UNITED NATIONS MUST REFORM TO MEET OBJECTIVES IN INCREASINGLY COMPLEX WORLD, GENERAL ASSEMBLY TOLD, AS ANNUAL DEBATE CONTINUES

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Plenary

8^th Meeting (PM)

UNITED NATIONS MUST REFORM TO MEET OBJECTIVES IN INCREASINGLY COMPLEX WORLD,

GENERAL ASSEMBLY TOLD, AS ANNUAL DEBATE CONTINUES

While echoing the Secretary-General’s call for reform of the United Nations as the General Assembly continued its annual general debate this afternoon, world leaders also acknowledged the importance of concerted action and individual State responsibility in fighting the troubles plaguing the international community.

Saying it was unacceptable for paralysis to rule when a country’s freedom was at stake, El Salvador’s President, Francisco Guillermo Flores Perez, said he wished to see the United Nations act in a manner commensurate with an increasingly complex world.  Drawing attention to his own country’s climb out of the dead-end legacy of conflict, he said El Salvador had found an effective way of fighting poverty and warding off hostilities by reshaping its worldview.

Nicanor Duarte Frutos, the President of Paraguay, stressed the importance of true multilateralism, warning that, without it, the Organization, particularly the Security Council, would inevitably fail in the noble objective of maintaining peace in the world.  Brazil’s inclusion as a permanent member of the Security Council, he suggested, would ensure a more equitable representation.

In the same vein, Louis Michel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belgium, suggested that the European Union should have a permanent seat on the Council, while Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar warned that merely increasing the Council’s membership would not necessarily increase its efficiency.

Gratified that his country was beginning to find its voice again after decades of suppression, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan expressed his deep appreciation for the support of the international community and declared that his country was determined to stay the course.  However, he drew attention to the ongoing terrorist threat, referring particularly to the connection between the narcotics trade and terrorism.  He acknowledged that even though the primary crisis had passed, terrorism remained a source of concern, as it made inroads into the peace and security of Afghanistan and the rest of the world.

Echoing that concern, Megawati Soekarnoputri, President of Indonesia, described the double, harmful impact of Indonesia’s financial crisis, which had sparked ethnic conflict and separatist movements, followed closely by a major terrorist attack in Bali.

Many felt, she said, that in adopting a more just and equitable treatment of all parties involved in the Middle East conflict, the major Powers could resolve most of the root causes of terrorism committed in the name of Islam.

Among the other issues addressed this afternoon were the threat posed by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, the plight of poor farmers in developing countries, and the need to shape a more inclusive and equitable globalization process.

Also addressing the Assembly this afternoon were the Presidents of Latvia, Republic of Moldova, Guatemala and Nigeria.

The Prime Ministers of Canada, Portugal, Saint Lucia and Kuwait also spoke.  Also making a statement was the Foreign Minister of Japan.

The General Assembly will continue its general debate tomorrow,

24 September, at 10 a.m.

Background

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

Statements

VAIRA VIKE-FREIBERGA, President of Latvia, said that on 20 September the people of her country decided through a referendum to join the European Union, becoming the last of 10 candidate States to commit to a strong and united Europe “and to the extension of a growing family of secure and prosperous nations”.  The Latvian people looked forward to undertaking the responsibilities that the decision entailed.

New challenges to world security were coming to the fore, she said, and older ones were showing no sign of abating.  Pointing to the Middle East, she said the Road Map was the only feasible means for ending the “dangerous impasse” both sides had now reached.  The alternative was “a continuing escalation of bloodshed, a never-ending cycle of killing and mounting mutual hostility”.  In the case of Afghanistan and Iraq, where repressive regimes were removed by force through outside intervention, the military measure undertaken by the United States and its allies would need to be followed by international efforts to help rebuild those societies and economies.  Latvia had sent humanitarian assistance and military medical personnel to Afghanistan, and had dispatched a military contingent to maintain order in post-war Iraq.

She also highlighted the need to reduce discrepancies between rich and poor, which would involve improving the plight of poor farmers, and creating viable agricultural communities.  “Poor farmers in developing countries cannot compete with products subsidized by the world’s richest countries”, she said.  In addition, she expressed Latvia’s commitment to attaining the Millennium Development Goals by preparing a national action plan to address the needs of children in consultation with local authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and children themselves.  Regarding the environment, she said it was important to avoid reaching the stage where the earth’s energy and food resources become irreversibly depleted, adding that countries would need to make economic sacrifices for the sake of a cleaner environment.

She added that the United Nations should remain the principal world body for the mediation of international disputes and for the formulation of “universal rules of conduct abided by all”.

NICANOR DUARTE FRUTOS, President of Paraguay, said that Latin American leaders were today calling for real global interdependence, which would be obtained with an economic order inspired by solidarity and the building of lasting peace.  For too long, Latin America had walked on the sidelines of history, its participation limited to contributing inexpensive manpower and raw materials to developed economies.  The region had fallen victim to fortune seekers and to the depredations of unstable, transnational capitalism, which provoked wars and squandered resources.  However, rather than clinging to the indignities of the past, it was time to proclaim the necessity of working together to change the system.  What was needed today was a multipolar world in which cultures enriched, rather than confronted, each other.

In Paraguay, he said, a major effort had been undertaken to build the confidence of national and international communities, to restore productive power, regain the interest of investors and to place Paraguayan products on the world market.  In spite of suffering through a recession, the Government had begun redirecting spending to education in order to democratize access for young people to the world of knowledge.  Only an effective pool of human capital would enable the country to survive and thrive in globalization.  Moreover, it was not just economic globalization, but the globalization of justice, science, technology and development, that was needed.  The Paraguayan people had accepted their geographical disadvantage as a landlocked country as an opportunity to be creative and hardworking.  They now appealed for international support in implementing the national plan aimed at overcoming the limitations of landlocked countries.

It was important to acknowledge, he continued, that the inequality impoverishing the majority of the world had no moral basis; the poor needed solidarity, not charity.  Such a world required humanism, not humanitarianism.  World leaders had an obligation to bring to an end the old “friend-enemy” dialectics and to ensure symmetrical development for economically less developed countries.  Moreover, without a commitment to multilateralism, the United Nations, and particularly its Security Council, would inevitably fail in the noble objective of maintaining peace in the world.  For that reason, Paraguay supported the quest of Latin American and other nations’ for representation on the Council.  The presence of Brazil as a permanent member would help to realize a more equitable representation of the Security Council.

Finally, he wished to voice again Paraguay’s support for the quest of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for recognition within the United Nations.  Regarding other areas of concern, his country pledged to condemn terrorism with the same vigour that it rewarded peace.  Pledging to combat terrorism at its source and in its financial arm -– drug trafficking -- his Government had also addressed the problems of organized crime and money-laundering.  Paraguay was determined to be neither a bridge nor a corridor for such activities.  His country also remained committed to human rights as an integral part of domestic and foreign policy.  Further, the fight for freedom and world peace would have no meaning without a greater respect for the environment.

HÂMID KARZAI, President of Afghanistan, expressed satisfaction that, after decades of being suppressed to silence, his country was beginning to have a voice of its own. Many changes had taken place over the last two years, and Afghanistan, like any post-war society, faced the compelling need for security and the need to remove the threat of armed factions.

He expressed deep appreciation for the support provided by the international community to Afghanistan and acknowledged that the road ahead for his country was a long and tortuous one.  He specifically commended the assistance of the European Union, the United States and Japan, and the work of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in securing Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul.  However, he said, his country recognized that providing security to its people was ultimately its own responsibility.  Afghanistan was, therefore, in the process of reforming and rebuilding its security institutions, namely, the Afghan National Army, the Ministry of Defence and the National Police.

In addition, the first draft of a constitution for Afghanistan had been completed and would be presented for approval to a constitutional Loya Jirga, or Afghan Grand Council, in December.  He also highlighted the 30 per cent economic growth rate which Afghanistan enjoyed last year and said that his country was committed to an open market economy and to the creation of legal and financial frameworks that would create a positive environment for the private sector.  “Once in the past, Afghanistan was at the centre of a global threat”, he said.  “Our vision for the future is that Afghanistan should be a centre for economic opportunity.”

He remarked that education was one of the highest priorities of the Afghan people.  Almost 40 per cent of the students and teachers in his country today were women, and schools were being built at a rapid pace.  At the same time, in other service areas, the need was much greater than his country’s capacity to deliver.  He also expressed concern regarding the connection between narcotics and terrorism and called for the international community to fight against both menaces.

Cognizant of its new situation and emerging opportunities, Afghanistan was determined to stay the course, he stated.  However, he also expressed concern regarding the ongoing threat of terrorism, which was still looming in various manifestations and continued to make inroads into the peace and security of Afghanistan and the rest of the world.

VLADIMIR VORONIN, President of the Republic of Moldova, lauded the fact that, besides adopting emotional declarations, the international community was concretely addressing economic, social and political ills.  In addition, a common global value system was emerging, along with a new international order, based on preventing and neutralizing threats.  Nevertheless, he cautioned that the intense integration taking place across the globe today was leading to situations in which the interests of specific countries had major impacts on the entire world.  Leaders and politicians had to understand that new degree of interconnectedness, he said.

Turning to the situation in his country, he remarked that independence had been marred by economic recession and separatist movements.  However, his Government was doing its best to improve the situation.  For example, referring to the ethnic conflict in the region of Transnistria, he said his Government was abandoning nationalistic tendencies and working on a new constitution, which would promote an ethnically diverse and multilingual society.  It had also decided to prioritize greater integration with Europe, a move that would require significant democratic reforms and the nurturing of civil society.

Highlighting the importance of the Security Council, he said it had the important task of clearing the world of dark corners, where terrorism and repression might flourish.  In that context, he called for the Council to be made more representative.  After all, he said, increasing the number of permanent and elected members would ensure that voices from all regions of the world were heard.  Acknowledging the difficulties involved in achieving a consensus on the issue, he urged all Member States to work harder to overcome their differences.  He also voiced support for restoring the General Assembly to its role as the most representative and important United Nations body.

FRANCISCO GUILLERMO FLORES PÉREZ, President of El Salvador, said that his people had suffered greatly from economic dependence and the conflict that had plagued them for so long.  Now, looking at its current situation, he felt El Salvador could inform the way forward for many other States.  Whereas even before the war, the country had been a poor, over-populated country, completely dependent on agriculture and the prices of coffee and sugar, it now looked to have found an effective way of fighting conflict and poverty. 

Just 12 years ago, he recalled, the economic situation of El Salvador had looked particularly bad.  Today, Salvadorans viewed their future with confidence.  Poverty had been reduced by half, from 61 per cent to 33 per cent, and only 15 per cent of the population continued to live in extreme poverty.  Whereas 25 per cent of the population had been illiterate, that number had been reduced to 13 per cent, and while the mortality rate of newborns had been 45 per thousand live births, it was now 25.  Roads, schools, housing and health facilities had been built, and inflation had been brought down from 30 to 2 per cent.  Moreover, for 11 years, there had been no fluctuation in the exchange rate, which meant that El Salvador had matched the enviable lending rates achieved only by Chile and Mexico in the rest of Latin America. 

The lessons El Salvador brought to the world were twofold, he continued.  People had to first learn how to live, and then to learn why they were alive.  The first lesson was purely practical and consisted of understanding the opportunities possessed by small countries in the globalizing world.  The second was eminently abstract, but fundamental to shaping the worldview of the people.  Trapped in the dead-end of war, the people of El Salvador had reshaped their own vision of their destiny along the basic principle that every Salvadoran must have access to the truth.  Every citizen of the country had the right to speak out, without limitation.

That right to truth, he reminded the Assembly, was founded upon the three principles of freedom, justice and the inalienable right to life; and for those three principles to be respected, the rule of law needed to hold sway.  It was essential, at a time when all wondered as to the future role of the United Nations, that the origin of the United Nations, which was to ensure such fundamental rights, be recalled.  It was unacceptable for paralysis to rule when the issue at stake was the freedom of a country.  The situation in Iraq could be discussed interminably, but it was obvious that the United Nations had not acted commensurately with an increasingly complex world.  The people of El Salvador spoke from the position of having shouldered the burden of recovering from conflict.  Finally, he recalled the famous quote:  “Peoples, no one can take possession of your sovereignty if not violently and illegitimately.  Flee the country where one person tries to take control of all power.  That will be a country of slaves.”

ALFONSO PORTILLO CABRERA, President of Guatemala, said he came before the Assembly as a head of State who believed in interdependence and for whom sovereignty “was not a closed door separating nations”.  His attendance also reflected Guatemala’s commitment to the United Nations, whose presence in that country had been crucial to the implementation of the Peace Agreements concluded in 1996.

In the past four years, he said, Guatemala has been opening up to the world to insert itself into the technological, financial and cultural currents of globalization.  Guatemala was a country characterized by the continued existence of historical tasks that were unfilled or postponed.  When he took over the presidency in January 2000, he had resolved to address some of the pending issues.  The State had been hostage to powerful economic interests, but the liberation process was carried forward.  Tax exemptions favouring individuals had been abolished, and the trade policy was no longer “manipulated in such a way as to harm the production of peasants”.  Also, economic policy had taken on meaning as an instrument of social development, and local monopolies now had to contend with competition following a century when “captive markets were the rule”.  The Peace Accords had also provided Guatemala with a programme for democratization.

He said that, historically, Guatemala’s illiteracy rate was shameful, but plans were adopted that enabled the country to cut it down by almost half.  Special attention was also devoted to young girls.  Through scholarship programmes and school meals, tens of thousands of children were taken out of the labour force.  The curricula was also reformed and incorporated into the logic of the peace agreements.  On the issue of shaping primary health care, structural vulnerabilities in critical areas such as maternal and child mortality, as well as nutrition, were addressed.  However, much remains to be done because the economic environment was unfavourable.

He requested the United Nations to provide support for the establishment, without delay, of a commission for the investigation of illegal bodies and clandestine security apparatuses.  Several repressive groups, which were carry-overs from the past and were now in league with organized crime, had threatened and intimidated humanitarian activists, judges and journalists.

He supported efforts being made to improve the managerial capacities of the Secretariat and further United Nations reform.  Efforts to make the Security Council more representative and its procedures more transparent must not be delayed.  It was also necessary to strengthen the General Assembly itself, as well as the Economic and Social Council, so that those three principal organs supported one another.  In addition, he reiterated Guatemala’s opposition to all forms of terrorism and supported the collective action of the international community in combating the scourge.  Finally, he believed that the Organization, together with the multilateral financial institutions, could address the task of ensuring that the benefits of globalization were widely distributed among the inhabitants of the planet.

MEGAWATI SOEKARNOPUTRI, President of Indonesia, declaring that the United Nations had displayed its merits for all to view, said that the world body had, among other achievements, maintained minimum standards for the protection and promotion of human rights, promoted the implementation of international law and put into practice an array of instruments for conflict prevention.  Furthermore, the contribution of the United Nations to the political and economic development of Indonesia had been well recorded.  Indonesia’s racial, ethnic, religious and cultural plurality made it the most heterogeneous, as well as the largest archipelagic, State of the world.  The recent financial crisis –- the worst in the country’s history -- had ignited conflict between ethnic groups and revived separatist movements in several regions.  And then, while the country was still contending with those difficulties, terrorism had struck Indonesia in 2002.

It had been hoped, she said, that Indonesia, with its legacy of tolerance for human differences, would be spared by international terrorism.  However, Indonesia had responded to the attack by adopting firm legislation to prevent and eradicate the threat posed by terrorism, to dismantle terrorist cells and to prosecute their members.  Its predominantly Muslim population had fully supported that national policy, and large and active Islamic organizations and prominent Islamic figures had joined in condemning the terrorist acts.  And although terrorists often claimed to be fighting in the name of Islam, they were but a minority; adherents of “mainstream” Islam practised moderation and were strongly opposed to violence.

Yet, she continued, it must be acknowledged that the motives and justifications employed by that terrorist minority concerned the unjust attitude of the big Powers towards Islamic countries, particularly with regard to resolving the Middle East conflict.  An absence of justice, exacerbated by a feeling of being ignored and sidelined, had cultivated a climate of violence.  To combat that phenomenon, world leaders should open their hearts and address the crucial issues of world peace, human welfare, and the destiny of the human race.  Moreover, those leaders of countries, whose citizens had become the primary targets of terrorist groups, should review their conventional anti-terrorism policies, particularly in dealing with the Arab-Israeli conflict.

If the major Powers adopted policies ensuring just and equal treatment for all parties, most of the root causes of terrorism in the name of Islam would be resolved, she concluded.  Those root causes of terrorism should also be controlled and kept from spreading to other social and economic spheres, for it was in the interest of all to ensure a more peaceful, stable, prosperous, just and humane world.  Finally, to that end, it was important to heed the call issued by the first President of Indonesia in 1960, on the need for reform of the international order.

OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, President of Nigeria, expressed great concern about the persistent armed conflicts in West Africa.  The conflict in Liberia had, once again, tested the will of the international community to respond pro-actively to wars and humanitarian catastrophes.  He commended the decision made by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to deploy troops into Liberia, in the face of obvious hesitation by the international community and in spite of the strain on its resources.  That decision was indicative of its members’ determination to show that they would not stand by while catastrophic events occurred in their region.  Nigeria appreciated the decision of the Security Council to authorize a peacekeeping mission to Liberia to continue the achievements of the ECOWAS initiative.

Noting that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons was one of the major factors fuelling armed conflicts, he called for an early conclusion of negotiations on a legally binding international instrument to control the indiscriminate trade in small arms and light weapons.

He also said that the system of subsidies of agricultural production was strangulating agriculture in developing countries and needed to be reformed.  Also, the burden of external debt continued to constitute a major obstacle for the development of his country and of many other African countries.  While appreciative of the efforts made by the international community through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiatives, he said that heavily indebted middle-income countries like Nigeria did not benefit from any debt-relief mechanism.

He welcomed the ongoing negotiations for a legally binding instrument for the repatriation of illicitly acquired funds stashed away in foreign countries.  He noted, however, that his country’s experience regarding cooperation with countries where Nigeria’s funds had been traced had been, for the most part, lukewarm.

Regarding the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), he commended the Group of 8 for their Africa Action Plan to support the implementation of NEPAD and expressed hope that their pledge of support would soon be translated into cooperation on specific programmes and projects.  He also expressed his country’s conviction that reform of the Security Council was essential to enable the body to respond to issues of international peace and security in a more comprehensive, objective and effective manner.

JEAN CHRÉTIEN, Prime Minister of Canada, reiterated his country’s belief in a multilateral approach to global opportunities and problems as a proven way of enhancing security and solving issues.  Pointing to the fight against terrorism, he said that, without cooperation from all, terrorism could not be controlled, let alone stopped.  Regarding health issues, he maintained that the world risked disaster if it did not share with each other all the facts, and coordinate efforts to control outbreaks.  As for the ongoing problem of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, he noted that, through coordination and strict export controls, collective action under international law and rigorous verification, that issue could also be addressed.

He pointed to recent United Nations successes, including the 2000 Millennium Summit and the 2002 Conference on Financing for Development.  Yet, at the same time, he said the outcome of the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Cancun was worrisome.  In addition, he noted that too often conflicts were allowed to ignite, even when the world could see the potential for dreadful consequences.

He highlighted the tenth anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda next year, and asked, “Are we any more ready now than we were then to respond to another ‘Rwanda’?”  He feared the answer was, unfortunately, no.  It was because of collective failures in Bosnia and Rwanda that Canada had sponsored the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty.  In its report, the Commission argued that sovereignty entailed responsibility, as well as rights.

Regarding Afghanistan, he said much had been achieved but much remained to be done.  Canada was committed to the fight against terrorism from the outset, he said, and noted that his country was currently the largest military contributor to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).  In addition, Canada had pledged $200 million for humanitarian assistance and reconstruction.  As for Israelis and the Palestinians, he said despair was not an option.  “Our goal must remain a political solution based on two viable States, Israel and Palestine, within secure and recognized borders.”

JOSÉ MANUEL DURÃO BARROSO, Prime Minister of Portugal, said that the United Nations should have a central role in defining a global strategy to defeat terrorism.  More security was necessary, as was more democracy, more dialogue between cultures and civilizations, more development, more and better environmental protection measures and a drastic reduction in poverty.  The concept of “rule of law” should have real global resonance.  International law would be irrelevant if its norms were not enforced, and, if necessary, by force.  Changes were needed in both the Security Council and the General Assembly.  The most that could be said about the Economic and Social Council was that the external impact of its actions was not perceptible, while the Trusteeship Council was “nothing more than a relic devoid of any relevant objective”. 

Without delay, he said, the United Nations should establish a real preventive culture in matters of armed conflict.  In the final analysis, the usefulness of the United Nations would always be judged as a function of its capacity to avoid and handle conflicts.  In implementing that mission, the fundamental role lay with the Security Council.  As to what justified that body’s intervention, there was an immense grey area, which could be perilous in pre- and post-conflict situations.  Presently, the Council did not take into account all of the factors involved in prevention, namely, security, nation-building and development.  Also, it was fully absorbed with managing more pressing matters on the international agenda, revealing a notorious lack of attention to some countries in pre- or post-conflict situations. 

A solid case could be made for the creation of a new institutional mechanism, a new commission, with a mandate to routinely monitor cases of conflict prevention and the creation of conditions for peace and development, he said.  In conjunction with the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council, the commission could identify and deal with the most pressing needs and draw up, for each country at risk, integrated security and economic and social development strategies.  The commission would be closely linked with the Bretton Woods institutions and the United Nations agencies.  The situation in Iraq required careful evaluation and a progressive insertion of the United Nations in the stabilization process, with a corresponding gradual transfer of power to Iraqi officials.  He encouraged the Security Council to come to a rapid understanding of that matter.

KENNY D. ANTHONY, Prime Minister, Minister for Finance, Planning, Information and the Public Service of Saint Lucia, said that, in its role as President of the General Assembly, his country would offer a fresh perspective, an alternative view and a different but not discordant voice to the heart of the Assembly.  He noted that the Millennium Declaration goal of halving global poverty was receding into “nothingness”, but could be rescued if developed countries made good on their pledges.

He said that reform of the Security Council needed to be completed to make the body more representative of the realities of the new century, as well as more democratic, legitimate and transparent.  The existing veto system was too easily influenced by national interests to address serious issues afflicting humankind.  If a “coalition of the willing” could be assembled for war, then, surely, the same could be gathered to address poverty, disease, illiteracy, hunger and trade imbalances.  He said that “muscular unilateralism” and the doctrine of “diplomatic unilateralism” could not be the preferred approach to serious global issues and that “exceptionalism” within the international system was certain to fragment international cooperation.

The General Assembly, he stated, should determine which of the resolutions before it needed to be consigned to the record books and which merited its continued attention.  He also called for changes in the time-frame and the working methods of the Assembly and its Main Committees.

The current global trade system, he said, had contributed to the decimation of many Caribbean economies.  Saint Lucia was determined to help create a more inclusive and transparent global governance system, one which allowed for fair trade and special and differential treatment for developing countries.

SABAH AL-AHMAD AL-JABER AL-SABAH, Prime Minister of Kuwait, condemned terrorism in Baghdad and elsewhere and proposed a two-track approach in response.  The United Nations and international powers should stay the course and firmly face the continuing violence there, while enabling the Iraqi people to establish national legitimacy and develop national institutions.

His said his country had joined the Coalition forces in their endeavour to enforce Security Council resolutions on Iraq, and welcomed the removal of the previous regime in that country.  In a spirit of common Arab and Islamic heritage, Kuwait had rushed material and financial aid to local and international organizations, as well as to United Nations agencies, after the collapse of the former Iraqi regime.  In addition, Kuwait had contributed to the restoration of electrical power, health care, educational services and water supplies to various parts of the country.  The United Nations remained the most appropriate forum for examining issues of terrorism and developing the most effective means to combat and eventually stem it, he said.  Kuwait would maintain its efforts, in coordination with the regional States and the United Nations, to fight terrorism.

Expressing concern about the recent escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territories, he said that, despite international efforts, Israel persisted in its policy of backtracking on its commitments, undermining promising initiatives while paying no heed to potential negative consequences.  Kuwait demanded that Israel fulfil its obligations in connection with relevant United Nations resolutions, the land-for-peace formula and bilateral accords signed with the Palestinian Authority.  In addition, Kuwait called on Iran and the United Arab Emirates to deepen bilateral talks to resolve their dispute over three islands.  Finally, Kuwait called on developed nations to provide financial and technical aid to developing countries, alleviate the debt burden of the least developed countries, as well as exchange information and expertise that would help developing countries to modernize their national institutions.

LOUIS MICHEL, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belgium, said it was clear that the United Nations was facing difficult and troubling times.  But while the debate raged about organizational reform, it had been the Member States’ lack of political determination to solve the very important issues of the day that had caused some to call the Organization’s very relevance into question.  So, an important question that had emerged was:  what sort of reform would be needed to address the often-legitimate apprehension of some who, for whatever reason, would not submit their geopolitical concerns to the process of the United Nations?  While the plea for drastic reform was understood, it should be accompanied by a debate on those sensitive issues.  That would improve the Security Council and the wider United Nations.

As for reform of the Security Council, he noted that geopolitical realities perhaps called for the European Union to be granted a permanent seat in its own capacity.  On Iraq, he stressed that now was not the time to debate who had been right or wrong, but rather to contribute to the country’s reconstruction.  It was in a region that bordered Europe and if only for reasons of its own security, Europe should work to ensure that the situation did not deteriorate nor the region become rife with indiscriminate violence.

Stressing that sovereignty must be granted to the Iraqi people as soon as possible, he said they must be made to see that peace and stability could be achieved.  That did not mean that military forces on the ground should be disbanded, but rather that they should look not to occupy but to assist in maintaining security.  The major security threat of the day was the unchecked proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their use by States bent on aggression, he said, urging the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to abide by its international obligations.

Turning to the Middle East, he said the Palestinian side needed to eschew random violence, while the Israeli side should move away from favouring the use of force, as there was no alternative to the Road Map.  As for Africa, the priority must be placed on securing peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which, after so many years of war, required the determined commitment of all members of the international community.  Rwanda also needed help in its efforts to achieve national reconciliation.  Belgium also looked forward to playing an important role in the Economic and Social Council Working Group on Burundi and welcomed the re-establishment of the Great Lakes Conference to help ensure peace throughout that vast region.

JOSÉ MARÍA AZNAR, Prime Minister of Spain, said peace, freedom and complying with the law were at the root of progress for his country and should be the same for all nations.  Those principles had been at the heart of the past 25 years of reform in his country.

As for the work of the Organization, he said the world would be a better place if the rules that were laid down were abided by, and those that did not comply with those rules were held accountable.  It was indeed probable that the Security Council and the wider Organization needed to be reformed, but he urged the Assembly to be mindful of the fact that merely increasing the number of members on the Council did not necessarily mean an increase in its efficiency.  It was important for all to work to ensure that the Council’s decisions and resolutions were targeted, balanced and abided by.

He echoed the sentiments of others that the international community must do its utmost to restore and ensure the sovereignty of Iraq.  He believed that success in Iraq would be a success for the entire international community.  To that end, Spain was hosting a donors conference on Iraq next month, and he invited all Member States to attend.  That conference would be a major step towards restoring the sovereignty of the Iraqi people.  He added that in a “risky environment” like Iraq, particularly with the dangers of terrorism, any military force on the ground must be aimed at restoring and maintaining peace and security.  Forward movement, particularly on civil administration issues, would be easier to secure after that.

Peace, security and freedom had always had enemies, he said. The cooperation of all States was the only way to win the war on terrorism and undermine those who sought to flout international law.  Spain would continue to uphold its international obligations in the fight and was preparing a list of terrorist organizations, and the agents or agencies that financed terrorist acts.  It was also grappling with the issue of weapons of mass destruction.  Spain would also focus on putting an end to chemical and biological weapons.  He added that dealing with terrorism required a three-pronged commitment:  to restore dignity, restore peace, and pay tribute to victims.

YURIKO KAWAGUCHI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, said that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the threat of terrorism affected all countries.  Japan expected a new Security Council resolution that would pave the way for Iraqi self-governance and a more prominent role for the United Nations in the country’s reconstruction.  Regarding the Middle East conflict, she said the Road Map had reached a critical stage and called upon both sides to exercise the utmost restraint.

On the development and possession of nuclear weapons in North-east Asia, she urged the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to dismantle immediately and completely all its nuclear development programmes in a verifiable and irreversible manner.  However, that issue should be resolved peacefully through such diplomatic efforts as the Six-Party Talks process.  Japan also sought the resolution of various outstanding issues with that Republic and a subsequent normalization of diplomatic relations.  Regarding Iran, she called for that country’s immediate compliance with the resolution on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons adopted by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

She said her country sought to confront the dangers and threats posed by the twenty-first century by addressing their social and humanitarian aspects.  Specific examples along those lines included the deployment of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces in Timor-Leste and the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme it was implementing jointly with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

Expressing concern over the detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi by the Government of Myanmar, she also called for international support to ensure that the Khmer Rouge trials in Cambodia exhibited an unswerving application of the principles of law and justice.  She also appealed to the international community to recognize the importance of the early entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

Japan continued to work diligently for Security Council reform, she said, adding that her country would like to assume greater responsibility as a permanent member in a reformed Security Council.  The perpetuation of the same basic structure of the Security Council of 60 years ago led many to question the legitimacy of the United Nations.

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