General Assembly Session 57 meeting 1

The President

In accordance with the procedure followed in the past, I should now like to invite the General Assembly to consider the positive recommendation by the Security Council for the admission to membership in the United Nations of the Swiss Confederation.

This special procedure has been applied previously in order to give States recommended by the Security Council for membership in our Organization the opportunity, if the General Assembly acts favourably on their requests, to participate from the outset in the work of the session.

If there is no objection, we shall proceed accordingly.

The President

I give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of France, His Excellency Mr. Dominique de Villepin, to introduce draft resolution A/57/L.1.

Mr. De Villepin (France)

In accordance with Article 4 of the Charter, and following the adoption of Security Council resolution 1426 (2002) of 24 July 2002, which recommends to the General Assembly that the Swiss Confederation be admitted to membership in the United Nations, it is my honour, on behalf of the five friendly countries neighbouring it, to recommend to the Assembly the adoption of the draft resolution to admit Switzerland to membership of the United Nations.

We warmly welcome the admission of Switzerland to the United Nations. We do so, of course, because of the bonds that unite our two countries. But we do so also, and in particular, because Switzerland's membership will strengthen the United Nations and the values on which the Organization must build the future.

Geography has made Switzerland and France neighbours; history has made us allies and friends. In 1430, my country opened a diplomatic mission in Switzerland. While many conflicts have caused much bloodshed in Europe throughout the centuries, our countries have enjoyed peaceful relations since 1515.

On a number of occasions during crucial times in our history, Switzerland opened its doors to us. That tradition of Switzerland as a land of exile goes back a long way. How could we forget that in the seventeenth century it gave refuge to many French people fleeing religious persecution? Even then, when intransigence was often the rule and being different was often punished by death, Switzerland was a model of openness, tolerance and peace.

The bonds that unite us today are strong, close and characterized by unfailing trust. Our dialogue is an ongoing one. Our two countries are also major actors in the French-speaking community. But Switzerland's outreach extends to the whole world. At the beginning of the twentieth century, it hosted the very first efforts to create a responsible, fraternal international community. Geneva became the other main headquarters of the United Nations and home to some 15 specialized agencies.

Switzerland will now be able to bring to the United Nations all of the qualities that we identify with it. As a founding Member of the United Nations, and because we are committed to strengthening the Organization, France is profoundly pleased by this. Switzerland's standards and practices go right to the heart of the values that unite us.

Switzerland is the only State to have joined the United Nations following a referendum. Its system of direct democracy, which was worked out over the centuries through the patient work of some of the greatest jurists, will strengthen the democratic premise of our Organization.

Its multicultural character and its multilingualism will make a crucial contribution to the dialogue among civilizations that is now so essential the community of States, particularly since, in addition to its wealth of cultural resources, Switzerland has traditionally been a land of refuge for great artists, including Charlie Chaplin, Nabokov and Balthus.

The role played by Switzerland in development, international law and humanitarian issues is crucial. Who could forget that the founder of the Red Cross, Henri Dunant, was Swiss? The historic decision taken by the Swiss Confederation will now enable it, with respect for its neutrality, to enjoy new opportunities for action and influence. It will now be able to bring its full potential to bear in carrying out the tasks entrusted to it by the United Nations: ensuring peace, security and the prosperity of humankind.

France is therefore particularly happy and proud to stand beside Switzerland at this crucial time in its history.

The President

Before proceeding to take action on the draft resolution, I should like to announce that, since the introduction of the draft resolution, the following countries have joined the sponsors of A/57/L.1: the Bahamas, Brunei Darussalam, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Grenada, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Suriname.

May I take it that the General Assembly accepts the recommendation of the Security Council and adopts the draft resolution by acclamation?

The President

I therefore declare the Swiss Confederation admitted to membership in the United Nations.

I request the Chief of Protocol to escort the delegation of the Swiss Confederation to its place in the General Assembly Hall.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Côte d'Ivoire, His Excellency Mr. Djessan Philippe Djangone-Bi, who will speak on behalf of the Group of African States.

Mr. Djangone-Bi (Cote d'Ivoire)

First of all, I should like to say that it is an honour and a pleasure to represent the Group of African States before the Assembly on the occasion of the admission of the Swiss Confederation to the United Nations as a full-fledged Member State, and to welcome the presence of the Swiss delegation, led by His Excellency Mr. Kaspar Villiger, President of the Swiss Confederation. I should also like to convey the warmest congratulations of the African Group to the Government and the people of Switzerland on their historic decision to give that important country of the international community the place that it deserves within the United Nations.

Finally, the African States, which all enjoy excellent relations with Switzerland, would like to tell the Swiss delegation, through me, how pleased they are to see it occupy at last the place that should have belonged to it long ago. Africans are aware of the role that Switzerland has played for many years in the defence and promotion of the ideals of the United Nations. Has it not, for decades, been the seat of important bodies and agencies of the Organization and of other international bodies that work for the promotion of peace, development and understanding among the peoples of the world?

In the light of the foregoing, it was vital for us Africans that such a country become a full-fledged member of the United Nations family at the beginning of the twenty-first century, a time when the Organization needs fresh inspiration to rise to the numerous challenges that face it.

Switzerland should know that it can count on the readiness and the cooperation of the African Group of the United Nations.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, His Excellency Mr. M. Javad Zarif, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Asian States.

Mr. Zarif (Iran)

It is a great honour and a privilege for me, acting in my capacity as the Chairman of the Asian Group, to congratulate the Swiss Confederation on its admission today to membership of the United Nations. We are profoundly glad to welcome to this Hall the Swiss delegation, whose presence here has further enhanced the universality of the Organization. We welcome Switzerland as a new member of the United Nations family. There have always been very close links between the United Nations and Switzerland, which has -- among many other things, and among its many contributions to the work of the Organization -- graciously offered its hospitality to the European Headquarters of the United Nations as well as to numerous other international organizations.

As a democratic and multicultural society, Switzerland represents the true spirit of the United Nations and a best model for dialogue among civilizations. It attaches great importance to the promotion of international law, and it has a history of offering its good offices and of supporting international peace efforts, contributing military observers and civilian personnel to United Nations peacekeeping operations. Switzerland is renowned for its long humanitarian tradition, and it has been a significant contributor to the efforts of the United Nations in the fields of development cooperation and humanitarian assistance.

We are convinced that Switzerland's membership of the United Nations is important not only for Switzerland itself, but also for the Organization's membership as a whole. Active and full participation by Switzerland in the activities of the United Nations will certainly enable us to make more effective use of the Organization's potential to promote the establishment of peace and security and to pursue the goals and objectives enshrined in the Charter.

I would like to express our best wishes to the Swiss Confederation on this significant event and to wish the Government and the people of Switzerland continued peace and prosperity. The States Member of the Asian Group look forward to working closely with Switzerland in all spheres of the activities of the United Nations.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Ukraine, His Excellency Mr. Valery Kuchinsky, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States.

Mr. Kuchinsky (Ukraine)

On behalf of the Group of Eastern European States and my own country, Ukraine, I have the honour and great pleasure to congratulate the Swiss Confederation on its admission to membership of the United Nations. Our Organization is meant to be universal. Today, the principle of universality has moved one step closer towards its full realization. The admission of Switzerland to the family of nations also enhances the legitimacy and effectiveness of the United Nations.

Despite the fact that Switzerland officially joins the United Nations only today, we have always considered it to be a great partner deeply involved in United Nations activities. I refer here not only to its participation in numerous United Nations bodies, special agencies and various programmes of the Organization; everyone knows Geneva as one of the major United Nations centres of the world, a family hearth for a number of international agencies and organizations. For my country, Switzerland has always served as a bright example of a tolerant, peaceful and multicultural society built on democratic values. We are confident that its membership in the United Nations will be of benefit to the people of Switzerland, who made their historic choice in a March referendum. It will be of benefit to our Organization and to the peoples of the world.

Let me warmly welcome the Swiss Confederation, congratulate the Group of Western European and Other States -- which has gained such a good player for its team -- and wish our new Member every success in its future United Nations endeavours.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Suriname to speak on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States.

Mrs. Loemban Tobing-Klein (Suriname)

What a privilege it is for me to welcome the people and nation of the Swiss Confederation to the United Nations on behalf of the 34 States members of the Latin American and Caribbean Group.

To be admitted to the family of nations in the midst of the developments in today's world is of extreme importance; given the awareness and convictions of all partners in this body that we still have a long way to go to realize the most noble goals and objectives of the United Nations regarding human rights, the dignity of our peoples, tolerance, social and economic progress, international peace and security, sustainable human development and, especially, the outcomes of the most recent major conferences in Doha, Monterrey and Johannesburg, which are in conformity with the very essential millennium development goals and have given us tools on the basis of which alone we, the States Members of the United Nations, shall be able to make the necessary difference in the lives of our peoples.

The newly admitted nation of the Swiss Confederation is very well known, inter alia, because of its important and essential role in the protection and promotion of human rights and the promotion and strengthening of humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles through, amongst others, the widely known and respected International Committee of the Red Cross. We may therefore expect an essential contribution from our new Member regarding the implementation of the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and the millennium development goals and towards the fulfilment of our national and international responsibilities and duties.

The admission of the new Member State has therefore to be considered a great, valuable and challenging addition to our work in the United Nations. All the members of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States are ready to cooperate with the new Member State constructively and in the best possible way.

Furthermore, allow me, on behalf of all the members of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, to welcome most heartily our new, respected Member, the Swiss Confederation, as the 190th State Member of our Organization because of its well-known democratic, neutral, multicultural and multilingual nature. Let me also, on behalf of our Group, congratulate the people, Government and delegation of Switzerland at this special moment.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Portugal to speak on behalf of the Group of Western European and Other States.

Mr. Santa Clara Gomes (Portugal)

I have the honour to address the General Assembly on this historic day in my capacity as Chairman of the Group of Western European and Other States upon the admission of Switzerland to the United Nations. It is a very great pleasure to welcome a member of our regional group, and also a fellow European country, into the United Nations membership.

On 3 March 2002, the Swiss people decided to take a step forward to build on its already strong history of 54 years as an observer and host to some of the most important institutions of the United Nations. The presence here today of the President, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and several prominent members of Parliament reaffirms the strong commitment and importance given to the United Nations by Switzerland and its desire to remain a mainstay of this Organization.

The United Nations is a unique Organization in which the sovereignty of its Member States, the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are enshrined. These principles lie also at the heart of the Swiss Confederation. We can rest assured that Switzerland will continue to participate actively in negotiations for the improvement of our societies and the human condition at large, as it has done for so many years. I am sure that its new status will add vigour to its already important role within the context of our work here at the United Nations.

We, the members of the Group of Western European and other States, look forward to a continued and closer working relationship with our Swiss friends and colleagues, who are staunch defenders of the ideas and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. As the Swiss flag is raised this afternoon before the Assembly, the world will witness the strengthening of the United Nations.

The President

I call on the representative of the United States, His Excellency Mr. John Negroponte, who will speak on behalf of the host country.

Mr. Negroponte (United States)

Let me take this opportunity to congratulate you, Mr. President, on assuming the leadership of this great body, and to pledge to you the commitment and cooperation of my delegation in making your presidency of the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly a real success.

It is a great honour to welcome Switzerland as the newest Member of the United Nations. Switzerland joins the United Nations as a modern democracy and as a European State with a record of active participation in regional forums dedicated to peace, security, democracy and human rights. Switzerland has shown its commitment to multilateral cooperation through its role in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Partnership for Peace and the Euro-Atlantic Council. It has also deepened its relationship with the European Union and the Council of Europe.

The decision of the Swiss people to join the United Nations is testimony to their confidence in their nation and in its ability to contribute to the wider world. Switzerland's deepening involvement in Europe and its role in peacekeeping in the Balkans and in Sudan, as well as the invaluable work of the International Committee of the Red Cross, all highlight the country's unique contributions to making the world a safer and better place. So we warmly welcome Switzerland to this meeting house of nations with every confidence that those contributions will continue.

The President

It is a great pleasure for me, on this historic occasion, to welcome, on behalf of the General Assembly, the Swiss Confederation as a new Member of the United Nations. The admission of the Swiss Confederation into the family of nations is of great significance, as it sanctions the universality of the United Nations and thus enhances its legitimacy and effectiveness.

There have been close relations and good cooperation between the Swiss Confederation and the United Nations. As a country with a long and deeply rooted tradition of democracy, the Swiss Confederation makes a great contribution to the development of international cooperation in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations. Let me remind members at this historic moment that it was the Swiss Confederation that was the host country of the League of Nations after the First World War. Moreover, it is the Swiss Confederation that is the host country of the human rights section of the United Nations, especially the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

In our mind, Geneva is connected also to the International Committee of the Red Cross as one of the bodies that targets for improvement the conditions of people in difficulty during armed conflicts, as well as during natural or social disasters. Geneva is also well known as the birthplace of many international humanitarian conventions. However, I firmly believe that the decision of the Swiss Confederation to become a Member of the United Nations reflects the will and the aspiration of the Government and the people of the Swiss Confederation to further enhance cooperation with other Member States within the intergovernmental processes of the United Nations.

I congratulate the Swiss Confederation, and I congratulate the United Nations on the admission of its 190th Member State. I am confident that this newly admitted Member State will contribute to the efforts of the General Assembly and of the United Nations in addressing the issues in international relations that lie ahead.