General Assembly Session 53 meeting 21

The President

The Assembly will first hear an address by the Prime Minister, Minister for External Affairs, Legal Affairs and Labour of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

The President

I have great pleasure in welcoming the Prime Minister, Minister for External Affairs, Legal Affairs and Labour of the Commonwealth of Dominica, His Excellency the Honourable Edison C. James, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. James (Dominica)

It is my distinct honour and privilege to address this body once again. In doing so, may I take the opportunity to offer, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Dominica, sincere congratulations to you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session. My thanks are also extended to Ambassador Udovenko, who so ably guided the fifty-second session.

Our Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, has been indefatigable in his efforts to bring about peace in various countries and regions. To him we express our thanks and congratulations. Last year, I extended an invitation to him to visit the Caribbean. He has not yet done so. The invitation remains open.

The Caribbean region continues to demonstrate its commitment to the democratic process. Since we last met in this forum the people of several of our States, within the provisions of the existing rules, freely expressed their will as to who should lead them into the new millennium.

Our assertion that democracy is alive and well is not a reflection that all is well in the region. The Charter of this Organization imposes an obligation on all its Members to work for the peace, security and economic and social development of all peoples of the world. As we seek to discharge that obligation, it behoves us to be constantly cognizant of those factors and events which would militate against our success. Some of these are natural and unavoidable; others are man-made and regrettable.

The Caribbean was only a few days ago severely impacted upon by one such natural disaster, Hurricane Georges. The damage inflicted was extensive, particularly in St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. On their behalf, I urge this body to generously respond to their expressed need for assistance in the reconstruction work. But the Charter obligations of the United Nations call for more than an ad hoc response arrangement. We must first recognize the acute vulnerability of small States to natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, volcanoes, earthquakes and so on, and their intrinsic limitations in mitigating and responding to them.

What is being proposed, therefore, is the establishment of a disaster reconstruction fund under the auspices of the United Nations, the resources of which would be available for quick and effective response to the needs of small States post disaster. And there is still more that must be done. Global warming and the greenhouse effect must be halted.

There are on the agenda of this fifty-third session of the General Assembly many matters of profound importance to the Commonwealth of Dominica and the Caribbean Community as a whole. These include macroeconomic policy questions on trade and development; the revitalization of the economic growth and development of developing countries; the United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty; the protection of the global climate for present and future generations of mankind; and cooperation between the United Nations and the Caribbean Community.

That cooperation is nowhere more necessary than in our fight to maintain the integrity of the market for our bananas. Our fight is against some very powerful members of this very United Nations, which seem determined to derail our democracy, upset our efforts to eradicate poverty and undermine the peace and security of our region.

The people of the Commonwealth of Dominica and the people of the Caribbean Community look to the United Nations to intervene on their behalf. The people of the Commonwealth of Dominica and the Caribbean Community are firm in their conviction that globalization and trade liberalization cannot be allowed to result in the marginalization and economic disintegration of small developing States.

We seek a level playing field on which our people can engage meaningfully in trade and development, rather than be for ever subjected to the aid-and-dependency syndrome. Our expressed desire to hold on to our banana industry, which has served us well, in no way reflects any misunderstanding of the reality of the current trade and economic environment.

We in the Commonwealth of Dominica are actively engaged in the diversification of our economy, involving the agricultural, tourism and service sectors. We have made progress towards improving air access to our country and are providing increased opportunities for our children to receive secondary and tertiary education.

We consider the recent naming of one of our national parks, Morne Trois Pitons, as a World Heritage site to be a resounding statement of our commitment to the preservation and effective utilization of our environment.

It is a source of comfort to us that all this has been achieved in an environment of social and political stability. We must, however, sound the warning bells, as we note with great foreboding the practice by some of deporting to our countries hardened criminals who have learned and practised their trade in their adopted homelands for several decades. In like manner, the unwarranted disruption and dismantling of families through inhumane immigration laws requires the attention of this Organization.

I respectfully submit that in all our deliberations and actions, as indeed in every aspect of human endeavour, the aspirations and legitimate expectations of the people must be central. The 21.5 million people of the Republic of China on Taiwan aspire to be represented in this body. They have a legitimate expectation that their country, a founding Member of the United Nations, should have its membership restored. We cannot but lend them our support. Ours must be a policy of inclusion.

A cursory look at our agenda reveals 21 items dealing with the financing of United Nations peacekeeping or observer missions, all associated with war, threats of war, "ethnic cleansing", terrorism and the like. This suggests that although much has been achieved, much more must be done. We must focus our attention on the preservation of peace and security, thereby reducing the need for the restoration of peace and security.

There should be no compromise in the fight against terrorism, whether it be in Kenya, Tanzania or Northern Ireland. We note and are glad for the encouraging signs emanating from the Middle East. We should take our cue from the famous British politician who said "To jaw-jaw is better than war-war", and seek to settle our disputes peacefully in the spirit of our Charter.

By the time this fifty-third session of the General Assembly comes to a close, many speeches will have been delivered from this podium, articulate, substantive speeches, delivered by men and women who together hold and wield enormous power.

The peoples of the world have heard us talk. But is that all they want from us? I submit that the answer is a resounding no. They want action. An agenda that includes 165 items suggests that much work lies ahead of us. Yet I propose one additional task: that the Secretary-General and his able team of professionals subject all of our speeches to detailed scrutiny and analysis and, in keeping with the directive of the Summit of the Americas, let us "put words into deeds".

In this way, we will give the lie to those critics who claim this place is only a talk shop, and demonstrate to them that it is indeed an action station.

The Commonwealth of Dominica and the Caribbean Community hold dearly to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. We are firmly committed to working with all Members and nations to bring about an improved quality of life for all the peoples of this world.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister and Minister for External Affairs, Legal Affairs and Labour of the Commonwealth of Dominica for the statement he has just made.

The President

I now call on the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, The Honourable Seymour Mullings.

Mr. Mullings (Jamaica)

Let me begin by joining previous speakers in extending my personal congratulations and those of my delegation to you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session. You assume the leadership of this Assembly at a time when the global agenda demands much of us all. I assure you of the full support and cooperation of the Jamaican delegation as you guide the work of this Assembly to what I am confident will be a successful conclusion.

I wish also to thank Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko of Ukraine for the effective manner in which he discharged his responsibilities as President of the Assembly during his tenure.

The Secretary-General deserves our praise for his outstanding leadership of the Organization during the past year. I congratulate him in particular on the successes achieved through the quiet methods of preventive diplomacy which he employed on sensitive issues affecting international peace and security.

We welcome his report, which contains a thoughtful overview of the complex challenges facing the international community, and we applaud the institutional reforms thus far introduced, which have sought to bring greater coherence and efficiency to the work of the United Nations. We also endorse the reorganization of the work programme, which brings renewed focus to the initiatives of central importance to the United Nations: those in the areas of peace and security, development cooperation, social development and humanitarian affairs.

We consider it essential that the membership of the United Nations support the efforts of the Secretary-General in the implementation of this programme of work. Such support should be extended not only by endorsement of the range of activities being undertaken in fulfilment of our mandates, but also through the regular commitment of resources for their execution.

Our presence here is an acknowledgement of the universality of many of the problems we face, and our membership in this Organization is a demonstration of our conviction that these problems are best solved through collective action. This should lead us to reaffirm our support for multilateralism and our respect for its processes through the timely payment, without preconditions, of our assessed contributions to the respective United Nations bodies.

In recent years, the international community has witnessed a disturbing increase in the number of conflicts within and between States. The stable peace anticipated at the end of the cold war has been elusive. Instead, we have watched as efforts to resolve ongoing regional disputes unravel because of obduracy, mistrust and hostility. We have watched as intolerance and hatred have divided communities and fuelled conflicts across the continents. We are concerned that despite the intervention of the Secretary-General, his envoys and the membership of the United Nations, there is still no real progress towards peace in a number of long-standing disputes.

We share the international community's concern that the peace process in the Middle East has been stalled, and we are disappointed that there is still no substantial progress on the long-standing problem in Cyprus. Hostilities in Afghanistan continue unabated, civil wars still rage in the Sudan and Angola and violence in Kosovo has escalated. New complications have arisen to increase instability and conflict in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa.

These unresolved conflicts undermine the political, economic and social fabric of the States concerned, bringing destruction and untold human suffering to the victims of war. We cannot afford to drift into complacency while increasing numbers of the world's people are destroyed, dispossessed and despoiled by war. In the face of this, we should strengthen our resolve to stand against aggression and the use of force, and to support the resolution of disputes and conflicts through negotiated settlements.

We encourage Member States to support the Secretary-General's initiative for strengthening the capability of the United Nations to deal with conflict resolution, prevention and early warning. I also wish to use this opportunity to commend the United Nations peacekeeping forces for the great contribution which they continue to make to the maintenance of peace, notwithstanding the difficult circumstances in which they work.

We are deeply distressed at the increasing acts of violence directed against international peacekeeping personnel. I wish to pay special tribute to these volunteers, some of whom have given their lives, for their sacrifice in the cause of peace.

The Charter of the United Nations invests in the Security Council the principal authority for multilateral decision-making in matters affecting international peace and security. We are therefore concerned at the tendency of States to take unilateral action which they deem to be in their national interest in situations of conflict with other nations. Jamaica reaffirms its confidence in the principle of collective security, on which the role of the Security Council is predicated.

It is also important that the actions of the Council inspire confidence and that there be greater openness and transparency in its working methods. We believe that, like any other international body, the Security Council should undergo a process of democratic reform if it is effectively to meet the new challenges of an ever changing world.

We are committed to working as equal partners with the rest of the international community to strengthen the capacity of the Security Council to respond to the needs of Member States in matters of peace and security. To that end, my Government has presented its candidature for a non-permanent seat on the Council for the period 2000-2001.

My Government attaches importance to the fact that the long awaited International Criminal Court, which the Secretary-General described as the missing link in the international legal system, has now been constituted by an internationally agreed Statute. We commend the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for taking the initiative in calling for its establishment. That institution will provide a framework for the legal expression of international opposition to the terrible crimes being perpetrated against humanity which the United Nations had not been able to address effectively.

This year the international community celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As we commemorate this important milestone, we should affirm our commitment to the ideals of tolerance, peace and understanding for all peoples. Let us also demonstrate mutual respect for each other's right to self-determination, including the right to choose one's own path for achieving national goals, and the right to sustainable development.

There can be no doubt that peace and security are prerequisites for the attainment of sustainable development. It is equally true, however, that where there is economic and social deprivation, there can be no real peace.

Jamaica therefore strongly endorses the right to development as an integral part of fundamental human rights and underscores the important contribution which realization of this right would make to the fuller enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this regard, we welcome the report of the Secretary-General on progress being made in the elaboration of a strategy for the implementation and promotion of the right to development.

We continue to look to the United Nations system for support of our development agenda, which goes beyond our effort to gain fair access to international markets and to secure a just and equitable share of global prosperity.

Central to improving the welfare of our people must be measures to alleviate and ultimately eradicate poverty and to promote environmental protection and sustainable development. We need to strengthen our institutional framework for capacity-building and we need to invest in development of our human resources.

This is our people-centred vision for development, and we recognize the need, if we are to make a reality of this vision, to continue to devise and implement public policies which ensure that the gains from economic growth and development are equitably distributed throughout society.

This challenge of good governance demands an institutional infrastructure that promotes transparency and accountability in public administration, ensures the effective management of fiscal and monetary policies and protects the integrity of judicial and law enforcement systems.

A crucial component of our economic and social transformation is the development of our human resources. Jamaica supports the view that sustainable development cannot be achieved without sustained human development. Indeed, the pivotal importance of our human resources to the development process was reaffirmed by the Caribbean Community member States in the Montego Bay Declaration adopted in 1997.

We in the Caribbean region stand firmly committed to, first, nurturingthe development of each person's potential without regard to gender; secondly, developing a culture of entrepreneurship; thirdly, research and development as a way of life and a means of improving production; and finally, improving the competitiveness of those industries on which our economies are based. We look to the international community to support these aspirations.

In this regard, Jamaica welcomes the Secretary-General's proposed initiatives to strengthen the international framework for human development. We agree that it would be useful to convene global and regional seminars exploring ways to advance human resource development and institution-building in preparation for the Millennium Assembly to be held in the year 2000.

The issue of sustainable development for small island developing States is of particular importance to Jamaica. It speaks to the very survival of a group of island States whose economic viability and developmental aspirations are inextricably linked to the carrying capacity of the fragile ecosystems in which these nations make their home. I speak of the ecologically vulnerable islands and low-lying coastal States of the Caribbean, which are continually subject to the pressures of urbanization and resource exploitation, to the pollution of their coastal waters and to the threat of natural disasters. We are endangered by the threat of sea-level rise and face the destruction of our coral reefs.

The danger posed by natural disasters was most recently demonstrated by hurricane Georges, which wreaked destruction through the Caribbean, causing widespread loss of life and property in Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Saint Kitts and Nevis. We take this opportunity to appeal to the international community to provide urgent and generous humanitarian assistance and support for the reconstruction of our sister Caribbean States. Jamaica welcomes the ongoing effort of the United Nations to develop economic and ecological vulnerability indices for small island developing States and will be monitoring closely the outcome of this work.

The success of the small island developing States initiative will depend on the negotiation of favourable agreements among national stakeholders and on the forging of effective partnerships with donor countries. Jamaica therefore looks forward to the convening of the special session for the review of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States in 1999, which provides an opportunity for real progress to be made through the commitment of financial resources. What we need now is an action-oriented follow-up programme to take our economies into the twenty-first century.

Jamaica is a strong advocate of multilateralism and believes that measures available within the multilateral framework should be employed to assist developing countries to benefit meaningfully from the process of globalization. We note that while this process holds much promise for growth and prosperity, it also poses serious challenges for developing countries, many of which are being increasingly marginalized. The reality is that the globalization process is heightening patterns of uneven development among developed and developing countries, and it is already very clear that there is no globalization of benefits.

The plight of developing countries in the wake of the financial crisis currently affecting the global economy is made even grimmer when we take into account the decline in concessionary financial flows from the donor community which we have witnessed in recent years. Official development assistance represents today only an average of 0.22 per cent of the gross national product of developed countries, a far cry from the target of 0.7 per cent set in 1972. The share of official development assistance in net resource flows to developing countries fell from 64 per cent in 1994 to 22 per cent in 1996.

Taken with the heavy burden of the debt-service payments which must be met, we are faced with the unhappy circumstance of net reverse flows from the South to the North at a time when additional resources are needed to address the challenges which attend the globalization process.

These trends must be reversed if developing countries are to have a fair opportunity to achieve meaningful development; for the success of the development process is dependent on the availability of external financing, and concessionary resource flows play a significant role in the maintenance of economic stability, the development of infrastructure and capacity-building, which are prerequisites for effective participation in the globalization process.

Jamaica considers that the time has come for us to address these issues in serious dialogue. There is an urgent need to identify ways in which development financing from industrialized to developing and transition economies for both public and private sector enterprise may be increased. We must explore measures to relieve the external debt of the developing countries, including the cancellation of debt. We should seek to have dialogues between creditor and debtor countries to ensure an increase in the flow of concessionary financing in support of economic reforms, poverty eradication and the achievement of sustainable development.

We therefore join the call for the urgent convening of a conference on financing for development at an early date. Crucial issues which we would wish to see discussed at such a meeting are strategies for mobilizing domestic resources for development; mobilization of international private financial flows; international financial cooperation for development; debt relief; and trade facilitation for development.

Beyond this proposed conference, my Government recognizes that there is a need for ongoing exchange between the North and the South. While the days of the ideological divide and political polarization are behind us, we are still faced with the challenge of North-South disparity in development and opportunity. We need to foster increased collaboration between the developed and the developing world to identify ways in which wider cooperation on issues concerning trade and investment, debt and development may be pursued.

We consider that a process of dialogue on these issues could be initiated by a representative group of developing and transition economies in consultation with the major industrialized countries. We believe that such a process of dialogue would pave the way for a broader framework of functional cooperation in areas of interest to both North and South.

It is with much satisfaction that Jamaica assumes the chairmanship of the Group of 15 developing States, and we look forward to hosting the ninth ministerial meeting in Jamaica in February next year. Jamaica, during its tenure, will seek to ensure that developing countries play a more active role in shaping the international economy so as to promote greater balance and equity.

My Government remains deeply concerned at the ever expanding illicit drug trade, which is not only a menace to civil society, but also undermines the economic viability of our countries. The extraordinary demand for and supply of illicit drugs for this lucrative trade has resulted in the formation of transnational networks, including highly sophisticated money-laundering operations. Of even greater concern is the now well-established link between the drug trade and the proliferation of small arms. The ready availability of small arms has intensified the cycle of crime and violence in our societies.

The special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem, held earlier this year, underscored the need to strengthen the process of bilateral, regional and international cooperation in the fight against illicit drug activities. These initiatives should also deal simultaneously with the related problem of small arms. Jamaica calls on the international community to fully support these efforts.

Jamaica joins in condemning the acts of terrorism committed in Dar-es-Salaam and Nairobi during August. We support the adoption of a multilateral approach as the most effective means of removing this threat to the security of the international community.

Caribbean States recognize the ocean as a symbol of the common heritage of mankind, a vital resource which should be managed in a responsible manner so as to ensure its continued use for present and future generations. Caribbean Governments are committed to the protection of the Caribbean Sea, our shared patrimony. We have recently taken a decision to develop and implement a comprehensive coastal zone management programme by the year 2000. We continue to be concerned at the threat tothe fragile marine environment posed by the regular shipment of nuclear and other hazardous waste through the Caribbean Sea.

Jamaica commends the Government of Portugal for its initiative in establishing the Independent World Commission on the Oceans, on which an eminent Jamaican serves. As part of its recognition of the International Year of the Ocean, the Government of Jamaica has established a National Council on Ocean and Coastal Zone Management to promote the sustainable development and use of our marine resources.

The International Seabed Authority, which has its headquarters in Kingston, continues to make progress on the negotiation of a mining code. It is hoped that these negotiations will be finalized at an early date, so that a regulatory regime for the resources of the seabed may be firmly established. We call on Member States to participate more actively in these negotiations in order to ensure that the code which is developed will protect the interests of all countries. We also urge Member States to support the operation of the Authority through the commitment of resources.

It has not escaped our attention that many of the preceding speakers have made reference to the need for the promotion of international peace, human security and sustainable development. As we move forward towards the end of an era, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that we do not face the dawn of the new millennium burdened by the weight of unresolved issues which impede the development of our community of nations and which undermine the well-being of our peoples.

Clearly, it is in our individual and collective interest to participate fully in the process for development and peace, for, after all, the character of the global village of the future will ultimately be determined by the quality of the input that each of us invests today.

The President

The next speaker is the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bhutan, His Excellency Mr. Jigmi Yoser Thinley, on whom I now call.

Mr. Thinley (Bhutan)

It is with great pleasure that I congratulate you, Mr. President, on your unanimous election to preside over the General Assembly at this session. This session is particularly significant because we are celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is also important for a less uplifting reason: during this session the international community is confronted with serious challenges and is hard pressed to find collective wisdom to deal with disturbing developments and trends. As you guide us in our deliberations on these issues, I wish you well and would like to extend to you the full support of my delegation. I also wish to join the preceding speakers, all of whom have justly praised the excellent work done by your predecessor, Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko.

Our Secretary-General stated in his address to the recent summit of the Non-Aligned Movement that

"human rights are not simply a matter of civil and political freedom. Genuine freedom of choice requires economic, social and cultural emancipation too."

From the very beginning of our development process and to ensure such emancipation, Bhutan has been guided by a philosophy of maintaining a harmonious balance between material and spiritual prosperity. This we believe is the way forward to attaining our goal of gross national happiness.

I have the pleasure to inform the Assembly that the throne of the Kingdom of Bhutan has always been the fountainhead of the many changes in our country which have led to greater empowerment of the people. Just three months ago our King introduced, through the National Assembly, some profound changes in the governance of our country. These changes are in addition to the earlier institutionalization of participatory decision making processes at the district and grass-roots levels. Upon dissolution of the appointed Cabinet, a new Council of Ministers has been elected for a specific term by the National Assembly. His Majesty the King has voluntarily relinquished his role as the head of Government and was further successful in convincing the National Assembly to introduce a mechanism for the removal of a reigning monarch through a periodic vote of confidence. Such ongoing changes have further strengthened the rule of law and have enhanced even further the direct participation of the people in development and governance.

As we stand at the threshold of another millennium of human civilization, our generation of leaders and policy makers must not fail to grasp the unprecedented opportunities. Ours is the past and ours, too, is the future. Even as we are engaged in the last defining moments of the twentieth century, we have a decisive role in shaping the beginning of the next thousand years. We cannot undermine our own role. Narrow interests and differences must not be allowed to deter us from the greater legacy we owe to posterity.

I believe that we should look upon all the challenges that have spiralled in recent years as a last reminder of the growing vulnerabilities of human society. There is the Asian crisis, which now threatens to cause global economic contraction and is already undermining the social and political stability of some nations. The environment is wreaking havoc in many quarters of the world, causing loss of life and property in both the richest and the poorest countries. And just as trade, technology and the reality of interdependence force us to abide with each other in a world that is shrinking in space and natural resources, we find ourselves torn apart by bigotry, intolerance and hate. Terrorism is on the rise, our children are lured by drugs and crime, and even the richest nations among us can ill afford the rising cost of growing prison populations. Then, there is the spectre of a nuclear holocaust, which continues to haunt us. Unless we look at our future and manage the compelling forces of globalization with a greater sense of spirituality and social concern, I fear that the global village will fail to provide much of that elusive state of joy and contentment to which we all aspire.

Terrorism in all its manifestations is unjustifiable, regardless of the cause it seeks to espouse. It must be condemned in the strongest of terms. Those who use terror or the threat of terror target innocent people. Their objectives are clear: to foster an environment of fear if their goals are not met. Such heinous crimes against humanity must not go unpunished. The voices of those who live in constant fear of having the most fundamental of human rights -- the right to live without fear and the right to life itself -- abused and violated can no longer be ignored. The conclusion and effective implementation of a comprehensive international convention on terrorism therefore assumes great significance.

The recent nuclear tests in South Asia have aroused much concern. However, we are heartened by the positive steps being taken by the concerned parties to calm the fears of the international community. As a small, peace-loving country, Bhutan has always condemned nuclear armament and advocated full and comprehensive elimination of all nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. Our delegation urges all participants in the disarmament processes to undertake a more realistic assessment of the prevailing global security arrangement, which, we believe, has the inherent weakness of enticing States to join an exclusive club. Unless there is an accelerated process towards complete and comprehensive denuclearization beyond the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and beyond the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the world must be prepared to face the eventuality of a nuclear club that will lose its exclusivity.

Mr. Thinley (Bhutan)

Active and not passive interdependence is the primary condition for all human progress in the future. It is clear that prosperity in one part of the global village cannot be sustained when poverty prevails in the other. Yet unconscionable levels of disparity continue to grow between the rich and the poor countries. While one section of human society is burying itself in the waste of conspicuous and excessive consumption, the other is plagued by hunger and exposure. Against this backdrop, it is sad to note that shrinkage of official development assistance remains a serious concern. Political will must be generated to reverse this trend and to inject new vitality into international cooperation for development in the interest of shared and sustainable prosperity.

Revitalization and reform of our Organization has been the singular underlying theme of recent sessions of the General Assembly. We are all agreed on the need for major changes if the United Nations is to effectively meet the current and emerging challenges of the twenty-first century. As we continue to assess the long-term implications of the Secretary-General's proposal contained in his report, we should bear in mind the needs and aspirations of small and developing countries, which comprise the overwhelming majority of the United Nations membership.

Efforts should also focus on further strengthening of the role and capacity of the Organization in the promotion of development. In this regard, we welcome the inter-agency collaborative arrangements, which we feel have already led to improved coordination and cost-effectiveness of the United Nations development agencies. In so saying, I should like to place on record the deep gratitude of the people of Bhutan for the vital role and contributions of the various United Nations agencies in our country's development efforts. These agencies often play a lead and coordinating role in such sectors of our national development programmes as health, education and infrastructure. Indeed, it is the face of the United Nations as a prime mover of development that the masses in many of our countries most appreciate and cherish.

Differences in perspective have prevented us from arriving at a meaningful agreement on substantive issues concerning the reform of the Security Council. Sixty-five lengthy meetings held by the Open-ended Working Group on the question of Security Council expansion and reform have yielded few results, and tangible proposals remain elusive.

My country firmly supports the position of the Non-Aligned Movement on this matter, as reiterated in the Final Document of its twelfth Summit meeting, which was convened in South Africa earlier this month. Bhutan is of the view that the current permanent members have an obligation to be more responsive to calls for multifaceted reforms of the Council. It must be rendered more effective and transparent through democratization and the enlargement of its membership, both in the permanent and non-permanent categories. New permanent members must include countries that have the capacity to share greater international responsibilities and reflect equitable geographical representation. We believe that Japan, whose apportionment of the United Nations regular budget will exceed 20 per cent by the year 2000, and India as a developing country which represents one sixth of humanity, are two countries that deserve permanent membership in the Security Council. We remain convinced that the presence of developing countries is all the more essential for the reason that they form the object of most actions of the Council.

Before I conclude, my delegation wishes to express its deep sadness over the loss of human life and destruction of property and infrastructure in the aftermath of the worst ever floods in Bangladesh. While the people of Bangladesh battle against this cruel act of nature, the people of Bhutan are one with them and have extended to them some assistance. As a least developed country, Bangladesh does not have the resources to alleviate the suffering of its people and to put itself on the road to recovery and normalization. We are hopeful that the international community will respond promptly and generously to the appeal of the Prime Minister and the Government of Bangladesh.

The Acting President

The next speaker is the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Cameroon, His Excellency Mr. Augustin Kontchou Kouomegni, on whom I now call.

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71     print dtext[mspek.end(0):]

72

73     print '</div>'

dtext = u'<h3 class="speaker"> <span class="name">Mr. Kont...ited Nations and of its specialized agencies.</p>', mspek = <_sre.SRE_Match object>, mspek.end = <built-in method end of _sre.SRE_Match object>

<type 'exceptions.UnicodeEncodeError'>: 'ascii' codec can't encode character u'\xe9' in position 17993: ordinal not in range(128)
      args = ('ascii', u'\n\t<p id="pg009-bk02-pa01">Allow me first of all,...ited Nations and of its specialized agencies.</p>', 17993, 17994, 'ordinal not in range(128)')
      encoding = 'ascii'
      end = 17994
      message = ''
      object = u'\n\t<p id="pg009-bk02-pa01">Allow me first of all,...ited Nations and of its specialized agencies.</p>'
      reason = 'ordinal not in range(128)'
      start = 17993