Sixty-second General Assembly

Plenary

16^th Meeting (AM)

NO ONE MORE DETERMINED TO STOP DARFUR BLOODSHED THAN SUDAN’S GOVERNMENT,

FOREIGN MINISTER TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AS GENERAL DEBATE CONCLUDES

Assembly President Says Global Warming Session’s ‘Flagship Issue’;

States Must Respond to Urgent Calls for Action with Agreement in Bali

“Let us not be told that there is a person, or group of persons, more determined to stop the bloodshed and realize peace in Darfur than the Government,” Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol Ajawin told the General Assembly today, as he pledged Khartoum’s commitment to a politically negotiated settlement to the four-year conflict, and called on all Darfur’s rebel factions to “end hostilities and join the march to peace”.

On this, the final day of the Assembly’s annual general debate, the Sudanese official echoed United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s powerful opening statement to the 192-nation body last Tuesday, when the United Nations chief said that ending the tragedy in Darfur was one of his top priorities, and called on the Government to live up to its pledge to join comprehensive peace talks and implement a ceasefire.

Mr. Ajawin said that is Government had already declared a ceasefire, which would go into effect in the troubled Western province once peace talks with rebels began in Tripoli, Libya, at the end of the month.  “We expect all armed factions to reciprocate”, ahead of a permanent and verifiable ceasefire on the ground, he said, and called on the international community to take “firm measures” against those who refused to participate in or tried to obstruct the talks.

As for the 2005 Darfur Peace Agreement -- mediated by the African Union but signed by only one rebel group -- he said that the Government still stood by the accord, which had marked “a great leap” towards peace, stability and development in Darfur through dialogue, and was moving ahead to implement its objectives.  The Sudan also backed the “letter and spirit” of Security Council resolution 1769 (2006), which authorized a 26,000-strong hybrid United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force to quell the violence in Darfur.

Highlighting “clear improvements” in the humanitarian situation, he said that progress on that front, as well as in political and security matters, had only been possible because the United Nations and other actors had finally chosen the path to dialogue over that of imposing “policies, pressure and coercion”.  In the “twists and turns” of the Darfur problem, the Sudan had been unfairly targeted by a hostile campaign bent on exploiting the crisis to serve “well-known agendas”.  He called for an end to such “viscous tactics” and urged the international community to instead step up to its responsibility in the service of peace in Darfur and to seize the golden opportunity provided by the upcoming talks in Libya.

Ambassador Joe R. Pemagbe of Sierra Leone, which just two weeks ago held democratic presidential elections, said that peace was “a process, not an event.”  That process transcended official declarations of ceasefire and the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants.  “It must be consolidated, maintained and sustained,” he said, stressing that, although “a new dawn” had broken over Sierra Leone, the people of the country were still recovering from a brutal decade-long civil war, and elections, like ceasefires, were not a panacea for all their needs.

With the elections, the country capped its march towards consolidating hard-won national peace and reconciliation gains, but all that would be meaningless unless the international community –- along with the Government -– intensified collective efforts to ensure that the people enjoyed the benefits of the process. “The Government is determined to meet the challenge of translating the exercise of a political right into the realization of social and economic rights for all Sierra Leoneans,” he said, vowing to press ahead with efforts to ensure the people of his country had access to food, clean and potable water, and basic services.

He said that, as the people and Government moved towards lasting development, they would continue to have high expectations of the United Nations, particularly the year-old Peacebuilding Commission, which had chosen Sierra Leone, along with Burundi, as one of its pilot countries to receive targeted assistance to help boost post-conflict recovery and reconstruction.  He hoped that details of the Strategic Framework for Cooperation in Sierra Leone would be worked out as soon as possible, and stressed that ensuring national ownership should be the development scheme’s guiding objective.

Wrapping up the week-long debate, Assembly President Srgjan Kerim of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia said the presence of almost 100 Heads of State and Government, as well as about 80 foreign ministers, was a “mark of the importance the world places on this unique Assembly”.  He was pleased that the participants had discussed the theme for this year’s debate, “Responding to climate change”, as well as his other priorities of the session:  financing for development; the Millennium Development Goals; countering terrorism; and renewing the effectiveness of the Organization, including Security Council reform.

He said that he was also grateful to those leaders who spared the time to discuss those priorities with him in more detail.  With that mandate, he intended to work closely with all Member States to achieve the results that their heads of delegation had called for.  “The General Assembly is the only forum where we can tackle many of these issues comprehensively,” he said adding:  “It is, therefore, incumbent upon us to revitalize this house by taking the necessary decisions on the challenges that have been outlined.”

On global warming, which he believed had become the “flagship issue of the sixty-second session”, he said that the latest reports about the accelerated melting of the Artic have unnerved the experts.  “We need to be on high alert!” he asserted, noting that during the debate, there was broad consensus that the United Nations must remain at the centre of the process to reach a global agreement – including, to strengthen international environmental governance.  “Given the urgency of the many calls for action, it is now up to you to deliver in Bali,” he said of the upcoming meeting in Indonesia, where governments will negotiate on a new post-Kyoto Protocol agreement.

He said that member States had also overwhelmingly called for quicker progress on the Millennium Development Goals.  Many of the Goals were off-track, but it was possible that not a single Goal will be achieved in sub-Saharan Africa by 2015.  “This is indeed an emergency situation,” he said, noting that many speakers had recognized that a gap remained between promises and delivery on aid, trade and domestic reforms.  Achieving the Goals required a global partnership with everyone fulfilling their part of the compact.  He added that many delegations had also called for further progress on financing for development ahead of the Doha Conference in 2008.

Finally, he said that there had been overall agreement that faster progress could be made on those and other issues, if multilateral institutions better reflected contemporary realities, underlining the need for better progress on United Nations reform.  “The Secretariat must be more effective, efficient, and accountable to Member States -– some of you put forward initiatives to achieve this,” he noted, adding that resources across the United Nations system must be mobilized and delivered more coherently on the ground.

Also speaking today were the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine, Barbados, Armenia, Ethiopia, Namibia, Suriname and Azerbaijan.

The representatives of New Zealand, Tajikistan, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago also addressed the Assembly.

The Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m., 4 October, to hold a High-Level Dialogue and Informal Interactive Hearings with civil society on “Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace”.

Background

The General Assembly reconvened today to continue their general debate.

Statements

VOLODYMYR KHANDOGIY, the First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, said international terrorism remained one of the world’s greatest threats.  By adopting the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, the United Nations had made a concrete contribution to combating terrorism in a coordinated manner at national, regional and international levels.  The current session of the General Assembly should now adopt the definition of terrorism as a starting point to assessing counter-terrorism measures taken by each State.  His Government had already made significant commitments to fighting terrorism nationally and internationally and planned to organize an International Forum on Counteraction Measures to the Acts of Nuclear Terrorism to further the fight.

Disarmament and non-proliferation were also major threats to mankind. His country had voluntarily renounced its nuclear arsenal and he was disappointed to say “a world without weapons of mass destruction remains a distant dream”.  To realize that vision, international legal norms and political instruments to prevent weapons of mass destruction proliferation needed to be strengthened and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty should become universal.  He touched briefly on protracted conflicts in the GUAM ( Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) region and the ongoing question of Kosovo.  In both cases, the United Nations should play a pivotal role, in cooperation with regional organizations, to find peaceful solutions.  As a loyal supporter of the United Nations and United Nations peacekeeping, he applauded the progress made in implementing the recent reform strategy “Peace Operations 2010”.  However, more reform was needed, specifically in regards to the Security Council.  The Council should be expanded to include an additional non-permanent seat for the Group of Eastern European States.

“Adherence to economic, social and environmental policies, [and] good governance,” he said, “are the key factors to achieving sustainable development.”  Sustainable development was a global challenge and a basic element to achieving the international Millennium Development Goals.  As such, his Government remained committed to all international climate change agreements.  At the same time, he reminded the Assembly of the man-made environmental and technological disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986.  He asked for continued support from the international community in the recovery process. 

Finally, he asked the Assembly to raise its voice and denounce the “Great Famine” of 1932-1933, when the Soviet regime created an artificial famine in Ukraine as a means to annihilate its rural population.  “It is important to remember the past in order to learn from it and to avoid repeating crimes against humanity in the future,” he said, calling for the establishment of an international day of remembrance of victims of genocides.  A decision to establish such a day would be a timely contribution to attainment of that goal and could facilitate implementation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention of Genocide.  Further, his country attached great importance to the harmonious coexistence of civilizations and, in that spirit, he announced his Government’s intention to join the Alliance of Civilizations and renewed its commitment to the United Nations as the only organization with the universal legitimacy to address global threats and challenges.

BILLIE A. MILLER, Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados, said that since 1966 Barbados had actively promoted the centrality of the United Nations in the global development debate, and today waited to identify a number of issues to which Barbados accorded priority importance.  Among others, she referred specifically to the implementation of the global partnership for development, the adoption of existing global agreements on climate change, the successful conclusion of the Doha Round of trade negotiations, the reinforcement by the United Nations of its commitment to assist all Member States in their efforts to combat drug trafficking and violent crime and the need for Security Council reform.

The gap between promise and enactment continued to “frustrate our achievement of the full range of internationally agreed development goals”, she continued.  The level of international cooperation and resources committed by development partners had been woefully inadequate.  Small island developing States had largely assumed the burden of the Barbados Programme of Action and the Mauritius International Strategy, despite the consensus of the international community on those goals.  Similarly, the Monterrey Consensus on Financing for Development had not met the needs of middle-income countries.  There remained only eight years before achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.  Results-oriented, concrete action was needed immediately.

Regarding climate change, he pointed out to the Assembly that Barbados was a small, low-lying island State, highly dependent on its coastal and marine environment for economic activity. Therefore, for its people, “the stakes could not be higher”.  Barbados and other members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) had taken steps at the national and regional levels to implement climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.  However, the most efficient unilateral strategies would be futile in the absence of decisive global action.  The United Nations was the centre of the search for lasting solutions to the problem.

Turning to trade, she said the international community had yet to complete the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations.  While trade liberalization could assist in the process, much more was required to achieve sustainable development in middle-income countries.  Barbados firmly believed in a multilateral process to address the needs of countries with small, vulnerable economies.

On drug trafficking, she said neither Barbados nor the major countries of CARICOM were the major suppliers of, or demand markets for, illicit drugs.  Yet, due to their geographical position, illicit drug and arms trafficking -– and their constant companion, transnational organized crime -- affected Caribbean countries.  The presence of the regional United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Barbados helped abate the problem.  The unilateral decision in Vienna to close that Office had not made the region safer.  On the contrary, UNODC and the World Bank study, “Drugs, Crime and Development in Central America and the Caribbean”, found a need for enhanced international effort in the region.  Barbados hoped the United Nations would reverse the decision.

Turning to United Nations reform, she said reform of the Security Council had been under consideration by the General Assembly for several years.  Member States had addressed their concerns and the time had come for a political compromise and an acceptable solution.  Gender equality also presented a problem.  There was a pressing need to improve the way in which gender was treated within the context of the United Nations.  Barbados proposed a new gender architecture to give prominence to normative and advocacy issues.

Turning to Haiti, she noted that a stable, peaceful Haiti was essential to the effective functioning of CARICOM to which it belonged.  Haiti required the further extension by the Security Council of the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) to include focus on peacebuilding, judicial reform, the provision of basic services and border management.

This year many countries around the world, including Barbados, commemorated the 200^th anniversary of the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, she said.  Much had been done, but to bring closure to the criminal activity and bring equity to the emancipation process, the countries affected needed reparations.  She noted that, during the nineteenth century, Europeans accepted and enforced multiple forms of reparations.

Finally, regarding international affairs, she said a multilateral approach was the best means for countries to address the world’s most pressing problems effectively.  That required the revitalization of the United Nations to ensure the Organization remained a more accountable, transparent, and effective instrument. Countries also needed to make certain the United Nations was sufficiently well funded to meet the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable and support the aspirations of middle-income countries.  The disproportionate allocation of regular budget resources away from the development agenda required immediate reversal.  A deficit in the world’s development performance was unacceptable.

VARTAN OSKANIAN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Armenia, said there was a sense among small countries that the Assembly was where large nations addressed the world’s overarching issues, and smaller ones should adhere to regional topics.  This year, as financial calamities had compounded political and natural disasters, it was clear that small nations, with less diversity, resources, means and options, were more susceptible to common problems than those with larger populations.  No country, acting alone, could effectively address the issues on the Assembly’s agenda -- economic growth, sustainable development, disarmament, drugs and international terrorism.  Such issues could not be solved within country borders.

As the speculative market for oil had risen to $80, he said countries with smaller resources had suffered the greatest.  Energy security was not only a matter of “global arithmetic”, but of life and death.  When climate change had caused serious environmental changes, it did not take much for rising seas to reach small country cities, for example.  When daily calamities were seen regularly in Iraq, small countries sensed their vulnerability to the will of the international community, and its tolerance for distant violence and humiliation.  When the ability to ward off such ills rested with those that had the capacity to bring peace, they felt at risk.  When disarmament and arms control had ceased to be instruments for peace, instead becoming the means for scoring political dividends, small countries turned to themselves to solve problems.

Darfur had become shorthand for helplessness, and small countries realized that “power” had been substituted for “responsibility,” he continued.  The human rights language could not compensate for the political will to act.  Genocide must be prevented.  Recalling the Cambodian killing fields and events in Rwanda, he said Darfur had become synonymous with expediency and shame.  He appealed, on behalf of small countries, that the international community address such issues on their own merits, rather than as “pieces of a global power puzzle”.  Small countries counted on the goodwill of larger ones to set aside their differences and address issues collectively, expecting they understood that their power did not make them immune to the consequences of problems.

He said Armenia had celebrated 16 years of independence and could be proud of its open and diverse economy, strong financial systems, improved elections, stronger public institutions and population that was aware of its rights.  That had instilled confidence that the Government could address other issues, including uneven growth, a high poverty rate and strengthening of human institutions.

Armenia also had a conflict to resolve, he continued.  The Assembly agenda item on protracted conflicts was inherently flawed, as it included the Nagorno Karabakh region.  The issue did not belong there, as it was being addressed in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).  Armenia was negotiating with Azerbaijan and inching towards resolution.  There had been an evolution of the process. Today, there was a solid document.  At the core of the process was the right of people for self-determination.  The people in that region wanted to live in peace and security in their own territory, and exercise the very right that every nation had exercised at some point in its history.

On Kosovo, he said Armenia had heard the international community’s call that events there should not set a precedent for other conflicts.  However, Armenia would not accept the idea that, because Kosovo had been given independence, others could not achieve self-determination.  At the end of the day, he said, small nations’ involvement in global processes could not substitute for that of bigger powers. In an age of openness, however, there was no room for exclusion, and new instruments for compromise and acceptance were needed.

SEYOUM MESFIN, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, thanked the Assembly for its recent recognition of his country’s entry into its third millennium.  Ethiopians had greeted the new millennium with a pledge to do more to build national harmony, durable peace and stability, and to overcome the poverty that had ravaged the country in recent decades.  Two thousand years ago, his country was the home of one of the greatest civilizations of the world.  Regrettably, its fortune had changed and it was now a symbol of the poverty, dearth and destitution of Africa’s more recent history.  With its entry into the third millennium, however, that was all to change. 

He said, “Hopelessness and frustration growing out of lack of confidence in the future is no longer an image reflecting the reality of Ethiopia.”  A new and strong national consensus was being created around the conviction that the third millennium was a symbol of an Ethiopian renaissance.  Despite attempts by non-Ethiopians to “scuttle the progress”, per capita income had grown and Ethiopia was on track to achieving numerous Millennium Development Goals, among them, universal primary health care and education.  It was also contributing to the global fight against climate change, thanks to popular support for national environmental programmes.  “However, the need for speedy economic development in countries such as Ethiopia,” he said, “should not be compromised in the interest of reversing a dangerous climatic situation for the creation of which we have no responsibility.”  As such, he welcomed Brazil’s proposal for a new United Nations conference on the environment and development in 2012 and the possibility of reforming the institutional framework of United Nations environmental activities.

Concrete advances made in building democratic institutions underpinned the economic and social progress in Ethiopia, he noted.  Currently, there was a renewed commitment to deepening the democratic process.  Outsiders who wished to meddle in Ethiopian affairs should be held accountable for their actions and “desist from seeking Trojan horses in our society”.  For 15 years, his Government had worked in good faith for peace in the region, and stressed the need for a regional commitment to build an atmosphere conducive to peace.  “It is not just the absence of conflict and dispute, but the reality of peace and cooperation which is, we know, an absolute necessity,” he said. “Without this, we cannot achieve our aims, whether in Ethiopia, our region, or in Africa.”  In closing, he thanked those who had helped his country progress over the past decade, and reiterated his Government’s readiness to cooperate fully with the United Nations, and all nations, in the spirit of its new millennium.

LAM AKOL AJAWIN, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sudan, said that, last year on this platform, the President of the Sudan had announced that peace was no longer a dream, but a reality, and an irreversible strategic choice.  Since then, the Sudan had continued to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and translate it into reality. All of the constitutional institutions had been formed, as well as the legislative and judicial institutions and commissions stipulated by the accord. According to the timeline for the Agreement’s implementation, the Sudanese Government would form the National Electoral Commission and Human Rights Commission by the end of the year, when the National Legislature resumed its session this month.

He reaffirmed the Sudan’s full commitment to the accord, adding that it looked forward to fulfilment of the pledges made towards peace, starting with those made at the 2005 Oslo donor conference, which included the cancellation of external debt and the lifting of unilateral economic sanctions, which hindered reconstruction and development efforts.

The march towards peace had resumed, with the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement in Abuja, in May 2006, he said, noting that the Sudan had embarked on the implementation of that Agreement in its various aspects.  In terms of power-sharing, the Government had formed the Darfur Transitional Authority and put in place the Ceasefire Commission, in compliance with the accord.

Regarding the humanitarian situation in Darfur, the Sudan had consistently been fully committed to facilitating unhindered access to the flow of relief assistance to those affected by the crisis, he said.  It had also facilitated the work and movement of the humanitarian organizations under an agreement designed to ease humanitarian aid access, signed with the United Nations on 28 March.  Due to those efforts, the humanitarian situation had clearly improved, as confirmed by the lack of epidemics and food shortages, as well as the return of internally displaced persons to their villages, which the Secretary-General himself had witnessed during his last visit to the Sudan.

In further gains, he said his Government had continued, with the United Nations, to strengthen the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS).  The progress on the political, humanitarian and peacekeeping fronts could not have been possible if the United Nations had not opted for political dialogue over the imposition of policies, pressure and coercion.  The Sudan reiterated its full support of the joint African Union-United Nations initiative, as well its readiness for peace talks scheduled for 27 October in Libya.  The Government had also declared a unilateral ceasefire, starting with the talks.

Turning to the issue of reconstruction and development, he said that that constituted a major factor for stability.  The Sudan, therefore, believed it exigent to implement the stipulations of United Nations Security Council resolution 1769 (2007), and looked forward to an international conference on Darfur’s reconstruction.

In the “twist and turns of the Darfur problem”, the Minister asserted that the Sudan had been the subject of unfair and hostile ill-intentioned campaigns from some countries bent on exploiting the crisis to serve their own agendas.  That campaign had exaggerated and distorted facts, and violated the country’s capabilities.  It had also diverted attention from other regional and international crises.  There was no entity “more determined to stop bloodshed and realize peace and stability in Darfur than the Government”, he stressed.

Turning to climate change, he said that environmental degradation was among the major causes of conflict in many African countries, including the Sudan, as underscored in the report of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).  Confronting climate change could only be achieved within the framework of sustainable development and its three pillars:  economic development; social development; and environmental protection.  The Sudan had signed and ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and it now called for a global consensus for a post-2012 agreement at the thirteenth Conference of Parties in Bali, one that fully took into account the needs of developing countries.

Moving to trade, he said that the current international economic structure constrained developing countries.  The most important of those impediments were the paucity of official development assistance (ODA), the unfair terms of international trade, heavy external debt and the negative effects of globalization.  The 2005 World Summit had reaffirmed the special needs of Africa, making it a priority, and the Sudan reiterated the imperatives of the Millennium Declaration, with a special emphasis on the rights of developing countries to determine their priorities without restrictions or predetermined obligations.

On human rights, he said that the Sudan believed that a new approach based on dialogue should be introduced, instead of “naming and shaming” and the threat of imposing sanctions.  Moreover, selectivity and double standards should not influence the Human Rights Council, which was designed to correct the failures of the Commission on Human Rights.  Reform of such international institutions would be futile without reform of the United Nations, itself, and the United Nations reform would not be effective without reform of the Security Council.  The Sudan reiterated its commitment for an African position on the Council.   Africa remained the only continent that had no permanent representation in the Council, while African issues constituted 70 per cent of that body’s agenda.

The fact that the Palestinian question remained unresolved since establishment of the United Nations not only tarnished the Organization’s credibility, but also continued to threaten international peace and security, he warned.  The international community should force Israel to comply with international resolutions and fulfil its commitments, as stipulated in the Road Map.  Furthermore, the developments in Iraq continued to aggravate the situation in the Middle East.  Helping the Iraqi people out of the predicament could only be achieved through respect for the free will of the people.  The international community needed to set a time frame for the exit of the Iraqi occupation.

MARCO HAUSIKU, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Namibia, said climate change was one of the urgent challenges facing humanity today, and it had serious implications for economic growth, sustainable development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.  The international community should live up to its commitments to provide resources to developing countries.  Compulsory targets must be set for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.  Expressing unhappiness with the rate of investments in the development of renewable and clean energy sources, he called on the private sector to join Governments in developing and applying technologies that would mitigate climate change. 

He said that the process of reform at the United Nations should be expedited.  The revitalization and reaffirmation of the General Assembly as the chief deliberative, policymaking and representative organ was needed.  The Security Council, which was highly significant for Africa, should be made more democratic and transparent in its composition and working methods.  He reiterated support for the common African position, as contained in the “Ezulwini Consensus” and the Sirte Declaration for Africa’s equitable representation in the Council.

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed commitments was central to global economic stability and prosperity, he said. Noting that results were slow and uneven to date, he underlined the statement in the Millennium Development Goals Report 2007 that “the MDGs will be attained only if concerted action is taken immediately and sustained until 2015”.  All stakeholders should fulfil in their entirety the commitments they made in the Millennium Declaration and subsequent pronouncements.  Despite ranking 126^th out of 177 countries on the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human development Index, Namibia had made progress in health, education and other critical services, and was on course to meet a number of Millennium Development Goals.  He called for increased support from the international community, including market access, concessional loans and investment flows, and access to financial sources in the form of targeted ODA.

Applauding the joint communiqué agreed to by the Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council, he said that more structured and formalized cooperation between the two bodies was needed, particularly in financing, logistics, technology and training.  He also called for the immediate and unconditional implementation of the United Nations Settlement Plan for Western Sahara, and all the resolutions of the Security Council and General Assembly, with the aim of holding a free and fair referendum there.  He reaffirmed the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, as well as their right of return, and he called on the parties to resume the peace process.  The United Nations had a responsibility to assist in that process.  Finally, he called for an unconditional end to the economic, commercial and financial blockage imposed by the United States against Cuba.

LYGIA KRAAG-KETELDIJK, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Suriname, noting that the international scene had predominantly centred on the devastating effects of climate change, said the recent findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change had clearly linked warming of the climate system to human activities.  Climate change impacts would be worse for small States, and Suriname was a low-lying coastal country where most economic activities were concentrated in the coastal zone.  Sea level rise would be catastrophic for her country.

As there was a national interest in exploiting natural resources, she emphasized that it was imperative for countries to strike a balance between economic development and environmental preservation.   Suriname had declared substantial swaths of land as protected area, she said, noting that tropical rainforests had contributed significantly to counterbalancing global warming effects.  However, a global threat justified global action, and she called on the international community and development partners to continue technical and financial support to developing countries to safeguard the world’s environment for future generations.

Suriname remained committed to realizing the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and accepted the commitment to realize sustainable economic and social development for its people, she said.  It was important to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including those for indigenous peoples, and she highlighted Suriname’s recent adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People.  The country had also declared 9 August as the International Day of Indigenous Peoples.  As Surinamese society was multi-ethnic, multicultural and multireligious, she also commended the upcoming High-Level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace.  Further, she urged that the international community support the CARICOM initiative to honour those who suffered as a result of the slave trade.

Calling the United Nations the “supreme institution to advance multilateral diplomacy”, she said Suriname would continue to advocate for strengthening the system to adequately address global issues.  In that context, her Government respected the Award of the Arbitral Tribunal, created to establish a maritime boundary between Suriname and Guyana pursuant to the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea.  That Award had delineated a maritime boundary between the two countries, which differed from those claimed by each of the parties, and Suriname was pleased that the rules of international law had ended that longstanding dispute.

ELMAR MAMMADYAROV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, said the continued relevance of the United Nations would depend on its ability to be more responsive to the needs of Member States and to continue serving the interests of all States, regardless of size.  Azerbaijan called for the harmonization of diverging views on reforming the Security Council, which should be transformed into a democratic organ that reflected its universal character.  The General Assembly’s mandate should be strengthened so that it could tackle the most pressing issues, including globalization.

Noting that development in Central Asia was inextricably linked to energy security issues, he said that when his country had started developing its oil and gas fields and constructing pipelines, it had not imagined its resources would become so important.  Today, Azerbaijan was ready to provide an important contribution to global energy security.

Through reforms, Azerbaijan had significantly improved its economic performance, which had seen its gross domestic product increase to 35 per cent this year from 34 per cent last year.  The current share of domestic investments had also increased, and the Government was committed to protecting investors’ rights.  Transparency in oil revenue management was part of the Government’s efforts to improve public service.  The State Oil Fund’s winning of the 2007 United Nations Public Service Award had demonstrated the success of that initiative.  The country would introduce a draft resolution on achievements made under the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

Azerbaijan had become home to various cultures and religions, he said.  During its Chairmanship of the Organization of the Islamic Conference Ministerial Council, it had fostered understanding among nations and cultures, and, as the current Chair of the GUAM Organization of Economic Development, the country hoped to use its role as a “bridge” between Europe and Asia to promote cooperation.  Conflicts in Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova had almost the same origin:  the manifestation of aggressive separatism accompanied by ethnic cleansing.  Settlement of those conflicts must be based on territorial integrity, and Azerbaijan would defend that fundamental principle of international law.

The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh remained the most serious challenge to regional security, he said, adding that his country still faced continued occupation by Armenia of almost 20 per cent of its internationally recognized territories.  Azerbaijan was hosting some 1 million refugees and internally displaced persons who had been brutally expelled from their homes in Armenia and the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.  The Government’s position on settlement was fully based in international law and four Security Council resolutions, which provided for the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.  Talks carried out within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group had not yielded results, and it would only become more difficult to observe attempts by the Armenian leadership to consolidate the results of their occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories.

As a member of the Human Rights Council, Azerbaijan attached great importance to the efficient functioning of that body, he said, adding that it was a “common task” to ensure that it became an objective and credible human rights body.  Azerbaijan looked forward to finalizing its institution-building.  The adoption by the United Nations of the International Convention on Protection from Enforced Disappearances and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities represented a significant step forward in a long historical process.  Azerbaijan was a signatory to the former and was considering signing the latter.

ROSEMARY BANKS ( New Zealand) said the issue of climate change required widespread and effective international action.  New Zealand called on the United Nations climate change conference in Bali to develop a “ Bali road map” in December to set all countries, especially developing ones, on the course for an effective future response.  However, taking action as an international community also meant taking action domestically.  In recent weeks, New Zealand announced several domestic measures to address climate change, and she urged other countries to follow.

She said that support for the Millennium Development Goals was central to New Zealand’s contribution to the global effort to reduce poverty.  The international community must step up efforts if it was to achieve the Goals, but, at the same time, the United Nations development system could be strengthened.  The newly established initiatives in the Economic and Social Council -– the Annual Ministerial Review and Development Cooperation Forum -– could serve as practical ways to share information about effective strategies and areas needing improvement.

Turning to security, she said that a strong, prosperous and stable Pacific remained a key foreign policy priority for New Zealand.  The Timorese people had made a huge effort to return Timor-Leste to a more secure and stable path, but Timor required a sustained commitment from the United Nations Mission there.  The situation in Fiji remained a cause for concern.  As a neighbour of Fiji, New Zealand worked hard to prevent last December’s coup, and regretted that those efforts had failed to dissuade the “coup makers” from their unconstitutional path.

Regarding the Solomon Islands, she said it had been suggested on Monday that the presence of the Regional Assistance Mission in the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) was an “occupation”, transgressing Article 52 of the United Nations Charter.  The United Nations established RAMSI in response to a formal request from the Solomon Islands, and a treaty, as well as domestic law, sanctioned its presence.  Moreover, RAMSI stemmed from the endorsement of the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers as a programme of action under the Forum Leaders’ Biketawa Declaration, which provided a framework for response to regional crises.

Reporting on the efforts of the people of Tokelau, a New Zealand Territory 500 kilometres north of Samoa, to undertake an act of self-determination to decide whether they wanted to “change their present status”, she said that a vote in February 2006 had narrowly missed the threshold set by Tokelau for a change of status.  Another vote, from 20 to 24 October, would decide the Territory’s direction.   New Zealand would support any decision.

Turning to global justice and international peace and security, she encouraged Member States to provide their full support to the International Criminal Court by acceding to the Rome Statute.  However, efforts to maintain the international rule of law could only be effective when built on a foundation of international peace and security.  Interfaith and intercultural dialogue would help counter religious extremism, and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations remained the key multilateral process among the growing number of initiatives.

With respect to conflicts, she said there was now a window to take “meaningful steps” towards a just, enduring and comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East.  The humanitarian disaster in Darfur threatened security in the entire East Africa region.  New Zealand was deeply concerned about the current political, economic and humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe, as well as the situation in Myanmar.  The country called for the immediate release of those detained in Myanmar, and implored the authorities to stop the violence and engage in genuine dialogue with pro-democracy leaders.

Drawing attention to New Zealand’s bid for a seat on the Human Rights Council for 2009-2012, she said her country would “help this fledgling organization” achieve its full potential as the pre-eminent human rights body.  A human rights issue of particular importance was the death penalty, and adoption of a resolution on a global moratorium on the death penalty would be a historic step in the human rights sphere.

SIRODJIDIN ASLOV ( Tajikistan) welcomed continued reforms of the United Nations and improvements made in its capacity to tackle issues such as peace and security, human rights, humanitarian aid and climate change.  Further progress on those issues required concerted and consecutive action by the entire international community.  In other arenas, there was more that needed to be done.  The disarmament and non-proliferation process should be strengthened, as well as international efforts to fight terrorism and its origins.  In regards to establishing a global system to combat terrorism, it was important to do so in coordination with regional and subregional organizations.  The root causes of terrorism associated with social and economic problems within society should also be addressed, along with the “breeding grounds” for terrorism such as transnational organized crime. 

Having recently celebrated 10 years of peace, his country was now ready to tackle one of its top priorities -- the achievement of sustainable development.  Internationally, and within the United Nations framework, much had already been achieved.  However, full implementation of the Millennium Goals, both nationally and internationally, would require extra effort and resources.  His Government called on the donor community to double the amount of development assistance and to forgive debts incurred by developing countries, in exchange for implementation of national projects aimed at sustainable development. 

He added that each country should be given the “right to development” and the right to rationally use natural resources for the purpose of development.  As such, his Government should have the right to develop the hydropower branch of its economy by building dams and reservoirs on its major rivers.  An integrated approach to the use of water, energy and other natural resources in the region would ensure sustainable development in the region and help resolve environmental problems.  He welcomed the High-level Event on Climate Change convened by the Secretary-General as it highlighted various environmental concerns, including the question of fresh water supply.  The degradation of glaciers and snow covers in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, which are the upper watershed zones of Central Asia’s rivers, had become an increasing concern, with glacier areas in Tajikistan decreasing by 30 to 35 per cent in the last 10 years. The water supply situation was urgent and implementation of the International Decade “Water to Life, 2005-2015” was even more timely and appropriate.  His landlocked country had provided Central Asian countries with freshwater “from times immemorial”, but the region had recently experienced new water-related difficulties.  He proposed a project in which freshwater from Lake Sarez in Tajikistan would be used to supply all Central Asian States.

A lack of access to the sea also created challenges in terms of trade and economic cooperation.  He supported initiatives to assist landlocked developing countries to efficiently use available transport infrastructure and to increase transit capacity.  Recent rehabilitation projects in Afghanistan were helping Central Asian States gain access to southern seaports and should be further supported by the international community.  He concluded by calling on all members of the international community to do whatever they could to strengthen the United Nations in the interests of all Member States.

CLAUDE HELLER, Permanent Representative and Chairman of the Delegation of Mexico, said that, as the international community faced multiple challenges, it was essential to make effective use of multilateral institutions, and the United Nations must reaffirm itself as the unchallenged guarantor of international law.  Mexico was decisively committed to multilateralism.  Armed conflicts, organized crime, the proliferation of arms and extreme poverty were challenges that spilled across borders and now, more than ever, the world must have an Organization capable of meeting people’s needs.  The role of the United Nations must be reconsidered, and each State must be responsible for guaranteeing the rule of law to its people.

He said human security should be part of an “all-embracing” concept that covered respect for human rights and fundamental freedom.  Mexico had placed the individual at the forefront of efforts to ensure sustainable human development in the social, economic, cultural and environmental spheres.

On climate change, Mexico favoured the multilateral regime in the United Nations for setting a framework for future commitments, he continued.  The Framework Convention for Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol were the appropriate spheres for negotiations.  Domestically, Mexico’s 2007-2012 development plan included measures for environmental sustainability.

Guaranteeing peace and security in the face of terrorism was essential for civilized coexistence, he said, adding that the United Nations had determined that State security measures must respect human rights norms and the rights of refugees.  The creation of the Human Rights Council and adoption of the institutional reform package had marked a crossroads in building a more equitable human rights system.  Double standards were not acceptable.  Welcoming the recent adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, he said Mexico remained open to special human rights procedures that played a pivotal role in identifying challenges.

On migration, he said the United Nations was the most fitting forum for dealing with that issue, based on the principle of shared responsibility.  Mexico was a country of origin, transit and destination for migrants, and he called for strengthening the international framework to comprehensively address their needs.  Mexico was also creating better conditions at home by promoting investment, increasing access to education and medical services -- including in isolated areas -- and providing social security coverage.  On achieving the Millennium Development Goals, he noted with concern that there had been setbacks, and called for complementarity between national development strategies and world economic development.  He hoped the Economic and Social Council’s new forum for development cooperation would be a step in that direction.

Taking up security matters, he said the growing sophistication of arms technology was disturbing.  As the only guarantee against the use of nuclear weapons was to ensure their gradual reduction, he urged that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty enter into force as soon as possible.  Strengthening the non-proliferation regime required that nuclear and non-nuclear States fulfil their obligations.  He welcomed agreements reached with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and added that the controversy around Iran’s nuclear efforts must be resolved diplomatically.

On the Middle East, he supported efforts for a new peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, as a solution could only be reached through negotiation.  He hoped Israel and an economically viable Palestinian State could exist within secure borders.

Expansion of the Security Council was an unavoidable necessity, and Mexico favoured increasing the number of non-permanent members with the possibility of re-election, he said.  His country was committed to United Nations reform and, as such, had submitted its candidacy for a non-permanent Council seat in the 2009-2010 period.  In closing, he reaffirmed Mexico’s determination to help build a more balanced international society.

PHILIP SEALY ( Trinidad and Tobago) said that, thanks to visionary leadership, public accountability and prudent management of natural resources, his country was ready to go beyond the achievement of the Millennium Goals in its development strategy.  By 2020, all sectors of society would enjoy a standard of living comparable with that of the developed world.  Trinidad and Tobago had enjoyed a strong economic performance over the previous five years and was currently committed to advancing the integration process of CARICOM by moving it from the current stage of a single market to that of a single economy.  However, national and international economic development depended upon global peace and security.

Globalization and liberalization would be rendered futile in the absence of a fair, transparent and equitable international economic trading system, he said.   It was regrettable that the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations had not yet achieved a compromise on an agreed outcome that took into account the special needs of small and vulnerable economies and put development at the heart of the multilateral trading system. 

Climate change was yet another global concern and, as a small island developing State, of great national concern as well to his country, he continued.  There was a need for a clearly defined global mitigation strategy to keep long-term temperature increases at less than 2^o C above pre-industrial levels.  International action should be urgent, ambitious and in accordance with common but differentiated responsibilities based on respective capabilities and social and economic conditions.  The Government of Trinidad and Tobago would seek legally binding emission reductions and significant increases in the level of resources for developing countries.  To that end, it had already made a voluntary contribution of $1 million to assist in the implementation of adaptation strategies in the Caribbean Community.  Other key environmental issues for the country were the preservation of the marine environment and its protection from ships carrying radioactive waste.

He stressed his Government’s commitment to protecting human rights on a national level and applauded the International Criminal Court for helping to do the same internationally.  International Criminal Court jurisdiction should be expanded to include international trade in illegal drugs.  Also on the subject of international laws, any legal regulation of marine genetic resources –- the area of international waters beyond national jurisdiction -– should ensure that any exploitation of the resources of the area would benefit all members of the international community and not only those with financial resources and technical know-how.

Finally, he acknowledged his country’s maternal links to Africa through the Transatlantic Slave Trade, announcing a financial contribution to the CARICOM Initiative to erect a permanent memorial at the United Nations in remembrance of all who had died.

JOE R. PEMAGBI (Sierra Leone) began his remarks saying that, while the general reform of the United Nations had scored some major successes, the most critical and contentious reform -– that of the Security Council -– remained elusive.  As long as the Security Council maintained the status quo, Africa would remain disadvantaged as the only continent without a voice of permanent representation.  Sierra Leone, therefore, urged a speedy consideration of the expansion of, and equitable representation on, the Council.

A new dawn had broken in the political landscape of Sierra Leone, he said.  He noted, with humility, the many messages of commendation received for the conduct of the recent elections and welcomed the Security Council statement of congratulations.  No one could deny that, after a brutal rebel war, Sierra Leone had enjoyed five years of relative peace.  However, peace was not an event; peace was a process, and one that needed to be consolidated, maintained, and sustained.  The establishment of the new United Nations Peacebuilding Commission to facilitate post-conflict recovery was consistent with the objectives of the Organization.  Sierra Leone considered its recent elections as part of the peace process.  Now, Member States must not forget that people also had a right to economic development.

Continuing, he said all the praise and commendation Sierra Leoneans had received in connection with their elections, would be meaningless unless the Government translated the exercise of political rights into the realization of economic and social rights for Sierra Leoneans.  There was a change in regime, but that change needed the support of the United Nations and the entire international community to deliver on the expectations of the change.  His country would continue to have high expectations from the United Nations, in particular the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund.  Timely support from the Fund to the police had helped keep public order during the elections.

Sierra Leone has still found itself in the uncomfortable position in the United Nations Development Programme human development index as one of the least developed countries in the world today, he said.  Unfortunately for Sierra Leone and the rest of the developing world, the prospects of achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 remained “cloudy and distant”.  It was a matter of urgency to accelerate the process of meeting those Goals.  The Millennium Development Goals Africa Steering Group marked a step in the right direction, along with several other initiatives.  Sierra Leone strongly believed developed countries should fulfil their commitments as partners in an interdependent world, with special support given for countries emerging from conflict.

Closing Statement

Thanking all speakers for their contributions, General Assembly President SRGJAN KERIM (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) concluded the general debate by highlighting that the presence of almost 100 Heads of State and Government, and some 80 Ministers for Foreign Affairs, was a sign of the importance the world placed “on this unique Assembly”.  Beyond the general debate, there also had been a flurry of diplomatic activity.  He was grateful to the Assembly for addressing the five priorities that he had outlined, and to leaders who had spared time to discuss those topics with him in more detail.  He intended to work closely with all to achieve the results called for by the heads of delegations.

Recapping the debate, he said nations had sent a strong political message that the time for action had begun in addressing climate change, and he believed an important shift had taken place:  climate change had become the “flagship issue” of the sixty-second session.  There was overwhelming consensus that adapting to global warming must not limit growth, and all had agreed that States had common but differentiated responsibilities.  Further, there was consensus that the United Nations remain at the centre of the process to achieve global agreement, including in strengthening international environmental governance.  Commendable initiatives –- including the reduction of deforestation and emissions, investment in flood prevention and food security, and improvement in carbon-trading mechanisms -– had been presented, while a road map for coordinating United Nations efforts on climate change was endorsed.

Given the urgency of calls for action, he said, “It is now up to you to deliver in Bali.”

Turning to the Millennium Development Goals, he said leaders from all regions had expressed overwhelming support for faster progress, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, which constituted an “emergency situation”.  While many developing countries had described international partnerships to boost economic growth, empower women and increase access to drugs for HIV/AIDS and other diseases, he said others had recognized that the gap between promises and delivery remained.  He was grateful that many delegations supported the convening of a Millennium Development Goals leaders meeting.

It was also evident that delegations wanted to see progress on financing for development ahead of the 2008 Doha Conference, he said, noting also that many had drawn attention to the significance that conclusion of a global trade deal would have on poverty reduction efforts.

He recalled that delegates had strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms, and that strong support existed for ensuring both full implementation of the Counter-Terrorism Strategy and swift progress on the Convention.  Moreover, nations had emphasized the need to overcome prejudice through sustained dialogue among cultures.

On the eve of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he said nations had reaffirmed the importance of promoting human rights, with many calling on the Human Rights Council to live up to its full potential.

A range of peace and security issues also had been raised, he said, with some countries highlighting small but concrete efforts towards sustainable solutions in the Middle East, Iraq, Afghanistan and Darfur.  Others had raised concerns about recent events in Myanmar.  Positive developments had been reported in various post-conflict countries and, in that regard, some had acknowledged the positive contributions of United Nations peacekeepers.

He said the Assembly had heard calls for more progress on disarmament, including an arms trade treaty, and on non-proliferation issues.  The idea for a “fairer migration policy” was mentioned, and some had drawn attention to the links among organized crime, human trafficking and drugs.

There was agreement that progress on all those issues could be made if multilateral institutions better reflected contemporary realities, he asserted. Calling on the United Nations Secretariat to be more accountable to Member States, he said some delegations had put forward ideas to achieve that objective.  Resources across the system must be delivered more coherently on the ground.  The Assembly had heard from countries engaged in the “One UN” approach that they were seeing better results; others supported enhancing gender architecture.  The Assembly heard wide support for Security Council reform, particularly through intergovernmental talks.

In closing, he said the Assembly was the only forum where many of those issues could be comprehensively tackled, and he was grateful that delegates had delivered on his suggestion to be more interactive.  He urged moving forward in that spirit throughout the sixty-second session.

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