UN General Assembly
1997

﻿Let me extend to you, Mr. Vice-President, my warmest congratulations on your election. The Foreign Minister of Luxembourg, Mr. Jacques Poos, spoke on behalf of the European Union. I fully associate myself with his statement. The reform of the United Nations is inevitable. The new imperatives of globalization and interdependence must be recognized. Business as usual would inevitably lead to the marginalization of the United Nations in world affairs. I fully agree with Secretary-General Kofi Annan that we should see these changes as an opportunity, not as a threat. Reform is in the interest of all Member States, whether big or small, whether industrialized or developing countries. Where else but at the United Nations can we deal with the truly global issues such as the new security threats of uncivil society, environmental degradation, violations of human rights and poverty? Given the nature of these issues, unilateral, bilateral or even regional efforts are of course good, but not enough. Not even the most prosperous and powerful nations on earth can 8 successfully solve them alone. Only the United Nations has