ADDRESSING SIGNIFICANT THREATS FACING SMALL ISLAND STATES CRITICAL TO ACHIEVING GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDA, GENERAL ASSEMBLY TOLD

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Plenary

19^th & 20^th Meetings (AM & PM)

ADDRESSING SIGNIFICANT THREATS FACING SMALL ISLAND STATES CRITICAL TO ACHIEVING

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDA, GENERAL ASSEMBLY TOLD

Questioning the international community’s single-minded preoccupation with the war on terrorism and weapons proliferation, speakers from several small island States today drew attention to a wider spectrum of significant threats, as the General Assembly continued its general debate.

With less than a year to go before the international meeting to follow-up on the Barbados Programme of Action pertaining to small island developing States, to be held in Mauritius in 2004, addressing issues such as new international provisions related to offshore banking facilities, as well as the trans-shipment of nuclear waste and environmental degradation, would be critical to the success of the development agenda, representatives stated.

While the problems in his part of the world had not received as much international attention as conflicts in others, Frederick A. Mitchell, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas, stressed that their resolution was no less important to the overall effort to ensure collective security.  Among other problems, the Bahamas, like many other small island developing States was concerned by threats to the legitimate wealth created by its dynamic financial services sector.

Some had argued, he acknowledged, that those financial servicing centres undermined wealth creation in developed States.  However, evidence showed that they actually assisted and enhanced economic growth in the developed world.  A global forum to examine the pressures being put on small and vulnerable States, and which threatened their independence, should be convened.

The representative of Nauru pointed out that his country had already lost approximately $2 million, which constituted 5 per cent of the annual budget, after having been placed on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s list for “counter-measures”, and designated a “money-laundering country” under the United States’ Patriot Act.

Yet, he explained, the reluctance of foreign authorities to provide proof in regard to those allegations had disabled his Government’s efforts to initiate the national mechanism for releasing information on offshore banks to them.

Also criticizing the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was Serge Vohor Rialuth, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Telecommunications of Vanuatu, who said that, in addition to leading to economic losses, such policies could be described as political and economic interference.

Furthermore, he continued, the lack of proposals for a quid pro quo on issues such as the transportation of nuclear waste through the South Pacific, which was opposed on ethical, as well as environmental, grounds, represented a total lack of respect for the region’s small island States as full-fledged members of the international community.

Also expressing concern about the shipment of nuclear materials by sea was Rabbie L. Namaliu, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Papua New Guinea, who noted that while small island developing States were the custodians of large ocean spaces, they had limited financial, human and technological capacities to secure those resources for current and future generations.

That worry was echoed by the representative of Antigua and Barbuda, who also noted that current development trends were not sustainable.  They placed a tremendous burden on the environment, threatening coastal systems.  Meanwhile, dominant countries fished indiscriminately in other countries’ exclusive economic zones and coral reefs were disappearing.

Universally, the representatives of small island developing States speaking today reaffirmed the necessity of bringing into force the Kyoto Protocol, which was regarded as providing salvation from rising sea levels and climate change.

Also addressing the Assembly today were the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uganda, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Trade of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Oman, Kenya, Ethiopia, Lithuania, Hungary, Belarus and the Solomon Islands also addressed the Assembly, as did the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Minister for Communications, Transport and Tourism Development of Kiribati.

The Permanent Representatives of Finland, Swaziland and Luxembourg also spoke during the general debate today.

Exercising the right to reply were the representatives of Eritrea and Ethiopia.

The General Assembly will continue its general debate at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 2 October.

Background

The General Assembly met today to continue its general debate.

Statements

JAMES WAPAKABULO, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uganda, said his country attached great importance to the centrality of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security, and the fostering of development cooperation.  Terrorism had reached epic proportion as a threat to international peace, and the development of dangerous weapons posed a challenge to the Organization.

Uganda supported the establishment of a Palestinian State, living side by side with Israel and within recognized borders in accordance with Security Council resolutions.  Turning to the Great Lakes region, he was pleased with developments to build stability and peace in the region.  In addition, his nation remained committed to supporting the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In Burundi, the implementation of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement remained on track, and he called on the international community to provide support for the United Nations mission there.  Regarding the Sudan, he commended its leaders and the People’s Liberation Movement Army for the historic agreement on security arrangements.  Efforts aimed at restoring peace and political stability was not only good for the Great Lakes region, but for Africa and the international community as a whole.

The international community must accord priority to the development needs of landlocked and least developed countries to facilitate integration into the global system, he said.  Uganda regarded trade as the single most important source of development financing and productivity growth, and called on developed countries to show flexibility on the question of agricultural subsidies.

SERGE VOHOR RIALUTH, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Telecommunications of Vanuatu, noted that a series of regrettable events had imperilled the political and ideological authority of the United Nations, while the unilateral actions of some Member States had thwarted the Organization’s work towards peaceful coexistence among nations.  The recent irresponsible actions of some had shaken the international geopolitical environment and called into question the Organization’s fundamental objectives, a situation that left Member States duty-bound to redefine their collective goals and strengthen the founding principles of the United Nations.

Facing a variety of development difficulties, he said, many developing countries could see that while the future of development had already been drawn up, the successful implementation of internationally agreed policies remained dependent upon the political will and financial commitment of industrialized countries.  Yet, for countries like Vanuatu, the environment –- in addition to terrorism -– was a source of major concern.  Moreover, policies such as the ban on the sale of kava products in Europe and the threat of sanctions against the tax havens of the Pacific by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) could be described as political and economic interference and lead to economic losses.  Furthermore, the lack of proposals for a quid pro quo on such issues as the transportation of nuclear waste through the South Pacific, which was opposed on ethical, as well as environmental, grounds, represented a total lack of respect for the region’s small island States as full-fledged members of the international community.

In a world where trade constituted the means to development, he said small States faced tariff and non-tariff barriers to market access for their agricultural products.  Given that situation, as well as concerns relating to the limited capacity of small States to incorporate the provisions of international conventions into their national legislation, it was essential for States to work collectively through multilateral institutions and to review the structure of the United Nations, whose weakness had been highlighted recently.  Taking into account the principles of democratization and transparency, permanent membership on the Security Council should be extended to Japan, as well as to representatives of Africa, the Middle East and small island States, he added.

YOUSEF BIN ALAWI BIN ABDULLAH, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Oman, said his country believed that establishing a fair and just judiciary system was a basic pillar of social and economic development.  Oman had spared no effort to enact judiciary laws to that end.  Further, the Supreme Court had been created as the top judicial body, with competence to unify legal principles and ensure the efficacy of judgments and decisions.  That had been followed by a series of legislative moves to organize various judicial organs, including a “higher judicial council”

He said that Oman had followed with grave concern the developments in Palestine.  The Palestinian Authority had accepted the conditions of the Road Map towards peace in the region.  But despite that, the Israeli had nevertheless taken the decision to remove Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.  The Quartet must move to exercise its international obligation to ensure that the peace plan was implemented.  The United Nations and the wider international community must ensure that Israel did not follow through with its policy.  Oman was duty-bound to warn that Israel’s non-commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian State under the conditions set out in the Road Map would bring about for all a crisis with destructive consequences.

The war against Iraq was a link in a chain of wars suffered by the Middle East region.  It had created a new reality characterized mainly by the collapse of the former regime, and the deterioration of basic services for Iraqi society.  The continued lack of security and loss of life, the destruction of the United Nations compound, and the escalating tempo of assassinations did not promote an atmosphere conducive to the reconstruction of the country and returning sovereignty to the people.  It was necessary that all efforts be made to enable Iraqis to resume responsibility for running their country.  Iraq benefited from dynamic human and natural resources that could help it regain its strength and play its regional and international role.

Turning to other regional concerns, he said Oman hoped that the talks between the United Arab Emirates and Iran concerning the disputed island territories would enable the two countries to agree on an effective mechanism to settle the dispute.  Oman valued the initiatives between India and Pakistan aimed at opening dialogue and also hoped that the two Koreas and other concerned parties would reach an agreement that addressed the various pending questions.  He called on the international community to come up with a way to improve economic conditions and relieve the onerous debt burden of African countries.

STEPHEN KALONZO MUSYOKA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kenya, recalling that both Kenya and the United Nations had been struck by terrorism in the past year, said the people of Kenya knew terrorism could not be ignored, since it had almost brought the economy to its knees.  As a result of that, Kenya was totally committed to the fight against terrorism.  However, the fight could be won only through collective action by the community of nations under the rubric of the United Nations.

Regarding United Nations reform, he called for further rationalization of the General Assembly agenda, as well as the prioritization of economic development issues in its work programme.  In the same vein, reform of the Security Council was long overdue.  Its composition and democratization should reflect international reality and the principle of equitable geographical representation. 

Noting that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons had contributed to raging conflicts in many parts of Africa, he recalled that it was for that reason that Kenya had hosted the Nairobi Secretariat on Small Arms and Light Weapons, a regional initiative involving 10 countries of the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa.  In addition, at the 2003 Biennial Conference on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Kenya had presented a report on the activities of the Nairobi Secretariat.  Kenya called on the international community to provide requisite resources in the joint effort to fight the proliferation of arms, and urged the United Nations to play a leadership role in the post-conflict reconstruction of the Sudan.

The continued deterioration of the situation in the Middle East was another area of concern, he said, expressing regret that a lasting solution remained elusive despite various initiatives and efforts.  The objective of establishing a viable Palestinian State, as envisaged in United Nations resolutions, should not be lost.  Moreover, in order to ensure a durable solution to the conflict, it was important to take full account of the right of Israel to exist within safe and secure borders.  Turning to the situation in Iraq, he noted that while the people of the country were yet to find peace and stability, without which any hope of national reconstruction would be in vain, it was encouraging that the international community now shared the common view that the United Nations should play a greater role in rebuilding the country.

He said the majority of African countries were among the world’s poorest, a situation compounded by HIV/AIDS.  To counter the ravages of the pandemic, the Kenyan Government had put various measures in place to curb its further spread.  He welcomed the recent World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement which enabled developing countries to import HIV/AIDS generic drugs and urged developed countries and drug manufacturers to respect that decision and cooperate with developing countries to facilitate access of antiretroviral drugs to all HIV/AIDS sufferers.

SEYOUM MESFIN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, said the state of affairs in his country could not continue, and it was a matter of national survival and dignity to ensure food security in the shortest time possible.  Economic development and good governance could only be possible by enhancing human-resources development and institution-building.  Decentralization was also critical for empowering people at the grass-roots level.

Ethiopia had suffered as a result of conflict, war and its consequences, he said.  Peace and stability had been established only after a military dictatorship had ended, and when the foundations were laid for a democratic and just society.  He called on the United Nations to take a greater interest in the Algiers Agreement, to ensure that its promises for durable peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea were fulfilled.  He expressed satisfaction with the progress that continued to be made in Somalia and was encouraged by the peace process in the Sudan.  “We in Ethiopia are determined to contribute more than our share to assist in the regeneration of our subregion, which has also been the target of international terrorism”, he said.

Without more commitment by developed nations, Ethiopia would be unable to meet the Millennium Development Goals, he said.  There was a critical need to address issues of subsidies and access to developed countries’ markets for African products.  HIV/AIDS was continuing to wreak havoc in the continent, and, much more than a health crisis, the pandemic also was an economic, security and social crisis with broad, devastating implications.  Africa was not asking to be saved by the international community without responsibility, but to be given a break as many other nations have been, during various points in history.

ANTANAS VALIONIS, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, said that, while nation-building was not an overnight process, the primary goal in Iraq should be the restoration of sovereignty and implementation of a political process leading to the establishment of a fully representative government through democratic elections.  Only through coordinated effort and close international cooperation was it possible to rebuild a free and peaceful Iraq.  The first signs of recovery in Iraq were already visible, as demonstrated by the appointment of a Governing Council and the formation of a preparatory constitutional committee.  Those positive developments should be supported and encouraged, he said.  The upcoming Madrid conference would address many issues which were important to Iraq’s future, and international support was indispensable.

He said that current setbacks in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians must not preclude the implementation of the Road Map, because the vision of two States living side by side in peace and prosperity remained the only viable option for peace there.

The real strength of the United Nations’ power as an international community lay in its resolve to deal collectively with critical issues.  The recent report of the Secretary General had posed hard questions on which consensus was needed concerning the conceptual and political framework for the United Nations to operate in future decades.  Multilateral institutions must be updated and reinforced, and the United Nations and its principal organs must be relevant and effective.  Lithuania supported substantial Security Council reform for “better, equitable representation” in both categories, permanent or elected, through the inclusion of Germany and Japan, “as well as certain other leading countries from other regions”.

Turning to terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, he said the Thessaloniki European Council Declaration and the European Union’s Basic Principles and Action Plan for countering weapons proliferation had been a well defined response.  The Hague Code of Conduct against proliferation of ballistic missiles was yet another result of multilateral efforts, and it was worthy of global approval.  Global stability also required regional efforts, and he expressed satisfaction that Lithuania and some other Central and Eastern European countries would join the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).  That move would expand the zone of stability and democracy in Europe and would have important positive effects on bordering nations.

While witnessing the willingness to adopt more effective measures to combat terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, he said more conventional challenges could be addressed through transparency and confidence-building activities.  Democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms were the most important values, but globalization presented a great challenge to securing them.

RABBIE L. NAMALIU, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Papua New Guinea, said drug trafficking, dangerous weapons, human smuggling and money laundering continued to threaten his region.  However, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which destabilized regions, sparked conflicts, and created a culture of violence, continued to be the greatest challenge.  He called for the full implementation of an action plan to eradicate the flow of those weapons.

Small arms contributed to the conflict in the Province of Bougainville, he said, but progress had been made with the completion of the second stage of an arms-disposal programme, verified by the United Nations.  Peace had been restored in the Solomon Islands, thanks in part to the package of assistance developed by the Pacific Islands Foreign Ministers, which included an Australian-led deployment of civilian police and armed peacekeepers.  Cooperation among Member States underlined the strength of regional peacekeeping.

Despite the deterioration of the peace process in the Middle East, he called on the parties to maximize restraint and work towards progress.  Fighting and violence would not resolve the conflict.  Regarding Iraq, he supported the work being done in the Security Council to adopt a new resolution providing for wider participation in the reconstructing in that country.

Small island developing States of the Pacific were among the custodians of the largest ocean space, he noted.  However, they had limited financial, human and technological capacities to secure those resources for current and future generations.  He also expressed concern about shipments of nuclear materials overseas, as underlined by last year’s accidents in the Atlantic Ocean.

He added that climate change continued to be a concern in the region, stressing the urgency for developed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Papua New Guinea was not immune to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and legislation enacted this year would assist with prevention and awareness programmes, particularly for mothers and children.  Decolonization was one of the greatest achievements of the United Nations, but the process would not be complete until the remaining 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories exercised their rights to self-determination.

MARJATTA RASI (Finland) said that while recent events on the international scene had been challenging, those same events -– culminating in the failure of the latest WTO round in Cancun two weeks ago –- had proved that multilateralism, multilateral cooperation and the United Nations itself were needed more than ever.  International cooperation was needed not only to promote a multilateral trading system based on agreed rules, but also to promote human rights, strengthen global governance on environmental issues, enhance sustainable development, and assist in managing and preventing crises.  The United Nations system must deliver solutions to such increasingly complicated challenges as Iraq, the Middle East, and coherence between trade and development or financing for development.

Member States should generate the requisite political will to support the Organization in order to be an efficient and results-oriented actor on the world scene, she said.  While strengthening the United Nations would be challenging, it was necessary, particularly to ensure broad achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.  The two issues that required the most attention and demanded multilateral cooperation were harnessing globalization, and dealing with weapons of mass destruction.  While globalization benefited some, it tended to marginalize many people the world over, particularly in the developing countries, she stressed.

The United Nations and other international organizations must, therefore, be prepared to influence corporate and public sector decisions, that directed globalization, she said.  Finland had launched, together with the United Republic of Tanzania, the Helsinki Process on Globalization and Democracy, which promoted global governance and the democratization of international relations.  Regarding dangerous weapons, she said effective global governance required universally agreed norms and rules, which set standards of behaviour for States and non-State actors alike.  But, promoting adherence to international treaties was not enough; it was equally important to ensure that commitments were fully implemented.  In cases where States had difficulties with implementation due to lack of legal or verification expertise, the international community should offer appropriate support and assistance.

VINCI NIEL CLODUMAR (Nauru) said that, while the world had witnessed the internationalization of terrorism and a renewed focus of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the adoption by some States of a “pre-emptive strike policy” could serve as the catalyst for a new wave of proliferation.  It was no coincidence that each State in the “axis of evil” had been accused of developing nuclear weapons.  As the main victim in all of that had been the United Nations, the key role of multilateralism in resolving contemporary problems in all their complexity should be emphasized.  Thus, while the Security Council must reside at the centre of collective efforts to maintain peace and resolve conflicts, it should also be brought into tune with reality through reform.  However, any attempt to expand the veto would be like “riding a dead horse”.  The group system should also be revised to create a Pacific Group.

In 1994, the world community had recognized that the economic and social development of small island developing States warranted special consideration, he recalled.  Having now taken the medicine prescribed at Barbados, Monterrey and Johannesburg for nearly 10 years, most small island developing States had been left feeling they had yet to see the doctor.  The Barbados Plan of Action alone could not address all their concerns.  Additionally, the Kyoto Protocol, regarded as providing salvation from rising sea levels and climate change, would come into force through the adherence of the Russian Federation as a party to it.  Just as a healthy Pacific Ocean and the sustainable use of its natural resources were prime concerns of the region’s island States, so was the trans-shipment of nuclear waste due to its inherent dangers.

At the national level, Nauru had suffered the stigmatization of a haven for money laundering, he concluded.  Yet, the reluctance of foreign authorities to provide proof in regard to those allegations had disabled his Government’s efforts to initiate the national mechanism for releasing information on offshore banks to them.  Having been placed on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s list for “counter-measures”, and designated a “money-laundering” country under the United States’ Patriot Act, Nauru had already lost approximately $2 million, which constituted 5 per cent of the annual budget.  The country had passed new anti-money laundering legislation in March and was currently working on an omnibus bill to address the financing of terrorism, transnational organized crime and money laundering.

PATRICK ALBERT LEWIS (Antigua and Barbuda) recalled the fact that half the world’s population subsisted on less than $2 per day, and one fifth on less than $1.  Faced with rising global inequality, developing countries had been doing for themselves.  Within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), developing countries had come to each other’s aid in times of crisis, using military forces to rescue, stabilize and rehabilitate after natural disasters.  They had assisted one another in spite of the most severe economic constraints.  Yet, it was also clear that current development trends were not sustainable.  They placed a tremendous burden on the environment, with the already impoverished bearing the brunt of environmental degradation.  Coastal systems were threatened, dominant countries fished indiscriminately in other countries’ exclusive economic zones, and coral reefs were disappearing.

While fully accepting the need for market reforms, he stressed the importance of recognizing their insufficiency.  While global institutions listened to their “experts”, local advice went unheeded.  Sustained development would require a significant portion of domestic and local ownership.  In Antigua and Barbuda, consideration of the generation to come had been emphasized in national development policy.  Thus, having identified the risk factors and key intervention points affecting the youth of the country, behaviours related to sexual and physical abuse, HIV/AIDS, incidence of rage, unemployment and alcohol and marijuana use had been addressed.  In addition, programmes aimed at modernizing health care, education, and community and neighborhood support systems had been developed.

Developing countries sorely needed increased aid flows, he continued.  Without a level-playing field in regard to trade and investment, developing countries’ fears related to the practices and realities of globalization, manifested again at the Cancun Conference, would dominate.  While mere lip service continued to be paid to poverty, their development would be hindered.  Thus, in addition to recognizing the multifunctional role of agriculture, developed countries must see that the enormous challenge posed by the Millennium Development Goals required innovative financing mechanisms, better governance, and a clear focus on capacity-building.

CLIFFORD S. MAMBA (Swaziland) said the international situation had relapsed into the “old state of uncertainty” as global leadership, whether the major Powers or the United Nations itself, had been unable to take collective and decisive stands on many of the issues of the day.  As confrontations at inter- and intra-State levels had heightened and leadership had become “vague”, detractors had pronounced this time of apparent indecision as the beginning of the end of multilateralism and of the United Nations itself.  “The United Nations must send a clear message to its detractors that it is alive and well, and that it will, and must, play a major role in the post-cold-war era”, he said. All must know that the Organization was a major forum for consultation, coordination and collective decision-making on crucial socio-political and economic issues.

Turning to the issue of conflict, he said that people continued to expend valuable energy and resources fighting each other.  The international community, therefore, had the duty not only to develop strategies for a measured and early response to conflict, but to find a means to address the root causes and bring about swift and peaceful resolutions.  There were positive indications that political conflict and turmoil in Africa would be eliminated, and there was now hope for building stability and economic progress.  In the face of dwindling official development assistance (ODA), the creation of the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) had been commendable initiatives to integrate the continent into mainstream international development and growth.  Now, resources were needed, and he appealed to the international community and development partners to ensure those initiatives succeeded.

He went on to highlight the situation in the Middle East, urging both sides to renew commitment to the Road Map, as well as the struggle to outlaw weapons of mass destruction and the need to ensure broad economic growth to ensure that the Millennium Development Goals were achieved.  He stressed that along with Swaziland’s progress on the economic front and its efforts to draft a new Constitution came the huge obstacles it faced in its attempts to cope with the devastating effects of the AIDS virus.  No sector of the country’s society had been spared, and the staggering infection rate had placed an enormous strain on financial and human resources.  But, thanks to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis, hope was running higher, as the first disbursements were now arriving for thousands among the affected and infected population.

LOUIS STRAKER, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Commerce of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, said that the General Assembly needed to retake its place as the central platform of the Organization, as it was the only truly democratic arm of the United Nations.  His country intended to participate fully in the ongoing debate on reform and hoped that progress would be made in that area.  He was concerned, like others from small missions, with the volume and variety of work between September and December every year.  The design of the work of the Assembly made it difficult for them to make the kind of contribution they would wish for the efficient and effective operation of the Organization.  He suggested that the Assembly’s work be redesigned, so as to spread the workload more evenly throughout the calendar year.

He acknowledged that the issue of Security Council reform was fraught with many difficulties and challenges.  It was his feeling that simple enlargement of the representation on the Council would not necessarily lead to greater democratization of the body.  Instead, the solution lay in the removal of the veto power, which would allow more democracy, greater participation, openness and transparency.  Also, efficient and effective reform could be advanced by making the Organization more inclusive through the admission of Taiwan and its 25 million people, who had no voice in the United Nations.

He said his country, like others in the region, was hampered in its quest for development, since it was in danger of losing an entire generation to the scourge of HIV/AIDS.  He appealed for the assistance of the international community in the fight against the disease, so that his society could be preserved.  He noted that the banana industry, the driving force of his economy, was shortly going to succumb to the “greed of certain multinational companies, with the active assistance of the World Trade Organisation”.  He also observed that peasant farmers could become another casualty of globalization due to measures implemented by the European Union.

Unless the world found the courage and vision to tackle the problems of poverty, disease and despair, all the weapons in the world would not prevent the spread of terrorism, he stated.  The world needed to move beyond using the United Nations as a “talk shop”, and come together as responsible nations to tackle the root causes of terrorism.

LÁSZLÓ KOVÁCS, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Hungary, said maintaining peace, non-proliferation, and human rights were among the international community’s main objectives.  His country remained committed to multilateral institutions to tackle global and regional issues.  The United Nations should place priority on terrorism, and he called for widening the scope of multilateral instruments to fight terror around the world.

Turning to Iraq, he stressed the need to focus on reconstruction efforts and development, noting that Hungarians were currently serving with coalition forces. The United Nations had to play its part in both restoring sovereignty to the Iraqi people and in rebuilding the country.  The priority must be the stabilization of the security situation in Iraq and the normalization of day-to-day life.  The situation in the Middle East was grave and deteriorating, he noted, and, as such, a credible monitoring mechanism was critical.  Israel and the Palestinian Authority should dedicate their efforts to the unconditional implementation of the Road Map.  In addition, Afghanistan remained fragile, in need of assistance and attention.

The proliferation of dangerous weapons was a growing threat to international peace, he stated.  In the hands of terrorist groups and States, those weapons represented a menace to the world and a major security challenge.  He called for States remaining outside the Non-Proliferation Treaty to accede to it and accept the norms of nuclear non-proliferation.  Revelations about large-scale nuclear programmes, and the failure to provide sufficient explanations about their purpose, had given rise to legitimate concerns by the international community.  He added that Hungary remained committed to the promotion of human rights and the protection of the rights of minorities. 

FREDERICK A. MITCHELL, Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Public Service of the Bahamas, said that while problems in his part of the world had not received as much international attention as conflicts in other parts of the world, resolving them was no less important in the overall effort to ensure collective security.  The Bahamas would continue to join others in the region to defend against those that sought to destabilize their homeland through illegal drug trade, weapons trafficking and trafficking in humans.

The Bahamas and most other regional small island developing States were also concerned by threats to a chief source of their economic independence, namely, the legitimate wealth created by its dynamic financial services sector.  While there were those that would argue that financial services centers in the Latin American and Caribbean region undermined wealth creation in developed States, evidence showed that their financial sector actually assisted and enhanced economic growth in the developed world.  Governments in the region would continue to strive to clarify that issue throughout the year, and would call for the convening of a global forum on the pressures being put on small and vulnerable States in ways which threatened their independence.

 He stressed that while the fight against terrorism was a major focal point for the Assembly, attention should also be given to such matters as fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS, protecting the environment, and sustaining the development of fragile island ecosystems.  The Bahamas was committed to fighting on all those fronts.  It was especially concerned about the future of the world’s children and young people, as the AIDS virus threatened to undermine decades and centuries of progress in health care in developing health populations that facilitated economic growth throughout the world.  He urged the continued and unrelenting fight against the disease to rescue the world’s developing nations from the clutches of that scourge.

He also said the Bahamas, by virtue of its location, suffered from a plethora of illicit activities, including trafficking in small arms.  Those weapons contributed to increased violent crime and undermined his country’s economic fabric.  While he welcomed the holding last July of the first biennial review of the Assembly’s special session on the eradication of small arms, he also called on developed countries to take the same extraordinary measures they used to stop the flow of illegal drugs into their countries to help stop illegal small arms from reaching the shores of countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region. 

SERGEI MARTYNOV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belarus, welcomed the emerging return of the United Nations to its legitimate role in settling the Iraqi issue, and recognized that a military force could not solve the problem of nation-building.  Calling pre-emptive war “ill-conceived as a foundation for security policy”, he worried that the United Nations and the Security Council were ignored when unauthorized military action was taken, and invited only in its aftermath.  He called for reform of the Security Council, a stronger role for the General Assembly, and improved activities of the Economic and Social Council.

The fight against terrorism had placed the Organization at the centre of anti-terror efforts, but force alone could not eradicate it forever, he noted. Injustice, inequality and indifference would bear it forth again and again.  He appealed for the non-proliferation of dangerous weapons, and called for the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) by all permanent members of the Security Council.  The United Nations should draw up a list of priorities for international security, and generate programmes to overcome threats to mankind.  Belarus, which possessed the world’s seventh largest arsenal of anti-personnel landmines, had joined the Ottawa Convention, which called for their prohibition, and counted on international assistance for their elimination.

Providing equal access to world markets and to the benefits of globalization had not been achieved, he said.  Belarus had extended unilateral trade preferences to a number of least developed countries.  Turning to the Chernobyl disaster, he urged delegates to support a draft resolution to strengthen cooperation and coordination of efforts to study, mitigate, and minimize the consequences of that disaster. 

JAKAYA M. KIKWETE, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania, said his country condemned terrorism and had ratified all the major anti-terrorism protocols.  Regarding Africa, he said these were encouraging developments in Liberia, Congo, Burundi, Sudan, and Somalia, and the most positive one was the fact that African nations and leaders had taken the lead in the search for solutions.  Their efforts should receive timely political, economic and financial support from the international community.

Despite the smooth transfer of power in Burundi, the situation in that country remained precarious, he said, appealing to the international community and the Security Council for support of Burundi’s social and economic reconstruction. Tanzania welcomed the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, and hoped it would focus on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of war-torn countries in the region.

On Western Sahara, he said his country supported the latest Baker Plan and appealed to the parties to fully cooperate with the initiative.  Noting that Tanzania currently played host to about 800,000 refugees, he said his Government was concerned with the concept and practice of burden-sharing, which did not adequately alleviate the burden of hosting refugees in poor developing countries. Accordingly, Tanzania welcomed the new concept of Convention-Plus espoused by the High Commissioner for Refugees.

The situation in the Middle East, he said, remained a matter of great concern. The Road Map was the most reasonable and viable way of resolving the Israeli-Palestine conflict, and he appealed to the Quartet and the Security Council to do everything possible to put the implementation of the Road Map back on track.

Regarding the Millennium Development Goals, he said that not much had been accomplished.  Noting that the resources required for the implementation of the Goals were not yet available, he called for greater political will from developed countries in order to save the historic Millennium Summit.

Highlighting the importance of the globalization process and the collapse of the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Cancun, he pointed to the upcoming report of the World Commission on the Social Dimensions of Globalization as a source of practical ideas for change that could make the process of globalization more inclusive and equitable. In addition, he stressed that the fight against AIDS remained a major challenge to mankind, and said the High-Level Plenary Meeting held last week had been “very reassuring”, emphasizing the need to squarely face up to the pandemic.

On Security Council reform, he said Tanzania was convinced that reform was desirable to make the United Nations more representative, more democratic, more transparent, and more measured in the conduct of its business.

LAURIE CHAN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Solomon Islands, said new and challenging threats to global peace and security abound, and as terrorism continued unabated in various parts of the world, there could be no other option but for the international community to redouble its efforts to fight the scourge on all fronts.  He also stressed that a lasting settlement to the crises in the Middle East would have positive effects on international peace and security.  Thus, he supported all efforts to achieve a just and peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, adding that the United Nations must play a crucial role in the overall peace process in the Middle East.

While the primary responsibility for addressing the daunting challenges of the day fell to individual governments, he said that history had proved that much more could be achieved through broad cooperation and multilateralism.  In the face of unchecked globalization and rapid fire changes on the international scene, the United Nations must be strengthened to adapt to new and emerging challenges.  Hence, he supported the ongoing effort to reform the Organization.  A reformed and restructured Security Council was also necessary.  Japan, Germany and others deserved permanent membership in the Council, and the veto power should be restricted to decisions pertaining to Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

Restoring law and order, economic recovery and bringing normalcy to the country had been extremely difficult in the two years since his Government had taken office, he said.  But his Government had been committed to addressing challenges through its Strategic Plan and Priorities, and had engaged in a series of dialogues with development partners to spur efforts to secure outside assistance to restore law and order and economic recovery.  The Government had invited assistance last July from the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, led by Australia and assembled under the auspices of the Pacific Islands Forum.  The Mission’s impact had been immediate and positive; general security had been restored; and government finances were beginning to stabilize.  The Mission also aimed to help the country make headway in other areas such as fighting corruption and restoring the principles of democracy and good governance.

As a least developed island State, his country’s economic, social and environmental vulnerabilities were major constraints to achieving sustainable economic growth and livelihoods.  But Solomon Islands put its hope in greater international support and partnership to help it address those constraints, particularly as it endeavoured to successfully implement national development goals and key outcomes of United Nations conferences of the past decade.

NATAN TEEWE, Minister of Communication, Transport and Tourism Development of Kiribati, said the people of the Pacific had followed with increasing alarm the globalization of terror, and they could not claim immunity from it.  Citing terrorist acts in Riyadh, Jakarta and Baghdad, he said terrorism knew no boundaries and limitations.  As a result, the Pacific Islands Forum was actively addressing security issues at the regional level, despite the financial restraints.  He urged the United Nations to do more, and expressed support for the notion that terrorism must be eliminated while insisting that restraint must be exercised.

As a least developed country and a small island developing State, Kiribati and its people were threatened by many challenges and problems.  Its remoteness and insularity, narrow economic base, and high population growth rate were all factors the country had to contend with.  While the country had benefited and continued to benefit from various programmes offered through the many United Nations agencies, more needed to be done and could be done.  On climate change, he called for the major emitters of greenhouse gases to ratify the Kyoto Protocol in a timely manner.

Turning to United Nations reform, he said that the rapidly changing global environment in which the Organization operated demanded that it adapt if it was to continue to be of relevance to Member States.  That was why he supported the notion that the United Nations and its major organs should be more representative and democratic, to reflect the expanded membership of the Organization.

JEAN-MARC HOSCHEIT (Luxembourg) said that it was critical for all to support the establishment of a true multilateral system with the United Nations as a focal point.  At the same time, multilateralism and collective action must be adapted to modern realities.  The recent reports of the Secretary-General on the status of the Millennium Development Goals and on the work of the Organization provided the framework for developing just such a system of collective international action and cooperation.

He said the effort to reform the United Nations system must be continued, especially in the areas of budget and finance.  Also, the Assembly, the Security Council, and the Economic and Social Council needed revitalization.  The Assembly, for its part, must work toward increased relevance and streamlining of its work. Strides had also been made in reforming the Organization’s peacekeeping operations, and missions in Sierra Leone and East Timor had shown the impact the United Nations could have when it had a clear mandate and Member States generated the political will.  Still, much remained to be done, particularly in the area of post-conflict management.

While much had been accomplished since the terrible attacks of 11 September 2001, a broader focus on multilateral action was needed, he said.  On weapons proliferation, he said monitoring schemes needed to be enhanced.  The international community must also focus on another major threat to peace and security -– deepening poverty in many regions of the world.  The spread of HIV/AIDS, inequitable international trade schemes, and the staggering debt burden also demanded immediate attention.  While development remained the new name of peace, there were other destabilizing threats, such as pervasive violations of human rights, and environmental degradation.

He said that while there was no need to rehash the particulars that led to the war in Iraq, what should bring countries together today was the absolute necessity to rebuild the country and restore the rights of the people.  It was necessary to establish a clear and substantial mandate, accompanied by the appropriate resources to that end.  In addition, the handover of power and restoration of sovereignty to the Iraqi people should occur as soon as possible.

Right of Reply

Exercising the right of reply, the representative of Eritrea said he would respond to the statement made earlier by the representative of Ethiopia, in order to set the record straight.  It was true that the Algiers Agreement had been signed in 2000.  That Agreement, which had been binding on the parties, had established the Boundary Commission.  That Commission subsequently made its surveys, and handed down its recommendations on the demarcation of the border between the countries, and the Government of Ethiopia had accepted those recommendations.

But by changing its position and rejecting the decisions, Ethiopia had effectively killed the Algiers Agreement, he continued.  The leaders of that country refused to be bound by international law, while calling themselves “law abiding victims of aggression”.  Those, who refused to abide by international law, must shoulder the appalling responsibility of returning the world to the “law of the jungle”.  The Security Council must take necessary measures to ensure that a State, which had signed a binding agreement under the auspices of the United Nations, abide by it.

In response, the representative of Ethiopia said that his delegation did not like to waste the time of the Assembly, but in order to set the record straight, he would stress that the so-called “peace-loving” Eritrea had committed aggression against almost all of its neighbours during the past decade, while Ethiopia had never taken such action.  During the hostilities, it had been Ethiopia, who had unilaterally withdrawn its forces, even though Eritrea’s army was in total disarray.

The problem arose, he continued, when the Boundary Commission failed to live up to its promise, that when its field investigations were complete, it would correct any anomalies detected by either side, before boundaries were marked.  Rather than correct the problems, the Commission then suggested dialogue between the parties.  But Ethiopia and Eritrea were not, and had not been on speaking terms.   As it stood, the demarcation divided not only villages, but individual homesteads, and that was untenable.  Nevertheless, Ethiopia stood by the Commission’s decisions and challenged Eritrea to join in the peaceful exercise of dialogue to resolve the issue.

Responding, the representative of Eritrea said Ethiopia had just engaged in a series of half truths and lies.  It was incredible that Ethiopia claimed today, that reports and decisions of the United Nations had suggested dialogue on demarcation.  That had never been the case.  History would tell the truth of who had and who had not won the war, but it was for a court of law to determine where an area was and where it was not.

The representative of Ethiopia then said both sides should think about their poverty-stricken citizens “for at least one day”.  The Algiers Agreement was about establishing a just solution and peace.  It was not solely about drawing mechanical lines.

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