Press conference by Prime Minister of Spain

 

The United Nations should form an alliance of civilizations to foster and strengthen political, cultural and educational ties between the Western and the Arab and Muslim worlds, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Prime Minister of Spain, told a news conference at United Nations Headquarters this morning.

He said that the development of such an alliance, particularly in the cultural, intellectual and academic circles, would help end the current clash of civilizations and prevent the creation of another barrier such as the Berlin wall that divided the East and West for decades.  The Prime Minister said he would present that proposal during his address to the General Assembly in the afternoon.  With the approval of the Secretary-General, a high-level panel would study and develop a road map to form the alliance, he added.

The fall of the Berlin wall had created new expectations for humanity, he continued, noting that a powerful alliance among civilizations would reflect that the vast majority of people wanted democracy, liberty and respect for their traditions and cultures.

He also expressed his strong commitment to the New York Declaration on Action Against Hunger and Poverty, which leaders of more than 100 countries adopted at Headquarters yesterday.  Spain would do its part to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of poverty eradication and sustainable development, he said, pledging to significantly increase official development assistance (ODA) in the 2005 fiscal budget and to earmark 0.5 per cent of gross domestic product for ODA during the next four years.  He also supported new financing mechanisms to make the Millennium Development Goals a reality.

Noting that for years, non-governmental organizations and civil society had contributed generously to the fight against hunger and poverty, he said, Member States must act with the same resolve, stressing that radical changes in policies and greater international public awareness were needed to achieve the goals.

On the issue of international terrorism, he likened it to a plague, which developed and flourished in certain climates.  While there was no justification for terrorism under any circumstance, it was important to understand its root causes and growth patterns and to tackle it through rational approaches.  Democracy based on the principles of respect of international law, the United Nations Charter and basic human values was the best defence against terrorism.  Spain thanked the international community for its support following the 11 March terrorist attacks in Madrid, which killed 192 people, and expressed solidarity with Americans for the tragedy of 11 September 2001.  Peace was humanity’s greatest task and must be a priority.  For that reason, Spain had decided against a military presence in Iraq.

The Middle East conflict must be resolved to ensure global security and stability, he continued, stressing that the Quartet comprising the United Nations, European Union, United States and Russian Federation, must urgently mobilize all its political and diplomatic force to bring peace to the region and avoid the spread of radicalism, particularly among young people.

During the ensuing question and answer period, Mr. Zapatero said he agreed with some of United States President George Bush’s views on combating terrorism, stressing that it was a shared goal of all nations.  Spain supported Mr. Bush’s creation of a democracy fund, which was part of a greater effort to ensure human rights, fundamental freedoms and rule-based systems of government.  Spain had contributed greatly to international peace and security efforts.  A large number of Spanish peacekeepers were in Afghanistan and would soon be deployed to Haiti.

Spain was poised to provide financial and political support to bring about democracy and restore sovereignty in Iraq as soon as possible, he said.  Spain supported the full implementation of the most recent United Nations resolution on Iraq, but there had been a lack of definition in dealing with the current deadlock and deterioration on the ground.

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