General Assembly Session 51 meeting 60

Mr. Gorelik (Russia)

The Russian Federation attaches great importance to the activities of the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, which was established by a decision of the Security Council. The Tribunal was established because the bitter armed conflict in the region had been accompanied by blatant breaches of international humanitarian law, the responsibility for which is borne by individuals on all sides. All such persons, irrespective of ethnic affiliation or official position, must be subject to punishment for their deeds in order to meet the requirements of justice and in the interests of restoring lasting peace to the region.

The Tribunal has been obliged to carry out its mandate under difficult conditions. It is facing a number of complex and, in some cases, unprecedented legal, organizational and financial problems. As we have seen from the matter of the false testimony recently identified in the Tadic trial, there have been clear attempts to manipulate the activities of the Tribunal. These call for heightened vigilance on the part of the Prosecutor and the Judges. However, we note that with experience many difficulties are gradually being overcome. Taken as a whole, the Tribunal's procedures are still far from being perfected. We are certain, however, that the remaining problems will be successfully overcome and that the Tribunal will exhibit complete impartiality in its work.

The Russian delegation is grateful to the President of the International Tribunal, Mr. Cassese, for his timely and extensive statement on the report of the Tribunal. Among other things, we note that Judge Cassese deemed it necessary to devote particular attention to the question of impartiality in the work of the Tribunal. We believe that this aim is entirely justified and that it is important to continue to remove any grounds for accusing that body of international justice of bias. To that end, a number of additional practical steps will be necessary.

In particular, the situation with regard to mass graves in Bosnia gives rise to puzzling questions. Although a number of sites have been found throughout the country, the relevant investigations are being conducted almost exclusively on the territory of Republika Srpska. It is only there that exhumations are being performed. It is only there that, in accordance with the recommendations of the Tribunal, mass gravesites are being placed under guard by the multinational force. In our view, this kind of one-sidedness, which casts a shadow over the Tribunal's work requires immediate rectification.

Another serious problem in the work of the Tribunal is the insufficient level of cooperation from States and Entities in the region of the former Yugoslavia. As is clear from the report and from Judge Cassese's statement, all parties without exception, are at fault to some degree. The Security Council has already been compelled seriously to address this issue on several occasions.

As a result of efforts that have been undertaken, the situation is gradually changing for the better. A number of important steps, including those of a legislative nature, have been taken by the Federation and Croatia although, as is noted in the report, the cooperation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and Republika Srpska remains restricted and insufficient. We believe that the opening of a mission of the Tribunal in Belgrade and the recent visit to The Hague of the Minister of Justice of the Republika Srpska should be welcomed.

As far as we know, in the course of this visit, the Tribunal was provided with material on crimes perpetrated against the Serb population and a request was made to begin the relevant investigations, including those on a number of sites of mass graves. Thus, we must assume that the problem raised in Judge Cassese's statement regarding the provision to the Tribunal of a data base for investigating crimes against the Serbs has been largely solved. We presume that a rapid response to the legitimate requests of the Minister of Justice of the Republika Srpska will play a key role in stimulating the cooperation of the Bosnian Serbs.

In conclusion, I would briefly touch on the role and place of the Tribunal in our overall efforts to settle the conflict in the region of the former Yugoslavia. We are convinced that the Tribunal, as an international legal body, should be entirely free from outside influences and political considerations. On the other hand, as was noted by Mr. Cassese, ignoring the overall political context does not appear to be possible. We believe this assessment to be fair in the sense that the activity of the Tribunal must help to restore peace in the region by adopting a balanced and considered approach to implementing the mandate entrusted to it by the Security Council.

Mr. Escovar-Salom (Venezuela)

The International Tribunal dealing with crimes perpetrated in the course of the Yugoslav crisis was established in response to an international need. It was created to fill a vacuum in international law and to defend values of culture and civilization and international law.

As Chairman of the Sixth Committee, I feel the statements that have been made today are enormously important, given their impact on the future of international legality.

The President of the Tribunal, Mr. Cassese, and other speakers today have expressed views, opinions and experiences that must be taken into account if we are to build a better, more efficient and far-reaching international order in which we can place our trust, so that the atrocities we witnessed in the former Yugoslavia shall never be repeated.

We have principles to defend, but now we must simply accumulate experiences such as those described today in this debate. Whatever can be said either for or against the experience that began with the establishment of the International Tribunal will be useful to the international community and the future development of international law. It is important to test and perfect this experiment if we wish to enhance the credibility of international institutions.

I do not wish at this time to address the very important specific aspects mentioned by the President of the Tribunal and other speakers today. I wish only to focus on the importance of this experience to the creation and strengthening of future international institutions.

Today, the Sixth Committee is undertaking the preparatory work for the planned international criminal court. The creation of that institution is very important and the experience that we are gaining today in the case of Yugoslavia will thus be useful in the future.

Mr. Khan (Pakistan)

We would like to convey our profound appreciation to Judge Antonio Cassese, the President of the International Tribunal, for his outstanding success in assembling and operationalizing the entire normative and logistical infrastructure of the Tribunal in a period of two years. Given the financial constraints, it is indeed a commendable achievement.

It is an obligation of the international community to stem grave violations of human rights in situations in which crimes against humanity -- including genocide, "ethnic cleansing" and the use of rape and sexual abuse as instruments of war -- have been committed with impunity. The international community should intervene in such situations to stop the perpetrators of these crimes from pursuing their dark agenda. Once the immediate threat of these crimes has been removed, it is incumbent on the international community to prosecute those who are responsible for the crimes. It is imperative that the principles of international prosecution and individual responsibility be upheld in all circumstances to maintain a civilized world order.

In this context, the most poignant case is that of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the crimes of aggression, "ethnic cleansing" and massacres were committed. The international community rose to this challenge by establishing a Tribunal. For the effective functioning of the Tribunal, the Council prescribed that all States should cooperate with the Tribunal. It is only natural that those responsible for these crimes are the ones undermining the effectiveness of the Tribunal through delay or obfuscation. We must not allow this to happen. We must not allow the non-implementation of Security Council resolutions in pursuance of vested interests. Non-compliance with Security Council resolutions erodes the authority of this body and makes a mockery of the principles enshrined in the Charter.

The impressive strides made by the Tribunal have been tempered by the lack of cooperation from States and entities of the former Yugoslavia. The signatories to the Dayton Accord have formally recognized and undertaken to allow freedom of movement and provide unrestricted access to sites and persons, and exclude indictees from public office.

Despite these undertakings, certain States have refused to comply with the arrest warrants issued by the Tribunal and have not even responded to the Tribunal to explain the reasons for their non-compliance. This is a blatant violation of Security Council resolutions, the Dayton Accord and the Statute of the Tribunal. The persons indicted for genocide have remained in official positions. One State has even failed to take the most elementary step of enacting legislation to enable it to cooperate with the Tribunal, a mandatory measure under Security Council resolution 827 (1993). Others, despite their "acknowledged authority", have failed to investigate and prosecute serious violations of international humanitarian law. In certain cases, attempts have been made to destroy the evidence.

We are grateful to the President of the Tribunal for sharing his views candidly with Member States. He has rightly identified some disturbing trends that are undermining the very purpose of the Tribunal. The main stumbling-blocks are the realities of international politics in the post-Dayton period. Attempts are being made to appease the aggressors. The United Nations cannot go back on its pledge to prosecute and punish the offenders on the pretext of political exigencies.

The President of the Tribunal has termed the persistent lack of cooperation by some States and entities of the former Yugoslavia and their non-compliance with the injunctions of the Tribunal as the most insurmountable difficulty. Those States that committed atrocities in the first place are trying to protect the criminals through different legal stratagems. An extraneous and legally invalid argument of the so-called prohibition of extradition to other States under the national Constitution is being put forward. We fully agree with the President of the Tribunal that the surrender of the indictees, required under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, has nothing to do with extradition to other States. In this particular case, States cannot claim immunity from extradition of the indictees. They will have to comply with international legal obligations. In this case, if we allowed States to hide behind the fiction of their national legislation, we would be paving the way for international anarchy.

We also endorse the President of the Tribunal's observation that the Tribunal was created to dispense victims' justice and not to do the victors justice.

It has been rightly pointed out that the Tribunal does not have an enforcement agency. Unlike Governments, it does not have an executive branch. It is here that the collective will of the international community and the political weight of the Security Council should ensure faithful implementation of the decisions as regards the functioning of the Tribunal.

We have full confidence in the impartiality of the Tribunal. All allegations against the Tribunal cited by its President in his statement are either baseless or motivated. There is no bias against the Serbs. If the indictees are in Serbia and Montenegro, the Tribunal has to serve notices and expect compliance. The Tribunal would prosecute individuals, but it must not be forgotten that those individuals were supported by authorities and an elaborate State apparatus. The most gruesome crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina were committed in pursuance of a systematic policy by the aggressors.

According to the report by the President of the Tribunal, the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been by far the most cooperative party -- apparently, the only country that is committed to achieving the goals of peace, security and stability in the region. To promote peace in the region, we must ensure full and timely implementation of all aspects of the arrangements agreed among the parties to the conflict.

The international community must reject a proposal from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and Republika Srpska that those persons already accused by the Tribunal be tried in their own territories. Clearly, it is an attempt to justify their refusal to surrender them to the Tribunal. Such a manoeuvre would violate the Tribunal's primacy and infringe Security Council resolutions and the Dayton Accord.

The persistent refusal by certain States to surrender indictees for trial would defeat the very aim of Security Council resolutions and rekindle the flames of aggression and persecution. We should not acquiesce in such illegal conduct. Appropriate action should be taken to compel recalcitrant States to cooperate with the Tribunal.

Let us uphold the principle of justice. Let us not allow the compulsions of realpolitik to sabotage our own historic decision. The victims' rights must be protected. The offenders must be punished under the law. Let us support the international order that we are trying to create.

The President

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item.

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 50?

The President

I now call on the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to introduce draft resolution A/51/L.8.

Mr. Al-Attar (Syria)

As Syria assumes the chairmanship of the Arab Group for this month, I am honoured to introduce, on behalf of the member countries of the League of Arab States, the draft resolution contained in document A/51/L.8, which is being submitted to the fifty-first session of the General Assembly under agenda item 30 on "Cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States".

The United Nations and the League of Arab States, established at about the same time, were an expression of the hopes of peoples for a better world following the suffering and the scourge of the Second World War. At the time, that independent Arab States joined the United Nations to attempt, through cooperation with other States, to bring about that future to which their peoples so strongly aspired.

The Arab States also had the will to cooperate among themselves to assist those Arab peoples that were still living under colonialism, as well as to develop regional cooperation in order to achieve a better future for their peoples and a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

The links between the United Nations and the League of Arab States are, in fact, an exemplar of the cooperation and integration between this international Organization and regional organizations, as called for in Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. The relationship between the two organizations, as shown in their common history, is based on the shared principles and purposes of their two charters. They were cast in the same mould, and place international peace and security at the top of the agenda.

In the context of the close cooperation between the League of Arab States, as a regional organization, and the United Nations, I should like to stress that the Arab States -- in many international forums, specifically, at the Arab Summit Conference, which was held from 21 to 23 June 1996 at Cairo, and in statements in this Assembly -- have repeatedly expressed their concern that the peace process should continue, in order to achieve a just and comprehensive peace, and as a strategic choice and option to be secured through the legitimacy of the international community.

But, for strategic peace to be achieved there must be a balanced peace formula. This requires a concomitant commitment that Israel must reaffirm seriously and unreservedly. It also calls for an effort to resume the peace process according to its statutes and on the basis of the Madrid Conference and the principle of land for peace. It must be resumed from the point reached during the previous Israeli Administration.

We believe that we must continue to promote cooperation between the League of Arab States and the United Nations, now more than ever, in order to achieve an honourable peace with dignity for the peoples; a peace which brings security and cooperation; a peace which creates an environment conducive to development and stability in the region and throughout the world. In this way, we shall work together to attain the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations.

The preambular part of the draft resolution before us (A/51/L.8) expresses a strong desire to develop the links between the United Nations and the League of Arab States in all spheres of activity. This part also looks forward to further cooperation between the two organizations in order to promote the purposes and principles of the Charter. The final preambular paragraph welcomes the second meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, held on 15 and 16 February 1996 at Vienna.

The operative part takes note with satisfaction of the report of the Secretary-General, commends the continued efforts of the League of Arab States to promote multilateral cooperation among Arab States, and requests the United Nations system to continue to lend its support in this framework. It takes account of the results and recommendations of the Vienna meeting that I have just mentioned. It expresses appreciation to the Secretary-General for the follow-up action taken by him to implement the proposals of meetings between League of Arab States and United Nations secretariats over the years.

In general, the operative part of the draft resolution calls for further cooperation and links between the United Nations and the League of Arab States, as well as between their respective specialized organizations, in order to obtain greater results in the economic and social fields, which in turn are multifaceted and have many objectives.

Proceeding from this, paragraph 10 recommends that the next general meeting between representatives of the United Nations system and the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States and its specialized organizations be held during 1997.

Paragraph 11 requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session a progress report on the implementation of the draft resolution.

At their last meeting, held at Cairo on 15 September 1996, Arab Ministers for Foreign Affairs, expressed their appreciation for efforts by Arab organizations to support and promote the programme of cooperation with the United Nations. They called for further efforts to develop and support the programme of cooperation between the League of Arab States and the United Nations, which accords with the Arab view point. They also called for intensifying Arab efforts to prepare for the next meeting between the secretariats of the League of Arab States, the United Nations and specialized agencies, to be held next year.

Support for the League of Arab States during this decisive and serious period in the Middle East -- a period characterized by the failure to achieve a just and comprehensive peace -- is a noble objective which ought to obtain full support from all members of the international community. Adoption by consensus of the draft resolution before the General Assembly would be a clear expression of international support for that objective.

The President

In accordance with General Assembly resolution 477 (V) of 1 November 1950, I now call on the observer for the League of Arab States.

Mr. Aboul-Nasr (League of Arab States)

As this is my first opportunity to address the General Assembly this session, I should like to open my statement by sincerely congratulating you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-first session. Your election to that high post is an expression of confidence in you personally, and also reflects the international community's appreciation of your friendly country, Malaysia.

The report of the Secretary-General (A/51/380), which is before the General Assembly today, describes the current multifaceted cooperation between the United Nations, the League of Arab States and their specialized agencies and organizations. The report also discusses some examples of that cooperation, particularly in the recent past, in many fields of cooperation between the two organizations. May I pay tribute here to the ongoing consultations, contacts and dialogue between the two organizations on all levels. The report before the Assembly mentions the working visit of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the Cairo headquarters of the League of Arab States, where he was received by its Secretary-General.

The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States also looks forward to attending the sessions of the United Nations General Assembly each year and to meeting with the Secretary-General and the many officials within the Organization to exchange views. Such visits, coupled with the regular meetings, reaffirm the provisions of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations on cooperation with regional organizations. These meetings between the organizations and their officials allow for a review of a wide range of international issues as well as cooperation in solving many international and regional problems.

I should like to express the League of Arab States' appreciation to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and to all his assistants for their efforts to promote cooperation between the organizations and for the continuing exchange of views and consultations. We also appreciate the efforts being made to implement the agreements already reached between the two bodies, since the first meeting, held in Tunisia in 1983, until the most recent one between the two organizations and their specialized agencies, held in Vienna in 1995.

The League of Arab States looks forward to the meeting scheduled for 1997, in accordance with resolution 50/16, adopted by the General Assembly at its previous session and reaffirmed in the draft resolution (A/51/L.8) just introduced by the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic on behalf of the League of Arab States. That meeting is to be devoted to cooperation in all fields between the United Nations and the League of Arab States and their specialized agencies in order to review ways and means to expand coordination between the two organizations. It will also review the implementation of joint projects and programmes aimed at achieving the objectives of the charters of the two bodies, implementing their resolutions and bringing about a just and durable peace in the region.

The world today finds itself in a new, delicate and sensitive political situation. There is a need, therefore, to strengthen the United Nations and respect of its Charter, enhance its effectiveness and implement its resolutions in order to maintain international peace and security. We would like here to reaffirm the full support of the League of Arab States for the historic Declaration adopted last year by Kings, Presidents and Heads of State and Government on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations.

The League of Arab States, a regional organization of 22 member countries, is ready to contribute to the translation of the noble principles expressed in that historic Declaration into a clear programme of action that takes into account the interests of the States and peoples of the world, without discrimination or double standards.

The League of Arab States is following very closely the sincere efforts made by the United Nations and its Secretary-General to address the many problems and tragedies affecting various parts of the world. These attempts are continuing despite the challenges facing the United Nations today. The League of Arab States once again reaffirms its interest in supporting such efforts and its willingness to do all it can to cooperate with the United Nations.

Efforts to resolve the question of Palestine and the problems created by the continuing Israeli occupation of Arab land are a priority concern of the League of Arab States. The Council of the League of Arab States at its latest session, held in September, reaffirmed the need to achieve a just and durable peace and to resume the peace process on the basis of internationally binding resolutions such as Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973) and 425 (1978) and the principles on which they were based, particularly the principle of land for peace. Furthermore, the resolutions of the Council of the League of Arab States call for respect and implementation, without further delay, of the agreements reached in this regard until a comprehensive peace is achieved. Unfortunately, current conditions in the region do not give rise to optimism, particularly in the light of Israel's continuing attempt to renege on previously signed agreements.

Israel's continuing violations, which inflame religious sentiments, its refusal to withdraw from occupied territories, its plans to build more settlements and its other illegal acts are an obstacle to peace. The League of Arab States calls on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities and fulfil its role of moving the peace process forward on the just bases agreed by the United Nations. We hope that this opportunity to achieve a just and durable peace will not be lost, so that we can look forward to cooperation and development. This cannot happen until people's rights are restored and until peace and confidence reign among the States of the region.

In conclusion, I should like to stress that the support of the League of Arab States for the United Nations stems from its members' resolve and commitment to the principles of the Charter and its noble objectives, as well as from our desire as a regional organization to continue to cooperate in all areas with this international Organization. All these objectives are reflected in the draft resolution before you today, which I hope will be adopted by consensus.

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/51/L.8.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/51/L.8?

The President

I shall now call on a representative who wishes to make a statement in explanation of vote. May I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

Ms. Rubinstein (Israel)

The delegation of Israel has joined the consensus on the resolution just adopted. In so doing, we were guided by the desire to make peace with all of our neighbours, all of whom are members of the League of Arab States. Israel has joined consensus on this item for the last three years. During the past year, additional progress has been made in the peace process. Israel undertook to implement the Interim Agreement, which we signed with the Palestinians. To this end, the Israeli Defence Forces have been redeployed from six of the large Arab cities on the West Bank, and Palestinians throughout the territories have assumed responsibility for their own affairs, including internal security, public order and all other aspects of their daily lives. Israel has established formal relations with additional members of the League of Arab States. We opened interests offices with Tunisia and Mauritania, after having opened one with Morocco in 1994. In addition, trade and representation offices have been opened in Oman and Qatar.

Peace and economic cooperation are intimately linked. Just as we are committed to peace, so are we equally committed to strengthening regional economic ties. We have been encouraged by steps taken to lift economic boycotts, such as last year's decision of the Gulf Cooperation Council to lift the secondary boycott against Israel. We had hoped that these positive developments would find expression within the framework of the League of Arab States. The time has come for the members of the League to take further measures to eliminate altogether their boycott against Israel. As a first step in this direction, the League of Arab States could adopt a decision similar to that taken by the Gulf Cooperation Council.

This month, the third Middle East/North Africa Economic Summit was held in Cairo, Egypt, under the patronage of President Mubarak. The goals of the Summit were to facilitate the expansion of private sector investment in the region, to cement a public-private partnership to ensure that end, and to work to enhance regional cooperation and development. Business leaders from Israel, from many Arab States and from Muslim countries outside the region met at the Summit and concluded a number of deals that will help to augment the productive capacity of the region and contribute to its broad-based economic development.

In addition, it was agreed last year to establish in Cairo a Bank for Economic Cooperation and Development in the Middle East and North Africa, and this year preparations are under way for the Bank's first activities. Israel welcomes the Bank's establishment, with which we will cooperate and assist out of our desire to encourage the general development of the States in our region.

Israel supports cooperation between the United Nations and various regional organizations, including the League of Arab States. Indeed, this cooperation is based on provisions of the United Nations Charter. In this context, it is regrettable that Israel still does not belong to a regional group at the United Nations owing to the political objections of some Member States. Israel calls upon the members of the League of Arab States to lift their objections to the admission of Israel to the Asian Group. The fact that Israel is currently denied membership in any regional group directly contradicts the basic principle of the universality of the United Nations.

Israel takes this opportunity to call for increased cooperation between the United Nations Development Programme and the League of Arab States for the establishment of joint projects within the framework of regional agricultural development in the areas under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Council. With regard to cooperation between the World Bank and the League of Arab States, Israel recommends the examination, as soon as possible, of the Bank's financing of the economic development projects of the Palestinian Council. Israel feels that the Arab world must provide a greater share of aid to the Palestinian Council, to match the aid given by the European Union, Norway, Japan and the United States. Israel welcomes all efforts to advance the socio-economic, educational, health and cultural standing of the Palestinian residents of the territories, within this framework of participation between the League of Arab States and United Nations agencies.

This is the first resolution on an issue related to the Middle East to be adopted by the General Assembly at its fifty-first session. We are pleased that the resolution was adopted by consensus, and hope that more draft resolutions related to the region will be adopted through the same procedure. However, in order to ensure that that happens, all parties should exercise restraint and refrain from submitting controversial draft resolutions that parties on one side of the peace negotiations would find impossible to support.

The President

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote.

May I take it that it the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 30?

The President

I call on the representative of Costa Rica to introduce draft resolution A/51/L.18.

Mr. Carreras (Costa Rica)

Before introducing the draft resolution on the situation in Central America, I should like, on behalf of the Government of Costa Rica, to extend condolences to the delegations of Zambia and the Maldives upon the passing of Mr. Paul Lusaka and Ambassador Ahmed Zaki.

On behalf of the delegations of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, I wish to greet you, Mr. President, and convey to you our appreciation for your successful guidance of our work during this session of the General Assembly. You can be sure, Sir, of the steadfast support of the delegations of the countries of Central America in your important work.

I should like to take this opportunity to convey to the Secretary-General our best wishes for the success of his outstanding work in the Secretariat of this Organization. Central America is very grateful for the constant support of the Secretary-General in the process of consolidating peace and democracy, and for his active and determined participation in our efforts to transform the Central American isthmus into a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development. The best evidence of this support can be found in the valuable report of the Secretary-General (A/51/338), submitted to the General Assembly on 9 September 1996.

In 1986 -- 10 years ago -- Central America had reached a crucial point. The long peace negotiations, conducted by the Central American countries under the sympathetic mediation of our brother nations of the Contadora Group, were at a difficult stage. Notwithstanding the constant efforts and encouragement of our brothers from Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Venezuela, the crisis in our region had reached such a point that a halt in the process had become necessary to enable the Central American countries themselves, after some soul-searching, to analyse the situation and take the decisions necessary to achieve a prompt, stable and lasting peace.

In 1986, thanks to the initiative of the Government of Guatemala, the Presidents of the five Central American countries met in the symbolic and hospitable city of Esquipulas. A true process of pacification and democratization thus began which, under the leadership of the Central Americans themselves, and through a free and sovereign exercise, created a procedure for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace in Central America. This procedure, generally known as the Esquipulas II agreement, resulted from the will of the Central American Governments and the support of the international community, and established a series of commitments in the areas of democracy, peace and national reconciliation.

The armed conflicts in Nicaragua and El Salvador were ended through negotiation and political dialogue, as well as through free and pluralist elections in Central America. The armed conflict in Guatemala has ceased, and we all anticipate a definitive peace agreement in that brother country towards the end of this year.

Mr. Carreras (Costa Rica)

In 1996, the Central American region is living in peace and democracy. Our societies have reconciled themselves of their own accord, choosing their leaders through free and fair elections, in an indisputable exercise of freedom and pluralism and within the framework of respect for the rule of law. During this past year, the citizens of Nicaragua and Guatemala have elected new democratic leaders through free and pluralist electoral processes, in the context of respect for popular will and in the presence of international observers.

We in Central America have understood that progress made in the areas of peace and democracy must be secured. Our own experience has proved that national reconciliation and the cessation of armed conflicts can be consolidated only through a genuine political commitment to economic development and social justice. We must keep in mind the painful truth that the last decade of conflicts in Central America were caused by centuries-old social and economic inequities, which fuelled the peoples' discontent. From this sad experience, we in Central America have become fully aware of the need to guarantee and consolidate peace and reconciliation through concrete actions in favour of development and the well-being of peoples.

Thus, our efforts for the consolidation of peace have been directed towards the redefinition of our own processes of national and regional development. We understand that our strength lies primarily in the unity and integration of our political, economic and social processes. With these goals in mind, we redefined our old integration system and have established the Central American Integration System (SICA), which constitutes, as the Esquipulas II agreement did, an authentic and specific conception of communal organization. The Central American Integration System has allowed the Central American countries to make definite progress in the establishment of a real institutional mechanism for regional harmonization and cooperation. We Central Americans proudly affirm that never before have we worked together as we do now with our own mechanisms and institutions.

This effort, which was embodied in the Tegucigalpa Protocol and which will be five years old in December, has been complemented by the addition of the Guatemala Protocol to the General Treaty on Central American Economic Integration, the Statute of the Central American Court of Justice and the Framework Treaty on Democratic Security. All of these communal legal instruments have extended and consolidated the institutional structure for the new Central American integration.

In this context, the Central American Governments attach particular importance to the effective functioning of SICA and have therefore established a system that monitors its operation and functionality, with consistent support from the Inter-American Development Bank and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Secondly, we Central Americans, have learned that the consolidation of peace and democracy in our region requires redefining our national and regional development model so as to harmonize our efforts with new international realities. Since 1994, the Central American Governments have promoted and defined, from a common perspective, a new proposal for national and regional development, which is embodied in the Alliance for the Sustainable Development of Central America, adopted in Managua on 13 October 1994, and was further developed in the Masaya commitments and at the International Conference for Peace and Development, held in Tegucigalpa.

Bearing in mind the development concepts put forward by the United Nations in the context of the Rio summit, we Central Americans have defined and established our Alliance, which provides an integral and sustainable framework in the political, economic, social, environmental and cultural areas, with the participation of civil society. As the Secretary-General points out in paragraph 14 of the aforementioned report, this Alliance "is an ambitious and comprehensive initiative".

We in Central America are aware of this and have therefore united all our efforts, under presidential leadership, to take definitive and unquestionable steps to implement the initiative. The presidential summits held in Costa del Sol, San Pedro Sula and Montelimar during the last 12 months were milestones in the implementation of the Alliance, through the establishment of strategic priorities in the general framework of the commitments entered into in 1994.

In the same vein, the Central American Governments have begun a process of study and analysis of the definition of Central America's terms of incorporation and participation in the new global order of economic and commercial international relations. The goal is to establish, through the identification of our competitive advantages, a new strategy for regional integration in the overall international economic order.

Central America, with its new system of communal organization and with its own model of sustainable development, participates as one entity in extraregional arrangements, with the goal of promoting the progress and well-being of its population. In recent years we have developed systems that link us with the European Union, Mexico and the United States. The Central American Integration System is an observer at the United Nations, and we have recently established new mechanisms for dialogue with Chile, Japan and the Republic of Korea. We are hopeful that these dialogues will soon bear fruit.

In 1996, the Central American countries can proudly show the international community that peace and democracy are indeed achievable in the wake of armed conflicts. Central America is a successful model for the settlement of conflicts and the establishment of peace. Even though, as I mentioned before, this was accomplished by the Central American people themselves, the organized international community played a significant role. Without extraregional support and cooperation, it would be difficult to speak of the consolidation and sustainability of the Central American process. The success of the Central American peace process is thus also an achievement of the international community and of this Organization in particular.

In this regard, I should like to quote the excellent report of the Secretary-General:

"The countries of Central America continue to stress the importance of the role played by the international community in promoting their peace, freedom, democracy and development. At a time of pressing demands for international assistance, they have insisted on the need for this support to be maintained if the progress made in recent years is to be consolidated." (A/51/338, para. 19)

Indeed, in recent years, international participation and support for the Central American process, led by the United Nations and the Organization of American States, has been fundamental.

Let me recall the key role played by the United Nations Observer Group in Central America during the first stage of the peace process known as Esquipulas II; the work done first by the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador and later by the Mission of the United Nations in El Salvador in verifying implementation of the peace accords in El Salvador; and the steadfast labour of the United Nations Mission for the Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with the Commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala in the current stage of the peace process in Guatemala.

Similarly, the broad participation of this Organization in cooperation for the development of Latin America has been important, as evidenced by the work of the Special Plan of Economic Cooperation for Central America and, later, by the Programme for Displaced Persons, Refugees and Returnees (PRODERE). It is also particularly gratifying to acknowledge the role of the Organization in supporting the reconstruction of Nicaragua and El Salvador, in which the United Nations Development Programme has been a key protagonist.

In this new stage of the Central American process, there are areas which, in the view of the countries of the region, are key to the consolidation and implementation of the Alliance for the Sustainable Development of Central America. First, in the political arena, it is important to support the rule of law and respect for human rights by strengthening judicial systems and human rights advocates. In this regard, support for programmes to improve tax collection is also important.

Secondly, regarding social issues, it is essential to support programmes to eradicate poverty and extreme poverty, with special emphasis on the issues of equity and the productive transformation and participation of civil society and women. Thirdly, on environmental issues, the promotion of sustainable development at the local level and the protection and maintenance of natural resources are also very important.

The support of the Organization and its Member States for the priorities we have mentioned is of particular interest to the Central American countries. Accordingly, I take this opportunity to request the Assembly's invaluable support for the cooperation programmes which the United Nations is already implementing in this area. We understand that this effort must include an increase in existing coordination within the various programmes and agencies of the United Nations systems.

On behalf of the Central American Governments, I submit for the Assembly's consideration the draft resolution on agenda item 40, entitled "The situation in Central America: procedures for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace and progress in fashioning a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development". This draft resolution is contained in document A/51/L.18 and I would request that it be adopted by consensus.

As in previous years, this draft resolution is sponsored by a sizeable number of States Members of this Organization. I wish to express the gratitude and appreciation of Central America for their solidarity and support. The draft resolution reflects a shared vision among Central Americans about our reality. But it also contains our aspirations, our dreams -- aspirations and dreams that now, as before, we want to share with the Assembly. We know that we can continue to count on the full support of the United Nations and its Members as we face the new challenges.

Mr. Escovar Salom (Venezuela)

The progress achieved in promoting peace in Central America shows without a doubt that the most appropriate way to solve conflicts is through negotiation. When negotiation predominates, chances are that positive results will be obtained, as witnessed by the events that have occurred there in recent years since the signing of the Esquipulas II Agreement in 1987, establishing the principles and procedures that were to guide the comprehensive peace process in the region.

The implementation of the obligations in this Agreement has contributed fundamentally to creating an atmosphere conducive to introducing to the societies of these countries the changes necessary to putting the era of armed confrontation behind us forever and to making way for new forms of cooperation and understanding among the different sectors of civilian life, founded on tolerance and the principle of pluralism.

We underscore the importance of pursuing endeavours to consolidate the objectives of peace, democracy, reconciliation and justice outlined in the agreements reached by the countries of the region. That process is not yet complete, but we should welcome with appreciation the encouraging progress made to date. The Central American Governments and the international community must jointly draft decisive policies to deal firmly with the aftermath of decades of violence. They must also address the problems caused by projects for economic restructuring that have entailed severe imbalances, which in turn tend to become new challenges to the countries of the region, despite the moderate economic growth resulting from those projects.

We have witnessed the consolidation of the basic elements of democratic systems. With the assistance of international organizations, changes to strengthen the electoral process; the human rights institutions and other civil organs have been made. The urgent challenge now is to face the difficulties caused by unemployment, social decay and poverty, as the Heads of State of the Central American countries have recognized on various occasions. Similarly, the United Nations Secretary-General, in his report in document A/51/338 of 9 September 1996, emphasizes the fact that there has been

"little advance in the alleviation of widespread poverty or in the much needed creation of employment". (A/51/338, para. 11)

Accordingly, it will be necessary simultaneously to promote liberty, democracy and development, while maintaining a close relationship between them. Focusing on these three objectives from a comprehensive perspective will lead to the consolidation of peace and security in a region where conflicts have been caused by inequality. Understanding and solidarity in the international community must prevail so as to help strengthen the progress made to date in this regard. To that effect, two relevant events that clearly demonstrate the political will of the countries of the region to achieve those goals are the signing of the Alliance for Sustainable Development of Central America and the approval of the Framework Treaty on Democratic Security in Central America.

We express our satisfaction with the programmes and projects set forth in the frameworks of the following international mechanisms: the Central American European Union/Group of Three dialogue, the international financial institutions, United Nations bodies and the Organization of American States, bilateral initiatives, and those promoted in the context of the Groups of Friends. In that regard, I wish to highlight Venezuela's active participation in many of those efforts and particularly, those of the Groups of Friends, which have done outstanding work in the peace process in Central America.

In that context, Venezuela will continue to support endeavours to reach a just and lasting peace throughout the region. To that end, we will foster activities to maintain confidence and goodwill among all parties in order to pursue the regional peace process and will continue the programmes of economic and financial cooperation developed by Venezuela in the region with the aim of securing its economic growth, justice, full democratization and solidarity. Venezuela has been particularly active and prominent in the development of programmes of economic and political solidarity, not only in Central America but in other regions also.

Mr. Nicholls (Colombia)

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