UN General Assembly
1997

human rights documents and their applications. We must rededicate ourselves to the need for a balanced approach to all aspects of human rights — civil, political, social, economic and cultural. Selective interpretation or application of human rights will not only demean their value but, more seriously, undermine the well-being of individuals in parts of the world that are still engulfed by age-old hatreds and animosities. We should reiterate our recognition of cultural peculiarities, which is an inherent and timeless characteristic of human society. We should assert that there is no intrinsic contradiction between the rights of the individual and those of the community. Individual rights do not exist in a vacuum. Indeed, individual and community rights are not mutually exclusive; they thrive on the basis of a mutually reinforcing and balanced relationship. As one reinforces the other, there should be no artificial separation between the two by stressing the importance of one at the expense of the other. Malaysia welcomes the appointment of Mrs. Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, as the new High