Allow me at
the outset to express my heartfelt congratulations to
you, Sir, on your election as President of the General
Assembly at its sixtieth session. Your vast experience
in the international arena is the best guarantee of
success for your mandate. My sincere thanks go also to
your predecessor, Jean Ping, who presided over the
fifty-ninth session with particular effectiveness and
skill.
The deliberations of the High-level Plenary
Meeting represent an important and significant step in
the process of adapting the United Nations to the
global challenges that it must address. The results
achieved in the process of reforming the United
Nations, its basic principles and its bodies reflect the
broadest consensus that could be mustered within the
international community. Any attempt to reach for
more would in all probability have meant jeopardizing
its unity, which is an absolute and essential value. We
should therefore rate those results highly and consider
them to be a call to action.
Indeed, the heads of State or Government have
shown us the path to follow. It is now up to the General
Assembly and the Secretariat to set about
implementing the initiatives agreed upon in the
outcome document, improving and developing them
where necessary.
Recent events remind us, sometimes tragically, of
the need for a multilateral system that has a solid
structure and can respond swiftly and effectively to the
many challenges that individual members of the
international community would never be able to
address by themselves. Italy is convinced of this, and
commitment to multilateralism is a basic characteristic
of our foreign policy.
Of course, Italian support for the action of
international organizations is not based solely on
abstract ideals. We support the principle, and especially
the practice, of multilateralism because we are
convinced that common principles and, above all,
common interests justify the sharing of resources,
tools, responsibilities and benefits. Joint action is
inconceivable without a shared perception of interests,
objectives and their priorities.
Among the positive results of the High-level
Plenary Meeting is that it encouraged consensus on an
innovative and comprehensive vision of collective
security and highlighted the main phenomena
threatening that security. Terrorism, underdevelopment
and fundamentalism are the primary threats, and our
response must be equal to the challenge; it can come
only from a strong and credible multilateral system.
In the light of the emergence of fundamentalist
terrorism, the use of force by itself, although
sometimes inevitable, is not enough. It is not through
weapons, but through political means, that we can
create the conditions for a fruitful dialogue among
cultures, civilizations and religions and thereby
develop the social and international solidarity that can
prevent terrorism from continuing its criminal
proselytizing.
9

Global solidarity is also the most appropriate
response to the scandal of global poverty, which results
from the persistence of profound inequities in the
distribution of wealth — inequities that violate not
only every standard of fairness, but also the most
fundamental criteria of logic and effectiveness. To
eradicate underdevelopment, we must promote a
tangible solidarity that provides real and lasting
benefits by combining political and economic action on
the part of donor countries with the heightened sense of
responsibility and autonomy that is developing in
emerging countries as they yearn to shake off the
culture of dependency.
Underdevelopment and terrorism often find
unifying elements — which increases the potential for
instability — in fundamentalism and ideological
fanaticism, sworn enemies of universal values such as
freedom, peace and equality: values seen as a grave
threat by those who seek to control and delegitimize
our social systems.
We firmly believe that the international
community must unite in the fight against terrorism,
underdevelopment and fundamentalism. This session
of the General Assembly will have the task of
identifying concrete initiatives and actions to that end.
Italy’s steadfast commitment — even at the cost
of significant sacrifices — to promoting peace in key
areas of crisis such as the Middle East, the Balkans and
Darfur; our assistance to countries, such as
Afghanistan and Iraq, that are seeking to recover after
decades of obscurantist oppression; our commitment to
spreading a culture of freedom and dialogue among
cultures; and our front-line commitment to fighting the
scourge of underdevelopment, including through
innovative methods such as debt cancellation and
participation in the Global Fund against the major
epidemics, are eloquent and material testimony to the
seriousness of our intentions. In that regard, I wish to
mention in particular our activities to promote the
development of the African continent — activities
carried out not only by way of anti-poverty initiatives,
but also by strengthening African capacities in the
areas of conflict prevention, management and
settlement.
We are prepared to meet the challenges before us,
which will entail the significant contribution of
material and human resources that Italy is providing
for the functioning of the United Nations. It would not
be consistent with Italy’s attachment to multilateralism
if I did not add that our efforts would be bound to fail
if they were carried out individually and not within a
multilateral framework — hence our resolve to
strengthen multilateralism.
The reform proposals introduced over the past
year and submitted for the consideration of heads of
State or Government provide us with new and
potentially valuable tools that we must put to good use.
I am thinking, for example, of the possibility of
significantly developing the international community’s
capacity to prevent crisis situations, manage conflicts
and modernize the modalities and contents of
traditional development assistance programmes in
order to promote lasting stability.
That is why Italy cannot but favour the prospect
of developing or inventing tools for communal action
in those areas by creating new bodies such as the
Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights
Council. Their creation will make it possible to
operationalize the desired integrated approach to crisis
management and management of peacekeeping
operations — an approach that promises to reduce the
recurrence of conflicts, consolidate peace processes in
crisis regions and promote the restoration of rule-of-
law infrastructures.
The reform process under way can and must
invest in United Nations institutions in their entirety,
with regard to both their composition and working
methods, in order to strengthen effectiveness, while at
the same time ensuring the coherence and balance of
the Organization’s general framework. Italy is fully
aware and convinced of this. We are also convinced of
the need — especially in this area — to proceed with
due attention to individual sensitivities, within the
framework of a process that ensures transparency and
inclusiveness.
At the summit, it was not possible to reach an
agreement on the rather controversial subject of
Security Council reform, whose various aspects,
already widely debated in the preparatory phase, are
well known. Also well known is the position of Italy
and of countries that, like us, belong to the “Uniting
for consensus” group. We presented a proposal aimed
at greater inclusion, greater effectiveness and increased
democratic participation, having broad geographic and
regional representation and elaborated in a constructive
and flexible spirit.
10

We are well aware that the priorities of other
countries are different, and we obviously respect their
positions, although we do not share them. It is our
fervent hope that everyone will be convinced that
Security Council reform cannot be the result of shows
of force, unacceptable conditions or artificial
accelerations aimed at creating new positions of
privilege. Awareness of the need to reform the Council
is the common heritage of all Members. Such reform
certainly cannot be considered the exclusive
prerogative of those who advocate one reform option
as opposed to another. Recent events have
demonstrated that none of the proposals currently on
the table has the votes needed for adoption.
Undoubtedly, none of them enjoys the broad consensus
essential to ensure that the future shape of the Security
Council will help unite, and not divide, the
international community. This is why we firmly believe
that it is necessary to turn the page in order to unite
efforts to seek new consensus formulas, both in terms
of substance and in terms of method.
It is clear that this quest cannot go on forever.
Travelling this road together with trust and
perseverance is the only way to ensure effective and
lasting outcomes. Italy is prepared to consider, in a
constructive spirit, any potential solution that will
garner the broadest consensus possible, but will
continue to oppose — in accordance with the principles
shared by a growing number of Member States — any
formulas that could create new divisions and
marginalization. Given the challenges it must face, the
international community needs to be united in its
intentions.
I know quite well that in these statements, the
adjective “historic” is used so often that it loses much
of its meaning. Nevertheless, when we think about the
timetables and the risks or opportunities that are
emerging, describing the moment of this General
Assembly as historic does not seem an exaggeration. A
well-known aphorism reminds us that those who do not
remember history are condemned to repeat it. History
teaches us that a united international community based
on the recognition of shared principles and basic
interests is the necessary condition for ensuring peace,
development and progress for our peoples.


It is with great
honour that I take this floor before this Assembly. At
the outset, I should like to congratulate the President,
on behalf of the Government of the Republic of
Angola, for his election to the presidency of the
sixtieth session of the General Assembly of our
Organization.
I also wish to express my appreciation to his
predecessor, Mr. Jean Ping, for his commitment and for
the transparent and efficient manner in which he
presided over the fifty-ninth session of General
Assembly.
Today, 60 years after the foundation of the United
Nations, humanity continues to face new and complex
challenges. The continuation of armed conflicts,
hunger, poverty, massive human rights violations, the
spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, the scar
of terrorism and the risk that non-State actors can
acquire, develop and use weapons of mass destruction
indeed constitute a threat to international peace and
security. Therefore, the international community has
every reason to act collectively to reform and
strengthen the United Nations in order to render it
better prepared to address the many and complex
challenges we are facing.
The Republic of Angola follows with great
concern the developments in several areas of the world,
particularly on the African continent. In spite of a
relatively positive tendency characterized by a
decrease in areas of tension in the world today, it is
necessary to continue to pay special attention to the
peace processes in various parts of the world,
particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Côte d’Ivoire, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau, to mention
only a few.
Regarding Guinea-Bissau, my delegation is
satisfied with the results achieved, and we commend
the political maturity shown by the people of Guinea-
Bissau during the transition period, particularly the
civic responsibility demonstrated during the period of
presidential elections.
In this context, we believe that respect for the
constitutionally established institutions of sovereignty
is an indispensable condition for political stability.
Only this will create a propitious environment for the
accomplishment of tasks that guarantee the
maintenance of peace and economic reconstruction.
Such is the expectation of the Guinean people, who
went to voting stations in such significant numbers.
That is a vote for democracy.
In that connection, we welcome the round table
on Guinea-Bissau, scheduled for the month of
November, and we urge donors to respond positively
since the international community’s assistance remains
a fundamental condition for the process under way.
Regarding the process of consolidation of peace
currently in progress in the Great Lakes region,
Angola, in its capacity as a core country, is pleased
with what has been achieved so far. We thank the
Group of Friends, and particularly the Government of
35

Canada, for the support they have been providing, and
especially for the second Great Lakes Conference, due
to be held next November in Nairobi.
Although we understand that the primary
responsibility to prevent and resolve conflicts in Africa
falls upon African States themselves, we share the
notion that the international community should, in
partnership with regional and subregional
organizations, play a more significant role in the
prevention and resolution of conflicts on the continent.
Based on our own experience, we believe that in
order for strategies for the prevention and resolution of
conflicts to be successful, they should be based on an
approach that is as inclusive as possible. In this
connection, the cooperation of the key organs of the
United Nations — the General Assembly, the Security
Council and the Economic and Social Council — is
absolutely essential. The pertinent involvement of the
international financial institutions, as well as the
private and business sectors, has proven to be equally
fundamental.
For this reason, we support and welcome the
decision of the High-level Meeting to create the
Peacebuilding Commission. We are ready to work with
partners towards rendering this organ operational as
soon as possible.
Angola supports the creation of the permanent
fund for the consolidation of peace. We are also of the
view that activities related to disarmament,
demobilization and reintegration should be financed
from the regular budget and attributed to peacekeeping
operations.
While the illicit exploitation of natural resources
was not mentioned in the outcome document of the
summit, we hope that during the current session of the
General Assembly this issue will be given due
consideration since it constitutes a fundamental
element for the strategy of prevention and resolution of
conflicts.
Terrorism undoubtedly constitutes a permanent
threat to the world that no country can face alone.
Therefore, it calls for cooperation among all countries,
with the United Nations playing the central role in the
fight against it. In this connection, we join the
Secretary-General’s plea for the conclusion, as urgently
as possible, of the comprehensive convention against
international terrorism, which would contain a
universally accepted definition of the concept of
terrorism.
Five years since the adoption of the Millennium
Declaration, the social and economic situation in
several parts of the globe continues to be characterized
by extreme poverty.
As well-articulated mentioned by the Secretary-
General in his report, “In larger freedom” (A/59/2005),
poverty is not only about development; it is also a
matter of security and respect for human rights, which
are fundamental to the Millennium Development
Goals. For this reason, I agree with several previous
speakers that this issue in the outcome document ought
to be dealt with in greater detail. Thus, we look
forward to continuing our work in the relevant forums,
in particular in a strengthened Economic and Social
Council.
The fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria,
tuberculosis and other illnesses constitutes an
indispensable condition for peace, stability and
international collective security. For this reason, we
urge the international community to redouble its efforts
in mobilizing the required resources for the prevention
and treatment of these illnesses.
Let me take this opportunity to express my
Government’s appreciation to the United States for
funding and initiating a programme to fight malaria in
Angola, as well as in Tanzania and Uganda.
In my delegation’s opinion, in order to meet the
challenges facing the world, it is imperative that we
proceed to the reform of the main organs of the United
Nations, with a view to adapting them to the current
reality. We will remain active in the process of reform
of the United Nations, including the Security Council
and the other primary bodies of our Organization.
We share the opinion that the composition of the
Security Council should properly reflect the present
day political reality. Enlarging the Security Council
would render it more transparent and more
representative, with greater credibility and, in
particular, greater authority in its decisions.
Nevertheless, we would like to underline that the
enlargement of the Council is just one aspect of the
reform that needs to be completed. We should not
underestimate other elements of Council reform that
we consider no less important, such as the need to
36

improve and render more transparent its working
methods.
I am convinced that the results reached at the
High-level Plenary Meeting during this session of the
General Assembly will stimulate the continuation of
the debate on the process of the reform itself. This will
create a platform that will reinforce the Organization’s
common vision and objectives: strengthening
cooperation and providing greater assurances that
international peace and stability can only be found in a
reinforced multilateralism.


It is my pleasure to take this opportunity to
congratulate you on your election to the Presidency of
this session, which coincides with the sixtieth
anniversary of the United Nations. We hope that this
important session will provide a historic opportunity to
review and evaluate the achievements of this
Organization and to formulate a political and
development vision on strengthening our common
action and our ability to maintain international peace
and security and achieve sustainable development.
The United Arab Emirates welcomes the
Outcome Document of the High-level Plenary Meeting
and considers it a positive step towards achieving the
MDGs, especially those related to the four main fields,
namely development, peace and collective security,
human rights, rule of law and the strengthening of the
United Nations. At the same time, we hope that our
consultations on other unsolved issues will continue in
order to reach an international consensus.
In that context, we wish to reaffirm our position
calling for the reform of the United Nations, including
the increase of permanent and non-permanent
membership of the Security Council, based on a system
of equitable geographical distribution that ensures the
transparency of the Council’s working methods.
We emphasize the importance of reinforcing
international commitment to the principles of
international and humanitarian law and respect for the
sovereignty of States, including their cultural and
religious diversity and traditions. We also underline the
need to respect the resolutions and recommendations of
international legitimacy issued by world summits,
including the Millennium Declaration.
We affirm that the challenges of the twenty-first
century, including poverty, illiteracy, epidemics,
environmental degradation, global terrorism, organized
crime and the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, are by nature transnational and pose grave
threats to all humanity. Therefore, while we supported
the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission,
which will assist countries recovering from civil and
regional wars, we call for the utilization of our human
cultures and beliefs in joint efforts to address such
challenges, including the holding of an international
conference on combating terrorism and its causes. Such
a conference must provide a clear definition of
terrorism, based on the principles of the United Nations
Charter and international law and norms, and must
distinguish between terrorism and the legitimate
25

struggle of peoples against foreign occupation. At the
same time, we reaffirm our support for the proposal of
the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to establish an
international centre to combat terrorism.
Firmly convinced of the importance of adopting
peaceful solutions in resolving disputes and issues of
foreign occupation, particularly in the Middle East and
the Arab Gulf region, the United Arab Emirates calls
upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond to its
peaceful initiatives aimed at resolving the issue of
Iran’s occupation of the three islands of the United
Arab Emirates — Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu
Musa — through bilateral negotiations or by referral to
the International Court of Justice.
In that context, we reaffirm that all actions taken
by Iran since its illegal occupation of the three islands
in 1971 are null and void, because they contradict the
United Nations Charter, international law, the
principles of good neighbourliness and the peaceful
coexistence of nations and confidence-building
measures. In the light of the impact of that important
and delicate issue on the security and the stability of
the Arab Gulf region and on the entire world, the
United Arab Emirates, along with other countries of
the Gulf Cooperation Council, looks forward to the
Iranian Government’s review of its policy in that
regard. We also hope that Iran will take a transparent
and objective approach in its response to the repeated
peaceful initiatives of the countries of the region,
which call for the end of Iran’s occupation of the three
islands belonging to the United Arab Emirates and the
creation of a positive regional environment conducive
to the strengthening of cooperation, good
neighbourliness and mutual advantage among the
region’s countries and to prosperity and stability for its
peoples.
We are hopeful that the political transition
process in Iraq will be completed and, in that respect,
we renew our support for all efforts made by the Iraqi
Government to strengthen political dialogue among the
various Iraqi factions, achieve national reconciliation
and rebuild its national institutions so that Iraq can
maintain its unity, territorial sovereignty, independence
and stability, and can play its natural role in the region
and the world.
The United Arab Emirates welcomes Israel’s
withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and parts of the
northern West Bank and hopes that the international
community will urge Israel to complete its withdrawal
from the Arab and Palestinian territories occupied
since 1967, including the Syrian Golan and the
Lebanese Shaba’a farms, dismantle the separation wall
and discontinue its settlement plans and activities, in
accordance with the resolutions of international
legitimacy, the Arab peace initiative based on the land-
for-peace principle, and the Quartet’s road map.
Furthermore, the international community must
strengthen its support of the Palestinian Authority and
help it rebuild its national institutions and exploit its
natural and economic resources.
We also demand that Israel accede to the Treaty
on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and
submit its nuclear facilities to the supervision of the
International Atomic Energy Agency, in accordance
with the relevant United Nations resolutions calling for
the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass
destruction, including nuclear weapons, in the Middle
East and the Arab Gulf region.
In spite of the progress made in science and
information technology, the international community
continues to face a growing economic gap between the
North and the South. Therefore, we call for further
international efforts to address that imbalance,
including the greater participation of developing
countries in decision-making in economic and trade
matters, and for the commitment of industrialized
States to continue their support for development
programmes in the developing countries in order to
create a fair and just international economic
environment in which all peoples enjoy the benefits of
prosperity, well-being and development.
The United Arab Emirates has developed
humanitarian and financial assistance programmes to
assist developing countries and countries affected by
conflicts, civil and regional wars and natural disasters.
That assistance exceeds the percentage recommended
by international conferences on development and the
Millennium Development Goals. In that context, the
United Arab Emirates has adopted multifaceted
development policies and plans to keep pace with
international economic and development changes.
Those policies include human resources development,
the opening of the country’s markets to foreign trade
and the enhancement of the private sector’s role in
national development.
26

In conclusion, we hope that our deliberations at
this session will result in a positive outcome that
strengthens our joint efforts to realize our peoples’
hope and ambition to live in a world in which security,
stability, peace, freedom and justice prevail.


Today, I would like to
begin by congratulating the founding nations and all
those present here today as we celebrate the sixtieth
anniversary of the United Nations, which can be proud
of so many great accomplishments.
Since its foundation in 1945, the United Nations
has helped to negotiate an end to over 170 regional
conflicts and has deployed more than 35 peacekeeping
missions. It is leading international efforts to clear land
mines from former zones of warfare. It has provided
aid to tens of millions of refugees fleeing war, famine
and persecution. It has focused the world’s attention on
issues of human rights. It provides annual
disbursements that amount to $10 billion per year for
various development programmes. It has made safe
drinking water available to 1.3 billion people during
the last decade. It has helped to eradicate smallpox
from the globe, with polio set to follow soon. It has
helped to reduce world child mortality rates by half
since 1960. It has improved education in the
developing countries, where 60 per cent of adults can
now read and write. It provides over 2 million tons of
food to victims of emergencies every year. About 30
million people in 36 different countries benefited from
such assistance in 2004 alone. And it has hosted a
variety of significant events, such as the Rio
Conference on Environment and Development, which
resulted in important treaties on biodiversity and
climate change.
The vast majority of the United Nations
employees over the years have been guided by a
profound sense of duty. I would like to single out those
responsible and dedicated workers who provide
humanitarian assistance in the poorest regions of the
globe, in zones of conflict, and in places that have been
affected by natural disasters. We should pay tribute to
all those who have lost their lives in the service of
humanity, like the lamented Sergio Vieiro de Mello,
36

who was killed while leading the United Nations work
in Iraq.
The world needs the United Nations. It needs the
United Nations today as much as it did 60 years ago.
We need a United Nations that is more and more
efficient in dealing with global challenges and able to
act efficiently to prevent such horrors as the genocide
in Rwanda, the ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, and the
ongoing human tragedy in the Darfur region of the
Sudan. While such values and principles as national
sovereignty, non-intervention and self-determination
lie at the very core of relations between the United
Nations Member States, we also have to recognize our
collective responsibility to protect innocent civilians
from wide-scale abuse and suffering. It is our duty to
arrive at a common understanding of that responsibility
to protect so that the international community can act
efficiently to avert future mass killings and crimes
against humanity. I encourage those United Nations
Member States that have not yet done so to ratify the
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and
to support the Court’s endeavours to bring war
criminals to justice.
When the United Nations was created, my
country, Latvia, was an occupied country and had no
say in the rules that govern the Organization. It was
therefore a particular honour that the President of
Latvia was chosen as a Special Envoy of the Secretary-
General for promoting reforms within the United
Nations during the past six months. I am delighted that,
in some aspects, we have succeeded in reaching a
broad consensus, as for instance on the necessity of
creating a peacebuilding commission. However, we
still do not have a common understanding regarding
many other reforms that need to be carried out. It is our
shared responsibility to arrive at such an understanding
soon.
As we work to strengthen the United Nations, we
should ensure better cooperation and practices and
avoid duplication of effort. Latvia strongly supports the
decision to establish a Human Rights Council, which
recognizes human rights as a priority on the United
Nations agenda. I therefore encourage delegations to
work with vigour to ensure the smooth transformation
of the Human Rights Commission into a council and to
set the highest standards for its future members. A vital
role in the realization of those standards will be played
by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. I wish to
confirm Latvia’s support for the Commissioner and her
Office, and welcome the decision to allocate a larger
share of the United Nations regular budget to that
important aspect of its work.
My country fully supports the management
reforms of the United Nations administration that have
been put forth by the Secretary-General. The reforms
would afford the Secretary-General greater authority
within certain fields of the United Nations activities, as
well as greater responsibilities. The reforms would also
contribute to the transparency and professionalism of
the Secretariat, which has been justly criticized for
serious deficiencies in its work. I am pleased that the
United Nations leadership is willing to propose viable
changes for improving the operations of the
Secretariat. It is now up to the Member States to arrive
at a consensus upon those proposed measures.
Latvia has consistently endorsed reform of the
Security Council in order to render it more effective
and representative. We believe that the Security
Council should be enlarged to incorporate new
permanent seats without veto rights. We also believe
that the permanent members of the Security Council
should refrain from using the veto in cases of genocide,
war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against
humanity. That promises to be one of the most difficult
issues to resolve, but we should nevertheless not
abandon our efforts to reach a feasible accord by the
end of this year.
The Secretary-General has highlighted the
linkage between security and development. The
commitments he outlines are designed to advance the
realization of the Millennium Development Goals,
which, if achieved by 2015, would mark a genuine turn
of the tide in our common struggle against poverty and
disease. The comprehensive package agreed at the G-8
Gleneagles summit in July is an important milestone in
helping Africa to eradicate extreme poverty, combat
AIDS and malaria, and ensure that every child receives
a primary education. We must now make sure that what
was agreed at Gleneagles, including a doubling of aid
by 2010 and the writing off of billions of dollars in
debt, will be delivered.
I would also like to highlight the necessity of
achieving gender equality, which includes universal
access to reproductive health information and services
by 2015. That was the central goal of the agreements
that were reached at the International Conference on
Population and Development in Cairo in 1994. Our
37

countries must strengthen girls’ access to both primary
and secondary education so that they become less
subject to early forced marriages and economic
exploitation. Girls must be made safe from genital
mutilation. Girls and women must be guaranteed
sexual and reproductive rights and protection against
HIV/AIDS and other diseases. There is no excuse for
half a million women dying each year of pregnancy-
related causes that are entirely preventable.
The need for continued development concerns
almost all regions in the world, including Eastern
Europe, which has experienced momentous changes
since the fall of the iron curtain in the late 1980s and
early 1990s. Thirteen years ago, the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) established an
office in Latvia to facilitate the country’s development
and improve people’s lives. Its mandate in Latvia will
conclude at the end of this year, and I take this
opportunity to express Latvia’s gratitude for the
invaluable assistance that UNDP has provided to my
country over these 13 years.
Today, Latvia, as a full State member of the
European Union, has become a net contributor of aid
for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. We
know that, without the promotion of good governance
at all levels, sound macroeconomic policies and a
concerted fight against corruption, the Goals will not
be reached. Latvia stands ready to share its experience
of transition to democratic rule and a free market
economy, as it has done and will continue to do with
countries in transition in Eastern Europe and the
Caucasus. We welcome the initiative of establishing a
democracy fund to assist all committed countries in
their efforts to consolidate democratic political
systems.
Recognizing the opportunities that derive from
the use of modern technologies in the field of
information and communications, Latvia has been
actively involved in the preparations for the World
Summit on the Information Society, which will be held
in Tunis this November. We hope that the Summit will
provide unprecedented opportunities for strengthening
cooperation among Governments, civil society and the
private sector in promoting the use of information and
communication technologies and generating knowledge
societies.
A major step forward is our unequivocal
condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations. My own country, Latvia, regained its
freedom through peaceful and non-violent means. We
triumphed due to our firm belief in historical justice,
along with a great deal of persistence, patience and
hope.
Latvia welcomes the Secretary-General’s counter-
terrorism strategy. We need to arrive at a
comprehensive convention on international terrorism,
which would provide a legal framework for
international cooperation in combating that modern-
day scourge of humanity. The war against terrorism
will be won only if it is fought while respecting basic
human rights and remembering humanistic ethics.
I express my profound disappointment that we
could not achieve any consensus on disarmament and
the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Progress in that area is more urgently needed than ever.
I therefore encourage every United Nations Member
State to act responsibly and in good faith in the pursuit
of those goals.
Since the previous session of the General
Assembly a year ago, the world has experienced
natural disasters of an unprecedented scale of
destruction. We have just had Hurricane Katrina, and
are still getting over the terrible tsunami last year in
South-East Asia. The hard lessons of those crises must
be learned in order to prepare for future emergencies.
While there is nothing we can do to prevent
earthquakes and tsunamis, scientists have warned us
for years that our continued dependence on and
increasing consumption of fossil fuels is generating
greenhouse gas emissions that are causing disruptive
climate changes. Unless we diversify our sources of
energy, we can expect to see more devastating
hurricanes and floods in some parts of the world, along
with drought and desertification in others.
The challenges that our nations face are
formidable, and we will be able to overcome them only
by working together. As we prepare to implement the
decisions we have made at this gathering, I wish us all
the foresight and the courage to uphold the higher
interest of the common good over narrow, short-term,
local concerns. The future of our peoples depends on
us.


On behalf
of my delegation and on my own behalf I would like to
extend our warm congratulations to President Eliasson
on his election to the presidency of the General
Assembly at its sixtieth session and to ensure him of
our cooperation in carrying out his noble mission. I
would also like to congratulate his predecessor, His
Excellency Mr. Jean Ping, who guided our work with
tact, skill and competence throughout his term, in spite
of the delicate and complex issues that were on the
agenda during the fifty-ninth session.
It is clear that the results that we have reached in
recent years, both in terms of peacekeeping and in our
approach to development issues, have been made
possible by the commendable commitment and
devotion of each and every Member, at all levels of
engagement and responsibility. I would specifically
like to underscore the valuable contribution of
Secretary-General Kofi Annan, to whom I pay a well
deserved tribute.
In his report, entitled “In larger freedom: towards
development, security and human rights for all”
(A/59/2005), our Secretary-General submitted specific
proposals that we rightfully believe are appropriate
solutions to our shared concerns. Effective
implementation of those measures will enhance the
effectiveness and credibility of the United Nations and
will help us to meet the myriad challenges facing
today’s world.
A few days ago the heads of State and
Government reviewed the international situation from
the standpoint of the Millennium Declaration adopted
in 2000 and the implementation of the Millennium
Development Goals. The conclusions clearly indicate
the magnitude of the task that still remains to be
accomplished, despite the efforts made by Member
States and their national constituents. Those
conclusions, which corroborate the analysis of the
Secretary-General, tell us that times have changed and
that the world — while it still bears scars from the
past — has already entered into the future. Today, we
are seeing the unparalleled impoverishment of many
countries and peoples, as well as the emergence of new
abhorrent phenomena, such as terrorism and
transboundary crime, not to mention the pandemic of
HIV/AIDS and the resurgence of other communicable
diseases. Given those formidable developments, it is
absolutely necessary to build a new international
society that is more caring, more just and better
managed, with the United Nations at its centre.
For its part, the Government of Chad, since the
establishment of democracy in 1990, has planned and
implemented a vast programme of institutional
transformation that promotes social and economic
development, peace and security, both domestic and
external. Moreover, we held a constitutional
referendum in June to amend a number of
provisions — a clear demonstration of our concern to
adapt our institutions to present-day demands, as well
as an opportunity for our people to renew their
confidence in those institutions.
While our country has achieved sufficient
stability within, that is not true of our borders. We are
suffering from the impacts of an insecurity that is
prevalent among our neighbours, particularly in the
Central African Republic and the Sudan, with which
Chad shares very long borders. Therefore, prompted by
our border security concerns, we have undertaken
mediation initiatives to reconcile the belligerents. For
those reasons, the Government of Chad took the
initiative to bring together the parties to the conflict in
Darfur, at Abéché, Chad, in September 2003, to make
them listen to reason. Since then, the Government has
worked continually and actively towards helping to
reach a negotiated solution to that conflict, with
support from the African Union and representatives of
the international community. Moreover, in spite of his
heavy schedule, President Idriss Deby has become
personally involved in trying to bring about a pacific
settlement to that fratricidal conflict.
Chad’s mediation led to the conclusion of the
N’Djamena and the Abuja agreements in Nigeria,
where talks are still under way to find a comprehensive
political agreement and to put an end once and for all
to the crisis that has gone on for far too long. Chad will
continue to act as a mediator so that one day the
western region of the Sudan can at long last regain its
calm and stability.
We deplore the violations of the ceasefire that are
currently taking place in Darfur and hope that they will
cease. We must welcome the formation of the new
Government of the Sudan and we are hoping that that
will be an opportunity for an acceleration of the peace
process of Abuja.
In Chad, we are duty-bound to work with our
brothers in the Sudan, with whom we have historical
8

and geographic ties. But we should not lose sight of the
impacts and consequences of the conflict, which have
taken a heavy toll, in particular on the border
populations. For instance, Chad took a fully sovereign
decision to welcome more than 200,000 Sudanese
refugees and is providing many forms of support to
other humanitarian institutions that are operating in the
affected zone. Indeed, the disruption of trade, the
deterioration of major roads by humanitarian convoys
and all the other costs eat up our meagre resources and
are the most common source of political unrest among
our own people, who feel that they have been
abandoned. Given the scarcity of our resources and the
immense needs of refugees and populations in refugee
areas, the Government of Chad is counting on
substantial assistance from the international
community.
The positive developments in the situation in the
Central African Republic are facilitating the restoration
of constitutional order in that brotherly country.
However, the incidence of crime spilling across that
country’s common borders with Chad and Cameroon is
increasing. That phenomenon has caused a new flow of
Central African refugees into Chad and they live in
very difficult conditions. We call upon the international
community to devote greater attention to their plight.
We welcome the initiative taken in that regard by
the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in the
Central African Republic, which brought together
representatives of Cameroon, Chad and the Central
African Republic at Yaoundé on 26 and 27 August to
consider the phenomenon of insecurity on their
common borders and to find solutions to it.
Of course, the insecurity on our borders should
not cause us to lose sight of other crises in Africa and
throughout the world. In Africa, we welcome the
developments in Guinea-Bissau, Burundi and Liberia,
to mention only those brotherly countries.
Undoubtedly, the issue of their reconstruction will have
an important place on the agendas of those countries,
of the African Union and of the rest of the world.
On the other hand, the situation in Côte d’Ivoire
continues to concern us. President Mbeki’s mediation
has not been able to lead — as had been hoped — to
the immediate holding of presidential elections. We
urge our Ivorian brethren to engage in dialogue.
In the Middle East, the persistence of the Israeli-
Arab conflict continues to poison relations in the
subregion, even while the withdrawal from the Gaza
Strip is a tangible element in recent developments. We
are convinced that it is only through dialogue that a
just and lasting solution to that conflict can be found.
With regard to the disagreement between the
People’s Republic of China and Taiwan, we appreciate
Taiwan’s tireless efforts to reach a peaceful solution.
The international community must encourage the two
parties to accept each other. The readmission of Taiwan
into the United Nations, which we believe to be a
legitimate demand of that country, would be the point
of departure for such acceptance.
The interdependence of the concepts of
development, peace and security is the basis of our
country’s support for the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). The Millennium Declaration was
undoubtedly a strong signal from the partnership of
rich and poor countries in favour of a fairer, more
balanced and more united world. In itself, it is a great
endeavour that could lead to the consolidation of
global efforts.
My country has set for itself the same objectives
in its development strategies, plans and programmes as
are found in the Millennium Declaration, particularly
our national poverty reduction strategy and our
national strategy for good governance. Undoubtedly,
for most of our countries, achieving the MDGs is not
very likely, particularly in the areas of promoting peace
and security, good governance and economic and social
reforms.
There is in Chad, however, a consensus regarding
the need for sustained progress on those issues and in
other areas related to social, economic and political
life. The Government of Chad is, therefore, focusing in
particular on activities relating to the protection of
children, the promotion of maternal health, the
education of girls and the social and professional
integration of underprivileged groups, particularly
women, the elderly and the disabled. In that
connection, there is no doubt that the partnership
between civil society and the private sector is being
strongly encouraged.
I am not unaware that many delegations may
wonder about the current situation with regard to
socio-economic development in Chad following the
exploitation of oil there. The fact that Chad joined the
small circle of oil exporting countries two years ago,
although it caused some euphoria in my country, has
9

not attracted the expected financial resources.
Unfortunately, Chad, under the agreements linking it to
the oil consortium, benefits from only a small
proportion of the revenues resulting from its oil. We
continue to need the cooperation and assistance of
friendly countries to supplement our resources, which
still fall short of our needs. Such cooperation is
essential if we are to carry out our development and
anti-poverty programmes.
As members are aware, my country’s
development depends partly on the cotton crop, which
unfortunately is in a state of crisis that is becoming
endemic. That crop, which provides a living for much
of Chad’s population, is dangerously threatened by the
protectionist practices of developed countries. In fact,
our cotton producers are victims of the subsidy policies
of countries that are supposed to comply with the rules
of international trade. Measures must be taken to limit
the effects of the market economy, which is
increasingly restricting our weak economies. We
believe that well-regulated economic trade would
ensure sustainable development for the least advanced
countries and would help to build confidence among
States.
We are uncertain of reaching a political solution
to the cotton problem, despite the hopes placed in
continued multilateral trade negotiations within the
framework of the Doha Round. It is no longer certain
that developed countries will agree to abandon their
subsidy practices and implement radical changes in the
current system to meet the expectations of African
cotton growers. That would leave no choice but to
resort to political and legal action under the provisions
of the statutes and rules of the World Trade
Organization with a view to regulating the cotton
market through measures to compensate the losses
suffered by our producers.
Most Member States had hoped that this sixtieth
session of the General Assembly would finally achieve
the democratization of the United Nations. That does
not yet seem to be the case. But we must not lose
momentum, and we must continue to work to ensure
that that objective is attained in the near future. The
revitalization of the General Assembly and of the
Economic and Social Council and the transformation of
the Commission on Human Rights into an important
United Nations body, as suggested by the Secretary-
General, would enable the Organization to be more
effective. In such a restructuring, which remains
relevant, the issue of Security Council expansion is of
interest to Member States, particularly those of
Africa — and quite rightly, because we know that since
the creation of the United Nations in 1945, no African
State has had a seat on the Council as a permanent
member with the right of the veto. That injustice
seriously mars the credibility of the United Nations,
and it is time to rectify it.
Our position regarding a new configuration for
the Security Council remains that which has been
reaffirmed many times by the African Union. It reflects
our firm will to participate in the efforts of the
international community under United Nations
auspices aimed at ensuring the maintenance of peace
and security, which are guarantees for sustainable
economic and social development.


The struggle for democracy being waged by
Nicaragua has transcended our borders, arousing
feelings of solidarity and support in different parts of
the world. The Nicaraguan people raised their voice
and they were heard by Central America. From there,
with the added strength of the seven fraternal countries
that joined it, that voice resounded throughout the
Andean Community, Mexico, the United States of
America, Canada, the Rio Group, the Organization of
American States (OAS), the European Union and
Japan, to mention only the most recent cases. Indeed,
the echo of that voice has reverberated at the United
Nations in various reports and resolutions.
From this rostrum in the General Assembly Hall,
I would like to convey to Member States the deep
gratitude of the Nicaraguan people for the solidarity
they have shown to us.
We come to the sixtieth session of the General
Assembly at a turning point for our future, for we are
in the throes of a struggle for democracy, a struggle to
keep us from returning to our dark days and make them
a thing of the past. Like the peoples of other United
Nations Members who have fought for their freedom,
thousands of Nicaraguans have died for it, victims of a
perverse pendulum that swung from authoritarianism to
totalitarianism. The lessons learned in those years left
us a legacy that acknowledges the supreme value of
freedom, democracy and, above all, peace.
Over the past four years, we have been striving
for national revitalization and institutional overhaul
based on transparency, freedom, the rule of law, social
equality and individual initiative.
To carry out that Herculean task, we needed to
overcome the errors of the past. That is why, with
support from the rest of our continent, we have
engaged in a frontal attack on corruption and impunity.
We have also attempted to restore independence and
integrity to our institutions, held hostage by private and
partisan interests. Those efforts include the legal
34

sphere, where the absolute impartiality and objectivity
of judges and magistrates, as well as an inclusive
electoral system capable of ensuring respect for a
popular vote cast in freedom, are imperative. It also
requires that institutions act in the service of the higher
interests of the nation and do not become weapons in
political vendettas, used in campaigns to intimidate
public officials in the executive branch.
The forces conniving to oppose democracy
responded by escalating the breakdown in the
constitutional order and the legitimate exercise of
power. They then attempted to upset the balance of
power, an essential principal of representative
democracy in the inter-American system. The
opposition attempted to execute a new type of coup
d’état, corrupting State institutions by using them as
instruments of political coercion. Instead of accepting
the separation of powers, they appropriated the
distribution of power, attempting to modify the powers
of the President retroactively without consulting the
Nicaraguan people. Only the Nicaraguan people can
confer national sovereignty and presidential power, as
they did at the polls in November 2001.
In the light of those threats to democracy, we
have harnessed all our available resources under
national legislation and international law. The Central
American Court of Justice, the judicial arm of the
Central American Integration System and rooted in
democratic values, handed down a far-reaching
decision on 29 March 2005 recognizing the separation
of powers as a democratic principle. Under the Inter-
American Democratic Charter, we also turned to the
Organization of American States, which affirmed that
the disturbing turn of events in Nicaragua was
compromising the balance of power and the
Government’s legitimate exercise of power.
To overcome that situation, President Enrique
Bolaños has expressed his continuing willingness to
launch a broad national dialogue with all sectors. This
does not mean, however — as the forces attempting to
destroy our institutions have claimed — a dialogue
aimed at surrendering democracy. Nor should it be a
dialogue in which a gun is held to the President’s head
to force him to make concessions that would lead to a
new type of dictatorship in Nicaragua — one never
before seen in the history of Latin America — one that
would bring back the trials and tribulations of earlier
years and put an end to freedom and dash the
democratic hopes of the Nicaraguan people and all
nations. On the contrary, as the Organization of
American States itself has said in its resolutions, it is a
dialogue aimed at seeking democratic solutions, free
from pressure, threats and coercion, and aimed at the
cessation of any actions that could exacerbate the crisis
and prevent the restoration of the balance of power.
We deplore the murder of journalists in any part
of the world. In particular, we are concerned by the
murders of three Nicaraguan journalists that took place
over the past three years. We are concerned not only
because the criminals cut short precious human lives,
but also because the murders came at the height of the
electoral campaign and constituted an attempt to
terrorize our journalists and suppress freedom of
expression in our young democracy. By attacking
freedom of expression, they are harming the
democratic processes. Those forces are well aware that
freedom of expression is the voice of democracy.
Freedom of expression protects all the other
fundamental rights; without it, freedom loses its
sustenance and democracy is orphaned.
We will continue doing our utmost to punish the
guilty and break up all networks of terror and
intimidation.
We are aware of the importance of the upcoming
electoral processes for democracy in Nicaragua. Under
the present circumstances, we must guarantee the
Nicaraguan people that every vote will be duly
registered, counted and respected, and that their sacred
right to elect their authorities in conditions of absolute
freedom will not be violated. As a result, we have
asked the Secretary-General for technical assistance
from the United Nations specialized agencies to help
us hold elections and strengthen our democracy,
complementing the work being carried out by the
Organization of American States with assistance of the
European Union.
Despite the energy, resources and efforts diverted
from development in order to preserve democracy,
Nicaragua has made major strides towards fulfilling the
Millennium Development Goals. Destabilizing actions
have not stopped the Nicaraguan people from
beginning to enjoy the first fruits of the war against
corruption and to benefit from an honest and
transparent civil service that has succeeded in
attracting foreign investment and winning the
confidence of the international community.
35

The latest gauge of President Bolaños’s success
in enabling more and more Nicaraguans to lead a
decent life can be found in the Human Development
Report 2005, which states that we have progressed
from the 118th to the 112th position. The best medium-
term strategy for sustainable poverty reduction is to
gain access to new markets and make international
trade the driving force of growth, combining economic
growth with social development in order to develop our
human capital.
The Government of Nicaragua is promoting
ratification of the Central American Free Trade
Agreement between Central America, the Dominican
Republic and the United States of America, which
seeks to strengthen our economy, integrate us into the
world and raise our population’s standard of living,
particularly that of the poorest sectors.
We welcomed with hope the words of President
Bush in his statement to this Assembly:
“A successful Doha Round will reduce and
eliminate tariffs and other barriers on farm and
industrial goods. It will end unfair agricultural
subsidies ... Under Doha, every nation will gain —
and the developing world stands to gain the
most.” (A/60/PV.2, p. 8)
May that be the case.
I am pleased to announce that in accordance with
the request made by the heads of State and Government
of the Central American Integration System to
President Vicente Fox of Mexico on 12 September, we
are today sending his Government the information that
will make it possible to explore innovative finance
mechanisms to help our countries deal with the crisis
caused by the international price of oil.
Poverty is a multi-dimensional phenomenon
associated with economic and structural problems. The
reduction of unemployment and social inequality and
the expansion of social investment are determining
factors for human development: in other words,
sustainable economic growth within a democratic
framework based on social and gender equality.
The Government of Nicaragua is carrying out
social programmes to protect the rights and satisfy the
basic needs of the most vulnerable sectors of
Nicaraguan society — women, children, young people,
the elderly and persons with disabilities. This
protection extends to Nicaraguans abroad.
We reaffirm our priority commitment to
promoting respect for the dignity of all our migrants,
who, with their work and their efforts, contribute to
socio-economic development, that of their host country
and that of their home country.
A duty of justice and solidarity moves Nicaragua
to raise its voice in support of the just and legitimate
aspiration of the Republic of China on Taiwan to
become a member of the universal forum of the United
Nations. The more than 20 million nationals of that
country deserve to be regarded as an integral part of
the peoples of the United Nations.
Nicaragua is grateful to the Central American
Integration System for endorsing our candidacy for a
non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the
2006-2007 term, reflecting the right of countries with
small economies to be represented on an equal footing.
At a time of reform of the Organization, Nicaragua is
also grateful for the significant support it has received
thus far and affirms its resolve to continue seeking the
support of all Member States.
We hope to be elected and to share our experience
in areas such as peacekeeping and peacebuilding and to
support the just aspiration of developing countries to
participate fully in decisions concerning security, with
all the responsibility, benefits and consequences that
that implies.


At the outset, allow me to
congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the
presidency of the General Assembly at its sixtieth
session. I am confident that your experience in
multilateral diplomacy, coupled with a positive
approach, will serve as a guarantee of success for the
outcome of your decisions. Ahead of us lie demanding
tasks related to the implementation of the reform
decisions that have been adopted. I wish to assure that
you can fully rely on Slovakia's support in that regard.
I wish also to convey our solidarity to the United
States citizens devastated by Hurricane Katrina, who
are struggling to recover from the trauma of losing
their loved ones and their homes. On behalf of the
people and the Government of Slovakia, I extend
heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims who
perished in that natural disaster.
We are gathered here in this forum because the
challenges faced by humankind in the area of global
development, security and protection of human rights
bring us together in our search for common solutions
that call for clear political decisions. There is a general
understanding that the United Nations, in its current
shape and form, is not up to the challenges that lie
ahead of it in the twenty-first century. Accordingly, we
must follow through with the necessary changes so that
this Organization may continue to fulfil its role
efficiently while keeping abreast of the growing needs
and expectations of the international community.
The Secretary-General has submitted his plan,
which contains a package of bold reform steps laying
down ways for the international community to deal
with current issues and upgrade the United Nations
system. Since the very day on which it was published,
Slovakia has believed that his plan provides an
excellent basis for our deliberations. We endorse the
premise that progress in tackling the most important
global problems can only be achieved if the issues of
development, security and human rights are addressed
jointly. In particular, we welcome the fact that human
rights are accorded the same priority as development
and security, and we appreciate the relevant proposals
to strengthen the international system for the protection
of human rights.
The reform of the United Nations is not a matter
to be dealt with by the Organization alone, as
responsibility for reaching concrete consensus on key
issues lies primarily in the hands of the Governments
of Member States. Reaching agreement that
accommodates the interests of the entire world is no
easy task. This yearís summit and its outcome
document have forced us to look in the mirror. They
have shown us the amount of vision, wisdom and
courage that we were able and willing to bring to this
task, with a view to fundamentally reforming the
system of multilateral cooperation in the interest of
global development. The image we saw reflected in the
mirror was not to everyoneís liking, but that is the
nature of multilateral diplomacy. It is the result of
compromise, the art of the possible, which is both its
strong and its weak point. In that connection, I prefer
taking a forward-looking approach with regard to the
outcome document, which contains messages and ideas
that deserve our support in the General Assembly. Let
us try to go ahead with its implementation as best we
can.
22

Despite the considerable progress achieved -
primarily in the fight against poverty and famine in
Asia - all reports draw attention to  the extremely
alarming and unacceptable downturn in several parts of
Africa. Slovakia came to the summit with the
understanding that our first priority was to make
progress in achieving the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). In my view, the outcome document
provides a solid basis for our future work in that
regard.
Slovakia has not been inactive in that respect.
The amount of public funds appropriated for foreign
aid has quadrupled since the year 2000, which speaks
for itself. In addition, having joined the European
Union in May 2004, Slovakia also joined the common
European development aid system. As a new member
of the Union, Slovakia pledged to do its utmost to
increase its official development assistance to 0.17 per
cent of gross domestic product by 2010, and to 0.33
per cent by 2015.
Slovakia is directly funding and implementing
more than 70 projects in the poor countries of Europe,
Asia and Africa. That gives us the opportunity to
directly pass on to developing countries the unique
knowledge that we acquired during our own countryís
transition.
In addition to favouring an increase in aid,
Slovakia also supports further reform of trade relations
as well as debt relief for poor countries. I wish to
highlight the serious debt relief measures that Slovakia
took earlier this year, forgiving several hundred million
dollars in debt owed by heavily indebted poor
countries.
Slovakia welcomes efforts aimed at liberalizing
trade as a means to promote economic growth and
development. We therefore join the call for an
expeditious completion of the World Trade
Organizationís Doha round of negotiations.
At this point, I must mention that one of the most
serious global threats is the escalation of terrorism. It is
commendable that the outcome document clearly
denounces this new plague of our time, which
endangers the population of rich and poor countries
alike. Slovakia has clearly opposed all forms of
violence and expressions of blind fanaticism and
hatred. During the summit, in order to demonstrate
Slovakiaís position, I personally signed the
International Convention for the Suppression of Acts
of Nuclear Terrorism, which is the latest in a series of
anti-terrorist international treaty instruments. Slovakia
is also a signatory to all 12 United Nations anti-
terrorism conventions. Slovakia strongly supports the
comprehensive strategy to fight terrorism presented by
Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the Madrid
Conference in March 2005.
I must say that Slovakia had expected that the
summit would have formulated a clear definition of
terrorism, which is an important prerequisite for the
adoption of a comprehensive anti-terrorism convention.
While we did not achieve that, it is nevertheless
imperative that we redouble our efforts to draft such a
convention in order that it can still be adopted during
this sixtieth session. The outcome document will serve
as a good starting point for that effort.
The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
continues to represent the most serious threat to global
security. It is therefore regrettable that the outcome
document leaves us with more questions than answers.
As a member of the Board of Governors of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Slovakia
recognizes the right to the peaceful use of nuclear
energy without the possibility of misusing that
technology to produce nuclear arms. We therefore
believe that in order to prevent the proliferation of
nuclear weapons it is crucial to strengthen the
supervisory competencies of the IAEA and to control
more effectively the stages in the nuclear fuel cycle
that involve uranium enrichment and plutonium
processing. However, such restrictions must take
account of the right of countries that fully satisfy their
treaty obligations to obtain energy from nuclear power.
Slovakia supported the proposal to set up a
Human Rights Council as a permanent principal body
of the United Nations. The Human Rights Council
should follow up on all the positive and constructive
features of the existing Human Rights Commission.
Members of the Human Rights Council should be
elected by a two-thirds majority of the General
Assembly. The Slovak Republic is in favour of the
Council being composed of a small number of
members in order to give it the necessary flexibility in
responding to emerging problems. Slovakia supported
the proposal to elect members of the Council on a
regional basis, and from countries that demonstrably
meet their commitments concerning the protection of
human rights. Slovakia also encourages closer
23

interactions between the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights, the Human Rights
Council and the Security Council. In that context, we
welcome the proposal in the summitís outcome
document to strengthen the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights.
We were also pleased to note that, for the first
time, the outcome document contains a broader
definition of the principle of the responsibility to
protect. Slovakia looks forward to further work in that
regard. We believe that after Cambodia, Rwanda, the
Sudan and Srebrenica, we are slowly entering a stage
where we take on more direct responsibility for dealing
with situations where genocide and war crimes are
committed. The principle of sovereignty means that
responsibility for people lies with each sovereign
country and its Government. However, if a particular
Government fails to live up to that responsibility, the
international community has the obligation to take all
necessary steps and use all available and necessary
means to prevent a major humanitarian disaster.
Slovakia was very much in favour of the proposal
to set up a Peacebuilding Commission. Experience
shows us that we must not rush to leave a country that
has just seen the end of a conflict and simply turn our
backs on the whole situation. Our recent history has
provided us several bad examples in that regard. We
must strengthen our efforts with a view to setting up an
effective Peacebuilding Commission in the shortest
amount of time possible. The outcome document sets
out clear parameters and a timeframe for its
establishment.
I mentioned at the outset that it is essential to
realign the United Nations with the reality of our
modern era. In that regard, it is essential to further
revitalize the General Assembly. We must also reform
the Economic and Social Council so as to make it
capable of effectively implementing the development
agenda of the United Nations.
With respect to reorganizing the Secretariat, we
are in favour of increasing the flexibility, and
strengthening the authority of, the Secretary-General in
his managerial functions as the head of the
Organization, in order to enable him to keep abreast of
the current needs of the United Nations. He must be
given the necessary resources to perform his role. At
the same time, it will be necessary to strengthen the
independence and powers of internal supervisory
bodies in order to ensure more transparency and
accountability inside the Organization. Of course, all
the reforms will require appropriate funding in order
not to dissipate the efforts that were necessary to reach
consensus.
Among the reforms that have enjoyed Slovakia's
long-standing support is the reform of the Security
Council. This is an issue on which, despite ongoing
efforts, we were unable to reach a balanced agreement.
We need a more democratic and more representative
Security Council that better reflects todayís new
geopolitical situation. The Security Council should be
enlarged in both categories of membership by adding
countries that play an important role in the global arena
and in the United Nations framework. It is vital that an
enlarged Council retain its effectiveness with regard to
decision-making.
We intend to actively support the transition
process in Iraq with a view to creating a secure, stable,
united, prosperous and democratic country, in
accordance with Security Council resolutions. As we
declared at the International Conference on Iraq, held
on 22 June 2005 in Brussels, Slovakia has decided to
forgive $1.13 billion of Iraq's debt as a tangible
contribution to that end. We are confident that the Iraqi
people will use the October referendum to show their
support for the new Constitution, and that democratic
parliamentary elections will follow.
Stabilizing the western Balkans remains a priority
on my countryís foreign policy agenda. Slovakia has
thus far supported the engagement of the United
Nations in the region by participating in peacekeeping
and stabilization missions in the Balkans. In our
opinion, the pivotal issue with regard to the
stabilization of the Western Balkans is the future status
of Kosovo, which remains a potential element of
instability in the region. We denounce all acts of
violence and intolerance inside the province. We
believe that the majority of Kosovars aspire to peace,
democracy and development. In particular, we
appreciate the activities of the Special Envoy of the
Secretary-General, Kai Eide.
Slovakia has been approved as the candidate of
the Group of Eastern European States for a non-
permanent seat in the Security Council in the elections
to be held at this session of the General Assembly.
Slovakia has never been a member of the Security
Council, although it has taken an active part in United
24

Nations peacekeeping efforts through its participation
in operations in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle
East.
If elected to membership in that important body,
the Slovak Republic will enter the Security Council at
a dynamic moment characterized by a changing global
environment and by the search for a new security
consensus. New threats to security represent growing
challenges to the ability of the international system to
maintain international peace and security. That
development will therefore also be a challenge for our
country in its capacity as a member of the Security
Council, in particular because it will test our readiness
to shoulder greater commitment and responsibility for
stability and security around the world. I want to assure
the Assembly that Slovakia is ready to take on this
important assignment with honour and responsibility.


Fiji extends its warm
congratulations to the Organization on the sixtieth
anniversary of its existence, and to the President, on
his assumption of the presidency of the General
Assembly at its sixtieth session. We wish to express
our confidence in his ability to guide our work during
2005 and 2006.
We also extend our appreciation to his
predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Jean Ping of the
Gabonese Republic, for his outstanding guidance of the
difficult business of the fifty-ninth session. We also
would like to place on record our appreciation to the
Secretary-General for his tireless efforts and active role
in bringing about an outcome document that should
become the centrepiece that guides our efforts in the
many months to come.
Last week the leaders of our States or
Governments adopted a resolution on the outcome of
their deliberations. The outcome document (resolution
60/1), as anticipated, did not meet the expectations of
everyone; rather, it contained those key elements
essential to addressing the three pillar issues of
security, human rights and development.
What is required of us now is the commitment to
support the implementation plan that will be drawn up
to convert to action what have up to now been merely
hopes and aspirations. We must also undertake to
ensure that the assistance so rendered trickles right
down to the poor, the hungry, the needy and the
hopeless — those that require it the most. Far too often
donations, funds and other forms of assistance are
mired in the bureaucratic process and reduced by
certain percentages, which are then passed off as
so-called administrative charges.
Fiji fully endorses the outcome document, and we
are committed to implement those provisions that we
as a developing nation are required to pursue for
ourselves. The formulation and implementation of the
Fiji national sustainable development strategy,
outlining the visions of our leaders and targeting the
aspirations and objectives of the summit outcome and
the Millennium Development Goals, is paramount. We
are in the process of reforming our public and financial
sector and introducing limited changes in the private
sector. Infrastructure development and improvement
are a priority in light of our occupational health and
safety standards. Marine legislation and regulations are
being reviewed to ensure the safety at sea of both
30

passengers and vessels alike, as well as the protection
of our maritime resources such as our continental shelf.
The principle of restorative justice in pursuit of
reconciliation, tolerance and unity is being widely
discussed through a democratic process of
consultations among the public before it is introduced
in Parliament.
Concerning the reform of the United Nations
Secretariat, Fiji subscribes to the thinking that the
Secretary-General should be empowered to enact the
changes he believes best suit the Organization. We
must all help to create a United Nations Organization
that is more efficient and accountable. Accountability
can be achieved by the establishment of the much
discussed Oversight Committee, the modalities and
working methodology of which have to include clear
and transparent terms of reference and a well-balanced
regional representation.
The United Nations must function always with
integrity and urgent concern for the needs of Member
States. Above all we must help the United Nations to
concentrate, as never before, on reducing the shameful
gap between developed and developing countries.
There should be no pause in United Nations
endeavours to establish and maintain international
peace, security and stability. The Secretary-General
and his staff are to be commended for seeking peace
agreements or in trying to prevent disputes from
violently escalating. Peacekeepers from many troop-
contributing countries deployed to conflict zones are
working not only to provide security but also to
disarm, demobilize and reintegrate former fighters, to
permit the safe and sustainable return of refugees and
to strengthen human rights and the rule of law.
We commend the work of the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq and
the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq
(UNAMI) in trying to promote an inclusive,
participatory and transparent political transition
process in the country. Fiji is privileged to have our
troops serving in UNAMI to help in the process.
Fiji reaffirms its commitment to the United
Nations. As always, we are for peace and this is the
reason we have sent many of our soldiers and police
officers to serve with United Nations peacekeeping and
peacebuilding forces. Many of our servicemen have
lost their lives, but we have accepted this ultimate
sacrifice as our contribution to the unceasing global
effort for finding peace and security.
Further, while fully appreciating the principle of
the standby force, we are at the same time concerned
by the fact that those nations who are unable to
properly equip their forces are mainly from developing
countries and will therefore be marginalized should no
arrangement be made to assist them in this area. If such
assistance is not forthcoming, then peacekeeping will
be confined to only a select few countries, mainly
developed nations.
Fiji acclaims the proposal for a Peacebuilding
Commission. We will gladly share with the
Commission our own experiences in reconstructing our
country following the civil unrest that almost tore the
nation apart in 2000. We ask reconsideration regarding
the makeup of the Peacebuilding Commission, for
while some of us have served in that sphere longer than
others, the size of certain countries’ contribution gives
them an advantage under the current modalities.
We support the United Nations and other major
groups’ initiatives at establishing partnerships with
regional groups. The South Pacific region has
constantly come together to address common problems
that may beset its members. The Regional
Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands is a
peacekeeping/peacebuilding mission that was mounted
by the region. We would urge the United Nations to
kindly assist in the humanitarian effort to bring this
regional initiative on an even keel.
Fiji is supportive of an enlarged Security Council
membership that reflects current geopolitical realities.
We maintain our support for the inclusion of India and
Japan as permanent members under revised
arrangements.
We look forward to the moment when peace
finally reigns in the Middle East, and we commend all
those countries that are helping with that global cause.
For our Pacific Ocean region, we would like to see the
Korean people find just peace and lasting harmony. On
the future of Taiwan, it is Fiji’s fervent hope that a
resolution through dialogue, conducted in the true
spirit of reconciliation and understanding and devoid of
violence, can be found — one that is agreeable to all
parties and that can last for years to come.
This age of globalization is marked by the
adoption of universal principles governing such
31

matters as democracy, human rights, trade and
development. Fiji accepts those precepts; there is no
question about that. But we also say that countries like
ours, undergoing profound transition, should not be
held to unrealistic standards. We need time to evolve,
to adapt and to adhere. Members should not judge us
by what might be appropriate to their standards, but
measure us by the progress we are making towards the
universal ideals and the level of our commitment to
change.
Fiji respects the principle of equality of human
rights. We endorse the proposal for a Human Rights
Council, directly accountable to the General Assembly,
as an improvement upon the present arrangements.
However, in order for the Council to be effective, its
members have to be as widely representative as
possible and should not be subjected to special
reporting requirements.
For Fiji, it is vitally important, as a factor for
long-term stability, that the special interests of the
indigenous people, including their right to ownership
of their natural resources, is protected, and that a
balance between the rights of individuals and
communities is maintained. This has particular
relevance for a multicultural society such as ours. In
this regard, we strongly endorse the intention to bring
to the General Assembly as soon as possible for
adoption a final draft Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples.
To fund the Millennium Development Goals
developing countries ought to have access to markets
and a fair return on their exports. This fact is important
for Fiji and other small vulnerable States; our very
economic survival is dependent upon it. Unrealistic
and inequitable world trade policies simply make it
much harder for our countries to eliminate poverty.
Fiji commends those developed States that are
prepared to assist developing nations in cushioning the
impact of World Trade Organization compliance. We
pay particular tribute to the European Union for its
willingness to assist and call on our European Union
partners to provide adequate long-term support as it
begins to reduce preferential processes for African,
Caribbean and Pacific sugar.
We also would like to express appreciation to our
close neighbours Australia and New Zealand and our
friends in Asia for their support in helping us get better
access to their markets and assistance in other
important areas of development.
The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a global concern as it
impacts on our ability to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals. A cooperative effort by everyone
remains the only way to control and eradicate the
scourge. Action that integrates prevention, treatment
and the medical and social vulnerability of infected
persons should be our guiding principles.
At the same time we should not minimize the
seriousness of the ravages produced of other infectious
diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. Effort
should also be directed at other scourges, such as
extreme poverty and the plight of the disabled.
We can no longer ignore the plight of women and
children who through the years have been subjected to
sexual exploitation and abuse. Last week, Fiji’s Prime
Minister, Laisenia Qarase, signed the two Optional
Protocols of the Convention on the Rights of the Child;
the first on the involvement of children in armed
conflict and the second on the sale of children, child
prostitution and child pornography. In addition Fiji
strongly believes that the time is right for stronger
action to be taken to address the issue of young women
who are denied the right to sexual and reproductive
health.
We welcome the decision to hold a 2006 General
Assembly High-level Dialogue on International
Migration and Development. The amount of
remittances from migrant workers has become a rich
source of funds and has raised the standards of living
of families, contributed substantially to the national
economy and provided much needed employment to
the job market. Fiji hopes that the High-level Dialogue
will be the catalyst to enable countries to work in
partnership and agree to a better understanding to
improve the conditions of migrant workers.
Terrorism is a blight on all our horizons. It
respects no borders, and it is neither an acceptable nor
an effective way to advance any cause. Insularity is no
longer a cushion to protect islands which believe
themselves to be further away from the mainstream of
international activities. In trying to fulfil the terms and
conditionalities established by the various terrorism
conventions, more money that can hardly be spared has
to be found to fulfil those obligations. In doing so,
efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goals are
stymied and in some instances halted.
32

In this regard, a global effort to combat terrorism
has to be instituted to include training, funding,
transparency in the exchange of information and
intelligence, and a pledge to assist when needed.
Fiji will always be in support of all efforts to
reform the United Nations and its initiatives in the
fields of security, human rights and development. Our
efforts will be modest but commensurate with our
abilities.


On
behalf of the United Republic of Tanzania, I
congratulate the President on his election as President
of the General Assembly at its sixtieth session. I wish
him every success. I would also like to extend my
delegation’s gratitude to his predecessor, Mr. Jean
Ping, for presiding over the Assembly’s fifty-ninth
session, which, among other accomplishments,
successfully negotiated the outcome document of the
High-level Plenary Meeting.
At the outset, I should like to commend
Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his outstanding and
tenacious leadership of the United Nations through one
of the most trying interludes in the Organization’s
history. That period has probably been the most
creative and visionary in the Secretary-General’s
career, as he inspired the Organization and its
membership to embark upon ambitious and much-
needed reforms to make the Organization relevant and
equal to the threats and challenges of a globalizing
world in the twenty-first century.
The summit that has just ended set the tone,
agenda and direction for where the United Nations
should go 60 years after its inception at San Francisco
in 1945. The pace of reform will be determined by the
collective political dedication of us, the Members of
the Organization. The process of United Nations
reform has brought us together and reaffirmed the
sovereign equality of nations and demonstrated the
indispensability of collective action and the demands
of shared responsibility and obligations in international
affairs. Although what we have agreed upon falls short
of what we set out to accomplish, we have to put
details into what we need to implement with the same
spirit of collective dedication and a sense of common
purpose. We should not allow political expediency and
posturing to rob us of our declared objectives.
The glaring indignities of poverty, hunger,
illiteracy and preventable disease amidst the glamour
and opulence of prosperity in some quarters of the
world should be relegated to the dustbin of history.
That is achievable if we implement the commitments
that we resolved to undertake at the summit that has
just ended. At Monterrey we agreed on a framework
for partnership. For some members of the G-8,
Gleneagles transformed a 30-year-old pledge to devote
0.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) to
official development assistance into a timetable; for
others, it resulted in predictable increases. Debt
37

sustainability has finally given way to debt
cancellation for some countries, including my own, the
United Republic of Tanzania. That is a tremendous
relief and will make a significant quantitative and
qualitative difference to our development programmes
and priorities.
Trade and investment have also received
acceptance as being central to growth and
development. The Doha trade and development round
of negotiations, to take place in Hong Kong later this
year, should be completed with agreements on pending
issues such as subsidies.
The political capital generated at the summit
should bring about a convergence of resources from
our development partners and the economic, political,
fiscal and institutional reforms already under way in
Africa, and result in predictable and implementable
development programmes. The issue of absorptive
capacity should not arise when there is coherence and
coordination among our partners within a collaborative
framework at country level to mainstream assistance
into national development strategies and priorities.
The United Republic of Tanzania has already
complied with the critical element of paragraph 22 (a)
of the 2005 World Summit Outcome (resolution 60/1),
which calls upon developing countries to adopt and
implement comprehensive national strategies to
achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
We are ahead in achieving the goal regarding universal
primary education, namely, nine years before the 2015
deadline. We are on-course in achieving the goals
regarding access to safe drinking water, reducing child
mortality and promoting gender equality in political
participation and decision-making structures. With
steady assistance and our macroeconomic and political
stability, we should get closer to achieving most of the
Goals by 2015.
In sub-Saharan Africa individual countries are
accelerating reforms and improving the climate for
investment. Frontloading aid flows and innovative new
sources of finance to bridge the financial gap in
achieving the MDGs should be scaled up, as should
aid-in-trade to overcome supply side constraints.
Subsidies and market-access issues should also be
addressed simultaneously in the international
development agenda. The outcome of the Helsinki
process, with its wealth of ideas, adds tremendous
value both to the reform process launched last week
and to the overall international development agenda. It
addresses political deficits and requirements to bring
about purposeful development and democratic changes
in this era of globalization.
The relationship between development and
security at the national and international levels has
clearly emerged during the debate and negotiations on
the 2005 World Summit Outcome, on which I do not
need to dwell here. The arms race in conventional and
nuclear weapons can only bring the world to
apocalyptic brinkmanship — by design or by accident.
The agonizing endeavour to mobilize development
efforts to achieve the MDGs stands in stark contrast to
the irony of spending trillions of dollars on armaments
of total and mass destruction. It is therefore most
disconcerting that the summit was unable to come up
with an agreement on disarmament and non-
proliferation. We should not give up on the subject of
disarmament and non-proliferation. Let us therefore
make another effort to resume negotiations on those
issues.
We in Tanzania and in our region are also
particularly keen to see a global convention concluded
soon to regulate the marking and tracing of all small
arms and light weapons and on the illicit brokering of
arms which fuel violent conflicts and instability in our
regions in Africa.
Collective security cannot be enhanced without
reform of the Security Council. The reform of the
Security Council too has been deferred, but the issue of
the Council’s expansion and the reform of its working
methods should remain on the agenda. Negotiations on
the issue should resume soon. The United Republic of
Tanzania supports the Ezulwini consensus on the
reform of the Security Council, bearing in mind that
only Africa has yet to have either a permanent seat or a
veto in the Council. Our interlocutors should recognize
that imbalance in our negotiations and should try to
accommodate Africa’s demands to make the Security
Council more, not less, representative and more, not
less, legitimate.
The condemnation of terrorism in all its forms
and manifestations brings us closer to an agreed
definition, which would be helpful in galvanizing our
undivided efforts to combat terrorism. The lack of an
agreed definition, however, should not delay an
agreement on a comprehensive anti-terrorism
convention in the course of this session of the General
38

Assembly. As a victim of terrorism in recent years, the
United Republic of Tanzania has a compelling reason
to support a global anti-terrorist strategy.
Respect for the human rights and fundamental
freedoms of all people is entrenched in the purposes
and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and
buttressed by the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. For nearly 60 years, the institutional expression
and status of human rights in the United Nations has
been evolving, and it still is. We support the
establishment of the Human Rights Council to the
extent that it will elevate the centrality of human
rights, enhance the moral authority and integrity of the
United Nations, and overcome the shortcomings of the
current Commission on Human Rights. The new
Council should embody the principles and practices of
peer review in its working methods to avoid double
standards in accountability and compliance, which
have plagued the Human Rights Commission.
The new concept of the “responsibility to protect”
merits our support, after the recent international
failures to protect people in Rwanda and Bosnia. The
responsibility to protect should be a collective
undertaking by States to protect populations from
genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
However, we will need to establish benchmarks and
safeguards to guarantee against unilateral and
politically motivated interventions, such as those
experienced in the past with what were conceived and
presented as humanitarian intervention.
The African continent is the main scene of both
looming and several ongoing natural and human-made
disasters. Some are forgotten and protracted, while
others gain initial media attention but receive delayed,
and often inadequate, responses. We support the
recommendations in the outcome document for new
standby arrangements and funding for emergencies in
Africa.
There is an international regime in place to
provide protection and assistance to refugees fleeing
for their lives from persecution, violence and gross
violations of human rights. The United Republic of
Tanzania has received and protected such victims since
we became independent, in 1961. Currently, Tanzania
is still hosting over half a million refugees. We are
gratified and encouraged by the commitment in the
outcome document to safeguard the institution of
asylum and by its reaffirmation of the principle of
solidarity and burden-sharing in assisting refugee
populations and their host communities. We equally
hope that the recognition of the Guiding Principles on
Internal Displacement will provide more effective
protection for internally displaced persons by relevant
and appropriate authorities.
The outcome document has duly recognized the
tragedy of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the malaria and
the tuberculosis that have hit Africa so hard. That
global awareness should be matched by adequate
funding to save current and succeeding generations
from the ravages of those diseases.
Tanzania would like to thank President Olusegun
Obasanjo of Nigeria for the statement he made, in his
capacity as Chairman of the African Union, on the
situation relating to conflicts, peace and security in
Africa. We are grateful to him, to other African
leaders and to the Chairman of the African Union
Commission — His Excellency President Alpha
Konare — as well as to all our friends outside Africa,
for their dedicated efforts to prevent and resolve
conflicts in Africa.
Last week, the Security Council adopted its
resolution 1625 (2005), on strengthening the
effectiveness of the Council’s role in conflict
prevention, particularly in Africa. Among other things,
the resolution stresses the importance of averting
conflicts to make possible peaceful development,
security and stability in Africa. The resolution also
calls for the strengthening of cooperation and
communication between the United Nations and
regional organizations such as the African Union in
mediation efforts and peacekeeping.
The bulk of United Nations peacekeeping
operations are in Africa, following peace agreements
that are at various stages of implementation. Despite
serious numerical, logistical, financial and sometimes
image constraints, multidimensional peacekeeping
operations are making positive contributions to
restoring peace in Africa in collaboration with the
African Union and other friends of Africa. Political and
operational partnerships between the United Nations
and the African Union need to be strengthened and
institutionalized.
We welcome the implementation of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement in the Sudan in
partnership with the United Nations. We encourage
progress in the current peace negotiations on Darfur.
39

The institutional and operational requirement to
bridge the transitional gap from peacekeeping to
development, in the form of a Peacebuilding
Commission, is one of the main decisions to have been
taken in the current reform of the United Nations.
Africa needs the Commission. It should become
operational as soon as possible. The peaceful outcomes
in Burundi and Somalia — and, soon, in Sierra Leone
and Liberia — require a peacebuilding mechanism
during the transition from peacekeeping to
reconstruction and development. The peace processes
in both Burundi and Somalia have had tortuous paths,
but those countries finally have peace agreements and
transitional Governments in place. The Peacebuilding
Commission should focus priority attention on both
Burundi and Somalia. The second summit on the Great
Lakes region, to be held later this year in Nairobi, will
pave the way for a peace and security pact and for
peacebuilding initiatives in the region.
The only remaining case of self-determination in
Africa is Western Sahara. We appeal for maximum
cooperation by the parties concerned and for
unrelenting support for the issue from the international
community through the Baker plan. It is in the interest
of all of us here to reach a peaceful solution to that
problem.
I cannot conclude my statement without
addressing the situation in the Middle East, and in
particular the question of Palestine, which remains of
great concern to my Government. There have been
path-breaking developments in the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict to revive the road map and invigorate the
initiatives of the Quartet. The new leadership of
Mr. Mahmoud Abbas at the Palestinian Authority, the
withdrawal of Israel from the Gaza Strip and the
coming elections in the occupied territories are
injecting new dynamism and a positive direction into
the peace process. But we must accept the reality that
the people of Palestine have equal rights, not only to
live in peace and security in full human dignity but
also to establish their own independent State,
coexisting side by side with the State of Israel. We
should therefore do all we can to help secure the just
and lasting peace that is the right of the Palestinian,
Israeli and Arab peoples.
Finally, I want to reiterate our deepest sympathies
and condolences to the victims, the Government and
the people of the United States of America in the wake
of the death and destruction wreaked by Hurricane
Katrina.