General Assembly Session 63 meeting 12

The President

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

The President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Lawrence Gonzi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Gonzi (Malta)

I would like to join other delegations in congratulating you, Sir, on your unanimous election to preside over the sixty-third session of the General Assembly. I am sure that with your experience and diplomatic skills you will chart a successful outcome of this session.

I also take this opportunity to express my appreciation to Mr. Kerim, President of the Assembly at its sixty-second session, for his leadership and dedication in guiding us diligently throughout his tenure.

Human security and the dignity of every man and woman require us to continue the discussion in order to build consensus on the principle of the responsibility to protect, particularly in relation to genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, as agreed by the 2005 World Summit. While we realize the sensitivity of the issue, Malta agrees with the Secretary-General that we need to move from declarations of commitment to practice and implementation.

Likewise, the fight against terrorism must remain high on our agenda. We should not lower our guard. We must always be vigilant and ready to take collective and practical action on a daunting, complex and politically sensitive issue. Terrorism has no boundaries, and the unspeakable acts of terrorism can strike anywhere, at any time, in poor and rich countries, with innocent victims paying for these vicious terror attacks, such as that perpetrated in Pakistan last week, attacks which undermine the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the individual and of society itself.

Malta, as a State party to the International Criminal Court, believes that the work carried out so far by the Court is commendable and merits our continued cooperation and commitment towards the maintenance of international peace and security.

Malta feels that the continuing recruitment and use of children in armed conflict and other grave offences against children merit our full condemnation. In this regard, we welcome the sustained activity of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict as well as the sterling work being carried out by the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Ms. Coomaraswamy.

The protection of the human being brings with it the responsibility to protect the environment. One of the issues which have been described as the defining challenge of our times, and also a matter described as the flagship issue of the debate at the sixty-second session, is climate change.

Next December we shall commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Assembly's adoption, on the proposal of Malta, of resolution 43/53, entitled "Protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind", in paragraph 1 of which the Assembly recognized that "climate change is a common concern of mankind". Malta is proud that the seminal proposal launched in 1988 found universal support, which eventually led to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

The fact that the Assembly met earlier this year, after high-level panel discussions, for a thematic debate on "Addressing Climate Change: the United Nations and the World at Work" continues to give credibility and authority to the will of the overwhelming majority of States to respond urgently to climate change.

The process initiated at the Bali Conference last year established a clear road map with a view to agreeing on a new multilateral, comprehensive, coherent and effective post-2012 agreement, which we hope will be reached by 2009, in order to avoid any implementation gap.

Malta reiterates its conviction that we have a common obligation and responsibility to support ambitious and urgent action, at the national, regional and international levels, within the United Nations Framework Convention so as to stop and overturn in these coming years the accumulation of greenhouse gases, which are causing detrimental climate change. The vulnerability of small island States like my country to the negative impacts of climate change needs to be underlined.

For obvious reasons, Malta continues to direct its efforts towards making the Mediterranean a region of peace and cooperation.

We welcome and recognize the important developments on the Cyprus question; the renewed vigour in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations; the indirect negotiations between Israel and Syria, with Turkish mediation; the formation of a national unity Government in Lebanon; and the improved relations between Lebanon and Syria.

Since we met here last year important developments have taken place on the negotiations for a permanent settlement of the Palestinian question. The Annapolis Conference, held in November 2007, renewed hope when there was otherwise a bleak future with regard to the resolution of this question. Malta feels that all United Nations Member States, without exception, should continue to support the Secretary-General in his quest, together with the Quartet, to resolve the issue of Palestine refugees and that of the permanent status of Jerusalem, as well as the other important issues of settlements, borders, water and security.

The Paris International Donors Conference for the Palestinian State, the formal start of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and the series of meetings between Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas have given a most welcome meaning to the efforts being made to resolve all outstanding issues, including all core issues without exception.

Malta's hosting of a United Nations International Meeting on the Question of Palestine, held in June this year, followed shortly afterwards by the visit to Malta of President Mahmoud Abbas in July, came at an important -- indeed, crucial -- phase in the ongoing efforts to implement the Road Map and its commitments, as well as the obligations for a permanent two-State solution. We shall continue to lend our support to all initiatives that would bring everlasting peace to both the Israeli and Palestinian people.

We welcome all initiatives which create a bond between European and Mediterranean countries. A case in point is the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, with its headquarters in Malta, aiming to bring together all the littoral States of the Mediterranean on an equal footing to examine questions and take decisions on issues of direct interest to the countries in the region.

An important development in the Euro-Med partnership was the launching last July, on the initiative of President Sarkozy of France, of what is now known as the Union for the Mediterranean within the Barcelona Process. Malta believes that this initiative will be a significant milestone in our common efforts to promote security and prosperity in the Euro-Mediterranean region, to the equal benefit of all European Union member States and Mediterranean partners. Malta looks forward to working constructively with other members of the Union to address some of the problems which the Mediterranean confronts, including in particular development, food security and the provision of water and energy.

While referring to these problems, I must highlight also the unprecedented increase in the influx of irregular immigrants that have been arriving in Malta mainly from the African continent. Malta is well aware of its responsibility in this area. However, as has been highlighted on numerous occasions, it is extremely difficult for us to continue to carry such a burden, which is so acutely disproportionate to the size of the country and its population.

It is for this reason that Malta has continuously requested assistance in tackling this problem through the principles of solidarity and sharing of responsibilities by Europe and other countries, as well as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Malta is grateful to those countries that have come forward to assist us in coping with this phenomenon. Nevertheless, much more needs to be done by us all, including the countries of origin and the countries of transit.

Africa continues to present us with a formidable challenge. It is a challenge not only for African countries themselves, but for the whole of the international community. While noting with satisfaction the success stories in the reduction of poverty, Malta remains very concerned that progress in Africa is still lagging behind. We have an obligation to enhance efforts to assist African countries to meet their legitimate goals of sustainable development.

It has been acknowledged that the Millennium Development Goals and the protection of human rights share a number of characteristics which require our constant attention. Recent phenomena, such as climate change, rising food prices and international financial instability, add further obstacles to the attainment of these Goals. Poverty eradication and the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals are to be priorities of our times which should be addressed in a multidimensional way, both through the conduct of political and economic decision-making and through social and environmental factors related to different facets, such as culture and gender equality, geography, climate and energy.

Malta strongly believes that the pledges made at the Millennium Summit in 2000 on the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals remain the overarching objective of our global agenda. Besides being a signatory to the Call to Action launched by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Malta is also actively working to reach its targets for official development assistance set by the European Union.

The United Nations is passing through exciting but challenging times. Under the able leadership of the Secretary-General, the search for a reinvigorated Organization that will provide the whole membership with a sound basis to look to the future with vigour and determination has been endorsed and accepted by Member States.

During the sixty-second session, Member States continued to consider a series of critical issues in the process of reforming our Organization, including advancing a system-wide coherence, reviewing all mandates originating from resolutions of the General Assembly, management practices, the revitalization of the General Assembly, and giving the Security Council a more equitable representation.

We all recognize that the transformation of the United Nations into a stronger Organization requires from all of us determination and conviction that only a concerted effort by all Member States can achieve. The reform of the United Nations is an evolving exercise which requires on our part not only understanding, but also solidarity and partnership which we as Member States must engage to overcome the new and emerging challenges facing humankind.

In a few weeks, Member States will be celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Sixty years have passed since that historic day in 1948, six decades which have witnessed great political, economic and social upheavals in the lives of our peoples. Throughout these years, this family of nations has also increased fourfold, an increase bringing with it a diverse community, large and small countries, rich and poor, but with the sole aim of upholding the fundamental premise of the Universal Declaration that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights".

This anniversary on 10 December 2008 will provide us with the opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the pledges and commitments we made when we became Members of this Organization. It is a recommitment which as Prime Minister of Malta, and on behalf of the Maltese people, I solemnly make today.

The President

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

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands.

The President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Derrick Sikua, Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Sikua (Solomon Islands)

At the outset, Sir, allow me to offer the warm and sincere congratulations of Solomon Islands on your election as President of the Assembly at its sixty-third session. I am confident that with your vast experience and able leadership you will guide this session to a fruitful outcome. You can rest assured of Solomon Islands unwavering support and cooperation during your tenure of office.

Through you, I acknowledge the good work of your predecessor, Mr. Srgjan Kerim, who has shown great leadership on issues of global concern, in particular on climate change, financing for development, United Nations reform and the Millennium Development Goals.

My delegation is pleased to see you, Mr. President, take such issues head on, presiding over the high-level event on the Millennium Development Goals as we arrive at the midpoint of our time-bound commitments. Unfortunately, many countries, including my own, are off track in terms of achieving the Goals.

My delegation also wishes to join others in conveying its gratitude and appreciation to our Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, who has worked tirelessly and diligently to protect and preserve the principles and purposes of the Charter during his first year in office. We wish him well as he carries on the good work he has begun -- in particular, his regular briefings of the membership, making his office accountable and transparent in carrying out its activities.

This year our multilateral institution is being revisited by history and challenged by the changing international system. Unilateralism and changing postures by big Powers are creating a new global order. The creation of new fronts in Asia, the Pacific and Eastern Europe is coupled with the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and parts of Africa. Above all, the arms race is no longer a threat, but a reality.

The structural imbalances of the international financial architecture have exposed the inability of the major developed markets to respond to the volatility of the international financial system, resulting in State interventions. The world economy is looking more precarious and unequal. For small open economies the results are catastrophic. Hence, we must be cautious in using the free market approach and recognize its limitations.

The increasing cost of food and energy is causing macroeconomic instability throughout the world today. This speaks of the complexity and weakness of the international system. It reflects the uneven distribution of wealth that continues to fail the developing countries, generating instability across the world. This can only be corrected by having an open rule-based, non-discriminatory and equitable trading system.

Furthermore, market speculation and agricultural subsidies continue to pose major risks to the global economy. The failure of the recent Doha Round is of concern to my delegation, as it further marginalizes the small economies from globalization. The issue of the food crisis now deserves our immediate and most serious consideration at this session.

My delegation deeply regrets that the recently discussed United Nations food crisis Comprehensive Action Plan is not matched by the required resources. Countries will therefore need to look at their own resources for solutions. To this end, Solomon Islands is working on short-, medium- and long-term solutions. The population is encouraged to eat locally produced food and to undertake community-based rice growing programmes. Solomon Islands hopes to further strengthen its relations with rice-growing countries. My Government commends the Republic of China on Taiwan for supporting Solomon Islands rice-growing programmes.

Dependency on imported fossil fuel and food is reversing Millennium Development Goals gains, painstakingly achieved over the last decades. Solomon Islands is no exception. Thus, cleaner energy to power the world economy is the way forward. In this connection, we look to both the North and the South for solutions. I wish to thank the Republic of China on Taiwan, Turkey, Italy and Austria for coming forward with community-based renewable energy programmes. Such cooperation preserves the indispensable character of our noble institution and translates into action the Solomon Islands rural electrification policy of bringing affordable electricity to 80 per cent of its population in the rural areas.

We are also exploring bulk purchasing arrangements with Venezuela, using the models of the Petro Carribe arrangement. We hope, having spent a third of our national budget on fuel alone, that this will provide Solomon Islands with some breathing space.

Climate change and natural disasters continue to create anxiety and cast a dark cloud over the future and survival of humanity, in particular of the 50 million people of small island developing States. The magnitude of climate change has outgrown the existing capacity of the United Nations system. Our multilateral institution is heavy on providing technical support and analytical data and less weighty with regard to on-the-ground activities. Regional and subregional intergovernmental organizations are also going in the same direction, leaving countries to fend for themselves. Solomon Islands hopes that the Small Island Developing States Unit within the United Nations will be strengthened to effectively coordinate implementation of meeting the special needs of small island developing States.

Today there is already within Solomon Islands a steady migratory pattern of movements of indigenous populations from their ancestral low islands to larger islands as sea levels rise. This has placed much stress on the diverse fragile land tenure system, causing friction between ethnic groups. Climate change is for Solomon Islands a sustainable development, security and poverty issue -- all are interlinked. It is about preserving our forests, about our reforestation programme and about providing environment-friendly opportunities for the resources owners in our rural areas.

On this note, Solomon Islands is embarking on an ambitious programme of scaling down logging, which is the country's major export income-earner. My Government has earmarked funds for community-based reafforestation and reforestation programmes. It is hoped that over time the agriculture, tourism and fisheries industries will fill the forestry vacuum within the country's economy, and that sustainable harvest of forests will become the norm.

The increased frequency and magnitude of natural disasters remind us that no country will be spared. Solomon Islands is still recovering from last year's tsunami. We feel the pain and suffering of the Governments and peoples of Myanmar and the People's Republic of China, hit by Cyclone Nargis and earthquake respectively.

More recently the three hurricanes that battered our fellow islanders in the Caribbean speak of our common vulnerability to natural disasters.

My delegation hopes that a more committed outcome will emerge from the Bali Action Plan.

Solomon Islands further notes with concern the proliferation of climate change financial mechanisms outside the multilateral process. This will once again disadvantage the most vulnerable countries -- small island developing States and least developed countries. Climate change for us requires new and additional resources. Accessibility to the Adaptation Fund and funds for mitigation and technology transfer are at the heart of the solutions to climate change challenges.

In this light, Solomon Islands fully associates itself with the Alliance of Small Island States Declaration on the issue, as well as the recently adopted Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Niue Declaration on Climate Change. We further call on the United Nations membership to support the draft resolution on climate change and security.

On the issue of terrorism, Solomon Islands is concerned about the lack of progress on the draft comprehensive terrorism convention. The absence of a legal definition of terrorism is creating gaps in our global fight against terror. We continue to condemn terrorism in whatever form and manifestation. We urge the international community to weed out the evils that breed terrorism. Our fight against terrorism must be responsible and humane.

I take this opportunity to sincerely congratulate the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, commonly referred to as RAMSI. The Government and people of Solomon Islands value its partnership with the Regional Mission, and I thank all participating Pacific Islands Forum Countries for their ongoing contribution and commitment. RAMSI continues to enjoy popular support, as it provides a unique opportunity and an enabling environment to rebuild Solomon Islands. Since assuming office nine months ago, my Government, the Coalition for National Unity and Rural Advancement, has defined its relationship with RAMSI and the Pacific Islands Forum through consultation and dialogue. This is done through regional and national processes.

Solomon Islands and RAMSI will soon commence negotiations on a proposed Government-RAMSI partnership framework, which will form the basis of future cooperation. The guiding principles of the framework are that it should be people-centred, nationally owned and driven and aligned to Government priorities and policies. This should guarantee its sustainability and long-term success.

Meanwhile, our Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee has been mandated by our National Parliament to review RAMSI. The Committee is expected to report its findings to Parliament next year.

Solomon Islands is establishing a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, modelled on South Africa's experience, to address people's traumatic experience during the three years of ethnic conflict. It is our hope that the process will rebuild confidence, trust and unity among the diverse cultural communities in Solomon Islands.

More than 80 per cent of the country's resources and land are traditionally owned. Last month the Solomon Islands National Parliament passed a Secured Transactions Bill, which will make traditional assets bankable to allow more investment in the informal sector. Solomon Islands is also considering putting in place a Political Parties Integrity Bill to instil national stability and nurture its growing democracy.

On the issue of achieving the Millennium Development Goals, as a small island developing State with least developed country status, we find that much of our achievement rests on partnership with all stakeholders at all levels. Solomon Islands is one of the highest foreign aid recipient countries. This unfortunately has overstretched and crowded our national policy space in strengthening and maintaining good relations with all donors. Meanwhile, the Government welcomes new approaches by non-traditional donors of providing direct assistance using existing national institutional frameworks. This strengthens governance and democracy, as provided for under the Paris Declaration, allowing the State to increase its legitimacy and reach out to its population more meaningfully.

My delegation remains concerned that much of the debate on the Millennium Development Goals is centred on social commitments, from health to gender and from HIV/AIDS to education. Economic issues are given no attention, placing countries with huge youth and unemployed populations in an awkward and fragile situation. We consider such a gap as a time bomb that will explode and trigger more instability in the future if it remains unaddressed.

Educating our youth is the way forward. We are therefore grateful to those countries that continue to train our young people. This year a new partner, Cuba, is offering medical training opportunities for more than 60 students. Solomon Islands will make every effort to utilize these training opportunities.

Within my subregion of the Pacific, the Melanesian Spearhead Group, after some 20 years of informal existence, has established a secretariat, located in Vanuatu. This should further strengthen relations among the subregion's countries and its wider neighbours, as we continue to address our collective development aspirations.

We have only eight months left to register our continental shelf, as required by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. We are working diligently on the matter, having just accessed the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea Trust Fund four months ago. Solomon Islands welcomes the recent decision by the eighteenth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention recognizing the technical and resources constraints on many developing countries in meeting the required time frame of May 2009. We are determined to keep working on this very important issue, which will redefine our territorial waters.

I turn to sustainable development issues. Hailing from the world's largest ocean, countries of the Pacific have relied on the ocean for their livelihood and economic sustenance. This has prompted certain countries of the Pacific, including Solomon Islands, to initiate sustainable management arrangements to protect our juvenile tuna stocks by closing pockets of high seas adjacent to our respective exclusive economic zones.

The review of the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus scheduled for late this year should promote global growth and better international development support, especially for the least developed countries which remain on the periphery of the international system. Solomon Islands hopes the review will also reinvigorate the operations and governance of the Bretton Woods institutions, to make them more responsive to the changing character of the international financial system and become an effective part of the multilateral system.

As one of the least developed countries, Solomon Islands looks forward to the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, scheduled for 2010, which will provide an opportunity to address the special challenges of the least developed countries. My delegation joins other least developed countries in looking to you, Mr. President, for leadership to work on the modalities of the conference during this session.

On the issue of democratization of the United Nations, Solomon Islands believes that our Organization must play a prominent role in influencing and shaping the dynamics of the international system. This can be achieved only by increasing the legitimacy of our premier Organization through wider participation of its membership. This means that strengthening the General Assembly is crucial. Ensuring that the Secretariat is representative of the membership is a must.

We also call for a genuine attempt by the Secretariat to undertake a universal recruitment drive, in particular among those that remain underrepresented in the Organization. This could be achieved through annual country competitive recruitment exams. Solomon Islands welcomes the recent recruitment exams held in Honiara, and would like to see them held annually.

On the issue of system-wide coherence, Solomon Islands notes the establishment five months ago of the joint office arrangement between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Having one of the largest UNDP country programmes in the subregion of the Pacific, we note with concern that more than 70 per cent to 80 per cent of the programmes are spent on consultancy, making country-United Nations relations distant.

In this regard, my delegation welcomes the appointment of an in-country UNDP Deputy Resident Representative. However, we renew our call for a fully fledged in-country Resident Representative.

Security Council reform continues to elude the Organization. It is like a process that has never started and takes the longest to finish. We have over the years identified elements for negotiations, yet remain reluctant to move into intergovernmental negotiations. I am confident that you will give us leadership, Mr. President, and plough deep in facilitating an intergovernmental process on Security Council reform by February 2009. In this connection, Solomon Islands reiterates its support for Japan, Brazil and India as permanent members in an enlarged Security Council.

On the issue of Taiwan, Solomon Islands congratulates the Government and people of Taiwan on the successful free and fair election of President Ma Ying-jeou in March this year. My delegation acknowledges the goodwill shown by Taiwan in developing an atmosphere of trust, flexibility, pragmatism and a positive spirit to reduce tension across the Taiwan Strait with greater economic engagement through trade, tourism and cultural exchange.

We also note the intention to replace armed confrontation with negotiation, and isolation with engagement. Resumption of direct flights between the two countries, increased dialogue, and people-to-people interaction are all positive developments that should be encouraged. Above all, much has happened since the March election.

Solomon Islands calls on the international community to recognize the Republic of China on Taiwan's good faith and build on the positive momentum. The international community must provide the Republic of China on Taiwan with the necessary and appropriate international space if we are to be responsible and contribute to the maintenance of international peace, stability and security along the Taiwan Strait.

Solomon Islands welcomes the 47-day Annapolis talks held from December 2007 into January this year. My delegation shares the Quartet's support for ongoing Palestine and Israel negotiations to realize the shared goal of establishing a Palestine State by December 2008 as a just, permanent and long-lasting solution to the Middle East conflict.

Solomon Islands further salutes Turkey for mediating talks between Israel and Syria in April, and salutes the courage of the two countries in discussing issues that are difficult and sensitive.

In conclusion, as we reflect on the range of the global agenda before us, we must honour and act on our collective commitments. We must also define a path that offers our people human security guaranteeing freedom from want, freedom from fear and freedom to live in human dignity.

The President

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

The President

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

The President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Singh (India)

May I first congratulate you, Sir, on your election as President of the Assembly at its sixty-third session. I am sure that your wisdom and vast experience will guide us as we deliberate the many challenges that the world faces today.

The United Nations is the embodiment of our faith in the benefits of collective action and of multilateral approaches in resolving global issues. At the 2005 World Summit we pledged ourselves to an agenda for early and meaningful reform of the United Nations. However, we must acknowledge frankly that there has been little progress on the core elements of the reform agenda.

We need to make more determined efforts to revitalize the General Assembly to enable it to fulfil its rightful role as the principal deliberative organ of the United Nations system. The composition of the Security Council needs to change to reflect contemporary realities of the twenty-first century. Only a truly representative and revitalized United Nations can become the effective focal point for the cooperative efforts of the world community. We need to expeditiously hold negotiations towards this end.

Globalization has contributed to ever-widening circles of prosperity, and we in India have also benefited from it. But its benefits have not been equitably distributed. Ensuring inclusive growth within nations, and inclusive globalization across nations, is a central challenge facing us all.

The development gains that many countries have made are today threatened by a possible food crisis, a global energy crisis and, most recently, unprecedented upheavals in international financial markets.

The net impact of these problems is that both the industrialized economies and the developing economies face inflation and a slowdown in growth after several years of robust expansion. Industrialized countries can afford periods of slow growth. Developing countries cannot. There is therefore an urgent need for coordinated action by the global community on several fronts.

The explosion of financial innovation unaccompanied by credible systemic regulation has made the financial system vulnerable. The resulting crisis of confidence threatens global prosperity in the increasingly interdependent world in which we all live. There is, therefore, a need for a new international initiative to bring structural reform in the world's financial system, with more effective regulation and stronger systems of multilateral consultations and surveillance. This must be designed in as inclusive a manner as possible.

The world food crisis is the cumulative consequence of the neglect of agriculture in the developing world, exacerbated by distortionary agricultural subsidies in the developed world. Diversion of cultivable land for producing biofuels is compounding the problem.

The world needs a second green revolution to address the problem of food security. We need new technologies, new institutional responses and above all a global compact to ensure food and livelihood security. This will require transfer of technology and innovation from developed to developing countries. India is very keen to expand cooperation with Africa in Africa's quest for food and livelihood security for its people.

Trade liberalization in agriculture can help, provided it adequately takes into account the livelihood concerns of poor and vulnerable farmers in the developing and least developed countries.

It is feared that many of the conflicts of the twenty-first century will be over water. We must therefore reflect on how to use this scarce resource most efficiently. We need to invest in new technologies and new production regimes for rain-fed and dryland agriculture and explore cost-effective desalination technologies.

Poverty, ignorance and disease still afflict millions and millions of people. The commitment to achieve the ambitious targets set as part of the Millennium Development Goals was an acknowledgement by the international community that global prosperity and welfare are indivisible and that affluence cannot coexist with pervasive poverty.

Unfortunately, solemn commitments made for the transfer of financial resources from the developed to the developing world have remained largely unfulfilled. The commitment of developed countries to move to the target set long ago of 0.7 per cent of gross national income as official development assistance needs to be honoured as a matter of priority. In this context, special efforts have to be made to address the concerns of Africa for adequate resource flows to support its development.

Poverty alleviation and livelihood security are closely linked to energy security. We need a much greater measure of predictability and stability in the oil and gas markets. We need to think of ways and means, such as early warning mechanisms, to help countries cope with oil shocks.

We must put in place a global cooperative network of institutions of developed and developing countries engaged in research and development in energy efficiency, clean energy technologies, and renewable sources of energy.

India is registering rapid economic growth, and has combined it with declining energy intensity of its economy. However, our total demand will keep increasing, and we are actively looking for all possible sources of clean energy.

The opening of international civil nuclear cooperation with India will have a positive impact on global energy security and on the efforts to combat climate change. This is a vindication of India's impeccable record on non-proliferation and testifies to our long-standing commitment to nuclear disarmament that is global, universal and non-discriminatory in nature. The blueprint for this was spelled out by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in this very Assembly 20 years ago.

I reiterate India's proposal for a nuclear weapons convention prohibiting the development, production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons and providing for their complete elimination within a specified time frame.

Climate change can be overcome successfully only through a collaborative and cooperative global effort.

We support the multilateral negotiations now taking place under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The outcome must be fair and equitable and recognize the principle that each citizen of the world has equal entitlement to the global atmospheric space.

I believe that the pursuit of ecologically sustainable development need not be in contradiction to achieving our growth objectives. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "The earth has enough resources to meet people's needs, but will never have enough to satisfy people's greed."

India has unveiled an ambitious national action plan on climate change. Even as we pursue economic growth, we are committed to our per capita emissions of greenhouse gases not exceeding those of the developed countries.

The growing assertion of separate identities and ethnic, cultural and religious intolerance threaten our developmental efforts and our peace and stability. It is vital that we strengthen international cooperation to combat terrorism and to bring the perpetrators, organizers, financers and sponsors of terrorism to justice. We should conclude expeditiously the draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism.

In this context, the situation in Afghanistan is a matter of deep concern. The international community must pool all its resources to ensure the success of Afghanistan's reconstruction efforts and its emergence as a moderate, pluralistic and democratic society.

We welcome the return of democracy in Pakistan. We are committed to resolving all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, through peaceful dialogue.

We also welcome the coming to power of democratically elected Governments in Nepal and Bhutan. We seek to expand areas of cooperation with all these countries to deal with the challenges of sustainable development and poverty eradication.

The United Nations is a living symbol of pluralism. It has weathered many storms. It is the vehicle through which our combined will and efforts to address global challenges must be articulated and implemented. Unless we rise to the task, we will bequeath to succeeding generations a world of diminishing prospects.

The President

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

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Ivo Sanader, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Sanader (Croatia)

I would like first to congratulate Mr. Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-third session, as well as to thank Mr. Srgjan Kerim for the excellent work he did during his presidency of the General Assembly in the preceding year.

As we gather here once again to address the most significant issues on the global agenda, the General Assembly opening session reminds us of our shared vision of the United Nations as the embodiment of a family of nations.

It reminds us of the constant need for an effective multilateral effort to address global challenges, and to maintain and build peace in a range of conflict zones and post-conflict societies, searching for solutions within the rule-based international order, through the promotion of freedom, democracy, development and respect for human rights.

It also gives us the opportunity to take stock of our achievements, as well as to redouble our commitment to world peace and progress.

This is a commitment that Croatia and its people accepted even before our independence: a commitment to strengthen international cooperation through effective multilateral organizations for advancing peace and security, facilitating development and combating poverty, protecting our environment, eradicating diseases and promoting public health.

As a renewal of that commitment, we celebrate this year the 120th anniversary of the birth of the famous Croat, Dr. Andrija Stampar, a founding father of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the first President of the WHO Assembly. In his inaugural speech in 1948, Dr. Stampar clearly stated that the Organization should become a pioneer of world peace and promote understanding among nations.

Dr. Stampar's words are also true for the broader family of United Nations institutions. His words are a testimony to the lasting commitment of Croatia and its people to the promotion of peace through international cooperation.

Since our independence, Croatia's leaders have come every year before this Assembly to renew this solemn commitment. Even in the most difficult of times, when our own existence was in peril and collective security guarantees vanished, we still came to New York to express Croatia's adherence to the values enshrined in the Charter.

Croatia has come a long way since those testing days of struggle. Yet our determination in pursuing the Charter principles has remained intact.

We have developed a stable democracy and a growing economy, but we have not forgotten those brave men and women who struggled for and achieved our independence, as well as those men and women of goodwill who, under the flag of the United Nations, assisted us in our time of need.

With that conviction and determination, with that sincere sense of gratitude and a genuine vocation for cooperation, I come today before the Assembly to share with it Croatia's views on the most pressing and relevant issues for our international community.

On this occasion, though, Croatia is for the first time in a position to address these issues from a different angle -- that of an elected member of the Security Council. Membership of the Security Council is not only a great honour for Croatia, but also a great responsibility we have been preparing for in recent years.

Mr. Sanader (Croatia)

Over the past decade, Croatia has completed a transformative journey that may without exaggeration be described as impressive. Since the war-torn early 1990s it has emerged as an anchor of stability, security and cooperation in South-East Europe.

Croatia is today at the doorstep of the European Union. We are determined to conclude the accession negotiations in 2009, thus completing a demanding process of profound political, economic and social reforms.

Our European vocation has guided us in the testing period of our transition, and it will continue to guide us once Croatia becomes a full member of the European Union.

Mr. Sanader (Croatia)

We attach equal importance to our membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and we look forward to the celebration of our accession to the alliance at the next summit in spring 2009, which will also mark NATO's sixtieth anniversary.

Through reforms, we have successfully turned our country from a consumer to a net contributor to international peace and security. Today, Croatian forces are engaged in 13 United Nations peacekeeping operations in four different continents. Our men and women in uniform also serve in the NATO-led operation in Afghanistan and the European Union operation in Chad, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions.

In all these conflict areas, our service men and women have proved their dedication and professionalism. However, probably their most valuable contribution is their ability to share with the local population Croatia's own experience in overcoming the consequences of war and taking the road of reconciliation, cooperation and development.

As a member of the Security Council, Croatia will continue to work as a responsible and dedicated partner in the common effort to maintain and build peace through the promotion of human rights and democracy, the fight for the eradication of poverty and injustice, and the advancement of effective multilateralism.

In this Croatia will be guided by a sense of responsibility, solidarity and good faith. We hold that effective multilateral action, including with regional organizations, is our best guarantee in safeguarding these values.

While we see progress in advancing these values in some troubled areas of our world, such as Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East, we have also witnessed other conflicts arising, such as in Georgia.

In this respect, we welcome the six-point agreement brokered by the European Union presidency and President Sarkozy in August, as well as the implementing agreement from September.

We are also aware that the failure to address these issues in a multilateral context of cooperation could lead us into old paradigms of confrontation. At the same time, the lack of audacity to confront them could endanger the democratic gains obtained with the end of the cold war. These gains should be preserved, as they themselves derive from the fundamental principles emanating from the Charter.

We should not forget that the United Nations stands for the common fundamental values of freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance and respect for human rights. In this regard, the suffering of the people of the Sudan, particularly in Darfur, and the suffering of the people in Somalia and Myanmar are also stark reminders of the gap between the goals this Organization has set and the realities on the ground.

My country welcomes joint international efforts to address the question of flagrant violations of international humanitarian law and human rights through established international mechanisms and institutions like the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC provides a vital recourse to justice in situations where national Governments cannot or will not address these issues themselves.

Human rights and the rule of law are essential building blocks for a more peaceful, just and prosperous world. This year we are marking the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As a member of the Security Council, my country is dedicated to advancing these rights to those most vulnerable in conflict: civilians, notably women and children.

We are pleased that this year the Council adopted a strong and action-oriented resolution addressing the disturbing practice of sexual violence as a method of warfare.

We also continue to work on advancing the cause of preventing children becoming part of armed conflicts, believing that the realities on the ground require stronger Council involvement. For this and many other reasons, Croatia has decided to present its candidature for membership in the Human Rights Council for the period 2010-2013.

We live in a world that has significantly redefined the traditional notion of threats to international peace and security. In an increasingly interconnected world, global threats are taking many forms.

Terrorism, poverty, disease, climate change, environmental degradation and rising food prices command that we work together, as only a common vision and collective action, implemented in the spirit of solidarity and responsibility, can counter these challenges.

Terrorism attempts to undermine the core values of the modern world and poses a serious challenge to our security, the basic principles of democratic societies and the rights and freedoms of our citizens. Terrorist acts are criminal in nature and cannot be justified under any circumstances. Croatia appreciates and fully supports all efforts in the global struggle against terrorism, within the United Nations system and beyond.

Since the beginning of this year, my country has been chairing the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee, which was established in the immediate aftermath of the devastating terrorist attacks against the United States and the whole democratic world on 11 September 2001. We have assumed this responsibility with the utmost seriousness and are working towards moving the Committee forward by focusing on concrete results and achieving realistic objectives.

I would also like to reiterate the importance Croatia attaches to the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy as one of the primary international documents in the global fight against terrorism. Croatia is also active on the regional level, presiding over the Committee of Experts on Terrorism (CODEXTER) within the Council of Europe.

In overcoming global threats and challenges, initiatives such as the Alliance of Civilizations can also act as a stimulus, augmenting mutual respect, understanding and cooperation among States and peoples across cultures and religions. As the Alliance's main goal is to counter intolerance, religious fundamentalism and extremism, Croatia is pleased to be a part of this ever-growing group.

Our dialogue and cooperation should also be directed with more emphasis at combating poverty and establishing a global partnership for development. In this regard, my country welcomes the Secretary-General's leadership in calling for action to make progress for the poorest of the poor, the so-called bottom billion.

We also believe that it is essential for Governments to support the delivery of commitments made, with the aim of getting the Millennium Development Goals back on track. Specific arrangements between donor and recipient countries on the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals should be put into action through a human-centred approach to the key themes of the Goals, or more precisely health and education, the environment and the eradication of poverty.

In this sense, we recognize the importance of mobilizing financial resources for development, as well as their effective use in developing countries. The Monterrey Consensus remains the foundation of the global partnership for development, and Croatia believes in a positive outcome of the review conference to take place in Doha later this year. In this context, Croatia will honour the obligations and figures established pursuant to its status as a candidate for membership in the European Union.

Through its transition process Croatia has emerged from being a recipient country to being a country whose own experience and resources have enabled it to become an international donor. As a contributor to various United Nations funds and programmes, Croatia has confirmed its capability to support the activities of the United Nations in numerous fields, and will continue to do so through sharing our experiences and assisting those in need.

However, while Croatia increases its contribution to global progress and takes a more assertive role in the international arena, it also remains active in, and committed to, fostering stability in South-East Europe. Our membership in the Security Council and our advanced phase of integration in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union has not led us to turn our back on our neighbours. On the contrary, it has enabled us to redouble our efforts in preserving stability and maximizing the benefits of peace.

Through initiatives such as the establishment of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), headquartered in Sarajevo and with a top Croatian diplomat, Mr. Hido Biscevic, as its first Secretary General, we have actively contributed to regional stability.

However, there is still unfinished business in our neighbouring region. Let me mention one example: Bosnia and Herzegovina. The foundations for stability in that country reside in respect for equal rights for all three constituent and sovereign people: Croats, Bosniaks and Serbs.

The Republic of Croatia stands ready, along with the international community, to support and assist Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as all the other countries in the region, through an active policy of cooperation.

Such cooperation paves the way for long-standing security and prosperity in South-East Europe. And in that way Croatia will continue to back the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of all its neighbours. In that way my country will renew its determination to foster peace, democracy and tolerance, thus honouring our commitment to the Charter.

Last April, in this very Hall, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that:

"The founding principles of the Organization -- the desire for peace, the quest for justice, respect for the dignity of the person, humanitarian cooperation and assistance -- express the just aspirations of the human spirit and constitute the ideals which should underpin international relations." (A/62/PV.95, p. 3)

We should always remember these ideals as we continue to work together on exploiting the full potential of the United Nations in creating a more peaceful, prosperous and democratic world.

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Labour of Tuvalu.

The Acting President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Apisai Ielemia, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Labour of Tuvalu, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Ielemia (Tuvalu)

Standing before the Assembly for the first time, I am greatly honoured by this opportunity to speak on behalf of the people and Government of Tuvalu.

Next week, on 1 October, Tuvalu will commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of its independence. While we take pride in moving forward in nationhood, as a small and young nation, we have full confidence in the noble goals of the United Nations to guide us through the waters of our destiny. Our presence here in the United Nations is our statement of hope and trust in the goodwill of humanity.

Let me on this occasion express Tuvalu's deep appreciation to all members of the international community for their invaluable support to my nation, and convey its warmest greetings and felicitations to the Assembly at its sixty-third session.

I wish also to associate us with previous speakers in extending our congratulations to the President on his election and in expressing our appreciation to his predecessor, particularly for promoting the issue of climate change, among other matters, within the Assembly's agenda.

Climate change is without doubt the most serious threat to the global security and survival of mankind. It is an issue of enormous concern to a highly vulnerable small island State like Tuvalu. Here in this great house we now know both the science and economics of climate change. We also know the cause of climate change, and that human actions by all countries are urgently needed to address it.

The central message to us, world leaders, of both the International Panel on Climate Change reports and the Sir Nicholas Stern report on climate change is crystal clear: unless urgent actions are taken to curb greenhouse gas emissions by shifting to a new global energy mix based on renewable energy sources, and unless there is timely adaptation, the adverse impacts of climate change on all communities will be catastrophic.

This great family, the United Nations, must not fail to take heed of these timely warnings, and to save us all, particularly the small and most vulnerable, from this man-made catastrophe.

The next 12 to 18 months are crucial in the context of negotiating a new international agreement on climate change, based on the Bali Action Plan. We must work together to ensure that all countries make a substantial effort to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

We need to find the right incentives to ensure that all countries contribute to dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This requires a substantial collective effort. It also requires strong political leadership. Tuvalu observes with great disappointment the clear absence of this leadership particularly emerging from the recently concluded Group of Eight (G-8) Summit. We need stringent, short-term targets by all major developed countries.

Based on the principle of the polluter pays and common but differentiated responsibilities, the industrialized world must show strong leadership in advancing real actions on climate change. But all countries must also act. In the little way we can, we in the small island developing States are also committed to contributing to emission reduction through use of renewable energy.

While we call for urgent action to reduce emissions, we know that the impacts of climate change are upon us. For a highly vulnerable small coral atoll nation like Tuvalu, the consequences of the impacts of climate change are frightening. The survival and security of our entire nation, along with fundamental human rights and its cultural identity, are under threat; Tuvalu is right on the edge of existence. Climate change could well push us over that edge.

Last year Tuvalu produced an international blueprint on adaptation which we presented as a submission to the Conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This blueprint highlights a number of areas where we envisage greater collaboration within the United Nations system. Let me highlight a few.

First, it is very clear that financial resources for adaptation are completely inadequate. Last year Oxfam International suggested that the adaptation needs of developing countries will cost a minimum of $50 billion per year. We must work together to find these additional funds. One means of increasing the funding for adaptation is through the creation of what we call a burden-sharing mechanism. Funding for this mechanism could come from levies on the share of the proceeds from emissions trading and international aviation and maritime transport.

We also believe that new and additional sources of funding must be identified and channelled through the recently established Adaptation Fund to help fund concrete adaptation projects in-country to adapt to the impacts of climate change, while ensuring long-term survival and livelihoods of our God-given lands. While we welcome, therefore, the recent launch of several new funding initiatives on climate change, we must caution against the fragmentation of international efforts, and warn of the need, not to do more studies, but to fulfil obligations to urgently save those suffering from climate change.

Secondly, we need collaborative action by United Nations institutions and non-governmental organizations to develop a comprehensive approach to long-term adaptation action. As a first step, we believe, a special coordination committee should be established under the auspices of the General Assembly.

Thirdly, the blueprint proposes the establishment of an international climate insurance pool. This would be an internationally sourced pool of funds for an insurance mechanism to provide support to the most vulnerable communities to meet the costs of rebuilding after climate-related disasters.

Those are only three ideas we have elaborated in our blueprint. There are a number of others. We encourage the President to look closely at the blueprint and develop the ideas further.

We strongly believe that it is the political and moral responsibility of the world, particularly those who caused the problem, to save small islands and countries like Tuvalu from climate change and ensure that we continue to live in our home islands with long-term security, cultural identity and fundamental human dignity. Forcing us to leave our islands due to the inaction of those responsible is immoral, and cannot be used as a quick-fix solution to the problem.

In the context of all this, therefore, Tuvalu also strongly supports the draft resolution on security and climate change submitted by the Pacific small island developing States, to be reintroduced at this sixty-third session. We urge others to co-sponsor this very important draft resolution and properly address the issues raised in it.

Tuvalu recently attended the High-Level Conference on World Food Security. We share the grave concerns regarding the current global issue of high food prices, food shortages and their associated social problems for humanity, which are made worse by high fuel prices. We highly commend the initiative taken by the Secretary-General in establishing the High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis, and the formulation of a Comprehensive Framework for Action. We sincerely hope that this Framework will produce concrete results in countries experiencing the food crisis.

One of the most sensitive issues for small and vulnerable island developing States like Tuvalu has been the lack of recognition of our unique vulnerability in the consideration of the question of graduation from the least developed country (LDC) status. Our economic and environmental vulnerabilities cannot be ignored. The enormous threat of more severe weather events and a rising sea level hangs overhead like a large storm cloud. It hinders investment in our country and potentially puts into question our very survival. We therefore make a strong and heartfelt appeal to the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and our development partners to carefully reconsider the criteria for LDC graduation.

Two issues are of particular concern. First, it is remarkable that nearly all recent graduates and potential graduates are small islands -- including my own country, Tuvalu. The small island States that are also LDCs eligible for graduation all have improved their per capita income and their human assets. Also, they have in common the fact that they are highly vulnerable in economic and environmental terms. But this vital criterion of vulnerability does not seem to be taken seriously enough. In short, our countries are or could be losing LDC status because of progress they have made on per capita income, despite the fact that the sustainability of that income is challenged by our vulnerability.

My second point has to do with the serious lack of coherence within the United Nations system. For several years the high level of vulnerability of small island developing States has been recognized and reiterated in many different United Nations circles -- in Rio, Barbados, Mauritius and Johannesburg, as well as in several other major United Nations events, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Summit Declaration. Yet this special vulnerability has never been given serious recognition in the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, let alone recognized as the main criterion for LDC graduation.

I therefore call on the United Nations to work seriously towards reform of the graduation rule so that no LDC that is recognized as highly vulnerable is forced to lose its LDC status.

Tuvalu wishes to commend the ongoing reforms within the United Nations but would also note with grave concern that progress is slow. We clearly need to restructure and expand the Security Council in order to properly reflect regional balance. We must take a fresh look at the membership so that the Council can properly address emerging global peace and security challenges, including climate change. We also believe that a seat should be allocated for a representative from a small island developing State in the reformed Security Council.

In the broader context of United Nations reforms, I support the Secretary-General's remarks that

"Our changing world needs a stronger United Nations. ...

"we need to be faster. ... We need to pay less attention to rhetoric, and more attention to results -- to getting things done." (A/62/PV.4, pp. 1-2)

I could not agree more. To this end, I appeal again to the United Nations for the earliest establishment of its Joint Presence office in Tuvalu in order to facilitate better coordination of United Nations interventions.

Tuvalu believes strongly that nations have the right to self-determination. The United Nations must uphold this principle. Therefore, we believe it is time that the United Nations properly addressed the issue of Taiwan's meaningful participation in the United Nations specialized agencies. My Government strongly supports Taiwan's aspirations to meaningfully participate in the United Nations and its specialized agencies, recognizing Taiwan's own political and economic achievements and its constructive contribution to international development, trade, health, education and technology. We appeal strongly that Taiwan's aspirations to participate as a full member of specialized agencies of the United Nations be given proper and urgent attention.

Finally, our story on the achievement of the MDGs is mixed. For small island developing States like Tuvalu, addressing our sustainable development challenges is not simply poverty reduction. It is the MDGs-plus. More than ever, we need a significant increase in direct financing, technology and capacity development, as recognized under the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation, to cope with our unique island challenges.

Mr. Ielemia (Tuvalu)

My Government firmly believes that the next 12 months will be an extremely critical time in the history of the United Nations. We must act promptly and decisively to address climate change, to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and to respond to the global crises on food and energy. These issues are closely linked. We must rise to these challenges.

God bless the United Nations. Tuvalu mo te Atua.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Labour of Tuvalu 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 Morocco.

The Acting President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Abbas El Fassi, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Morocco, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. El Fassi (Morocco)

Allow me to begin by warmly congratulating His Excellency Mr. Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann upon his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-third session. His election honours his long-lasting personal commitment to the preservation of peace and security and, particularly, his constant efforts to encourage reconciliation in Central America. I also wish to thank Mr. Srgjan Kerim for his excellent service as President of the General Assembly at its previous session.

I would also like to thank the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, for his generous and ongoing efforts to help reform our Organization, in particular those aiming to improve its working methods and its interaction with its Member States.

Twenty years ago, the fall of the Berlin Wall marked the end of a cold war era that had been characterized by ideological divisions, arms races and a weak multilateral system with inefficient mechanisms. With the end of that era came great hope and aspirations from the world's peoples, leading some to believe in the beginning of a new world order -- a world order that would not only be more fair and equitable, but also distinguished by a culture of forgiveness among its nations. That new order was also meant to spread the values of democracy and human rights, giving priority to development and the better and more efficient utilization of technological advancements. At the same time, some people predicted that that new world order would restore prestige to the United Nations, allowing it to achieve more consensus on international issues.

Rather than fulfilling the expectations of a better world after the cold war, today's reality has seen an increase in regional and internal conflicts, especially on the African continent. This situation is exacerbated by a race for energy resources and a frenzied exploitation of precious minerals.

At the economic and trade levels, the launch of the World Trade Organization in 1994 in Marrakesh led to a substantial acceleration of world trade exchanges, but it did not create a fair trade system that would respond to the expectations of developing countries.

Indeed, in spite of the efforts deployed in numerous United Nations conferences, official development assistance (ODA) has significantly decreased over recent years. In fact, the assistance provided by donor countries does not meet the expectations of developing countries despite the former's commitment to increase their global annual assistance to developing countries to $50 billion by 2010.

Therefore, notwithstanding the progress achieved over previous years, Morocco, in addition to other countries, expresses its concern regarding the delay in the launching of development processes in many African countries. That delay is partly due to the complexity of the current international situation particularly marked by economic and financial crises, which have had an impact on food security and the energy needs of these countries. Those circumstances undermine years of ongoing efforts towards the development of African countries. In order to improve that situation, the Kingdom of Morocco urges the United Nations and relevant financial institutions to undertake all the arrangements necessary to stabilize the food market, to maintain social stability in developing countries and to open the market to agricultural products, taking into consideration the circumstances of the least developed countries.

The weak role of the United Nations in maintaining peace and security throughout the world during the cold war period was followed by a new phase, during which the multilateral system was characterized by the convening of several meetings and conferences focused on various global issues, as well as by the deployment of numerous peacekeeping operations, especially in Africa. As a troop-contributing country, Morocco has spared no efforts to increase its involvement in United Nations peacekeeping forces. The Kingdom is also actively promoting the enhancement of South-South cooperation by giving priority to African countries.

To parallel the changes taking place in the international arena, United Nations Member States launched major reforms centred on improving the Organization's actions, reinforcing its role and enhancing its mechanisms. Nevertheless, some weaknesses remain in coordination among the various United Nations bodies and between the Organization itself and regional organizations. That is particularly evident in the efforts to contain and prevent regional conflicts with potential spillover effects.

At this point, it is important to strengthen multilateralism in order to meet new challenges and to put in place a new order based on justice and equality. The pursuit of such an approach is not merely an option but is necessary, given the serious challenges facing international peace and security and sustainable economic and social development.

The Middle East peace process, initiated at the Madrid Conference in 1991, was unfortunately unsuccessful in ending the conflict, which continues to see heavy daily casualties and causes millions of Palestinians to live in inhumane and tragic conditions. In this context Morocco closely follows the latest developments regarding the situation in the Middle East and encourages all initiatives aiming to bring peace to that region, with respect to international legality and to the agreements previously reached, namely the Road Map and the Arab Peace Initiative.

This last initiative undoubtedly represents a realistic solution, reflecting the true commitment of Arab countries to reach a just, comprehensive and lasting solution that would allow the Palestinian people to establish an independent State with Al-Quds as its capital and force Israel to withdraw from all occupied Arab land, a solution that would enable the people and the countries of the Middle East to live in peace, stability and security.

The Kingdom of Morocco equally expresses the necessity to respect the particular situation of Jerusalem by avoiding degrading and humiliating practices and curtailing any attempts to undermine the specificities of the Holy City in regard to culture, religion and civilization. In this regard, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, spares no effort in encouraging world leaders to help put an end to the projects taking place around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and in other parts of Jerusalem.

As far as Iraq is concerned, we closely follow progress on the ground and encourage dialogue and national reconciliation between the different ethnic, political and cultural factions in order to end the cycle of violence, to reach peace and stability, to preserve the territorial integrity of that brotherly country and to allow it to rebuild its economy.

Morocco also launched a regional initiative in June 2006 by convening an international ministerial conference on migration, development, environment and climate change. Morocco considers the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the right occasion to appoint a United Nations special rapporteur on human rights issues. It would aim to appropriately equip the United Nations to play a leading role in ensuring that all citizens' rights are protected and that the laws and political and economic mechanisms regarding respect for human rights are harmonized in order to promote those rights.

The United Nations is based on the principles of cooperation and neighbourly relations, with regional integration and cooperation representing the best means to ensure stability, economic development and an improved collective future. Since its independence, the Kingdom of Morocco has placed the project of an Arab Maghreb Union at the top of its priorities and considered it a strategic option. Morocco is firmly committed to making the Arab Maghreb Union the herald of an era of peace and the fulfilment of the common destiny of the populations of this region.

The Kingdom of Morocco is strongly convinced about and deeply committed to overcoming all obstacles and to moving forward with regional integration into the Arab Maghreb Union. The Moroccan autonomy initiative regarding the Western Sahara, which was described by the Security Council as serious and credible, is the result of in-depth national consultations and widespread international consultations. As a result, the Security Council successfully and unanimously adopted three resolutions -- 1754 (2007), 1783 (2007) and 1813 (2008) -- that call upon parties to enter into true negotiations, taking into consideration the latest developments and particularly the Moroccan initiative, which launched a new dynamic in favour of a lasting solution to this conflict.

Morocco remains strongly committed to continuing those negotiations with sincerity and goodwill in order to find a final solution to that regional conflict, one that would respect the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco and give the benefits of autonomy to the Sahara and its population. It would be a lasting, comprehensive and realistic solution to that regional conflict.

A strong, open, integrated and stable Arab Maghreb can play a key role in maintaining regional peace and security. Along the shores of the Mediterranean, it can also contribute to enhancing African integration and play an active role as an efficient and credible partner to achieve the noble goals for which the United Nations was created.

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs and Development, Labour, Civil Service and Energy of Barbados.

The Acting President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. David Thompson, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs and Development, Labour, Civil Service and Energy of Barbados, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Thompson (Barbados)

It is with great pleasure that I associate the delegation of Barbados with previous speakers who have congratulated the President on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-third session. We are particularly proud to see a fellow member of the Latin American and Caribbean group assume that high office, and I pledge to him the full support of the Barbadian delegation as he carries out his most important mandate. We wish also to commend his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Kerim, for leading the Assembly over the past year through complex discussions on a range of global challenges.

I also extend the good wishes of the Barbadian Government to the Secretary-General. We offer him our continued support as he leads the United Nations at this critical juncture in world affairs and seeks to identify meaningful pathways to progress for Member States with differing interests and national priorities.

On 15 January 2008, the citizens of Barbados, in exercise of their democratic right, which they hold sacred, voted in general elections to bring into office the Government of the Democratic Labour Party, which I have the honour to lead. It is a tribute to the good sense of the Barbadian people and to the maturity of our democracy that in our country free and fair elections take place every five years and that the transition to a new Administration is seamless, orderly and peaceful. That exemplary process affords me the opportunity to address the Assembly for the first time today as Prime Minister of Barbados. I am humbled by the confidence the Barbadian people have shown in me and am conscious of the responsibility that now falls upon my Government to respond to the overwhelming call for change that brought us to office.

Barbados is a stable, progressive small State whose high human development rating can be attributed to the emphasis successive generations have placed on the development of social capital. Our country is not endowed with abundant natural resources, and it is therefore our human resources that are our greatest asset.

Within our well-developed social democratic system, the new Barbadian Government will place the greatest priority on policies that nurture the talents and enterprise of individuals and continue to assure our people universal access to quality education, health care, adequate housing and decent working conditions, all within an environment of respect for human rights and the rule of law.

We are well aware that we are now called upon to do that in a time of unprecedented global, economic and social volatility, which is shaking the foundations of societies far larger and more powerful than our own. In these circumstances, my Government's immediate focus must be on policies that seek to address the high cost of living, which is driven largely by high energy and food prices, to reduce the levels of domestic and international debt and to stabilize the national economy while keeping it competitive. Barbadians are a resilient and resourceful people. We have weathered international storms before, and with strong and competent leadership we will do so again.

In international affairs, Barbados cherishes the reputation it holds as a successful small State whose positions are based on principle and whose actions reflect a profound respect for democratic values. In its engagement with the rest of the world, the Government, which I have the honour to lead, pledges to uphold and carry forward the proud traditions of the father of our independence and national hero, the Right Excellent Errol Barrow.

His address to this Assembly as we joined the ranks of sovereign States remains as relevant today as it was when it was first delivered 42 years ago. His clear definition of the parameters of Barbados' foreign policy is the creed by which our Government and people continue to live. It is perhaps appropriate if I quote his words directly,

"We will support genuine efforts at world peace, because our society is stable. We will strenuously assist in the uprooting of vestigial imperialism, because our institutions are free. We will press for the rapid economic growth of all underdeveloped countries, because we are busily engaged in building up our own.

"We have no quarrels to pursue and we particularly insist that we do not regard any Member State as our natural opponent. We shall not involve ourselves in sterile ideological wranglings because we are exponents, not of the diplomacy of power, but of the diplomacy of peace and prosperity. We will not regard any great Power as necessarily right in a given dispute unless we are convinced of this, yet at the same time we will not view the great Powers with perennial suspicion merely on account of their size, their wealth, or their nuclear potential. We will be friends of all, satellites of none." (A/PV.1487, paras. 76 and 78)

The position of the new Government of Barbados will be guided by that enduring philosophy. Because we are a small island, we will champion the issues of greatest concern to small island developing States. We will argue for the need for special recognition of their inherent vulnerabilities and for sensitive responses to the critical challenges, such as climate change and susceptibility to natural disasters, which constrain their sustainable development.

Because a one-size-fits-all mentality threatens to further marginalize us in the new international trading arrangements, we will continue to show leadership within the group of small vulnerable economies in advocacy efforts to create a regime of special and differential treatment to cater to our unique circumstances.

Because we are a middle-income developing country deemed too successful to qualify for concessionary financing but too high-risk for favourable terms on the capital markets, we will join with like-minded colleagues to lobby for adequate support mechanisms to ensure that our development process is not derailed. Because we are a Caribbean country, we will partner with our fellow Caribbean States to protect our shared patrimony -- the Caribbean Sea -- from over-exploitation and environmental degradation and to secure our borders from the threats of drug and arms trafficking, money-laundering and terrorism. We are fervent advocates of the notion of the Caribbean as a zone of peace, and we view with great concern any action, from whatever quarter, that seeks to reintroduce the anachronism of cold-war rivalry into our peaceful regional community of nations.

Finally, because we are a responsible member of the international community, and because we believe in the positive role that small States can play in advancing the cause of international peace and equitable social and economic development, we rededicate ourselves to the building of an international system that operates on the principle of multilateralism and that respects the sovereign equality of States and the tenets of genuine non-alignment.

Whatever semantics are used, there is little doubt that we have entered an international economic crisis of grave proportions which threatens to derail the progress of many States and to worsen the already desperate circumstances of the most vulnerable among us. The volatility of oil prices makes managing the economic affairs of our countries a daily challenge, and the escalating cost of basic foods has had immense political and social consequences throughout the world. The signals could not be clearer. Investment in renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar, geothermal and biofuels is imperative. National efforts will certainly not be sufficient, and we will therefore need to forge global partnerships, with increased investment in research and development and meaningful incentives to reverse our excessive dependence on fossil fuels.

The issue of food security is now at the centre of our national and international policy agenda. The measures proposed by United Nations agencies and those agreed upon at the High-level Conference on World Food Security, held in Rome, must now find expression in specific programmes and projects. In addition to immediate humanitarian relief for the most severely affected countries, policies must be put in place urgently to boost production and productivity in agriculture and to correct distortions of the market that jeopardize the global supply of food. Crisis situations are often catalysts for creative national action. But the enormity of the current crisis means that for many developing countries national action will have a limited impact unless it is accompanied by a supportive framework of international cooperation and the honouring by the donor community of past commitments for increased resources for development. A successful outcome to November's Doha Review Conference on Financing for Development must include a genuine global partnership to provide the required financial resources for the achievement of internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.

The availability of additional financial resources is not, however, the only requirement. Meaningful changes must also be made that will allow for a greater voice, representation and effective participation of developing countries in international decision-making within the international financial institutions. The causes of the present global financial crisis are firmly rooted in the failure of the international community to reform an undemocratic and antiquated system of international economic governance that has not kept pace with the rapid growth of global interdependence. Barbados believes that those responsible for the crisis, and who also created, controlled and manipulated the global financial system for their own advantage, cannot now be trusted to heal it. Developing countries must demonstrate leadership in the search for a lasting solution to the global financial crisis and insist that any exercise to institute reforms must strictly adhere to the principles of openness, transparency and inclusiveness, with the United Nations taking the lead.

The Economic and Social Council must be empowered to play a more meaningful role in global economic decision-making, consistent with the mandate entrusted to it by the United Nations Charter. Even with the recent strengthening of the Council, its current responsibilities fall short of the role envisaged for it by the founders of this Organization. As a member of the Economic and Social Council, Barbados is ready to work with other member States to end the marginalization of the Council from the global economic policy-setting and decision-making processes.

The Economic and Social Council is by no means the only principal organ of the United Nations that is in urgent need of reform. The Security Council as it exists is not representative of the current realities and dynamics of international politics and must be reformed to reflect the situation today. We join those who have called for the start of intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform during the sixty-third session.

As Prime Minister of a small island developing State in a region at the epicentre of the global climate crisis, it is my hope that the current international efforts within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to respond to the scientific evidence on climate change prioritize the concerns and needs of these vulnerable developing countries, which are already being affected by the dangerous impacts of climate change. Failure to take urgent, ambitious and decisive action would be nothing short of reckless indifference.

In the wake of the destruction and devastation of the 2008 hurricane season, we in the Caribbean are acutely aware of the precarious nature of our very survival, as well as the urgency attached to action to mitigate the causes of climate change. At the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in 2009 we must deliver an agreement that is comprehensive, ambitious and inclusive, which adopts a package of mitigation-related activities that will ensure that long-term temperature increases are stabilized well below 2 Celsius degrees above pre-industrial levels, and also provides small island developing States and other vulnerable developing countries with new, additional, predictable and easily accessible sources of funding for adaptation. Time is not on our side.

During the sixty-third session the Assembly will consider a draft resolution entitled "Towards the sustainable development of the Caribbean Sea for present and future generations", which will again seek to gain international support for the initiative of States members of the Association of Caribbean States to have the Caribbean Sea recognized as a special area within the context of sustainable development. Since the adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 61/197 two years ago, the States members of the Association of Caribbean States have made significant strides in developing the institutional and legal framework for Caribbean Sea governance and have collaborated with various civil society stakeholders on measures to ensure sustainable management and conservation of our most precious natural resource. We look forward to continued assistance from the international community in helping us to achieve the objectives of that initiative.

The Government of Barbados looks forward to maintaining the excellent relations that we have enjoyed over these many years with the United Nations. We pledge to continue to uphold the principles of its Charter and will do everything to assist in maintaining an international system and community in which all nations can make their own contribution to the betterment of mankind.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs and Development, Labour, Civil Service and Energy of Barbados for the statement he has just made.

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Geir H. Haarde, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iceland, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Haarde (Iceland)

Let me first join others in congratulating Mr. d'Escoto Brockmann on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-third session. I pledge Iceland's support and cooperation in the important work that lies ahead.

Almost all United Nations Member States recently sent athletes to compete in the Beijing Summer Olympic Games, where the world witnessed outstanding sportsmanship, in terms of both performance and conduct. The Olympics have become a global venue where there is no contradiction between the demonstration of international solidarity and positive patriotism. While recognizing that the example of such a sporting event cannot be applied directly to international relations in the political field, it could still be an inspiration as we seek ways to make our Organization more effective in dealing with the immense global challenges of the twenty-first century. The Olympics reflect the human commonality and aspirations that should be our point of departure.

Extreme poverty continues to remain an obstacle to development and security in many parts of the world. Despite considerable accomplishments in the reduction of poverty, this is still the single most daunting challenge facing mankind and the source of so many other problems with global repercussions. Experience shows that a combination of local, regional and international initiatives is usually required to eradicate the manifold causes of poverty. This includes additional resources for development cooperation.

We, the international community, must fulfil the promises we made to our most vulnerable constituents eking out an existence in extreme poverty, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. They are the ones who depend most on the solidarity of the international community. The forthcoming meeting in Doha on financing for development will test the resolve of the international community and, for its part, Iceland aims to be among the top contributors of official development assistance (ODA), having already doubled its budget for development cooperation over the past four years.

The Secretary-General has aptly referred to the interconnected challenges of soaring food costs, development and climate change. Indeed, the objective of widespread sustainable development seems ever more distant. But apathy or despair is not an option because, inevitably, the cost of inaction will rise correspondingly. Action needs to be broad-based and sustained, addressing both urgent humanitarian and long-term structural issues. Much can be done to strengthen food security. Iceland, for example, has for decades shared its experience and expertise in modern fisheries with developing coastal States, including through the work of the United Nations University Fisheries Training Programme in Reykjavik. Ninety-five per cent of the people in the world dependent on harvesting living marine resources live in developing countries. We will continue to make a small but significant contribution towards improving their lives and thereby further the cause of sustainable development. Our goal of economic prosperity with environmental responsibility is the key to sustainable development and long-term prosperity.

The threat of climate change can be tackled only through the combined efforts of the international community. The urgency of the threat has been highlighted repeatedly by my colleagues from the small island developing States and many least-developed countries. They are the front-line States, exposed and vulnerable to the growing consequences of climate change. Ultimately, though, we will all be affected. It is in that spirit that Iceland welcomes and fully supports the Pacific Island initiative for a General Assembly resolution on security and climate change.

The urgent work started in Kyoto must be accelerated in Copenhagen next year, and carbon emissions need to be systematically reduced. The world can break the dependence on fossil fuels only by offering efficient and economical alternatives. Iceland is fortunate to have abundant hydroelectric and geothermal power and has already reached the goal of deriving about 80 per cent of its energy consumption from clean renewable sources. The resulting expertise and technology have been made available to developing States, and Iceland is proud to host the Geothermal Training Programme of the United Nations University.

Sixty years ago, Eleanor Roosevelt wisely observed that "The Charter of the United Nations is a guiding beacon along the way to the achievement of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the world". As we celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, her words remind us of the progress already made and the long and difficult road ahead, made more difficult by major new global challenges.

Today's world does not tolerate racial discrimination and the time has come to make sex discrimination universally unacceptable too. My Government will continue to promote gender equality internationally. We will do it both through multilateral efforts within the United Nations -- most notably in the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) -- and in the World Bank. Regrettably, gender equality and women's empowerment remain elusive goals throughout the world. I urge the United Nations to lead by example.

The challenges posed by globalization also offer new opportunities to revitalize the United Nations system and better equip the Organization to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century: better technology, better communications and more efficient management are all available. The United Nations is a long way from being a perfect mechanism, but its role in the international system is indisputable and indispensable. If we settle for a United Nations that sometimes appears to be an abstract objective in itself, we will never fully realize the potential of this universal gathering of nations. On the other hand, if we encourage a high level of ambition and adaptability I am convinced that the United Nations will live up to the ideals of its founders and be celebrated as a cornerstone of the international architecture on the centenary of the Charter in 2045.

One simple method of raising the profile of the United Nations, as well as awareness of its important work, is informing our citizens. I am pleased to inform the Assembly that the Government of Iceland intends to make the purpose and work of the United Nations an integral part of the curriculum at the primary and secondary levels of education in our country, in addition to the existing and more selective activities at higher levels. Iceland strongly encourages all Member States to do the same. This may prove to be an effective means of offering the multilateral ideal of the United Nations as a part of the world view imparted to future leaders and citizens around the globe.

It is perhaps an oversimplification to speak of a contest between multilateralism and unilateralism in international affairs. Those different approaches frequently overlap, but it is clear that when an effective multilateral option is available it will always be the preferred choice for most countries, especially smaller countries such as mine. This should inspire us to make the United Nations a forum that can deliver substantive results, in accordance with international law, in order to ensure that unilateral actions on issues of major significance become less likely.

Iceland has been a responsible and active Member of the United Nations since 1946 and it is now, after 62 years, seeking for the first time to serve as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, with the full support of the other four Nordic countries. The election will take place in this Hall in three weeks' time.

Throughout the history of the United Nations the Nordic countries have been key contributors to the Organization's peacekeeping and development assistance activities and have been able to play a role that is disproportionate to their share of the global population. Above all, the Nordic countries have shown unwavering commitment to multilateral cooperation and the rule of law. If elected as a member of the Security Council, Iceland will continue in that strong tradition.

We seek the seat as a democratic State not in conflict with other countries; as a State with a history of solving its disputes peacefully; as a State that respects universal human rights; and as a State without substantial geopolitical interests and, therefore, a State that can approach issues with a certain objectivity. We see our candidature not only from a national perspective. It is also a test of whether the smaller States Members of the Organization, from all the regional groups, can have an opportunity to serve on the Council and thus reinforce its legitimacy. The election of Iceland would bolster the principle of sovereign equality and equitable representation.

Academics sometimes associate certain periods in history with countries or regions as a way of highlighting predominant characteristics or trends. It would reflect well on us here today if we had the foresight and courage to take measures in coming years that would give future historians reason to refer to the twenty-first century as the century of the United Nations.

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

I have great pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Josaia V. Bainimarama, Prime Minister and Commander of the Military Forces of the Republic of the Fiji Islands, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Bainimarama (Fiji) --> -->

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194 if __name__ == "__main__":

195     pathpart = os.getenv("PATH_INFO")

196     maintrunk(pathpart)

197

198

maintrunk = <function maintrunk>, pathpart = '/generalassembly_63/meeting_12'

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131     elif pagefunc == "gameeting":

132         LogIncomingDB(hmap["docid"], hmap["gadice"] or "0", referrer, ipaddress, useragent, remadeurl)

133         WriteHTML(hmap["htmlfile"], hmap["pdfinfo"], hmap["gadice"], hmap["highlightdoclink"])

134     elif pagefunc == "agendanumexpanded":

135         LogIncomingDB(pagefunc, hmap["agendanum"], referrer, ipaddress, useragent, remadeurl)

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322         if dclass == "spoken":

323             if not gadice or agendagidcurrent == gadice:

324                 WriteSpoken(gid, dtextmu, councilpresidentnation)

325         elif dclass == "subheading":

326             if agendagidcurrent and (not gadice or agendagidcurrent == gadice):

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70

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72

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      reason = 'ordinal not in range(128)'
      start = 3433