General Assembly Session 53 meeting 16

The Acting President

In a letter contained in document A/53/345/Add.4, the Secretary-General informs the President of the General Assembly that, since the issuance of his communications contained in documents A/53/345 and addenda 1 to 3, Vanuatu has made the necessary payment to reduce its arrears below the amount specified in Article 19 of the Charter.

May I take it that the General Assembly duly takes note of this information?

The Acting President

I now call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Liberia, His Excellency Mr. Monie R. Captan.

Mr. Captan (Liberia)

I bring the Assembly greetings from President Charles Taylor and the Government and the people of Liberia.

On behalf of the delegation of Liberia and in my own name, I convey my sincere congratulations to Mr. Opertti on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session. His unanimous election to this high office is a credit not only to him but also to his esteemed country. I assure him of my delegation's fullest support and cooperation and wish him every success in the discharge of his duties.

I should like also to register my delegation's appreciation to the President's distinguished predecessor, Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko, the then Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, for the able manner in which he conducted the work of the fifty-second session. The many successes achieved during his tenure of office, especially in the reform of this Organization, attest to his diplomatic skills and his understanding of the problems which confront the Organization and our determined efforts to build a more just and humane international order that is responsive to the legitimate aspirations of all mankind.

We offer special thanks to our Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his unrelenting pursuit of the implementation of the mandates entrusted to him by the Assembly. My delegation also commends him for his efforts aimed at the successful execution of the administrative reforms of the Secretariat, and the important focus he has placed on development, peacemaking and peace-building efforts, especially in Africa, as the most assured basis for sustainable development.

The Secretary-General's report (A/52/871) on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa provides an in-depth analysis of the social and economic ills of the Continent, which was thoroughly discussed at the ministerial meeting of the Security Council. We fully agree with his assertion that while African Governments must ultimately be held responsible for the problems confronting their countries, meaningful steps must be taken by this Organization to lend support to national measures aimed at alleviating these problems.

In this connection, it is notable that on 6 October 1998, the United Nations will observe the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of its peacekeeping operations. Africa continues to benefit from the United Nations peacekeeping operations aimed at the resolution of conflicts on the continent pursuant to Chapter VIII of the Charter. While welcoming this cooperation, Liberia calls upon the Security Council to employ impartiality and non-selectivity in the execution of its primary role of maintaining international peace and security.

The international political situation continues to be characterized by sustained efforts aimed at the maintenance of international peace and security. While there has been no major eruption of military confrontation between States, intra-State conflicts and civil wars in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea-Bissau, the Sudan and Kosovo, and the territorial dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea have claimed the attention of regional and subregional organizations such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union and the Organization of African Unity (OAU).

These organizations and regional bodies are endeavouring, with the complementary support of the United Nations, to seek negotiated peaceful solutions and to minimize the humanitarian crises, refugee flows and internal displacement caused by conflicts and wars.

With regard to the Middle East, my delegation is deeply concerned about the lack of progress, particularly in connection with the Madrid Conference and the Oslo accords. We are of the view that new initiatives should be undertaken to restart the peace process, focusing on the understanding reached by the parties. Liberia will support renewed efforts by the international community that seek to bring the volatile situation in that region to a fair and equitable conclusion.

The rise in acts of terrorism threatens the independence, sovereignty, freedom, economic and social development of all States. It cannot be overemphasized that terrorism has no justification as a means to solve political differences. Therefore, the Government of Liberia strongly condemns the bombings in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya. It is imperative that concerted actions be taken to combat this unwholesome phenomenon which has no bounds. Liberia is in accord with the proposal of President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt for the convening of an international conference on terrorism to deliberate on the issue.

The world is faced with the frightening prospect of an increase in the number of States with nuclear capability, as well as the proliferation of conventional weapons. We therefore call for more States to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). There is an urgent need to curtail the trafficking in small arms and to promote greater transparency in arms transfers.

The scourge of the worldwide drug problem necessitated the convening of the drug summit in New York in June of this year. It is a source of concern that drug sales have overtaken trade in other commodities, and the money value of this illegal act has reached over $400 billion annually. My Government reaffirms its commitment to tackling the drug problem within its borders and to cooperating at the regional and international levels in keeping with the Political Declaration and the guiding principles outlined at the conclusion of the summit.

The 1990s have been declared an era of globalization. However, the rapid growth of international trade and financial flows has affected most economies in profound ways. Globalization threatens the weak and vulnerable by marginalizing them in the global economic system.

For most developing countries, the debt overhang and unequal participation in the regulation of commodity pricing, declining official development assistance and capital flows are perennial problems that hamper their economic development and integration into the world economy. My delegation therefore joins in the call for the industrialized countries to bring about equity in the regulatory framework for the financial and exchange markets.

In this connection, Liberia reaffirms its support for the position of the Non-Aligned Movement summit, held recently in Durban, South Africa, that developed countries be urged to accelerate the review of the world financial system, thus ensuring that capital flows were supportive of expansion in trade, employment and development. In addition, there is the need to boost development aid from Western countries and to remove restrictive conditions linked to receiving international assistance.

In particular, my Government welcomes the call by President William Clinton of the United States of America for a meeting in Washington, D.C., in mid-October of this year, of finance ministers and central bank governors from nations of the G-7 and emerging economies to debate steps to shore up the tottering global financial system. His reaffirmation of this proposal, as well as his pledge made to this Assembly on 21 September last, to forge a partnership with Africa, deserves our commendation and support. Also, we cannot agree more with the Secretary-General that the United Nations should be included in the discussion. Its participation will give more international credibility to the decisions that would emerge from the meeting.

Even though recent indicators point to improvement in the economies of several African countries, the vast majority continue to experience negative growth. The largest number of least developed countries are in Africa, and the crippling effects of the heavy external debt and decline in investment and financial flows have been major contributors to the poor economic performance of these countries. There is a need for concerted international action to remedy this state of affairs. The United Nations system-wide support for the development of Africa is a step in the right direction.

My delegation welcomes the recent decision of the substantive session of the Economic and Social Council, held in July of this year, and the Council's ministerial communiqué on market access for exports from least developed countries, as well as capacity-building and in-service infrastructure development. These decisions deserve full support and should be implemented by Member States.

In this connection, the important initiative taken by the Government of Japan, a prominent member of the G-7, to urgently address Africa's development has the highest commendation of my Government and the appreciation of all African States. My delegation looks forward to actively participating in the important ministerial meeting which will be convened in Tokyo next month on Africa's economic recovery. Moreover, this initiative deserves the wholehearted support of Member States of this Organization, particularly the developed countries.

My delegation notes with satisfaction the efforts by the United Nations to harmonize the issues of development and the environment. With respect to the environment, the decision reached on Agenda 21 during the 1992 Rio Conference is the most comprehensive effort undertaken by the international community to raise awareness of the degradation of the environment and the need to reverse the negative trend. We trust that the issue of the environment will remain a priority on the global agenda.

One important and unquestionable achievement for our Organization to celebrate is the great improvement in the universal character of the Organization. Nevertheless, more efforts must be deployed to ensure that every country becomes a member of this Organization. My delegation believes that in that regard, the exceptional situation of the Republic of China on Taiwan must be examined with a view to the unification of the Chinese people based on their own will and decision. However, we also believe that it is the responsibility of this Organization to provide the impetus for the unification of the two Chinas. History is replete with examples of the membership in this Organization of divided countries, where unification was peacefully settled under the aegis of the United Nations. We have confidence in the ability of the United Nations to allow history to be repeated on a similar matter of grave importance to this Organization. In the interest of equity and the maintenance of regional peace and security, my country calls for the parallel representation in the United Nations of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan.

The matter of reform is one that needs no justification. It is an imperative for the continued relevance of the United Nations. An Organization made up of 185 Member States must, by its nature, allow fair play and democracy to prevail, and not the rule of weighted influence. The tenets of the United Nations Charter do not submit to the principle of "might makes right", but to the enlightened principles of international law which emerge from the objective need for peaceful coexistence. Unless the powerful States recognize this imperative, the international system will move towards international anarchy rather than towards a more humane, peaceful and stable world order.

These reforms will be meaningless unless parallel reforms can be achieved within the Bretton Woods institutions, the very essence of weighted and undemocratic global influence.

On the question of increase in the membership of the Security Council, Liberia reaffirms its support for an increase for Africa and other under-represented regions on the basis of equitable geographical representation, consistent with the decisions of the Organization of African Unity and the Non-Aligned Movement.

During the fifty-second session of the General Assembly, it was my honour to read the prepared text of Mr. Charles Taylor, President of the Republic of Liberia, to this Assembly. At that time, only two months had passed since his assumption of the leadership of Liberia, following seven years of civil war and the holding of democratic elections in the country.

Since then, the Government has undertaken measures towards the rebuilding of the country, national reconciliation, rehabilitation, repatriation and resettlement.

In light of this, from 19 July to 12 August 1998, the people of Liberia participated in a national conference to deliberate on the future of Liberia under the theme "Vision 2024". This historic undertaking not only reaffirmed President Taylor's commitment to participatory democracy but also afforded a unique opportunity for Liberians at home and abroad to freely deliberate on and propose solutions for the building of a new Liberia.

At the conclusion of the conference, a commission was established and given the responsibility to seek full implementation of the decisions reached. Those decisions ranged from decentralization of the Government to the enactment of legislation covering all facets of the society.

My Government has attached high priority to the implementation of the decisions of the national conference, since it has helped produce an agenda which complements that of the Government and identifies issues and measures as well as courses of action that could be adopted for the stability and development of Liberia.

President Taylor is aware that the key to Liberia's stability and development lies in fostering genuine reconciliation among Liberians. A human rights commission established since the inception of the Government continues to function. The protection of human rights will remain one of the cornerstones of Liberia's domestic policy. This is why my Government has now undertaken legislative action to ratify and accede to all human rights instruments as a concrete attestation of our commitment to promote and protect human rights in Liberia.

Convinced that democracy is indispensable for development, the Government has also undertaken measures to realize its intention to build institutions to consolidate the democratic process in the country. We have encouraged the continued existence and growth of the 13 political parties that participated in the last elections. We hold regular consultations with these parties concerning national issues. We believe that these efforts are necessary for the dynamic development of a modern Liberia. Meanwhile, international support remains a necessity in order for Liberia to find its way forward and consolidate the gains made by the return to civilian, constitutional rule.

Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter vests the Security Council with the authority to decide what measures may be taken to maintain or restore international peace and security, following a determination of the existence of any threat to peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression.

In a number of cases, the imposition of a sanctions regime or embargo by the Council has yielded, with minimal collateral harm, the results for which punitive measures were authorized. However, in other cases, sanctions have led to grave and intolerable humanitarian crises which have deprived large numbers of innocent and vulnerable persons, mainly women and children, of their most basic needs, while not achieving their intended objectives.

Within this context, the Government of Liberia believes that any sanctions regime should clearly define the punitive measure, its specific target, a definite time-frame and exemptions to mitigate the unintended harmful consequences for the whole population of a given country and those of contiguous States.

In 1992, during Liberia's civil war, the ECOWAS subregional grouping imposed an arms embargo on Liberia as a means to facilitate the peace process and reduce the level of violence. ECOWAS also further appealed to the Security Council to facilitate the universal application of the embargo, an appeal the Security Council heeded positively by adopting a resolution imposing an arms embargo on Liberia.

By 1997, the Liberian civil war was brought to an end through the process of a negotiated political settlement, disarmament, demobilization and the holding of free and fair democratic elections. After the inauguration of the elected and constitutional Government, ECOWAS lifted all sanctions and embargoes imposed against Liberia and called upon the international community to do the same.

The Government of Liberia, since its assumption of office, has repeatedly called upon the Security Council to lift the arms embargo, an appeal that has fallen on deaf ears. The Liberian Government has a constitutional responsibility and a sovereign right to defend, protect and preserve the independence and territorial integrity of the Republic.

We strongly believe that the arms embargo currently in force against Liberia is patently unfair since it is open-ended and provides no criteria for the lifting of the embargo, as has been the procedure in other, similar cases. Moreover, the intent and purpose of the 1992 arms embargo have been achieved by the peaceful resolution of the Liberian civil crisis through the holding of democratic elections in Liberia and the installation of the Government headed by President Charles Taylor on 2 August 1997.

As a responsible member of the international community, Liberia would accede to the wishes of the Security Council if it were decided that there was justification for the maintenance of sanctions against Liberia based on concrete facts or a violation of international law or covenants. However, to do so under a sanctions regime that no longer has validity is unwarranted and inimical to the interests of the country.

The Government of Liberia requests that the Security Council take cognizance of Liberia's legitimate aspirations and constitutional obligation to its people. It should be noted that in spite of the support of the Liberian people for their Government, there may remain some disgruntled citizens and external actors who seek to disturb the peace and reverse the progress achieved thus far by capitalizing on the perceived inability of the Government to adequately protect itself because of the present arms embargo on the country. For the Security Council to place a Member State of this Organization in such an untenable position is inimical to the interests of the Liberian Government and people and inconsistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

The Government of Liberia calls on the Security Council to impartially assume its responsibility under the Charter by expeditiously redressing what is considered to be an injustice to Liberia by lifting its 1992 arms embargo, imposed on the country for the reasons already mentioned.

At the threshold of the twenty-first century, it must be recognized that the full achievement of the goals and objectives of this Organization has been largely undermined by the long period of the cold war. Its demise held out the promise of a peace dividend that was to be applied to the development activities of the United Nations.

Regrettably, that is not the case today. However, within a renewed, principled spirit of interdependence, the international community can evolve an effective means of partnership and cooperation to achieve equity in the areas of economic development and social advancement as necessary conditions for the maintenance of global peace and security.

By so doing, we will have crafted a workable agenda that will propel the human family into the new millennium with the hope of a just world order that is responsive to the needs of all inhabitants of our common planet, as envisaged in the Charter.

Let me give the assurance that Liberia remains committed to this basic goal in the same determined manner as when it signed the Charter of the United Nations in 1945.

The Acting President

The next speaker is the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, His Excellency Shaikh Mohamed Bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa, on whom I now call.

Mr. Al-Khalifa (Bahrain)

At the outset, I am pleased to extend to Mr. Opertti my sincere congratulations on his election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session. I am confident that his experience and skill will help ensure that we achieve the best results possible in our proceedings this session.

I should also like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko for his notable success in guiding the proceedings of the General Assembly at its fifty-second session. It am also pleased to express thanks and appreciation to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his unceasing efforts to reform the United Nations and to enhance its credibility while strengthening its role in maintaining world peace and security.

The aspirations of the world's peoples and States to achieve stability based on security, peace, prosperity and advancement, which are basic objectives of the international community, impose upon us the duty, year after year, to take a realistic account, in this international forum, of the configurations of international realities for which the United Nations serves as the most credible gauge and the most comprehensive reference point for changes in various fields. This would enable us to assess together how close we are to, or how far we are from, our basic human objectives.

Developments in recent months and weeks in various parts of the world, and their implications and effects at different international levels, have demonstrated that, despite all the efforts made, this world is a long way from achieving the stability desired. They also demonstrate that no single Power, nation or bloc, however powerful or influential, can distance or protect itself from instability, which is rampant in the world, unless situations in the north, south, east and west are approached in a unified, consensual and fair manner and with balance and interdependence. This must be done in order to radically solve problems and issues, addressing their root causes and avoiding double standards and partial or temporary solutions, and without deferring seemingly chronic problems that are bound to rear their heads again in one form or another.

The failure of the international community to take proper advantage of the end of the cold war has been made manifest by the nuclear arms race erupting in Asia, obstacles in the Middle East peace process, the rise of terrorism and other acts of violence committed indiscriminately in various parts of the world, as well as the worsening of economic crises in several regions.

The international situation is once again precarious, and it is incumbent upon all of us to treat these matters comprehensively, and with greater firmness and determination. The increased gravity of the phenomenon of terrorism on the one hand, and the divergence of views regarding that phenomenon on the other, underline the need for greater international understanding and more effective joint coordination. This calls for the need to convene an international conference at the highest possible level to combat terrorism, for it is illogical to condemn terrorism at one level, while giving haven to persons involved in it at another level. Such an enormous task cannot be undertaken by any single State or bloc alone, whatever resources it may have. Thus we are once again faced with an enormous and renewed responsibility placed on the shoulders of our international Organization, which has now been required, in the light of the new conditions and the profound changes in the international environment, to adopt effective and unconventional working methods so as to confront these new and unprecedented situations in the history of humankind.

This bestows a renewed importance and should also give new impetus to both the United Nations reform programme put forward by the Secretary-General last year and to approaches to reactivating the performance of the Security Council in line with more effective formulas for its restructuring and functioning which may be acceptable to the international community within the United Nations. These formulas should take into account equitable geographical distribution and an appropriate increase in the Council's membership, commensurate with the increase in the Organization's membership. Bahrain takes pride in the fact that at present it is the representative of the Asian Group in the Security Council.

Experience has shown that the end of an era, or victory in a confrontation, does not mean the end of crises or confrontations in the world, and that continuous international vigilance and permanent joint action are indispensable if we are to avoid inertia and prevent the recurrence of such crises. Creative visions and innovative methods to deal with new challenges are required. That does not mean that we have reached the end of history, as some have imagined. Rather, it means that we have reached an unprecedented phase of history on the practical and political plane of the international situation.

Insofar as the theoretical and intellectual aspects are concerned, it is a fact that -- however numerous may be the views and interpretations in research and discussions in the world's different cultures and civilizations that have captured the attention of the world in an unprecedented manner in respect of the "globalization" phenomenon and its dimensions and possible impacts, both positive and negative -- the United Nations, established over half a century ago, remains the indisputable mother institution for this phenomenon. The United Nations represents an early concretization of globalization in world history, despite the fact that globalization was not then as mature or comprehensive as it is today.

If there is to be a global focal point qualified to carry out balanced and objective research on the dimensions of this phenomenon whose impact is yet to be agreed upon, this international Organization should be the common melting pot for the various visions and diverging interpretations concerning the globalization of the international scene, irrespective of the cultural, intellectual and spiritual directions of their proponents. This should also be achieved in a manner whereby the fashionable phrase "clash of civilizations" can be transcended and replaced by harmony and dialogue.

Should the United Nations, with its institutions and intellect, be unable to absorb this international phenomenon and its consequences for human and international reality, this may lead to a different global reality that is incompatible with the spirit and philosophy of the Organization. The result of such a situation might in the long run become difficult to contain and control within the bounds of international legitimacy and existing international cooperation, as attested to by the increase in acts of terrorism and the breaches of established norms in more than one field.

It goes without saying that the United Nations will be unable to meet historical and future obligations of this magnitude, without adequate support from all its Member States, whether at the level of financial obligations, practical facilities or, more importantly, political support for its programmes and plans. In the final analysis, the United Nations is merely the sum total of the joint political will of Member States. This sum total, be it positive or negative, is but an expression of the capacity of that political will to undertake joint international action.

In spite of the apprehensions and risks that loom over the international horizon, the future for the third millennium is laden with promises, hopes and potentials that are worthy of sacrifice and hard work for the sake of a better future.

Accruing scientific and technological advancement, the increasing speed of communications and the information revolution, the spread of free trade and the deepening interaction among nations, cultures and civilizations are all harbingers of a better world for all mankind.

As it witnesses these positive new developments on the world scene, Bahrain, with its deep-rooted civilization, is hardly a stranger to this.

Five thousand years ago, Bahrain was one of the most important commercial ports in the world. By virtue of its openness, based as it was on freedom of commerce, it constituted a meeting place for cultures and human thought. Since that early time, by symbolizing the heritage of the old world regarding coexistence and interaction between human contributions, it became qualified to be an island for peace and to be a civic and spiritual centre in its natural and human environment in the Arabian Gulf. The existing legacy of its old civilization bears witness to that.

Consequently, and since the beginning of its current renaissance, Bahrain has sought to meet the requirements of modern advancement in the areas of administration and management, educational and cultural enlightenment and the creation of an open and civilized society that is capable of evolution based primarily on the Bahraini individual's innovation, capabilities and basic rights to a free and honourable life. It has thus become a model for balanced modernization that preserves the traditions of our region of the world.

By virtue of this distinctive role, the State of Bahrain, small in size as it is, today bears a hefty regional and international responsibility on three levels simultaneously: first, in its capacity as the financial and banking centre of one of the world's most important economic areas; secondly, in its capacity as a fundamental link at the forefront of the joint defence strategy of that vital region of the world -- as has been the case continuously over the last half-century, coinciding with the history of the United Nations; and thirdly, in its capacity as a social, cultural and civic model that has, since the beginning of this century, been open to modern thought and reforms and to progressive human development for both men and women equally in various fields of education and work, and in responsible social and national partnership. This has been reflected in this year's United Nations Development Programme Human Development Report. That report placed Bahrain first in the Arab world for the fourth consecutive year, for its achievements in human development. Furthermore, the accomplishments in the field of economic and industrial development in Bahrain reflect model diversification of the means of production, which goes beyond an exclusive dependence on oil.

As it takes part in the United Nations celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Bahrain in fact does so as a reflection of its real and historic contribution to the building of the social, educational and developmental foundations for these basic human rights -- the very core of the general structure of society -- in a manner that transcends slogans and efforts to politicize this venerable human issue. In addressing this issue, due consideration should be given to the historical and legislative peculiarities and values of every society, religion and culture, so that the outlook of one system cannot predominate over the legitimate and unique outlook of another.

The United Nations played a positive role in defusing the crisis between Iraq and the international inspection teams earlier this year. The State of Bahrain welcomed the Memorandum of Understanding reached between the Secretary-General and the Iraqi Government. In view of our keen interest in the preservation of security and peace in the Gulf region, we applaud the effective role undertaken by the Secretary-General in defusing the crisis and sparing the region from dangerous ramifications and consequences. We wish to reaffirm the need for Iraq to continue fulfilling its international obligations concerning the elimination of weapons of mass destruction and the release of Kuwaiti and other prisoners of war and detainees. Any progress in this respect should be recognized as a first step towards the alleviation of the suffering of the brotherly Iraqi people. The State of Bahrain has always emphasized the need for ensuring the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq and the rejection of any interference in its internal affairs.

The continued occupation by the Islamic Republic of Iran of the three islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb, which belong to the United Arab Emirates, remains a cause of concern to the State of Bahrain and the other sister members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. We hope that ongoing contacts between the sisterly United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran will lead to the settlement of the question of these islands by means of serious bilateral negotiations and other available peaceful means for the settlement of disputes among States through reconciliation.

As far as the general situation in the Gulf is concerned, we, of course, welcome the easing of tension and the progress toward rapprochement and dialogue between the States members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Islamic Republic of Iran as being in the interest of all their peoples and of the preservation of peace in that region.

The painful events in the Gulf region during the last two decades explain why the question of regional security remains one to which the State of Bahrain accords the utmost importance in view of its serious ramifications and repercussions in relation to the security, stability and safety of the States and peoples of the region. The territorial and boundary claims currently seen in the Gulf region, which aim at changing established and traditionally accepted boundaries, upset the security and stability of the region. In our view, the optimal and most judicious course for avoiding that scenario is to respect the status quo, to refrain from all claims, total or partial, and to settle any related differences by peaceful means acceptable to the parties to the dispute. The establishment of relations among the States of the region on the basis of good-neighbourliness, mutual respect, non-interference in the internal affairs of others and recognition of every State's national sovereignty are also fundamental elements for the maintenance of security and stability in the region.

Regarding the Middle East peace process, this year has not witnessed any positive developments or progress, despite all the efforts to move the process forward. We believe that the lack of progress in the peace process will lead to an escalation of tension, extremism and violence in the region. Having supported the peace process since its very beginnings at the Madrid Conference as a strategic option for the achievement of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region, Bahrain is deeply concerned at the stalemate in the peace process resulting from the Israeli Government's insistence on following policies of procrastination, non-compliance with commitments previously agreed upon with the Palestinian Authority, and construction of more settlements both in Holy Jerusalem and in the Syrian Golan. That is in addition to the continued confiscation of land in the occupied Palestinian territories. Therefore, we call upon the international community, and in particular the two co-sponsors of the peace process, to intensify efforts to rescue the faltering process, prevent its failure and put it back on the right course on all tracks so that just and comprehensive peace may be attained on the basis of the principle of land for peace, the return to their owners of the Palestinian territories, including in the first place Holy Jerusalem, recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to establish an independent State of its own on its national territory, complete withdrawal by Israel from the occupied Syrian Arab Golan to the borders that existed on 4 June 1967, in accordance with Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), and the unconditional withdrawal from occupied southern Lebanon in accordance with Council resolution 425 (1978).

With regard to the question of disarmament relevant to weapons of mass destruction, it should be recalled that Israel continues to avoid accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and a commitment to end a nuclear arms race in the region. Such a position is apt to force other States to enter such a race, as has happened in South Asia, and as could happen anywhere in the world.

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the world's multilateral trading system. Since the system was established, numerous rounds of multilateral trade negotiations contributed to the creation of the World Trade Organization. We hope that the forthcoming round of trade negotiations, expected to begin before the end of the century, will lead to the creation of an environment conducive to the development and diversification of world trade, and to the enhancement of economic and commercial cooperation among States on the basis of equality and reciprocal benefits.

The financial crisis that has afflicted a number of States and regions has caused economic tremors and has visibly affected the economies of numerous States, thus affirming the interdependence of the world economic system. In view of the consequences of this crisis, the international community must pay special attention to the treatment of economic factors that have a bearing on world growth rates and find effective solutions to them.

It is our view that dialogue and cooperation between States of the North and of the South with a view to addressing world economic conditions would enhance world economic stability, lead to a greater flow of financial resources for development purposes and solve problems related to indebtedness, transfer of technology and the promotion of international investment.

Environmental issues constitute a challenge that will face mankind during the twenty-first century. Concerted international efforts will be called for to address and prevent the dangers related to that challenge. Accordingly, the State of Bahrain has endorsed the Protocol adopted by the third session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held last December at Kyoto, Japan. We look forward to the fulfilment by the developed countries of their obligations under that Protocol.

On the threshold of the twenty-first century, we view assertion of the importance of one civilization at the expense of others as incongruous at the dawning of a new era, an era based on peaceful coexistence between civilizations, their integration, their mutual enrichment, and their interaction with one another on an equal footing. The experience of the United Nations since its establishment has shown that variety and diversity of cultures are means towards fusion and harmony rather than towards antagonism and divisiveness. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us, during the forthcoming period, to build relations among all nations, peoples, States and cultures on the basis of cooperation, consensus and understanding, rather than confrontation, hegemony or collision. Let us together promote close and enduring ties among peoples and cultures in a world of interdependence and fraternity. Let national and cultural pluralism be elements of fruitful solidarity and mutual understanding in the creation of an era of peace and tranquillity.

This Organization, which over the last 50 years has guided mankind towards better understanding and greater cooperation and coordination, is capable of pursuing its historic role and undertaking a positive role in the ongoing evolution of the international community throughout the next century. It is thus no exaggeration to say that the world has never before witnessed as historic a juncture as this, where it needs a joint international vision and concerted international action with a view to crossing to the shore of safety for which we all yearn.

The Acting President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Swaziland.

The Acting President

I have great pleasure in welcoming the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Swaziland, His Excellency Mr. Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Dlamini (Swaziland)

I come with the greetings and warm wishes of His Majesty King Mswati III, Her Majesty the Indlovukazi, the Queen Mother, the Government and the whole Swazi nation to all our fellow members of the United Nations.

On behalf of the Kingdom of Swaziland, I would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Mr. Opertti on his unanimous election to the presidency of the fifty-third session of the General Assembly. We have the fullest confidence in his ability to lead the deliberations of this session, and I can assure him of my delegation's full support and cooperation.

I would like to congratulate his predecessor, Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko, on the skill with which he presided over the fifty-second session.

I would also like to commend the work done over the past 12 months by our Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, and the staff of the United Nations Secretariat. We have been impressed by the strength of their commitment to meet the many challenges facing our Organization, and we take pride in their considerable achievements.

The Kingdom of Swaziland is encouraged by the progress that has been achieved in the reform of the United Nations. Much credit is due to the Secretary-General and his staff for their implementation of cost-cutting measures and the commitment they have shown to creating a more efficient Organization.

For our part, we believe the membership must provide the financial resources for the Organization to carry out the tasks that we ourselves have set. We surely cannot expect the United Nations to meet its existing obligations, let alone take on the new challenges we present to it, if we lag behind in the payment of our dues. The Kingdom of Swaziland makes every effort to keep up to date with its financial obligations in full, on time and without conditions -- and we appeal to all our fellow Member States to do the same.

The Kingdom of Swaziland is nevertheless concerned at the painfully slow rate of progress in the debate on the restructuring of the Security Council. The delay is especially frustrating when we know that there is global consensus on the need to make the permanent membership of the Council more democratic and representative of the developing world. This issue has been central to discussions during Non-Aligned Movement summit meetings and successive meetings of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). There continues to be unanimous support for change.

In this regard, the Kingdom of Swaziland continues to support the African common position, which calls, among other things, for membership of the Security Council to be based on an equitable geographical formula. Africa is calling for two permanent seats, with the full voting and veto rights that are enjoyed by the current membership. However, in the longer term, we believe that the right of veto should be the subject of review, as it is not in accordance with recognized democratic practices since it gives unequal weight to the minority view.

As we celebrate the thirtieth year of our independence and the thirtieth birthday of our monarch, the Kingdom of Swaziland is continuing quietly and peacefully to develop all aspects of life according to the wishes and expectations of our people. Our overall aim is to raise the living standards of all our people and to ensure that access to all the basic requirements of decent human life is available to all. We have conducted a number of initiatives aimed at identifying the areas of highest priority for action and we have asked the people themselves to contribute their ideas and views on how we can overcome the challenges we face. We have always believed that sustainable development will be best achieved in our country when there is the involvement, support and understanding of the whole nation. It is for this reason that we continue to consult the people on issues of national importance at open forums, thus giving all Swazis the opportunity to make their views known and have them considered.

The implementation of our development aims involves a twin-track approach, with an economic and social reform agenda covering the shorter term, and a national development strategy to provide an action plan for the next 25 years. Both are the result of the recommendations of the Swazi people themselves and reflect the wishes of all Swazis.

In a similar vein, and again in response to the people's request, we are conducting a review of our Constitution. His Majesty informed the General Assembly last year of the establishment of the Constitutional Review Commission. The whole nation is engaged in this vitally important exercise, and I am pleased to inform our fellow Members that substantial progress has been made over the past 12 months. The end result will truly reflect the will of the people themselves, and we are confident that we will have in place a Constitution that will serve the best interests of all Swazis for many generations to come.

We have been most grateful for the support we have received from the United Nations towards these important nation-building processes, and we value highly the continued support and encouragement from many of our friends and partners in the international community with respect to our development efforts.

In common with almost every country, we find that the issue of unemployment remains our greatest challenge. We recognize that, with the global economic situation deteriorating and the gap between the developed and the developing countries widening, the task of creating jobs is becoming more and more difficult. In response to this, we have introduced incentives to attract investment from both internal and external sources, and we have established an investment promotion authority to act as the catalyst for rapid investment growth. Such national initiatives are aimed at creating favourable conditions for our people to gain a decent standard of living and to continue to enjoy the peace and stability with which we have been blessed throughout our history.

We have noted with regret that the past 12 months have seen an alarming rise in situations of internal conflict and external aggression among many of the Member States. Furthermore, there are many instances of situations where internal conflicts have spilled over borders, creating the potential for regional instability. The situations in the Kosovo region of Yugoslavia, and the heightened tension on the border between Iran and Afghanistan, are just two examples which are of great concern to the international community.

This worrying trend has resulted in valuable global resources being channelled away from economic and social development priorities, and has undermined our collective efforts to achieve peace and stability throughout the world.

All too many of our fellow human beings are caught up in a spiral of seemingly unending violence, with millions forced into exile from their own homes, thus becoming the latest statistics among the unfortunate numbers of refugees. In this respect, we urge the international community to continue to improve its response mechanisms so that appropriate action is taken quickly and decisively to prevent conflict and to repair the misery caused by it.

In a similar vein, the stalling of the peace process in the Middle East continues to frustrate the efforts of those who desire a genuine, lasting peace in that troubled region. The Kingdom of Swaziland applauds those nations which are working hard to get the process back on track, and we continue to urge those involved to respect the terms of the Oslo peace accord as the only basis on which to rebuild the atmosphere of trust which is so necessary for the process to move forward.

Meanwhile, on our continent of Africa, the conflicts in areas including the Horn of Africa and in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Lesotho and Guinea-Bissau, are challenging to the full the diplomatic skills of all of us in the international community who hope to bring lasting peace to our continent.

Of particular concern to us in the southern African region has been the renewal of civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the resumption of hostilities in Angola and the very recent disturbances in Lesotho. Our fellow members will recall the efforts of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), among others, to find a solution to the distressing situations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola, which are hampering cooperation between member States of the community. In the case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Kingdom of Swaziland believes that the United Nations has a role to play as peacemaker to complement the efforts of SADC and the OAU.

In all cases, we pray that a solution may be found to end the bloodshed, establish a lasting ceasefire and allow negotiations between the opposing sides. We pray that sustainable solutions may soon be found to all of Africa's conflict situations and that all our fellow Africans may be free from the sufferings endured by so many for so long.

The Kingdom of Swaziland applauds the remarkable progress made towards a lasting settlement in Northern Ireland. We know there is still a long way to go, but, given the centuries-long history of the Troubles, the achievement has been all the more impressive. We also commend those who have contributed to the process, and we salute especially the people of Northern Ireland, who chose to take their destiny in their own hands and voted for peace. This provides an excellent example of what is possible when there is true commitment to peace from all sides in a dispute.

Our continent's fresh crises have shown once more that Africa needs to be better prepared to head off potential conflicts through timely dialogue and negotiation, and to have available a pool of peacekeepers to act where necessary.

The Kingdom of Swaziland welcomes the Secretary-General's report to the Security Council regarding the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa.

In this regard, we support the concept of an integrated approach to conflict resolution on our continent as a way of enhancing closer cooperation between Africa and the rest of the world and making the best use of the resources at our disposal.

The Kingdom of Swaziland is already engaged in efforts to become more involved in conflict resolution. To this end, we have welcomed the support of the United Kingdom and of the United States of America towards the preparation of our defence force for participation in peacekeeping operations in Africa and around the world.

Of particular concern has been the evidence in the past year of the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and their use as instruments of aggression and intimidation. We in the Kingdom of Swaziland reaffirm the view of the Non-Aligned Movement that there can be no moral justification for the ownership, manufacture or use of such weapons.

We join the majority of States Members of the United Nations in calling for real commitment by all countries to global disarmament and to the creation of a world that will be free and safe for future generations. In this respect, we urge all nations that have not done so to become parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

It may be said that the crises we have mentioned so far have been the result of man's worst qualities and therefore unnecessary and avoidable. The same is not true of the many natural disasters that have struck hard at nations across the globe, irrespective of development status.

The "El Niño" phenomenon has resulted in a series of natural disasters, the latest example being widespread flooding throughout the Americas, Asia, Africa and parts of Europe. Meanwhile, ironically, we in southern Africa must wait once more to see if we will receive sufficient rain for our crops this year.

The establishment by the United Nations of the Office of Humanitarian Affairs could not have come at a more opportune time, and the Kingdom of Swaziland gives its full support for its operations. We hope that its role will include assistance to Member States to develop emergency relief mechanisms so that we may all be better prepared to cope with disasters of all kinds in the future.

The Secretary-General recently gave warning of the deteriorating global economic situation and the widening gap between rich and poor nations. The crisis in Asia has had a devastating effect on the people of that region, and now all the indications are that the economies of the rest of the world will also be adversely affected. The two certainties are that the worst is yet to come, and that it will be the developing world that will be hardest hit.

In this interdependent world of ours, the Kingdom of Swaziland recognizes the importance of the concept of partnership between nations. We agree that no nation can afford to remain isolated and that there is an obligation -- and an economic necessity -- for the more developed countries to support and assist those of us in the developing world.

We believe that the underlying principle of any partnership should be one of mutual respect and understanding of each partner's views, beliefs and position. We look forward to working with our partners in areas that our people have chosen as their development priorities, in an atmosphere of trust and openness, and free from the imposition of conditions that can impact negatively on our capacity to improve.

The process of globalization is now well advanced. The Kingdom of Swaziland believes that a good deal more time and preparation are needed before we in the developing world are ready to cope with the additional responsibilities that globalization will bring.

The United Nations provides the ideal forum for discussion of these matters; let us make full use of our Organization, in an atmosphere of true respect between partners, so that the positions of all may be understood and appreciated.

As we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Kingdom of Swaziland appreciates the efforts of the United Nations to integrate human rights issues into all its policies and programmes.

The Kingdom of Swaziland has taken and continues to take seriously its obligations to its people on human rights issues. Furthermore, we support all initiatives aimed at improving the status of women, youth and children. They have a vital role to play in the development of a nation in all aspects of life. The ongoing constitutional review is, inter alia, promoting the debate on human rights issues.

It is unfortunate to note that, even as we celebrate 50 years of existence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, there is one nation of 21.8 million people that we believe is denied the right of membership of the United Nations. I am referring to the question of the Republic of China on Taiwan.

The Kingdom of Swaziland continues to raise this issue because of our conviction that the United Nations Charter provides for the representation of all nations of the world. Furthermore, the Republic of China on Taiwan has shown very clearly that it is a nation with the willingness and capacity to play a prominent and responsible role in global development affairs, and yet it remains excluded from the activities of the one truly global development organization.

The principle of universality, as contained in our founding Charter, provides that all citizens of the world have the right to be heard in these chambers, and yet it is a fact that as I speak the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan are not represented here and therefore cannot contribute their resources and expertise for the benefit of the international community through the medium of the United Nations.

The Republic of China on Taiwan has shown itself to be a peace-loving nation, with a high level of political, economic and social development. It has an excellent record of supporting development activities throughout the world. The Kingdom of Swaziland believes that the time has now come to restore its rightful membership of the United Nations to the Republic of China on Taiwan. We join the rest of our fellow members in proposing a review of this issue, with full regard for the change in circumstances since the decision was taken in 1971 which led to the expulsion of the Republic of China on Taiwan from our Organization.

The problem of drug abuse and trafficking is a relatively new phenomenon among the people of Swaziland, but it is fast becoming a major threat to the development of our country, particularly among our youth, who seem to be the easiest target.

The Kingdom of Swaziland welcomed the special session of the General Assembly on drugs, held in June this year, as a timely and necessary initiative. We therefore have high expectations of the recommendations that emerged from the special session, and we commit ourselves fully to their implementation. We recognize, though, that the drug trade is cross-border and international in nature, and we are working closely with our neighbours and regional partners to share ideas and resources in a combined effort to prevent the spread of the drug trade.

The Kingdom of Swaziland condemns international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We believe there can be no justification for the type of outrage that was witnessed recently in Nairobi, Kenya; Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania; and Cape Town, South Africa. The deaths of so many innocent people can surely bring no credit to -- and win no support for -- those who planned and committed the deeds. Our prayers are offered again for the victims and their families and to all whose lives have been affected by the evils of terrorism. We support all moves to bring the perpetrators to justice and to prevent the spread of the use of terrorism tactics.

In this regard, the Kingdom of Swaziland welcomes the establishment of the International Criminal Court following the Rome Conference. We believe it to be well timed and justified, and we are of the view that the international nature of terrorism and drug-trafficking make it essential that they be included as crimes that will fall under the jurisdiction of the Court. We are confident that the General Assembly will give urgent priority to the establishment of the Preparatory Commission so that the Court itself will become operational in the shortest possible time.

The United Nations remains the only global forum in which the world can have any hope of achieving the goals we all strive for. Peace and stability among all nations, promotion of sustainable development for all, and the hope of future prosperity and security for all our peoples: these are the wishes and expectations of those we represent here.

Our peoples look to this Organization to create the right conditions for these things to be possible. We cannot let them down. I give my assurance that the Kingdom of Swaziland will work hard to support the Secretary-General and his staff in their efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the United Nations operations. We are deeply grateful for the assistance given by the United Nations in support of the initiatives we are undertaking in our country.

Finally, on behalf of His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Indlovukazi, the Queen Mother, the Government and the whole Swazi nation, I am proud to take this opportunity to reaffirm the Kingdom's commitment to the ideals and aims of the Charter of the United Nations.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Swaziland for the statement he has just made.

The Acting President

I now call on His Excellency Mr. Andrei Gabriel Plesu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania.

Mr. Plesu (Romania)

It gives me particular pleasure to congratulate Mr. Opertti most warmly on his election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session. Please allow me also to join those who have expressed their appreciation for the work done by the former President, Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko, during the past session.

Since this is the first time that I am taking the floor in this Assembly, I would like to express to Secretary-General Kofi Annan our highest consideration and support for his activity, especially for his efforts in promoting reform of and a new image for the United Nations.

Romania believes that the role of the United Nations in contemporary international life remains essential, given that, in the face of the new challenges to international security, we can react in a coherent and efficient manner only under the guidance of a unique system of values, such as that of the generally accepted principles of the United Nations Charter, whose validity remains indisputable.

My country desires to participate actively in the process of redefining the role of the United Nations and of modernizing its functioning, and it supports the reform of the Organization as a whole.

The beneficial role of United Nations preventive diplomacy, demonstrated these past years, as well as the new approaches regarding humanitarian aid, peacekeeping and post-conflict reconstruction, are eloquent examples of the usefulness of joint, coordinated action at the global level. Romania is actively involved in promoting these concepts and trends and is participating, to the extent of its capacity, in peacekeeping and peace-building operations. The participation of Romanian soldiers in United Nations peacekeeping missions in Bosnia, Angola, Kuwait, Somalia or Rwanda represents our contribution to the implementation of these concepts.

The political will of Romania to act as a factor of stability on the international level was proved once more yesterday when we signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations regarding stand-by arrangements. This event, furthermore, supplements the recent accession of Romania to the Multinational United Nations Standby Forces High-Readiness Brigade (SHIRBRIG). The experience acquired in peacekeeping operations has highlighted the need to consolidate United Nations rapid reaction capacity.

Romania is profoundly concerned about the conflict situations on the agenda of the Security Council and would like to take this opportunity to advocate, once more, dialogue among the parties concerned, in order to facilitate solutions negotiated by those directly involved in the conflict.

It is essential not to lose the momentum for dialogue likely to lead to peace, because there is always a right moment for peace, just as there is also sometimes, unfortunately, a time which can lead to conflict. For example, in our view the Middle East today is facing a unique chance for peace. If the parties involved do not take advantage of this opportunity, the crisis might continue indefinitely. Let us do our utmost to avoid an unfortunate "too late" situation. We were on the verge of acting too late in Bosnia, in Northern Ireland, and we still run this risk in Kosovo.

The evolution of the crisis in Kosovo remains extremely worrying. Romania continues to stand for the peaceful settlement of this conflict, and we support the efforts of the international community in this direction, including those of the Contact Group, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe. Beyond all doubt, the countries in the region must be constantly consulted regarding measures that are to be taken for the settlement of the conflict.

The Balkans and, in a broader sense, South-Eastern Europe have, inter alia, an image problem. The inventory of local disputes gets more attention than the inventory of real success stories. We forget that a number of these countries have managed to make the transition from dictatorships and centralized economies to democracies and market economies. It is a difficult process but one courageously undertaken by these countries. It is true that it is always up to them to improve their political image -- not by falsifying it, but on the contrary by rendering it more exact. There is the need for a certain regional pride, for a legitimate aspiration to show the world not only the spectre of intraregional conflicts, but also a promising economic and cultural potential that deserves every consideration and encouragement.

Romania is particularly concerned about the still unresolved conflict situation in the eastern region of the Republic of Moldova. We believe that there are serious reasons for concern about the lack of progress in solving the two major problems of this region -- namely, the withdrawal of foreign troops from the territory of the Republic of Moldova, and the negotiation of the political status of the eastern region of the Republic of Moldova. We support the need for the resumption of negotiations on the status of this region and the urgent implementation of the 1994 agreement on the withdrawal of the 14th Russian Army from the territory of the Republic of Moldova.

We believe that the United Nations Security Council will continue to play a crucial role in the maintenance of international peace and security. We support the reform of the Council and want to have the discussions continued on equitable representation in the Council and an increase in its membership, with a view to finding generally acceptable solutions. Our approach is also aimed at obtaining an additional non-permanent seat for the Group of Eastern European States.

In the context of increasingly diverse challenges to international security and the prevalence of non-military risks, the role of the United Nations in other fields -- economic, social and legal -- is becoming more important than ever. The economic and social dimensions of United Nations activities offer even more opportunities for a coherent and efficient management of dialogue and cooperation on global economic and social issues.

Mr. Plesu (Romania)

The high-level dialogue which recently took place in New York on the economic and social impact of globalization re-emphasized the need for a coordinated approach to economic interdependence and other dimensions of international security. An effective response to the present challenges requires the participation of all States, as well as international financial and commercial institutions, in order to reach a new global financial balance.

In a world of growing interdependence, the assistance provided by the United Nations system is a good example of the coordinated way in which we can address the various problems confronting us. Romania is developing effective cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other funds and programmes within the new United Nations development assistance framework. The Romanian Government would like to benefit more from United Nations assistance in priority fields in support of domestic reforms.

This year, the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights gives me this very pleasant opportunity to refer to the human dimension of our activity. It also provides us all with an opportunity to reflect more broadly upon the interdependencies which exist between human rights and peace, development and democracy.

Romania supports the role played by the United Nations in asserting the universal nature of human rights and in consolidating the international system for the protection of these rights in collaboration with Governments and civil society.

We also wish to contribute to an active and efficient United Nations involvement in the fight against terrorism, organized crime and illicit drug-trafficking. In this respect, we must take into account the fact that the global character of these new threats requires a global approach so that mankind can tackle them in a responsible way. We cannot afford the luxury of replacing effective action by endless debate or compassion by contemptuous judgement.

We should condemn terrorism without speaking of terrorist peoples or countries. We should condemn fanaticism without claiming that there are fanatic religions or denominations. We should encourage dialogue and not confrontation, solidarity and not segregation. We have to work for the unity of Europe without instituting various degrees of "Europeanism", which could lead to arbitrary divisions that separate and exclude rather than unite. We have to encourage the spirit of cooperation and mutual aid and not the tendency to pass judgement on others. We should not judge States for the undignified deeds of certain citizens, nor peoples for the historic accidents imposed on them by abusive leaders or barbarian ideologies. We should also refrain from condemning those who have different views from ours and should not use the name of democracy to encourage confusion between public affairs and private, between the values of pomp and sincerity, between honesty and demagogy. We should not add to the confusion of the world by an ostentatious relativization of acquired traditions and values.

In this context, Romania reaffirms its attachment to the concepts of multiculturalism and tolerance of all kinds. Allow me to recall that an international conference organized by the community of Sant'Egidio was recently held in Bucharest on the topic of peoples and religions. Representatives of all the major religions and denominations of the world participated in this meeting. As mentioned in the message of Pope John Paul II, the success of the meeting testified to Romania's mission as "an interface between East and West, offering a genuine synthesis of cultures and traditions".

At present, many countries of the world are undergoing the complex and unique experience of regaining democracy. That is why there is great interest in good governance, strengthening democratic institutions and enlarging the participation of civil society in the exercise of democracy.

It gives me great pleasure, in my capacity as Acting Chairman of the Third International Conference of New or Restored Democracies, to bring to the Assembly's attention the fact that the ministerial meeting of the countries participating in that Conference took place a few days ago here at United Nations headquarters. On that occasion, a number of measures were examined concerning the implementation of the recommendations formulated in the document adopted last year in Bucharest. In this respect, we intend to present a draft resolution to the General Assembly with a view to ensuring the follow-up to this process until the next Conference.

Romania highly appreciates the framework provided by the United Nations system, since it allows for the broad participation of all countries in all fields and enables the search for common interests that transcend national pride.

Please allow me to raise a few issues relating to Romania, a country engaged in the broad and difficult process of economic reform. For us, maintaining an international environment that is stable, predictable and stimulating to business and investment is central to fulfilling our economic reform programme.

Romania's fundamental option -- that of European reintegration and membership in NATO -- is well known. Our political objectives remain unchanged. Even if the rate at which these objectives are achieved varies from one country to another, we have no alternative. As we strive to replace one system by another, we are encountering all the difficulties of transition: low standards of living, the confusion of values, a radical change of mentalities against the backdrop of social and administrative inertia. Everything has become a priority. Everything is compulsory. Everything is urgent. This is why I feel we need the support and encouragement of the international community, to the benefit of democratization and development.

With regard to subregional cooperation, our experience shows that crisis situations are generally seen solely from the political, military and sometimes humanitarian perspectives, but rarely or never from those of economics or civil society. Certainly, there are well-targeted subregional projects, such as the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and those relating to transport routes linking the Caspian Sea to Western Europe, the ancient silk route. But we have to recognize that South-Eastern Europe lacks broad economic integrating projects that are assisted by the main international institutions.

In the absence of such economic cooperation projects, our policy is somewhat reactive. We also have to recognize that, in crisis situations, we still focus on effects and not on causes; we try to limit the damage and prevent the spread of the crisis, but do not focus on the prevention of conflict itself.

In our opinion, we should take better advantage of the framework provided by the United Nations system in order to work out development-oriented political strategies, in particular in the economic field. Similar developments -- leading, on the one hand, to solidarity and, on the other, to an ever greater diversity of the problems that confront us -- can also be noted in other regions of the world, not only in the Euro-Atlantic space. We have followed them attentively and appreciate the results obtained within the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Southern Cone Common Market, the Association of South-East Asian Nations and other organizations.

Among the priorities established by Romania, it is worth mentioning the objective of developing and diversifying our political and economic relations with countries of other regions, taking into account the complex and dynamic developments of an ever more interdependent world under the impact of globalization.

In conclusion, allow me to assure the Assembly of the commitment of the Romanian delegation to contributing effectively to United Nations activities in various fields towards the successful outcome of the current session. We believe in the capacity of the United Nations to tackle the complex problems facing the international community on the eve of the third millennium.

The Acting President

I now call on the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait, His Excellency Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Mr. Al-Sabah (Kuwait)

It gives me great pleasure to extend to Mr. Opertti and his friendly country, on behalf of the State of Kuwait, our sincere congratulations on his election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session. We are confident that his extensive and incisive knowledge of international affairs will greatly help him to guide the Assembly's deliberations to success. Let me assure him of our delegation's willingness and desire to cooperate with him in a businesslike and constructive manner in order to achieve all the objectives of this session.

I also wish to express our appreciation to his predecessor, Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko, for his remarkable stewardship of the previous session.

Allow me take this opportunity to commend the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his tireless efforts to reform the United Nations, to restructure it, and to streamline and revitalize it in various fields, with a view to making it responsive to the demands and challenges of the twenty-first century. In this regard, we welcome the statement made by the Secretary-General before the general debate, when he presented his report on the work of the Organization. We note with satisfaction that some essential proposals for reform presented by the Secretary-General have been implemented.

We hope that the reform exercise will continue with the full backing of all Member States. The reform of the Organization and the enhancement of its effectiveness for the fulfilment of its objectives and the attainment of its priorities depend in large measure on the political will of Member States and the extent of their commitment to their obligations under the Charter and the resolutions of its various organs. We consider it unrealistic to expect the United Nations to deliver more while we provide less.

Frankly, Kuwait feels that the success of the reform exercise hinges primarily on the availability of adequate funding for the various mandated activities. Such funding depends on the payment by all Member States of their assessed contributions to both the regular budget and the peacekeeping budget. In this regard, I am pleased to report that the State of Kuwait continues to fulfil its financial obligations in full and on time. It is our fervent hope that this obligation will be honoured by all Member States of the Organization.

The reform and restructuring of United Nations organs has become a practical necessity required for the common interest of all Member States. There is no doubt that the circumstances in which the United Nations was established over 50 years ago have changed, and that vast developments which could not be overlooked have occurred at various international and regional levels. Therefore, Kuwait is in favour of restructuring the Security Council so that its composition and membership reflect current political and economic realities. The change should also ensure greater efficiency in the discharge of the primary responsibilities of the Council, as set forth in the Charter, regarding the maintenance of international peace and security.

It is clear now, after five years of debate in the Working Group on the expansion of the membership of the Security Council and the reform of its methods of work, that reaching a consensus on the optimum increase in membership is not an easy matter. Deep differences still exist among Member States. Nonetheless, we remain hopeful that reaching an agreement is still possible. In this context, we wish to emphasize the need to improve the methods and procedures of work of the Council to ensure enhanced transparency and wider involvement in the decision-making process. The comprehensive paper submitted by the Non-Aligned Movement on 11 March 1997 to the Working Group constitutes an appropriate basis for working out an agreement on the procedures to be adopted and incorporated into the rules of procedure of the Council.

As we stand at the threshold of the twenty-first century, our world is witnessing the emergence of a multitude of problems and issues whose implications transcend national and geographical boundaries. Their inherent dangers can threaten national and international security. Unless curbed, such hazards will undermine the achievements made thus far in the environmental, social and economic spheres. Among such problems -- without being exhaustive -- are terrorism, the arms race, narcotic drugs, environmental degradation, poverty, human rights violations, massacres and genocide.

In this context, Kuwait wishes to reaffirm its categorical denunciation and rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism, irrespective of their source. We support all collective international efforts to confront this phenomenon, including the apprehension and trial of the perpetrators of these crimes. Kuwait condemns the terrorist acts perpetrated against the United States embassy buildings in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam last August and extends heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims of those tragic incidents.

In the area of disarmament, we welcome the progress made thus far with regard to the Convention on the prohibition of chemical weapons, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction.

When we in Kuwait talk about landmines, we have in our minds the bitter memory of the destructive impact of the millions of mines planted throughout Kuwait by the invading Iraqi forces. Those mines claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent children, women and elderly people. It took painstaking efforts, in which many States participated, to remove those mines. Kuwait had to expend great efforts and vast sums on the clearance operations.

We therefore call on the international community to pursue its efforts to eliminate anti-personnel mines. Kuwait also encourages the movement towards curbing the arms race and developing controls and rules that contribute to tension reduction in all volatile and conflict-ridden regions, especially the Middle East, South Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

A significant development in international efforts to combat crimes of genocide and massacres committed during conflicts and wars was the recent adoption of the Statute of the International Criminal Court in Rome last July. It is our hope that the Court will live up to the legitimate aspirations of the world community in trying all perpetrators of war crimes or crimes against humanity and in serving as an effective deterrent against serious violations of international humanitarian law.

On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Kuwait calls for greater consolidation of international efforts, to ensure wider respect for and protection of the human rights consecrated in the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration. We maintain that it is the duty of all States, irrespective of their political, economic or cultural systems, to protect and promote those rights, with a view to ensuring the dignity of the human being and his or her rights to freedom of expression and belief.

In the area of the fight against narcotic drugs, we believe that the efforts of the United Nations and of other competent international institutions to combat this pernicious phenomenon, and to minimize the illicit sale, trade and abuse of drugs should be supported and strengthened. In this regard, we welcome the Political Declaration adopted at the conclusion of the twentieth special session of the General Assembly, held last June. We are hopeful that the steps agreed to then will be translated into effective concrete measures to stem the tide of this phenomenon, which poses severe threats to human health and to the dignity and aspirations of millions of people and their families, as well as to the stability and independence of States.

The State of Kuwait has the honour of holding the chairmanship of the current session of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which was established in 1981. Since its inception, the GCC has been working steadily to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of its peoples, who share a common view of their destiny and future. Leaders of the GCC member States hold annual summits to examine and review a wide range of issues and events that concern the family of the GCC community and have an impact on regional security and stability.

A major issue on the agenda of the summit conferences in this regard is the implementation by Iraq of its obligations set forth in the Security Council resolutions relating to its invasion of the State of Kuwait. Therefore, the Gulf Cooperation Council leaders attached great importance to this question in their last summit, held in December 1997 in Kuwait. The final statement issued by that summit reflected a Gulf vision of the future modalities for establishing peace and stability in the region. It also outlined the conditions that must be met by Iraq in order to enable it to reclaim its normal position within the ranks of the international community. Let me cite the following excerpt from the Gulf Cooperation Council summit statement:

"The Supreme Council reaffirms the necessity for the Government of Iraq to implement all relevant Security Council resolutions without selectivity, especially those relating to the elimination of weapons of mass destruction that remain in Iraq's possession, the release of Kuwaiti and third country prisoners, the return of all Kuwaiti property and compliance with Security Council resolution 949 (1994) by refraining from any act of aggression or provocation against neighbouring States. It also stresses that the invasion and occupation of the State of Kuwait by Iraq was a breach of inter-Arab and international treaties. Therefore, Iraq must solemnly acknowledge that by its occupation of the State of Kuwait, it violated the Charter of the League of Arab States, the Joint Arab Defence Treaty and the Charter of the United Nations. The Supreme Council invites Iraq to take the necessary steps to demonstrate its good intentions towards the State of Kuwait and other States in the region in both word and deed, with a view to sparing the region the horrors of another similar catastrophe and to ensuring security and stability for all States of the region. It reaffirms its support for the United Nations Special Commission in charge of the elimination of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and for its Executive Chairman, with the intention of enabling it to fulfil its mandate, and invites the Government of Iraq to cooperate in earnest with the Special Commission without any restrictions or conditions. It stresses the need for Iraq to carry out all relevant Security Council resolutions with a view to mitigating sanctions and alleviating the suffering of the Iraqi people, a suffering with which member States of the Supreme Council are sympathetic, thus prompting them to welcome the oil-for-food formula as a means of providing food and medical drugs to the brotherly people of Iraq. It reaffirms its firm position that the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Iraq must be preserved."

In addition to this crystal clear position of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the Non-Aligned Movement, at its recent summit in South Africa, underscored the need for Iraq to complete its implementation of all relevant Security Council resolutions. The same call was made earlier by the leaders of the Muslim countries when they convened their summit meeting in Tehran last December.

Despite those legitimate demands and sincere calls to Iraq to respond favourably to and to put into effect the resolutions of international legitimacy, Iraq still persists in disregarding those calls and in challenging the Security Council resolutions. It claims that it has carried out what it is required to do. How can such claims be reconciled with the fact that until now we have not yet heard from Iraq any declaration or seen any initiative suggesting that it regrets what it has done? In fact, convenient selectivity is the dominant feature of Iraq's approach in addressing the resolutions and demands of international legitimacy. The most recent crisis is perhaps a good example of the Government of Iraq's procrastination and its breach of Security Council resolutions and of the Memorandum of Understanding it signed with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Such crises, which are periodically triggered by the Iraqi Government in its attempts to disavow and circumvent its legal obligations, have all failed thanks to the solid coherence and unity of position of the members of the Security Council, which insist on full compliance by Iraq with the relevant Security Council resolutions. There is no doubt that all these crises unfortunately contribute to the prolongation of the sanctions, for which the Government of Iraq alone bears responsibility.

Accordingly, we call upon the international community to maintain its pressure on Iraq in order to force it to comply with all relevant resolutions of international legitimacy, to release all Kuwaiti prisoners and other detainees and to account for the missing persons. This is a long-standing humanitarian problem. Its continuation causes more pain and suffering for the affected families and the people of Kuwait, who remain hopeful for the return of their loved ones. It is our hope that this question will be resolved once and for all, in accordance with the traditions of Islam and the provisions of the relevant Security Council resolutions.

The events of the past two decades in the Arabian Gulf region have demonstrated the need for building a regional system on the basis of full and mutual respect for the principles of sovereignty of all States, non-interference in the domestic affairs of others, non-use or threat of use of force, the right of each State to choose its own political, economic and social system, the sovereignty of each State over its natural resources and the importance of resort to peaceful negotiation for the resolution of disputes which may arise between them.

Having said that, and in view of Kuwait's belief in the inalienable rights of our sister State of the United Arab Emirates to the three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, we wish to reaffirm our commitment to and support for the final statement issued by the Kuwait summit of Gulf Cooperation Council member States last December.

Kuwait follows with great interest and concern the risks of the current stalemate in the Middle East peace process, which may threaten it with collapse and complete failure due to the intransigent policies of the present Israeli Government, which persists in rejecting the implementation of accords concluded with the Palestinian National Authority and disclaiming the operational principles and framework of the entire peace process, primarily Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and the principle of land for peace. This provocative policy which is pursued by Israel's Government not only undermines the peace process but also creates a general sense of despair and frustration. It also destroys all efforts to build mutual confidence between the parties concerned. It is a push towards confrontation, tension, violence and instability throughout the region.

Therefore, we demand that the Israeli Government halt its illegal policy of constructing settlements, confiscating land and demolishing houses. Israel should also cease taking unilateral measures to create faits accomplis on the ground inside the occupied territories. Instead, Israel should implement the United Nations resolutions and fulfil its pledges and accords signed with the Palestinian Authority within the framework of the peace process with a view to ensuring the attainment of all legitimate political rights of the Palestinian people, including its right to self-determination and to the establishment of its independent state on its national territory with Jerusalem as its capital.

Here, we stress the need to halt the unabating Israeli measures aimed at changing the physical features of the city of Jerusalem and transforming its legal status. We condemn the Israeli Government's decision last June to expand the municipal boundaries of the Holy City. We call upon the United Nations and the international community to fulfil their legal and political obligations in order to force Israel to comply with Security Council and General Assembly resolutions on Jerusalem and to preserve its Arab, Muslim and religious character.

In the same vein, we renew our call to the two sponsors of the peace process, especially the United States, to redouble their efforts to salvage the peace process and to bring pressure to bear on Israel to resume negotiations on the Syrian-Israeli track from the point at which they stopped, with a view to ensuring full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Arab Golan, as well as its complete and unconditional withdrawal in accordance with Security Council resolution 425 (1978) from southern Lebanon and the western Bekaa.

Indeed, durable, just and comprehensive peace based on United Nations resolutions and the land-for-peace principle is the only guarantee for meeting the aspirations of the peoples of the region for a new era of peaceful coexistence and accelerated economic and social development.

The tragic situations that prevail in Somalia and Afghanistan as a result of civil and ethnic conflicts that brought suffering to their peoples cause us concern. Kuwait, by virtue of its historical bonds with these two countries, reiterates its appeals to all warring parties and factions there to put an end to acts of violence and senseless bloodshed. We call upon them to respond immediately to regional and international appeals and initiatives for dialogue and negotiation in order to resolve their differences and to achieve overall national reconciliation. This would allow them to channel their potentialities towards the goals of development and the reconstruction of what these conflicts have destroyed.

In condemning the killing of the Iranian diplomats in Afghanistan, Kuwait would like to extend its sincere condolences to the people and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and to the families of the victims of this tragic incident.

We appeal to both the Islamic Republic of Iran and Afghanistan to be calm, exercise self-restraint and resolve their disputes through dialogue and negotiation instead of confrontation. While we appreciate the Government of Iran's ability to handle the crisis in a way that will spare the two Muslim peoples the dire consequences of a war whose consequences we cannot predict, Kuwait supports the endeavours of the Security Council to achieve peace in the area.

On the international plane, while we applaud the international efforts to ensure full and strict implementation of the Dayton accords to bring about peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we regret the aggressive practices of the Serb forces, including the systematic uprooting and "ethnic cleansing" of the Muslim population in the province of Kosovo. We urge the international community to maintain its efforts to put an end to these inhumane practices in order to ensure the right of the native population of that province to a life of dignity and freedom.

In Africa, we are witnessing with deep regret the continuation of conflicts and civil wars in several States. These hostilities jeopardize the security and stability of many African States and strain their much needed energies and resources. Kuwait supports the efforts of the international community to bring about peace and security and to provide the means that help the African peoples and States to achieve their aspirations for economic development and to overcome the problems and difficulties that they face in various fields. We also welcome the role played by the Security Council in examining the situation in the African continent on a periodic basis. Furthermore, we commend President Nelson Mandela for the role that he assumed in this regard as Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement.

The world economic scene is currently going through severe turbulence and turmoil that have touched off and worsened economic and social crises in many countries, especially the developing ones. The major threat to the world economy is no longer represented by inflation, but by recession, stagnation and unemployment. Therefore, we call for concerted international action to redress those difficulties, which have adverse implications for everybody. National plans and programmes capable of addressing the underlying causes of these volatile situations should be established, and help with economic aid to the affected States should be forthcoming from international monetary institutions in order to help them rectify their economic systems and restore their vitality.

In this regard, Kuwait, for its part, continued to provide economic assistance by financing many development projects in the developing countries through the Kuwait fund for development, despite the adverse impact on our economy of depressed oil prices, which plummeted this year to their lowest levels.

Adherence to the noble goals and principles of the United Nations Charter, action in accordance with its provisions and the common endeavour to promote and bolster them are essential for strengthening the United Nations capabilities for facing the challenges of the next century. This will also help us in the crystallization of a new world order in which dialogue and cooperation can prevail, and in which conflicts and hostilities would disappear. It would also encourage active participation by all in strengthening the pillars of peace and stability, in consolidating all efforts for the enrichment of human civilization and in the fulfilment of the aspirations of all peoples for peace, security, freedom and justice.

The Acting President

The next speaker is the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, His Excellency Mr. Rinchinnyamyn Amarjargal.

Mr. Amarjargal (Mongolia)

Allow me, Sir, to join preceding speakers in congratulating Mr. Opertti and the members of the Bureau on their well-deserved election, and to wish them every success in discharging their duties. May I also take this opportunity to express my delegation's deep appreciation to Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko of Ukraine for his outstanding stewardship of the work of the fifty-second session of the General Assembly.

One of the pressing issues that mankind is facing today is globalization and the growing interdependence of States and their effects on international relations. These objective processes will to a great extent determine the nature of international relations at the outset of the coming millennium. They open up enormous opportunities and at the same time are fraught with grave challenges. So far, the future does not seem to be bright for some, especially for the least developed, the weak and the vulnerable, which could result in an even wider gap between the rich and the poor, between nations and within them. The increasing interdependence of States and its effects are clearly demonstrated by the Asian financial crisis, which spilled over to some other parts of the world, adversely affecting the world economy, exacting high economic and social costs and raising serious concerns about the operations of financial markets.

We believe that the present financial crisis calls for the international community to create a crisis early warning system. Therefore, naturally, these issues are on the minds of peoples and on the agenda of this Assembly. We believe that the high-level meetings held last week in this Assembly will provide a good basis for serious, constructive and fruitful debate and decisions on these issues.

After decades of virtual isolation from world development, Mongolia is taking active measures to integrate itself into the global economy on the basis of whatever comparative advantage it has. Though concrete steps have been taken in the past few years, including opening up its economy to the outside world and joining the World Trade Organization, the negative consequences of globalization, which are felt especially by the weak and vulnerable, including by the landlocked developing countries, risk marginalizing it economically, if not politically. We therefore believe that the world community, when searching for adequate responses to globalization, should take into account the challenges that these vulnerable States and those in transition are facing and take measures to facilitate their adaptation to the changing realities.

We believe that the international community should pay increasing attention to the situation of landlocked developing States. They are handicapped by their geographical location and remoteness from world markets, which, as experts point out, curtails their annual growth by 1 to 3 per cent at the very least. It is no wonder that of the 30 landlocked developing countries, 16 are among the least developed, with per capita gross domestic product of less than $400. The progressive marginalization of those countries is evident from the fact that the 300 million people who live in those countries share only 0.5 per cent of world trade, with the trend moving towards further decrease.

Like other landlocked developing countries, Mongolia is taking measures to overcome the difficulties inherent to landlocked countries by closely cooperating with itstransit neighbours. In this regard, Mongolia is looking forward to concluding a subregional agreement with Russia and China that would facilitate transit transportation for all three countries and the subregion in general.

Bearing in mind the state of the world's economy and the role that the United Nations could play, Mongolia supports the efforts to increase the role of the United Nations in economic and social development, especially of weak and vulnerable States, and in creating an effective mechanism of international cooperation for development. Likewise, it is in favour of convening international conferences on development financing and on partnership for development.

Mongolia believes that the notion of development should not be limited only to economic growth. In this regard, we fully agree with the wider notion that is reflected in the human development reports.

Economic development, like other human activities, is directly connected to the state of the world's environment -- in fact, with the future of mankind. In many countries, especially those that are environmentally vulnerable, the question of protecting the environment is directly linked to their security and even ultimate survival. The changes in the world climate, its caprices that we see and feel, lead us to believe that greater attention and efforts are needed to cope with this ever growing and creeping danger, the effects of which are incalculable. Therefore, we believe that the first International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction should be followed by a second decade with greater focus on reaching the targets set forth, as well as strengthening existing mechanisms and creating, where necessary, new international mechanisms.

Mongolia, following its centuries-old tradition of living in harmony with nature and the environment, declared 15 per cent of its territory -- an area larger than Central Europe -- a protected natural reserve. In the near future that area will comprise one third of its vast territory.

Political stability is essential for economic development and fruitful cooperation. The end of the cold war was an important milestone in international relations that raises hopes for further strengthening peace and developing cooperation among nations. However, the post-cold-war years have vividly demonstrated that peace and stability need constant efforts by States to deepen mutual trust and to settle disputes by political means. Though some political flashpoints have been eliminated and problems solved, new ones are still arising. As reflected in the general debate the situations in the Middle East, in the Balkans and in southern Africa are causing concern on the part of the international community. Mongolia supports solving those problems on the basis of negotiation, in the spirit of cooperation, without the use or threat of force. In this connection, we would like to reiterate that the Korean peninsula should be turned into a zone of peace, stability and prosperity in the interests of the Korean people, as well as the peace and security of North-East Asia.

In another part of the Asian continent, in South Asia, the international community was shocked by nuclear tests that could exacerbate tensions and undermine the existing nuclear non-proliferation regime and the test ban. Mongolia, situated between two nuclear Powers, stands strongly against any nuclear tests and, like other countries, expressed its deep concern and regret over the recent tests. Therefore, we welcome the declaration of the People's Republic of China not to resume nuclear tests and express the hope that the latest encouraging signals from Pakistan and India will lead to strengthening the non-proliferation regime and moving closer to the objectives of nuclear disarmament. In this respect, Mongolia supports the eight-Power Declaration entitled "Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: the need for a new agenda". Likewise, we express the hope that the negotiations on banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices will soon lead to the conclusion of a verifiable international treaty.

Mongolia believes that non-nuclear-weapon States can, in their own way, contribute to strengthening nuclear security and enhance stability. In this context, it welcomes and supports the efforts of the Central Asian States to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone in their region. For its part, Mongolia is working to institutionalize its nuclear-weapon-free status, which would turn its territory into an area of peace, stability and predictability. All nuclear-weapon States, as well as the entire Non-Aligned Movement, fully support Mongolia's efforts to institutionalize its nuclear-weapon-free status.

Mongolia is in favour of strengthening the arms control and verification regimes set up by the Conventions on chemical and biological weapons. They will, in our view, given a genuine will to enforce them, strengthen international security. Likewise, Mongolia supports international efforts to curb the spread of conventional weapons, especially of small arms and light weapons.

International peace and security will be strengthened when and if international law is strictly observed. We believe that international law should be strengthened as the core of security relations. In this connection, Mongolia welcomes the recent adoption by the Rome Conference of the Statute of the International Criminal Court. We are in favour of a truly independent court and look forward to its early establishment and coming into operation. This would constitute an important milestone in strengthening international law and justice.

Mongolia condemns all acts of international terrorism. Therefore, it resolutely condemns the recent terrorist bombings in Kenya, Tanzania and Northern Ireland and believes that international terrorism should be fought by joint efforts and in full accordance with the norms and principles of international law. It believes that acts of terrorism should be condemned wherever, by whomever and against whomever they are carried out.

The fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an event of special significance. It is connected with the tremendous changes that have taken place over the last half-century in the concept of human rights and the practice of ensuring them.

Thanks to the Declaration, unprecedented high standards have been set for protecting human dignity. Since the adoption of the Declaration in 1948, those standards have been strengthened and further developed by numerous international treaties and conventions and have become truly universal.

The legal foundations reflecting the world standard of protection and promotion of human rights were laid down in Mongolia's 1992 Constitution. Since then it has been further developed and concretized by relevant legislation and the establishment of the necessary administrative and legal machinery based on United Nations human rights treaties and conventions to which Mongolia has acceded. At present preparations are under way for the establishment of a national human rights commission. A draft law to that effect has been submitted to the Parliament for its consideration and adoption.

As it confronts the many global problems before it and approaches the new millennium, the world community places great hopes in the activities of a strong and well-equipped United Nations. In that connection, Mongolia firmly supports the Secretary-General's reform package.

In implementation of decisions and recommendations of United Nations summit conferences on major global social and economic problems, and in support of the so-called silent revolution, my Government has adopted a national action programme for the twenty-first century and, in close partnership with bodies of the United Nations family and non-governmental organizations operating in Mongolia, is launching an ambitious project: the One-World Conference Series, which is aimed at ensuring an integrated follow-up to the world conferences and summits held in the early 1990s.

Reform of the United Nations cannot be complete without the reform and expansion of the Security Council. In that connection, I would like to reiterate my Government's conviction that the Council should reflect political realities, and, besides becoming more effective, its membership should be enlarged to reflect more equitable representation. It is our hope that the General Assembly debates on this important issue will soon result in concrete decisions. We believe that energetic efforts should be undertaken to make the Millennium Assembly an occasion for reforming and revitalizing the Security Council.

On the proposal of Mongolia, the General Assembly is drafting a set of guiding principles for conducting international negotiations. We believe that the development and adoption of such a set of principles would contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of negotiations as the most universal instrument for international cooperation.

My Government continues to pursue its political and economic reforms. Mongolia's commitment to the irrevocable realization of the principles of democracy, liberalism and market economy is irreversible, despite the great difficulties of the transition period. The future major policy priorities will continue to include, inter alia, strengthening of democratic institutions, enhancement of the basis of political stability, acceleration of privatization in the economic field, and social protection of the population, especially of its vulnerable groups.

On behalf of the Mongolian people and its Government, I take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to the international community, especially donor countries and international financial institutions, for their assistance to Mongolia since it joined the community of open societies and democratic nations.

A century that has been full of dramatic and consequential events is drawing to a close. It has been a century of great social upheaval and experimentation as well as of unprecedented social progress and technological advances. We believe that a more promising millennium is in store for all humankind and that the world community will be able to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Mongolia stands poised at this historic juncture to make its contribution to the efforts of the United Nations to bring about a brighter and more secure future.

The Acting President

I call next on His Excellency Mr. Surin Pitsuwan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand.

Mr. Pitsuwan (Thailand)

On behalf of the Government and the people of the Kingdom of Thailand, I should like to extend my warmest congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Didier Opertti upon his unanimous election to the presidency of the current session of the General Assembly. I wish also to take this opportunity to pay tribute to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Hennadiy Y. Udovenko of Ukraine, for his leadership and his tireless dedication to the heavy responsibilities entrusted to him during the past year. With his wisdom and experience, he led us successfully through the fifty-second session, which took place against a backdrop of political transition and economic transformation in the world, as well as of the reform of this Organization. Allow me also to warmly welcome Ms. Louise Fréchette, who has brought creative energy to her new post of Deputy Secretary-General since the beginning of this year.

As we gather here to discuss United Nations reform and other issues of vital importance to this world body, it is imperative for us to be clear about what exactly we are trying to achieve. To my mind, many vital questions beg to be answered as the United Nations prepares to meet the challenges of a new millennium.

One question that looms large above all others is: What kind of global community do we wish to see in the next century, and what role can the United Nations play in such a community?

As Members of the United Nations, what are our shared responsibilities, both individually and collectively, in working towards a global community that fulfils the vision of our founding fathers and reflects today's changing needs? By what means can we prevent the current economic crisis from undermining the vast progress achieved during the past decade in the social, economic and political areas? In what ways can we transform the challenges emanating from the crisis into opportunities to strengthen the fabric of peace, prosperity and stability around the world? When will we achieve our common aspiration to a world in which democracy is cherished, human rights are respected, sustainable development is practised, economic freedom is exercised, and people are given the opportunity to realize their full potential?

I do not pretend to have the answers to all these questions, but I am convinced that, together, we can assist one another in addressing these crucial issues.

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