EXPRESSING CONCERN AT STALLED MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS, SPEAKERS IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY CALL FOR RESUMPTION OF DIALOGUE, IMPLEMENTATION OF “ROAD MAP”

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Plenary

15^th & 16^th Meetings (AM & PM)

EXPRESSING CONCERN AT STALLED MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS, SPEAKERS IN GENERAL

ASSEMBLY CALL FOR RESUMPTION OF DIALOGUE, IMPLEMENTATION OF “ROAD MAP”

In wake of the diplomatic Quartet’s high-level meeting at United Nations Headquarters on Friday, 26 September, at which it expressed “great concern” that recent Israeli and Palestinian attacks had stalled the Middle East peace process, several speakers in the General Assembly today stressed the importance of resuming negotiations for the implementation of the “Road Map” peace plan.

As the Assembly entered the second week of its general debate, Israel was urged to show its commitment to a peaceful settlement, including through lifting the closures on Palestinian communities, removing the restrictions imposed on the Palestinian leadership, reversing the decision to remove Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and withdrawing its military forces from cities occupied since September 2000. 

Reiterating the vital importance of implementing the Road Map, Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher said that the plan, which called for Israel and the Palestinians to take a series of parallel and reciprocal steps culminating in the achievement of two States living side by side in peace by 2005, represented recognition of the fact that managing the conflict through transitional arrangements and interim solutions had failed, and that the focus of negotiations should be redirected onto their final objectives. 

All stakeholders, he continued, especially members of the Quartet –- Russian Federation, United States, European Union and United Nations -- should pursue their efforts for the Road Map’s scrupulous implementation.  Condemning suicide attacks, which had diverted attention from the core question of Israeli occupation, as well as extra-judicial killings, he warned, “the prevailing atmosphere of violence will play only into the hands of extremists on both sides of the divide”.

Holding Israel responsible for jeopardizing the chances for peace within the framework of the Road Map, Egypt’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Maher El Sayed noted that “the Israeli party does not yet fully share the conviction of all” that the settlement of the conflict would be found in the creation of an independent Palestinian State, based upon the 1967 borders.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, said that in opting for repression, persecution and political assassinations, Israel’s current Government had subverted all proposed initiatives aimed at solving the issue, including the Saudi Peace Initiative and the Quartet-backed Road Map.

While the Palestinians had gone as far as they could in creating the appropriate environment to forge ahead with the peace process, he added, Israel had continued its provocative measures.  Moreover, the continued escalation could have been avoided if the Quartet had assumed the responsibility of overseeing implementation of the Road Map from the very beginning by providing an international monitoring force.

Farouk Kaddoumi, Observer of Palestine, said that Israel must make every effort to extinguish the tensions.  The Palestinian Authority had made many concessions prior to and following the introduction of the Road Map, but the world had turned its back, even as the hostilities spiralled, and Israel continued to ignore attempts at negotiation.

As for the Road Map, he added, the United States must cooperate to facilitate its implementation and the diplomatic Quartet must warn Israel from resisting such implementation.  The Quartet could also assist by paving the way for an international observation force on the ground in the region, which would serve as a buffer between the two sides.

Among the other issues raised today was the need for a strengthened role to be assumed by the United Nations in Iraq, the difficulties encountered by States in the transition from internal conflict to economic and political development, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and trafficking in small arms and lights weapons.

Also addressing the Assembly today were the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the President of Mongolia.

The Prime Ministers of Jamaica and Timor-Leste also spoke during today’s meeting. 

Statements were also made by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, as well as the Foreign Ministers of Syria, Myanmar, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Mauritania, Bangladesh, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Cape Verde, Panama, Sudan and Singapore.  The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the Gambia also spoke.

In addition, Nepal’s representative made a statement.

Speaking in exercise of the right of reply was the representative of Cuba.

The General Assembly will continue its general debate at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 30 September.

Background

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

Statements

DRAGAN COVIC, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said that addressing global challenges, such as poverty reduction, development and the fights against terrorism, organized crime and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, would require a long and exhausting struggle.  In that process, a dialogue based upon mutual respect would represent a key instrument for the improvement of relations and cooperation among peoples and States.  It was with pride that he addressed the Assembly, no longer as the head of a State in crisis, but as the head of a State actively participating in stabilization processes within its region and the wider world.  Today’s Bosnia and Herzegovina was committed to reform, and to respecting the human rights of its citizens, in all their diversity.

Dedicated to advancing the political and economic stability of the Balkans region, he said that working towards accession to the European Union had been a positive experience of partnership for the country.  There was full conviction that the conditions of membership would be fulfilled.  As chair of the South-east European Cooperation Process, Bosnia and Herzegovina was content with the steps taken for the stabilization and development of the Balkans region, as well as for the integration of the Western Balkans into the Euro-Atlantic structures.

Acknowledging that there was still much to be done for the transformation of Bosnia and Herzegovina into a modern State, he highlighted tasks such as the strengthening of joint institutions and the establishment of a strong legal framework, fulfilling the obligations of the State with regard to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the fight against terrorism and organized crime, return of refugees and displaced persons, and the full implementation of property laws and the return of property to its rightful owners, among others.  The issue of missing persons was also particularly sensitive; additional efforts must be made to give grieving families the opportunity to find out about the fates of their loved ones.

Among its successes, the country’s business climate was much improved over a year ago, he continued.  The “Bulldozer Committee” had redrafted 50 laws and regulations discouraging private initiative.  With its more favourable legal framework and business environment, Bosnia and Herzegovina now offered better investment and employment opportunities.  And yet, it was recognized that further accelerating economic reform, including the privatization process and judicial system, was essential in creating a more secure business environment to encourage foreign direct investment.  For that purpose, efforts to simplify the tax system, and reform the armed forces, State Intelligence Service and educational system were under way.

Announcing that the reconstruction of the Old Bridge in Mostar would be finalized next year and inviting the United Nations to make it a symbol of unity, he concluded by stating that the elections held in Bosnia and Herzegovina one year ago had made clear the commitment to reform.  The commitment to building a State that would share its positive experiences and participate actively in worldwide peace building was reaffirmed, as was the intention to become a member of the European Union by 2009.

NATSAGIIN BAGABANDI, President of Mongolia, said the emergence of a complex international situation and its subsequent developments had cast into doubt the ability of the United Nations to develop a timely and adequate response to international crises, to maintain peace and security, to prevent armed conflicts, and to resolve pressing issues in war-torn countries and effectively assist them in building national reconciliation and reconstruction.  It also brought into question the relevance of the United Nations.  It was, therefore, incumbent on world leaders to reaffirm their commitment to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.

He supported a reformed and revitalized United Nations, which was adapted to evolving international realities, and an enhanced role and greater involvement for the Organization in all areas pertaining to the maintenance of international peace and security, as well as resolution of pressing economic and social issues and the promotion of sustainable development.  Mongolia was committed to providing personnel to United Nations peacekeeping operations, and supported efforts aimed at making peace-building missions more effective with an increased emphasis on preventive diplomacy.  He endorsed measures to ensure the safety and security of United Nations personnel engaged in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.  Mongolia was a signatory to the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, and intended to ratify it in the near future.

Concerned over the slow pace of United Nations reform, he believed that there was an urgent need to speed up the reform, through “identifying innovative approaches”, so that the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, would be able to effectively address the challenges ahead.  He supported a “just and equitable” enlargement of the Security Council, by increasing the number of permanent and non-permanent seats ensuring representation of both developing and developed countries.  He also supported reviewing the veto power and democratizing the working methods of the Council.  In addition, he supported the Secretary-General’s proposal to establish a high-level panel of eminent personalities, who would be entrusted with conducting a comprehensive analysis of evolving challenges and ways of strengthening the United Nations.

He pointed out that apart from the traditional threats of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the spread of missile technology and inter- and intra-State conflicts, there were also non-traditional threats, such as, terrorism, organized crime, illegal drug trafficking, scarcity of drinking water, environmental pollution and global climate change, all of which were having adverse effects on regional and international security.  As a signatory of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), Mongolia deemed it important to ensure their universality, as well as address disarmament issues in a comprehensive manner, to further reduce all types of weapons, to bring the Conference on Disarmament out of its ongoing impasse, and to strengthen the monitoring mechanisms of the relevant multilateral treaties and agreements.

As a nuclear-weapon-free country, Mongolia also actively supported the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones, in other parts of the world.  He felt that nuclear-weapon States should provide security guarantees to non-nuclear-weapon States and States parties to the NPT, and supported the conclusion of a multilateral treaty to that effect.  Mongolia also supported a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and a peaceful resolution to the issue of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear programme. 

FAROUK AL-SHARA’, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Syria, said the failure to reap the optimal benefits of the remarkable scientific and technological advances of the past two decades, coupled with the failure to ensure that globalization benefited all, had heightened the apprehensions of his people and alienated them.  Further, attempts by some Powers to bend international norms to their narrow interests had added insult to injury.  “Cards were shuffled, and premises were challenged”, he said.  New challenges alien to the Charter -- such as the “pre-emptive war” -– had been invented.  Unilateral and illegitimate use of force had “turned the clock backwards”, even though some claimed that new horizons had been opened.

The Middle East –- cradle of religions and depot for two thirds of the world’s oil reserves –- had been victimized more than any other by that new “unbridled” disregard of international logic, he stated.  It was a region that lived more than any other under external threats that continued to undermine its potential, particularly its material and natural resources.  The scourge of Israeli occupation and continued aggression were the main sources of suffering in the region.  It was a glaring irony that Israel, the first State to acquire its legitimacy through a resolution adopted by the United Nations, had also been the first State to ride roughshod over the very concept.

He said that Israel continued to defy the concept of international legitimacy to such an extent that Arabs and others around the world have begun to feel as if that country might be above the law, as if it simultaneously enjoyed the same veto power the United States had in the Security Council.  It was regrettable that after decades of occupation, bloodshed and contempt for international legitimacy, Israel had yet to realize that the road to peace lay in its implementation of the 37 Council resolutions on the Arab-Israeli conflict and the 600 other relevant texts.  Were the Syrians, Lebanese and Palestinians unrealistic in their demands that the road to peace be through negotiations and implementing relevant resolutions?  How long could Israel continue to mislead some into believing it was victimized, while forcefully occupying the lands of others?

On Iraq, he said the illegitimate war and the inability to prevent it had strained the credibility of the United Nations.  The real challenge now was to extricate Iraq from its current predicament and mobilize all effort to win peace for the people of that country.  The way out did not lie in focusing on the lack of security and necessarily increasing the number of troops, but in international commitment to the unity and sovereignty of the territory of Iraq and to setting a timetable for the withdrawal of the occupying force there, as soon as possible.

On weapons of mass destruction, he said recent attention to the dangers of proliferation made it seem as if it was a problem confined to one part of the world.  Everyone knew that was not the case.  Charges had been levelled at some Arab and Islamic States, while repeated calls to ensure that the region was a nuclear-weapon-free zone had been ignored.

CYRIL SVOBODA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, said that he supported efforts by the United Nations to stabilize, democratize and reconstruct Iraq, noting that the Organization played an irreplaceable role in that regard.  Thus, he backed the idea of a new Security Council resolution that would provide a framework for the widest possible participation of other countries, and pledged his country’s full participation in that process.

The recent terrorist attacks in Iraq and other regions of the Middle East had strengthened his conviction that the international community must not give in to terrorism, but intensify efforts to combat it, he said.  The success of cooperation between the United Nations, the Coalition Provisional Authority and Iraqi representatives in stabilizing the country, and handing over its administration to the Iraqis, would be an essential step in that direction.  He welcomed the establishment of the Iraqi Governing Council, the appointment of provisional ministers and the ongoing work on the drafting of a new constitution.  However, he cautioned that the transition from dictatorship to functioning democracy took time and should not be expected to occur overnight.

On the Middle East, he said progress in the peace process based on the Road Map should be at the centre of the international community’s efforts, and extremist and terrorist groups must not be allowed to dominate the agenda, as recent developments had shown.  He supported activities aimed at reviving and continuing the implementation of the peace plan.  Because the problems of the region were complex, he urged the Quartet and the parties, at their talks, to take stock of that plan and to identify obstacles on the road to peace, as well as outstanding tasks to be taken by Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

He said the restoration of ethnic peace, the strengthening of stability and economic growth remained the main objectives of the international community in the Balkans.  Under present conditions, the maintenance of an international presence there was still a necessary prerequisite for the development of democracy and the strengthening of peace.  He was also convinced that it was necessary to promote the universal adherence and reinforcement of the three major multilateral agreements on weapons of mass destruction.  To that end, he supported the promotion of an early entry into force of the CTBT.

Security Council reform, he said, was a crucial element in the development of international relations in the new millennium.  The Council’s composition was outdated and should be adjusted to reflect the present.  He would continue to support “inevitable reform steps”, including the enlargement of the Council’s membership.  In particular, he supported the inclusion of Germany and Japan as permanent members, as well as the allocation of three new permanent seats for Africa, Asia and Latin America.  His country would present its candidature for a non-permanent seat on the Council, for the period 2008-2009, as its contribution to the safeguarding of international peace and security.

U WIN AUNG, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, said the Assembly was meeting at a time when the world was faced with daunting challenges, including the perennial problem of extreme poverty, the spread of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, environmental degradation and new forms of terrorism.  If leaders were to fulfil the vision of global prosperity and collective security, set out in the Millennium Declaration, then those challenges must be confronted squarely.  The United Nations had a vital role to play in ensuring peace and security, and must be revitalized to accomplish its objectives.  The world could not overcome the complex problems that beset it without “universal commitment to multilateralism and reaffirmation of faith in the central role of the United Nations in the promotion of global peace and security”.

He welcomed the intention of the Secretary-General to reform the United Nations into a more effective organization, and also shared his concern that the use of pre-emptive force could set precedents that resulted in a proliferation of “unilateral and lawless use of force, with or without justification”.  The recent attacks in Baghdad, Bali, Casablanca, Jakarta, Jerusalem, Mumbai and other places served to remind the world of the grim fact that the fight against terrorism was not over.  To achieve results, fundamental problems, such as the persistence of extreme poverty, the disparity of income between and within countries, racial and religious prejudice and attempts by some countries to impose their values on small and developing countries, should be addressed.  It was only through increased cooperation at the national, regional and international levels that the world could hope to overcome the menace.

Turning to political developments in his country, he pointed out that Myanmar was firmly committed to bringing about a systematic transformation to democracy.  The present Government had laid down four political objectives, namely, establishing peace and stability, consolidating unity among all national groups, striving for a durable constitution, and building a modern and democratic nation in keeping with the new constitution.  In addition to those four objectives, the country’s new Prime Minister, General Khin Nyunt, outlined a seven-step road map for the transition to democracy, which had been adopted and supported by the entire population.  It was important for the international community to recognize the positive changes his country had taken on the road to democracy.  He insisted that credit must be given where credit was due.  It was disconcerting, he said, that some countries had chosen to turn a blind eye to reality and had subjected Myanmar to a wide array of unfair economic sanctions for their political ends.  Those unilateral coercive measures not only went against the spirit and letter of the Charter, but also violated international law and the rules of international trade.  They were intrinsically unfair and only added to the hardships of his people, who were already marginalized by globalization.

AHMED MAHER EL SAYED, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Egypt, said that recent attempts to circumvent the United Nations belied the Organization’s importance, which, through commitment to the Charter and to international law, provided a safety valve for the international community.  Moreover, the role of the United Nations could not be reduced to the Security Council alone.  Its work should be recognized as covering every element on a wide-ranging and complex agenda, including the fight against terrorism, drugs, HIV/AIDS, disarmament, the protection of the environment and the achievement of sustainable development.  Those common objectives could only be obtained through coordinated action in which all States, large and small, acted in concert within a legitimate international framework.

Given the tragic events of recent years, he added, the need for a united front against terrorism was apparent.  However, in that fight, one must not confuse terrorism with “certain legitimate acts inspired by the wish to break the shackles of occupation, domination and injustice”, nor define terrorism as the product of one specific culture or region.  The fight against terrorism must not be restricted to a security or political perspective, but viewed as a multifaceted phenomenon requiring responses to all its political, economic, security, legal and psychological aspects.  Furthermore, the call for an international conference to frame a document reflecting the international resolve to eradicate the scourge of terrorism; to restore peace, security, justice and stability; and to clarify the responsibility of each member of the international community should not be misconstrued as an opportunity for protracted polemics.

The Middle East should be declared a nuclear-weapon-free zone, he continued.  Yet, that region continued to suffer from the absence of peace.  Although the Oslo Accords had raised hopes for a resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict, it seemed those efforts had failed because the “Israeli party does not yet fully share the conviction of all” that the settlement of the conflict would be found in the creation of an independent Palestinian State, based upon the 1967 borders.  Instead, the Palestinian people continued to be subjected to the oppression of occupation.  Also in the region, the situation of Iraq was cause for grave concern.  That country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity must be respected.  Moreover, the earliest possible withdrawal of the occupying forces and the central involvement of the United Nations in assisting the people of Iraq in the political and economic reconstruction of their country was to be desired.

The eradication of poverty was a moral, human and political responsibility shared by North and South, he concluded, and would prove the shortest route to international peace and security.  Thus, it was impossible to accept the current imbalance in the distribution of wealth, the lack of democracy in international economic decision-making, unfair trade practices that ran counter to the interests of developing countries, and policies leading to recurrent financial crises.  Because globalization could be misused for attempts at economic and political domination, there was also a need to increase the effectiveness of international institutions and to achieve good governance at the international level.  Africa should be placed at the head of United Nations priorities in view of the political, economic, social and environmental challenges facing the continent.

Prince SAUD AL-FAISAL, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, said failing to confront the “excessive” trend of resorting to unilateral action, on the basis of self-defense, to deal with terrorism and weapons proliferation, and procrastinating when faced with threats such as those that emanated from Saddam Hussein’s regime, had led, it seemed, to confusion and a departure from the Charter’s requirement of swift collective action to deal with all security and stability issues.  Such confusion had provided arguments for both the advocates of collective action and the defenders of unilateral measures, which each side was now using against the other.

It was not unexpected then, he said, that the run-up to the war in Iraq, and its aftermath, became a debate about theories on the divergence of views rather than a serious attempt to decide on practical measures to address the situation in that country.  Indeed, the situation in Iraq had been the core issue, but the Security Council kept deliberating concepts and theories about the role of the United Nations, conflicting interpretations of the Charter, structural reforms of the Organization, and how to rectify the nature of international relations.  Still, he said, recent events, though complicated and troubling, provided a good opportunity to consolidate the principles of the Charter, renounce the use of force, and raise the pillars of international legitimacy.

That might require a review of certain issues and United Nations procedures, he continued.  If terrorism were selected as a starting point for such a review, he would stress the importance of condemning all its forms, as well as the need to address the root causes of the scourge.  If the issue of terrorism represented a challenge for the international community, in general, and the United Nations, in particular, the Palestinian issue -– a topic on the Assembly’s agenda for over   50 years now -– was of great concern, as well.  By opting for repression, persecution and political assassinations, Israel’s current Government had subverted all proposed initiatives aimed at solving the issue, including the Saudi Peace Initiative and the Quartet-backed Road Map.

While the Palestinians had gone as far as they could in creating the appropriate environment to forge ahead with the peace process, included declaring a six-week truce, Israel had continued its provocative measures, even building a security wall while expanding settlements.  The continued escalation could have been avoided if the Quartet had assumed the responsibility of overseeing implementation of the Road Map from the very beginning by providing an international monitoring force. The situation was further harmed by contradictions in the Security Council that had rendered its decisions nothing more than “ink on paper”.

He suggested that the only way out of that vicious cycle was for permanent Council members to pledge not to use their veto power when dealing with resolutions or measures aimed at implementing the substance of texts previously adopted.  He went on to say that while the Palestinian issue was at the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict, pending issues in the wider Middle East, including the Syrian and Lebanese tracks, also awaited the resumption of negotiations.  He added that while the people of Iraq had breathed a sigh of relief after the removal of an oppressive regime, those same people were now, more than ever, in need of a clear vision for the future, which an effective role for the United Nations in the country could provide.

ERNST WALCH, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein, said that the crisis the United Nations had gone through over Iraq would not be simply overcome by adopting a pragmatic approach in dealing with its aftermath, but by seeking a stronger and more meaningful role for the world body.  At the same time, there was a need to recognize that international law continued to be the foundation for the actions of Member States in dealing with problems of peace and security.

Today, more than ever, the Security Council faced a particular challenge in that respect, he continued.  While discussions after the military action against Iraq invariably had focused on the need for quick and effective Council reform, that sense of urgency was lost on the Open-ended Working Group on Security Council Reform -– the very body that had the competence to make decisions on such reform.  While everyone appreciated the difficulties of the matter, after 10 years of debate, those difficulties were not sufficient justification for the failure to resolve an issue that everyone agreed was a major obstacle for the effective functioning of the world body as a whole.

It was “disturbing”, therefore, that the Open-Ended Working Group continued to engage in “business as usual”, while the world unanimously called for effective and comprehensive reform, he said.  The composition of the Council was clearly a reflection of a geopolitical reality that had ceased to exist a long time ago, and enlargement continued to be an indispensable element of a meaningful reform of that organ.  At the same time, there was also a clear need to address other issues such as the mechanisms for decision-making and, in particular, the implementation of Security Council resolutions –- whether adopted under Chapter VI or VII –- and issues of legality.

While the work of the Council had been “tardy and unsatisfactory”, it had, nevertheless, produced some important and positive results, such as opening up to the wider membership and increasingly engaging in open debates.  However, he lamented that the Council’s effectiveness had not resolved the issue of accountability.  Its effectiveness and credibility would be much enhanced if it based its decision-making on a dialogue with the States on whose behalf it acted. 

Furthermore, he added, the fact that the Council was seized of the most burning issues and the most pressing international crises should not make Member States ignore the increasingly futile struggle of the General Assembly to play its rightful role in accordance with the Charter.  An overburdened agenda, sterile debates, an overflow of documentation and the routine adoption of resolutions, that were but a rehash of the past resolutions, had a combined devastating effect on the relevance of the Assembly.  The Assembly was today “paralysed” to a point that kept it from dealing with politically crucial issues and from acting in a quick and flexible manner.  He cited the Assembly’s resolution condemning the attack on the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad as one such example, where it took the Assembly almost a month to adopt the resolution, even though everyone had shared the shock and dismay of that vicious attack.  The current state of the Assembly, he concluded, played into the hands of its detractors.

FATHULLA JAMEEL, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, noted that the Baghdad bombing and other violent eruptions elsewhere in the world served as a grim reminder that serious threats to world peace and security remained.  The Maldives had been a victim of terrorist acts in 1988.  While it had tried on many occasions to impress upon the Assembly the threats posed to small States by international terrorism, a decade and a half later, “the heat of terrorism” was affecting all, irrespective of physical size, economic strength, political power or military might.  For small States, the danger was graver, as a terrorist onslaught could severely threaten even their sovereignty and independence.  Therefore, he emphasized the importance of providing support and assistance to small States through the implementation of Security Council resolution 1373.

The structural impediments facing small island developing States were numerous, he noted.  The geophysical characteristics of the islands, combined with remoteness from major markets, had accentuated their vulnerabilities.  He hoped that the “Barbados + 10” meeting, to be held in Mauritius next year, would provide the impetus for the international community to renew their commitments for concrete action to assist small island developing States.  He called for a level-playing field for all countries, with preferential treatment for the weak, and, in particular, for the narrowly based economies, such as that of the Maldives, which had found it hard to sustain their share in the global market.

He also believed that there should be greater commitment to the implementation of the Brussels Programme for Action for the Least Developed Countries, as a prerequisite for halting and reversing their deteriorating situation.  While donor countries were willing to help the least developed countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, the Monterrey pledges remained far from being realized.

The Committee for Development Policy, he said, had fully recognized the special circumstances of small States who are environmentally fragile and economically vulnerable, as well as the severe costs they would endure in the event of graduation.  He believed that unless those vulnerabilities and costs were addressed in a concrete and meaningful manner, the conditions for graduation would not be met.  He was concerned that graduation without adequately addressing the vulnerabilities and costs would reverse the progress made so far.  He was pleased that the Committee was still continuing its work on the refinement of criteria and believed that of the three main criteria for graduation, the Economic Vulnerability Index needed to be a requisite criterion.

Turning to the Middle East, he strongly condemned the Israeli decision to remove President Yasser Arafat and the continued Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.  He called on the Quartet, and particularly the United States, to ensure the implementation of the Road Map.  While the United Nations had an important role to play in the peace process, the United States needed to remain actively engaged in the search for a “just, permanent and lasting peace” in the region.

MOHAMED OULD TOLBA, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mauritania, said the development of terrorism required the stepping up of cooperation and coordination aimed at tackling and eradicating that scourge.  The realization of the United Nations’ objectives in terms of development, security and stability hinged upon the Organization’s efficacy in handling the threat of extremism and terrorism.  That phenomenon must be fought globally, with an intellectual and cultural dimension based upon complementarity and an absolute rejection of differentiated treatment.  Furthermore, it should be recognized that the disparity in levels of development and wealth among nations played a role, and poverty and underdevelopment were among the primary causes of tension.  For those reasons, the Organization’s role should be strengthened and international law buttressed.

Turning to other issues of peace and security, he said that the Quartet’s Road Map offered a fresh opportunity for the establishment of fair and lasting peace in the Middle East region.  In Iraq, the creation of a new government was welcomed; however, there was concern for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of that country and the security of its people.  In Western Sahara, Mauritania supported the efforts of the Secretary-General and his personal envoy to find a permanent solution that would ensure regional stability and agreement by all parties to the dispute.  He also welcomed the improvement witnessed relative to the Lockerbie crisis and the lifting of the United Nations’ sanctions against Libya.

Mauritania would continue its march towards progress and development, inspired by a global and coherent vision aimed at meeting national aspirations and opening real prospects for modernity, and the rule of law, justice and equality.  He said that was to be accomplished through the implementation of a strategy focused upon combating ignorance and illiteracy and spreading scientific, technical and other knowledge.  In its first stage, that involved the establishment of 1,000 libraries in major population centres, including in rural areas.  Concerned sectors of the population and civil society would have the opportunity, with the programme’s participatory approach, to monitor its implementation.

In opting for that strategic orientation, Mauritania reaffirmed its commitment to human dignity and freedom, equality and social justice and the establishment of other noble human values, he said.  The profound reform envisaged therein would also improve the investment climate in the country, while the fight against ignorance and illiteracy would improve the lives of the population.

FAROUK KADDOUMI, Observer for Palestine, gave a brief history of what he characterized as Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, and its programme of settlement-building, land confiscation and other repressive measures in Palestinian areas from 1967 through the building of the separation wall, during the recent escalation of hostilities that sparked in 2000.  He cited several Middle Eastern news articles condemning the Israeli Government for its policies, particularly its recent decision in principle to remove Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Israel must make every effort to extinguish the tensions, he said, expressing concern that the Palestinian Authority had made many concessions prior to and following the introduction of the Quartet-backed Road Map.  But the world had turned its back, even as the hostilities spiralled, and Israel continued to ignore attempts at negotiation.  Israeli Prime Minister Sharon had even announced 14 reservations to the Road Map and had not attempted to address the issue of settlements.  Following the June ceasefire, Israel had regrettably continued its terrorist practices, assassinating the political leaders of resistant factions, and stepping up its oppressive curfews and checkpoints.

He said it was a fact that the majority of the people in the Palestinian occupied territories were now depending on food rations from the international community.  That much-needed help was the only thing standing in the way of a grave humanitarian crisis in the occupied territories.  But even as the international support had increased, Israel had continued to destroy Palestinian infrastructure.

Fighting terrorism was an arduous task, he continued, but no one was interested in addressing the root cause of the scourge.  No one had been willing to address Israel’s continued defiance of international law.  The international war on terrorism, as well as the introduction and implementation of the Road Map, had been a real chance for the United States to embrace all the people of the world and for everyone to come together in a global effort to address challenging issues.  But that country’s subsequent militarism and misuse of force in other areas had belied its stated intentions.  The current American Administration had not stood by the Road Map.  It was not enough to merely say it supported the peace process while continuing to use double political standards.  The American Government continued to blame Mr. Arafat, while condoning Israel’s efforts to derail the process.

Israel did not heed international law, he reiterated.  It continued to receive all forms of support from major Powers, which allowed it to act outside the context of the United Nations and the Security Council.  It had laid siege to the Palestinian people and paralysed the Palestinian Authority.  The only way peace could be achieved was the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied territories.  As for the Road Map, the United States must cooperate to facilitate its implementation, and the diplomatic Quartet must warn Israel from resisting such implementation.  The Quartet could also assist by paving the way for an international observer force on the ground in the region, which would serve as a buffer between the two sides.

PERCIVAL JAMES PATTERSON, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Jamaica, said the international community was faced with uncertainty and fear, as well as the dangers of terrorism and nuclear proliferation.  The world had witnessed a worrying escalation of confrontation and conflict, as well as new doctrines and policies that threatened peace everywhere.  Real concerns, including injustice and abuses of human rights, underscored the need to strengthen multilateralism and to restore confidence in the United Nations system.  In that regard, he emphasized that multilateralism must be equitable, democratic, principled and effective.

To promote the interests of all States, he continued, the United Nations and the multilateral institutions must facilitate the creation of new opportunities for economic development through the expansion of trade and investment flows, as well as technical cooperation assistance.  Strengthening multilateralism required United Nations reform in areas such as development cooperation, humanitarian affairs and disarmament.  No one could dispute the urgency to alter the design and function of the Security Council so it could meet is objectives in today’s world.  The reform must extend beyond composition and geographical balance.  “The time has come to cut the talk and walk the walk.”  In addition, the Assembly needed to be revitalized and to assert its role as the principal organ of the United Nations. 

The persistence of underdevelopment was the major challenge that poor countries faced, he said.  As the current Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), he asserted that the future of Caribbean democracies lay in, among other things, the strengthening of their democracies; in a more favourable trading environment for their products; and in more rapid and effective debt relief.  “Our future lies, in short, in escaping the trap of poverty.”  Of particular importance to CARICAM nations was the need for special attention to the problems of small island developing States.  In all international economic arrangements, special provision should be given to accommodate the interests of small island developing States.  He called on the donor community to support that effort when the International Conference to Review the Barbados Programme of Action met in 2004.

Small developing countries, he stated, could not and should not be expected to follow the same policy prescriptions applied to larger, more advanced countries.  He emphasized the importance of special and differential treatment.  In the aftermath of Cancun, the international community needed to accept that:  trade rules must be asymmetrical in recognition of the diversity in levels of development and size of economies; trade rules must also recognize the right of all countries to protect their development priorities and vulnerable groups, especially their small farmers; and development issues, as they related to the World Trade Organization (WTO) agenda, must be defined by developing countries themselves and not by others for them.

MARI ALKATIRI, Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, said that, since his country’s accession to membership in the United Nations one year ago, his Government had concentrated on strengthening national cohesion, through giving priority to the affirmation of the country as a democratic State founded upon the rule of law.  Timor-Leste’s “Open Governance” strategy was based upon principles of good governance, inclusion, and individual and collective responsibility.  It consisted of bringing the Government to those in remote areas and instilling in the population at large a sense of responsibility for the country’s reconstruction.  That reconstruction would be carried out through the execution of the national development plan, which envisaged economic growth and the reduction and eradication of poverty.

Detailing the extensive challenges still facing the country, he said that substantial assistance and support was needed for the judicial, defence and security systems, in order to ensure their sustainability and credibility.  The assistance of qualified people was needed to develop Timorese capacity in the consolidation of financial and banking systems, border control, legislative drafting, investment promotion and technology transfers.  Thus, the people of Timor-Leste were asked to give continued patience, participation and responsibility to the reconstruction process; while the General Assembly was asked to endorse the recommendation of the Economic and Social Council that Timor-Leste be placed on the list of least developed countries; and the international community for consistency, continued partnership and support.

Expressing hope that negotiations for the demarcation of his country’s land boundary would be finalized in the coming year, he said that would allow Timor-Leste to commence negotiations for its maritime boundaries.  Also describing the status of his country’s regional relations, he regretted the stalemate in dialogue and national reconciliation in Myanmar.  In addition, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea’s abandonment of the NPT and announced intention to develop nuclear weapons were worrisome.

It was incorrect to say that specific civilizations or religions were the target of terrorism, he added.  The fundamental reason for violence was inequality in development and the injustice of the international economic order.  The terrorist agenda was to “topple moderate and elite regimes and to impose theocratic systems in which the universal values substantiated by a democratic State were put into question”.  The fight against terrorism must be conducted across all fronts -- military, political, economic and social –- and the eradication of poverty and exclusion must be integrated into the global strategy.  The intensification of dialogue between religions and civilizations was also necessary, above all, at the level of small communities, schools and universities.  Myths, falsehoods, taboos and misconceptions must be addressed.

While reaffirming the central role of the United Nations, he congratulated the people of Iraq on the end of dictatorship in their country.  Elsewhere in the Middle East, the escalation of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was disappointing.  The Palestinian people had the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent State, and it was to be hoped that the Road Map would encourage progress towards peace.  Moreover, the people of the Western Sahara continued to await the referendum for self-determination promised them in 1994.  Finally, warning that it was neither ethical nor moral to preach democracy, human rights and the “dogma of a free market” while practising protectionist policies, he appealed for renegotiation and debt relief for poor and indebted countries.

M. MORSHED KHAN, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, said that recent events had caused the international community to pause to grapple with questions and doubts about the United Nations Charter and the very relevance of the Organization itself.  But Bangladesh believed that while talk of reform was welcome, Member States must focus not on what was wrong with the Organization, but what was right with it and how its purposes could be served in the face of setbacks.  The world body’s universality, its primacy in addressing international affairs, and its overall legitimacy all showed that the United Nations was an indispensable organization.

He said there had been serious developments in matters concerning international peace and security during the past year, particularly in the Middle East.  Bangladesh had consistently supported the United Nations during that time, and had participated in peacekeeping operations in Africa, Timor-Leste, Georgia and Kosovo.  On Iraq, he said the present situation should be resolved by preserving the interests of the Iraqi people and long-term peace, security and stability in the region.  He reiterated the call for ensuring a clear and credible role for the United Nations there, and expressed support for the upcoming international conference to be devoted to Iraq’s reconstruction.

The recent developments in the Middle East were extremely worrying, he said.  The Road Map peace plan that had been accepted with “great courage” by the Palestinian side had not been taken seriously or implemented by the other side.  The Israeli practices, which were well known to the Assembly, continued to be applied in the occupied Palestinian territories.  He continued to support the early establishment of a sovereign, independent State of Palestine, in accordance with relevant resolutions.  He called for the Organization to play a more active role, and for the Security Council to assume its responsibilities towards the Palestinian people.  He also urged the diplomatic Quartet to intensify its efforts to prevent further escalation and address the threats against Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

International terrorism remained a scourge, which he soundly condemned in all its forms.  On disarmament, he said Bangladesh was a party to all relevant international treaties covering nuclear, biological, chemical and conventional weapons.  As South Asia was particularly challenged by abject poverty, hunger and illiteracy, “our priorities should be socio-economic development not nuclearization.  We need to foster cooperation, not confrontation”, he declared.  On United Nations reform, he said the organs of the Secretariat, namely the Security Council, Trusteeship Council, Economic and Social Council and the Assembly itself, all required varying degrees of revitalization.  He welcomed the Secretary-General’s proposal to create a high-level panel on the matter and looked forward to its report.

TIMOTHY HARRIS, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Education of Saint Kitts and Nevis, said the Caribbean was a testament to the practicality of functional cooperation.  In forging consensus and building common institutions, leaders of Caribbean nations were able to share best practices with the United Nations.

The Caribbean Development Bank and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank were models of financial responsibility, and the Eastern Caribbean dollar remained the bedrock of monetary stability, affording “the freedom to travel and trade among ourselves without the inconveniences of currency exchanges and unexpected fluctuations”, he said.  In addition, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Appellate Court had been successful in dispensing justice throughout its territories, and steps toward a Caribbean Single Market and Economy provided evidence of governments’ willingness to cooperate in almost all endeavors to enhance security.

Globalization was a viable instrument of growth and prosperity for some, he noted, but it had also become a vehicle of ruin and despair for many already impoverished people.  “While countries that prosper praise globalization and free trade, countries which suffer see themselves as no more than guinea-pigs”.  Resentment and mistrust would grow unless those issues were addressed.  While the United Nations remained central to international peace and security, the Security Council still lacked important elements of transparency and democracy. 

He called on the United Nations and member governments to further subscribe to and promote partnership by fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals, which were essential to improving the human condition.  They were also a reliable basis for addressing many of the inequities of globalization.  He urged Member States to work to meet those goals.  “We can relent only when the other half of the world’s population ceases to live in abject poverty, when larger sectors of the world’s population can find work, when all parents are able to send their children to school”, he stated.

Lastly, he urged the United Nations to avail itself of every opportunity to facilitate a resolution of the issue of the Republic of China on Taiwan which hampered Taiwan’s efforts to engage in international dialogue.  

MARIA DE FATIMA VEIGA, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Communities of Cape Verde, said that the United Nations needed to adapt in facing the difficult challenges facing the world today if it was to live up to the expectations it had been created for.  Concerns about security had taken centre stage and small islands and poor nations felt especially vulnerable.  They were also often the victims of criminal acts by terrorist organizations.

While Cape Verde and other countries cooperated fully with the United Nations in fighting terrorism and organized crime, she said, that fight should not lead the international community to downplay the importance of promoting development and combating poverty and everything associated with it:  hunger, disease, illiteracy and environmental degradation.  Nor should nations forget the need to guarantee respect for human rights and other aspects that deprived human beings of their dignity.

She said that while the United Nations had been generally successful in creating greater international awareness of the problems of small island developing States, recognition of a special category of countries could not be justified only for the sake of awareness.  With the expectation that such special denomination led to a minimum special treatment concerning the relevant countries, commensurate with their specific disadvantages and handicaps, it was regrettable that that was not the case with small island developing States.  In fact, island-specific special treatment was almost non-existent even though many of them were in dire need of greater differentiation in the current pattern of international cooperation.  Permanent handicaps such as those faced by small island developing States deserved permanent responses.  The General Assembly should request the relevant United Nations bodies to re-examine the rule whereby a least developed country would be seen as qualifying for graduation.  Such re-examination ought to result in a methodological reform that would do justice to the least developed small island developing States.

Africa had made a remarkable effort to respond positively to the call of the international community and its own peoples to foster development, promote democracy, transparency, good governance, the rule of lay and accountability, she said.  In the wake of those calls, African leaders had agreed to establish the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), in whose success all were engaged in order to lead the continent out of poverty and conflicts, ushering in a new era of prosperity and peace.  The NEPAD was the great hope for the peoples of Africa and its adoption by African governments and civil society, and the international community, particularly the “Group of 8” and other world economic powers, would help establish common goals and clear commitments that would lead the continent in a promising new journey.

HARMODIO ARIAS CERJACK, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama, reiterated his country’s commitment to the principle of self-determination and to the peaceful settlement of disputes.  The United Nations must adopt measures to ensure that the international community took action for the reconstruction of Iraq, with Member States uniting to achieve that goal.  Individual solutions were no longer viable in a globalized world, and only the Organization could play a key role in encouraging ethnic reconciliation, promoting peace and achieving world security.

He stressed the need to strengthen the multilateral system and tackle the task of reforming the United Nations, with the General Assembly fulfilling its function as the principal political body and the Security Council focusing on new, post-cold war challenges.  He expressed his nation’s desire to seek a solution to the problem between China and Taiwan.  “Taiwan has in a sense been left hanging in time and in space, protected and yet unprotected”, he said.

Regarding small arms and light weapons, he reminded States of the need to eliminate the culture of violence, establish proper controls for intermediaries, combat crime and strengthen the exchange of information, among other goals.  The recent biennial meeting on the topic of small arms injected the issue with new vigor and commitment.  In addition, networks of narcotics and diamonds traffickers should be pursued with determination.

He called for the creation of a more just and efficient financial system, for eliminating the inequities in globalization and in financing for development, and for raising the depressed prices of raw materials and other export products.  Promoting and protecting the rights of persons living with disabilities was highlighted, as was the social impact of HIV/AIDS in the region, which threatened to undermine development projects.  He asked the United Nations to provide resources to Latin American and the Caribbean for preventing the disease.

In conclusion, he urged the Organization to find ways to help those committed to the Road Map, and to secure the cooperation of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to find peace as two sovereign States.

MUSTAFA OSMAN ISMAIL, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sudan, said he was pleased to report that peace was finally on the horizon in his country, and the armed conflict that had hindered the Sudan’s human and natural resources and handicapped the development of its people was at an end.  His Government had continued to reiterate its desire for dialogue with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), the most recent round of which had been guided by Kenya and the Inter-Governmental Agency on Development.  He was also pleased to announce that, just four days ago, the Government and the SPLA had reached an agreement on security arrangements and the extension of the ceasefire.  He hoped that would pave the way for a final and just peace in the Sudan.

He went on to say that the peace and security of the countries in his region were directly linked to stability in the Sudan.  That was why the Sudan sought to heal wounds of the past, particularly in relations with its neighbours, Ethiopia and Egypt.  He also called on the leaders of all Somali factions to come together in an effort to ensure peace in the region.  The Sudan had made great constitutional achievements, which would open the door for all citizens to take part in national affairs.  The economic plans and policies adopted by the Government had started to show success –- inflation had dropped and exchange rates had stabilized.

Turning to United Nations reform, he said it was high time for Member States to generate the political will to revitalize the Security Council by enlarging both its permanent and non-permanent membership, thus making it more representative of geopolitical realities.  The right of veto should also be abolished.  He welcomed the Council’s recent decision to lift sanctions on Libya, and praised efforts to enhance relations between the Assembly and the Council.

Addressing challenges to peace and security, he said that terrorism proved to be the greatest threat, in that it affected all peoples and nations.  To face the scourge, it was important to address its root causes.  He also reiterated the call for an international conference on the matter.  He went on to say that his country was committed to human rights and rejected politicization and selectivity in the implementation and promotion of civil liberties.  On the international scene, he said the widening gap between the rich and the poor and the increasing economic marginalization of developing countries were clear indications that international development cooperation policies aimed at taming globalization had failed.

There was an urgent need to create a just and democratic international order that guaranteed better trade terms between all countries, increased official development assistance, and alleviated the debt burden.  All that would allow the international community to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.  He added that the least developed countries needed special attention.  Turning to Iraq, he called for the prompt handling of the humanitarian and security situation there, as well as for the empowerment of the people to exercise their sovereign rights.  On the Middle East, he remained steadfastly convinced that ongoing Israeli aggression and oppression would only exacerbate the situation.  He called on the international community, particularly those that could influence the situation, to put pressure on Israel to change its policies.

MARWAN MUASHER, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan, said that the Road Map represented a recognition that managing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through transitional arrangements and interim solutions had failed and that the focus of negotiations should be redirected onto their final objectives.  It had also recognized that the political, and not just security, aspects of the settlement needed to be addressed.

Thus, although recent developments on the ground –- especially the collapse of the ceasefire -– had created severe tests and high risks to the Road Map trajectory, the international community should stay the course with a view to putting an end to the occupation and tragic killing of civilians on both the Palestinian and Israeli sides.  All stakeholders, especially members of the Quartet, should pursue their efforts for the Road Map’s scrupulous implementation, without any modifications and in a way that ensured the establishment of a Palestinian State by the year 2005, with Jerusalem as its capital, as well as the cessation of the Israeli presence in all the Arab territories occupied in 1967.

Further, he urged acceleration in the creation and deployment of an effective political and security monitoring mechanism to be operated by the Quartet, which was essential to ensure strict implementation of respective obligations by both parties, as set forth in the Road Map.  He condemned the suicide attacks anew, and said they had harmed the Palestinian cause and resulted in the erosion of international sympathy.  They had diverted attention from the core question of the Israeli occupation.  The extra-judicial killing of Palestinian citizens was also condemned, as he warned, “the prevailing atmosphere of violence will play only into the hands of extremists on both sides of the divide”.

Israel, he continued, should move to restore confidence by lifting the closures on Palestinian communities, removing the restrictions imposed on the Palestinian leadership and withdrawing its military forces from cities occupied since September 2000.  He also condemned the decision to expel President Yasser Arafat, continued settlement activity and the “separation wall”.  Furthermore, until a solution was agreed to safeguard the right of return and compensation for Palestinian refugees, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) must continue its work.

Turning to the situation in Iraq, he emphasized the need to safeguard the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iraq, to ensure, at the earliest possible date, the withdrawal of the occupation forces, and to enable the people of Iraq to determine their own future.  The violations of human rights and international law committed by the old regime must be condemned, while the central role of the United Nations in forthcoming political processes should be underlined.  Also condemning the terrorist attack against United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, he stressed that terrorism had shown itself as a global evil cutting across national boundaries.  However, all the vicious falsehoods and sinister campaigns to smear Arabs and Muslims with the label of terrorism must be repudiated.

S. JAYAKUMAR, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, said the war in Iraq was not the first and would not be the last time that the Security Council would be unable to act.  The hope of the late 1980s and early 1990s that the end of the cold war would, at least, enable the Council to discharge its “primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security” had long been shattered.  In retrospect, Iraq’s invasion and annexation of Kuwait in 1990 represented an unusually clear-cut violation of fundamental Charter principles.  That greatly eased the task of securing Council authorization for military action.  The crisis over Iraq in the Security Council only underscored what had been known all along, namely that the Council could only authorize intervention when its permanent members were in agreement, and that all States, big and small, would do what they had to do protect their vital national interests.

He stressed that the intense diplomatic effort to secure another explicit authorization for the use of force was itself testimony to the importance attached by all to the Security Council’s legitimizing role.  In May, only weeks after a formal end to the major combat operations was declared, resolution 1483 recognized that the United Nations had a significant role in post-war Iraq.  More balanced views were now emerging, and it would be some time before consensus could be reached on the Organization’s role in post-conflict Iraq.  Some were reluctant to grant ex post facto legitimization of military action.  At the same time, there was reluctance to cede power won with blood.  But the legitimacy the United Nations brought was unique, he stated.

Continuing, he observed, that, today, the world was again faced with radically new threats, not the least of which was global terrorism, which respected neither national boundaries nor traditional international law.  In the light of that, the United Nations needed to fashion new and more flexible rules to deal with those new threats.  Yet, at the same time, the international community should continue to ensure that there were adequate safeguards to prevent abuse or a return to the law of the jungle.

Finding the right balance between those two imperatives would not be easy, he noted.  However, it was not impossible if the world could find the discipline to debate the issues openly and realistically, with a clear appreciation of both the world body’s limitations and potential.  Recent events in Iraq had shown that the United States needed the United Nations; and it was also a fact that the Organization needed the United States.  Since there was a convergence of interests for the two to cooperate in order to achieve shared interests and objectives, it was not impossible for the international community to negotiate and agree on a new paradigm of cooperation between the world’s sole super-Power and the world’s only and indispensable United Nations.

    BABOUCARR-BLAISE ISMAILA JAGNE, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Gambia, said that recent events in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere had underscored the need to strengthen multilateralism, and the United Nations was the only vehicle through which the world’s peace and security problems could be solved.  While terrorism posed a real global threat, other violent conflicts also raged around the world, leaving death, destruction and desolation in their wake.  They included the unrest in the Mano River Union area, which remained volatile and the situation in Liberia following the departure of Charles Taylor.

The world should be under no illusion as to the extreme fragility of the situation in Liberia and indeed within the West African subregion, he said.

Noting that conflicts in West Africa continued, he said they were compounded by the illicit flow of small arms and light weapons as well as roving bands of mercenaries.  International efforts could serve the subregion best by developing comprehensive disarmament, demobilization and rehabilitation programmes that targeted militias and were region-specific rather than country-specific.  To address the trade in small arms and light weapons, an arrangement similar to the Kimberley Process for blood diamonds was urgently needed to stem the flow.  The Gambia also supported any measures that treated as accomplices to war crimes and crimes against humanity the brokers who knowingly supplied weapons to militias and other insurgents.

    Welcoming the Security Council resolution that established the United Nations Mission in Liberia, he noted that problems of security and peace in West Africa had not in any way, diminished the Gambia’s concerns about similar problems elsewhere.  The people of Iraq and Afghanistan were in need of urgent international assistance to shore up security, re-establish the rule of law, and embark on an effective reconstruction.  While welcoming the Council resolution establishing the Governing Council of Iraq, it was hoped that it would lead to a real political transition for the Iraqi people.  A speedy end to the occupation of Iraq was both desirable and urgent but outstanding issues emanating from occupation of Kuwait should be comprehensively dealt with once and for all.

On the Middle East, he called for an end to suicide bombings against innocent victims and to the occupation of Arab lands.  He also called for the creation of an independent Palestinian State living in peace alongside the State of Israel.  The Gambia also urged India and Pakistan to reduce their arms build-up and to thrive harder for a mutually acceptable solution to their differences, in particular the issue of Kashmir.  Human security was not threatened by conflicts alone, he noted, saying that the HIV/AIDS pandemic had slowly graduated from a health and humanitarian issue to a development and security problem.  The pandemic also compounded the problems of African countries that also faced other scourges such as malaria and tuberculosis.

BHEKH B. THAPA (Nepal) said that in the past 12 months, terrorism had been dented but remained a serious threat to peace, and while some countries had “limped back to normalcy others have descended into chaos”.  All sides had accepted the Middle East Road Map but a new cycle of violence was undermining it.  Meanwhile, Iraq continued to be a source of concern to all.  In addition, while the global economic slump had turned the corner, the growth remained anaemic since the Cancun trade talks floundered.  It was as a result of those developments that the United Nations had come into sharp focus, and the picture was not always flattering. 

Nepal, however, had an abiding faith in the United Nations and believed in its centrality for humanity’s quest for shared peace, progress and justice, he said.  The world faced a number of threats to peace, and it was terrorism that was now the most immediate threat to afflict rich and poor and big and small countries.  Nepal had faced its own threats from the Maoists who had broken the seven-month-old ceasefire, withdrawn from the talks and unleashed unspeakable violence on the populations.  They had done so even as the Government showed flexibility to accommodate several of their demands and put on the table a comprehensive package of reforms.

Turning to Iraq, he said now that the war was over, the global community must agree to returning sovereignty to the Iraqi people as quickly as possible, to let them govern themselves and to help them rebuild their country.  The United Nations must be given an enhanced role in that process.  On the renewed violence in the Middle East, he observed that it had imperiled the Quartet-endorsed Road Map, which had promised a viable State to the Palestinians and security to the Israelis.  He appealed to both sides to exercise maximum restraint and engage in constructive dialogue to attain a comprehensive settlement to the crisis.  He also appealed to Israel to reconsider its decision to remove Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. 

On United Nations reform, he said there was an urgent imperative for the Assembly to reclaim its primacy at the United Nations and for the Economic and Social Council to make its work more visible and relevant.  Reform was long overdue to make the Security Council more democratic in its work and more representative in its structure. 

Right of Reply

Exercising his country’s right of reply, the representative of Cuba said he had listened attentively earlier in the day to the statement by the representative of the Czech Republic, and regretted that it had been used to attack Cuba.  In the trials described in that statement, a group of mercenaries, paid and instructed by the United States in its ongoing war against Cuba, had been judged and punished by Cuba using all due judicial process and recognized international judicial standards.

Sadly, he said, the Czech Republic continued to be a tool used by the United States to attack Cuba, as it had often been in the Commission on Human Rights.  He regretted that the Czech Republic had not mentioned the massive violation of Cuba’s rights as a result of the United States genocidal economic blockade.  It had also failed to mention the grave human right violations committed on “occupied Cuban territory” -- the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, where the United States Government practiced torture and kept citizens of other countries, including children, in inhuman conditions and legal limbo.  And finally, a country in which there was outright repression and “ghetto-ization” of a Gypsy minority, where policies of racism and fascism were the norm, where police brutality and arbitrary arrests went unpunished and detainees were forbidden to contact attorneys, did not have a shred of moral authority to address Cuba.

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