General Assembly Session 62 meeting 9

The Acting President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations His Excellency Mr. João Bernardo Vieira, President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, and to invite him to address the Assembly.

President Vieira (Guinea-Bissau)

First of all, I would like to congratulate the President on his election to the presidency of the sixty-second session of the General Assembly. His great attributes will contribute greatly to the success of our work. I would like to assure him of the constant support of the delegation of Guinea-Bissau in the realization of his noble mission.

I would also like to extend my warm congratulations to the President's predecessor, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, for the talent and competence she displayed during her tenure.

I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my congratulations to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for the excellent work he has done since his election. We fully agree with the contents of his report and with his analysis of the international situation. We endorse the measures he has recommended.

The prevention and peaceful resolution of conflicts and the maintenance of international peace and security occupy a central position in the Charter of the United Nations. It is therefore the duty of all Member States to make efforts to achieve those noble objectives. We believe that the establishment of an international coalition for peace, international security and the promotion and defence of human rights is the ideal way to promote efforts towards the resolution of conflict.

Terrorism and drug trafficking are scourges that threaten all of us and can even gravely affect the stability of a country. Guinea-Bissau, like many other countries in West Africa, is confronting the phenomenon of drug trafficking. The weakened infrastructure of the State and the problems we face in controlling our borders -- in particular our waters -- have made it possible for drug traffickers and other organized crime elements to flourish in our country. That has resulted in many sorts of difficulties for our authorities, to the point of damaging Guinea-Bissau's image and putting at risk our relations with the international community.

Despite the Government's political will and determination to combat drug trafficking, we have not been able to put an end to this scourge. Its eradication will only be possible through international cooperation. The emergency plan to combat drug trafficking developed by my Government illustrates my country's determination to make the fight against the trafficking of drugs and organized crime a national objective. Unfortunately, however, we do not have the trained human resources or the material and financial means needed to carry it out.

I am pleased that an international conference on drug trafficking in West Africa will take place soon. We would like to thank the Portuguese Government for its willingness to host it in Lisbon. Likewise, a regional conference to be held in Dakar will seek to promote better coordination between the countries of the subregion.

I would like to launch an appeal to all countries able to share their experience and technology relating to drug trafficking and organized crime to assist us in the fight against those criminal activities, which jeopardize the internal security and stability of our countries and pose a great danger to our young people. In that regard, I welcome the efforts of the United Nations system to establish a genuine international network to eradicate this scourge.

The Government of Guinea-Bissau has decided to launch programme to address problems in the financial sector that will serve as an adjustment instrument vis-à-vis international financial institutions. That step will certainly allow us to re-establish and strengthen the framework for interaction and external partnerships of cooperation for development. The approval of a post-conflict programme by the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund will be an important step towards achieving the country's economic recovery and stabilization.

We are aware of our responsibilities to manage transparently the meagre resources at our disposal and to combat corruption through good governance based on true democracy.

The disbursement of pledges made during the donors' conference for Guinea-Bissau in Geneva last November is much-needed in the political and institutional stabilization of our country. It goes without saying that without the firm support of the international community, it will be difficult for us to put in place the conditions necessary for the consolidation of stability and for the promotion of true national political reconciliation, which is essential if we are to preserve peace and achieve sustainable development in Guinea-Bissau.

Allow me to pay tribute to subregional organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States and the West African Economic and Monetary Union for their constant support and solidarity, from which we have benefited in our efforts to confront the enormous political, economic and financial difficulties we face. I would also like to welcome the important contribution made by the International Contact Group on Guinea-Bissau to improve dialogue between international development partners and to mobilize external assistance for my country at a particularly difficult moment in our recent history.

It is also important to emphasize the role played by the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau of the Economic and Social Council.

I wish to express our thanks for the contribution of the United Nations system in general, as well as that of the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS) in particular, in the process of establishing peace and political stability in our country.

The relationship between the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries and the United Nations has been developing in a steady and satisfactory manner. We draw attention to the progress already made in consolidating democracy and the rule of law as well as in promoting respect for human rights in the Community. This constitutes a marked change in the life of the peoples of its member States. Indeed, our eight countries -- Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor-Leste -- are committed to pooling together their affinities and their cultural identities in order to establish a forum for exchange, in a spirit of constant and active solidarity. My country, Guinea-Bissau, has benefited from the support of these sister countries in tackling the many difficulties I have outlined. On behalf of the people of Guinea-Bissau, I warmly commend the leaders present here, and thank them, reiterating our determination to strengthen the historical ties of friendship and cooperation among our peoples.

Allow me also to reaffirm our determination to contribute to strengthening the role of the United Nations in attaining peace, international stability and development. We support the peaceful settlement of disputes and the promotion of dialogue in all circumstances and situations. History teaches us that change, because it is inescapable, cannot be hindered indefinitely.

China is one nation, one people. The People's Republic of China's contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security and its partnership, especially with regard to cooperation for development, are exemplary. The People's Republic of China is the sole, legitimate and true representative of the Chinese people.

We are aware of the problems and the difficulties which we confront in the world in general, and in Africa in particular, where conflict situations and humanitarian crises persist, as in Darfur and in Somalia. We hope that a new spirit of cooperation will prevail within the international community so that a lasting solution and peace can be found in the Middle East.

We therefore need an effective Organization that represents the geographical, cultural and religious diversity of the world, an Organization that takes into consideration and defends with equal commitment and determination the legitimate aspirations of a large number of countries for just representation and participation in the deliberations and decision-making of the Security Council.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau for the statement he has just made.

The Acting President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Federated States of Micronesia.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations His Excellency Mr. Emanuel Mori, President of the Federated States of Micronesia, and to invite him to address the Assembly.

President Mori (Micronesia)

I am honoured to take part in the general debate of the General Assembly for the first time since taking office as President of the Federated States of Micronesia in May this year. On this occasion, I am honoured to express to Mr. Srgjan Kerim my respect and congratulations on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. I have every confidence that he will live up to the high standards of his esteemed predecessors. I wish to also convey my congratulations to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, as he takes the helm of the Organization. I pledge to the Secretary-General my Government's strong support. I wish to reaffirm our commitments and the importance that my country attaches to multilateralism and the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

A few days ago, on 24 September, we met in this very Hall to take stock of a global threat which probably is the single most important challenge facing our planet today: climate change. Long before it became fashionable for climate change to be mainstreamed into the global agenda, Micronesia was in the forefront of those speaking out for action against what is now recognized as a global emergency. For years, we have argued that, as a small island developing State, we are among the most vulnerable, and that climate change threatens our very existence.

We have come a long way in a short time. Consider where we were just 15 years ago when the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was signed: climate change was then considered by most as hypothetical and as a threat that was more imagined than real. Now, climate change is accepted as a reality and its adverse impact seen as inevitable and life-threatening, most especially to small island developing States like Micronesia. The current sense of urgency paid to climate change by the world community, as evidenced by high-level meetings around the world, is truly encouraging, but we are still far from reaching the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol.

We need to take collective action now and act responsibly to save our planet, while taking into consideration the principle of common but differentiated responsibility. If our actions are to be effective, it is imperative that we pursue the climate change agenda both with a sense of urgency and within the framework of the United Nations. It is important that acknowledgment of the threats of climate change be accompanied by provision of adequate and additional financing by the developed countries to the most vulnerable to assist us in coping with our adaptation and mitigation requirements. We therefore support an appropriate institutional arrangement for the Adaptation Fund that is responsive to the needs of small island developing States.

Adaptation and mitigation have many faces, one of which is the pressing need for small island developing States to have increased access to renewable sources of energy, so that we can move away from our long dependence on fossil fuels. In that regard, I must acknowledge with gratitude the kind assistance extended by the Governments of Italy, India and others to small island developing States of the Pacific.

In March, Micronesia presented its proposal for adjusting the Montreal Protocol in order to enhance its effectiveness. Although our proposed adjustment was aimed at improving the effectiveness of the Protocol's ozone mandate, Micronesia has a special interest in the significant climate benefits associated with the Montreal Protocol. We welcome the positive outcome of the historic nineteenth Meeting of the Parties. We hope that other relevant multilateral environmental agreements will also make similar efforts to produce climate benefits.

Two years ago, at the eighth Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which was held in Curitiba, Brazil, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau showcased the Micronesia Challenge. A collaborative effort among the island States and territories of the North Pacific, the Micronesia Challenge exemplifies the best of the Micronesian spirit of working together towards a common objective and with shared concerns. In effect, the Micronesia Challenge sets aside for conservation at least 30 per cent of our marine and 20 per cent of terrestrial biodiversity across the Micronesian region by 2020.

We are grateful to the regional and international organizations and non-governmental organizations that have provided support to realize the objectives of our initiative. We are seeking international partnership and assistance to overcome the many obstacles that inhibit the implementation of the Micronesia Challenge. My Government urges the Global Environment Facility to join with others -- such as the Government of Turkey -- in providing assistance to that end.

I cannot overemphasize the critical role that information and communication technologies play in the socio-economic development of developing countries, particularly that of small island developing States. Given that the islands of the Federated States of Micronesia are widely dispersed in the north-west Pacific Ocean, and owing to our limited resources and high transportation costs, we face many monumental challenges. To confront those challenges, Micronesia believes that access to affordable and reliable information and communication technologies offers us a solution that not only addresses our infrastructure deficiencies but also enables us to meet the aims of the Millennium Declaration, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the objectives relating to information and communication technologies emanating from the World Summit on the Information Society.

It is a high priority of my country to bring broadband connectivity to the islands. The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States are collaborating on the development of a Pacific Ocean connectivity project that will address the need for developing information and communication technologies infrastructure in the Pacific. We hope that the project will allow our region to establish an effective partnership with the international community and help produce the kind of benefits that will help support our sustainable development goals. We will not, however, be able to implement the project without the financial support of the international community.

I commend the progress on the United Nations Pacific Presence Initiative, which in the case of my country is being represented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). For the past several years, we have voiced our concern over the lack of an adequate United Nations presence in Micronesia to assist us in addressing our development challenges. This much-anticipated initiative will be translated into reality for Micronesia later this year. It is an initiative that we will not fail to utilize to the fullest. It is therefore essential that, in keeping with the objective of the joint office to be situated in my country, the original intent with regard to staffing must be adhered to if the Initiative is going to make a difference, both in terms of the effective implementation of United Nations programmes on the ground and in enhancing my country's capacity to access its fair share of other sources of assistance and services provided by the United Nations system.

As one of the countries identified by UNDP as being among those more challenged in meeting the Millennium Development Goals, my country places high value on an appropriate level of United Nations presence in the joint office located in my country to assist us in implementation and effectively utilizing external assistance towards achieving the MDGs. My Government commends UNDP and UNFPA for developing a plan for the next five-year programme cycle that will provide financial assistance to help my country address issues of poverty and institutional capacity. The joint United Nations office will be an important vehicle and will certainly play a pivotal role in the implementation and achievement of the specific objectives of the programme. We look forward to the implementation of the programme.

As custodian of a vast ocean area whose bounty we share with the international community, I would be remiss if I did not make a few comments on the issue of oceans and seas. First, I would like to express our gratitude to the Government of Norway and others that have contributed to the trust fund created to assist small island developing States in claiming their extended continental shelves in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. We are, however, concerned about the obstacles that continue to inhibit access to the fund. There are far too many institutional barriers that need to be immediately rectified to enable use of the fund to allow island developing States to fulfil their obligations under the Convention on the Law of the Sea.

As a people, Micronesians are highly dependent on their marine resources for their livelihood. We take great interest in the conservation and sustainable use of our marine and fisheries resources. We cannot help but raise concerns with regard to the issue of collateral catches or discards in commercial fisheries. While they may be considered discards to others, they are a critical resource that our people depend upon for their subsistence living. The international community should vigorously seek ways to address this issue to minimize and eliminate the incidence of catching untargeted fish. Another significant and troubling issue continues to be that of bottom-trawl fishing. It would be tragic to our marine ecosystem and biodiversity if that destructive fishing practice were to continue unabated. We renew our call, made from this rostrum years ago, for a moratorium on bottom trawling.

I wish to refer favourably to the long-standing effort by Italy and many others to encourage this body to take a consensus position against the imposition of the death penalty. Last year, my country signed the statement delivered by Finland on this important subject (see A/61/PV.81). We steadfastly maintain our support for this cause.

Turning to the drawn-out discussion over United Nations reform, I should like to reiterate our concern that the reform of the United Nations will not be complete without the reform of the Security Council. We also reaffirm our support for Japan and India, from the Asia-Pacific region, as permanent members of the Council. At the same time, greater representation needs to be given to developing countries, including island States and small States.

While we continue to stand by our position on Security Council reform, we will support any innovative ideas that can lead to further progress on the issue, such as the proposal for an intergovernmental negotiation process. At the sixty-second session of the General Assembly, we must continue the process already begun and make every effort to achieve results.

I should like to close by expressing a sense of optimism about what the nations gathered here can achieve in advancing the admittedly ambitious agenda of the United Nations. Given the challenges that we face, it is only through optimism and determination over time that we can overcome them. We in the Federated States of Micronesia will be here to do our part.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Federated States of Micronesia for the statement he has just made.

The Acting President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Republic of Nauru.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations His Excellency Mr. Ludwig Scotty, President of the Republic of Nauru, and to invite him to address the Assembly.

President Scotty (Nauru)

I would like to express my sincere congratulations to Mr. Srgjan Kerim on his election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. My delegation also wishes to commend his predecessor, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, for her leadership of the General Assembly at its sixty-first session, particularly in addressing the difficult issues that continue to prevent revitalization of the General Assembly and reform of the Security Council. My delegation offers its full cooperation and support towards the President's commitment to continuing with the Organization's overall reform agenda and addressing the many challenges ahead.

As this is the first General Assembly session to be convened since the appointment of His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon as Secretary-General, my delegation takes this opportunity to assure him of Nauru's firm support and full cooperation in his leadership of the United Nations.

I am deeply honoured to be addressing this body for the third consecutive year, this time as the recently returned leader of our small island State of Nauru. As members are no doubt aware, when I first took up office, three years ago, my country was on the brink of collapse. While Nauru was once a small donor country with a high income, our wealth was squandered in a single generation through gross mismanagement and corruption on the part of previous Governments. Our past record of poor governance and the need to rebuild Nauru were the main reasons that our national sustainable development strategy was initiated by our Government and given one of its fundamental goals: the establishment and operation of a transparent and accountable Government.

My Government is slowly but diligently working to improve Nauru. Over our three-year term, we will continue to do so, on a platform of both economic and political reform, together with good governance. We believe that we are improving our situation, and the August election results tell us that we have our people's confidence. But it is a slow and painful recovery, and we appreciate all the help that we can get.

We appreciate the fact that the United Nations is strongly aware of the development challenges in the Pacific region and that it is also cognizant that assistance has not translated into uniform human development gains in many places, with the result that the Pacific is in danger of missing many targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In that respect, my delegation welcomes and supports the President's intention to hold a leaders' meeting on the MDGs during the present session.

During the general debate at the sixty-first session (see A/61/PV.16), we noted in this historic Hall that the offices and agencies of the United Nations had no permanent presence in many of the small island developing States of the Pacific. In June 2006, it was announced that a coalition comprising the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund would open a total of eight new offices in Pacific island countries, including my own country, Nauru. We welcomed that historic announcement, the progress that it marked towards harmonization with the United Nations and the assistance and support that the new offices would provide in developing national capacity and meeting the MDGs.

As Member States that pay our dues, deploy peacekeepers and discharge our responsibilities in the international community, we deserve offices that enhance the relevance of the United Nations and the implementation of its policies. We have therefore been severely disappointed by the lack of progress in establishing acceptable offices in our countries since the announcement. The delaying of that initiative, and the assumptions on the part of the United Nations concerning the capabilities of our small island States to recruit staff for such offices, are also short-sighted. Moreover, the Organization's definition of "partnership" for the initiative places a significant burden on our national Governments. It fails to respond to our national priorities and our lack of resources, and therefore weakens the cohesion between the Organization and our countries.

Despite the lack of visible progress, we are of the view that the project can be salvaged with its original intentions and goals intact if there is a will and a sincere desire to respond to our needs. So we ask the General Assembly and the Secretariat to ensure that offices befitting the ideals and the reputation of the United Nations are opened in our countries. We want to see the United Nations on the ground in Nauru and throughout the Pacific region, providing a helping hand in our pursuit of sustainable development.

There can be no doubt that our Pacific region is doing its best to implement the commitments made under the Mauritius Strategy and other international agreements regarding small island developing States. The relevant report of the Secretary-General (A/62/279) makes that very clear, showing that under its Pacific Plan, the Pacific region has agreed to and is vigorously pursuing its own sustainable development priorities, which reflect and acknowledge our international commitments under the Strategy. The Secretary-General's report and the Pacific Plan updates show progress in some key areas and identify important initiatives for follow-up action.

However, it is also quite clear that we and the United Nations need to do much more. That fact is glaringly obvious in the recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which warns of a narrowing window of opportunity available for slowing down global warming and climate change. This is an issue that reveals some of the inequities in the current world development paradigm: the small island countries contribute very little to the problem but are likely to be the worst affected.

The need to do more also stares us in the face from recent reports on the progress, or lack thereof, in achieving MDGs. Our region is struggling in many areas of the MDGs, and it is fair to say, as the Secretary-General's report notes, that persistent capacity constraints are a key obstacle to the implementation of sustainable development in the Pacific region -- this includes Nauru.

Therefore, I take this opportunity to express my people's warmest appreciation to our development partners, led by Australia, Taiwan, New Zealand, Japan, the European Union and others, for their support in this and other areas, without which we would have completely collapsed as a nation and as a people. However, I hope the Assembly can appreciate that our region, although vast, suffers both from isolation and the relatively small size of its countries and populations.

Even with the best practices in management and governance, our economies' sustainable development is impeded by high transportation costs and diseconomies of scale. In Nauru, freight adds at least 15 to 20 per cent to the cost of all imports. Likewise, affordable and sustainable alternative energy forms are a high priority for my country and region because, with the ever increasing cost of fossil fuel, we are having to pay a high premium for something that contributes both to global warming and to our potential demise as Pacific islands.

Professor Jeffrey Sachs has rightly said that, while we all need to work together to solve world poverty, the opportunity is there for the developed countries with their resources and technology to do something about ending it once and for all. The agreed official development assistance (ODA) target of 0.7 per cent of a gross national product is far from being achieved. This highlights the opportunity for the world to do much more to both alleviate poverty and remove the constraints that frustrate the progress of many developing countries.

Like other highly indebted countries, mine is doubly burdened by a massive debt left to us by previous Governments. After careful assessment of Nauru's development potential for the next thirty years, we have come to the sad conclusion that Nauru will only be able to service a very small portion of that debt. We will need to seek the forgiveness of those countries and institutions to which we owe most of the money.

This Organization prides itself on being inclusive and on being a champion to everyone; yet my delegation is extremely disappointed that, despite the efforts of Nauru and other allies of this cause, the United Nations continues to ignore the expressed wish of Taiwan and its 23 million people to become a member of this Organization.

On the 19 July this year, an application for membership to the United Nations was delivered to the Office of the Secretary-General, signed by the democratically elected President of Taiwan, His Excellency Chen Shui-bian. Unfortunately, the United Nations Charter and the rules of procedure of the Security Council were then contravened. Owing to poor legal advice, the Office of the Secretary-General failed to forward Taiwan's application for membership to the Security Council, citing General Assembly resolution 2758 (XXVI) for its failure. Even though many Member States continue to hide behind resolution 2758 (XXVI), it should be realized that this resolution does not declare that Taiwan is a part of the People's Republic of China, nor does it preclude Taiwan from future membership of this body. It certainly does not support the so-called one China principle.

Ever since the establishment of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949, the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have been governed separately, with neither side exercising any control or jurisdiction over the other. Let me be absolutely clear: Taiwan has no intention of representing the People's Republic of China. Taiwan is a free and peace-loving sovereign State, and its democratically elected Government is the sole legitimate Government of their island State.

Apart from the legal and moral rights of Taiwan to be part of the United Nations, there is another dimension that needs to be taken into account. Taiwan is one of the largest economies in the world, including being one of the larger trading partners of other Members of the United Nations. It is also one of the top twenty sources of world foreign investment and is well positioned to assist many of the members of this body in their development, which it has already demonstrated. Taiwan is a very important investor and trading partner for my country and others in my region -- even for those that do not recognize it formally.

My delegation calls on the Office of the Secretary-General to uphold the integrity of this pre-eminent Organization and conform to the United Nations Charter and the rules of procedure of the Security Council. It must immediately accept and submit to the Security Council Taiwan's application for membership.

Peoples of the world look to the United Nations and to their leaders to identify and act on major global challenges that confront the world today. Earlier this week, we concluded a High-Level Event on Climate Change. Our discussions encompassed a variety of views and proposals that we all hope will lead to global resolve to achieve significant changes. Nauru takes the view that the international community, particularly those countries with the capacity that comes with their status as developed nations, has a responsibility to provide financial, humanitarian and other assistance to small island developing States that stand to suffer the most dire consequences of global climate change.

Of course, we must acknowledge and express gratitude for those aid policies that have been proposed and established, but more is needed to avert a potential disaster, especially to the vulnerable small island nations. Therefore, we ask that ongoing efforts be continued and urge Member States to consider increasing their financial support, including easier access to the Adaptation Fund.

However, capital investments alone are not sufficient. Technology, skills and knowledge are required to guide us in our response to the present challenge. Furthermore, civil society and non-governmental organizations must cooperate with each other in acquiring and building the capacity we need to address this problem.

The world situation demands a renewed, revitalized and more responsive United Nations now more than ever. We need to see the strengthening of this multilateral institution through the revitalization of the General Assembly and comprehensive reform of the Security Council through intergovernmental negotiations. All of that must move forward with a common vision for a more coherent United Nations system capable of delivering as one, sparing no efforts to continue strengthening the three pillars of peace and security, development and human rights.

Nauru is of the view that the comprehensive reform of the Security Council will not be complete without Japan, India, Brazil and Germany as permanent members.

In closing, I wish to remind this Assembly of the Secretary-General's recent observation of the United Nations, whereupon he stated:

"The true measure of success for the United Nations is not how much we promise, but how much we deliver for those who need us most." (A/61/PV.31)

As we move forward our discussions on the many challenging and complex issues before us, let us do so with the best of intentions, and more importantly, let us make good our promise to deliver.

Finally, while I stand in this great country of the United States of America, the land of the free, I cannot help but remember that its people have put their trust in God. On my island country of Nauru, also a land of the free, we have placed our belief in God's will first. Therefore, to every human being on our planet Earth, I beseech each and every one of us to dedicate ourselves to hold true to our God's will.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Republic of Nauru for the statement he has just made.

The Acting President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Union of the Comoros.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Abdallah Sambi, President of the Union of the Comoros, and to invite him to address the Assembly.

President Sambi (Comoros)

Echoing previous eminent speakers at this rostrum, on behalf of my country, the Union of the Comoros, and on my own behalf, it is a genuine pleasure to address our warm congratulations to the President on his brilliant assumption of the presidency of the sixty-second session of this Assembly. It is a pleasure likewise to address our warmest congratulations to the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for the effective manner in which he has carried out his duties in this world undergoing vast change, which requires increased commitment by our Organization. May I also extend our sincere thanks to the American Government and to the leaders of this magnificent city of New York for the fine preparations that they have made to receive and welcome us here.

The situations of conflict that claim innocent victims -- in the Middle East, in Darfur, in Somalia and in so many other regions where hotbeds of tension erupt -- appeal to our collective conscience and call for urgent measures for calm and for the resolution of such problems. My Government endorses any action taken by the international community, particularly the African Union and the United Nations, in seeking solutions to these problems, which are a source of concern for the whole world.

The world has reason to be concerned. Fear and uncertainty have become widespread, within both developed and developing countries. Paradoxically, science and technology have never been so effective. The world has never been so rich, nor has it displayed such great profits.

Today, the countries of the South are overwhelmed by the burden of debt, civil war, insecurity, destitution, precariousness and endemic disease. Therefore, security and harmony in this world call for greater solidarity and greater humanism.

The international community should thus emphasize development assistance to help the small countries to meet environmental challenges, particularly the effects of climate change, degradation of the ecosystem and desertification. Such solidarity should also be forthcoming in combating other scourges affecting our countries, most specifically HIV/AIDS, malaria and all other diseases that decimate our peoples and impede our development.

In addition, yet another scourge besets the world, and that is terrorism, which recognizes no borders. Nor does it recognize race or religion in its unspeakable cowardice and blindness. We should do everything possible to ensure that it can no longer flourish on poverty and prosper on the weakest links of the world chain.

Also, we must ensure that fanaticism and intolerance can no longer impose their law on the world and destroy humankind. Indeed, in bolstering tolerance and respect for the right to difference and for the dignity of every people, we will avoid possible setbacks, attacks on human rights and the amalgam of terrorism and particular religions or regions. In this way, we will be successful in guaranteeing lasting peace, stability, security and development, because it would be an illusion to speak of such ideals in a world of poverty, where economic development and the well-being of each and every individual have not yet been achieved.

Moreover, at this midpoint on the way to the deadline of 2015 set for the Millennium Development Goals, while notable progress has been achieved, full achievement of these objectives depend to a large extent, on international solidarity and respect for the various commitments entered into by the wealthiest countries.

The reform of our Organization is more necessary than ever to ensure that it is fully representative and better reflects its universal nature. Thus, Africa and all other regions of the world should be appropriately represented within the Organization in order to more effectively embody the principle of equality of States within this great concert of nations.

President Sambi (Comoros)

Allow me to take this exceptional opportunity to present some insight into the situation in my country, the Union of the Comoros.

Since assuming the highest office, I have endeavoured, with my Government, to give effect to the commitments made to the people of the Comoros and to the international community in connection with respect for human rights, the rule of law and good governance, particularly through the restoration of a system of justice that should serve as a model, the struggle against corruption, the struggle against insalubrious housing and advancing the situation of women.

In this certainly very ambitious endeavour, I rely largely on the people of the Comoros themselves to establish at the national level the conditions necessary for the success of the mission and task I have set myself. I am also confident that international solidarity will continue to increase, to support to a small country such as ours in confronting the numerous problems that it encounters daily. Indeed, I would like to express from this rostrum our gratitude to all the countries and organizations that support us in this undertaking of building a nation in the Comoros that is peaceful and prosperous.

But I have to emphasize that there was a time not so long ago when the African continent and other regions of the world were shaken by endless coups d'état. That illegal, antidemocratic and frequently violent form of access to power plunged the countries in question into instability.

It would appear that that time is now passed, with the advent of democracy and multiparty systems. The large majority of political forces would appear to accept democratic succession through free and transparent consultation of peoples as being the only acceptable means for acceding to power.

However, another mode of violent political action continues to exist in developing countries and appears to be assuming particular importance, namely, the armed rebellions affecting many countries, including the Comoros, my country. Armed uprisings are a source of destabilization and an obstacle to development efforts. Such uprisings are frequently at the centre of political and geopolitical interests that support them, to the detriment of the best interests of the countries themselves. They benefit from the explicit or hidden support of internal or external forces which use them.

My country is not free from this phenomenon. Indeed, the former Head of the Executive of the island of Anjouan refuses to hold free and democratic elections at the end of his term. He is leading an armed uprising that has attacked the presidency of the Union, the representation of the Government of the Union in the island and the contingent of the National Development Army. The uprising jeopardizes the hopes for development of the country by causing delays in repayment of the debt of the Comoros to the international institutions and hampers the resumption of investment from abroad. It is for this reason that I state here our major concern at the political crisis that we are experiencing.

Therefore, I make a solemn and urgent appeal to the entire international community to assist us in establishing lasting stability in the Union of the Comoros by settling the problem of the uprising that continues in the autonomous island of Anjouan. Indeed, all the steps taken by the Government of the Union have encountered to date the intransigence of the rebels of Anjouan, who refuse to comply with the resolutions of the African Union and the recommendations of the international community regarding the organization of free and democratic elections in Anjouan, as occurred in the other two islands and in respect of the constitutional legality, particularly, the exercise in Anjouan of legitimate powers.

From the bottom of my heart, I would wish to thank all our bilateral and multilateral partners for their unflagging support in the search for a prompt and final solution to the crisis that we are experiencing. For all these partners, I have always demonstrated our goodwill in seeking to settle the Anjouan crisis by peaceful means because the important thing is to save national unity and preserve the people of the Comoros from anything that might damage our development efforts.

I take this opportunity also to thank the authorities of the African Development Bank and all those instrumental in providing partial debt relief to the Comoros, with a view to facilitating our economic recovery.

The Assembly will understand that the Comorian Government cannot sanction any action that would establish the Balkanization of our country. The Comorian people remember only too well the unfortunate experience regarding the sister island of Mayotte. Although the one case is a problem within the Comoros and the other a dispute with France, which is a friendly country and principal partner of the Comoros -- and I stress that fact, France is a friendly country, a friend and principal partner of the Comoros -- both situations involve the disunion of our country, and we cannot remain indifferent to them.

Over 30 years have passed since the independent nation of the Comoros was admitted to the United Nations, within its authentic borders, that is, comprised of four islands: Ngazidja, Mwali, Ndzouani and Maoré. During those 30 years, all organizations that have recognized our independence have unflaggingly supported the just claim by the Comoros of sovereignty over the island of Mayotte, a claim upheld by the successive Governments in Moroni. That is a principle that the people of the Comoros will never give up, even if the approach has varied from one administration to the next. Today, my Government would like, in a calm atmosphere, to deal with this matter with France, giving priority to dialogue and consultation. For we must together find a rapid response to the problem of the human tragedies caused by the frequent shipwrecks of makeshift boats transporting on virtually a weekly basis dozens of Comorians from the other islands who visit Mayotte to meet with their families. We must promptly together deal with the inhuman treatment inflicted on Comorians from the other islands residing in Mayotte, and we must seek to facilitate the free movement of goods and persons among all the islands of the archipelago. Lastly, we must find together a modus vivendi that reflects particularly the social, cultural, linguistic, economic, religious and historical realities that shape the life of all Comorians.

To that end, I am happy to note the convergence of views with Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, who, during his address to this Assembly stated,

"I want to say, in the name of France, that there will be no peace in the world without respect for diversity, without respect for national identities, without respect, I venture to say, for religions and beliefs, or without respect for cultures. Attachment to one's faith, to one's identity, to one's language and culture, and to one's way of life, thought and belief -- all that is legitimate, and profoundly human". (A/62/PV.4)

I thus appeal to the United Nations to take on this matter by working to achieve a closer rapprochement between the two parties, with a view to a prompt settlement of the question. I truly believe that together with the French authorities we can find the ways and means to move towards a final, just and lawful solution to this problem.

In the ongoing quest for peace and freedom, I have a particular thought for those who, throughout the world, are engaged in struggle and are claiming their rights to unity and territorial integrity. Thus, from this rostrum, I would like to renew to our friend the People's Republic of China, our commitment to a policy of a single China, single and indivisible. To our brother country the Kingdom of Morocco, I would like to reaffirm our support for its legitimate fight to recover its territorial integrity.

In conclusion, I hope that peace reigns in our world, that goodness and good faith win our hearts so that the people of the world can live in happiness and in greater solidarity than ever.

I would like to finish with a few words in Arabic.

President Sambi (Comoros)

The Israeli-Arab conflict is the source of tensions in the Middle East, and the Palestinians in the occupied Arab territories live in inhuman and tragic economic conditions because of Israeli practices. The international community must deal decisively with this situation by requiring the Israeli authorities to implement relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions and decisions. Additionally, the provisions of international law, international humanitarian law and human rights must be observed. As we all know, there can be no peace in the Middle East without a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian question effected by the withdrawal of Israel from the Arab territories that it occupied in 1967.

Without the establishment of a viable Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem with its capital, and the settlement of the question of refugees on the basis of the General Assembly resolution of 1949, the conflict will not be settled. Construction of settlements must be stopped, the separation wall must be demolished and Palestinians must be compensated for damage caused by its construction. I also invite our Palestinian brothers to renounce division and disintegration and to engage in dialogue. The international community and the United Nations must provide swift humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, open the crossings and dismantle anything that hampers movement.

We also state our solidarity with our brothers in Lebanon, and we call for full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), the cessation of Israeli incursions into Lebanon and withdrawal from the Sheba'a Farms.

On the subject of Darfur, we give priority to the peace talks to be held in Libya on 24 October this year. We hope that all the parties will attend these talks. The international community must assume its responsibility and urge the parties to participate in those negotiations, which we hope will be final and decisive. We also hope that the African Union mission and character in Darfur will be respected and that the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Sudan will be fully respected.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Union of the Comoros for the statement he has just made.

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia.

The President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Janez Jansa, Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Jansa (Slovenia)

Mr. President, let me first express my gratitude to your predecessor, Her Excellency Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, for her leadership of the General Assembly. To you, Sir, on behalf of Slovenia, I assure full support for your leadership. We also look forward to cooperating with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

An important part of the sixty-second session of the General Assembly will coincide with a period of increased international responsibility for Slovenia. We will do our best to make good use of this opportunity and to benefit not only Europe, but the international community as a whole. The United Nations will be at the heart of our efforts. This Organization still represents humankind in its best light.

The discussions this week have proved that the global community has identified the challenges brought about by the human impact on the environment. The will to find solutions under United Nations auspices was clearly expressed. The sheer dimension and complexity of the issue require that this Organization have primacy.

Today, environmental changes are occurring all over the world. Slovenia pins great hopes on a regional approach in the search for solutions. At the global level, we support the principle of common, but different, responsibilities. A common approach is necessary because of the considerable impact of climate change, including on global security and stability.

Country-specific solutions should allow space for realizing development potential. Slovenia is very serious about its commitments within the European framework. The European Union has showed the will and ability to take initiative. We hope that such examples will set the dominant tone of the overall discussion through the new framework for the period after 2012.

Slovenia welcomes the progress made so far in the United Nations reform process and will continue to work towards the more responsive, effective and representative United Nations.

The role of the United Nations in maintaining peace and security is indispensable. This year, more than 10 per cent of the members of the Slovenian armed forces participated in missions abroad under the mandate of the Security Council. The majority of them helped to strengthen peace and stability in South-Eastern Europe, and also in Afghanistan, Lebanon and Iraq.

In the last decade and a half, the international community has dedicated considerable human and financial resources to the region of the Balkans. The contribution is great; therefore the dividends of peace for the whole region should not be wasted at the end of the stabilization process. We need to pursue solutions to secure these dividends; then they should be further invested in the common European project.

The international community must, within the framework of the United Nations, complete the establishment of mechanisms aimed at meeting the challenges of the twenty-first century. Finalizing a comprehensive United Nations convention on international terrorism must continue to be a key priority. Another challenge remains concrete application of the concept of the responsibility to protect.

Even the most determined efforts to achieve global security have little chance for lasting success under conditions of inequality. Therefore, achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is of paramount importance. Creating equal opportunities for the disadvantaged and demonstrating solidarity with them are sustainable investments in peace. It is only when both developed and developing countries choose to make such investments that the benefits of the world's current economic growth will be more fairly distributed.

Slovenia was very pleased to become a member of the Human Rights Council. The trust that has been placed in us will be honoured through our active and open efforts to achieve the implementation of human rights standards. We will continue to support the policy of global abolition of the death penalty.

Slovenia attaches great importance to the concept of human security, which is in accordance with the pillars of the United Nations: development, security and human rights. We accord special attention to children: the youngest victims of violence, poverty and deadly pandemics are also the most powerless. Therefore, it remains true that a man never stands so tall as when he kneels to help a child.

In that respect, Slovenia takes particular pride in its full cooperation with the non-governmental sector. The Together Foundation, which is concerned with the psychosocial well-being of children in societies affected by armed conflict, and the Slovenian International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance in Bosnia and Herzegovina were founded as a result of Slovenia's initiatives aimed at the wider region.

Slovenia actively participates in initiatives on intercultural dialogue, devoting special attention to the Mediterranean area. We hope to see the early establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean university, which would be a Slovenian contribution to raising awareness about the need for peaceful coexistence among those with different cultures and world views.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, one of the chief architects of the United Nations, predicted at the time of the establishment of the Organization that change would be a regular feature of its development. Indeed, the United Nations continues to be built today. The great hopes of humanity depend on our joint efforts, which will never be completed. Therefore, it is my hope that the sixty-second session of the General Assembly will be crowned with success.

The President

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

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.

The President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Ahmed (Bangladesh)

I would like to take this opportunity to express to you, Mr. President, my delegation's sincerest congratulations on your well-deserved election. A special tribute goes to Her Excellency Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa and to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, for their visionary and dedicated leadership.

Recent events in Bangladesh have aroused considerable interest worldwide as we struggle to fulfil the promise of democracy for our people. I will take this opportunity to share with the global community some of our recent experiences in consolidating democracy. We have learned that democracy is not an event; it is an ongoing process. It is not just about casting votes and changing Governments; it is also about social justice, accountability and empowerment of the people.

Those who have followed events in Bangladesh over the past few months will know that the Caretaker Government came into office in January this year amid a political stalemate. The fabric of our democracy had been torn apart by years of catastrophic corruption. Widespread frustration with the status quo had led to a rising tide of political violence. That in turn had disrupted ordinary life and shattered all public confidence in the possibility of credible elections. Moreover, there was little hope that a tainted election could end the cycle of violence. A state of emergency was therefore declared on 11 January of this year in an effort to end the ongoing chaos and to usher in a new beginning.

As stipulated in our constitution, the non-party Caretaker Government acts as a bridge between two successive political Governments. Our task is, first and foremost, to ensure a free and fair election, and we are fully committed to fulfilling that responsibility. However, our nation has learned through harsh experience that an election cannot simply be a one-off casting of votes, but must be part of a dynamic and continuing process whereby people freely choose their leaders.

While Bangladesh has held three elections in the past two decades, our democracy has been brutally undermined by ruinous corruption. The lack of systemic institutional safeguards allowed corruption to run rampant. That created a winner-takes-all electoral system, whereby the spoils of electoral victory were so great, and the stakes of winning so high, that the political process became hopelessly polarized, leading to a paralysis even of ordinary governance. As the benefits of winning elections increased, so did the costs of securing victory, creating a truly vicious circle in which corruption became the linchpin. Corruption thus became both the means and the end in terms of winning elections. If our democratic spirit is to emerge unscathed from that downward spiral, and if we are to deliver free, fair and meaningful elections, we must first free our politics from the clutches of corruption and violence.

Democracy and the rule of law are not merely concepts; they must be embodied in functioning public institutions. In Bangladesh, the very institutions that form the foundations of democracy have been eroded by ongoing corruption. Rebuilding those institutions and restoring public confidence through meaningful reforms are Herculean tasks, but they are ones in which we cannot and will not fail.

In Bangladesh, the task of conducting free and fair elections is the responsibility of the Election Commission. The Caretaker Government has already overhauled the Commission, guaranteeing its independence and giving it a broader mandate. The Election Commission, of its own accord, has announced a timeline for the holding of the next parliamentary election by the end of 2008. Our Administration is committed to ensuring that that timeframe is adhered to. We will bring to bear the full resources of the Government in that effort.

Our Government has reorganized the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission to ensure that it can effectively lead the fight against corruption. We have given the Commission broad and sweeping powers -- including operational independence -- not only to apprehend those who have been corrupt, but also to work as a deterrent. Within a month after coming into office, our Government acceded to the United Nations Convention against Corruption as a clear signal of our unwavering commitment against corruption.

The implementation of the Convention will not only contribute to the reduction of corruption in Bangladesh, but will also help us to recover the ill-gotten gains of corruption stored abroad. Those who engage in corruption must confront the reality that there is no safe haven for them. The world is united in the struggle against corruption, and today Bangladesh pledges itself an active partner in that endeavour.

One of the most critical elements of a functioning democracy is an independent judiciary. In Bangladesh, the lower judiciary and criminal prosecution were traditionally under the executive branch of the Government, contrary to the constitutional principle of separation of powers. While judicial independence has been part of the political manifesto of successive governments over the past 15 years, each has repeatedly reneged on its public promises in this regard. Recognizing the importance of an independent judiciary to the rule of law, the Caretaker Government within its first month in office initiated the necessary steps to fully separate the executive and judicial branches of the Government. We have also revamped the Bangladesh Public Service Commission and the University Grants Commission in order to restore the apolitical nature of those important institutions.

Political parties are among the core constituents of democracy. Their accountability and true democratic character remain critically important for democracy to function. In response to demands of the people, the main political parties have themselves initiated various reforms, and the revamped parties will interact with the revitalized institutions of the Government to move our nation forward.

Bangladesh reaffirms its unflinching commitment to universal and inalienable human rights. Any society committed to democracy requires the recognition and enforcement of human rights, and in Bangladesh the fight against corruption and the strengthening of the rule of law go hand-in-hand with the protection of human rights. The Caretaker Government has, therefore, taken the decision to establish a national human rights commission to ensure that our laws and public institutions reflect international standards and norms of human rights. It is unfortunate that successive Governments have shied away from taking this important step.

Bangladesh remains resolute in its relentless campaign against international extremism and terrorism. We recently acceded to the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. Bangladesh is now a party to all terrorism-related United Nations conventions, a testament to our commitment to fighting terrorism in all its forms. On the domestic front, we have taken stern measures against militant groups and their patrons. In particular, we categorically reject the claims of those who cloak themselves in the rhetoric of Islam to justify terrorism. Bangladesh is steadfast in its commitment to curb religious fundamentalism in all its manifestations.

Our experience in re-instilling confidence in the Government has a wider relevance to the international community. The problems that we are facing today are not unique to Bangladesh. After all, in the developing world democracy does not necessarily ensure good governance. Many countries face similar problems of political violence, mis-governance and corruption. This is particularly true for post-conflict and transition societies, where the politics of mistrust is pervasive. We feel that a greater understanding of our challenges and, more importantly, of our efforts to re-build political and social institutions, can serve as benchmarks for others facing similar situations. For example, Bangladesh represents an effective model of civil-military cooperation in crisis prevention. Our experience in crisis management could be relevant for many crisis-torn, nascent democracies.

One way in which we can share our experiences in governance is through our robust presence in United Nations peacekeeping operations. We have consistently been one of the top troop-contributing countries in the world, and our peacekeepers have earned accolades for their contributions. We are confident that Bangladesh will continue to play a leadership role in multi-dimensional peacekeeping efforts, and we are ready to provide comprehensive deployment packages in future peace operations. We also remain active in the United Nations peacebuilding endeavours in post-conflict societies.

We warmly welcome the Secretary-General's timely initiative to restructure the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. The world is witnessing a natural evolution from the monitoring of peace to multidimensional tasks of peacebuilding, democratization and development. As one of the largest troop-contributing countries (TCCs), we strongly feel that the TCCs should have equitable representation and play a greater role in deployment and other strategic decisions.

The United Nations is in the midst of a continuing evolution. It is our collective responsibility to make the United Nations more relevant to the present day world, to fulfil the promise Dag Hammarskjöld spoke of when he said, "The day will come when men will see the United Nations and what it means clearly." The Secretary-General's report on system-wide coherence presents several useful recommendations in this connection. However, we feel that the reform exercise should focus on the requirements of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and we recognize that the speed of reform must be gradual.

We must reflect upon what is needed by the United Nations, in terms of financial and human resources, to foster development. Keeping in mind that developing countries differ greatly in their political, administrative and social structures, the reform exercise must take this diversity into account and allow individual countries to determine the structure of the United Nations presence at the country level, the representation of different United Nations agencies and their country programmes. We must not undermine the identities of individual United Nations agencies, including their mandates, independence and institutional integrity.

Earlier this week, we discussed the exceedingly important issue of climate change. World leaders reaffirmed our shared commitment to address the issue of global warming. Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to global warming, given that as much as 30 per cent of our land will be submerged if the Bay of Bengal rises by just one metre. The adverse effects of global warming, deforestation and increased salinity are already evident in Bangladesh. Floods have become an annual calamity, and this year our people have suffered particularly severe losses owing to flooding. While the resilience of our people and the quick mobilization of our limited domestic resources helped us to overcome the crisis this year, we envisage that this may become harder in the future. We therefore urge enhanced international cooperation to meet the challenges of global warming and its consequences.

There is a growing acknowledgment that trade liberalization can be an effective tool for economic development. For the least developed countries (LDCs), the trade-to-gross domestic product ratio averages about 58 per cent, while it is roughly 25 per cent for many Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. These statistics show that the LDCs are far more dependent on trade than their developed counterparts. Bangladesh, along with many other LDCs, is facing significant tariff and non-tariff barriers in accessing developed markets. Global trade regimes must provide unimpeded access to all products of LDCs, so as to ensure that the fruits of progress are shared by all.

While representing a nation of 140 million people, squeezed into an area roughly the size of New York State, I must underscore the importance of migration to our development efforts. For many in Bangladesh and other developing countries, temporary labour migration provides a livelihood option and a route out of poverty. If we are to reduce poverty by half by 2015, we must strengthen our efforts to ensure the free movement of labour. The international community is recognizing the critical linkages between migration and development. It is encouraging that the Global Forum on Migration and Development, held in Brussels this July, accorded migration its due priority. We must also intensify our efforts to defend the rights of migrant workers. We would also like to see momentum in the liberalization of Mode IV services. We call for renewed international efforts -- at the World Trade Organization and in other forums -- to facilitate the free movement of labour services.

Let me conclude by reiterating my Government's unswerving commitment to democracy and the protection of human rights. We have pledged to put Bangladesh on a higher trajectory of good governance, rule of law and development. We are determined to hold a free, fair and meaningful election within the timeframe stipulated by our independent Election Commission and to keep our country firmly on the path of democracy. My Government is fully committed to ensuring that our reform initiatives are comprehensive and irreversible. Bangladeshis now stand united for a prosperous future for their country and the world.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Chief Advisor of the Caretaker Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh for the statement he has just made.

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Prime Minister of the Principality of Andorra.

The President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Albert Pintat, Prime Minister of the Principality of Andorra, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Pintat (Andorra)

People and planet. They are our alpha and our omega. They are the foundation and objective of actions by bodies such as the United Nations.

The Earth is blue like an orange, said the poet Paul Eluard. That is a logical statement, as our planet takes its blue colour from the sky and the oceans that protect us, and the orange colour from the fruit that nourishes us. The Earth is a sphere that moves and turns with infinite interdependence. The human attitude, nature and peoples are bound together to form a single scheme of debate, impossible to resolve separately.

Every year in the General Assembly we are pleased to feel that our work is centred on the ideals of a better world in the environment of a democratic structure, dialogue, the brotherhood of cultures and financial and social interchange, supportive and prosperous between peoples.

The latest data available to us on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) show a positive trend. We have made great progress in the reduction of child mortality and we have applied various measures of truly surprising simplicity that have demonstrated their effectiveness in eradicating many illnesses. And yet the inhabitants of the world -- the people, flora and fauna of the planet -- look at our organizations and all of us somewhat suspiciously. There is much concern. There is great uncertainty.

With your permission, my words today will not be of self-complacency -- either for the results obtained or for the undeniable improvement in some of the ailments that undermine our dignity as people. Congratulations can give way to relaxation and can have a perversely soothing effect on our consciences. The development of global societies has become essential in the light of the positions affecting economic, social, cultural, military and political systems on a worldwide scale. There is an urgent need for conceptualization in the face of the evident poverty resulting from the sudden and profound transformations suffered by peoples, regions and countries. Successive waves of contributions of capital and human resources combine with pre-existing human substrata, creating superimposed layers that further accentuate differences. When those investments cease to be profitable, resources are redirected. That results in situations of change or crisis.

The realities on which we have to concentrate are those of a world in which, according to the latest data published by UNICEF, 9.7 million children's lives were lost in one year; a world in which human life expectancy can differ by more than 30 years; a world in which more than 39 million people are infected with the AIDS virus; and a world in which too many people are still without access to safe drinking water. That is not doomsaying on my part; it is a recognition that the advances made cannot conceal the profound shortcomings that still exist or hold back the achievement of results.

Indignation and rejection in the face of every unacceptable reality have made possible the finest achievements for the progress of humanity in a remarkable way at the United Nations and must now enable us to obtain more resources, to go faster, to have more ideas and to be even more effective.

Mr. Pintat (Andorra)

For more than six decades, the United Nations has sought to be the moral and legal force which ensures that dialogue, cooperation and solidarity take the place of oppression, weapons, famine, ignorance, misery and injustice. However, during the years of existence of the United Nations, wars, poverty and intolerance have not stopped. On the contrary, we have had to add new ills, such as the radicalization of fundamentalism or the degradation of the environment, and increasingly frequent natural disasters. Earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, tornadoes and floods and the thawing of many of the glaciers at the two poles are vivid examples of the climatic disorder that we have to combat. To tell the truth, the planet is threatened; but I do not think that this is an accurate assertion. Those really threatened are the most vulnerable persons and countries. They are the ones who suffer from war, illness and underdevelopment. Climate change will affect all of us, but not all of us equally.

At the same time, trafficking in, and the abuse of, children and women continue despite the legal instruments with which we have equipped countries such as Andorra, where the defence of human rights and liberties is considered to be a fundamental inspiring principle.

The world of the twenty-first century views armed conflicts, terrorism, violations of human rights and extremely precarious situations in many areas with something between resignation and impotence. I would refer, merely as an example, to the extreme situation that has affected the population of Darfur for many years.

We should not be surprised that, faced with all those hard realities, international institutions like ours are suffering serious crises of discredit and significant erosion. Nevertheless, if we are here today it is because we believe that we can improve the world -- people and planet -- because we are convinced that together we are able to react. Hope remains intact. Every country -- whatever its size -- and every director and every organization with the capacity for action has to fight to make law into the essence of vitality and to achieve open and sincere dialogue in the international arena. As Charles de Gaulle said, it takes several to deliberate, and one to act. As Al Gore told us on Monday, the world requires a global Marshall Plan, because our planet is in an emergency situation.

We are delighted with the thrust and dynamism displayed by the new Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, since he took office. We praise the efforts of the General Assembly in setting up a Working Group on Security Council reform, as well as the proposals that are being studied. We fully support the model of society proposed by the United Nations -- rooted in the principles of peace, solidarity, liberty, cooperation, social development and economic growth.

With regard to goals, I applaud the initiative of the Millennium Development Goals. At the time of their introduction, the previous Secretary-General warned us that we needed to break with routine. He told us that we could not achieve results in a day because success would require sustained action over the 10 years envisaged for implementation. Today, before the entire Assembly, I add my full support to those words. I call upon everyone to maintain the pace and to press the foot down a little harder on the accelerator.

We all benefit from the progress that we have made. We know the enduring relationship that exists between poverty and nearly all the challenges we face: mortality rates, differences in life expectancy, ill health, injustice, intolerance, marginalization and armed conflict. Let us reject before the world and before all peoples some of the pernicious prejudices that prevent us from advancing. Permit me to recall three truths that have been defined a number of times by Jeffrey Sachs, the director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University.

The first is that the illnesses ravaging poor countries are perfectly avoidable and can be prevented. The second is that to avoid all the thoroughly unnecessary deaths caused by them will not affect the population explosion. The third is that poor countries, as has already been shown and in refutation of some voices deliberately ignorant of their prejudices, are capable of installing efficient public health programmes when they receive adequate aid.

As a result of the terror and the material and moral misery suffered during the Second World War, countries, peoples and their representatives came to an agreement, saying "enough" and creating organizations such as the United Nations to regulate and mediate conflict. They did this with a sense of generosity, a breadth of purpose and a boldness that today must inspire our action even more.

The ideals of the fathers of the Charter of the United Nations were founded on a respect for individuals, on liberty and on access to knowledge and education to achieve welfare and peace around the world. Only through an energetic renewal of those ideals can we ensure that the balance on planet Earth improves perceptibly and continues to do so year by year. Only with the unity, understanding and cooperation of all nations can we obtain results.

The small size of Andorra has not prevented us from maintaining good neighbourly relationships with France and Spain for more than seven centuries. We are fully concerned and involved with the objectives of the United Nations. With our long and, at the same time, humble experience, we could even become a neutral area, impartial and isolated from partisan interests, in the case of any conflict in need of resolution.

We must be realistic, but this must not stop us. We must advance with modest but continuous reforms, tangible and firm reforms that lead us to a better future.

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

I have great pleasure in welcoming General Surayud Chulanont, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, and inviting him to address the Assembly.

General Chulanont (Thailand)

On behalf of the Royal Thai Government, allow me first to congratulate you, Mr. President, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on your election as the President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. The Thai delegation looks forward to rendering its full support for the work of this session in the coming months.

I also wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his tireless devotion to the United Nations and its reform. The first year in office is crucial for setting the priorities and future direction of this Organization, and the Secretary-General is certainly faced with a great challenge.

Thailand is keen to work with the Secretary-General towards a renewed United Nations -- one that is more responsive and empowered to address effectively the needs of the peoples of our world. We are keen to do so because we are committed to what the United Nations stands for: respect for equality, for diversity, for human rights and for people.

That commitment drives us to build a stronger democracy that is more transparent and has stronger safeguards for our people. That commitment also guides us in building a sound, open economy and a more just and equitable society governed by the rule of law -- crucial underpinnings for sustainable development.

All of that is taking place during a very special year for the Thai people, namely, the eightieth birthday of His Majesty the King of Thailand.

As most representatives probably know, exactly one year has passed since Thailand moved to address the unprecedented political paralysis in our democratic system. I wish to take this opportunity to assure our friends that we are keeping to the timeline for the revitalization of parliamentary democracy, with general elections scheduled for 23 December 2007.

Exactly 10 years ago, Thailand suffered from a deep crisis of a different nature. Through globalization, that economic ailment quickly spread to many countries and regions. Yet we have emerged from the 1997 Asian financial crisis a stronger and more vibrant free-market economy. Now, despite high oil prices and other challenges, Thailand's economic fundamentals are strong.

But, while continued economic growth over the past decade has lifted millions of Thais out of poverty, some 10 per cent have not benefited. Thailand, like other developing countries, continues to face challenges to sustainable development in the form of income disparities and an urban/rural divide.

I believe that governments have a moral responsibility to address disparities in income distribution. This is why Thailand has made it our national priority to promote growth with equity and to achieve development from within. Our approach has been based on His Majesty the King's philosophy of a "sufficiency economy", which calls for moderation and mindfulness in consumption, prudent economic decision-making and careful risk management. The philosophy's recognition by the United Nations Development Programme in its 2007 Thailand Human Development Report has strengthened our conviction that we are on the right track.

The Government is leading that effort through universal education and investing in basic infrastructure for people-centred development. We believe that emphasis on moderation and knowledge will lead to a more equitable society, which is fundamental to sustainable development and immunity from external shocks.

In addition to promoting growth with equity, governments must also ensure that progress does not come at the expense of the environment. For Thailand, the sufficiency economy's concepts of moderation and mindfulness relate directly to the sustainable utilization of natural resources. Thailand aims at cutting back on its reliance on fossil fuels and at lowering greenhouse gas emissions through energy conservation.

At the same time, we seek to meet our growing energy demand through renewable energy and biofuels. We are also considering the option of nuclear energy, paying heed to the crucial issue of safety.

But Thailand realizes that a significant reduction of fossil fuel use will likely take a few more decades, owing to the high costs of new technology. There must be greater partnership between countries that have developed clean energy technologies and those who lack them. We therefore reiterate our call for research and development cooperation and the affordable transfer of clean coal and methane reduction technologies.

An inevitable consequence of climate change is unpredictability of the water supply. As a major food-producing country, and in line with His Majesty the King's "Water is life" initiative, water conservation is a long-term priority for the Thai Government. We have made a commitment to increasing the country's forested and water catchment areas. I would like to call on all nations to make water management a priority on our climate change agenda as well.

Thailand places great importance on promoting human security and is an active member of the Human Security Network. I have spoken about Thailand's efforts to provide our people with freedom from want through democratic reform, respect for human rights and people-centred and sustainable development. The other side of human security is freedom from fear. As a result of fear and mistrust, individuals and communities fall prey to extremist ideas that further divide humanity. I strongly believe that the best strategy to conquer such fear is winning hearts and minds, and Thailand is committed to fostering cross-cultural understanding.

But terrorism continues to draw its strength from extremist ideologies. So we must appeal to the majority in the world who are moderates to join forces against extremism. In addition, enhancing inter- and intra-faith dialogue and dialogue among civilizations should take place at the regional level. We are doing that in South-East Asia.

As a neighbouring country sharing a land border of more than 2,400 kilometres with Myanmar and currently hosting more than a million of its citizens, Thailand is gravely concerned about what we are seeing and hearing about in Myanmar. Thailand and Myanmar, being predominantly Buddhist, share a belief in non-violence and tolerance. Thailand therefore finds unacceptable the commission of violence and bodily harm to Buddhist monks and other demonstrators in Yangon.

This morning, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) discussed the situation in Myanmar. ASEAN is appalled to have received reports of the use of automatic weapons and demands that the Myanmar Government immediately desist from the use of violence against demonstrators. ASEAN expressed revulsion over reports that demonstrations in Myanmar are being suppressed by violent force and that there have been a number of fatalities. We strongly urge Myanmar to exercise the utmost restraint, to seek a political solution and resume its efforts aimed at national reconciliation with all parties concerned, and to work towards a peaceful transition to democracy. We call for the release of all political detainees, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

ASEAN fully supports the decision of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to send Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari to Myanmar. We ask the Myanmar Government to cooperate fully and to work with him. Mr. Gambari's role as a neutral interlocutor among all the parties can help to defuse the dangerous situation. ASEAN urges Myanmar to grant him full access to all parties in the country, as it has done in the past.

Thailand is undergoing changes that will make it a more capable partner of the international community and the United Nations. At the regional level, Thailand is eager to work with our ASEAN partners to create a closer community. Strengthened by a new Charter, ASEAN will be able to cooperate more effectively with its United Nations partners.

Indeed, promoting closer cooperation between ASEAN and the United Nations -- two organizations that share the same values and goals -- will be one contribution to restoring faith in the multilateral system. Another will be supporting ongoing United Nations reform efforts. Together with Chile, South Africa and Sweden, Thailand has put forth the Four Nations Initiative proposals, aimed at improving the governance and management of the Secretariat on the basis of increased accountability and transparency.

Thailand's cooperation with the international community and the United Nations is being further enhanced by new people-centred initiatives. Our new constitution provides for universal education and health care, gender equality, respect for children's rights and a social safety net for the poor, the disabled and the elderly. More than ever before, we are committed to combating HIV/AIDS and other global health threats.

In the area of poverty eradication, Thailand is also committed to going beyond our borders to assist our friends and neighbours. Our Mae Fah Luang Foundation's community development model is being replicated in Afghanistan and Indonesia. Thai troops participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions are recognized for their contributions in rebuilding basic infrastructures in post-conflict areas.

We see that the immediate resumption of the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations is essential to help the developing world achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). And, as the twelfth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, to be held in Accra next year, approaches, Thailand is looking forward to discussing ideas for South-South and trilateral cooperation to address the opportunities and challenges of globalization for development.

This has been a year of great reform for Thailand. The current political and social reforms that are taking place in my country will allow us to make greater contributions to a world where people can live in security and dignity, free from poverty and despair -- a world where the present generation enhances the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

As the world grows smaller by the day, humanity, more than ever before, is sharing a common destiny. Our faith in the United Nations and in the multilateral process must be equal to the challenges and opportunities facing us.

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea.

The Acting President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Sir Michael Somare, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Sir Michael Somare (Papua New Guinea)

I wish to express to Mr. Srgjan Kerim, President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session, Papua New Guinea's congratulations on his election. We assure him of my country's full cooperation during his presidency. We compliment his predecessor, Her Excellency Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, for her stewardship of our work during her tenure, and we wish her well in her future endeavours.

I would like to express our support to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for his leadership of the United Nations. Let me thank him, in particular, for his courage and strong leadership on the issue of climate change. By the same token, I would also like to thank the staff of the Secretariat and all United Nations agencies who continue to give valuable service to my country, Papua New Guinea.

On 18 September 2007, two days after celebrating 32 years of independence, Papua New Guinea convened its eighth National Parliament. This was a result of another successful general election. Democracy is a challenge, but Papua New Guinea continues to thrive under it. My country of more than 800 tribes and languages continues to find in the democratic principles the binding force and unity in diversity in the 32 years of unbroken democracy.

Papua New Guinea remains committed to the principles and purposes of the United Nations. We agree with the President that we must continue to work with common purpose to renew, modernize and strengthen this Organization so it can rise to the challenges of the twenty-first century.

The increasing incidence of human atrocities, genocide and war, poverty, terrorism, HIV/AIDS, the resurgence of malaria and tuberculosis, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, drug and human smuggling, environmental degradation and climate change are issues that, we believe, the United Nations is best placed to address.

Again we agree with the President that global challenges demand multilateral solutions. The United Nations is the appropriate multilateral forum to take such action. That is why the revitalization of the General Assembly deserves our highest attention. To revitalize the Assembly is also to renew our faith in each other and in our common values and destiny.

We strongly endorse the President's five priority issues of climate change, financing for development, achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), countering terrorism, and the United Nations reform agenda. To complement efforts in other forums, Papua New Guinea with other countries of the Pacific region has agreed to pool our limited resources under the Pacific Plan, in order to address, as the basis of our cooperation, many of these same issues, in particular, sustainable development, climatic change and regional integration.

Let me turn now to an issue which my country feels strongly about: climate change. To be clear, we are very concerned to see certain industrialized nations attempting to avoid responsibility for their own carbon emissions and shifting the focus to developing nations. Only after industrialized nations take responsibility for the consequences of their own actions will the pathway become clear for lasting solutions.

However, as developing countries, we are willing to contribute equitably towards a sustainable future. During my earlier statements at the high-level event on climate change, I put forward key principles needed to guide future international agreements on climate change after the year 2012.

The time for leadership is now. If we are to defeat this self-inflicted calamity, we must succeed in six key areas: we must construct a shared vision for lower global greenhouse gas concentrations; we must aggressively deepen reduction commitments by industrialized countries; we must create more mechanisms to provide positive incentives for developing countries; we must launch a global framework to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation; we must scale up adaptation financing for future generations; and we must mobilize sufficient and sustainable resources to support positive incentives and adaptation.

The science is clear. Our planet is in distress. As co-inhabitants of this world, we all must address the root causes of the problem. To succeed, leadership is required on both sides of the economic divide. Together, and only together, we can grasp the challenges before us and construct a sustainable future.

Papua New Guinea supports the ongoing reforms in the United Nations Secretariat. In order to strengthen it to better address some of the key challenges facing the membership, reform should reflect the geopolitical, economic and social realities of today, taking into particular account the different levels of development facing the membership. Above all, the reform must be fair and equitable.

Global trade today is uneven and characterized more by unfair trade practices by those already holding decided advantages than by the opportunities it offers to developing countries like Papua New Guinea. Our efforts to develop a more equitable trading order are hampered by the reluctance of our developed partners to open their economies and engage in genuine development discussions.

The Doha Round of negotiations are at a critical juncture. We need to collectively ensure that those negotiations are revived so that different trade needs of its members are addressed.

Papua New Guinea has moved forward from an export-driven economic growth strategy to a policy of economic consolidation and empowerment. Its core policy objective is to provide every Papua New Guinean equal opportunity to build home, community and country. To achieve this, strong emphasis will be placed on agriculture, which has always been the mainstay of our rural populace. Along with this aim, relevant infrastructure will be built to support that important sector.

The country's five-year medium-term development strategy is being reviewed to strengthen its alignment with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Achieving the MDGs by 2015 is a challenge that requires our collective input in its implementation.

We call on development partners, including the United Nations, to play a supportive role in implementing and sustaining these activities. That can be done through fair trade opportunities, equitable markets, increased foreign investment, transfer of technology, capacity-building and providing quality overseas development assistance.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a serious threat to social and economic security in many of our countries. Greater efforts must be made to arrest it. In Papua New Guinea, my Government has passed HIV/AIDS legislation underpinned by a comprehensive HIV/AIDS policy framework. We consider HIV/AIDS to be a development issue and deal with it separately from other health issues. But our experience suggests that national action alone is not enough. A concerted global response is required. HIV/AIDS is a threat that must be addressed on all fronts and by all countries. We thank the United Nations and its related agencies for their efforts in addressing HIV/AIDS. We also thank former President of the United States, Mr. Bill Clinton, for his contribution to this work in my country.

Of equal importance are the battles against malaria, tuberculosis and other preventable diseases. While, as a global community, we have focused on HIV/AIDS and avian flu, little attention is given to malaria, which remains the biggest killer disease in my country. We therefore thank Mr. Bill Gates for assistance given to research work on malaria in Papua New Guinea. We call upon development partners to support Papua New Guinea and other countries in addressing these challenges.

Sir Michael Somare (Papua New Guinea)

Despite many United Nations resolutions, the conflict in the Middle East remains unresolved. Papua New Guinea appeals to all parties to the conflict, including those Powers that have the capacity to influence a positive outcome, to make the necessary concessions for a peaceful resolution to this long-standing issue. We appeal to all parties to make full use of the dispute-settlement procedures of the United Nations.

The work of the Special Committee on Decolonization remains unfinished. There are still 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories -- some in the Pacific -- that have yet to exercise their right to self-determination. The forthcoming referendum in Tokelau demonstrates once again the true spirit of cooperation between Tokelau and New Zealand. We congratulate both Governments and assure the people of Tokelau of our respect for their ultimate decision. In the same vein, we hope that other Administering Powers will follow the example of New Zealand and assist other territories reach a decision of their choice.

While our world today provides untold opportunities, we are at the same time faced with many complex challenges. We must renew our commitment to and faith in the United Nations and seek to reform it in ways that are reflective of the realities of today. Thirty-two years ago, when I brought my nation to take its seat in the General Assembly, I said, and wish to reaffirm today, that, within the limits of our resources, Papua New Guinea will play an active and positive role in the United Nations. That commitment remains.

The President

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

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania.

The President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Sali Berisha, Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Berisha (Albania)

Please allow me, Sir, to congratulate you on your election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session and to wish you great success in that very important job. I would also like to thank the outgoing President, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, for her valuable contribution to the General Assembly. I also wish to congratulate Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on his leadership, his great efforts in support of peace and cooperation in the world and his contribution to strengthening the United Nations and its institutions.

As a representative of a country that suffered one of the most totalitarian of post-Second World War dictatorships, it is my deep conviction that defending and promoting freedom and its values and supporting oppressed peoples in order that they may free themselves from tyrannical regimes that continue to produce human suffering, poverty, violence and terrorism should be the main priority of the Organization. In that context, I would like to say that Central Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans and the entire world are now freer and safer without the likes of Mullah Omar, Saddam Hussein and Slobodan Milosevic. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the message of hope that President George W. Bush and other leaders have sent from this rostrum to all the peoples of the world still living under tyrannical regimes.

Albania is a small country, but one with a clear vocation and determination to strengthen freedom and democracy for its citizens. Albania is also deeply committed to making its modest contribution to peace and security in the world. We have established close cooperation with friendly countries and international organizations in the fight against terrorism. In that regard, our peacekeeping units have served or are serving in Bosnia, Georgia, Afghanistan and Iraq. I am delighted to inform the Assembly that, in that same spirit, my Government has decided to contribute another platoon to United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Albania has also been a staunch supporter of international efforts to limit the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the unlawful use of small arms and light weapons, which pose a serious threat to peace, security and stability. In that context, among other measures, we committed ourselves to the full destruction of our stockpile of chemical weapons. In July 2007, Albania became the first country in the world free of chemical materials and armaments of any kind. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Governments of the United States, Germany, Italy, Greece and Switzerland, which provided valuable financial and technical assistance to achieve that important objective.

We are successfully implementing a number of very important programmes in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNICEF and many other United Nations agencies. Albania became part of the effort to reform the United Nations by voluntarily joining the One United Nations programme as a pilot country. We are currently working with United Nations agencies in order to test the One United Nations concept and to develop new approaches and models for partnership in the areas of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment. The first results of the project are truly very encouraging. We are fully committed to making every effort in order to ensure that the initiative can become a success story.

European integration and membership in NATO are two main objectives for Albania. We are committed to undertake any reform and take any step to achieve those goals. A year ago, we signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union (EU). We are working seriously in every way to fulfil its standards and obligations. At the same time, we have undertaken thorough reforms of our armed f