Allow me,
Madam President, to make a few preliminary remarks.
First, Saint Kitts and Nevis extends sincere
congratulations on your assumption of the presidency
of the United Nations General Assembly. My
delegation is confident that you will rise to the
occasion, and in so doing, make not just the Kingdom
of Bahrain, but the United Nations family proud of
you. Secondly, I wish to laud the leadership of His
Excellency Jan Eliasson during the course of the
sixtieth session of the United Nations General
Assembly. His leadership was propitious and
outstanding at a time of reform and intense challenges
for the United Nations.
 Thirdly, it would be remiss of me if I did not
salute the quintessential diplomat in the personality of
His Excellency Kofi Annan who, for nigh on 10 years,
skilfully steered the United Nations ship through many
rough and difficult waters. We are indebted to him for
his supreme statesman-like leadership. I hail him as a
brother of the diaspora and a gem of human
civilization.
 Fourthly, Saint Kitts and Nevis warmly welcomes
the Republic of Montenegro into the United Nations
family. It has taken a bold step in order to play an
active role in the international discourse and we
applaud it for that initiative.
 This year’s theme “Implementing a Global
Partnership for Development” coincides with my
country’s focus on linking the need for human rights
with the desire for a comprehensive and sustainable
human development strategy. For too long, the issues
of human rights and human development have not
always run in parallel. My delegation believes that
oversight needs to be corrected.
 Over the years, the international community has
focused its attention either on human rights violations,
or on human development. What has transpired at
times is, unfortunately, a withdrawal of resources from
one programme to supplement the other, which then
has an adverse effect on the former. What I suggest
today is that there should be a strategy of linking
human rights and human development so as to ensure
that our peoples are cared for in a holistic manner.
 Many of us may recall that during the previous
session of the General Assembly, when the Human
Rights Council was being established, there was a call
for the right to development to be included within the
broader theme of human rights. My delegation believes
that is, in principle, still necessary. At the same time,
we also believe that development in all of its forms
will not have any long-term effects or benefits unless
human rights are incorporated in that development.
 We propose, therefore, that during the sixty-first
session the Assembly ensure that the drive for a global
partnership for development is pursued with the goal of
ensuring that human rights and human development
run in tandem and, in effect, complement each other.
My delegation believes that only through that approach
can true global partnerships for development occur.
 Those ideals can be achieved. Saint Kitts and
Nevis has witnessed the possibility first-hand. Within
the Caribbean Community, we have embarked upon a
regional partnership for development and in that
development we have ensured that the rights of our
citizens and the development of our people are at the
forefront of our regional partnership. A few months
ago, we formally established the CARICOM Single
Market and Economy. That was an initiative years in
the making; CARICOM member States remained
cognizant of all the effects that the initiative would
have on its people, and we attempted, of course, to
address them all.
 We acknowledged that there would be growing
pains but we also realized that, for our nationals to
truly benefit in this rapidly globalizing world, it was
necessary. However, my CARICOM colleagues and I
have sought to minimize any short-term negative
effects.
 For a country like mine, which only recently
made the painful decision to close our 360-year-old
sugar industry, the partnerships we have nurtured
within CARICOM have helped to ease the pain and
helped to prepare us for the Single Market. What we
need on a global scale is: partnerships for development
that consider and ensure human rights and human
development for every State.
 Whatever way is deemed most appropriate,
partnerships should begin with mutual respect and a
commitment to understanding each other. We live in a
diverse world, and, owing to globalization, that
diversity is felt now more than ever before. If we do
not strive to respect and understand each other,
tensions will mount and instability will reign.

5 06-53952

 That is why Saint Kitts and Nevis has stood at
this rostrum time and time again, and called for the
human rights of the people of the Republic of China —
Taiwan — to be acknowledged in this body. The
Republic of China is a democratic country that has
continued to embody the principles of the United
Nations. That country has continued to ensure that
human rights and human development are nurtured and
preserved together, and has many contributions to
make in the pursuit of a global partnership for
development. It has been a great and magnificent
friend to several States members of the United Nations
family, and not just those with which it has diplomatic
ties. We, as the pre-eminent international body, owe the
Republic of China and its 23 million people our
support and acceptance, and we owe ourselves the
benefit of having the Republic of China fully
participating in the United Nations system.
 My delegation would like to single out and
applaud the peoples of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo and of Haiti for striving to overcome periods of
instability and uncertainty through the democratic
process. For the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
more than two generations have passed between
democratic elections. And Haiti’s 200-year history has
been tumultuous in terms of its approach to democratic
life. The Caribbean Community was especially pleased
with the important democratic step taken by the
Republic of Haiti, and we were able this year to
welcome Haiti back into our fold.
 Those landmark elections could not have
occurred without a concerted effort by all concerned to
undertake partnerships, while respecting each other and
striving for full and comprehensive human rights and
human development, along with a desire for peace.
This is a fragile period for those countries, but my
delegation lauds their efforts and initiatives, and we
stand firm in our commitment to join in the global
partnership for the development of those two countries.
 One year ago, the heads of State or Government
of the majority of the States Members of the United
Nations signed on to the World Summit Outcome
Document (resolution 60/1). The document was viewed
as the catalyst for a renewed commitment to a global
partnership for development, security and human
rights. During the sixtieth session, that commitment
was further solidified with the establishment of the
Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights
Council. Dialogue continued on issues relating to the
reform of the United Nations. However, more
commitment and partnership are needed to see these
reforms come to fruition.
 We must make a concerted effort. I cannot stress
that enough. If we were to be honest with ourselves,
we would acknowledge that the principles of the
United Nations have not been at the forefront of our
negotiations and that human rights and human
development have not been universally preserved. I
have already alluded to our diversity, but that must not
continue to produce adversity. Rather, it should
produce a more holistic reform agenda.
 Saint Kitts and Nevis remains committed to
action on the reform of the United Nations. The reform
of the United Nations must be transparent. Three of the
more contentious areas of the reform of the United
Nations have revolved around the issue of
transparency. I speak of the reform of the Security
Council and of the General Assembly, and the process
of selecting the Secretary-General.
 The United Nations has evolved. We all have to
come to terms with that fact. The body that existed 61
years ago could not operate in the world of today. Full
representation is necessary, and transparency is a must.
This, in our view, is tantamount to a successful global
partnership.
 For this session of the General Assembly, Saint
Kitts and Nevis proposes a renewed emphasis on
human rights and human development. We have
actually begun that process in a very promising way
with the recently concluded High-level Dialogue on
International Migration and Development. In that
regard, we agree that it is imperative that the human
rights and human development of migrants be taken
into serious consideration to ensure greater production
and development in the countries involved.
 Recently, States members of the group of least
developed countries (LDCs) held a review of the
Brussels Programme of Action. My delegation supports
the initiative of the LDCs and stresses that human
rights and development must remain core principles in
the partnerships of LDCs with other members of the
international community.
 For my own country of Saint Kitts and Nevis, we
ask that the international community also remain
committed to the Mauritius Strategy for the Further
Implementation of the Programme of Action for the

06-53952 6

Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States.
 Realizing sustainable development presents a
formidable challenge for small island developing
States. They remain vulnerable to natural disasters, to
climate change and to the effects of globalization and
trade liberalization. We still need to examine the issue
of graduation closely and at our own pace. Our cultural
products still remain susceptible to piracy and our
opportunities for reaping the benefits of science and
technology are still limited. Developing countries are
still locked out of the decision-making processes of the
global financial institutions, whose policies often
undermine and — yes — circumscribe development. In
our view, true global partnership should translate into
consideration of the requirements of every Member
State, whether big or small, and of the issues critical to
them.
 During the sixty-first session, though there will
not be a high-level conference on HIV/AIDS,
pandemics such as HIV/AIDS continue to strike at the
heart of development by crippling a nation’s most
important asset, namely, its people. Without
meaningful development, women, children, the elderly
and the disabled will remain at-risk sectors of our
societies. Financing for development will still be a
major concern for all developing countries, and
international peace and security will continue to affect
us all.
 Throughout most of this year, the majority of the
United Nations membership experienced the adverse
impact of the energy crisis on growth and livelihoods.
The United Nations family, which comprises producers
and consumers of oil and energy products, must
collectively address a global energy security pact
incorporating best practices on energy conservation
and energy sources.
 Finally, development is a matter of extreme
importance for all of us. What we need, therefore, is a
holistic approach to our global partnership. All of our
critical concerns need to be addressed. However, we
should begin with a careful consideration of human
rights and human development.


Today, we stand on the
verge of global uncertainty. The international
landscape is scarred by wars, conflict, civil unrest,
epidemics, drought and famine. Poverty and
malnutrition continue to ravage the lives of millions of
the world’s inhabitants.
 The very values and fabric on which the United
Nations was founded are being besieged by new ideas
and principles that are undermining the authority of
this body to maintain global peace and security. The
clash of ideologies and of cultural and religious
differences continues to give much food for thought.
The United Nations stands at a crossroads. While it has
the mandate to address those challenges, it remains
paralysed as a result of actions taken by the hegemonic
Powers of today. That is the dilemma confronting the
Organization.
 The value of the human person and his or her
right to live in a world that is fair and just seems but a
dream. Ensuring the dignity of one’s right to live with
access to the most basic necessities in life remains our
greatest challenge. We speak so ambitiously of creating
a world that is equitable and just, but the outcomes
have been unimpressive.
 The schism between the minority rich and the
majority poor continues to grow. The multitudes of the
disadvantaged are being further marginalized from the
so-called benefits of globalization. Fear has struck
many small countries of the developing world. It is not
the fear that the developing world has no capabilities in
contributing to peace and security, but the fear — the
greatest fear, in fact — that the undemocratic practices
of the major United Nations organs, such as the
Security Council, are causing tension and disarray in
the work of the United Nations.
 The disparities in the quality of life between the
haves and the have-nots have grown to be fertile
breeding grounds for new and hostile generations. And
it is here that the phenomenon of terrorism continues to
challenge the frontiers of our imagination. It is perhaps
much clearer today than ever before that there are
reasons for increased resentment in certain parts of the
world.
 My Government condemns terrorism in whatever
form or manifestation it assumes, and there is an urgent
need for all the Members of the United Nations to work
together openly in combating those dangerous
developments. The destruction of innocent lives should
not be the means to meeting an end. That is inhumane.
All United Nations Member countries therefore have
the responsibility — a moral and ethical
responsibility — to eradicate that menace from the face
of the Earth.

06-53615 2

 Peace cannot be won through injustice, the
practice of double standards, aggression or war. We
cannot be victorious in the fight against terrorism if we
fail to address its root causes. Conversely, it is
incumbent on all Member States to act responsibly to
ensure the implementation of all United Nations
resolutions. Moreover, if we are to have any hope of
building a better future, then peace must sometimes
come at a price.
 We must begin to look deeply, honestly and with
open hearts if we are really to understand the world
around us. If there is a question of repressive policies
that influence and dominate the international economic
and political order, then those concerned must take
remedial action. The adoption of the resolution on the
United Nation’s Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is
therefore a positive step forward.
 The central focus on the fight against terrorism
has taken centre stage for some, and the diversion of
resources is jeopardizing the realization of the
Millennium Development Goals and official
development assistance target levels. Accessibility to
the markets of the affluent nations has also restricted
the progress of development in many countries of the
developing world. Major world players must not lose
sight of those goals.
 Inter-State relations, mutual understanding and
tolerance begin with respect for the individual. The
dignity of the human person is of the essence in
building equality between all persons. That is one of
the fundamental principles of the United Nations. As
Members of the United Nations, we have all agreed to
embrace those principles and we continue to believe in
those values. Vanuatu joined the United Nations in
1981 because it believed in the Organization. Today, I
stand before the Assembly to again reaffirm faith in the
United Nations, but I agree that changes must take
place to adapt the United Nations system to the
evolution of the international and geopolitical and
economic framework.
 Reforms of the various United Nations bodies are
therefore absolutely essential. There must be reform of
the Security Council to ensure that it is democratic and
more representative of the United Nations membership.
The veto power in the Council dilutes all the good
intentions of the majority of the United Nations
membership towards addressing many of the
challenges confronting us today. The underlying
question, though, is: Has the disproportionate use of
the veto power sustained reasonable levels of
international peace and stability?
 Cultural and religious differences cannot be seen
to be obstacles in that regard. The United Nations
brought civility and etiquette to the conduct of
relations between States, and central to that are
relations between individuals. The art of statesmanship
has therefore become very critical at this time. Respect
must therefore begin here at the United Nations. When
one world Power speaks here, this Hall is jammed.
Thereafter, the debate becomes routine. That is remiss
of many of us. The annual general debate of the
General Assembly is the only practical occasion at
which almost all leaders are together in one place to
discuss and share views on the development challenges
facing the globe. The United Nations is not about one
or several nations; it is about this family of nations
with the one common objective of maintaining
international peace and security.
 Over the past few days, millions around the globe
have monitored the unfolding debate in this noble Hall
of the General Assembly. A war of words has
resounded from this rostrum, exposing an alarming rift
in relations between some super-Powers and the voices
of the developing world. The media have exploited the
situation to scrutinize those events, often ending up
with gross assumptions and conclusions that have only
instilled fear amongst the world’s innocent population.
Now, is that the right message of hope we are giving to
our peoples, who have faith in the United Nations? Is
the United Nations not the beacon of hope for all
humanity?
 Confrontation must be resolved through tactful
diplomacy and negotiation consistent with the purposes
and principles of the United Nations Charter and
established international law. In that spirit, we also
appeal to those concerned to exercise great restraint
and to have the wisdom and responsibility to ensure
above all that any action they take serves that purpose,
which must be in the interest of future global justice,
peace and security. Any retreat from multilateralism
will result only in increased tension and aggression.
Again, mutual dialogue through appropriate
mechanisms is absolutely critical at this very delicate
time.
 On the question of the Middle East, both Israel
and Palestine have the right to live side by side in

3 06-53615

peaceful coexistence as independent and sovereign
States. The international community must be realistic
about the future. Let us allow justice, security and
long-lasting peace to prevail for both the Israeli people
and the Palestinians.
 Recently, Vanuatu was recognized by the Happy
Planet Index, published by the British-based New
Economics Foundation, as the happiest place on Earth.
We are proud to have been placed so high amongst all
countries of the world, but we have been careful not to
be carried away, and so often it is that island paradox
that conceals the diverse development challenges that
small island countries of the Pacific, such as Vanuatu,
face in today’s world of globalization.
 Last week, during the High-Level Meeting on the
Midterm Comprehensive Global Review of the
Implementation of the Programme of Action for the
Least Developed Countries, I spoke of the many
challenges facing my country in the implementation of
the Brussels Programme of Action. Vanuatu has been
showing positive signs of gradual economic growth.
However, in the light of our vulnerability to natural
disasters, exogenous market demand and supply price
fluctuations and their adverse impacts on the three
most important sectors contributing to our gross
domestic product, we consider this an inappropriate
time to include Vanuatu in the list of countries eligible
for graduation.
 Furthermore, while the current methods used to
measure the three main thresholds for graduation are
dependent on statistical variables, it is commonly
understood that statistical data for countries in the
Pacific — including Vanuatu — contain major
discrepancies. Therefore, relying solely on such data to
determine Vanuatu’s achievements in relation to the
thresholds would yield inaccurate results.
 Very soon, the General Assembly will be
considering countries recommended for inclusion in
the list of countries eligible for graduation. That list
includes Vanuatu. Our arguments for exclusion from
the list are well founded and based on practical
realities. My Government considers as premature the
recommendation by the Committee for Development
Policy to include Vanuatu on the list. We therefore call
upon Members of the United Nations to understand and
support Vanuatu’s case.
 As a responsible United Nations Member,
Vanuatu is also contributing towards international
peace and security. Vanuatu peacekeepers have
participated in United Nations peacekeeping missions
in Bosnia and East Timor, and we currently have
peacekeepers stationed in the Congo, Haiti, Côte
d’Ivoire and the Sudan. Vanuatu has also participated
in regional peacekeeping missions in Bougainville and
Solomon Islands. Those efforts illustrate Vanuatu’s
resolve to engage in peacekeeping and peacebuilding
in both the regional and international contexts.
 With regard to the question of the environment —
in particular global warming and climate change — my
Government strongly aligns itself with other small
island States in urging the international community to
reduce emissions. The failure of major emitters to sign
the Kyoto Protocol is a major disappointment.
 The Charter of the United Nations espouses the
principles that continue to guide the Organization’s
efforts in the process of self-determination. It calls for
recognition of and respect for the fundamental rights of
peoples and territories still under colonial rule. We
must not lose sight of that goal. The United Nations
must make renewed efforts where it has failed to allow
justice to prevail for those peoples who continue to be
denied their inalienable right to freedom and
democracy. We must relegate that dark legacy to the
past.
 Determining how to bring more cohesiveness and
unity to this great community of nations has now
become a much more formidable challenge. I affirm
my support for the challenging exercise before us. Our
Almighty Creator entrusted us, the human race, with
the safeguarding of a great asset, the Earth. It is
incumbent on us to make the most of that opportunity.
The world’s destiny is in our hands. In that spirit, I
extend my congratulations to Montenegro on its
admission as the 192nd Member of the United Nations.
 Before closing, I would like to acknowledge the
support of our development partners — in particular
Australia, New Zealand, France, Japan, the People’s
Republic of China, the United States of America and
the European Union — as well as the various United
Nations bodies that are strongly supporting the
development of Vanuatu. I also extend our appreciation
to India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
for their continuous support within the framework of
South-South cooperation. In addition, my Government
is encouraged by the initiative and the kind gesture of
Venezuela in committing $2 million to the Pacific

06-53615 4

islands through the work programme of the United
Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Those
are positive developments that together are
complementing the leadership role being played by my
Government in its development path.
 In closing, I take this final opportunity to pay our
respects to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for
his outstanding stewardship of the United Nations. His
wisdom has ensured that the United Nations will retain
its credibility and its relevance. During periods of
turbulence and uncertainty, he has been relentless in
the pursuit of his belief in United Nations reform. My
Government salutes him for his distinguished service
to the United Nations. We wish him all the best in his
future endeavours.


Let me
begin by congratulating the presidency on the success
of the High-level Meeting on the least developed
countries, earlier in the week. I had the honour of
participating in the Meeting, which heralded a very
productive year for the Assembly under the astute
leadership of Her Excellency Ms. Haya Rashed
Al-Khalifa, President of the General Assembly, and her
Bureau.
 I would like to express my deepest thanks and
admiration to His Excellency Secretary-General Kofi
Annan for his unparalleled dedication and contribution
to world peace and prosperity through his dedicated
service to our global Organization.
 The United Nations was created, first and
foremost, to forestall another world war. Not only has
it achieved that cardinal goal despite four decades of
cold war, but it has also offered States multiple means
of resolving their differences, short of war. However,
we cannot be sanguine about future trends. If the
primary task of the United Nations in the twentieth
century was to curb inter-State conflict, its core
mandate in the new century must be to strengthen
States and to preserve the inter-State system in the face
of new challenges.
 Some assert that the United Nations is poorly
equipped to deal with new threats, such as those posed
by non-State actors seeking to undermine the
international order. The Charter was crafted to give
Member States ample flexibility in adapting the United
Nations machinery to respond to novel threats in a
changing world. But our tools need sharpening.
 Since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001,
the United Nations has played an increasingly

25 06-53005

indispensable role in the international community’s
counter-terrorism efforts. Still, agreement on a
comprehensive convention on international terrorism
remains elusive. But we must continue to try. In the
meantime, the United Nations Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy (resolution 60/288), adopted at the
end of the sixtieth session of the Assembly, will guide
our collective efforts to free the world from the scourge
of terrorism.
 The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
poses an equally urgent and unacceptable threat to the
peace and security of the world. We cannot permit the
credibility of the international nuclear non-
proliferation regime, built around the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), to be
undermined by evasion and concealment concerning
safeguards obligations. We should redouble our efforts
to get more countries to sign and ratify International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) additional protocols.
An early start of negotiations on a fissile material cut-
off treaty and an early entry into force of the
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
should also be supported.
 Meanwhile, we must seek peaceful solutions to
the outstanding challenges to the system, including the
Iranian nuclear issue that is before the Security
Council. It is not too late to work towards a negotiated
solution on that issue with its far-reaching
implications. I would call for creative, constructive
thinking on the part of all parties concerned, so as to
resolve the issue within the framework of the NPT
regime.
 As for the situation on the Korean peninsula, the
nuclear and missile programmes of the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea constitute a serious
challenge to the non-proliferation regime, as well as to
regional security. My Government fully supports
Security Council resolution 1695 (2006). We urge the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to refrain from
any action that might aggravate the situation, and to
return to the Six-Party Talks without preconditions, for
a diplomatic resolution of the matter.
 In that regard, during the summit meeting held
last week in Washington, D.C., President Roh
Moo-hyun and President Bush agreed to work with
other nations of the Six-Party Talks to develop a
common and comprehensive approach to energize the
stalled talks. I strongly hope that those efforts will bear
fruit and that we can work to realize the
denuclearization of the Korean peninsula as envisaged
in the Joint Statement adopted on 19 September 2005.
 Although not mentioned in the Charter,
peacekeeping has become a defining feature of the
post-cold-war era, as well as the largest, most
expensive and most visible operational activity of the
United Nations. The surge in calls for the services of
the Blue Helmets attests to the Organization’s
continuing, even growing, relevance.
 The expanded United Nations Interim Force in
Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon is a
challenging case in point. To succeed, UNIFIL must
have the active support of all Member States, backed
by timely humanitarian and economic assistance. To
that end, my Government has been providing
substantial humanitarian assistance to the afflicted
population.
 The undiminished human suffering in Palestine
remains another source of deep concern. We urge the
early revival of the stalled peace process.
 The violence and the loss of innocent lives in Iraq
concern us enormously as well. We trust that Iraq will
become a stable and prosperous democracy under the
leadership of its new Government. As a friend of Iraq,
my Government supports its efforts at national
reconstruction and welcomes the recent launch of the
International Compact with Iraq to speed the process.
 In Africa, stability and democracy are gaining
ground, step by step, in Sierra Leone, Liberia and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. The security and
humanitarian crisis in Darfur, however, remains acute.
The Secretary-General’s strong personal engagement
has been critical in sustaining international attention
and the flow of assistance to the beleaguered people of
Darfur. Now, the smooth transition of the African
Union Mission in the Sudan to the United Nations
Mission in the Sudan must be accomplished in
accordance with Security Council resolution 1706
(2006).
 The performance of the United Nations cannot be
measured by the creation of new machinery, any more
than by the adoption of resolutions. As the Secretary-
General has wisely reminded us, what matters is
whether and how the United Nations makes a
difference in the lives of people and in the conduct of
States and non-State actors over time.

06-53005 26

 Two new intergovernmental bodies, the Human
Rights Council and the Peacebuilding Commission,
seek to make just such a difference. Their success,
however, is far from assured. A great deal is at stake.
Will the new Human Rights Council usher in an era of
renewed cooperation and solidarity in the work of the
United Nations on human rights? Will the universal
periodic review succeed in offering all States a candid
and constructive assessment of ways to enhance their
human rights practices?
 Together, we can make the Council the pre-
eminent global forum for the advancement of human
rights around the world. Divided, we will lose a
historic opportunity. The protection of human rights is
not a matter of choice. It is the solemn duty of all
responsible members of the international community.
Without respect for human rights — in particular for
the most vulnerable members of society — peace and
development have little meaning.
 The successful conclusion of the negotiations on
a convention on the rights of persons with disabilities
speaks to the essential humanity of the United Nations,
which is its most precious asset. The Republic of Korea
is fully committed to the principle of all human rights
for all. We deeply empathize with the suffering in those
areas of the world where human rights are given little
more than lip service.
 In particular, we fully share the international
community’s concern over the situation of human
rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
We call upon the Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea to heed those concerns and to meet the call for
dialogue on human rights.
 The United Nations greeted the twenty-first
century with a solemn promise to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
Progress has been made, but it has been far too uneven
from country to country and from region to region.
Those countries in Africa that lack the minimum
resources for development require the focused attention
and assistance of the international community. Key
goals, such as the eradication of extreme poverty and
curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases,
are in danger of slipping out of reach if we do not act
quickly and decisively.
 Meeting the MDGs by 2015 is a tall order, but we
should never forget that, for the neediest members of
humankind, the United Nations may be the only beacon
of hope for a better life. The credibility of the United
Nations largely depends upon its ability to accomplish
its mission as regards the MDGs. While developing
countries should take primary responsibility and
ownership for their own development, we must honour
our commitments and redouble our efforts to realize
effective global partnerships for development.
 The target established at the 2005 World Summit
of 0.7 per cent of gross national income for
development assistance forms the cornerstone of our
strong commitment to achieving the MDGs. Innovative
sources of financing, such as the air-ticket solidarity
fund, need to be further explored. New sources of
financing should not, however, be a substitute for
existing official development assistance (ODA). As
part of its commitment to doubling overall ODA by
2009, this year my Government launched Korea’s
Initiative for Africa’s Development. Under that
initiative, we will substantially increase our
development assistance to Africa.
 The key lessons to be drawn from the Korean
experience over the decades are that education is key to
development, and that women and girls are the most
effective agents for change and social progress. Gender
mainstreaming must be made a central pillar of policy
strategy, in particular with regard to attaining the
MDGs in such areas as eliminating poverty and
combating HIV/AIDS. Lasting social change cannot be
realized until women are fully incorporated into the
process.
 The urgency, complexity and scope of the three
pillars of the work of the United Nations — peace and
security, development and human rights — demand the
highest standards of efficient, effective and
accountable management. The highly decentralized
nature of the United Nations system puts a premium on
coherence and coordination. We must streamline the
United Nations machinery, reorganize priorities and
minimize redundancy. The High-level Panel on United
Nations System-wide Coherence may offer some fresh
ideas in that regard.
 A number of valuable ideas for reforming United
Nations management practices were contained in the
Secretary-General’s report (A/60/692) entitled
“Investing in the United Nations”. Some of those
proposals have already been adopted by the General
Assembly, while others await further consideration
during this session.

27 06-53005

 The Secretary-General’s comments on the
evolving nature of the human resource needs of the
United Nations were especially apt in the light of the
accelerating demands for field staff. The General
Assembly should give positive consideration to steps to
make the Secretariat more mobile, integrated and
multi-skilled. The United Nations needs to be able to
deploy the best people where they are needed and when
they are needed, to ensure that managers have the
requisite expertise and experience to oversee highly
dynamic and professional operations under often trying
conditions.
 Improving the accountability and oversight of the
Secretariat while building upon the measures already
taken over the past year remains a priority. The early
launch of an independent audit advisory committee that
is genuinely independent and professional, along with
steps to ensure management accountability, would be
instrumental in that regard.
 The United Nations procurement system requires
strengthened internal controls and transparent
management to match the growing dimensions of its
work.
 As Member States and stakeholders in this vital
Organization, we should address mandate review as a
historic opportunity to streamline, focus and strengthen
our collective efforts.
 This unique world body was forged by men and
women of conscience, courage and determination.
Their genius was to understand that we need the United
Nations not because we always agree but because
frequently we do not. The United Nations remains no
more and no less than what we make of it. The United
Nations journey is never easy, but it is always well
worth taking. We have come a very long way, but the
road still stretches out endlessly before us. I have every
confidence that, with the founding principles and
purposes as our guideposts, and empowered by
renewed faith and commitment, we can together go
very far and fast in the challenging and exciting times
to come.


I join other countries in
congratulating you, Madam, on your assumption of the
presidency. We in Singapore pledge our full support to
you.
 The recent war in Lebanon had no clear victor.
Israel succeeded in removing the immediate threat
across the border, but could not wipe out Hizbollah.
Hizbollah claimed victory, having survived Israeli air
bombardments and ground action, even though
enormous damage was inflicted on Lebanon. On both
sides, innocent people have suffered greatly. Whether
the present ceasefire can become a lasting peace
depends on many factors, not least the ability of the
Lebanese army and the United Nations Interim Force
in Lebanon to maintain the buffer in southern Lebanon.
But one thing is clear: without the eventual
intervention of the United Nations, the fighting would
have continued and more lives would have been lost.
 The Middle East is going through the throes of
change. In Palestine, there is no escaping a two-State
solution. However, defining the precise boundaries of
that solution is a grinding process which will take time.
No one can achieve all his demands; no party can insist
on absolute security. A new balance is being
established between Sunnis and Shiites in Lebanon,
Iraq and elsewhere in the region. This will also take
time. In many countries, there is tension between those
who are impatient for change and those who believe
that discontinuity will lead to chaos and anarchy. As
long as there is more despair than hope, terrorist
organizations will be able to find fresh recruits. What
happens in the Middle East affects the entire world. No
country is insulated, and certainly not from the terrorist
threat or from high energy prices.
 No grand solution is possible. The end of the cold
war marked the end of an era when the major Powers
could settle the terms among themselves over the heads
of lesser countries. It was not that long ago — but it
seems so strange today — that a cold peace could have
been maintained for decades by each side pointing tens
of thousands of nuclear missiles at the other.
Technology has changed the rules. Warfare has now
become asymmetric. Cruise missiles and submarines
cannot solve the problem of suicide bombers. And
those who manipulate these terrorists might well take
positions in global financial markets to benefit from
the havoc that they create.
 In a sense, technology has globalized the world
and broken it into smaller pieces. Empires have broken
up. New countries have been born. In large countries,

06-53323 24

power has devolved downwards and regions have
become more assertive. It has become a messier world,
which presents new challenges to global governance.
Improving global governance from above sometimes
seems like an impossible task. Take the reform of the
United Nations, for example: despite all the efforts
made and the fine speeches delivered, the results have
been quite modest.
 The near-collapse of the Doha talks is another
example of how difficult it is to effect change from the
top down. When the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade was formed in 1948, there were only 23
members. Today, the World Trade Organization has 149
members. No country or group of countries seems able
or willing to take the lead in brokering a compromise.
We must hope that Director-General Pascal Lamy will
succeed in his heroic efforts to rescue the Doha
development round from failure.
 There are other areas in which global action is
needed, but is insufficient. All of us worry about global
climate change, but how can there be consensus when
the costs and benefits are distributed so unevenly and
the major polluters are unwilling to accept
responsibility? We hear dire warnings from the World
Health Organization about a global flu pandemic, yet
our collective response is so feeble.
 While we should never give up hope on global
initiatives, we should be realistic, because achieving
global consensus in a multipolar world is, to say the
least, challenging. When Governments have to win
elections, they are more likely to respond to short-term
political needs than to worry about long-term global
concerns. We can often do more at the regional level:
at the regional level, the stakes are clearer to our
constituencies and the need for action is easier to
explain. The Charter recognizes the role that regional
arrangements can play in helping the United Nations to
achieve its objectives.
 In a globalized world with porous borders,
regional cooperation can often bring quick benefits. We
need only consider, for example, the simple act of
reopening, three months ago, after 44 years, the Nathu
La pass in the Himalayas between China and India.
Immediately, on both sides of the pass, ordinary people
benefited from trade and travel. New problems will
arise, of course, but they can be managed.
 All over the world now, regional initiatives are
proliferating. Many overlap. Some are modest in their
objectives, providing forums for public and private
sector leaders to meet and consult. Others are more
ambitious, creating regional free-trade areas or
fostering joint efforts against problems like drug
trafficking and terrorism. Many of these regional
initiatives are open and inclusive, and should be
encouraged. Those which are superfluous will
gradually wither away. Some can make significant
contributions to global governance and reduce the
burdens borne by the big Powers. International
organizations like the United Nations, the World Trade
Organization, the World Health Organization, the
International Atomic Energy Agency and the United
Nations Environment Programme should work with
them, strengthen their capabilities and encourage
mutual learning. These initiatives create a habit of
cooperation among neighbouring countries and reduce
misunderstanding.
 In Asia, the role of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) has not only been beneficial
to the 10 countries of South-East Asia; it has also
helped to create a larger architecture of cooperation.
Founded 39 years ago, in 1967, when the war in Indo-
China was raging, ASEAN began as a grouping to
promote what then-President Suharto of Indonesia
called “regional resilience”. The original five non-
communist countries of ASEAN — Indonesia,
Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore —
were determined to keep the peace among ourselves
and concentrate on economic development. Brunei
Darussalam joined ASEAN in 1984 after it became
independent. With the end of the cold war, peace
returned to Indochina and ASEAN gradually expanded
to include the newer member States of Viet Nam,
Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, to become what it is
today: a community of 10.
 In 1992, the countries of ASEAN decided to
establish a free trade area in stages. For trade in goods,
we have largely attained our objectives. For investment
and services, we still have some way to go. But there is
considerable political will to press on and make the
whole of ASEAN one economic space. Already,
ASEAN as a grouping plays a major role in
international trade, accounting for some 6 per cent of
total world trade.
 The re-emergence of China and India as major
Powers presents us with opportunities as well as
challenges. ASEAN’s trade with both is growing
rapidly. But they are also a competitive challenge to us.

25 06-53323

 When the leaders of ASEAN met in Bali three
years ago, they took a major decision: to establish an
ASEAN Community by 2020 with three main pillars —
security, economic cooperation and cultural
cooperation. To create such a community, an ASEAN
charter will be drawn up next year to provide the legal
basis for our future integration. It will include
provisions for dispute settlement by independent
panels.
 The European Union is an inspiration to us in
ASEAN. Two months ago, the European Commission
hosted members of an ASEAN eminent persons group
and generously offered advice and assistance. While
ASEAN integration will never be as deep or as broad
as that of the European Union, there is much that we
can learn from the European experience.
 For ASEAN to prosper, it is important that we
maintain good relations with all the major Powers. For
many years now, ASEAN has promoted good relations
with our dialogue partners, including the United States,
the European Union, Russia, China, Japan and India.
With strong growth in global trade, ASEAN has
negotiated or is in the process of negotiating free trade
agreements with China, India, Japan, Korea, Australia
and New Zealand, and closer economic partnerships
with the United States and the European Union. We
have a simple strategy, which is to give all of them a
strong stake in our unity and in our development.
Strategically, some of the most important sea lanes
pass through ASEAN waters. About a third of global
trade, half of global oil trade and 80 per cent of the oil
bound for China and Japan pass through the straits of
Malacca and Singapore.
 Through the ASEAN-plus groupings and the East
Asia Summit, which includes China, Japan, Korea,
India, Australia and New Zealand, we are creating a
new architecture of peaceful cooperative development
in the larger Asia. ASEAN is not big enough to be a
major global player, but ASEAN plays a significant
role in holding Asia together and keeping it open to the
rest of the world. Whatever we do in Asia must not
cause the United States, the European Union or Russia
to think that we are excluding them.
 ASEAN is a work in progress. Like other regions
in the world, we face many problems, related to
economic development, separatist movements,
terrorism, drug trafficking, environmental degradation,
maritime security, ethnic and religious divisions and
avian flu, among other issues. However, what each of
us in ASEAN has come to appreciate is that, without
ASEAN, each of these problems is much harder to
solve, and that ASEAN alone cannot solve any of
them: we have to be united and work with other
countries and with international organizations. We are
grateful for their assistance, their partnership and their
cooperation.
 Madam President, ASEAN strongly supports you
and the United Nations. We will work with you to
improve the workings of the United Nations and to
make it more effective. In this regard, ASEAN
continues to endorse the candidature of Mr. Surakiart
Sathirathai as the next Secretary-General despite the
recent coup in Thailand. Although the coup was a
setback to both Thailand and ASEAN, Thai society has
a deep resilience which will enable it to recover
quickly. ASEAN will always be on the side of the Thai
people.
 If every region in the world, working with the
United Nations, can help to stabilize its own immediate
environment and promote favourable conditions for
development, the prospects for global peace will be
enhanced. What the nations of Africa have been able to
do despite adverse circumstances is impressive. The
willingness of individual African countries to agree on
common positions is unique to that continent and is an
inspiration to the rest of us.
 The United Nations is already stretched and can
only do so much. Instead, let us, in each of our regions,
do our part and work with the United Nations and its
organizations in a complementary way. In order to stop
the killing Darfur, for example, we need close
cooperation between the United Nations and African
countries.
 Wherever possible, regional organizations should
be strengthened. The United Nations and other
international organizations can play a facilitating role,
provide resources and advice, set standards and
establish benchmarks. Even in the Middle East, where
the work often seems hardest, regional cooperation can
help create a better environment for peace and
development. For example, the reconstruction of Iraq
will be much more difficult, if not impossible, without
the goodwill of its neighbours.
 With over 500 million people, ASEAN has 8 per
cent of the world’s population. Our share of global
gross domestic product is much lower, at 2 per cent.

06-53323 26

But within the limits of our modest capabilities, we in
ASEAN will do our part to contribute to the good work
of the United Nations in making this a better world, not
adding to its problems.


It is my privilege to
address this forum and share with it the views of the
Republic of Macedonia on the issues of primary
importance on this year’s agenda of the General
Assembly and of the international community at large.
 Terrorism is not a new world issue, but it has
unfortunately become our tragic daily reality, thus
rapidly gaining new and more devastating dimensions
in the increasingly globalized world. We are all
affected in one way or another — whether we speak
about actual terrorist attacks or threats.
 The real question, however, is: can we or should
we, the nations of the world, continue to live in that
kind of atmosphere, to live in fear, threatened? It
would be a failure of humanity, of free spirit and
democracy, of prosperity and mankind, and finally, if I
may say so, a failure of all of us here at the United
Nations. Recently we adopted the United Nations
Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. I believe it was
high time that we adopted a unified position and
strategy, that all of us gave a strong international
response. Comprehensive international cooperation and
coordination against this evil is equally important to
activities at the national and regional level. We need to
have results; the sooner, the better.
 Outside this building, when the United Nations is
mentioned, for many peoples, even nations, it means
hope and help; it means peace; and it means cure. It
means also freedom, democracy and safety — it means
life. So the United Nations should not be shy to
respond, to act and to resolve when it is asked. The
United Nations has to react. Only by resolving
problems do we make progress. We have to follow and
react to the changes and to the new challenges that are
incoming.
 The overall reform of the United Nations,
including better management, must be an ongoing
effort. There are still issues from the World Summit
Final Document yet to be delivered, such as mandate
review and Security Council reform, to name only
some. Hopefully, there will be enough understanding
and progress achieved on them too.
 Last month we had yet another reminder of how
fragile world peace actually is. The Middle East again
erupted. We have witnessed how difficult it is to
restore peace, to hold a ceasefire and to send United
Nations peacekeepers there. Macedonia welcomed the
unanimous adoption of Security Council resolution
1701 (2006) of 11 August. Macedonia supports the
efforts of the United Nations and the international
community to provide timely humanitarian assistance
to those affected and for the reconstruction of Lebanon.

06-52988 14

The United Nations must fight to make a lasting
peaceful solution for the Middle East.
 From the very beginning the Republic of
Macedonia has been part of the international
antiterrorist coalitions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and it
has recently increased its contingents as part of the
international forces. Peace- and democracy-building in
those two countries remains one of the key challenges
for the international community and the Iraqis and
Afghans themselves. I again reiterate Macedonia’s
support for their efforts to rebuild those countries and
create a better life for their people.
 Last year at the Summit we reaffirmed our
commitment to the global partnership for development,
as set out in the Millennium Declaration, the
Monterrey Consensus and the Johannesburg Plan of
Implementation. It is beyond doubt that every country
has a principal responsibility for its own development.
However, it is more than obvious that national
development efforts must be supported by global
actions. The contribution of the private sector and civil
society may play a critical role in our common
endeavour.
 In addition to human rights standard setting, the
United Nations, since the adoption of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, has been a guardian of
human rights. We trust that the recently established
Human Rights Council will give a new impetus in this
area. We hope that the Commission’s weaknesses will
be overcome, but we have to be aware that this requires
a strong political commitment on the part of the
membership. Guided by the wish to contribute to the
work of this important body, we have announced our
candidacy for membership for the 2009-2012 period.
 Today Macedonia is a stable and functional
multi-ethnic democracy. Over recent years we have
launched and carried out a large number of reform
projects, which have brought us closer to the European
Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) alliance. In December last year Macedonia
was granted candidate status for European Union
membership. Macedonia rightfully expects that the
pace of the needed reforms the country is committed to
will lead to an opening of the negotiations on joining
the European Union. As for NATO, we expect the
invitation to join it at the next enlargement summit.
 The region of south-eastern Europe to which my
country belongs has experienced significant changes in
the recent past and made considerable democratic
progress: the start of European Union accession
negotiations of Croatia and Turkey; Macedonia
becoming a candidate country for membership in the
European Union; the signing of the Stabilization and
Association Agreement with Albania; and the opening
of the negotiations for the same agreement with Serbia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, the newly
independent State. Furthermore, Romania and Bulgaria
are expected to become full European Union members
in a few months.
 Good-neighbourly relations and regional
cooperation have been and are among the top priorities
of Macedonia’s foreign policy. We will continue to
pursue such a policy even more vigorously. There is no
alternative to dialogue, and all outstanding regional
issues should be resolved in that manner. This year the
Macedonian delegation will once again introduce in the
First Committee a resolution entitled “Maintenance of
international security — good-neighbourliness,
stability and development in South-Eastern Europe,”
which is traditionally widely supported and co-
sponsored by Member States.
 I should like to say a few words about the Kosovo
issue and Kosovo’s future status. Macedonia fully
supports the work of the Secretary-General’s Special
Envoy, Martti Ahtisaari, and his team on the Kosovo
status talks. I stress that every effort should be made to
achieve a negotiated settlement mutually acceptable to
the parties concerned, in line with Security Council
resolution 1244 (1999) and the Contact Group guiding
principles. The Republic of Macedonia, with its active
good-neighbourly policy, has been a factor that has
largely contributed, and continues to contribute, to the
final, overall stabilization and positive developments in
the region.
 Yet there is one important, still pending, issue in
this context for the Republic of Macedonia: that of the
technical demarcation of our northern border on the
Kosovo section, in line with the agreement between the
Republic of Macedonia and the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia, signed in February 2001, and the
recommendations made by the then Secretary-
General’s Special Envoy, Kai Eide. We urge that this
issue be closed in that manner before the final Kosovo
status decision is reached.

15 06-52988

 I am confident that our deliberations will
contribute to creating a better world for all. Although
the debates at times show how different we are, our
differences must not be an obstacle to our common
vision. The personification of the hope of mankind for
a better tomorrow remains with the United Nations.


I
feel very honoured to be the emissary of the Honduran
people, who send to all at this General Assembly
brotherly, warm and effusive greetings on the occasion
of the sixty-first session of the Assembly.
 We come here today before the representatives of
the nations of the world to merge the larger part of our
dreams and hopes in order, together, to achieve the
greatest goals for world peace. Our high aspirations,
along with the worthiness of the members of the
Assembly, are part of humanity’s common purpose of
attaining international law and justice.
 But we also have to recognize that there are
things that are difficult to understand in an
environment that is supposed to be conducive to peace
and development: the contrast we see among different
latitudes of the Earth; the immense needs of peoples;
the contrast of poverty; drums of war that resound
everywhere; nuclear threats; cruel situations for nations
and peoples.
 Rather than narrowing, social divides have grown
wider in recent decades. Morality is not being
combined with economy or science. Morality is
moving away from the principles and values of a just
and true God. That is why our presence in this
important Assembly is needed to focus clearly on the
fact that humanity needs to seek its objectives
according to healthy principles that will dignify our
peoples.
 When the last half of the twentieth century came
to an end, we sincerely believed that we had put an end
to political, ideological and religious tyrannies. But
today we see them cropping up again, together with the
tyrannies of trade, which are often more cruel than the
others. Today, they want to sell us a free-market policy,
but ultimately that is a ruthless, insensitive economic
policy that is protectionist for many sectors. Instead of
opening the door to a social approach to the market,
where freedom is for people, we only have freedom for
investment, and we forget about individuals and
citizens and the rights of women and children, the most
vulnerable groups who, although lacking in power,
yearn for a better life.

06-52737 16

 Certainly, we need to have protection, but not just
protection for investments and big capital. We also
need protection for the vulnerable of the world: for
children and young people, for farmers who sow their
small plots; for those businesspeople who cannot get a
foothold on the ladder of international trade; for the
owners of microenterprises who are reaching out in
search for the well-being and dignity they deserve.
 All of us, of course, want a free market, but an
ethical one. We want to live in a globalized world —
but one in which respect for identity, patriotism and the
dignity and sovereignty of peoples are also global. So
we are here to denounce hypocrisy, double-talk and
moral double standards on the part of those who
proclaim and promote a solution to our problems
through democracy and free trade, but who seize and
hold hostage the concepts of internal and external
spaces and promote a system of privileges, oligopolies
and monopolies, half-truths and flawed markets that
they hold captive. They are insensitive to the demands
of the majority, very often tortured by hunger,
unemployment, indifference and exclusion.
 We have come to this Assembly to wish everyone
the best, but also to point the finger at those who
preach false free trade that only deepens poverty and
seek to seduce us with the erratic mirage of remittances
that we so easily accept but which in fact are the fruit
of a labour force that we have exported; the result of
the cruel fate of our emigrants; the inexorable and evil
tragedy of people caught between freedom,
marginalization and slavery.
 My Government and the people of Honduras
condemn the monopolistic controls, the privileges and
the absurd exceptions that prevent us from building
true freedom with democracy and market access, the
paradigm that we all want to move towards without the
protectionism we all condemn.
 The Governments of the world must be led by
men and women who long for peace and not by
multinational corporations that promote war. Here,
civil society organizations could play a major role in
correcting this situation and denouncing it.
 I represent Honduras, a country of the Isthmus of
Central America, and, like our Central American
brothers and sisters, we continue to face the
innumerable paradoxes that arise between civilization
and barbarism. We have been the historical theatre of
absurd wars, ambitions and sterile battles, very often
exported, and the horrors of death and pillage. Yet the
peoples of Central America are in the vanguard of
those looking for joint solutions. We have the creative
capacity that keeps us from losing faith or hope in a
better world.
 America has been inspired throughout history by
great men and women of renown. Here in North
America, Lincoln was a splendid guide for democracy.
In the South, it was Sucre, San Martín and Bolívar;
José Martí in the Caribbean; Villa and Zapata in
Mexico. And in Central America, we have Jerez, Mora,
Valle, Darío, Turcios, Omar Torrijos and the pro-union
martyr Francisco Morazán, among others. The Chilean
poet, Pablo Neruda, Nobel laureate for literature, said
it well:
 “Deep in the night Morazán is watchful.
 Is it today? Yesterday? Tomorrow? You know the
answer,
 Central ribbon, slender America,
 ...
 Raised up on emerald sea-feathers:
 Territory, unity, slim goddess
 Born in the water-foam battle.
 They destroy your sons, and worms
 Spread their pestilence over you.
 ...
 Now comes the axe-brandishing tiger.
 They come to devour your entrails.
 They come, fragrant little America,
 To nail you to the cross, to flay you,
 To cast down the metal blazoned on your banner.
 Invaders fill your dwelling-place
 And toss you aside like lifeless fruit,
 ...
 And others plunder your ports ...
 Is it today? Yesterday? Tomorrow? You know the
answer.
 Brothers, awaken. And Morazán is watchful.”
 We, the Central American peoples, stand tall,
ready to take the opportunities offered by development
and genuine free trade, seeking our common destiny,
seeking it today — which is not the end of history, but
the beginning of a new era for humanity, if we shoulder
our responsibility and commitment. We have not lost
our desire for liberty or our longing for hope. We
continue to fight for food security, for energy
independence, for the social morality that we all

17 06-52737

deserve and for an economy that is at the service of
markets, yes, but also at the service of people. We form
a common front against poverty and against the
corruption which today is invading our culture at many
levels. Unless we overcome this, we cannot win
genuine sovereignty.
 Central America opens itself to the world so that
the world can open itself to Central America. We are
prepared for investment in tourism and in various areas
of our economy and society. We are ready in Central
America — El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa
Rica, Panama, Belize and now the Dominican
Republic. We represent this central waistband of
America, this bridge of trade and markets — a bridge
to a free world, a better world.
 Time limitations prevent me from addressing all
the other important topics. Allow me to conclude this
brief statement by expressing wishes for true peace and
opportunity for everyone, in the conviction that the
peoples of the world can exist only when in the heart of
man there is fear of the wisdom of God.
 Let us all say yes to the loving God, to that God
that considers man a brother to man and not an enemy
of man — to that God of non-violence. That is the God
we hymn and glorify, and we in Central America and
Honduras join together in a song of hope:
 “Is it today? Yesterday? Tomorrow? You know
the answer.
 Brothers, awaken. And Morazán is watchful.”


Everything has been said;
everything has been noted. But while it may be true
that many boats will rise with the tide, others are
bound to sink unless goodwill prevails in this house.
Tuvalu wishes to add its voice of solidarity to the work
of the United Nations and to what has been a highly
enlightening debate.
 First, we join wholeheartedly in the high
commendations already expressed with regard to the
election of Her Excellency Sheikha Haya Rashed
Al-Khalifa as President of the General Assembly and
her Bureau, and the sterling efforts of the outgoing
President. Ms. Al-Khalifa and her Bureau have our full
cooperation. We also wish to join others before us in
paying tribute to the work of the Secretary-General,
Mr. Kofi Annan. His initiatives on development,
security and human rights have taken the United
Nations ever closer to all peoples and have made the
Organization accessible even to small island States
such as Tuvalu. In appreciation, we wish him well and
all the best in the future.
 For my small island nation, joining the United
Nations at the dawn of the new century is an
expression of hope. Our hope is that, through the noble
ideals and principles of this great body, Tuvalu, despite
its physical remoteness and insignificance, will be
allowed to paddle its canoe in harmony along with
super-tankers and to share the common future of a
world of larger freedom: a world in which every State,
regardless of its size, is recognized in terms of its
sovereignty, its independence and the human rights of
its people.
 We continue to hold fast to that hope. But, in the
present world of interdependence, where great
opportunities are accompanied by great challenges, the
need for collective action and multilateral cooperation
has never been so pressing and urgent. Victory over
those challenges can be won not through political
fragmentation, finger-pointing and confrontation, but
through cooperation.
 The showdown of words engaged in by some
countries in this Chamber is unfortunate. We must

06-53958 10

never forget that along with wealth and power comes
responsibility towards others. The risk is high that this
House of humanity will fall apart for lack of
responsibility and leadership. There is a call for
everyone to consistently display the highest degree of
morality, solidarity and respect for one other’s values
and concerns. Otherwise, the ideals of the United
Nations cannot be served. As a small, peace-loving
nation, Tuvalu strongly believes that engaging in open
dialogue and working together in a spirit of mutual
understanding within United Nations frameworks is the
only way to reach our shared destiny in diversity and
with respect for one another.
 Tuvalu takes pride in having been part of the
United Nations during the negotiations on its reform
and development agenda. The adoption and
establishment of the Human Rights Council and the
Peacebuilding Commission and of major innovations in
the Secretariat show the benefit of working together.
Those bodies must be supported to ensure peace and
the protection of the human rights of all peoples and
communities. But our work will remain unfinished
until we make the Security Council and its operational
methodologies truly representative of the United
Nations membership. To that end, we support the draft
resolution of the Group of Four countries on expansion
of the Security Council.
 The President returned to the Chair.
 Development, security and human rights are the
cardinal purposes of the United Nations. The fulfilment
of those purposes demands that we shoulder our
collective responsibility and engage in united action.
The successful conclusion of the World Summit last
year was a reaffirmation of our resolve to fight poverty
and ensure sustainable development through the
internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals,
the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and the
Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of
the Programme of Action for the Sustainable
Development of Small Island Developing States.
 But devising plans without having access to
adequate resources is akin to presenting a menu to
hungry people: it may be mouth-watering, but without
the necessary ingredients, the dishes it describes will
remain unattainable. It is essential that we fully
implement the Mauritius Strategy by integrating it into
the work programmes of the Commission on
Sustainable Development, United Nations agencies,
conventions — especially the Rio Conventions — and
bilateral cooperation partners. Additionally, the
strengthening of the coordination capacity of the
Department of Social and Economic Affairs with
adequate resources in those areas is imperative.
 Two weeks ago, in this very Hall, the General
Assembly undertook the midterm review of the
Brussels Programme of Action for the Least Developed
Countries. We, as both a least developed country and a
small island developing State, are grateful to the High
Representative for the Least Developed Countries,
Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island
Developing States for his dedicated work, and to the
development partners for the support Tuvalu has
enjoyed over the years.
 It is certainly our view, however, that it is
unrealistic and premature to list for graduation Tuvalu
and our Pacific least developed country colleagues that
are also small island developing States. We feel
strongly that, before any graduation can be
recommended, thorough consideration should be given
to our unique economic vulnerabilities and that this
should be done on an in-country basis, not merely
through data analysis carried out at a desk halfway
around the globe. For these very reasons, and with a
view to the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals, there is a critical need to ensure a
United Nations presence in all Pacific small island
developing States.
 Last month a new Government was elected to
power in Tuvalu and has pledged good governance and
media freedom as its guiding principles. It has adopted
the Tuvalu Sustainable Development Strategy, known
as “Te Kakeega II: Vision 2015”, as its framework for
development partnerships and looks forward to
working with the rest of the world in its
implementation.
 Security challenges continue to create havoc, fear
and uncertainty worldwide. Tuvalu strongly deplores
terrorism in all its forms and expressions. We in the
Pacific are not immune from acts of terrorism. We must
therefore collectively continue to make the strongest
efforts in our campaign against these forces and be
resolute in ensuring effective global anti-terrorism
action.
 We also encourage the continuing role of the
United Nations in working towards a solution to the
Palestinian question and in ensuring peace for the

11 06-53958

people of Afghanistan, Darfur, Timor-Leste and other
regions.
 Clearly the United Nations has done well in
preventing and resolving deadly conflicts throughout
the world. But despite those achievements, the non-
representation of Taiwan in the United Nations and its
agencies remains an issue of great concern. The threats
posed by China’s deployment of missiles aimed at
Taiwan and the use of force in the Taiwan Strait are
real, for the East Asian and Pacific region and for the
world as a whole. We urge that immediate peaceful and
preventive actions be taken in the Taiwan Strait for the
sake of all.
 No other challenge to global security is more
serious and threatening than the impact of climate
change. Climate change is a global problem and can be
resolved only through global collective action.
Addressing climate change must therefore must be
placed at the centre of the work of the United Nations.
As is well known, small island developing States like
Tuvalu are extremely vulnerable to the impact of
climate change and sea-level rise, and already evidence
of devastation is prevalent in all regions of the small
island developing States. Over the past few years,
Tuvalu has witnessed unusual flooding of the main
islands with seawater and king tides, as well as severe
attacks on fresh water, vegetation, foreshores and coral
reefs.
 We are frightened and very worried by all these
things, which are the result of the actions of others. If
nothing is done urgently and we are forced out of our
islands, there is no other Tuvalu to which to move.
There is still time to act. Once again we appeal to this
body for help and for real action.
 We strongly believe that we have reached a
dangerous level of greenhouse gas concentrations in
the atmosphere and that urgent action is required to
accelerate the necessary responses. The options are
available; what is clearly lacking is political will.
Unless climate change is addressed, all our efforts for
development, security and protection of human rights
will be severely undermined.
 Clearly it is urgent that the international
community take more aggressive action to reduce
greenhouse gases. All countries, industrialized and
developing, must do their part, with the industrialized
countries taking the lead, including through the full
implementation of the Kyoto Protocol.
 To help developing countries contribute in a
committed way, we need stronger incentives to
promote the development and distribution of renewable
energy and energy efficiency technologies. We need a
global fund to support such efforts.
 It is disappointing to see some large
industrialized countries’ continued denial and the
absence of enough political will on their part to support
vulnerable countries such as small island developing
States to adapt to the impacts of climate change. We
must recognize the “polluter pays” principle and ensure
that the countries that are producing the greenhouse
gas emissions pay for the damage they are causing to
the vulnerable countries.
 There is also a need to generate considerably
more funds to underwrite the costs of adaptation,
including international levies to generate income to
boost funding for adaptation and insurance in small
island developing States. The mainstreaming of the
Mauritius Strategy into the work of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change, as
required under resolution 59/311, is crucial in that
regard.
 Defining the way forward with respect to future
commitments and actions in the area of climate change
will require strong political will on the part of all
countries. The upcoming twelfth session of the
Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change
Convention and the second meeting of the Parties to
the Kyoto Protocol, to be held in Nairobi, must come
up with clear and practical timetables for accelerated
action on mitigation and adaptation. It is imperative
also to improve access by small island developing
States and least developed countries to Global
Environment Facility climate-change resources and
convention-related funds. The Nairobi meetings must
also decide on governance and management
arrangements for the Kyoto Protocol Adaptation Fund
to facilitate its early operation.
 Finally, we strongly believe that the General
Assembly should host, as soon as possible, a summit at
the level of heads of Government aimed at bringing
forward workable proposals with strong, high-level
political endorsement so as to address climate change
beyond the year 2012.
 Our call for urgent action on climate change is
not self-serving. Tuvalu and the small island
developing States may be the first to suffer from the

06-53958 12

impacts of climate change, but the consequences of not
taking real action now will be felt by all around the
globe. We all must work together on climate change in
a spirit of strong solidarity.
 The people of Tuvalu have full confidence in the
United Nations and in its ability to ensure the
achievement by all peoples of its cardinal purposes of
development, security and human rights. It cannot fail
the world on climate change; it cannot dash our hopes.
Please do not let Tuvalu sink.
 God bless the United Nations family. God bless
Tuvalu.


Madam President, on behalf
of the European Union, I have the honour to address
the General Assembly at its sixty-first session. The
acceding countries Bulgaria and Romania; the
candidate countries Turkey, Croatia and the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; the countries of the
Stabilization and Association Process and potential
candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Montenegro, Serbia; and also Ukraine and the Republic
of Moldova, align themselves with this statement.
 Let me start by congratulating you, Madam
President, upon your assumption of the office of
President of the General Assembly. I also wish to
express our appreciation to your predecessor, Mr. Jan
Eliasson, whose input has been crucial to the United
Nations reform process. We are confident that under

15 06-52731

your wise leadership, Madam President, this session
will turn out to be successful.
 The European Union is deeply committed to the
United Nations and to its comprehensive agenda
promoting peace and security, sustainable
development, human rights and fundamental freedoms.
We want to create a more peaceful, prosperous and
democratic world. The European Union continues its
close and loyal cooperation with the world
Organization. Recent events in different parts of the
world have proved once again that, 61 years after its
establishment, an effective United Nations is needed
more than ever.
 Contrary to our shared ideals, the realities of war
and violence have not passed away into history.
Conflicts and terrorism continue to destroy the social
and economic progress for which we are all striving.
The recent tragic events that occurred in Lebanon,
Israel and the Palestinian territories have again
demonstrated the need to achieve a just and lasting
peace in the Middle East. Sustainable peace in the
Middle East and security for the people living there can
be achieved only through a commitment to a peace
process that leads to a viable independent Palestinian
State living in peace with a secure Israel. That remains
our goal. The European Union is determined to
participate actively in the implementation of Security
Council resolution 1701 (2006) in order to help
consolidate the ceasefire and reach a long-term
solution based on the terms contained in the resolution.
 The European Union is strongly committed to
respect of international humanitarian law, including the
protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel
during conflict. We therefore condemn the deaths of
hundreds of civilians in Lebanon and Israel in the
recent conflict. We welcome the outcome of the
Stockholm International Donor Conferences on the
Humanitarian Situation in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories and on Lebanon. The European Union has
responded swiftly and generously to both humanitarian
appeals.
 In the Middle East, we have demonstrated our
continued, strong commitment to the United Nations.
Peacekeepers from European Union countries are
already deployed in the area and will form the
backbone of the new United Nations Interim Force in
Lebanon (UNIFIL) operation.
 On this occasion, I want to pay tribute to the
memory of the United Nations military observers and
other personnel who recently fell victim to the war in
southern Lebanon.
 The European Union will continue active
engagement in United Nations peacekeeping operations
in the future. We see wide scope for further
complementary and combined efforts with the United
Nations as well as with other regional entities.
 In sub-Saharan Africa, many peace agreements
have been brokered with the help of the United
Nations, the African Union and the European Union. In
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the European
Union remains greatly involved in assisting in the
completion of the electoral process through a major
financial contribution and the decisive support of the
European Union military operation.
 Unfortunately, in Darfur, the humanitarian and
security situation is deteriorating. The European Union
welcomes the recent Security Council resolution on the
United Nations-led peacekeeping operation in the
Sudan, and we strongly urge the Sudanese Government
to give its consent to the deployment of the United
Nations operation.
 Peacebuilding is an integral part of the broad
security concept. The newly established Peacebuilding
Commission brings its own and much-needed
contribution to United Nations work for peace and
security. The European Union will work actively to
ensure that this new body will have a strong and
dynamic role in the United Nations system. Gender
aspect is important in this context. We also welcome
the establishment of the Central Emergency Response
Fund to enhance the capability of the international
community to respond to urgent humanitarian needs.
 The events of the past year show that terrorism
continues to threaten international peace and security.
This threat can be effectively addressed through broad-
based cooperation within the framework of the United
Nations. The European Union welcomes the agreement
on a global counter-terrorism strategy as an important
instrument and expression of international solidarity in
the fight against terrorism. The European Union urges
United Nations Member States to build on this
achievement and to intensify their efforts to reach a
speedy consensus on a United Nations comprehensive
counter-terrorism convention. We underline the
importance of prevention and of conducting the fight

06-52731 16

against terrorism in accordance with human rights,
refugee law and international humanitarian law.
 We consider it important that this session of the
General Assembly should mark progress in the areas of
disarmament and non-proliferation. Concrete action is
needed on small arms and light weapons at the
national, regional and global levels. The European
Union will continue to push for a legally binding treaty
on trade in all conventional weapons.
 Effective multilateralism is crucial in facing the
growing threat of the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction. The Security Council has a central role in
addressing those threats. In this regard, the European
Union welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution
1695 (2006) on the Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea. We look forward to its effective
implementation, and we strongly urge the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea to implement fully the
requirements of this resolution.
 The European Union also welcomes the adoption
of Security Council resolution 1696 (2006) and calls
on Iran to respond positively and swiftly to the
demands of the international community in
implementing this resolution, in particular by
suspending its enrichment activities in accordance with
that resolution. This would pave the way for
negotiations on a comprehensive agreement aimed at
restoring confidence that the Iranian nuclear
programme serves exclusively peaceful purposes. We
welcome the current exploratory talks aimed to
facilitate the opening of the negotiations. An
increasingly important element in the promotion of
global peace and security is the need to foster
tolerance, mutual understanding and respect. In this
regard, the European Union has already expressed its
strong support for the Alliance of Civilizations
initiative.
 Development builds peace. The United Nations
and its Member States have created effective common
goals for economic, social and environmental
development. We must fulfil our common commitment
to the global partnership for development with all
stakeholders and implement all the Millennium
Development Goals and other jointly agreed
development targets in the time agreed on by Member
States. In our view, every country has control over and
primary responsibility for its own development.
 The social dimension of globalization, including
the importance of decent work for all, deserves special
attention in the work of the United Nations. Ensuring
decent work is not only about economic and social
development and individual rights and standards. It is
also very much a factor that contributes to the social
and political stability of countries and regions.
 We have seen positive development also in
Africa. However sub-Saharan Africa as a whole is not
on track to reach the Millennium Development Goals
by 2015. Therefore, the European Union has decided to
give 50 per cent of its increase in aid to Africa. We are
willing to strengthen the strategic partnership with
Africa by developing a joint strategy.
 We also need to improve aid effectiveness and
donor practices. The European Union is fully
committed to implementation of the Paris Declaration
on Aid Effectiveness and calls on all other donors to do
the same. In addition, the international community
must deliver real gains for poor countries on trade.
Trade can be a strong catalyst for economic growth and
poverty reduction. Thus trade is a key element to
achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
 The negotiations of the Doha Development
Agenda must be resumed, as their successful outcome
will deliver substantial development benefits to
developing countries. We urge quick implementation of
the aid-for-trade commitments of December 2005.
 The European Union welcomes the outcome of
the Midterm Comprehensive Review of the
Implementation of the Programme of Action for the
Least Developed Countries held in New York this
week. We are pleased that from 2001 onwards
economic growth in the least developed countries
(LDCs) as a group has almost reached the 7 per cent
target. As the providers of the greatest net official
development aid, we note with satisfaction the overall
increase in official development assistance from donor
countries, especially to LDCs.
 Ensuring sustainable development is an urgent
task. Environmental sustainability underpins long-term
development and the achievement of all the
Millennium Development Goals. Addressing climate
change and biodiversity loss are integral parts of
achieving sustainable development. For this purpose,
the Montreal Action Plan on climate change agreed last
year needs to be pushed forward urgently.

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 The Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on
United Nations System-wide Coherence is about to
finalize its work. The European Union looks forward to
studying the Panel’s recommendations, which could
give an urgently needed global response, especially at
the country level. This should be done in close
cooperation with other multilateral stakeholders and
the developing countries themselves.
 The European Union looks forward to continuing
cooperation in the field of migration and development
after last week’s High-level Dialogue. Migration is an
integral part of the development agenda, and
development is an important element in migration
policies.
 The European Union is committed to
strengthening and mainstreaming human rights within
the United Nations system. One of the major
accomplishments of the United Nations has been the
comprehensive framework of international human
rights law. It sets out clear standards by which all
States are measured. With a view to strengthening that
framework, we attach great importance to the adoption
of new instruments on enforced disappearances, the
rights of indigenous peoples and the rights of persons
with disabilities during the present session of the
General Assembly.
 The newly established Human Rights Council has
the potential to significantly strengthen the promotion
and protection of human rights throughout the world.
The European Union wants to ensure that it lives up to
that potential and that it soon plays a strong and
dynamic role in the United Nations system. The Union
has high expectations for the second regular session of
the Council, which began yesterday.
 The EU is also committed to ending impunity for
the most serious crimes of concern to the international
community. We strongly support the International
Criminal Court (ICC) and call upon all States that are
not yet party to the Rome Statute of the ICC to ratify or
accede to it without delay.
 The EU will continue to promote the rule of law
both at the national level and in international relations.
In Iraq, upholding the rule of law is a key challenge.
The Union is working closely together with the United
Nations and other partners to assist the Iraqi
Government in that field.
 The EU wishes to see this world Organization
function in a more effective, transparent and
accountable way. The EU recognizes the need to
reform the main United Nations bodies, among them
the General Assembly, the Economic and Social
Council and the Security Council. Management reform,
as well as the mandates review, will be high on our
agenda when we start our work this autumn. We need
to continue our collective efforts through consensual
decision-making. After all, United Nations reform will
benefit the entire membership of the Organization.
 Before I conclude, let me pay tribute to our
Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan. For nearly 10
years, he has shown leadership and vision in his work
to uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter,
as well as courage in the much-needed transformation
of our world Organization. He has put a human face on
the United Nations, both inside and outside the
Organization. I wish him all the best.