used for any terrorist purposes.  He supported the holding of an international conference to reach conclusion on a comprehensive international legal instrument on terrorism.

In 2002, Mali, for the third time, held pluralistic and peaceful elections, which proved the deep roots of democratic institutions in that country.  The Government was deeply attached to the strengthening of sound democratic institutions and the improvement of the living conditions of its people.  Mali, with its partners, was working to improve macroeconomic reforms and was resolutely determined to guarantee individual security in all areas. 

Stability, peace and security were indispensable for development in Africa, he said.  The continent continued to face recurrent issues, such as indebtedness, decreases in the price of raw materials, HIV/AIDS and difficulties related to humanitarian assistance.  Mali was gratified at the end of the conflict in Angola and appreciated the contribution of the United Nations to the settlement of that conflict.  The recent signature of the peace agreement by the parties to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo gave another reason for hope.  Such efforts needed the support and assistance of the international community in order to succeed in the long term. 

The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), he said, deserved sustained attention from the international community.  The New Partnership offered the international community an historic opportunity to establish credible partnerships with Africa.  Mali remained deeply concerned by developments in the Middle East.  The creation of a Palestinian State within safe and internationally recognized borders was the most certain guarantee of just and lasting peace in the region.  The establishment of the International Criminal Court would make it possible to bring to justice those responsible for the gravest crimes and would act as an instrument for deterrence.  He appealed to those who had yet to adhere to the Court to do so, so as to increase its legitimacy. 

FATHULLA JAMEEL, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Maldives, said he had been quick to condemn the terrorist attacks against the United States last year, and in spite of its limited resources, the Maldives stood by the United States in its fight against terrorism.  The United Nations must play a central role in combating terrorism, and total compliance with Security Council resolution 1373 was

“of utmost importance”.

The economies of small island developing States such as his own had been drastically affected by the events of 11 September, he said, calling on developed countries to adhere to the Doha Agenda and Monterrey Consensus to foster international economic cooperation.  Expressing pride in the Maldives’ political stability and economic development, he nonetheless voiced concern that without preferential access to markets and concessional capital, his country would not be able to continue its progress.  The Maldives was not ready to be taken off the list of least developed countries.  On the environment, he criticized unabated environmental degradation in the world.  Coming from a country “whose survival is threatened by climate change”, he called for countries to take urgent action to protect the environment and sustain development.

On to the Middle East, he condemned Israel for “killing the peace process” and “frustrating the prospects” for an independent Palestinian State.  He supported an independent Palestinian State with Al-Quds as its capital and called on Israel to withdraw from all occupied Palestinian territories and respect all relevant Security Council resolutions.

Disarmament and arms control measures were a high priority for the Maldives, and he supported the idea of nuclear-weapon-free zones, zones of peace, and bilateral, regional and multilateral approaches to destroying biological and chemical weapons.  He reiterated his full support of the Charter of the United Nations.

IRAKLI MENAGARISHVILI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia, believed that the evil of terrorism would be defeated because of the spirit of cooperation with which the world was approaching the problem.  Despite his country’s concern about the problem of terrorism, he was compelled to focus attention on the deterioration of Georgian-Russian relations.

“I am referring”, he said, “to the mounting aggressive attacks on my country’s sovereignty emanating from the Russian authorities”.  The root of the problem lay in Abkhazia, Georgia, where Chechen fighters had been sent to do battle.  The plan had boomeranged, and those fighters had turned on Russia, with the eruption of the crisis in Chechnya.  Two Chechen wars had resulted in an influx of refugees into Georgia and had triggered conflict in the Pankisi Gorge of Georgia.  In the final analysis what was at stake was Georgia’s independence.  He urged the Russian side to reconsider its approach to the problem.

There were other noteworthy conflicts in the Caucasus.  In particular he referred to the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia and the activities of separatists there.  These forces had become involved in ethnic cleansing, expelling mostly ethnic Georgians from their homes.  He was astonished that the United Nations had not yet made a statement to that effect, more so in view of the refusal of the Abkhaz side to comply with the 28 Security Council resolutions adopted since 1993 on the situation.  Instead of helping refugees return to their homes, the all-Russian peackeeping force had established an artificial border between the territory controlled by the separatists and the rest of Georgia.  With this in mind, the United Nations peacekeeping operation therefore needed to be substantively transformed.  A civil police component should be introduced.  Three years of burdensome work by the United Nations to resolve the conflict in his country had yielded no results because of the attitude of separatists.

ARJUN JUNG BAHADUR SINGH, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, said his country supported the ongoing global war on terrorism and saw the need for better enforcement of existing international law and the conclusion of a comprehensive convention on terrorism.  However, even though terrorism was the menace of the moment, other peace and security problems continued to trouble the world, such as those in the Middle East and the rising tensions in Asia, Europe and Latin America.

To find a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, Nepal supported the implementation of Security Council resolution 1397 and the Quartet agreement of 2002.  Iraq should comply with relevant Security Council resolutions, and the global community should respect the sanctity and integrity of the United Nations Charter not to set the region on fire, he said.  Nepal was happy that Afghanistan was “limping” back to normalcy and appealed to the United Nations to make providing security for the entire country a priority, so the reconstruction process could gain momentum.

It was encouraging that Sierra Leone had achieved a measure of stability, he said.  Also, attempts had been made to resolve the conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia and Burundi, and the Balkans, Cyprus and the Korean peninsula should receive necessary support in their quest for peace.  No durable peace would be achieved without conflict prevention and dispute resolution through peaceful means, including through peacekeeping, disarmament and confidence- building.  Poverty eradication, sustainable development and justice for all were also essential for lasting peace.

ALI ABDI FARAH, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Djibouti, said the United Nations had increased in relevance under the leadership of Kofi Annan.  He mentioned the Monterrey Conference and World Summit on Sustainable Development as having brought the United Nations together with civil society.  Additionally, in the wake of 11 September, Security Council resolution 1373 was an important step in the fight against terrorism.

As a result of the attacks, he said international foreign policy strategies had shifted.  Countries were reaching out to each other; new alliances had been formed; and older alliances had been strengthened.  He welcomed President Bush’s clearly stated commitment to work with the Security Council to explore peaceful resolutions with Iraq and welcomed Iraq’s agreement to receive weapons inspectors. The United Nations had to act swiftly to avert an important crisis in the Middle East as one of the greatest threats to world peace could be traced to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Referring to Palestinians, he said “a whole nation was under a virtual house arrest”.  Nevertheless, he condemned violence against all civilians, be they Israeli or Palestinian, and called for peace between Israel and Syria and a return to 1967 borders between those two countries.

In the area of development, he commended the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg but maintained that all expressions of goodwill should be backed by action.  Mentioning the New Partnership for Africa's Development, he said Africa recognized its responsibilities towards resolving its own conflicts and promoting its own development.  It was hoped, however, that developed countries would do their part in helping the continent.  His subregional organization, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, was working to pave the way for a broad-based government in Somalia.

The Security Council remained a highly unrepresentative body, he said, insisting that both permanent and non-permanent membership must expand to include developing as well as developed nations.

YOUSSOUF OUEDRAOGO, Minister of State, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation of Burkina Faso, said that the quest for peace and security and the search for development were key values on which the creation of the United Nations was based.  Today, more than ever before, such objectives acquired even greater urgency.  The best answer to terrorism stemmed from collective action by the international community.  Burkina Faso’s determination to fight with the United Nations against that danger was strong, and its implementation of resolution 1373 was included in the report it had submitted to the Counter- Terrorism Committee.

While fighting terrorism was at the forefront, it must not conceal the need to find just and lasting solutions to regional conflicts, he stressed.  In that connection, he hailed the many commendable initiatives to bring back peace to many regions of the world, including Africa.  It had been possible with the efforts of the United Nations and regional organizations, such as the Organization of African Unity (OAU), to extinguish many hotbeds of conflict ravaging the continent.  While he welcomed the return of peace to Angola, Ethiopia and Eritrea, and Sierra Leone, he regretted the suspension of peace talks between the Sudan and the rebel groups in that country. 

The current year had been particularly costly in terms of the loss of life in the Middle East, he noted.  The atrocities committed every day were troubling.  It was imperative for dialogue and negotiations to prevail over violence.  He strongly urged the Security Council to implement its relevant resolutions.  He was pleased that reason had prevailed concerning the situation in Iraq, as he was convinced that any unilateral action would have a detrimental effect on international peace and security.  It was hoped that the recent Iraqi decision would lead to a final resolution of the crisis.  In addition, he requested that the sanctions on Iraq, Cuba, Iran and Libya be lifted, particularly since Libya had fulfilled its obligations vis-à-vis Security Council resolutions.   

Burkina Faso, he said, had embarked on ensuring that democracy became rooted in the country’s political and economic life.  The Government welcomed the election of Burkina Faso to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.  Also, it was determined to enhance the status of women and children through the recommendations of the Assembly’s special session on children.  It was unquestionable that the United Nations was, every day, gaining in effectiveness and credibility.  

ABDULAZIZ KAMILOV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, acknowledged that the fight against terrorism attracted much attention from the United Nations. His Government supported the international counter-terrorism coalition as a matter of principle and stood ready to make its contribution to enhance global and regional stability.  Because terrorism had no borders, it was only through joint efforts that it could be defeated.

His country was gratified by the positive developments taking place in Afghanistan, a country that had once been a hotbed of terrorism.  To ensure stability and prevent military confrontation in that country, steps should be taken to collect and reduce the huge mass of weapons that had accumulated there. Note also had to be taken of the remnants of the Taliban, who could engage in subversive activities, and the country’s status as the world’s main source of opium and heroin.  He called for adequate measures and assistance from the international community to deal with those problems.  Uzbekistan fully supported the measures undertaken by the United Nations and the international community to deal with the threats of drug trafficking and narco-aggression.

On other matters, Uzbekistan supported the statement made by President George Bush before the General Assembly on the situation in Iraq and said it should be taken as the basis for the elaboration of the United Nations Security Council’s position.  His country supported the United Nations-led process for disarmament, arms control and reduction, and it recommended that Japan and Germany be given permanent seats on the Security Council.

ANDRE BUMAYA, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation of Rwanda, hoped that peace could come to the Middle East, thereby guaranteeing the establishment of a Palestinian State coexisting peacefully with the State of Israel.  Despite hotbeds of violence, he had reason to be optimistic at initiatives designed to resolve ongoing conflicts, such as the recent talks between the two Koreas. 

Rwanda had been living under constant threat of terrorist attacks from elements in the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known as ALIR (Armée de Libération du Rwanda), he said.  ALIR was made up of ex-FAR (former Rwandan Armed Forces) and Interahamwe forces.  Since 1994, such elements had attacked Rwanda on many occasions, destroyed socio-economic infrastructure and savagely attacked foreign tourists in Rwanda.  Today, to escape justice, the members of that group had attempted to organize themselves under the guise of various political groups.  He asked the United Nations and all Member States to formally condemn those countries that financed, harboured and supported ALIR. 

Regarding the prosecution of those associated with the Rwandan genocide, he said it was important to render the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda effective for it to meet its mandate.  Special attention must be given to the information submitted to the Security Council by his Government in that connection. 

Also, support should be given to the Lusaka and Pretoria Accords, designed to promote the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he said.  His Government had decided, on 17 September, to withdraw its troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in accordance with the provisions of the Pretoria Accords.  In addition, Rwanda had just submitted its first report to the Counter- Terrorism Committee.

He called on the United Nations and the entire United Nations system to implement all the international commitments to help poor countries, especially those in the Millennium Declaration, the Monterrey Consensus and those from the Johannesburg Summit.  

AGBA OTIKPO MEZODE, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Central African Republic, told delegates that never before had humanity become so conscious of the need for solidarity to achieve peace in the world.  Two years ago delegates had met in the General Assembly and set objectives for sustainable development.  All the States had committed themselves to achieve those objectives in 15 years.  The world at that time had displayed a number of serious failings.  Through the Millennium Declaration, steps would be taken to correct that situation. Globalization created opportunities to do so.  But there were problems that remained outstanding.  Multilateralism should be used to put an end to global threats.

The first of these threats was terrorism.  The reaction of the international community to the 11 September 2001 tragedy had to be supported and sustained. Through solidarity and multilateralism, the world would conquer terrorism.  There were also environmental problems that needed to be addressed, and future generations should inherit a better world.  His country was grateful for the steps that had been taken to protect the Congo Basin.

Poverty was another great threat, he said.  The Millennium Declaration spoke of reducing poverty, but the Central African Republic wanted the world to stop producing poverty.  Those who existed on the fringes of humanity who lived on less than one dollar a day merited only words of solidarity.  The NEPAD was Africa’s answer to the challenge of poverty, but that programme would have no chance of success unless it benefited from an environment of peace and stability and international support.

There were other regional conflicts that threatened world order.  The Israeli-Palestinian conflict needed to be solved.  He said his country was committed to good governance and rejected charges of corruption levelled at it.

FAWZI BIN ABDUL MAJEED SHOBOKSHI (Saudi Arabia) said that the international effort against terrorism, regardless of how effective it was, would not be able to totally eradicate that phenomenon unless it got to its underlying causes, including political, economic and social circumstances that bred terrorism.  Thirty-five long years had passed since the Palestinian people had come under Israeli occupation.  The cycle of violence in the occupied Palestinian territories would never diminish unless the legitimate rights of the Palestinians were achieved.

The situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, he said, was now at a point that would undoubtedly lead to a human catastrophe as a result of the economic siege, the unchecked spread of disease and epidemics, and the near collapse of public health and security forces.  The promise of security by the current Government of Israel would never materialize.  That was directly due to the policies and practices of that Government.

The starting point out of the dilemma was for Israel to realize the importance of the existence of a Palestinian State built on a legitimate constitution that was capable of conducting negotiations.  He saw in the Arab Peace Initiative, adopted at the Beirut Summit, a historic move that accommodated all the requirements for a just and permanent peace in the Middle East. 

Another source of grave danger to the security and stability of the Middle East was the issue of Iraq and its implementation of Security Council resolutions.  President Bush’s reference to the need to refer the matter to the Security Council for appropriate resolution represented a new and positive approach.  That step had paved the way for a new climate, which recently had resulted in the Iraqi Government’s decision to allow the unconditional return of inspectors.  The responsibility now lay with the Council to undertake serious efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people.

FAWZI BIN ABDUL MAJEED SHOBOKSHI (Saudi Arabia) said that the international effort against terrorism, regardless of how effective it was, would not be able to totally eradicate that phenomenon unless it got to its underlying causes, including political, economic and social circumstances that bred terrorism.  Thirty-five long years had passed since the Palestinian people had come under Israeli occupation.  The cycle of violence in the occupied Palestinian territories would never diminish unless the legitimate rights of the Palestinians were achieved.

The situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, he said, was now at a point that would undoubtedly lead to a human catastrophe as a result of the economic siege, the unchecked spread of disease and epidemics, and the near collapse of public health and security forces.  The promise of security by the current Government of Israel would never materialize.  That was directly due to the policies and practices of that Government.

The starting point out of the dilemma was for Israel to realize the importance of the existence of a Palestinian State built on a legitimate constitution that was capable of conducting negotiations.  He saw in the Arab Peace Initiative, adopted at the Beirut Summit, a historic move that accommodated all the requirements for a just and permanent peace in the Middle East. 

Another source of grave danger to the security and stability of the Middle East was the issue of Iraq and its implementation of Security Council resolutions.  President Bush’s reference to the need to refer the matter to the Security Council for appropriate resolution represented a new and positive approach.  That step had paved the way for a new climate, which recently had resulted in the Iraqi Government’s decision to allow the unconditional return of inspectors.  The responsibility now lay with the Council to undertake serious efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people.

MARIA EUGENIA BRIZUELA DE AVILA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of

El Salvador, said that in the 10 years since the peace accords had been signed, the democratic process in El Salvador had been consolidated through open debate and deliberation.  Important progress towards strengthening democracy had been made in the economic and social fields; economic liberty -- taking advantage of the opportunities offered by globalization -– had been promoted as a means of development.  Human development had also been focused upon investment in education, health, housing and basic services.

Within the context of Central American integration, she said that

El Salvador assigned utmost priority to the joint development of the region.  Integration offered the only means of surpassing narrow territorial limitations and responding to the citizenry’s demands in the fields of education, health and future opportunities.  An Economic Integration Plan of Action –- laying the basis for a customs union -- had been agreed between the Central American presidents; free trade agreements with Canada and the United States were being negotiated; and the Puebla Panama Plan provided a link between Central America and Southern Mexico for reaching the full potential of the region as a natural corridor between two oceans.  On the territorial front, El Salvador was convinced that strict compliance with international law was the foundation for solving its border controversies.

On the international front, El Salvador maintained a firm commitment to the fight against terrorism, she said.  The third session of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism would be held in the capital, San Salvador.  Additionally, the Government was conducting the necessary analysis to ensure consistency between its constitutional rules and those of the International Criminal Court and had recently ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Expressing confidence that promised offers of financing would be kept, she reaffirmed her Government’s commitment to following the development path laid out in Monterrey.  In addition, El Salvador believed that international cooperation with countries of medium development should not be limited to technological cooperation, but included financial cooperation as well.  However, she noted, all these efforts could be destroyed by another major challenge:  natural disasters and their isolating effects.  In this regard, El Salvador reiterated its solidarity with the peoples of affected countries.

Right of Reply

MOVSES ABELIAN (Armenia), replying to the statement made yesterday by Turkey, expressed appreciation for those who had recognized the Armenian genocide.  The Armenian Government had placed high priority on the prevention of future genocides.  The twentieth century had begun for Armenians with the genocide by the Ottoman Turks.  That was an undeniable fact and was clear, not only for his country but for many others.  However, Turkey spared no effort to deny its shameful past.  The Turkish representative had referred to "unsubstantiated allegations" of the genocide.  Genocide was not something that had to be proved. 

Regretfully, he continued, Turkey still refused to acknowledge the facts.  Instead of condemning those responsible, Turkey today embraced them.  That destructive policy was in no form a step towards reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey. 

ALTAY CENGIZER (Turkey) said it was a well-known fact that at the end of the First World War, in the words of eminent scholars, what had happened to the Armenians had been a result of a massive Armenian rebellion.  The Armenians wanted to benefit from both sides -– they wanted to associate themselves with the Jewish holocaust while recalling with pride their resistance against the Ottoman rulers. 

Mr. ABELIAN (Armenia) reminded the representative of Turkey that the Armenian genocide had begun with the Kristallnacht in 1915, signalling the beginning of the mass annihilation of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey.  The unfortunate habit of Turkey’s denial of the genocide had resulted in a string of lies.  Turkey's contorted effort was the expression of the lengths to which it would go to deny the truth.  For the perpetrators of the Armenian genocide, it was important to learn from history.  If they were unable to deal with the truth, then they might once again be placed on a path to victimize other groups.

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