I congratulate you, Sir, on your well-deserved election
as President of the General Assembly. You are a worthy
representative of the Republic of Korea, a country very
close to my own through our important ties of
friendship and cooperation. I also congratulate your
predecessor on the highly efficient and responsible way
in which he oversaw the work of the previous session
of the Assembly.
The Government of Ecuador received with
special satisfaction the news of the award of the 2001
Nobel Peace Prize to the United Nations and the
Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. We congratulate the
Secretary-General on this well-deserved recognition of
his work, which has promoted among Member States
the benefits of international association and solidarity.
This session of the Assembly began in an
atmosphere of profound distress for all members of the
international community. The tragically terrible
terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September
are shocking to the human conscience. Those whose
perverse and irrational actions took the lives of
thousands of innocent people — including many
Ecuadorians — committed a grave attack on
international peace and security.
From this rostrum, I wish to affirm to the people
and the Government of the United States of America
the profound condolences and solidarity of the people
and the Government of Ecuador following this
immense tragedy and to reiterate our strongest
condemnation of those criminal acts, which have done
violence to all peoples, as well as to universal
principles and values.
That is why Ecuador — a peace-loving country
convinced of the predominant role of the United
Nations as the key institution for decisions affecting
the world — praises the action of the General
Assembly and the Security Council in response to
terrorism, particularly the Council’s adoption of
resolution 1373 (2001), which contains the guidelines
for all Member States to work urgently and in concert
to prevent and suppress terrorist acts. Likewise, the
international community must conclude negotiations on
a comprehensive convention on international terrorism
to strengthen the relevant judicial framework with
concrete measures to prevent, sanction and combat this
scourge. Ecuador is committed at the national, regional
and international levels to the fight against terrorism in
all its forms and manifestations.
In the final years of the twentieth century, great
changes took place in the world, which led to new
international trends, especially in terms of the process
of globalization and threats to international peace and
security.
The developing countries, such as my own, began
adapting their national structures to deal with the
demands of a decidedly competitive environment.
However, it must be said that it is obvious that the
adjustments and changes those countries have made to
their policies and strategies are not enough in
themselves to achieve complete results as long as the
structural causes of the disparity between the level of
development of highly industrialized economies and
that of economies in need of capital and advanced
technology persist. That disparity continues to widen
because of financial difficulties caused by unstable
short-term capital flows, persistent external debt and
obstacles to truly international trade.
There are signs that current international
economic trends are far from providing the equilibrium
and justice needed to overcome the unfavourable
burdens inherited from the twentieth century. Poverty
has grown at alarming rates in all regions. International
organized crime has exacerbated violence and
insecurity in society. Massive international migration
towards developed regions continues to increase. These
phenomena, along with many others, result from the
lack of real, universal agreements to assist the
development of human beings.
21

The problems that the world faces today respect
no national borders. They are threats demanding not
unilateral action but responses based on solidarity and
concerted action. That interdependence is what enabled
the heads of Government and State, at the Millennium
Assembly, to agree on making the United Nations, the
supreme multilateral forum, a suitable and effective
instrument to fight for the development of all peoples
of the world; to fight against poverty, ignorance and
disease; to fight against injustice, violence, terror and
crime; and to fight against the deterioration and
destruction of the planet. They also committed
themselves to freeing all people from the scourge of
war, to eradicating the dangers posed by weapons of
mass destruction and to strengthening respect for the
rule of law in national and international affairs.
Ecuador, as a country that believes in and
practices the peaceful settlement of international
disputes, regrets and condemns conflicts between
States, as well as those within States caused by civil
war, ethnic conflict or other reasons. The Government
of Ecuador is concerned by the uncontrolled violence
occurring between the peoples of Palestine and Israel,
which continues to reap a tragic harvest of death and
destruction. We recognize the right of the Palestinian
people to a free and independent State, as well as the
State of Israel’s right to exist within secure and
internationally recognized borders. Ecuador reiterates
its appeal to both parties to quickly return to peace
negotiations.
Last August, Ecuador assumed the presidency of
the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. Its
leadership is guided by its profound commitment to the
cause of general and complete disarmament under
effective international control, which would make it
possible to foster peace and confidence among nations.
We are witnessing the intensification of a
phenomenon as old as humanity itself, undoubtedly
linked to the historical development of civilization. I
am referring to the enormous challenge posed by the
increase in human migration, especially from the
countries of the South towards the North.
While migration has been positive in that it has
contributed to fruitful exchange between various
peoples and has deepened dialogue processes and
mutual enrichment between diverse cultures, in most
cases the reason for it stems from the individual’s
desire to seek better living conditions and broader
economic prospects. We cannot think of human history
without the constant and ever present phenomenon of
migration, and the current era is no exception. In the
present age of the globalization of markets and the
possibility of a new round of multilateral trade
negotiations in the World Trade Organization (WTO),
the liberalization of the administration of services
through the free movement of persons must be
emphasized.
Today many developing countries of the world,
afflicted by the serious consequences of economic
crisis and the prevalence of structural failures that are
difficult to overcome, have become net producers of
migrants, men and women who feel compelled to seek
broader horizons legally. Ecuador is one of those
countries because of the most serious economic crisis
of its recorded history, exacerbated by external factors
that changed the momentum of the national
development process. Internal and external factors
merged in recent years, deepening this crisis, which we
are overcoming in a positive way at enormous
sacrifice.
While migration tends to be a positive
phenomenon in terms of historic objectives, the
consequences for individuals are painful and stir our
conscience. Because of that, my country has taken a
series of actions to protect the rights of migrants and
their families. With the support of the International
Organization for Migration, we have held several
meetings in which the State and civil society have
participated. They have enabled us, on the one hand, to
have direct testimony about the serious problems of
this group of individuals who have left their countries
voluntarily to find better opportunities and, on the
other hand, to obtain concrete commitments aimed at
protecting and defending human rights. I wish to
underline the transnational nature of the migration
problem, which requires active cooperation between
countries of origin and countries receiving immigrants,
as well as international bodies. In this context, I am
happy to point out that Ecuador and Spain signed an
agreement aimed at regulating migration, which
undoubtedly has been beneficial for migrant citizens
and signatory countries.
Ecuador appeals to all Governments and sectors
of civil society, but particularly to those of the
developed world — receivers of migrant workers - to
redouble their efforts aimed at protecting the rights of
this vulnerable sector of society in a non-
22

discriminatory way, conscious of all the positive and
fruitful aspects that the migration phenomenon brings
to the general development of countries, as
demonstrated by European history of recent centuries
and the integration of the Americas into the West.
If the twentieth century was the stage for some of
the greatest humanitarian tragedies recorded by history,
it is true that in that period we also witnessed the birth
of a new global awareness of the urgency to protect and
promote human rights and to preserve man’s home,
land and environment.
My country has fully assumed this global
challenge. We are signatories to the main instruments
on this important item at both the international and the
hemispheric level, and we have national tools that
enable us to achieve such objectives. The National Plan
on Human Rights, adopted as a State policy in June
1998 by civil society and the State, is perhaps the most
innovative and visionary instrument that has been
developed in our country. We hope that it will enable
us to promote a real culture of tolerance and respect
between the ethnic, social and cultural groups of our
society. With this plan, Ecuador also complied with the
mandate of the 1993 Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action.
In keeping with all the above-mentioned points,
Ecuador places importance on one of the mandates of
the Carabobo Act, signed in July 2001 by the
Presidents of the Andean Community of Nations, and
has begun work on a draft Andean Charter of Human
Rights, aimed at consolidating the ideas of respect for
and the promotion of the fundamental rights and
freedoms of the individual in the specific areas of
culture and ethnic plurality characteristic of the
Andean subregion. Ecuador was a pioneer in this
important matter when, in 1980, within the subregional
framework, it spurred on the adoption of the Riobamba
Charter, which includes among its postulates the
protection of human rights as an international
obligation of all States and the condition that legitimate
joint action carried out in protecting such rights must
not violate the principle of non-intervention. Within
this same context, Ecuador signed the Rome Statute of
the International Court of Justice of July 1998, and it is
taking measures for its prompt ratification.
Turning to the WTO and the Free Trade Area of
the Americas (FTAA), there is no doubt that one of the
most important items on the foreign policy agenda of
States is international economic relations. Ecuador
wishes to express some views on this, at the moment
when the Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference is taking
place in Qatar.
Ecuador deems it fundamental to pursue the
process of opening up trade, reducing tariffs and
eliminating unnecessary trade barriers. However, my
country also shares the doubts of some developing
countries about the advantages of launching a new
round of multilateral trade negotiations when the
commitments of the Uruguay Round have not yet been
fully implemented, particularly those relating to the
reduction and the elimination of agricultural subsidies
and to agreement on special and differential treatment
provisions in favour of developing countries. These are
priority items of interest for Ecuador, as is the
expansion of openness in agricultural trade.
We emphasize the necessary reform required by
the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding to
strengthen the implementation regime of the decisions
of the relevant ad hoc groups and the appeals body. For
example, Ecuador was never able to obtain the
compensation to which it was entitled, in spite of
having won the banana dispute in all the proceedings
before the WTO Dispute Settlement Body and an
arbitration award of $201.4 million annually, the
amount of the damages caused to my country by an
illegal import, sales and distribution scheme of that
product in Europe.
Given our own experience in this dispute, we
believe that compensation must be binding, if we are
really speaking about free markets in the full sense of
the word, and that retaliatory measures in the same
sector or in cross-sectors is not sufficient to repair the
damages caused, particularly to the economies of
developing countries. It would also be worth evaluating
other types of compensation, such as increasing
technical cooperation, as a European country is
proposing at this time with respect to Ecuador.
Progress in trade negotiations and the fulfilment
of commitments already made will make it possible for
us to have an international economic and financial
climate conducive to investment and to growth of the
world economy, which will make a positive
contribution to social and human development. These
same proposals give us hope in the negotiations of the
FTAA — the Trade Negotiations Committee of which
Ecuador is currently president. Our efforts take into
23

account the various positions of countries, as well as
their different levels of development and sizes of their
economies, since we must seek consensus on decisions
in a way that makes all the parties involved feel that
their interests are guaranteed. For least developed
countries, the establishment of a hemisphere-wide free-
trade zone poses a challenge and at the same time
offers an exceptional opportunity to be fully integrated
into world economy in this new phase.
I turn next to the question of external debt and
development financing. The enormous limitations
faced by heavily indebted developing countries such as
Ecuador, resulting from disproportionately large
external-debt servicing costs and from persistent
obstacles to marketing our exports, work against
national efforts to engender economic stability and
sustainable development. Ecuador’s total external debt
now stands at about 64 per cent of our gross domestic
product and nearly 40 per cent of our national budget;
this has a negative impact on the financing of social
development projects.
External debt is mortgaging the economic present
and future of developing countries; it has extremely
adverse effects because it devours vast resources that
would otherwise be used in the fight against poverty, in
promoting public health and education, and in meeting
many other urgent social needs. The situation thus has
an increasing negative effect on market-oriented
national policies and the political and democratic
stability of many countries. It is therefore time for the
international community to adopt effective, fair,
lasting, development-oriented measures so as to make
progress in easing this serious problem — a problem
that highly indebted medium-income countries too are
facing.
Ecuador attaches the greatest importance to the
International Conference on Financing for
Development to be held next March at Monterrey. It
will be a good opportunity to define, from the
financing perspective, a new kind of world cooperation
that will effectively support development, especially
the development of the countries of the South.
I am pleased to announce the conclusion and
signature of an agreement between the World
Meteorological Organization and the Government of
Ecuador on the establishment at Guayaquil of an
international centre for research on El Niño. I urgently
appeal to the United Nations and its specialized
agencies, to the international community and to
international and regional financial institutions for
resolute cooperation to ensure that the centre begins its
work promptly.
Finally, as an Ecuadorian, I wish to address the
question of the Colombian conflict. I wish to say that
my country is following closely the internal political
conflict in Colombia and the unfolding of a peace
process in that country. In conformity with our policy
of promoting dialogue and negotiation as the best way
to overcome problems, we have frequently stated our
unreserved political support for the Colombian
Government’s efforts to reach a negotiated peace with
armed irregular groups operating in its country.
Ecuador applauds the peace initiatives of President
Andrés Pastrana and expresses the hope that they will
be meet with a matching response from those groups.
Peace in Colombia is a top priority throughout the
Americas; it should also be a top priority for the
international community. It is in the interest of all to
help ensure that the Colombian conflict does not spread
to the rest of the subregion.
Ecuador has committed itself to a broad and
imaginative programme of development for our areas
near the Colombian border; these are aimed at
substantial improvements in the living conditions of
the inhabitants, with a view to eliminating the severe
poverty that gives rise to the violence of drug
trafficking. That programme has recently received
major backing from the international community
through the advisory group set up last month at
Brussels. I appeal to our brethren and neighbours in
Colombia to join with us in similar programmes. I
urgently appeal too to developed countries to continue
to cooperate with such initiatives, which in the final
analysis are the best way to guarantee peace and
security.
The challenges facing mankind at the outset of
the twenty-first century must be tackled by all
countries, jointly and in solidarity. This is the
beginning of a new era for major international
decisions. The world Organization is the forum in
which we can carry out a vast mission: equitably to
solve global problems and to buttress collective
security. Ecuador again commits itself to work
ceaselessly to attain those noble goals.


Allow me at the outset to congratulate you,
Sir, on your well-deserved election to preside over the
work of this General Assembly. We are familiar with
your valuable personal qualities and appreciate the
leadership of your country, the Republic of Korea, in
the concert of nations. I would also like to express my
gratitude to the outgoing President, Mr. Harri Holkeri,
for his excellent work.
I should like to express the deepest condolences
of the people and Government of Costa Rica to the
Government of the Dominican Republic and to the
relatives and friends of the more than 200 Dominican
nationals who lost their lives in the tragic aeroplane
accident that occurred here yesterday.
This year, the General Assembly is meeting in
extraordinary circumstances. Only two moths ago, this
city fell victim to the most dreadful and despicable
terrorist attack in world history. Even today, just a few
kilometres from this Hall, we can contemplate,
bewildered, the column of smoke that marks the
remains of the twin towers. The rubble reminds us of
the destruction, pain and death caused by violence and
irrational hatred. Therefore, I cannot let pass this
opportunity without reiterating the deepest condolences
of the people and Government of Costa Rica to the
people and Government of the United States.
On 11 September, the terrorists targeted not only
New York, but the whole of humankind. Today, we all
are victims of terrorism. Costa Rica realizes that
terrorism is an extremely grave crime against humanity
that victimizes the innocent civil population and
endangers the international community as a whole. For
this reason, we condemn terrorism categorically in all
its forms and manifestations, wherever and by
whomever committed, while we proclaim that there is
no political, philosophical, racial, ethnic or religious
justification that legitimizes the commission of this
crime.
The recent terrorist attacks force us to rethink the
concept of international security and to renew our
commitment to mankind’s basic values. When faced
with cruel fear and hatred, we must raise the flag of
civilization, tolerance and brotherhood. In the face of
irrational violence, we must take up the arms of reason,
law and order. Against terrorism, we must resort to the
rule of law, justice and due process through
international cooperation in the judicial and law
enforcement fields.
Faced with new treats to international security,
the community of nations must create effective and
precise mechanisms to ensure peace and development
for all peoples. In this context, we welcome the
adoption of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). It
constitutes a firm, proportionate and necessary answer
to the despicable acts of 11 September.
Furthermore, we welcome the progress achieved
in the negotiation of a comprehensive convention to
proscribe and punish terrorism in all its forms. My
delegation has taken active part in the recent
negotiations to solve the outstanding issues, and we are
grateful to the Secretary-General for his personal
involvement in obtaining a consensus solution. We call
upon all delegations to be flexible and to agree to the
consensus formula proposed by the coordinator of the
contact group on this issue.
The struggle against terrorism must lead us to
build a true culture of peace and life. Right now, we
have the duty to plant the seeds of peace in order to
substitute the vices of destruction and conflict with the
30

virtues of fraternity, tolerance and cooperation among
all men and women.
Currently, thanks to scientific and technological
progress, we can defeat disease, poverty, famine, hatred
and war. We now posses the necessary economic,
technological and philosophical means to guarantee to
each and every person the highest standards of life and
the necessary conditions for their fullest physical,
intellectual and spiritual development.
In this context, the United Nations could and
should play a central role in building a future of peace
and freedom. This Organization must be a bastion
against war, hatred and poverty. This institution must
be a beacon that lights the way and points towards the
final goal.
To this end, the respect of human rights and
promotion of human dignity, in all spheres, must be the
crux of the activities of the United Nations. The
protection of human beings is the only justification for
peacekeeping activities. The promotion of human
dignity is the only legitimate reason for pursuing
sustainable development. The protection of human life
is the only justification for the protection of the
environment or search for economic development. The
philosophy of this Organization must therefore be
deeply humane.
The protection of human rights is the cornerstone
of Costa Rica’s foreign policy. Costa Ricans loathe
every violation of fundamental rights. We reject
intolerance, hatred, inequality and war. We condemn
extrajudicial executions, the death penalty, abortion,
forced displacement, torture, rape and hostage-taking.
We categorically condemn all restrictions on freedom
of speech and thought. The ethical values of the Costa
Rican identity make us proclaim a more just and
humane society and demand greater solidarity.
This Organization’s work in the area of human
rights is outstanding. The codification efforts and the
periodic conferences have provided the international
community with clear guidelines of conduct. Now, we
must concentrate our efforts in the implementation of
those norms at all levels of society, placing special
emphasis on the fulfilment of economic, social and
cultural rights.
In particular, it is necessary to rationalize and
coordinate the work of the monitoring organs,
including the Commission on Human Rights, in order
to make them more effective. Costa Rica considers it
necessary to review the national reports system in order
to make it more transparent and expeditious. We
believe that Member States must open their borders in
a candid and forthright manner to the human rights
rapporteurs that are appointed by the Commission. This
obligation flows directly from the commitments
undertaken under Articles 55 and 56 of the Charter.
Simultaneously, we must respond positively to the
request for additional resources made by the High
Commissioner for Human Rights. Moreover, the
United Nations must remain vigilant so as to deal with
the new challenges that threaten the enjoyment of
human rights.
We are concerned by the recent developments in
the area of cloning and biotechnology. For this reason,
we welcome the proposal by France and Germany to
negotiate an international agreement to prohibit the
reproductive cloning of human beings. We believe that
such an instrument should also forbid other forms of
experimentation in biotechnology that are contrary to
both human life and dignity.
We must strengthen the family as the basic
building block of society. The family is indispensable
for the formation of healthy, productive and
responsible citizens. We must also make additional
efforts to support parents in the education of their
children. In this regard, my country recently enacted a
special law on responsible parenthood that ensures,
through unprecedented and resolute judicial means,
that all biological fathers will be responsible for the
education and care of any offspring born out of
wedlock.
The efforts to maintain international peace and
security must also be seen from the point of view of
human rights. Armed conflicts produce continuous
humanitarian crises and atrocities. As long as war
exists, it will be impossible to ensure respect for the
basic human rights. In situations of armed conflict, all
necessary measures must be taken to protect the
security of innocent civilians. It is crucial to provide
them with immediate assistance, in order to prevent
greater loss of life and destruction. It is also necessary
to protect the human rights of refugees and displaced
persons. Furthermore, at the end of an armed conflict,
greater international cooperation is required to rebuild
the national economy and lost infrastructure and to
return life to normal.
31

For several years, my delegation has advocated
the strengthening of the Security Council. We have said
that it is the only mechanism that humanity has to
confront the threats that beset it. Costa Rica has
questioned the Council when it has ignored its duties
and has been reduced to irrelevance. We have criticized
it when it has confined itself to giving weak and
inadequate answers to the gravest political and
humanitarian emergencies. We have denounced it when
it has been unable to act because of an irresponsible
use of the veto or the defence of national interests of
certain of its members. Today, the adoption of
resolution 1373 (2001) gives us new hope. We are
confident that, in the future, the Security Council will
confront other emergency situations with the same
decisiveness, promptness and effectiveness.
Weapons are a catalyst for armed conflicts. Their
proliferation fans the flames of violence; exacerbates
fighting and hatred; aggravates crime and terrorism;
and fosters political and social instability. Military
arsenals prolong armed conflicts and impede peace
processes, while the armies consume insatiably the
meagre national resources. To attain peace, it is
necessary to forbid the transfer of arms to rebel,
extremist or terrorist groups. The transfer of weapons
to Governments that commit systematic human rights
violations, do not respect democratic principles or have
not ratified the main instruments of international
humanitarian law should also be forbidden. We believe
that it is essential to regulate the possession of light
weapons by civilians.
My country condemns the unilateral and
disproportionate use of force and countermeasures,
while it supports the mechanisms and principles
enshrined in international law. We must embrace
negotiation, dialogue, mediation and the judicial
resolution of disputes. For this reason, Costa Rica fully
endorses and has full confidence in the excellent work
of the International Court of Justice. We believe that
the voluntary acceptance of its obligatory jurisdiction,
through optional declarations, is clear proof of good
faith. However, we cannot fail to express our deep
concern about the existence and emergence of new
reservations on the voluntary acceptance of the Court’s
jurisdiction. Good faith in international relations
demands the withdrawal of those reservations.
True and sustainable peace can be achieved only
when decent living conditions are guaranteed to all
people; when there is a level of economic development
sufficiently advanced so that everyone can satisfy his
or her basic needs; when basic human rights are
respected; and when social and political differences are
resolved through democratic means, dialogue and
negotiation. Therefore, it is essential to invest
intensively and systematically in our human resources,
devoting all necessary resources to education and
health. Only an educated population can live in
freedom, only a healthy population can work for
development and only a cultured population can
integrate itself in the globalized contemporary world.
Similarly, it is necessary to ensure the sustainable
use and management of natural resources. Without a
healthy environment it is impossible to attain decent
living conditions, both for the present and for the
future. We cannot ignore the damage caused to future
generations by the destruction of thousands of square
kilometres of the earth’s forests.
Costa Rica has developed a national system of
payments for environmental services with a view to
alleviating the impact of greenhouse gases and
preserving our forests for mankind. My country has
devoted one quarter of its national territory to the
protection of its forests. The production of
environmental goods and the provision of
environmental services have become an engine of
national development. For these reasons, my country
will be honoured to be the host country of the first
ministerial meeting of the United Nations Forum on
Forests, which will be held in March 2002. We look
forward to the active and constructive participation of
all Member States in that meeting.
My delegation notes with concern the growing
inequality in the area of vulnerability. The States with
the most fragile economies and whose inhabitants have
fewer resources for prevention and reconstruction are
the ones that suffer most from the effects of natural
disasters. In our region, Central America, we have been
the victims of several disasters that, in the course of the
past decade, have caused very serious human and
material losses. The lack of financial resources imposes
a harsh limit on the poorest nations’ capacity to prevent
humanitarian emergencies. Therefore, we advocate an
increase in international cooperation with developing
nations to enable them to design and implement
programmes to reduce their vulnerability.
In this context, I would like to mention the
bilateral assistance that the Republic of China in
32

Taiwan has given our region to face these emergencies.
Costa Rica understands and supports the repeated
efforts of the Republic of China in Taiwan, with 23
million inhabitants and a firm process of democratic
development and strengthening, to obtain
representation within this Organization. That country
also constitutes one of the main industrial centres of
the Asian basin, with which most Member States have
strong commercial and technical exchange ties. We
hope that all differences will soon be put aside so that
it will be possible to achieve agreements and both
branches of the Chinese people will be able to
participate jointly in international forums.
Just a couple of months ago we witnessed the
bloody and abominable impact of international
terrorism. Those despicable acts shook the conscience
of humanity as a whole. In these circumstances, the
world awaits the guidance of the United Nations. Our
peoples demand the decisive and firm action of the
international community. Humanity as a whole calls on
us to fulfil the lofty goals that we undertook when we
established this Organization.


I should like first of all to offer the profound
condolences of Burkina Faso to Algeria and the
Dominican Republic following the disasters that have
struck those countries.
I would like to convey to you, Sir, my heartfelt,
warm congratulations on your election to the
presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth
session. I would also like to congratulate the members
of the Bureau, as well as Mr. Harri Holkeri, President
at the fifty-fifth session, for the outstanding efforts that
he made during his term of office.
I would like to take this opportunity to pay a
resounding tribute to Mr. Kofi Annan, whose
noteworthy re-election to the post of Secretary-General
of the United Nations confirms the exceptional
qualities that he possesses as a diplomat and tireless
champion of peace and justice in the world. The Nobel
Peace Prize, which has just been awarded to him, is
eloquent testimony to that.
Last year, the leaders of the world met here to
give new impetus to our Organization and to commit
the international community to mobilizing itself more
resolutely in the quest for international peace and
security and to fighting poverty, injustice and other
scourges that threaten the very existence of humankind.
The terrorist attacks of 11 September which
struck the United States and plunged the American
people, as well as other peoples throughout the world,
into grief truly marked a turning point in the
development of international relations. They were a
brutal and atrocious reminder of both the complexity of
problems facing humankind and the urgent need to find
appropriate solutions to them. Burkina Faso firmly and
unambiguously condemned those barbaric, criminal
and repugnant acts, and we condemn them still.
Furthermore, we are resolved to take part in any
initiatives undertaken by the international community
to eradicate terrorism and its causes. That is why
Burkina Faso has begun the process of ratifying the
Organization of African Unity Convention on the
Prevention and Combating of Terrorism, as well as
United Nations conventions on this subject.
My Government has just adopted a draft law with
a view to ratifying the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime and the first,
second and third protocols thereto, relating,
respectively, to the smuggling of migrants; trafficking
in persons, particularly women and children; and the
illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in weapons. In
cooperation with the United Nations, Ouagadougou
will be hosting, from 28 to 30 November, a seminar for
the foreign ministers and ministers of justice of the
2

countries of the Economic Community of West African
States, the aim of which is to accelerate the ratification
of that Convention.
If it is to be effective, the campaign against
terrorism must be part of a coherent and solid world
coalition, with its basis in the United Nations. At the
same time, it must take into consideration the realities
and constraints confronting international relations. In
other words, in addition to military action, the
campaign must include the most appropriate political
and diplomatic measures in order effectively to deal
with conflicts and regional political problems and to
reduce gross injustice and inequality which, because of
the frustration they generate, serve as a breeding
ground for extremists and fuel violence and hatred.
As our mobilization to fight terrorism must be
total, so also must we see to the prior definition of
clear objectives and appropriate methods for their
implementation. While it is true that terrorists are our
enemies, it is also true that the manner in which we
combat them should not provide them with allies. As
President Blaise Compaore recently stated:
“As we see it, there is a risk that, if we are not
careful, the responses to the events of 11
September might lead to a catastrophic scenario
for humanity, with a tangled web of conflict:
conflict between the Judeo-Christian world and
the Muslim world; conflict between West and
East; conflict between the rich North and the poor
South. It is therefore crucial for our current
leaders courageously to attack the injustices and
inequalities which fuel violence and hatred.”
The international community must therefore
resolutely commit itself to combating poverty,
epidemics, in particular HIV/AIDS, and economic and
commercial marginalization, as well as exclusion of all
kinds, which continue to be the daily lot of many
regions of the world.
Attacking these injustices means necessarily that
we have to find a solution to the question of the Middle
East. The right of the Palestinians to establish an
independent State, respectful of the existence and
security of Israel, is a sine qua non here. Because of the
continuing tension in that part of the world, convening
a special international conference on the subject at the
earliest possible date is necessary.
It is also essential to lift the iniquitous embargoes
imposed on some States, such as Libya, Sudan, Iraq,
Iran, and Cuba. For, not only do these embargoes cause
suffering to their people, but they also help to weaken
world peace and security.
The Republic of China in Taiwan, which has
demonstrated sufficiently that it is a democratic and
peaceful State, is prepared to play its rightful role in
the concert of nations, and it should no longer suffer
from the injustice that we are combating each day. That
is why, in the name of equality among peoples and
nations, we make an urgent appeal for the readmission
of the Republic of China to the United Nations.
Turning to the question of Western Sahara,
Burkina Faso has always supported United Nations
initiatives and efforts here. Accordingly, the recent
plan proposed by Mr. James Baker, the Personal Envoy
of the Secretary-General, seems to us to be an
acceptable political compromise for a constructive
negotiating basis.
One activity that fuels and sustains conflicts and
serious banditry in the world is the manufacture, sale
and circulation of arms and anti-personnel mines.
Burkina Faso firmly supports the actions taken by the
United Nations aimed at reaching general and complete
disarmament, both at the level of weapons of mass
destruction and conventional weapons. As for
combating the proliferation of light weapons, in
addition to the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS) moratorium to which it subscribes,
Burkina Faso has set up a high authority responsible
for monitoring throughout our national territory the
import and use of weapons.
Africa has decided to further unite. It has decided
to bring closer together its peoples and economies and
to strengthen its partnership with other regions in order
to better integrate itself in the world economy. The
African Union was set up precisely to accomplish this
huge project. Burkina Faso reiterates here the appeal
made by the heads of State and Government of the
Organization of African Unity (OAU) for the effective
support of the international community for the New
Partnership for Africa’s Development.
The debate in the United Nations should enable
all Member States to express themselves and contribute
to the discussion on how best to meet the concerns of
humanity. All opinions must be heard and taken into
consideration. Decisions taken pursuant to the rules
3

must also be applied by each Member State. This is the
sine qua non requirement for achieving a viable new
international order based on a necessary dialogue
among civilizations and a culture of sharing and
solidarity. This new world order, in order to be more
just, has to be based on two basic concepts. First of all,
there should be a reform of the United Nations to
provide a more collective and democratic way of
managing the affairs of the world. Secondly, there
should be a more equitable distribution of the world’s
resources, through revision of trade mechanisms and
financing for development.
Turning to the reform of the Security Council,
Burkina Faso reaffirms Africa’s position, which
resulted from the Harare Summit, advocating equitable
representation of all regions of the world and
guaranteeing greater transparency and effectiveness for
the United Nations.
Our world is in constant flux. The ardent desire
for peace and security and the search for democracy
and well-being are, with each passing day, becoming
ever more rooted in people’s minds. During the past
few years, Burkina Faso has undertaken wide-ranging
political and economic reforms, which are in keeping
with the permanent validity of these universal values.
Politically, the reforms undertaken by the
Government, based on a consensus approach, have
enabled it to improve the institutional environment and
to meet the expectations of the political class and civil
society. This involves in particular the status of the
opposition, new voting procedures, the single-ballot
system, financing for political parties, trade unions and
the private press, and the creation of the Constitutional
Council, the State Council, the Appeals Court, the
State Audit Office and an independent national
electoral commission.
Economically speaking, the Government is
constantly struggling to improve the living conditions
of our people. Need I recall that destitution and poverty
are the first way we deny human rights. They deny
human beings their main raison d’être: their dignity.
Therefore, we have decided to stress the struggle
against poverty and exclusion by working out, with our
development partners, a strategic framework to fight
poverty.
In our global village, happiness for everyone is
possible. The best of possible worlds is within our
grasp. Scientific and technological progress means that
we can overcome the ills that beset humanity. We
simply need to unite, show solidarity and act together.


English text furnished by the delegation): It is with
great pleasure that I congratulate Mr. Han Seung-soo
on his election to the presidency of the General
Assembly. I also pay tribute to the outgoing President,
Mr. Harri Holkeri. I renew my respects to the
Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for the notable and
courageous way in which he has continued to fulfil his
mandate and for the well-deserved award of the Nobel
Peace Prize to him and to the United Nations.
18

My Belgian colleague has already addressed the
Assembly on behalf of the 15 States members of the
European Union in a statement with which my country
aligns itself completely. I would, however, like to
reflect upon certain issues on the international agenda.
First, I cannot fail to refer to the tragic terrorist
attacks of 11 September against the United States, and
in particular against the city of New York and innocent
citizens of many nationalities. I reiterate our deep
sorrow and reaffirm our complete solidarity with all
those who, like us Portuguese, were victimized by the
loss of their compatriots and by the suffering of the
bereaved families.
We are dealing with violence without a face,
violence that kills indiscriminately and that must be
confronted by the international community as a whole,
irrespective of the religion we practice, the race to
which we belong, the ideology we follow or the
civilization into which we were born. It falls to each
and every State Member of the United Nations to fight
this scourge, whose blind hatred has plunged the world
into a state of turmoil not seen since the end of the
Second World War. What is most shocking to us is the
fact that we are faced with a force that ignores or
despises the very concept of the right to life.
We must embark on a concerted effort at all
levels to submit to justice those guilty of the crimes
committed, with a view to avoiding a repetition of the
terrorist acts of September. We believe the United
Nations has an irreplaceable role to play as the source
of legitimacy for the collective effort of the
international community in the fight against this
common enemy. It is for other forums to complement
these actions, orienting and adjusting them in
accordance with the concrete needs of their respective
mandates.
In this context, I would like to recall that Portugal
has supported without reservation the international
fight against terrorism here in the United Nations, in
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in the
European Union, in the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and in our bilateral
relations with the United States and other countries. I
would like to assure the Assembly that in its
presidency of the OSCE next year, Portugal will
attribute particular priority to this matter.
In the light of the current circumstances, I must
stress the importance of the entire range of
international legislation produced, or awaiting
approval, under the aegis of the United Nations in the
area of the fight against terrorism: the 12 conventions
whose ratification and implementation make them
crucial weapons in preventing and fighting against this
scourge. Because of its particular significance at this
time, I refer specifically to the work of the General
Assembly on the draft global convention on terrorism.
The great efforts made by the great majority of
delegations in search of compromise solutions bear
witness to a renewed convergence of wills in pursuit of
this common goal. We should take advantage of the
current momentum of collective commitment to reach
the speedy completion of this essential instrument.
Portugal has already signed 11 of the 12
international conventions against terrorism and is
strongly committed to fully implementing their
provisions. Yesterday we deposited our instrument of
ratification for the International Convention for the
Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, and shortly we will
deposit our instrument of ratification for the Protocol
for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at
Airports Serving International Civil Aviation. We
welcome the adoption of Security Council resolutions
1368 (2001) and 1373 (2001), which are fundamental
instruments for the cohesion of the international
community in its legitimate fight against terrorism. I
would also like to highlight the measures contained
therein for the fight against terrorist financing — an
absolutely crucial area.
As I have already stated, Portugal has supported
from the beginning the international campaign under
way in Afghanistan, which has been legitimized by the
deliberations of the United Nations. Those responsible
for the terrorist acts that claimed the lives of thousands
of innocent civilians on 11 September must be captured
and tried, and their military infrastructure must be
eliminated. In our view, the principles guiding the
intervention in Afghanistan should include the
preservation of territorial integrity and the unity of the
country, as well as the establishment of a broadly
supported, multi-ethnic and representative
Government.
We believe that, from the very start, the Afghan
people should be associated with the reconstruction of
their country, which has been devastated in recent years
by a brutal regime that is not recognized
internationally. The international community should
19

spare no efforts in alleviating the serious humanitarian
situation affecting the Afghan people.
Finally, let me reiterate that the Portuguese
Government unequivocally supports the efforts
undertaken by the United Nations, and in particular by
the Special Representative of the Secretary-General,
Mr. Lakdar Brahimi, in envisioning a transitional
governmental structure and in planning a possible
United Nations mission on the ground. In a post-
Taliban scenario, the United Nations will be called
upon to take a decisive role in the reconstruction of
Afghanistan as well as in the establishment of peaceful
relations between Afghanistan and its neighbours.
The United Nations plays an indispensable role in
the prevention of conflicts, the maintenance of
international peace and security and the reconstruction
of territories devastated by war. Numerous conflicts are
awaiting resolution and constitute a considerable
challenge to the international community’s capacity to
guarantee their peaceful and definitive settlement.
The situation in the Middle East, specifically in
Palestine, is the most worrisome, placing even
international security at risk. The international
community can spare no efforts to ensure that Israel
and the Palestinians return to the path of dialogue.
Only there will a solution be found that is just, both for
the Palestinian people — who have fought for decades
for the recognition of their homeland, an inalienable
and undeniable right, and for dignified living
conditions within a sovereign and responsible
Palestinian State — and for Israel, which has an equal
right to live in security in the region and at peace with
its neighbours.
As another example of international conflicts that
drag on, apparently with no definitive resolution in
sight, my country profoundly regrets the continuation
of the armed conflict in Angola and its severe
humanitarian consequences. Portugal reaffirms its
commitment to and support for the search for a
political solution to this problem, in line with the
provisions of the Acordos de Paz, the Lusaka Protocol
and the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. It
is essential that the commitments undertaken with
regard to the international community, and principally
with regard to the Angolan people, be respected.
Portugal encourages the Angolan Government to
redouble its efforts to achieve national reconciliation.
We also encourage the introduction of political and
economic reforms in Angola, with a view to
reinforcing in particular the legitimacy of its
representative and pluralistic institutions and the
strengthening of the credibility of its monetary and
financial structures.
We also appeal for a return to political means on
the part of those — such as the sector that inspires the
more radical line of UNITA — that have resorted to
methods, namely violence against civilians, that have
placed them outside the international community. In
fact, the absence of constructive proposals — including
with regard to a ceasefire or the cessation of offensive
operations — does not contribute to the
implementation of possible platforms for dialogue,
which the current situation demands.
We praise the important and increasing
contribution made by Angolan society, particularly its
churches, to peace and reconciliation. We believe that a
United Nations presence in Angola continues to be
essential and should be encouraged.
In that vein, I would like to actively encourage
the Secretary-General to intensify all possible efforts to
relaunch the peace process in Angola with a view to
the adequate implementation of the Lusaka Protocol, so
that that great country can finally guarantee tranquillity
to its citizens and recover its standing and the role to
which it is entitled in international life, fully taking
part in achieving the objectives of the African
renaissance. I am certain that the troika of observer
States, as well as the African regional organizations
and the European Union, will firmly support the
contribution of the Secretary-General to a definitive
resolution of the Angolan issue.
When the international community successfully
intervenes in a conflict, it should not be turned aside
from the consolidation of the solutions reached. The
United Nations has the responsibility of maintaining an
appropriate level of involvement until the definitive
conclusion of the peace process, so as not to put at risk
the investments made and expectations created. The
United Nations should proceed without hesitation in
supporting the creation of viable nations.
I welcome the Security Council’s endorsement of
this understanding with regard to East Timor, on 31
October. The international community cannot neglect
the consolidation of the solutions achieved in East
Timor, whose transition to independence is, in fact, a
clear case of success for the United Nations and a
20

special reason for pride for the Community of
Portuguese-Speaking Countries. I take this opportunity
to underline that this entire process has been conducted
in an exemplary manner by the United Nations
Transitional Administration in East Timor under the
leadership of Sergio Vieira de Mello.
The work of the United Nations towards the
consolidation of a new and indisputably sovereign,
democratic and economically viable State only
reinforces the credibility of the Organization at a time
in international life when its inspiration and leadership
are more needed than ever before to correctly manage
the great global challenges of the twenty-first century.


Allow
me at the outset to congratulate you, Sir, on your
election as President of the General Assembly. We are
especially pleased that the designation went to a
personality with such a remarkable career, a
representative of the Republic of Korea, a country that
maintains a friendly relationship and intense
cooperation with Argentina. I also wish to
acknowledge the excellent way in which the Foreign
Minister of Finland, Mr. Harri Holkeri, presided over
the Assembly at its fifty-fifth session.
I would also like to express our satisfaction at the
re-election of the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan,
for a second term. This reflects the unanimous support
of the international community for the way in which he
has decisively confronted the great challenges of peace,
the rule of law and development at this very difficult
stage of international life. The support given to him by
the Member States reflects the widespread high opinion
of his efforts and the work of the Organization, which
was confirmed by the Nobel Peace Prize, a distinction
that brings honour to those who work in the service of
the United Nations and to its clear-sighted Secretary-
General.
This distinction also comes at a moment when the
full relevance of the United Nations has become
dramatically urgent as a result of the criminal attacks
against the United States of 11 September. In the face
of those events, I wish to reiterate our solidarity and
commitment with its Government and people. It was an
attack against us all, against all humankind.
Those events have shown that terrorism can strike
at any State and that no country can fight it in isolation.
It is an international threat, and the only existing
institution with the global reach, the United Nations,
21

must confront that threat within the political and legal
framework established by the Organization.
The Millennium Declaration had already set as
one of its objectives the adoption of concerted
measures against international terrorism and the need
for all States to accede as soon as possible to all the
relevant international conventions. The adoption of
Security Council resolutions 1368 (2001) and 1373
(2001) and of General Assembly resolution 56/1 shows
that the United Nations has been equal to the
circumstances, with the goal of using every means
available to counter the threat to peace and security
represented by terrorism.
The global effort against terrorism is an
imperative for the international community, one
blessed by the United Nations. Within the guidelines
approved by the Organization, all States, groups of
States or regional organizations must contribute to this
common struggle.
Argentina expresses its full commitment to the
fight against terrorism. Our nation has twice suffered
attacks of this nature, in 1992 and 1994. The memory
of those events helps us to understand the grief for
innocent victims and to say that this fight is also our
fight.
The recent Security Council and General
Assembly resolutions have been supplemented by other
instruments that reflect the will of the majority of
States to define any terrorist act, without exception, as
criminal and unjustifiable, no matter what the intended
purposes. Existing resolutions and conventions have
outlined a series of specific measures and rules to
foster judicial and police cooperation and have
criminalized many acts of terrorism, enshrining the
principle that all States have an obligation to prosecute
and punish the perpetrators.
Argentina is a party to the majority of the
international treaties in effect and is making progress
on ratifying the remainder, among them the
International Convention for the Suppression of
Terrorist Bombings, of 1997, and the International
Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of
Terrorism, of 1999. We support the conclusion of the
conventions currently under consideration that should
be finalized before the end of this year, such as the
convention on nuclear terrorism. I hope that the
negotiations on a convention of a general nature will be
successfully concluded. The existence of political
differences or different interpretations related to other
situations should not distract us from the urgent need to
develop an instrument that would encompass all
aspects of this threat.
At the level of the hemisphere, we have put into
practice the regional system of legitimate defence and
collective security established in the Inter-American
Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance. At the same time, we
have fostered the full operation of the Inter-American
Committee on Terrorism and the drafting of an inter-
American convention, that complements existing
universal conventions, as well as the convening of a
special conference on hemispheric security.
At the regional level, the countries of the
Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) are
promoting measures to enhance technical and
operational coordination, cooperation and assistance
among the various agencies entrusted with the fight
against terrorism in the field.
We must be aware that the approach to this
problem will be incomplete if we fail to recognize the
factors that nourish terrorism. In the framework of the
increasing interdependence that characterizes the
present stage of economic life, the benefits of
development reach only a few States, and the
increasing marginalization of countries and societies
that live in extreme poverty, the tragedy of neglected or
undernourished children, sickness and hunger become
more evident. This uneven economic distribution, made
even more tangible by modern communications, causes
frustration in wide sectors of the dispossessed and
creates the conditions for the outbreak of conflicts and
confrontations, on which fundamentalist movements of
various kinds are at work. This is why we need to
reaffirm here the fundamental statement made a few
years ago by Pope Paul VI: “the new name for peace is
development”.
This is a task for the international community as a
whole, in a joint effort and a spirit of solidarity. It is
wrong to minimize the importance of international
cooperation and to leave on their own those who have
problems surviving in the face of global economic
competition.
The launching of a new round of negotiations at
the World Trade Organization (WTO) could be an
important signal to control the increasingly
protectionist tendencies and to promote world
economic recovery in the short term and growth in the
22

long term. It is a signal that will also bring additional
confidence to the financial markets. Through the
launching of a new round in Qatar, the 142 member
countries of the WTO could give impetus to a process
that lays the foundations for a more equitable and
peaceful world.
The persistence of conflicts such as the one in the
Middle East is a source of tension, with a wide range of
repercussions for the region, causing legitimate
concern for the international community. The
Argentine Republic wishes to renew its expression of
support for a stable and lasting peace in the Middle
East, based on respect for the inalienable right of the
Palestinian people to self-determination and to
establish an independent State, as well as recognition
of the right of the State of Israel to live in peace within
safe and internationally recognized borders.
Violence and terrorism in any form are absolutely
unacceptable and can only exacerbate the situation.
The parties should urgently agree on a ceasefire and
begin negotiations on a final settlement, which until
recently seemed reachable.
The Secretary-General has offered us a road map
for implementing the Millennium Declaration, which
provides a responsible programme for confronting our
current serious circumstances. The principal milestones
of that road map deserve our support as a sound way
towards peace-building and strengthening our security:
the rule of law to fight terrorism with determination;
conflict prevention and the strengthening of
peacekeeping operations; the reform of sanctions
regimes in order to avoid affecting civilian
populations; the eradication of poverty and the
promotion of development; respect for fundamental
human rights throughout the world and for political and
religious plurality; and the firm rejection of any
attempt to associate certain religious creeds or
nationalities with violence or terrorism.
We also share the Secretary-General’s view of the
importance of putting an end to the culture of impunity
by bringing to trial the perpetrators of extremely
serious international crimes. We underscore the
historical importance of the establishment of the
International Criminal Court and we reaffirm our
support for measures to promote its prompt launching.
The great majority of humankind desires a future
of peace and progress. The irrationality and violence of
a minority can be isolated and defeated on the basis of
cooperation among nations following these general
principles, which we endorsed in the Millennium
Declaration, and in regard to which we propose
concrete measures today. We trust that we shall be up
to that challenge.
I cannot conclude without recalling, as the
General Assembly already knows, that the Argentine
Republic is still engaged in a sovereignty dispute with
the United Kingdom over the Malvinas, South Georgias
and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding
maritime areas. The recovery of the full exercise of
sovereignty over that part of our national territory,
respecting the interests of their inhabitants and
international law, is a precept enshrined in our
Constitution. This issue is on the agenda of this
Organization, which through repeated resolutions has
asked the Governments of Argentina and the United
Kingdom to resume negotiations on a just and lasting
solution to the sovereignty dispute and thus to put an
end to a colonial situation imposed by force in 1833.
Today, in response to that request, Argentina
again reiterates its full readiness to resume bilateral
negotiations with the United Kingdom in order to
resolve the issue, as well as its support for the mission
of good offices appropriately entrusted to the
Secretary-General by the General Assembly to assist
the parties in achieving that goal.
I conclude by calling for peace, justice and
solidarity, so widely sought by all peoples defending
life throughout the world.


Let
me express our deep sadness at the human loss
resulting from the crash this morning of an American
aircraft in a Queens neighbourhood and our
condolences to the families of the victims.
I wish to congratulate Mr. Han Seung-soo and his
friendly country on his election as President of the
fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly. Let me
also pay tribute to his predecessor for his able
stewardship of the last session.
Furthermore, I extend warm congratulations to
the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, on his re-
26

election for a second term of office, as well as on his
well-deserved award, jointly with the United Nations,
of the Nobel Peace Prize. That was an
acknowledgement of Mr. Annan’s remarkable track
record in serving the purposes and principles of the
Charter and a symbolic token of recognition of the
centrality and relevance of the vital role of the United
Nations in the world community.
This great city which hosts our world
Organization and the United States of America and its
people have been struck by a cowardly terrorist attack
that targeted innocent civilians. In truth, this act of
aggression was committed not just against the United
States but, in fact, against the entire international
community and humanity. For it seems that the larger
objective of the evil and dark forces that planned and
executed those atrocities was the terrorization and
intimidation of all of us and the precipitation of a
worldwide cultural and religious confrontation. Their
aim was to undermine and shatter our sense of common
confidence and the bonds that unite us by stripping us
of our own sense of security and driving us to deal with
each other in an atmosphere of mistrust, fear and
hatred.
One of the many painful impacts of those terrorist
attacks is the demonstration of the depth of
interdependence in our modern life. The repercussions
went beyond the United States. The victims belonged
to dozens of nations, including Jordan, and all of us
almost instantly felt the negative economic effects.
Thus the fight against terrorism should be
comprehensive. This means forging a unity of purpose
and determination to win this war on all fronts. It also
means exercising care and caution so that we do not
fall into the trap set by the terrorists. Indeed, our war
against terrorism is neither a religious war nor a clash
between one civilization and another — or even
between one nation and another.
Last 11 September, Jordan reaffirmed its long-
standing and clear position, which is anchored in its
firm policy of rejecting the use of terrorism in
international relations, irrespective of any argument
advanced, pretext invoked or label given. Thus, His
Majesty King Abdullah II declared Jordan’s categorical
condemnation of the terrorist attacks perpetrated
against the United States and Jordan’s support for the
international effort against terrorism. In the same vein,
His Majesty expressed resolve to safeguard the sanctity
of the Islamic faith from any abuse or distortion caused
by terrorism or terrorists, insisting that terrorists must
be deprived of any opportunity to hijack religion and to
misuse it to serve their purposes or advance their
agenda. In particular, terrorists must be barred from
provoking a confrontation between Islam and the rest
of the world.
The suppression and defeat of those pernicious
schemes require, among other things, the enhancement
of understanding among peoples and cultures. They
also demand a genuine respect for cultural diversity.
Human pluralism should, ideally, be a force of
enrichment and inspiration for the community of
nations. The world is perhaps pressed now more than
ever to launch a meaningful dialogue among
civilizations that highlights common denominators
with a view to promoting tolerance and reinforcing our
ability to coexist and interact in peace and harmony.
The United Nations system remains the appropriate
framework and venue for such a dialogue.
Islam and Muslims throughout history have
enriched human civilization. The contributions of
Muslim scholars in science, literature and culture in
general reached the heights they did due to a climate of
open-mindedness, tolerance and pluralism established
by Islam.
We in Jordan take pride in the true coexistence
and integration of our community life, which has been
fashioned over the past 14 centuries. Muslims and
Christians live side by side in national unity, where
religious pluralism is an enriching factor, making
Jordanian society a good example of social harmony
and interaction.
Terrorism will exploit political, economic and
social imbalances and the absence of justice to advance
its goals. Therefore, addressing the main causes of
despair, frustration and sense of injustice in a serious
manner is perhaps the most effective way to confront
terrorism and pre-empt its potential appeal and support.
We recognize that a truly effective international
effort to eradicate terrorism primarily requires, as far as
the Middle East region is concerned, a just and
acceptable resolution of the question of Palestine,
whose long-running implications on the ground remain
the chief source of pain and suffering across the region.
The current situation of constant killings and
destruction as a result of Israel’s practices of using
27

force against the Palestinian people and the siege of
their towns and communities constitute a constant
incitement that feeds escalation in a way that endangers
security and stability throughout the whole region.
Jordan firmly believes that the resolution of this
conflict will not be possible by the use of force or by
security and coercive measures. There is really no
alternative before the two sides but to return to the
negotiating table as equal partners and to seek a
settlement that ensures their legitimate rights and their
future. This option will remain elusive until parallel
mutual steps are adopted on the basis of the accords
and obligations agreed upon by both the Palestinian
and Israeli sides.
His Majesty King Abdullah II has been engaged
in enormous efforts to help the region break out of the
vicious circle engulfing it because of the ongoing
confrontations between the two sides. King Abdullah
has contributed positively to the intense international
contacts and efforts to achieve that goal. Those
endeavours have indeed led to the building of a full
international consensus on the requirements needed to
break the current deadlock. Those requirements
include, in the first place, ending the use of the Israeli
military machine against the Palestinian people, lifting
the blockade imposed on them and abandoning the
policy of assassinations and incursions into areas under
the control of the Palestinian National Authority.
Implementing those steps would set out an
appropriate entry to start the implementation of the
recommendations of the Mitchell Commission, the
thrust of which is to create favourable conditions that
allow return to the negotiating table.
Ten years after the Madrid Peace Conference, the
region is seething with frustration over the failure to
reach the long-awaited peace. People there are no
longer satisfied by the mere existence of a peace
process. Therefore, the revival of the peace process in
itself is no longer tenable in the absence of a genuinely
meaningful effort that translates into concrete progress
on the road to peace.
Prolonged confrontations have resulted not only
in the failure to carry out several obligations agreed
upon, but also in retreating from undertakings that
were already in place. This demonstrates that phased
and interim agreements are inadequate and ineffective
to address the status quo. Therefore, starting the final
status negotiations has become now a pressing priority
in order to achieve the principal objective of the peace
process, namely, the fulfilment of the national rights of
the Palestinian people and the establishment of their
viable independent State in their homeland, as well as
the guaranteeing of the security of Israel.
Peace that can be acceptable to the peoples of the
region must be comprehensive in terms of resolving, on
the one hand, the whole array of major issues: the
occupied territories, Jerusalem, the refugees, security
and weapons of mass destruction, and economic
cooperation; and including on the other, all tracks and
the States concerned.
Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338
(1973) remain the basis of the peace process. Their
implementation requires putting in place the true
components of peace: primarily, the renunciation of the
settlement policy which contradicts the “land for
peace” principle and which is in itself a flagrant breach
of international law. Peace and settlements are
mutually exclusive.
Holy Jerusalem is key to peace. It is an occupied
Palestinian territory subject to the application of
resolution 242 (1967), which aims at achieving Israeli
withdrawal therefrom and from the rest of the
Palestinian territories — occupied in 1967 — so that
Jerusalem will become the capital of the State of
Palestine. In addition, an appropriate formula will have
to be worked out to ensure that the entire city of
Jerusalem will be open, freedom of worship for all will
be safeguarded and the city will be a factor of unity
and reconciliation among all believers in God.
The issue of refugees represents the worst form of
injustice and frustration in the conflict. Justice must be
secured for the Palestinian refugees in order to
eliminate the greatest source of frustration and
suffering in the region. Jordan, time and again, has
made clear its firm position in relation to the question
of refugees here in the Assembly. Let me emphasize
that Jordan will accept only a solution to the question
of refugees that takes fully into account its rights and
interests as a State, as well as the rights and interests of
its citizens, on the basis of international law and all
relevant United Nations resolutions.
Lack of trust between the two sides precludes
their ability to achieve any progress without an active
involvement by a third party. Jordan welcomes
President George W. Bush’s announcement endorsing a
solution that ensures the existence of two States,
28

including the establishment of a Palestinian State on
the Palestinian territory currently occupied by Israel, in
accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions.
This announcement completes the international
consensus on the fundamental requirement for
achieving peace in the region. It is our hope that the
United States efforts will continue with support from
the countries of the European Union, the Russian
Federation and the international community as a whole
in order to reach that goal.
A comprehensive peace must include Israeli
withdrawal from the occupied Syrian territories to the
border of 4 June 1967 and the completion of its
withdrawal from the remaining occupied Lebanese
territories on the basis of relevant Security Council
resolutions.
The suffering of Iraq and its people, due to the
international sanctions imposed against them for more
than 11 years, is yet another source of frustration and
tension in the region. Jordan once again stresses the
need to lift those sanctions and the importance of
creating conditions that will allow Iraq to reclaim its
active regional and international role. Jordan also
emphasizes the importance of completing the
implementation of relevant Security Council
resolutions, including those relating to Kuwaiti
prisoners and other missing persons.
We hope to see an end soon to the plight of the
people of Afghanistan so that that nation and its
political forces can agree on a form of government to
represent it. We also hope that the world community
will mount a genuine effort to assist the people of
Afghanistan in facing the tragic economic conditions
that have been afflicting them for many years.
At this juncture in human history, when we are
seeing a surge in global challenges, it becomes even
more imperative to rally around the United Nations and
to comply more faithfully with the purposes and
principles of its Charter, especially those relating to the
peaceful resolution of disputes on the basis of
international law.
It is also important not to abandon our collective
goals in terms of promoting peace, economic
development and respect for human rights. This
trilateral platform of action represents Jordan’s
domestic and foreign agenda.
Our relentless pursuit of a just peace in our region
has not disrupted our determined efforts to seek
economic, social and political development. To the
contrary, Jordan is now poised to embark on a new,
integrated enterprise that seeks more economic growth
in order to improve the living conditions of its
population and to open up new vistas of hope and
promise for our future generations. Indeed, the dignity
and welfare of the individual must always remain the
noblest goal of our national and international
endeavours.


I join with other
delegations in congratulating Mr. Han Seung-soo on his
election to chair the proceedings of the General
Assembly at its fifty-sixth session. I also take this
opportunity to express my deep satisfaction at the
award of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to the United
Nations and to Secretary-General Kofi Annan. It is a
well-deserved vote of confidence in the Secretary-
General’s leadership as well as recognition of the
pivotal role being played by the United Nations in an
era of immense challenge for the international
community during these early years of the twenty-first
century. We are greatly reassured that his firm guidance
will continue for a further term to shape the direction
of the Organization.
At this time of renewed sadness for the people of
New York and of the Dominican Republic, may I also
offer my deepest condolences to the families and
friends of those who lost their lives in Monday’s tragic
crash of American Airlines flight 587.
For all of us, this year’s journey to New York to
address the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session
stands in stark contrast to the comfortable annual
routine we have grown to appreciate. We come instead
to a city behind barricades, a people traumatized and
bewildered, a mood of foreboding and uncertainty on
the streets and in these corridors. The horror of
terrorism — one that has scarred innocent lives for
decades in the Middle East, in Northern Ireland and
other parts of Europe, in Asia, in Africa and in Latin
America — has now landed on these shores with a fury
and intensity that few of us would have thought
possible.
The Government of Barbados has been explicit
and unequivocal in its condemnation of the terrorist
attacks of 11 September and has pledged to cooperate
fully with the international community in the sustained
effort to respond to this global threat. No cause or
grievance can ever justify the use of violence as a
means of settling disputes or legitimize the taking of
innocent lives. The use of terrorism is incompatible
with the ideals of the United Nations and cannot be
allowed to prevail.
Barbados shares America’s grief, for we have lost
five proud and hard-working citizens to this senseless
carnage. We share America’s bewilderment and
disbelief, for our citizens, too, have experienced that
sense of violation and loss of innocence that comes
with an unprecedented terrorist strike. Twenty-five
years ago, on 6 October 1976, the unthinkable
happened to Barbados with the terrorist downing of a
Cubana Airlines flight just outside our territorial
waters. Although the masterminds of that attack were
identified and apprehended, they were never punished
for their crime, but were instead encouraged to remain
actively engaged in their campaign of terror. We share
America’s sense of outrage and determination to bring
the perpetrators of the 11 September attacks to justice.
We must also insist that there be zero tolerance for
terrorism, whatever its source or ideology.
Terrorism is a global problem which requires a
global solution. For many years, the United Nations
has recognized the threat which terrorism poses to the
promotion and maintenance of world peace. Since
1963, when this Organization adopted its first anti-
terrorism convention, some 12 related conventions
have been approved by the international community.
Barbados is a party to seven of these instruments.
Earlier this week, I had the honour of signing the
International Convention for the Suppression of
Terrorist Financing. Our Government is actively
reviewing the remaining conventions and their
administrative and legislative implications with a view
to providing for early adherence.
Barbados is committed to taking all necessary
measures to minimize the risk of terrorist acts being
perpetrated or financed in or from its national territory.
A thorough review of security has been undertaken at
our airport and seaport, and our authorities have taken
immediate action to ensure compliance with the
enhanced International Civil Aviation Organization and
Federal Aviation Administration guidelines issued after
11 September. We have also taken legislative action to
further strengthen our already well-regulated financial
services regime through amendments to the Money
Laundering (Prevention and Control) Act and the
Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act. Within the
Caribbean Community we have agreed to increase
cooperation in intelligence-gathering, analysis and
dissemination among our security and enforcement
personnel. We expect shortly to be in a position to
report in detail to the Security Council on measures
taken in compliance with the terms of resolution 1373
(2001).
Just as we agree that terrorism is a global
phenomenon to which no country can consider itself
13

immune, so too must we understand that it is a complex
problem necessitating a multidimensional response. As
the Secretary-General has so aptly put it in the 44th
meeting, in his opening statement of the general
debate:
“We face two possible futures: a mutually
destructive clash between so-called civilizations
based on the exaggeration of religious and
cultural differences, or a global community,
respecting diversity and rooted in universal
values. The latter must be our choice, but we can
achieve it only if we bring real hope to the
billions now trapped in poverty, conflict and
disease.”
We must all accept that the struggle against
terrorism can never hope to succeed if it is viewed
simply as a military campaign to strike at the power
base of the latest practitioners of terror. It must also
seek to find effective and lasting solutions to the
problems of underdevelopment, poverty and
deprivation, inequality, intolerance and injustice that
marginalize so large a percentage of the world’s
population. For it is from these conditions of
hopelessness and despair that spring new converts to
the cause of terrorism.
The events of 11 September and the extent to
which they have had an impact on the economic
fortunes of all of our countries have shown us the other
face of globalization: the reality of our growing
economic interdependence. Now more than ever, there
is a need to recognize the value of multilateralism and
the pre-eminent role of the United Nations in the
search for lasting solutions to the challenges that will
confront us in the early years of the twenty-first
century. The importance of giving priority to a
revitalized development agenda cannot be overstated.
In this regard, Barbados looks to the International
Conference on Financing for Development as a
constructive forum for refocusing the dialogue on
effective mechanisms for the implementation of the
stalled development agenda. We agree there is need to
reform the international economic and financial
architecture to meet the current development
challenges. We are pleased that international tax
cooperation will be one of the issues discussed at the
Conference.
Many developing countries, including Barbados,
were encouraged to diversify into the financial services
sector as a viable development alternative and now
derive a significant proportion of their national revenue
from that source. We therefore continue to insist on the
need for universal participation in decisions that affect
the operation of this sector.
Barbados is far advanced in the implementation
of its national commitments under Agenda 21. We
believe that the World Summit on Sustainable
Development presents an important opportunity to
build a new and expanded relationship with our
development partners for the full implementation of
commitments already undertaken at Rio. Johannesburg
should not merely review the status of progress of Rio,
but should also outline strategies for dealing decisively
with the sustainable development challenges that have
emerged since 1992. For all small island developing
States, follow-up of the Barbados Programme of
Action will form an integral part of this process.
Naturally, the Caribbean Basin countries will
continue their efforts to create a special regime for the
Caribbean Sea with the ultimate goal of achieving its
recognition as a special area in the context of
sustainable development.
It is no secret that the efforts towards the creation
of a new international trading system have resulted in
bitter disappointment for the majority of developing
countries, which have been severely disadvantaged by
the imbalance of rights, obligations, benefits and
concessions agreed at Uruguay, and by the failure of
Seattle to address that imbalance. We hope that the
Doha decision to launch a new round will lead to a
meaningful resolution of these critical developing
country concerns. We are convinced that sustained
economic and social progress for the developing world
will be achievable only within the framework of a fair,
equitable and inclusive trading arrangement that gives
due recognition to the differences in size and level of
development of Member States.
We welcome the agreement on drug patents,
which represents a major victory for the efforts of
developing countries to respond to their priority public
health needs and is of great significance in the fight
against HIV/AIDS.
The impact of the 11 September events on the
Caribbean has been immediate and severe. The
economic repercussions have served to emphasize the
extreme fragility and vulnerability of our small States
in the international economy. The countries of the
14

Caribbean Community, whose economies are heavily
dependent on tourism and financial services, have
joined forces to coordinate a regional emergency
response and recovery strategy to mitigate the effects
of the crisis.
It is clear, however, that responses at the national
and regional levels alone will be inadequate to deal
with the magnitude of this unprecedented situation. In
the words of the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Right
Honourable Owen Arthur:
“the international financial community has
traditionally required developing countries to rely
heavily on policy responses to deal with
economic crisis. But the situation that we face has
not been caused by policy failure, recklessness or
financial excesses by developing countries.
“Policy responses without the commitment
of real financial resources will therefore not
suffice. Barbados therefore stands ready to
support a well-conceived response from the
international financial community to the crisis at
hand.”
It is the mission of the United Nations to promote
the peaceful coexistence and the political, social and
economic welfare of the world’s peoples. It is in this
context that we must recognize the significance of the
World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
and renew our confidence in the capacity of
multilateral organizations to resolve differences and
promote a sense of shared values. This Conference
presented a unique opportunity for countries to take a
proactive approach in defusing both historic and
contemporary conflicts and in coming to terms with the
injustices of the past and creating new understandings
for the future.
We regret that in many respects the Conference
did not get the serious high-level attention it deserved
and that the treatment of its fundamental issues was
less wide-ranging and definitive than we would have
wished. In the words of Professor Hilary Beckles, of
the Barbados delegation:
“The crisis of modernity that finds expression in
spiralling racial hatred, xenophobia and related
intolerance is not the sole burden of any one part
of the global community, even though the victims
of the crimes of which I speak continue to feel in
the course of everyday life the kind of pain and
anguish not easily imagined by others.”
The citizens of the Caribbean are a transplanted
people, who have forged from the crucible of slavery,
colonialism and economic exploitation a vibrant,
pluralistic, multiracial society built on tolerance and
respect for ethnic, religious and cultural diversity. In
these difficult times, we believe that there is much that
can be learned from our experiences and much that can
be done to promote the culture of peace and
understanding, especially among the youth. In this
regard, Barbados attaches importance to the early
convening of the General Assembly special session on
children and to a rededication of efforts to achieve the
international development targets already set.
We would do well to remember that, in the words
of the Secretary-General, “none of the issues that faced
us on 10 September has become less urgent”. Indeed, it
would be an unfortunate irony if the global response to
terrorism were conducted in such a manner — through
the massive redeployment of resources from other
priorities, such as the fight against narcotics
trafficking, extreme poverty, disease and environmental
degradation — as to further exacerbate the economic,
political and cultural instabilities which are the primary
breeding ground for terrorism.
Small countries like my own are not part of the
problem, but we are nevertheless required to be part of
the solution, in circumstances that place a
disproportionate burden on our financial, human and
administrative resources, which had already been
struggling to respond to the global economic recession.
Barbados remains fully committed to the United
Nations system and to the values it seeks to promote.
We are keenly aware of the important work the United
Nations continues to carry out in the eastern Caribbean.
We are pleased to provide tangible support for that
work through the provision of purpose-built
headquarters to house the seven agencies whose
subregional offices are located in Bridgetown. We will
continue to work closely with the agencies in
developing a model partnership for eastern Caribbean
development.
In this context, we welcome the support of the
United Nations Development Programme, in
partnership with the International Monetary Fund and
the Government of Canada, for the Caribbean
Technical Assistance Centre, which was inaugurated
15

last week in Barbados. We look forward to similar
levels of United Nations cooperation for other
important programmes, in particular that of the United
Nations International Drug Control Programme
(UNDCP), whose work is providing critical support to
the region in an extremely volatile international
economic and security environment.
Two years ago, the Prime Minister of Barbados
emphasized that we were leaving the twentieth century
and entering the twenty-first conscious of the dangers,
but excited by the prospects. Recent events must not be
allowed to dampen our optimism. We must remain firm
in the hope that humanity possesses the fortitude and
determination to triumph in the face of extreme
adversity, and that respect for diversity, human dignity
and the sanctity of human life will prevail.
We are not expected to complete this task, but
neither are we at liberty to abstain from it.


I bid the Assembly welcome
from the people of Nauru, the pleasant little island of
the Pacific. Let me avail myself of the opportunity to
extend to you, Sir, my Government’s belated
congratulations on your assumption of the presidency
of the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly.
Much of the work of the United Nations since the
despicable attacks on the United States of America on
11 September has been focused on counter-terrorism,
and this is understandable. The Security Council’s
adoption of resolution 1373 (2001), obligating
Members to implement anti-terrorist measures, should
recognize the importance of supporting existing
regional initiatives in the fight against terrorism. To
this end, we welcome the undertakings by the Security
Council Committee on Counter-Terrorism.
The World Bank has predicted that the events of
11 September will exacerbate the already gloomy
global economic outlook. Its ripples will be felt across
all of the world’s regions, particularly in countries
dependent on tourism, remittances and foreign
investment. It is thus critical that the Security Council
allow the competent bodies of the United Nations to
assess the costs of extending, expanding or adding new
peacekeeping operations before their implementation.
Nauru joins the international community in
offering our belated but heartfelt congratulations to
Mr. Kofi Annan and the Organization on being the joint
recipients of this year’s prestigious Nobel Peace Prize.
The former President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Harri Holkeri of Finland, has to be commended for
capitalizing on the momentum generated by the
Millennium Declaration.
My delegation is pleased to endorse your
proposed agenda, Mr. President, for the fifty-sixth
session. The work of the General Assembly should be
relevant to the tasks at hand, but at the same time it
should address long-standing issues affecting the
efficiency and status of this body. Meaningful
cooperation between Member States must always be
encouraged across the boundaries of religion, ethnicity
2

and culture. The recent World Conference against
Racism is a stark reminder of how the work of the
United Nations will otherwise continue to be
frustrated; but the one significant area where the
United Nations has made little or no progress is on the
question of the reform of the Security Council. We
would therefore support a proposal to move the process
to a higher level and to deal with the complex issues in
a step-by-step fashion.
The last meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum
leaders was held in my country a few months ago. The
communiqué of that meeting has been circulated as a
document of the United Nations. In that communiqué
the Forum leaders sought to formalize cooperation
arrangements between the United Nations and the
Pacific Islands Forum. I would like to take this
opportunity to kindly request your support of the
relevant draft resolution.
The issues of climate change and sea-level rise
continue to be of major concern to my country, and we
have repeatedly voiced our deep concern about the
adverse impact of human-induced climate change,
especially on the low-lying atolls around the Pacific.
We have stressed the importance of efforts to build
appropriate human and institutional capacity.
The Kyoto Protocol represents a significant step
forward on the path to taking action to combat climate
change, but unless significant action is taken on a
practical compliance regime, there is little prospect of
any outcome being enforceable.
Nauru therefore looks forward to participating
with the rest of the world in Johannesburg next year to
review the progress made since Rio, and it is our
fervent hope that the Kyoto Protocol will have come
into force by then.
There is a special urgency for Nauru. Economic
growth in our small country has been negative for more
than a decade, and, as reflected in recent revisions of
our classification by the United Nations and the United
Nations Development Programme, our per capita
income has fallen by almost 80 per cent since the
1980s. We look to the international community, the
United Nations and its various agencies to assist us
through these difficult times and to help secure a safe
future for our children.
Our region, the world’s very first nuclear-free
zone, has a long history of supporting disarmament and
non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, born of the
region’s harsh experience with nuclear testing by
colonial Powers. The Pacific Islands Forum leaders
have again expressed their desire for the entry into
force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
Nauru will be depositing its instrument of ratification
today, and I call on other States to follow suit.
The trans-shipment of radioactive material and
MOX fuel, through our exclusive economic zones is a
continuing concern, but we are committed to pursuing
our concerns constructively and vigorously at the
appropriate political level.
Nauru’s commitment to the international effort to
combat money-laundering is unwavering. Our
Parliament passed anti-money-laundering legislation in
August of this year to correct the deficiencies in our
regulatory and administrative arrangements. However,
Nauru is disappointed not to have graduated from the
list of special non-cooperating countries despite the
fact that the legislation was drafted in close
collaboration with Financial Action Task Force on
Money Laundering (FATF) regional representatives.
We will nonetheless continue to work on satisfying the
key players in FATF on this issue, and we look forward
to working with our regional partners under the Pacific
regional action plan being developed.
Nauru, along with 20 other Member States, again
supported the inclusion of a resolution on the
admission of the Republic of China on Taiwan on the
agenda of the fifty-sixth session. While the attempt
failed, Nauru will not be discouraged from continuing
its efforts to correct this anomaly. We on Nauru
wholeheartedly believe that the Republic of China on
Taiwan has a part to play in this Organization, and its
people should not be denied a voice in this world body.
We note with pleasure the recent admission of the
Republic of China on Taiwan to the World Trade
Organization.
Finally, I wish to end my statement by revisiting
the issue of security and terrorism. It is indeed sad that
as we meet here today, there is a war going on in the
world - a war against terrorism. Prior to the horrific 11
September attacks on the United States of America, my
Government, at the request of the Government of
Australia, agreed to the use of Nauru as a refugee-
processing centre. We made this decision on
humanitarian grounds. As a consequence, we now have
on Nauru nearly 800 asylum seekers from Afghanistan,
3

Iraq and Palestine — 10 per cent of the whole
population of Nauru — along with migration personnel
from the United Nations, the International Organization
for Migration and Australia. The asylum seekers are
now being processed.
I have taken it upon myself to personally visit the
camps from time to time and to mingle with these
unfortunate people, and on several occasions have sat
down and broken bread with them. I found that they are
like you and me. They are brave human beings seeking
a better life for themselves and their children and
escape from the oppression back home.
The resources of the United Nations need to be
augmented to cope with this humanitarian tragedy, and
the international community needs to urgently tackle
the problem in a coordinated manner, not only in terms
of providing assistance and refuge where possible,
but also in terms of addressing the sources and causes
of refugees, people- smuggling and terrorism.
Understanding and responding will not necessarily
solve the problem, but it will make it easier for
Governments to share in the continuing international
effort that will be needed.
Finally, may I say that the good old days, before
11 September, are gone forever, and I shed a tear. The
sad part is that we inherited a world that was good
from our forefathers. Today, I ask, do we leave
tomorrow a better world for our children and our
children’s children? That I ask. Mr. President, we look
to you for leadership on these vital issues.
Thank you. May God bless those in sorrow. May
God bless the United States of America. And may God
bless the United Nations.