UNdemocracy - General Assembly Session 62 meeting 11

Date	28 September 2007
Started	15:00
Ended	21:30

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A-62-PV.11 2007-09-28 15:00 28 September 2007 [[28 September]] [[2007]] /

The President: Mr. Kerim (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)

The meeting was called to order at 3.10 p.m.

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Address by Mr. Fiorenzo Stolfi, Head of Government and Minister for Foreign and Political Affairs and Economic Planning of the Republic of San Marino

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Head of Government and Minister for Foreign and Political Affairs and Economic Planning of the Republic of San Marino.

Mr. Fiorenzo Stolfi, Head of Government and Minister for Foreign and Political Affairs and Economic Planning of the Republic of San Marino, was escorted to the rostrum.

The President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Fiorenzo Stolfi, Head of Government and Minister for Foreign and Political Affairs and Economic Planning of the Republic of San Marino, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Stolfi (San Marino)

On behalf of the Government and the people of the Republic of San Marino, I join the unanimous tribute paid to you, Mr. Srgjan Kerim, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session by expressing my most sincere congratulations on your election to this high office. I am confident that you will be able to give new momentum to the process of renewal and reform of the United Nations.

In particular, I wish to express my gratitude and appreciation to the outgoing President, Her Excellency Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, who has carried out with determination and commitment an intense activity aimed at implementing the reform programme undertaken by the Secretary-General.

The Republic of San Marino is deeply concerned about the latest events in Myanmar and expresses its solidarity to the families of the victims. We hope that the violence will soon be stopped and a dialogue immediately re-established.

The Republic of San Marino firmly believes in the role and effectiveness of the entire structure of the United Nations, as well as in the process of progressive renewal of its main bodies, which is now more than ever necessary, given time, evolution and the need to best enhance the participation by the great family of the Member States in the management of the Organization.

A small country like San Marino gains considerable strength and legitimacy from the major international organizations in its efforts to make its voice heard regarding the great issues and main challenges of our time. We are still determined to play this role and will continue to fulfil the commitments undertaken, individually or in partnership with other countries, to affirm those principles of solidarity and the protection of rights, in which our history is rooted.

In this regard, we believe that forms of cooperation among small countries can prove undoubtedly useful to major projects and deliver positive and effective messages of multilateral cooperation, in a spirit of mutual belonging to an international community, albeit still characterized by large gaps.

In this context, an example is the commitment taken by San Marino, together with a group of small European countries, in favour of a United Nations Children's Fund project against HIV and destined for children living in Gabon. At the same time, the small countries are intensifying their contacts within the United Nations to adopt further joint intervention programmes, mainly of a humanitarian character.

The Republic of San Marino promotes and supports, with the strength of its millenary history of civilization, peace and respect for human rights, any call advanced at a national or international level entailing a moral and civil commitment to the affirmation of specific ideological and cultural identities, which, as is the case for San Marino, are based on the principles of peaceful coexistence and respect for others.

It is in this spirit that my country believes in and actively commits itself to the promotion of intercultural and interreligious dialogue, as a fundamental instrument to prevent tensions and conflicts arising from intolerance and to promote peace based on the principles of respect for fundamental human rights, justice and international cooperation.

During its six-month chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which ended last May, the Republic of San Marino based its activity on the promotion of a culture of tolerance and mutual understanding by organizing high-level meetings and debates aimed at fostering dialogue among cultures and religions. In this context, the conference organized last April in San Marino on the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue in Europe, a priority issue of the San Marino chairmanship, met with great success. This conference was attended by the representatives of the Council of Europe member countries, religious leaders belonging to the three major European monotheistic religions and experts from civil society. At the end of its work, the conference adopted a final document, which testifies to the wide range of this debate and marks a significant moment in the process undertaken by the Council of Europe to promote, stimulate and develop intercultural dialogue in Europe, with particular reference to its religious dimension.

Among the initiatives taken in the last few months on this issue, it is worth mentioning the meeting organized by the Permanent Mission of San Marino in New York on dialogue between religions, with the presence and participation of the Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly and representatives of more than 70 countries.

In line with its history of peace, which makes it an ideal place for meeting and mediation, the Republic of San Marino will coordinate, starting from next year, the future meetings of the Council of Europe on the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue. It is in this spirit that I will take part next week in the High-level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace, organized by the presidency of the General Assembly.

My country welcomes the adoption of this initiative, which further stresses the need for us to join our efforts in support of dialogue among cultures and religions, as an instrument to strengthen the climate of confidence indispensable to promote peace, prevent conflicts and combat the threat of discrimination, racism, violence and terrorism.

The Republic of San Marino is particularly sensitive to the issue of climate change, in the conviction that addressing this problem is an imperative for each member of the international community, called upon to take action and share common strategies to prevent and face situations of degradation and extreme emergency, which are becoming increasingly evident and require joint actions that can no longer be postponed. We are witnessing alarming phenomena that are deteriorating every element of the environment, mainly due to human activities. It is therefore necessary to develop alternative strategies, which can protect the climate from the increasingly serious threat posed to the entire ecosystem.

The San Marino Government has expressed its strong determination to progressively accede to the major international instruments, adopted in the framework of the United Nations, on environmental protection and gas emissions, from the Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol thereto, to the Kyoto Protocol, in the awareness that the consequences of climate change are a serious obstacle to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. At a domestic level, San Marino is preparing legislation promoting new technologies based on renewable energy sources that will substantially modify the energetic and environmental habits of the entire country.

Just a few days ago, the Secretary-General organized a high-level event on climate change, which gave further momentum to the activity of our Governments.

It is worth reiterating that we take a strong stance against the death penalty on the basis of political and moral principles. Indeed, the death penalty denies the right to life, and we deem it a groundless deterrent, as do an increasing number of countries, which are progressively abolishing it from their legal systems. The Republic of San Marino expresses its satisfaction at the steps taken in this direction at a multilateral level and supports the new interregional initiative. We are convinced that by promoting first of all a moratorium, each and every country can gradually achieve a moderate attitude and eventually reach the decision to abolish the death penalty.

San Marino fully shares the commitment undertaken on a global scale to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and is ready to offer its own contribution and its partnership to eradicate endemic problems, by fully recognizing the fundamental rights of the most vulnerable groups of society, such as the elderly, women, children and disabled people.

In this regard, I would like to underline in particular the value of the action carried out by the United Nations in favour of social policies addressed to persons with disabilities, which has led to the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol. In this context, the Republic of San Marino was one of the first States to subscribe to these instruments.

To achieve these objectives, which were also among the main issues included in the programme of the recent chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, my country has launched some awareness raising and effective intervention campaigns, such as the campaign on violence against women and in favour of children's rights.

I wish to refer in particular to the protection of children's rights, to which my country pays special attention, prompted by the conviction that only the mobilization of Governments and societies can save children all over the world from today's sufferings and from enduring conditions of underdevelopment and poverty. My country has promoted legislative measures and solidarity initiatives with the precious contribution of institutions and civil society, and it commits itself at a political, moral and social level to providing any possible instrument of protection and guarantee in favour of minors.

It is in this spirit and in full agreement with the principles contained in the detailed study on violence against children, drafted by United Nations expert Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, that the Republic of San Marino will soon sign the Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, adopted by the Council of Europe and aimed at involving the States in the drafting and implementation of an international plan to prevent and counter these phenomena.

San Marino is fully aware of the need for the United Nations to maintain and strengthen its own structure by revitalizing the main bodies, to attain improved efficiency and progressive adjustment to a broader multilateral context.

In the light of the above and well aware of its status as a small country, San Marino is however intensifying its activities within the major international organizations. It has responsibly taken on the task of facilitator assigned to it and to Senegal by the President of the sixty-first session of the General Assembly in the revitalization process of this organ.

This task, performed by the San Marino Permanent Mission in New York, attributes to this tiny State a delicate and important role at an international level, which certainly represents a significant recognition of the work done since 1992 to the present and of the commitment with which the Republic participates in the life of the international community, with its renewed efforts to enhance dialogue and cooperation.

The objective of revitalizing the General Assembly is a priority in the reform and modernization process of the main bodies of the United Nations, since the General Assembly is the main representative and decision-making body of the Organization, where all States are permanent members and can and must play an important role by virtue of the principles of democracy and equal representation enshrined in this Organization.

The Republic of San Marino believes it necessary to strengthen the role of the General Assembly by enabling it to act efficiently and to cooperate with other statutory bodies in a more coordinated manner. In this regard, San Marino expresses the hope that, in order to fully support the activities of this body, which is responsible for the whole process of standardization and codification of international law, the international community will commit itself to increasingly receiving and implementing its resolutions.

At the same time, it reiterates the need to reach the broadest possible political agreement on the reform of the Security Council. This agreement should be the result of a concerted and open vision in view of any adjustments that may be required in the years to come. For many years, San Marino has constantly paid great attention to this issue of topical interest, because of its strategic and structural implications. In this regard, I believe that today the presidency of the General Assembly deserves our unanimous gratitude for its report, which represents an excellent basis to continue to consider this item on the agenda of the sixty-second session.

On behalf of a State, the Republic of San Marino, that has always based its peaceful coexistence with other States and the spirit of its profound national and international solidarity on aspirations for international peace and security, I would like to express my complete confidence in the long-term effectiveness of the United Nations system. Each and every State must try to make a political and ideological contribution through concrete proposals to that system, on which every State continues to place high expectations because of the impact of its activities at a national and international level.

Allow me to conclude my statement by offering a brief reflection, by virtue of the fact that I come from a country without any macroeconomic or military interests, or any interests regarding the political balance among the great Powers. I believe that the space and attention we all devote to the international commitment and contribution made by every State, even the smallest, can be a positive investment in the future of the United Nations, a future characterized by increased understanding, closer cooperation and the promotion of dialogue and mutual respect, upon which the foundations of this Organization rest.

This renewed momentum will therefore provide large countries with the opportunity to demonstrate their full respect for international justice and will show small countries how useful their activities are in the community of nations -- activities that translate into continuous efforts aimed at achieving peace, mutual understanding and better living conditions for all peoples.

With those hopes in mind, I express to you, Sir, my most sincere wishes for a successful presidency of this greatest of world assemblies, and I assure you that you can fully rely on our support throughout the sixty-second session.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Head of Government of the Republic of San Marino for the statement he has just made.

Mr. Fiorenzo Stolfi, Head of Government and Minister for Foreign and Political Affairs and Economic Planning of the Republic of San Marino, was escorted from the rostrum.

The President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Jean Asselborn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Mr. Asselborn (Luxembourg)

Year after year the international community meets in New York in September to debate the major issues of concern to humankind. This traditional encounter is of special importance in that it enables us to grasp very directly and intensively, in all their complexity, the challenges that confront us, but also to bolster our determination to search for common solutions. That is the very essence of the effective multilateralism that, with great conviction, my country, Luxembourg, has placed at the heart of its international action.

And what could be a stronger illustration of this shared perception of what is at stake globally and this resolve to seek viable solutions in the short, medium and long, even very long, term than the high-level event organized at the beginning of the week at the initiative of the Secretary-General devoted to the problems of climate change?

As already said on behalf of the European Union by the Prime Minister of Portugal (see A/62/PV.4), whose statement I fully support, it is essential that December's Bali negotiations on an effective and viable post-Kyoto regime get off to a successful start. That is our most basic responsibility vis-à-vis present and future generations. For its part, as a member of the European Union and a State party to the Kyoto Protocol, Luxembourg, which has already undertaken weighty individual commitments, is ready to engage with great resolve in the quest for innovative and bold solutions.

In order to address successfully the problems of climate change, we must tackle them in all their complexity. In this regard, it should be noted that in the absence of concerted and energetic international action, there is a great risk that countries and populations that have contributed the least to the emergence of this phenomenon are likely to be the ones to bear the heaviest adverse consequences.

This, as I see it, is a political problem -- and, I would say, a moral problem -- of the first order. More than ever, the issue of development and hence of sustainable development both in the North and in the South must remain in the forefront of international attention. Important decisions have already been taken. Here, I would refer in particular to the decision taken by the European Union in 2005 under the Luxembourg presidency to attain the objective of 0.7 per cent of gross national income for official development assistance (ODA) by 2015. Faced with the risk of stagnation in ODA, we must redouble our efforts to meet our commitments.

A member of this all-too select "0.7 Group" -- with ODA that in 2007 reached close to 0.9 per cent of gross national income, and looking forward to achieving the objective of 1 per cent that we have set for ourselves -- Luxembourg can only look forward to the expansion of this club.

The year that lies ahead is crucial from the standpoint of development. There will be a need to undertake resolutely, and in a way that seeks a convergence, the World Trade Organization trade negotiations, the follow-up to Monterrey in the area of financing for development, and the implementation of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. Only if we adopt generous and courageous policies will we be able to build on these advances and reduce the delays that unfortunately persist, particularly in a number of sub-Saharan African countries, with regard to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

The convening in 2008 of a high-level meeting on mid-term implementation of the Millennium Development Goals would undoubtedly be a good opportunity to take stock and relaunch our efforts. Here I would also applaud the recent establishment at the initiative of the Secretary-General of the Millennium Development Goals Africa Steering Group. I am convinced that this will make a significant contribution in terms of coordination and intensification of efforts vis-à-vis a continent with which Luxembourg maintains relations of intense and multifaceted cooperation.

The problems associated with climate change and sustainable development bring me to another subject that is dear to my heart and is at the core of the international activities of the Luxembourg Government: humanitarian action. When it first discussed the question of climate change (see S/PV.5663), the Security Council highlighted the numerous complex interactions that could exist among natural disasters, the stepping up of violent conflicts within and among States and humanitarian disasters in various parts of the world. We must tackle these emergency situations on the operational level, seeking to make our action as efficient and prompt as possible. But there is also a need increasingly to place these emergency situations in their political, socio-economic and cultural context in order to try to mitigate their effects and, as far as possible, to prevent recurrence.

It is from this standpoint that a new Luxembourg Government strategy in the area of humanitarian crisis management has recently been presented. The strategy that rests on three pillars: emergency relief; rehabilitation and reconstruction in the transitional phase; and prevention.

On the basis of the United Nations finding that one euro invested in prevention may make it possible to save eight euros in crisis response and resolution, nearly 5 per cent of the Luxembourg humanitarian budget will henceforth be devoted to a proactive, preventive approach.

The 2005 World Summit Outcome, which is more than ever the road map for international action, stressed the fundamental finding according to which, "development, peace and security and human rights are interlinked and mutually reinforcing" (resolution 60/1, para. 9).

For my part, I believe that this is a cardinal principle that should guide and inspire all action by the United Nations and its Member States from an overall standpoint of coherence in addressing the great problems of the time: conflicts in Africa -- and I am thinking particularly of the situations with tragic humanitarian consequences currently prevailing in the Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and, to be sure, Zimbabwe; the Middle East, where it is important to support fully ongoing Israeli and Palestinian efforts and to progress ultimately towards a negotiated solution of two States living side by side in peace and security, and also towards a lasting solution for the whole region; and Afghanistan, Burma/Myanmar and other hotbeds of violence and instability. There is no denying that we must take into account simultaneously the dimensions of peace and security, human rights, States rights, the rule of law and socio-economic development.

I would like now to speak of the courage of the Burmese monks and other citizens who for weeks have been peacefully expressing their aspiration to democracy and respect for human rights. I condemn most energetically the violence of the Burmese security forces against these peaceful demonstrators and call the authorities to put an end to it.

The imperative that I mentioned a moment ago can also be seen very clearly in the work of a new and innovative organ, of which Luxembourg has been a member since the beginning of the year: the Peacebuilding Commission. The integrated peacebuilding strategies for each of the countries concerned should take into account all the factors involved in order once and for all to break the cycles of violence and place those countries on a stable track towards development. I would like also to mention in this context the essential dimension of reconciliation and combating impunity and to applauding in particular the activities of the various international courts, in particular the International Criminal Court.

The protection and promotion of human rights is one of the key focuses of Luxembourg's foreign policy. I continue to place great hope in the new Human Rights Council, which has just finished setting up its institutional structures, including, in particular, the universal periodic review mechanism, which is a significant innovation.

Faithful to its convictions and commitments, my country fully associates itself with the initiatives announced by a group of States from all parts of the world aimed at making progress in the international debate on the question of abolishing the death penalty.

In this rapid overview of the international situation in the area of peace and security, allow me to linger for a moment on an important issue that is of such concern to both the United Nations and the European Union, namely Kosovo. The last act of the Yugoslav tragedy, an urgent solution for the Kosovo issue must be found. The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, President Ahtisaari, has been working energetically to establish, in keeping with the established guidelines, the basis of the future status of Kosovo. The Troika of representatives from the European Union, the United States and Russia is also committed to a final attempt to bring the two parties together. These efforts have been continued in recent days in New York. As members know, the parties are even now meeting in this building; I have high hopes that dialogue will ensue. The Troika has agreed to submit its report to the Secretary-General by 10 December. I reiterate that the European Union is ready to fully assume its responsibilities in the region, for which a European future lies ahead.

I turn my attention to another issue that is of concern to international public opinion and whose potential impact on peace and security is very worrisome: the area of disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. A few days ago, I had the opportunity to state the views of the Luxembourg Government at the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. Here at the General Assembly I advocate once again for continued efforts in the area of nuclear disarmament and a strengthening of the non-proliferation regime, of which the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is and should remain the keystone.

Mr. Romero-Martínez (Honduras), Vice-President, took the Chair.

Mr. Asselborn (Luxembourg)

I would also like to speak briefly about other types of arms with destabilizing effects or unacceptable consequences for civilians; small arms and light weapons and sub-munitions. I hope that significant advances may soon be made, on those two categories of weapons in particular. The Luxembourg Government for its part intends to participate actively in this debate and is currently preparing a bill forbidding the manufacture, storage, utilization and trade in weapons employing sub-munitions.

The quest for international disarmament and the strengthening of international regimes on weapons of mass destruction consistently remain objectives of the Luxembourg Government, because of the serious concern we feel as we observe certain current developments with regard to respect for existing international norms, in particular with reference to the Iranian issue.

While the agreement that has just been concluded between the secretariat of the International Atomic Energy Agency -- specifically Mr. ElBaradei -- and the Islamic Republic of Iran goes in the right direction, we note with concern that Iran has not yet taken the necessary measures to bring itself into conformity with the three relevant resolutions of the Security Council. I appeal to Iran finally to take that action and to suspend all activities linked to enrichment.

On the set of issues that I have just mentioned, the Charter has entrusted a central role to the Security Council. It is essential for the Council to adapt to the political realities of the beginning of the twenty-first century by enlarging its membership in the categories of permanent and non-permanent members, guaranteeing an appropriate place for the small States that represent the vast majority of States Members of the Organization. It is important also to modernize the Council's functioning for the sake of enhanced effectiveness and transparency, with broader involvement for the entire membership. On the basis of the consensus decision that was adopted at the end of the sixty-first session of the General Assembly (see A/61/PV.109), I venture to hope that significant progress will be achieved in the area of Security Council reform in months to come. My country is eager to make its contribution to the achievement of the purposes of the Charter and to shoulder its share of responsibility in international peace and security, and thus wishes to become -- for the first time since it placed its signature on the San Francisco Charter in 1945 -- a non-permanent member of the Security Council for 2013 and 2014.

Security Council reform is an important portion of the United Nations reform agenda outlined at the 2005 Summit. If recourse to a multilateral machinery, with the United Nations at its core, is to be credible, then the tool made available to the international community must be commensurate with the developments of our time and capable of responding adequately to the expectations of efficiency and effectiveness harboured by States and peoples worldwide.

The reform effort should be pursued and supported with conviction by a revitalized General Assembly, exercising its prerogatives with energy and discernment and achieving its priority objectives. Reform, and thus the modernization of multilateralism, can succeed only if it rests on the common will of all Member States.

That applies in particular to the field of system-wide coherence in operational activities. To overcome the fragmentation that has developed over more than 60 years of United Nations history, to restore to the system and its actors a more effective capacity for action, particularly at the level of the countries and populations concerned, and to strengthen operational coherence in the eight areas covered by the report of the High-level Panel (A/61/583) are primary objectives for the performance and thus the credibility of the United Nations system. They are also decisions that need to be taken courageously and proactively in the appropriate forums.

While the success of reform would be reflected in a win-win-win situation for donor countries, recipient countries and the United Nations as a whole, as Mr. Ban Ki-moon has rightly said, the failure of reform would be likely to marginalize the entire system over the long term. The choice is before us; we must shoulder our political responsibilities.

More than ever, effective multilateralism is a great hope of our populations aspiring to a more just, more peaceful and more prosperous world, where the great ecological balance is preserved and where every man and every woman can live in dignity and in full enjoyment of his or her human rights. Let us not disappoint that expectation.

And let us remember this very wise saying from the Roman philosopher Seneca: It is not because it is difficult that we do not dare to do it; it is because we do not dare to do it that it is difficult.

The Acting President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Abdelwaheb Abdallah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tunisia.

Mr. Abdallah (Tunisia)

At the outset, I would like to express to His Excellency Mr. Srgjan Kerim and to his friendly country our most sincere congratulations on his election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. We are confident that under his skilful and effective leadership, our deliberations will be successful.

I wish also to extend to our sister, Her Excellency Ms. Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, our deep thanks and appreciation for her valuable efforts as President of the Assembly at its previous session towards the realization of the Millennium Development Goals and towards enhancing dialogue among all members of the international community and reviving the Security Council reform process.

I wish also to express our appreciation to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his endeavours and his determination to reform the functioning of the Organization. We wish him every success.

Signs of new dynamism in the United Nations reform process reflect a true desire to improve the Organization's work so as to bring it in line with the requirements of the new world realities and with new concepts arising from the profound and speedy transformations the world has experienced in recent decades.

In our view, giving effect to that desire requires new working frameworks and mechanisms to reinforce the underpinnings of international peace and security and enable us to achieve collective solutions to the common challenges facing the international community. We should be inspired in that endeavour by a new vision that lays the foundation for a comprehensive, effective and solidarity-based global partnership among the members of the international community, on the basis of constructive dialogue among peoples, cultures, civilizations and religions.

On the basis of that conviction, Tunisia has launched international initiatives with political, humanitarian and social dimensions. Some of these initiatives were adopted by the United Nations, such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund. We look forward to increased efforts by the international community to operationalize the Fund.

The President returned to the Chair.

Mr. Abdallah (Tunisia)

Since the early 1990s, Tunisia has been in the forefront of countries drawing attention to the dangers of terrorism and its negative impact on world security and stability. Today, Tunisia renews its call for an international conference, under United Nations auspices, in order to formulate an international code of conduct for combating terrorism, by which all parties would abide.

Convinced of the significant role that dialogue among civilizations plays in obviating the dangers of extremism and intolerance, Tunisia has consistently endeavoured to be the world capital of dialogue among civilizations, by hosting several regional and international conferences and seminars. It has also taken initiatives in this field, such as the publication of the Carthage Charter for Tolerance in 1995, the appeal by President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali for a pedagogy of tolerance, the 2001 Tunis Declaration on Dialogue among Civilizations, and the establishment, in the University of Tunis, of the Ben Ali Chair for Dialogue among Civilizations and Religions.

We take note with satisfaction of the focus on the theme of climate change during the current session's general debate, in view of the fact that environmental issues are a basic pillar of sustainable development and one of the major elements of the Millennium Development Goals -- one that has an impact on international peace and security.

Tunisia believes that climate change poses a common threat to all States of the world without exception. This has prompted Tunisia to host, next November, an international ministerial workshop to discuss climate change in Africa and the Mediterranean region, as a contribution to increasing and deepening awareness of the importance of this issue and to enriching regional dialogue on it.

The international community and all its members must devote more attention to the environment and to finding urgent and effective collective solutions to environmental issues in certain regions of the world -- notably in Africa, which suffers most from the climate change that is threatening the continent's aspirations to development and to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

The fact that several important international political problems remain unsolved continues to be a source of concern for us. Today, Tunisia reaffirms that it upholds the values of peace and justice and the principles of international legitimacy, and that it is prepared to contribute to the dissemination and promotion of the values of tolerance, moderation and mutual respect among nations and peoples. In our view, that should help consolidate a constructive dialogue among civilizations and establish international cooperation and a solidarity-based development partnership that will help eliminate the causes of tension and conflict worldwide.

On this occasion, we reaffirm our principled and constant support for the Palestinian people in their struggle for their just cause. We urge the international community, in particular the influential parties and the Quartet, to intensify their efforts aimed at reviving the peace process, on the basis of United Nations resolutions and the relevant Arab and international terms of reference, inter alia, the Arab Peace Initiative, with a view to finding a just and comprehensive solution that would guarantee the restoration of the Palestinians' legitimate rights, foremost among which is the establishment of their own independent State.

We welcome the initiative taken by President Bush and certain international influential parties to revive the peace process. In this context, we wish to stress the importance of convening an international peace conference that should yield concrete proposals for achieving a lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East and lead to the restitution of all occupied Arab territories and guarantee security and stability to all the countries and peoples of the region.

By the same token, we call for concerted regional and international efforts to help the brotherly Iraqi people to restore the deteriorating security, economic and humanitarian situation in their country, through the achievement of a consensual political settlement among all its segments and factions that preserves the unity and sovereignty of Iraq. As far as the situation in Lebanon is concerned, we urge all Lebanese parties to favour dialogue as the sole way to prevent the scourge of dissension among the Lebanese people and to restore confidence and reconciliation among them.

Since 7 November 1987, Tunisia, under the leadership of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, has succeeded in making pioneer achievements and gains in different fields. This has been made possible thanks to comprehensive reforms that allowed Tunisia to consolidate the rule of law and institutions, as well as public freedoms, and to disseminate, in theory and practice, the culture of human rights, thus enhancing the democratic structure of the country and paving the way for contributions by all components of civil society to define national orientations and choices for the future.

The reform process implemented in Tunisia has allowed the achievement of numerous Millennium Development Goals, which has translated into better living standards for Tunisians and well-being for all segments of Tunisian society. This reflects the correctness of development choices made by Tunisia, which has also allowed it to hold an advanced position among countries with the highest level of human development.

On many occasions, Tunisia has stated its conviction of the need for building international cooperation and partnerships based on a comprehensive approach aimed at achieving development for all and laying the foundations for constructive relations among countries of the North and the South. In this context, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali called from this rostrum in 1989 for the adoption of a charter of peace and progress between the countries of the North and the South.

The international community is called upon to exert more efforts to enable all the peoples of the world, particularly the least developed countries, to benefit from the digital revolution and to acquire knowledge. This will require operationalizing and implementing the recommendations and resolutions made by international conferences in our country in November 2005 to contribute to the building of a global, more equitable and solidarity-based information society.

The integration of Tunisia in its regional and international environment is one of the priorities of its foreign policy, which endeavours to enhance political relations with brotherly and friendly nations as well with regional and international organizations. Tunisia looks forward to the broadening and diversification of the scope of its cooperation with all its partners in order to bring it to the level of an efficient partnership based on mutual respect and common interest. Hence, Tunisia is constantly striving, with its brotherly Maghrebian countries, to complete the formation of the Maghreb Arab Union and to consolidate its structures and institutions in order to reinforce integration and complementarity among the peoples of the region.

Tunisia has equally sought to enhance the effectiveness of Arab common action. It seeks to upgrade its interaction with the changes and challenges confronting the region and to further the process of reform and modernization in this field, in conformity with the decisions and recommendations of the Tunis Summit, the Algiers Summit and the Riyadh Summit.

On the other hand, Tunisia, being a member of Arab committees entrusted with Palestinian, Lebanese and other issues, is participating effectively in the work of those committees for the benefit of Arab causes.

As far as Africa is concerned, Tunisia has enhanced its relations with African countries and has strengthened cooperation with them. It has made active efforts to contribute effectively to the process of building the structures and institutions of the African Union and to the consolidation of the fundamentals of peace, security and stability in the continent and opening promising new horizons for development in order to further enhance integration among its peoples.

In view of the strategic importance of its relations with the European Union, Tunisia has been constantly seeking to advance those ties and to broaden their scope, so as to cover all fields of cooperation with the aim of building a solidarity-based partnership with European Union countries based on mutual respect and common interest.

Tunisia also endeavours to strengthen the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation process. In this connection, Tunisia has welcomed the initiative launched by President Nicolas Sarkozy of France for establishing a Mediterranean Union. Tunisia has further expressed its readiness to contribute to and participate in shaping the content of such a union and in defining its objectives.

Since the establishment of the United Nations, Tunisia has expressed constant faith in the noble principles and purposes of the Organization. It has always been committed to lending its support to efforts aimed at creating favourable conditions for appropriate collective responses to global common challenges and for solving the various problems that are a source of concern to the world, as well as establishing solidarity-based cooperation and partnership among all components of the international community.

From this perspective, Tunisia, which will assume chairmanship of the next session of the Conference on Disarmament, is determined to work, in coordination with Member States, for the achievement of tangible progress regarding issues on the agenda of the Conference. In so doing, Tunisia will seek to enhance constructive and positive dialogue on those issues in order to achieve the objectives of the Conference and to contribute to the consolidation of peace and security in the world and to the dissemination of a global culture of peace, thus consecrating the noble values and principles for which our Organization has been created.

The President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Mr. Lavrov (Russia)

Traditionally, the General Assembly sums up the results of the ending political year. This requires serious and joint consideration. It is essential to identify agreed solutions for today's global problems based on the collective analysis of current international affairs. It appears that no one is challenging that security and prosperity are inseparable in an increasingly globalized world. Our approach should be similarly comprehensive, taking into account the inseparable link between the issues of peace and development, which has been amply proven by our recent experience.

The expanding range of conflicts in international politics through the exacerbation of regional crises, the increasing threat of terrorism, the risk of the spread of weapons of mass destruction and stagnation on disarmament jeopardize international stability, divert resources from constructive uses and undermines the potential for sustainable worldwide economic growth. And it is such growth that is our common fundamental goal. Poverty and economic backwardness expand the breeding ground for extremism.

On the other hand, developments over the past year provide convincing proof that an essentially new geopolitical situation has been developing in the world, one that is defined primarily by emerging multipolarity. We need to agree on what inferences we can draw from this. In his Munich speech in February, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation called for an open and sincere dialogue that would enable us to work out a common understanding of the current historical epoch and of the modus operandi it obliges our nations to adopt.

The international landscape is changing, due to newly emerging centres of global growth. Today, nobody can cope with global challenges single-handedly. Neither diktat nor bipolar dominance can fulfil the task of world governance. What is needed is collective leadership by major States; this should be representative both geographically and in terms of civilizations. The basis for such an informal mechanism can be provided only by the United Nations with its unique legitimacy.

Multilateral diplomacy based on international law has come to the fore. Like any society of free people, a world of free nations needs universal regulatory principles to ensure predictability and confidence in international affairs. The way to achieve this goal lies through strengthening the United Nations system by further adapting it to modern global realities. Decisions here should be based on the broadest possible consensus among Member States and on the universal intergovernmental nature of the United Nations. It is from that perspective that we view the reform initiatives proposed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

It will be in our common interest to make more active use of United Nations peacekeeping capabilities. These could be improved by more effective use of a body such as the Military Staff Committee. The initiative put forward by the President of Russia in 2000 to enhance the work of the Military Staff Committee remains relevant. Naturally, a renewed Committee should operate with the participation of all members of the Security Council, as provided for in the United Nations Charter.

Much remains to be done also in improving the interaction of the United Nations with regional organizations that have proven their ability to effectively participate in resolving security and development issues. A positive interrelationship between the principles of multilateralism and regionalism is obviously very important. At present, more than 50 per cent of international trade is carried out under regional trade agreements. Global trade regulation mechanisms cannot be effective without regional integration, which is key to the economic well-being of all the regions of the world.

Russia is actively signing and using regional trade agreements to achieve mutual liberalization of trade. Russia intends to use its current chairmanship of the Eurasian Economic Community to give a more practical focus to the organization, which since 2003 has had observer status in the General Assembly. Russia, along with other sponsors, will submit to the General Assembly a draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Eurasian Economic Community, aimed at providing a more systemic basis and facilitating the timely realization of the Millennium Development Goals. We also hope that United Nations Member States would honour the Eurasian Development Bank the status of observer in the General Assembly. We shall actively promote the attainment of these objectives, including in the framework of the process to reinvigorate the Commonwealth of Independent States and build up strategic offensive capabilities.

The international community's efforts should remain focused on reaching the Millennium Development Goals. We are concerned that today, seven years since the Millennium Summit, many developing countries, especially the least developed countries, are still significantly behind schedule in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Particular attention should be paid to the specific needs of the African continent.

Russia fully shares the principles of global partnership in the interest of development, as approved at the Monterrey International Conference on Financing for Development and intends to increase its input to our common efforts in that area. We shall consistently strengthen our position as a donor country in accordance with the approach to Russian participation in international development assistance approved by President Putin in June 2007.

We are confident that concrete steps to ensure sustainable socio-economic development in all regions are a sure remedy against threats to peace and security.

There is a pressing need to use any means available to strengthen the leading role of the United Nations in fighting terrorism. Here, the Organization's activities should be based on a comprehensive framework, including the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted last year as resolution 60/288, and on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. The Collective Security Treaty Organization is contributing to these efforts and has established useful interaction with the United Nations.

Our efforts to resolve regional conflicts and urgent social and economic problems should form part of our counter-terrorism efforts.

Iraq has become a source of destabilization for the whole region. Ensuring security, not to mention economic development, in that country requires a new strategy focused on reaching genuine national reconciliation with the participation of all of Iraq's neighbours and with the support of the international community. We call upon the Secretary-General to take an active role in this issue, given the additional power the United Nations can wield towards an Iraqi settlement. The participants in recent multilateral meetings on Iraq have upheld that approach, and we support the decision endorsed at those meetings.

The indivisibility of security is to be seen clearly in the Middle East. Early solution of the Palestine problem based on the two-State concept and the achievement of a comprehensive Middle East settlement underpinned by the international legal platform developed by the United Nations are next on the agenda. We are convinced that this goal could be advanced by holding a representative international conference preceded by thorough preparation. We consider the United States initiative to convene in November a multiparty meeting on a Middle East settlement as a step in that direction. We appreciate the preliminary considerations voiced by the United States side regarding the agenda and composition of that event. We reaffirm the importance of involving the Quartet of international mediators and the Arab League in the preparations.

Settlement of the Kosovo problem is only possible within the framework of international and law based on negotiations. Unilateral steps will not lead to a lasting peace and will create the risk of destabilization in the Balkans and other regions.

Complex problems require an integrated approach. This is particularly true for the situation around Iran. The goal of nuclear non-proliferation is an absolute priority. At the same time, we should not ignore the task of engaging Iran in constructive efforts to resolve regional and international issues.

Urgent steps are needed to strengthen the non-proliferation regime while providing all States with legitimate access to the benefits of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The joint initiative of the Presidents of Russia and the United States, put forward at their Kennebunkport meeting, is aimed at starting joint practical work in this field.

We are confident that today peace should be based on willingness to cooperate, especially on matters directly affecting strategic stability. In this context, we cannot neglect the unilateral plans in the area of missile defence. President Putin has proposed a constructive alternative: collaborative work with the participation of Russia, the United States and Europe, and subsequently with that of other countries. Such work could lead to a genuinely global strategic alliance encompassing the entire Euro-Atlantic region, which would allow us to move forward in establishing an open system of collective security. Our proposals are under discussion, and we hope that the collective approach will prevail.

The principle of the indivisibility of security should form the basis for resolving the situation around the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. Russia stands ready to engage in that process, and proposals are well known. We expect that these proposals will be seriously discussed during the upcoming consultations.

The possibility of deploying weapons in outer space poses a serious threat. The magnitude of that threat is determined by the global coverage of the deployment, which can endanger all States without exception. We consistently oppose the deployment in space of weapons of any type, and we call upon the international community to conclude an agreement to that effect.

Another outstanding global issue is the effective prevention of climate change, which requires agreed and scientifically based solutions that are realistic and balanced and that do not undercut countries' right to development. Russia has always stood for a constructive dialogue with a view to giving a genuinely universal character to the international climate protection regime. We hope that the important meetings that took place this week in New York and Washington will facilitate thorough preparations for a successful launch in December in Bali of negotiations on joint post-2012 efforts.

The spiritual and moral foundations of human solidarity are of increasingly vital importance. The spiritual values of all world religions demand that we achieve intercivilizational accord and fight manifestations of xenophobia and racism, as well as the resurgence of neo-Nazi trends. Those are the tasks to be tackled within the framework of the Alliance of Civilizations, which we support. The World Summit of Religious Leaders held in Moscow last year added a new dimension to this endeavour. We propose to build upon the results of the Summit and to think about establishing, under United Nations auspices, a special forum -- a kind of consultative council of religions -- for exchanges of views among representatives of major world faiths.

Russia will spare no effort to strengthen multilateral cooperation within the framework of the United Nations. I am convinced that with a continued commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter, we can make progress in the creation of an effective system of collective security, as was the will of the founding fathers of the world Organization.

The President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Yang Jiechi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China.

Mr. Yang Jiechi (China)

I wish to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. I am convinced that under your able leadership, the current session will be a fruitful one. I also wish to thank Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa for her contribution during her presidency of the previous session.

The current international environment is highly complex. Mankind is facing both unprecedented opportunities and challenges. There is a growing trend towards peace, development and cooperation in the world. But, on the other hand, traditional and non-traditional security threats are intertwined; hotspot issues are acute; the gap between the North and South is widening; trade protectionism is resurfacing; and developing countries generally remain in a disadvantaged position. The steady trend towards economic globalization and towards a multi-polar world is fostering a new way of thinking about international relations.

In this Hall two years ago, Chinese President Hu Jintao called on mankind to build a harmonious world with lasting peace and common prosperity in the twenty-first century (see A/60/PV.5). The core message of his call is that, while recognizing the diversity of the world, differences of interests and diversity of cultures, we should harmonize interests, defuse conflicts and promote cooperation for win-win progress in a peaceful and cooperative manner.

In its 62-year history, the United Nations has played an irreplaceable role in promoting humankind's cause of peace and development. The current session of the General Assembly should focus on promoting harmonious coexistence among countries. Resolving hotspot issues and peacefully settling international disputes through dialogue and cooperation are not only explicitly called for by the United Nations Charter. They are also the right way to uphold world peace and stability and achieve mutual benefit and a win-win situation for all.

China remains committed to seeking a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula through dialogue to uphold peace and stability on the peninsula and throughout North-East Asia. The Six-Party Talks have become an important platform for the parties concerned to maintain dialogue and consultations on achieving denuclearization on the peninsula, normalizing relations between the countries concerned and building a new harmonious architecture in North-East Asia. We will continue to play a constructive role in advancing the process of the Six-Party Talks and the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

Diplomatic negotiations are the best option for resolving the Iranian nuclear issue peacefully and meeting the common interests of the international community. China opposes nuclear-weapon proliferation and stands for upholding the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and peace and stability in the Middle East. No non-proliferation effort should deviate from the goal of upholding international peace and stability. Countries should honour their due international obligations, and their right to peaceful use of nuclear energy should be fully respected. China urges the parties concerned to show flexibility and resume negotiations at an early date. China will continue to contribute its share to the peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue.

The Palestine-Israel conflict is at the core of the Middle East issue. China supports the just cause of the Palestinian and other Arab peoples and the restoration of their lawful national rights, and it sincerely hopes that Arab countries and Israel will promptly end their disputes through political negotiations on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions and the principle of land for peace. China calls on Palestine to strengthen its unity and welcomes the initiative to hold an international conference on the Middle East. We hope that the Iraqi people will continue to work for national reconciliation and restore peace and stability at an early date, and that this will lead to a comprehensive, just and lasting resolution of the Middle East issue.

The trilateral dialogue and consultation among the United Nations, the African Union and the Sudanese Government on an equal footing is an effective mechanism for resolving the Darfur issue. The international community should work to sustain the current sound momentum and give full play to the role of the trilateral mechanism as the main channel. We should adhere to dual-track strategy, promote balanced progress in peacekeeping operations and the political process and seek a lasting solution to the Darfur issue through making progress in the security, political, humanitarian, economic and social areas. China is committed to a proper settlement of the Darfur issue. It has provided humanitarian assistance to Darfur on a number of occasions and will send a military engineering unit to join the peacekeeping operations there. China will continue to firmly support the peace and national reconciliation process in the Sudan and will contribute to the resolution of the Darfur issue and peace, stability and development in the Sudan.

At its current session, the General Assembly should promote the peaceful development of all countries. Poverty is a major source of disputes, and only development can eliminate poverty. Human development concerns us all. Obviously, it is impossible to build common prosperity when there is a huge chasm between the North and the South. The international community should act with a sense of urgency and redouble its efforts to deliver the Millennium Development Goals, narrow the North-South gap and, in particular, meet Africa's special development needs. Developed countries should increase assistance, further open their domestic markets, transfer more technologies to developing countries and provide greater debt relief to them.

For their part, developing countries, on their part, should adopt development strategies and policies suited to their national conditions and boost their economic development. We should support an open, equitable and fair multilateral trade regime and oppose trade protectionism. We should work for an early, comprehensive and balanced outcome of the Doha Round negotiations and make it a development round. Reform of the international economic system should fully reflect changes in the world economy and should give developing countries more say and greater representation in the international economic system.

China gives a high priority to strengthening international cooperation on development as it develops itself. We seek coordinated and balanced global development. While a developing country itself, China has all along provided assistance to African countries and other developing countries, according to its ability, and has helped them to improve their capacity for independent and sustainable development. That is because we believe that lasting peace and the common prosperity of the world is possible only with the development of developing countries.

To help Africa attain stability, security and sustainable development is the common responsibility of the international community. China and African countries enjoy mutual political respect and equality and economic mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. They support one another and maintain close consultation in international affairs. We draw on one another's strengths in governance to promote development. Thanks to our joint efforts, China-Africa cooperation has yielded fruitful results. Such cooperation is well received by the African countries, and it has brought great benefits to both the Chinese and African peoples. China's cooperation with Africa facilitates Africa's cooperation with other countries and is not targeted against any third party.

The current session of the General Assembly should be devoted to promoting harmony between man and nature. Development in the world has both advanced material progress and caused ecological imbalance and environmental pollution. To protect our common homeland is a matter of vital importance for our common future.

Climate change is an environmental issue, but ultimately it is an issue of development. It has arisen in the course of development and can be resolved only through development. We should uphold the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol and adhere to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Developed countries should face up to their responsibilities, fulfil their commitments on emissions reduction in earnest and continue to take the lead in emissions reduction after 2012. We should strengthen international cooperation on energy, resources and the environment, step up efforts to develop and introduce energy-conserving technologies, environmental protection technologies and low-carbon energy technologies, and establish reasonable mechanisms for financing and technology transfer. That will enable developing countries to gain access to and afford advanced environmental-protection technologies, enhance capacity to respond to climate change and effectively address climate change through achieving sustainable development.

China takes climate change seriously. Though its current per capita carbon dioxide emissions are less than one third of the average of developed countries, China, acting in a way that is highly responsible to mankind, has taken many effective measures to tackle climate change, including adopting a series of laws and regulations and setting the goals of reducing energy intensity and increasing forest cover. The Chinese Government has set the following targets: to reduce energy intensity and total discharge of major pollutants by about 20 per cent and 10 per cent respectively and to increase the forest cover rate to 20 per cent for the period between the end of 2005 and 2010. Under its National Climate Change Programme, China will take an active part in international cooperation in climate change and contribute its share to protecting the global climate.

Advancing United Nations reform and enabling the Organization to play a more important role in maintaining world peace, promoting common development and strengthening cooperation among countries is crucial to building a harmonious world. China supports the reform of the United Nations. The reform decisions made at the high-level meeting marking the sixtieth anniversary of the United Nations held in 2005 should be implemented in a comprehensive and balanced manner. Priority should be given to reform in the area of development, and the United Nations should increase its input in that area. The Human Rights Council should build on the outcome of reform in its previous phase and become a platform for dialogue and cooperation rather than an arena for political confrontation. Security Council reform should give priority to increasing the representation of developing countries and give small and medium-sized countries more opportunities to participate in decision-making. Reform proposals should be based on the widest possible consensus. China is ready to work with all other parties to turn reform into a process of strengthening consultation and dialogue and promoting solidarity and cooperation among all United Nations Member States.

China is committed to building a society of democracy, the rule of law, equity and justice, integrity and amity, vitality, stability and order, where people live in harmony with nature. To achieve that goal, China is fully implementing the outcomes of scientific thinking on development. We are working to boost social productivity and ensure people's rights in the political, economic, cultural, social and other fields. By striving to build a harmonious society and by improving the material and cultural life of one fifth of the world's population, China is making a true contribution to the building of a harmonious world.

China has always pursued its own development as a part of the global effort to promote the common progress of mankind. In international affairs, we are committed to the following goals: promoting participation in international affairs by all countries on an equal footing and democracy in international relations; enabling all countries to share the benefits of economic globalization and progress in science and technology for a win-win outcome; promoting exchanges and understanding among civilizations and diversity in the world; enhancing dialogue and trust among countries; and jointly tackling global issues. China unswervingly pursues a path of peaceful development and will continue to make further contributions to humankind's cause of peace and development.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. We will not permit any challenge to the one-China principle and General Assembly resolution 2758 (XXVI). For 15 years running, since 1993, the General Assembly has rejected the inclusion of Taiwan-related issues in the agenda of the General Assembly session. This fully demonstrates that any move that runs counter to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter or attempts to distort and deny General Assembly resolution 2758 (XXVI) will not receive any support from the United Nations Member States and is doomed to failure. We hope that the countries concerned will not allow themselves to be manipulated by the Taiwan authorities and will stop making wrong moves of this kind.

The Taiwan authorities are now obstinately clinging to the separatist course of "Taiwan independence" and are trying by all means to secure a referendum on applying for membership of the United Nations under the name Taiwan. This is another dangerous step towards "de jure Taiwan independence" taken by the Chen Shui-bian authorities. If unchecked, this move will gravely endanger peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the Asia-Pacific region. The Chinese Government has always made every effort to promote with all sincerity peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and to seek peaceful reunification. However, we will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from China in name or in any other way. We hope that the international community will continue to support China's cause of peaceful reunification, support the Chinese people in opposing and repulsing separatist activities for "Taiwan independence" and work with us to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Olympic Games, which represent humanity's aspiration for peace, development, cooperation and friendship, will for the first time be held in China, a country both ancient and youthful, starting on 8 August 2008. One World, One Dream -- this is the theme of the Beijing Olympic Games. The 1.3 billion people in China, together with the rest of the world, are eagerly looking forward to the opening of the Games. The 2008 Olympic Games are a great event for both the Chinese people and the other peoples of the world. We are confident that with the efforts made by the Chinese people and with strong support from the international community, the 2008 Olympic Games will stand out as a highly successful event.

The President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Mr. Aboul Gheit (Egypt)

Six years ago, in September 2001, we, the representatives of the international community, stood united and in solidarity in the face of international terrorism. In all our languages, faiths and cultures, we expressed our condemnation of any terrorist act that targets innocent civilians. We denounced and deplored such acts, then resolved to work seriously to combat this grave and alarming phenomenon. We agreed to work earnestly, not only to deal with terrorism from a security perspective, but also to achieve long-awaited breakthroughs in the old crises and conflicts, which because of their complexity and longevity have overwhelmed the desperate and the hopeless in our particular region. Those conflicts fuel people's sense of injustice and despair and push them into the ranks of those who espouse dark extremist ideas that consider violence as the only means of operation and even sometimes as an end in itself.

We were all prepared for action. There was a widespread belief in the Middle East region that major breakthroughs were imminent, that the successful containment and eradication of international terrorism would take place not only through security operations but also through concurrent actions of equal importance aimed at draining its intellectual resources and freezing its human and financial assets.

However, we seem to have gone astray during those six years. Our objectives were fragmented, and our energies were scattered. We failed as an international community to maintain the huge momentum generated in this very Hall in September 2001, that momentum which found expression in our resolve to work together to defuse tensions in our region as a step towards the settlement of its chronic political conflicts.

Regrettably, narrow-minded, domestic political agendas have been imposed by some, and unwise objectives have replaced the lofty ones that we had planned to achieve. Instead of focusing on the eradication of the hotbeds of international terrorism -- hotbeds which were not numerous six years ago -- we lost sight of our main goal and vision. The eradication of international terrorism was no longer the goal but instead became a loose phrase. There was oppression, torture and humiliation, and, on the other side, more violence, resistance and atrocities.

This came as no surprise to us, since the objective was regrettably lost. We all stood stunned and flabbergasted before the events that were unfolding in this region and the world. How could we have been diverted from our goal? How could it be that our world was dragged down almost to the level of a clash between civilizations, cultures and religions? Why are some attempting to thrust the holy religion of Islam into the labyrinth of a limitless clash with the West, a clash that serves no one's interests? To the contrary, it causes everyone grievous harm. Here comes the question: what can we, the national people of the world, do to get back on course?

In all honesty, I must tell you that this last question is our main concern in the Middle East. Despite the importance of the other questions, and even though we are fully aware of the answers thereto, we prefer to leave aside these questions and to let the historians and scholars probe them, detect any errors and assign historical responsibility to each party.

But in truth the more urgent task is to get back on course by finding a way out of the dark tunnel we have been forced into. In our opinion, the right way to proceed is to go back to where we should have started from in the first place and to address directly and effectively the chronic conflicts, foremost among them being the Arab-Israeli conflict and its core issue, the Palestinian question.

Any attempt to achieve stability and disseminate peace and security in the world without a serious settlement of the Palestinian question and the Arab-Israeli conflict will not be successful. The opposite is also true. Serious and sustained action to achieve a just and comprehensive settlement of that conflict and that question directly serves international peace and security and contributes to the stabilization of the Middle East region. All of us are aware of the importance of Middle East stability for the stability of the world at large. Furthermore, we are duty-bound to continue our work to defuse tensions in Iraq and Lebanon and to stabilize and improve the situation in Darfur.

It is hard to believe that sixteen years have already passed since the convening of the historic Madrid Peace Conference between the Arabs and Israel. Fourteen years have elapsed since the signing of the first Palestinian-Israeli accord in Oslo. Eleven years ago, Arab States adopted peace as their strategic option to end their conflict with Israel. Five full years have passed since the declaration by the Arab States of their historic initiative regarding their readiness to establish normal peace relations with Israel in return for the latter's withdrawal from the territories it occupied by force in 1967 and for the just settlement of the Palestinian question. It has also been five years since the Palestinians and the Israelis reached a number of agreed points and memorandums that come very close to the final settlement of this question.

Given all of the above, one would scarcely believe that peace today still seems farther away than it was in the early 1990s. It is hard to believe that there is now talk going around in vicious circles about the bases and principles of the settlement, which are already known to all of us. It is also hard to believe that strenuous efforts are made to resume negotiations to agree yet again on mechanisms and formulations. Rehashing those old and worn-out subjects is an exercise in futility.

We in Egypt realize that the persistence of this conflict inflames passions and minds in the region. The Assembly knows the efforts and sacrifices made by Egypt in order to put a just and comprehensive end to this historic conflict in a manner that serves the interests of all parties.

But this issue requires leadership; it requires courage from all parties. It also requires a clear and correct vision that the lack of a peaceful settlement of this conflict not only denies the right of a whole people to freedom and dignity, but also feeds directly the calls for violence, extremism and the relinquishing of peaceful and political negotiation as a means to achieve the objective. Thus the conflict will continue to rage for years to come; peoples will continue to suffer; the world will continue to face the current state of sharp instability and polarization, as we are currently witnessing.

Egypt has displayed and continues to display its constant readiness to work with all parties: Palestinians, Israelis, Americans, Europeans and all those who take to heart the interests of the Palestinian people, the interests of the peoples of the region and the interest of world peace and stability. Our purpose is to achieve the resumption of serious political dialogue, which would lead to a settlement within a strict, specified time frame.

We will spare no effort to achieve that objective. We will not despair in the face of problems and difficulties. We will work in all sincerity because we are committed to the cause of our Palestinian brothers and to the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian State on the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. We will continue to work because we are committed to the liberation of the rest of the occupied Arab territories in Syria and Lebanon and because we are committed to the objective of achieving just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. In this respect, the meeting called for by President Bush this fall may, if well prepared, provide an important opportunity to achieve long-awaited progress.

Brotherly Iraq continues to bleed; thousands of its citizens continue to be killed; thousands more continue to flee as a result of difficult living conditions. The state of today's Iraq breaks the heart of one and all. In spite of the political process in Iraq, which we understood and encouraged, events on the ground, with their extremely negative repercussions, are what shapes today's Iraq and its image before the international community.

Iraq today sorely needs leaders and leaderships that are keen on preserving the unity of this major Arab country. It needs leaders who seek consensus and steer away from sectarianism and confessionalism. It needs leaders who extend the hand of dialogue to each other, who do not point guns at one another: it needs leaders who close ranks to combat the illegal armed factions and militias that take the lives of dozens of Iraqis everyday. It needs leaders who would sit together to agree on the shape and future of the State of Iraq in the Iraqi Constitution, which we believe should express the hopes and dreams of all Iraqis without exclusion or marginalization. It should build a modern developed State that is enriched by its diversity and that does not allocate its posts on the basis of sect or ethnic background in a manner that causes tension and increases discord.

Egypt reiterates the importance of the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq in a manner that enjoys the consensus of all Iraqis. We also reiterate the need for foreign interventions to cease influencing developments in that sisterly country. Egypt reaffirms its full support for any regional or international effort that assists Iraqis to overcome this difficult situation. By the same token, Egypt will continue to consistently call upon Iraqis to show unity and engage in dialogue in order to restore and strengthen trust among them.

Brotherly Lebanon is also going through a sensitive crisis. The prospects for settling that crisis seem remote and difficult in view of internal differences and the regional tug-of-war. The situation in Lebanon is delicate and must not be burdened by the weight of the conflicts raging in the region. Therefore, Egypt has consistently called for Lebanon to be left to its people to determine what they wish for themselves. We continue to encourage Lebanon's politicians to engage in dialogue among themselves. It is our hope that they will be able to deal with the upcoming entitlements, foremost and most important among which are the presidential elections, in a manner consistent with the Lebanese Constitution and that would enable them to preserve Lebanon's constitutional institutions and the proud achievements of its democracy. The Lebanese model of coexistence is significant and should not be allowed to suffer a setback similar to that suffered in the past. Egypt will work with all parties to achieve that objective.

Since the onset of its crisis, the Darfur region of Sudan has witnessed difficult conditions. This has required time, effort and hard work from all of us to defuse that crisis and to reach a settlement that would ensure for the whole population of the region the right to a decent life. Egypt welcomed the broad concern of the international community over those difficult conditions and sought, in cooperation with concerned international and regional parties, to bring the parties in the crisis close to each other.

As concrete proof of its concern for the stabilization of the situation in Darfur, Egypt has offered a generous contribution of nearly 3,500 troops to the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in the region. That offer still stands. In addition, Egypt has contributed to the development of the region by drilling 40 boreholes that would make water resources available to larger numbers of people in Darfur.

Egypt profoundly believes in the three main pillars of international disarmament treaties: non-proliferation, disarmament and the inherent right of every State to the peaceful use of nuclear energy. In 1995, Egypt accepted the indefinite extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons within an integrated package that included a resolution calling upon all States of the region without exception, to accede to the Treaty and compelling those States responsible for the maintenance of international security to discharge their responsibilities. However, this objective is still to be achieved because Israel has not yet acceded to the Treaty despite all the international and regional calls on it to do so.

Today's world is regrettably witnessing an imbalance and double standards in dealings with the various parties that have nuclear ambitions, potential or expertise. Egypt believes that the international disarmament and non-proliferation system will be strengthened and that regional security in the Middle East will be reinforced only when a single standard is applied equally to all the States of the region without exception.

The previous session witnessed many serious efforts and consultations concerning the question of the reform and expansion of the Security Council. Despite the plethora of consultations, meetings and endeavours, this objective remains elusive. As a member of the African Group, Egypt once again states its full commitment to the specifics of the unified African position. It remains a fair and balanced position that would, if implemented, achieve legitimate African aspirations. I cannot fail to refer here to the fact that the reform of the working methods of the Security Council is a genuine objective in itself that must not fade or be obscured by the attempts of some to expand the Council.

We have plenty of work to do, but since time is short I would like to say that the state of our world is no cause for rejoicing. Rather it is a cause for concern. This requires us to work together with open minds in order to change it for the better, and in order to meet the aspirations of our peoples to freedom, justice, a dignified life, security and peace.

During this session, Egypt will raise and defend the priorities and visions I have put forward in this statement along with a host of other subjects that time did not allow me to address. It is our hope that we will all write in responding to the challenges facing us. We all bear responsibility and will all suffer the consequences of failure.

The President

I now give the floor to His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates.

Sheikh Al Nahyan (United Arab Emirates)

It gives me great pleasure to express, on behalf of the delegation of the United Arab Emirates, our sincere congratulations to you, Sir, and to your friendly country on your election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. We look forward to working closely with you as you seek to successfully discharge your mission.

I would also like to express our appreciation to your predecessor, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, for her remarkable achievements during her presidency at the sixty-first session of the General Assembly, in particular her efforts to stimulate more active debate among cultures.

I also take this opportunity to express our warmest greetings to His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General, and to note our appreciation of the initiatives he has taken to promote the role of the United Nations since assuming his post.

Our world still suffers from a wide range of regional and international issues, conflicts and threats, most visible among which are the worldwide spread of poverty and epidemics, the degradation of the environment, terrorism, organized crime, the spread of extremism and violations of human rights, and attempts to obtain nuclear weapons. This should prompt us to make sincere and determined efforts to implement the recommendations, decisions and plans of action approved by the world's leaders and by the United Nations.

Given its interest in and commitment to the principle of good-neighbourly relations, as well as its respect for the national sovereignty of other States, the United Arab Emirates would like to draw attention to the fact that, thus far, no progress whatsoever has been made on the issue of the Iranian occupation since 1971 of three islands belonging to the United Arab Emirates: the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa. This is despite the consistent efforts expended and the positive peaceful initiatives taken by my country, which wants this issue settled by peaceful means, either through bilateral and unconditioned negotiations or by referral of the issue to the International Court of Justice for legal arbitration.

Severe conflict has sorely wounded our region, and quick and effective treatment is required. As for Iraq, we express our firm belief that all should abstain from interference in Iraq's internal affairs and should show respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq. This requires that all parties should cooperate to bring to an end the cycle of violence and the inflaming of passions, and it calls for partition and division. Let us give our support to an Iraqi Government that truly works to achieve national reconciliation. The United Arab Emirates renews its encouragement for the efforts made to promote reconstruction in Iraq.

Regarding the Middle East crisis, we call on the United Nations, and the Security Council in particular, to play a more active role, together with the Middle East Quartet, to give new momentum to the Middle East peace process. We stress that no solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict is possible without Israel's acceptance of the Arab Peace Initiative, which is based on the relevant United Nations resolutions and offers a balanced and comprehensive solution to this long-standing conflict.

In this context, we are following with interest the efforts to convene the international peace conference for the Middle East later this year with the participation of all concerned parties. We look forward to a balanced and fair settlement of the issue on the basis of the Arab Peace Initiative, the United Nations Security Council resolutions, and the rules of international legitimacy. We also renew our support for Syria's right to regain its full sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights.

We note with satisfaction the United Nations role in restoring security and stability in Lebanon, thanks to the pressure put on Israel to fulfil its legal obligations under Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), including respect for Lebanon's sovereignty, withdrawal from the Shaba'a farmlands and the village of al-Ghajar and the handing over of detailed maps and coordinates of the landmines that Israel planted in southern Lebanon.

We reaffirm our support for the reconstruction efforts and for the stability and territorial integrity of Lebanon as well as for the maintenance of its constitutional institutions. In this respect, the United Arab Emirates has undertaken a number of reconstruction projects in Lebanon and has provided humanitarian assistance. The United Arab Emirates collaborates closely with the Lebanese Government and the United Nations to remove mines and unexploded ordnance, this work having originally commenced as part of an initiative taken by the United Arab Emirates in 2001, when my Government provided initial funding of $50 million.

We hope that talks between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency will eventually lead to a permanent, peaceful solution that will spare the region further tensions and conflicts and will help to reassure countries in the region that they will not be faced with any threats to their security. We stress again that Israel should not be excluded from the terms of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The United Arab Emirates continues to cooperate fully with all efforts to combat all forms of terrorism, including associated money-laundering. We also emphasize the importance of promoting dialogue among cultures and civilizations and of enhancing tolerance among religions.

The United Arab Emirates contributes generously to the fi