I wish
to add Romania's voice to the heartfelt congratulations
of others to His Excellency Mr. Julian Robert Hunte on
his election to the important position of President of
the General Assembly, wish him every success and
assure him of our delegation's full support.
The political debate of this session of the
Assembly is being held in an international setting that
requires us to take a long, hard look at the way the
United Nations can respond to the challenges facing us.
The recent terrorist attacks in Baghdad, which
took the lives of Ambassador Sergio Vieira de Mello
and other brave members of the United Nations
community, as well as of Iraqis who had committed
themselves to restoring stability in their country,
proved once more that the only language that fanatics
use is that of crime and terror. The best way to pay
38

tribute to the memory of those victims of terror is to
carry out, with redoubled determination, the mission to
which they had dedicated their life.
Today, the United Nations is called upon to
continue to play a greater role in the service of good.
Over the course of the past decade, the
Organization has accomplished a great deal, despite the
seemingly insurmountable difficulties and certain
evident limitations. Those obstacles sometimes grew
out of a lack of shared perspectives regarding the
problems confronting us today. Yet, we have managed
to keep world security under control.
(spoke in English)
As always at the United Nations, we are faced
with a challenge brought about by differing views
towards common problems. There is nothing new here,
except for the magnitude of the consequences. We
cannot afford to do nothing simply because we do not
agree on everything. The United Nations is not about
agreeing on everything. It is about building consensus.
We can do just that if we concentrate on negotiation
not language, but substance.
Irrespective of how important the debate might
be, we should not be distracted today by talk of a
unipolar, multipolar or even bipolar world. Rather, we
should concentrate on how we can govern our world in
a way that benefits the individual, brings about
opportunity and pre-empts, deters and fights terrorism
and aggression. If we are true to the principle of an
international community dedicated to preserving peace
and increasing prosperity, we should discuss how to
achieve higher levels of international understanding,
rather than the relevance of the United Nations system
today, for we have to remember that true security is
shared security, and true prosperity is shared
prosperity.
To achieve this, we should also keep in mind that
legitimacy brings credibility that leads to predictability
and predictability, brings long-term commonality of
views that is the cornerstone of lasting coalitions.
This is why we share the assessment of the
Secretary-General, that The United Nations is not an
end in itself. Rather it is an instrument for achieving
common ends.' (A/58/1, para. 10)
Our belief that we, the Member States, must keep
the United Nations working with efficiency, with
purpose and with result prompted Romania to put
forward our candidature for membership in the
Security Council starting next January. We thank the
Eastern European Group and others for their support
for us. This is a responsibility that we do not
underestimate. Our mission will be to uphold the
validity of the United Nations as an essential
international actor in preventing and resolving
conflicts, eliminating poverty and promoting human
rights.
As befits a State that will soon be a member of
both the European Union and NATO, we believe in the
multilateral approach to tackling terrorism, the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, organized
crime and violations of human rights.
As a country that has struggled to rebuild a
democratic society based on the rule of law, a market
economy and respect for human rights, we understand
the complex challenges of transition that other
countries are also facing. It is not an easy process, but
in our view it is the only way to guarantee durable
economic prosperity and social cohesion for the
citizen. We want to see a strengthening of the central
role of the United Nations in coordinating worldwide
efforts to this end.
Romania's international profile is defined by our
location and our history and capability in Europe and
by our transition experience. We are determined to play
a responsible role in connecting the West and East of
our continent, and in reaching out to countries on the
Eastern shore of the Black Sea, the Caucasus and the
greater Middle East. We pledge to contribute to
spreading Euro-Atlantic values beyond NATO and the
European Union areas by consistently promoting the
culture of dialogue and regional cooperation.
Terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, the rising number of failing States and
global disparities are some of the most worrying
hallmarks of our times. The speed and unevenness of
global processes intensify the complexity and
pervasive nature of these threats to our common
security and prosperity.
We already possess an important range of tools to
tackle threats like terrorism and weapons of mass
destruction. They should now be used in a more
responsible and effective manner. For example, the
Counter-Terrorism Committee should be given more
professional resources so it can act more effectively to
39

streamline national legislation on uprooting the
financial resources of terrorism and monitor its
implementation. International non-proliferation legal
regimes should be strengthened in order to prevent
determined proliferators from breaching their
international obligations. Countries of concern with
regard to proliferation could be subjected to diplomatic
and economic pressure, which is most effective when
applied multilaterally.
Challenges to the security and stability of our
world also emerge as globalization processes expand.
Sustainable development is increasingly related to
sustainable peace and security. Globalization is
inevitable. Provided that it is combined with good
governance, proper development assistance and
awareness of environmental issues, as well as with fair
trade through open markets, globalization is a force for
progress. But global disparities are not disappearing.
The ratio of per capita incomes of the richest and
poorest countries now stands at more than seventy to
one. So it is especially disappointing that the World
Trade Organization talks in Cancun ended in deadlock.
We call on all parties to redouble their efforts in
December to resume dialogue and close the gap. The
success we need is not just that of freer and more open
markets, but also that of equitable trade, creating added
value to regions, nations and communities.
Sustainable development demands first that we
manage globalization responsibly so that it benefits all.
It is time to focus on implementing the concrete goals
of eradicating poverty and accelerating development.
The challenge will be to prioritize our work. Our focus
at the High-level Dialogue on Financing for
Development at the end of next month should remain
squarely on achieving results.
We also must redouble our efforts to put an end to
conflicts, and we must find a way to rebuild those
countries that have survived conflict but are struggling
to survive peace. Africa is a particularly worrying
example of how dangerous it can be to ignore the
consequences of conflicts. The grave humanitarian
crises on that continent are foreboding a bleak future
for many countries and fomenting despair and far-
reaching frustrations.
The international community has to be more
engaged in addressing poverty, intolerance and ethnic
hatred. We would like to see the United Nations
enhance its peace operation capabilities and emphasize
in particular the reconstruction and rehabilitation
processes. We have done this in Afghanistan, yet it
remains a test of our ability and willingness to secure a
successful democracy offensive in the fight against
terrorism. I think we have enough at stake to stand by
that commitment.
In the Middle East, the new wave of violence is
preventing the full implementation of the agreed road
map. Romania strongly condemns suicide bombings
that are carried out by the enemies of peace and
security in the area. We urge the new Palestinian
Government to act effectively against further terrorist
attacks targeting Israel and its citizens, but it is equally
important that the Israeli Government stand by its
commitments in the framework of pursuing a political
solution to this bitter conflict. We fully support the
actions of the Quartet that are meant to contribute to
overcoming this dangerous situation. We shall follow
with utmost interest the ministerial meeting that is
scheduled for this week.
In Iraq, we believe it is time for the international
community to work together to stabilize and
reconstruct that tragic country, whose people have
suffered so much under tyranny for so long. The
successful conclusion of negotiations on the new
resolution concerning Iraq is not a mere option   it is
a must.
We need now to concentrate on what matters
most: the steps that must be taken next by the
international community to empower the Iraqi people
and to ensure the democratic functioning of institutions
in that country and stability, not only in Iraq, but also
in the greater Middle East as a whole. As a
participating country in the Coalition Provisional
Authority, Romania is already engaged and ready to
continue to contribute to achieving these goals. We are
looking forward to participating in the coming
ministerial conference on assistance for the Iraqi
people in Madrid this October.
Many conflicts in the world stem from the
breakdown of nation-States. Porous borders, weak
national institutions and the development of alternative
allegiances based on religious, economic and other
factors often lead to the collapse of State structures.
The principal feature of such States is the absence of
political legitimacy, coupled with an uncontrolled or
unaccountable security sector and contempt for the rule
of law. That leads to violent conflict over control of
40

resources or between different ethnic groups and to
violation of human rights and humanitarian law. Illegal
arms become readily accessible, organized crime and
violence flourish and economic prospects die.
A good example of where the international
community has been successful in preventing the
relapse of a post-conflict situation is South-East
Europe. The past year has seen real progress in this
region, due principally to the increased efforts of the
countries themselves, in partnership with the regional
community and with support from international
organizations and partners. But certain problems
persist. It is vital to press ahead with full commitment
to meeting the responsibilities and timelines that have
already been accepted and to creating truly democratic
and multi-ethnic societies. Combating organized crime
and illegal trafficking, including the most degrading
kind that turns human beings into commodities, is a
priority in our regional approach.
We need to look at all these challenges with a
new determination to tackle them, making full and
effective use of the tools available to us within the
United Nations system. There has been much
discussion of the ability of the United Nations to
respond to crises. The disadvantages of the present
working methods of its structures and mechanisms,
which were conceived more than half a century ago,
call for radical reform. The real debate is about
effectiveness, adaptation and evolution. It is about our
common will, as responsible members of the
international community, to act together. Everything
else   especially the badly needed strategies   will
simply follow, and this will make it possible to
approach the new and old threats alike.
The United Nations must increasingly serve as a
catalyst for collective action. This requires close
cooperation among its Member States, dialogue and
partnership with the vibrant constellation of new non-
State actors: civil society, non-governmental
organizations, the business community and academia.
Finally, the Organization must become more effective,
efficient and accessible to the world's people.
We must weigh up our differences, gauge our
ability for joint intervention and act in coordination.
Just as the nature of current problems affects people in
everything they do, so too must we put people at the
centre of everything we do.


Let me convey my congratulations to
Mr. Julian Hunte on his election to the presidency of
the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session. We are
confident that this Assembly stands to benefit greatly
from his diplomatic experience and skills. Like others,
I pledge the full support and cooperation of the Lao
delegation to him as he undertakes his duties and
express the hope that our deliberations on many of the
most pressing world issues will be fruitful.
Since the last time we convened, the world has
gone through major changes and challenges. Although
peace, dialogue and cooperation for development
continue to prevail today across many regions, we have
been bearing witness to a world beset by terror, civil
wars, armed conflicts and violence, acts of aggression
and interference in the internal affairs of States. In
handling these problems, we believe it is incumbent
upon all of us to show patience, courage and
determination and to strive to solve them through
dialogue, diplomacy and political means. Towards that
end, we should continue to seek multilateral routes
through the United Nations. In this regard, we should
like to make special mention of Secretary-General Kofi
Annan. While we wish him more success as he
endeavours to defend and promote the principles and
ideals of this universal Organization, we can only
express great appreciation for the efforts he has made.
At present, the problems plaguing our planet,
alas, are not limited to those considered to be political
or military. There are also those that affect the
environmental, social and economic fronts. More
striking are the issues of global warming, pollution,
natural disasters, HIV/AIDS, incurable diseases,
poverty and underdevelopment, the crises of refugees,
debt and economic stagnation, which have yet to find
effective solutions. The severity of these problems is
even more acute in a globalized world in which the gap
between developed and developing countries is
widening.
We should therefore strive effectively to address
these problems in order to meet the Millennium
Development Goals adopted three years ago by this
Assembly. Standing here today and recommitting
ourselves to meeting those noble Goals, we want a
world where poverty and hunger are alleviated; where
education is offered to every child; where women have
the same opportunities as men; where incurable
diseases are effectively combated; and where the world
continues to build partnership and cooperation for
sustained economic growth and sustainable
development.
For many years, the land-locked developing
countries have attached a particular interest to their
special needs and problems. As Chairman of the 31-
member Group of Land-Locked Developing Countries
for the past four years, the Lao People’s Democratic
Republic has spared no effort in bringing the special
needs and problems of land-locked developing
countries to the forefront of the international arena. As
a result of this long-standing concerted effort, the
International Ministerial Conference of Landlocked
and Transit Developing Countries and Donor Countries
and International Financial and Development
14

Institutions on Transit Transport Cooperation was held
last month in Kazakhstan as the first-ever United
Nations conference of its kind. The meeting adopted
the Almaty Declaration and Programme of Action. We
are delighted that this global Programme of Action
addresses, first and foremost, the special needs and
problems of the landlocked developing countries, while
taking into account the legitimate concerns of transit
developing countries. In this respect, all stakeholders
are urged to fully and effectively implement the
Almaty Programme of Action in the years to come.
Since its inception, the United Nations has
performed multiple activities in various areas, such as
the maintenance of peace and security, socio-economic
development, humanitarian assistance, the promotion
of international law, human rights and the protection of
the environment. In these endeavours, the United
Nations has achieved many successes, including in the
field of socio-economic development. However, in
many other areas, still more effort is required in order
to attain better results.
As Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in his
annual report this year,
“in the area of peace and security, it has been a
trying year for the United Nations. The war in
Iraq severely tested the principle of collective
security and the resilience of the Organization.”
(A/58/1, para. 2)
In the light of this, and given the present international
situation, the Security Council, the main body for the
maintenance of international peace and security, should
play its full role in securing peace and security in the
world, as stipulated in the Charter. The Security
Council members, especially the permanent members,
should do everything possible to ensure that this organ
effectively discharges its duties in the maintenance of
peace and security. A safe and secure world would
enable all nations to better promote their socio-
economic development. The international community
is therefore urged to deploy serious efforts towards this
end.
In a world where cooperation for development is
widespread, where in every region there is economic
integration to achieve common benefits, it is
regrettable that the economic, commercial and financial
restrictions imposed on Cuba continue. We reaffirm the
support of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for
the General Assembly resolution calling for the lifting
of such a restrictive policy, with the aim of benefiting
all peoples in the region as well as the world at large.
With regard to the Middle East, we continue to be
gravely concerned about the ongoing violence and
disproportionate use of force that have brought nothing
but destruction and death to both Palestine and Israel.
We urge the two sides to exercise the utmost restraint
and engage in earnest negotiations so that peace and
cooperation may eventually ensue in the region. If that
is done, by 2005 the inalienable rights of the
Palestinian people to establish an independent and
viable State, living side by side with Israel in peace and
security, could become a reality.
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic has
followed the recent developments in the Korean
peninsula with great attention. We render our full
support to the six-party talks hosted in Beijing in
August by the Government of China, which contributed
actively. We are pleased with the significant progress
achieved by this meeting. We very much hope that the
dialogue process will be pursued to address the nuclear
issue in parallel with the security of the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea. This would no doubt
contribute to the realization of a nuclear-free Korean
Peninsula, the assurance of security for all countries in
North-East Asia and the peaceful reunification of the
two Koreas.
Over the past year, the Lao people of all ethnic
groups have pursued their national development in
unity and harmony. We are delighted that, through the
promotion of the untapped potential of all domestic
economic sectors and the expansion of cooperation
with the international community, the pace of national
economic growth has continuously increased; the
livelihood of the people, particularly those in the rural
areas, has been further improved; and, last but not
least, political stability and social order have been
ensured and strengthened.
In order to free the country from
underdevelopment, apart from our domestic effort, we
have attached great importance to the achievements
made in our increased effort to implement the regional
integration of the Association of South-East Asian
Nations (ASEAN). We highly value the continued
development of cooperation between ASEAN and the
People’s Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of
Korea, India and other dialogue partners. Furthermore,
we are pleased with the new chapter in the
15

strengthening of cooperation between ASEAN and the
United States, in particular the signing of the bilateral
trade agreement between the Governments of the Lao
People’s Democratic Republic and the United States in
Vientiane on 19 September this year. In this regard, I
wish to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to
friendly countries and international organizations for
the invaluable assistance and support rendered to the
cause of our national development.
As it enters this new century, humankind has a
strong aspiration for peace and cooperation for
development across the globe. In accordance with the
Charter and international law, we should exert our
collective efforts to build a better world. In this spirit,
our delegation once again calls for cooperation and
unity in designing and implementing action-oriented
measures to tackle the challenges and problems
plaguing our planet. If we do this, future generations
will commend us for all our efforts in establishing
conditions for their peaceful lives and prosperity.


I am honoured to
participate, on behalf of Mr. Moses Zeh Blah, President
of the Republic of Liberia, in the general debate of the
6

General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session, and to
congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the
presidency of the General Assembly at this session. I
express the confidence of the Government of Liberia
that you will faithfully honour the responsibilities
which you have been assigned.
I also wish to commend Mr. Jan Kavan of the
Czech Republic for the able manner in which he
steered the activities of the fifty-seventh session of the
General Assembly.
Undoubtedly, Mr. Kofi Annan deserves the
commendation of this Assembly for his stewardship of
our global Organization and the excellent leadership
which he exudes in the resolution of international
questions, ranging from terrorism to the deadly AIDS
pandemic and from poverty to the imbalance in global
trade and commerce.
We must also pay a special tribute to Sergio
Vieira de Mello and other United Nations workers who
lost their lives in selfless humanitarian service in Iraq.
Those citizens of the world embodied the spirit of the
United Nations and are true representatives of the
conscience of humanity.
Terrorism, the menace to international peace and
security, has brought immeasurable grief to the world.
Acts of terrorism have elicited neither the
understanding nor the empathy of the world for causes
to which terrorists may aspire. Contrarily, acts of
terrorism have rightly ignited widespread disdain and
revulsion for their perpetrators. Today, terrorism seeks
to undermine our collective freedom and therefore
requires our collective will and efforts to combat this
common enemy.
However, this objective is being undermined by
the lack of international consensus. The unwillingness
to garner and work along lines of international
consensus has exposed cracks in our efforts to fight
terrorism, bringing into scrutiny the structure of this
world body and the continued relevance of the Security
Council. When the Security Council appears divided on
fundamental questions of international security, the
world becomes vulnerable. A divided Security Council
fertilizes the grounds for the germination of
international terror and insecurity. If the Security
Council is to serve as the guarantor of international
peace and security, then that organ must of necessity be
guided by mechanisms that ensure the judicious
development of consensus and respect for and
adherence to international law.
Additionally, our united condemnation of and
fight against terrorism must never stoop to the
employment of methods not far removed from those
used by terrorists themselves. To fight fire with fire
will leave our global village without a single hut. We
must muster the will to tackle the issues that are
exploited by terrorists and terrorist organizations.
The conflict in the Middle East has inescapably
attracted the attention of the world, posing the greatest
challenge to international peace and security. We are
saddened by and deeply concerned about the recent
turn of events, which has occasioned the virtual
debunking of the road map for peace and ensured a
classic return to violence. Admittedly, there are serious
difficulties in the search for peace for our brothers and
sisters of that troubled region. However, these
difficulties should neither beset us with a sense of
hopelessness nor obscure the agonies and the fears that
have come to characterize the way of life in the Middle
East.
We therefore call on the Government of Israel and
the Palestinian Authority to recognize the right to
existence of each other within recognized international
borders and to foster pragmatic approaches to dialogue,
peace, security and the virtues of good-
neighbourliness. At the same time, we urge the
Security Council to develop, strengthen and maintain
international consensus on the way forward.
With respect to the Liberian crisis, since our last
address to this Assembly, Liberia has wrestled and
continues to wrestle with serious political and security
challenges. An insurgency that began four years ago
reached the Liberian capital, Monrovia. Unsurprisingly,
an already deteriorating humanitarian situation
worsened, accompanied by the widespread breakdown
of law and order. Regrettably, while recognizing the
intensification of the war in Liberia and the right of the
Liberian people to self-defence, the Security Council
maintained an arms embargo on the Government. This
situation catalysed the rapid advance of the insurgents
and bestowed upon their cause a false sense of
international approbation. The Liberian State teetered
on the verge of disintegration.
But for the resilience of the people of Liberia and
the timely intervention of the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS) and the International
7

Contact Group on Liberia, Liberia would have slipped
into the abyss of unbridled anarchy. We will therefore
remain eternally grateful to ECOWAS, and particularly
to the Governments and peoples of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria and Ghana, for their leadership in
the quest to stabilize the situation in my country. In a
similar manner, the Government of Liberia expresses
immense gratitude to the Government of the United
States of America, the United Nations, the European
Union and the African Union for their respective roles
in and continued support for the ongoing efforts to
restore lasting peace, security and democracy to
Liberia. We must also pay special tribute to the support
of the Governments of South Africa and Mozambique.
On 11 August 2003, with the deployment of a
vanguard force from the friendly Government of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, the promise of a smooth
transfer of power was remarkably fulfilled. This
development energized the signing, on 18 August in
Accra, Republic of Ghana, of a Comprehensive Peace
Agreement. The Agreement establishes a framework
for the formation and installation of a transitional
Government, the disarmament, demobilization and
reintegration of combatants and the restructuring of the
national security apparatus. It also provides for the
repatriation and resettlement of refugees and internally
displaced persons, the rebuilding of the nation’s
productive capacity and the creation of democratic
space for the conduct of free, fair and credible
elections in 2005. These goals cannot be achieved
without concerted multinational collaboration and
assistance.
The Government of Liberia welcomes the
adoption of Security Council resolution 1509 (2003),
which establishes the United Nations Mission in
Liberia. We pledge our cooperation and support to the
realization of the objectives set out in the resolution.
Comprehensive disarmament, demobilization and a
sustained programme of reintegration and resettlement
are sine qua non to peace, security and stability in
Liberia and the West African subregion. The
Government of Liberia is therefore beholden to the
international community, with gratitude for its
continuous assistance and support in the search for
peace and security in Liberia and the West African
subregion. However, unless democratic expressions
and aspirations are allowed to flourish through
strengthened democratic institutions, and unless an
alternative source of livelihood is provided the
disarmed combatants, the gains obtained through the
support of the international community could be
grievously undermined.
In this respect, resolution 1509 (2003), which
engenders new hope for Liberia, appears to be
contradicted by the demands of resolution 1343 (2001).
That resolution imposes and maintains a regime of
sanctions and other restrictions on Liberia. Unarguably,
economic sanctions imposed under resolution 1343
(2001) becloud Liberia with an undeserved stigma that,
in effect, discourages the flow of much-needed
international investment into the private sector to
support Liberia’s post-conflict reconstruction and
development programmes and restricts the essential
flow of energy needed to revive Liberia’s economic
infrastructure.
A vibrant private sector is the key to Liberia’s
recovery and the cure to problems of unemployment,
which provides stimulus to social unrest and political
instability. If sanctions, smart or targeted, are tools to
accomplish political objectives, then they must respond
affirmatively to the realization of the objectives. One
does not administer medication to a dead person nor
does one take medication to cure the illness of another.
The Government of Liberia therefore calls on the
Security Council to lift its regime of economic
sanctions imposed on the country.
In situations such as ours, international goodwill
and assistance are often accompanied by the temptation
to ignore indigenous expertise largely in favour of
expatriates. The net effect of adherence to such
temptation is the development of structures and
institutions that are neither manageable nor sustainable
by the beneficiaries after the departure of the
expatriates. Even so, Liberia is blessed with its share of
endowments in human and natural resources. As can be
expected, years of political turmoil, conflict and
mismanagement have resulted in the massive exodus of
Liberia’s human resources. Welcoming a new
opportunity to rebuild a more democratic, accountable
and coherent society, Liberians are desperate to return
home and contribute. To that end, it is the desire and
expectation of the Government and people of Liberia
that, as much as is possible, Liberians will be
employed at all levels in the post-conflict
reconstruction and rehabilitation of their country.
Liberia is a founding Member of this world body.
Irrespective of the current problems we face and our
8

need for international assistance, Liberia will remain a
respectable member of the international community.
We intend to uphold our sovereign dignity in the
conduct of international affairs. Liberia cannot and will
not be a subject of trusteeship.
Like most third-world nations, Liberia is deeply
indebted to several international financial institutions
and organizations. We are grateful to our creditors for
their patience and understanding. Determined as we are
to survive, we count on the empathy of the
international community to treat our indebtedness with
the uniqueness that it deserves and pledge our
commitment to working along with those institutions in
developing appropriate mechanisms to deal with
Liberia’s debt. Servicing these debts remains a priority
for the Government of Liberia. However, our capacity
to make payment is limited by manifold problems
occasioned by several years of continuous warfare.
I should now like to turn to the case of the
Republic of China. The General Assembly must
confront the moral and legal challenges posed by the
exclusion of more than 23 million people from
representation in this world body. How else are we to
explain the denial of the rights of a progressive and
industrious people from representation at the level of
the General Assembly? The fact remains that the
Government and people of the Republic of China on
Taiwan have, and continue to engage in, responsible
self-governance. It is incontestable that the people of
the Republic of China on Taiwan continue to
significantly contribute to the improvement of the
human family. Their achievements in the spheres of
science and technology, commerce and trade, and the
arts and culture cannot be ignored.
The undaunted spirit of the great people of the
Republic of China aspires to participate in the United
Nations. Liberia is convinced that the participation of
both sides of the Taiwan Strait in the activities of
international organizations will encourage greater
understanding and mutual trust between the two sides.
That is consistent with the spirit of preventive
diplomacy advocated by the United Nations. Liberia
therefore reiterates its call for the admission of the
Republic of China on Taiwan to the United Nations and
its specialized agencies, as well as the assumption of
its rightful place in the discourse and transaction of
world affairs.
In conclusion, Liberia is today in urgent need of
international assistance and support. While our
situation appears to be grim, it is certainly not
hopeless. While many of our compatriots may have lost
lives and limbs, we are still a forgiving people. While
our national infrastructure may have been destroyed,
we are still a resilient people. While our dignity may
have been impinged upon, we are still a proud people.
We Liberians are unified in our determination to work
for a better and brighter future. We are united in
fostering the faith of our founding fathers to build a
nation dedicated to freedom, liberty and justice for all.


I should like at the outset to congratulate you,
Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the
General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session. You have
set in motion a cycle of African presidencies of the
Assembly — today, the African diaspora, tomorrow the
African motherland. Your election attests to the high
esteem in which the Member States hold your country,
Saint Lucia, a traditional partner of Cameroon in the
great African, Caribbean and Pacific family. It is also
testimony to the trust that the representatives of those
States place in you and your eminent diplomatic
qualities. You may rest assured that my delegation will
cooperate fully with you, as we have the pleasure of
being a member of your Bureau in our capacity as
Chairman of the Third Committee. Allow me to extend
my wishes of success to the other members of the
Bureau.
I also take this opportunity to commend your
predecessor, Mr. Jan Kavan, for the skill with which he
guided our work at the last session.
To Secretary-General Kofi Annan, I wish to
reiterate, in the context of the current international
scene, Cameroon’s expression of great pride and trust
in him and his role as a facilitator in the settlement of
inter-African conflicts. I thank him for his energetic
and tireless activity in the service of the great ideals of
the Organization.
Our Organization was created to preserve future
generations from the scourge of war, to create
conditions in which all can enjoy dignified lives, and to
promote respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms. The United Nations was created to ensure
the reign of peace at the service of humankind. As
Pope John XXIII recalled in his encyclical Pacem in
Terris, which was addressed to all men of good will
and the fortieth anniversary of which we celebrate this
year, that peace rests on four indispensable conditions
corresponding to four specific necessities of the human
spirit: truth, justice, charity and liberty. Our heads of
State trod the same path at the Millennium Summit.
They undertook to free humankind from warfare and
poverty, to promote human rights and to strengthen the
United Nations. We felt that it would be useful to recall
those principles because the picture of the world that
has emerged in this general debate since 23 September
is not a very optimistic one.
On 19 August, the United Nations was struck by
tragedy. The terrorist attack that destroyed the United
Nations headquarters in Baghdad and struck and killed
dozens of innocent victims, including Sergio Vieira de
Mello, Special Representative of the Secretary-General
for Iraq, posed a great challenge to the principles and
values that are the bedrock of our Organization. At the
time, President Paul Biya expressed on behalf of
Cameroon expressed his profound indignation and
firmly condemned that odious, criminal act. Tomorrow,
we will weep with the people of Iraq for the tragic
death — again in Baghdad — of Akila Al-Hashemi, a
highly talented diplomat and eminent member of the
Iraqi Governing Council.
Cameroon is proud that our Organization did not
shirk its responsibilities or even weaken in its resolve
to play a central role in the stabilization, orderly
restoration of the sovereignty and reconstruction of
Iraq and to support the political process under way.
Following upon the long series of terrorist acts
committed throughout the world since the tragedy of 11
September 2001, the 19 August attack in Baghdad was
a timely reminder of the vulnerability of our world
today. The complexity of the challenge and the gravity
of the danger require us to step up our collective efforts
effectively to confront terrorism, which today poses
perhaps the most serious threat to international peace
and security. Cameroon again calls for a high-level
conference to be convened to define a collective
organized response by the international community to
terrorism.
In addition to new threats to international peace
and security, such as terrorism and the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction, there are other, equally
dangerous, threats: all sorts of pandemics, including
HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, and despair
stemming from almost endemic poverty.
Therefore, our joint mobilization should be aimed
primarily at reducing or even eliminating the germs
and causes of conflicts and despair.
In the Middle East, we must demand that the
parties to the conflict — Israel and Palestine — return
without delay to the negotiating table to agree on
modalities conducive to the rapid and comprehensive
implementation of the road map. Cameroon regrets and
condemns the escalation of violence, which is seriously
26

endangering any peaceful solution based on the letter
and spirit of Security Council resolution 1397 (2002),
adopted with no vote against. In it the Council affirmed
“the vision of a region where two States, Israel
and Palestine, live side by side within secure and
recognized borders”.
Our Palestinian and Israeli friends must get used
to the idea that they are condemned to live side by side,
to coexist in the geopolitical configuration forged by
their rich, common history. To that end, Israelis and
Palestinians will have to disarm — of course, in terms
of weapon policies, but primarily disarm at the cultural
level by unanimously and sincerely ridding their hearts
of fear and the psychosis of war. The axiom that peace
results from a balance of war-making ability and
weapons should be replaced by the principle that real
peace can be built only on mutual trust.
The same applies to the peoples of the renowned
Mesopotamia, who are emerging from three decades of
tyranny, and must very soon, with the help of the
international community, have their full dignity and
sovereignty restored in a stable and prosperous Iraq,
living in peace with all its neighbours.
Over the past year, the many conflicts that have
bloodied Africa have remained at the centre of the
concerns of the United Nations, which has made many
efforts to end them. Fortunately, those efforts are
beginning to yield results. Some African conflicts are
on the way to being resolved, nourishing new and
legitimate hopes. Unfortunately, despite everything,
there are still deplorable situations where the
protagonists are having trouble finding a negotiated
political solution or keeping their commitments. We are
convinced that there will soon be results, given genuine
political will on the part of the major actors. The
irreplaceable support they receive from the United
Nations deserves to be welcomed and recognized.
Africa in general and our subregion in particular
are fully aware of the role this important partner plays
in our economic development, in consolidating
democracy and the rule of law, and, finally, in
promoting peace and security within and outside our
countries. That is why the member States of the
Economic Community of Central African States
(ECCAS) have forcefully expressed their desire to
strengthen their cooperation with the United Nations
through a political presence of that Organization in the
subregion, which would bolster our subregional
capacities, particularly in the area of peace and
security.
In that connection, Cameroon reiterates its thanks
to the Secretary-General for sending a
multidisciplinary mission to Central Africa last June at
the request of the members of the Security Council. We
await with interest its innovative recommendations,
which will shortly be made to the Security Council.
They will nourish the debate to be held in this Hall on
the agenda item entitled “Cooperation between the
United Nations and the Economic Community of
Central African States”.
We welcome the Secretary-General’s suggestions
concerning the functioning of the Organization in this
constantly changing world. We will fully support any
reform that will bring the Organization closer to our
peoples, as envisaged by the measures for strengthened
cooperation between the United Nations and Central
African organizations.
In the Millennium Declaration, the political
leaders of the world committed themselves to creating
a world partnership for development and to respond to
the special needs of Africa. The New Partnership for
Africa’s Development (NEPAD), whereby Africa has
decided to take back the initiative and to control its
own fate, can serve as a sound platform for a fruitful
partnership between the continent and the international
community.
Africa is waiting for multiple responses. One,
which will play a decisive part in the growth of our
continent, is linked to trade. What African States want
and aspire to is to play a more important part in the
trade of goods and services. That implies in particular
standards favouring fair competition.
The failure of the recent World Trade
Organization Ministerial Conference held at Cancún
has raised grave doubts, particularly among African
countries that export agricultural products. The
tremendous reluctance of wealthy nations to dismantle
their agricultural subsidy regimes is puzzling, and
seriously threatens the survival of African economies
based on agriculture and livestock. The subsidies given
to that sector are stifling millions of farmers and cotton
producers in Central and West Africa.
In the same context, Mr. President, your country,
Saint Lucia, and Cameroon have been carrying out an
epic battle for almost a decade for the survival of our
27

banana industries, which are up against the giants of
the sector.
There are many more examples of the need for
solidarity and urgent reform of the multilateral
economic system. We hope that the Doha round will
not deviate from its main objective — development —
and that it will take well into consideration the
concerns of the poorest in order to integrate them
promptly into the global economy.
Globalization does not relate only to trade. It also
affects human development and new technologies, the
protection of the ecosystem and the sustainable
development of water and other natural resources. All
of those aspects require a concerted approach, given
that the sacrifices of some work to everyone’s
advantage. Cameroon, which has chosen, for example,
to participate in rational and sustainable management
of the world forest ecosystem, has established a bold
national environmental management plan.
It is clear that, in order to effectively implement
such policies without exposing its rural populations to
extreme poverty, our country needs significant
financial assistance, particularly to diversify its
production and to ensure systematic transformation of
its natural resources. In other words, today, more than
ever before, solidarity should rhyme with
partnership — and globalization with fair trade — to
ensure the comprehensive and orderly development of
our world.
The United Nations assuredly remains the only
universal Organization that not only possesses the
necessary competencies and impartiality, but is also the
only entity that can confer legitimacy on any
multilateral action tackling the great world challenges,
a number of which we have just listed. To attain these
noble objectives, it urgently needs to consider in depth
its current approaches, the way it operates and its
implementing mechanisms.
Cameroon unreservedly supports the Secretary-
General’s initiative to establish a high-level panel of
eminent personalities to consider ways to strengthen
the United Nations. We hopefully await their
contribution to the Organization’s necessary and
unavoidable reform to improve its performance,
including its missions of an economic and social nature
as well as international peace and security.
The Secretary-General invites us to go further
along the path of reform, to which he has been
committed for several years. He is right. What is at
stake is the Organization’s very effectiveness, which it
needs to tackle the great challenges of our time. He can
count on Cameroon’s support.
As I have been concluding my remarks, the light
has changed from green to yellow and from yellow to
red. How can one refrain from prolonging his
comments when it is a question of humanity and
humanity’s future through peace, a negotiated peace, a
concerted peace, a peace that rests on justice and the
equitable distribution of benefits and wealth?


Seldom has the world's
attention been so focused on the United Nations;
seldom has so much been expected of this
Organization. The question now being asked
throughout the world is: Is the United Nations
experiencing the deepest crisis in its history, and does
it still play a fundamental role in international
relations?'
Today, at the beginning of the twenty-first
century, the main reason for the existence of our
Organization is the same as it was 60 years ago: to
maintain world peace, reached at the cost of millions of
lives; and to contribute, in an ongoing manner, to the
well-being of humankind all over the world.
We live in a world where no one can go it alone,
without the help of others, however big and powerful
they may be. Global solutions require the concerted
and united efforts of all countries and of all the
inhabitants of our planet.
Our Organization is a joint effort by the world
community that is persistently searching for solutions
to the ever-growing problems of our time. I emphasize
the phrase our Organization', for sometimes it seems
that we expect the United Nations administration alone
to solve our problems. We tend to forget that the
27

United Nations is not some abstract institution with a
will of its own   one that we depend on   but that the
United Nations is the will of each and every one of its
191 Member States. We alone are responsible for the
will, the decisions, the work and the activities of the
United Nations.
There is no doubt whatsoever that the United
Nations needs to be reformed. In this connection,
Croatia welcomes and fully supports the Secretary-
General's September report on the implementation of
the Millennium Declaration. When discussing our
Organization's reform, especially reform of the
Security Council, but also that of the General
Assembly, we must be aware that this is a matter of our
own political will and readiness to accept change.
Unfortunately, and this should be openly stated,
so far there has not been enough political will to move
from debates on the subject to actual reform. Croatia is
convinced that reform of the Security Council is
necessary and should no longer be put off. In fact, we
ourselves decided in the Millennium Declaration that
we would intensify joint efforts to achieve
comprehensive reforms of the Security Council in all
its aspects. We have an opportunity to do this at this
session of the General Assembly.
Croatia has never been a member of the Security
Council. However, in the 1990s Croatia acquired
considerable experience in the work of that organ and
learned about its good points and its shortcomings, its
importance and its true scope. Therefore, unless it
adapts to the new realities in international relations, the
Council will not be able to maintain its credibility and
authority in all parts of the world. What is required is
adherence to the principle of equitable representation
of all United Nations Members in the Security Council.
Croatia is prepared further to intensify its
activities as an active promoter of regional and world
peace. With this in mind, Croatia has presented its
candidacy for membership in the Security Council for
the 2008-2009 mandate. Croatia's membership in the
Security Council would represent a great tribute to my
country and a recognition of all that has been achieved
in bringing peace to South-eastern Europe, which has
found the strength, after many years of war, to embrace
the path of good-neighbourly relations.
The fight against international terrorism is high
on Croatia's list of priorities. Two years after the 11
September terrorist attacks on the United States, we
stand firmly by our American allies and all those who
refuse to accept terror, fanaticism and killing as a
means of resolving problems between peoples and
countries. Our collective duty to maintain international
peace and security, which stems from the Charter of the
United Nations, provides an international framework
for a decisive response to terrorism in the twenty-first
century.
Croatia's forces are participating in bringing
peace and stability to Afghanistan. Croatia is aware of
the fact that concerted action by all democratic
countries is the best response to terrorism. The fight
against terrorism requires not only action by the
democratic coalition at a global level, but also that of
each of its members at the national and regional levels.
It is equally important that we intensify our activities
to assist countries lagging behind in economic
development and other areas. Inequality, injustice and
ignorance are fertile breeding grounds for the seeds of
terrorism.
Croatia is still dealing with the consequences of
the war imposed on it and does not have the economic
resources to participate as a donor in the action for the
reconstruction of Iraq. However, Croatia stands ready
to offer its wealth of experience in post-war
reconstruction, especially in construction work, as well
as the knowledge and operative capacities required for
dealing with post-war confidence-building,
strengthening the country's stability, normalizing life,
and mending the tears left by the war in the fabric of
civil society. I am thinking in particular of the
knowledge and experience acquired in civil police
training and activities.
Events in the Middle East confirm that greater
courage is required to reach a compromise and ensure
coexistence than to wage battles; Croatia knows this all
too well. We are also aware of the importance of timely
resolutions of the Security Council and General
Assembly, which must be fine-tuned to meet the
challenges and needs of the peace process, keeping
abreast of realities in the field and encouraging a
greatly needed agreement. We hope that in its
forthcoming work the General Assembly will take this
into account when adopting new resolutions on the
Middle East.
The importance of United Nations peacekeeping
operations has been recognized on many occasions.
The mandate and character of peacekeeping operations
28

have been significantly transformed, from operations
aimed primarily at disengaging warring parties into
complex missions for building democratic systems,
protecting and promoting human rights, strengthening
civil society and establishing the groundwork for the
sustainable development of independent States.
This complexity, and the frequent overlapping of
mandates, requires a high degree of expertise in
various areas: from holding democratic elections and
developing judicial systems to establishing police and
military forces that meet international standards and
basic international legal regulations.
The United Nations is the only global institution
that can respond to the challenges of simultaneously
establishing regional stability, introducing post-war
reconstruction and building a democratic society.
The United Nations has paid a high price in its
peace efforts. I would like to take this occasion to once
again express Croatia's condolences to the families of
the victims of the recent barbaric attacks on United
Nations headquarters in Baghdad, and to re-emphasize
that such attacks strengthen our belief that the
development of collective security systems and global
solidarity must continue.
Croatia is currently participating in five United
Nations peacekeeping missions   in Ethiopia and
Eritrea, India and Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Timor-Leste
and Western Sahara.
We are determined to further intensify our
participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions,
in line with our physical and financial capabilities
regarding the composition and number of troops
deployed, as well as theatres of operation. Croatia feels
that as a country that received United Nations
peacekeeping forces at a time when its sovereignty and
territorial integrity were attacked, and as a country
which hosted one of the United Nations most extensive
operations, it now has a moral obligation to contribute
this experience to securing peace and prosperity in
other parts of the world.
I would particularly like to stress the importance
of closer cooperation between the Security Council and
troop contributing countries. We welcome the positive
changes that have so far occurred in this respect. It is
also important to ensure the necessary exchange of
views between the Security Council and the countries
on whose territory the peacekeeping operations are
being conducted. This is not only a question of due
respect of those countries' sovereignty, but it is also a
way of acquiring full insight into its needs and
priorities.
I also believe that there is the need for the
establishment of closer links and better coordination in
the work of the United Nations main bodies, especially
between the Economic and Social Council and the
Security Council. The Economic and Social Council
and its commissions possess exceptional knowledge
and experience important for the building of post-
conflict societies, something we were able to see for
ourselves last year when Croatia presided over this
body. The establishment of working groups for Guinea-
Bissau and for Burundi were steps in the right
direction, and we hope that this experience will be used
to further the involvement of the Economic and Social
Council in processes of maintaining and building
peace.
The Millennium Declaration, this joint vision of
all United Nations members for a more just and better
world, is a beacon we must follow. Not only must we
follow it, we must ensure that its goals are fully
implemented. In this context, Croatia would like to see
the Economic and Social Council play a greater role in
the general implementation of the Millennium
Declaration. Therefore, Croatia supports the idea of a
high-level dialogue on the achievement of the Goals set
out in the Millennium Declaration taking place at the
next General Assembly session.
As a member of the United Nations Commission
on Human Rights, Croatia supports the universal
ratification of international instruments in the field of
human rights. The Commission should continue
unhindered in its activities while carrying out its
mandate. In an effort to promote and protect the human
rights of all people, Croatia is devoting special
attention to the human rights of women, children,
refugees and disabled persons, and to the human rights
of members of national minorities.
Although much has been done in the past period
to improve the position of women in society and
promote principles of gender equality, the international
community still has an obligation to intensify efforts to
prevent all forms of violence against women, and must
try to include women in decision-making processes,
ensuring empowerment of women at all levels. Against
this background I am proud to say that Croatia has
29

provided the first woman participant in the United
Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan.
Apart from terrorism, one of the biggest security
threats in the world is the proliferation of nuclear and
other weapons of mass destruction. The
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is, we
believe, particularly important in ensuring that the goal
of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament is
attained. We are concerned by the fact that although the
Treaty was opened for signature and ratification seven
years ago, it still has not entered into force. The
universal character of this Treaty is of great
significance and we call on all States that have not
acceded to the Treaty to do so as soon as possible.
Croatia welcomes the efforts of the Secretary-
General and the United Nations to raise the level of
awareness throughout the world of the importance of
the rule of law and of acceding to international
instruments in this area. As a member State of the
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court,
Croatia has actively participated in the pioneering
endeavour of setting up a new international order
symbolized by the International Criminal Court, which
has rightly been termed the embodiment of our
collective conscience.
Croatia is firmly set on the path of accession to
the European Union. Croatia, whose strategic national
goal is to join the European Union, remains dedicated
to the continual promotion of friendly relations with all
its neighbours and to the policy of open borders,
allowing the flow of people, goods and services, but
also to that of keeping its borders firmly closed to all
forms of transnational crime and illegal migration.
Croatia will continue to actively participate in
regional, European and worldwide initiatives and
organizations, respecting all its international
obligations. For us, the United Nations remains a
central point for resolving problems in international
relations and for promoting the interests of mankind. I
am certain that this year's General Assembly session
will reconfirm the importance of the United Nations
and open a new chapter in our organization's activities
in building peace and security.


At the outset, I
would like to join the international community in
paying tribute to the late Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello,
all United Nations personnel who lost their lives and
those wounded by the terrorist attack on the United
Nations headquarters in Baghdad. We strongly
condemn that cowardly terrorist attack and reaffirm our
commitment to supporting the United Nations in
paving the way for the stability, security and
sovereignty of Iraq.
On behalf of the Government and people of
Thailand, I wish to extend my sincere congratulations
to Mr. Julian Hunte of Saint Lucia upon his election to
the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-
eighth session. I am confident that, under his wise and
exemplary leadership, this session, held at such a
difficult time, will lead to a fruitful conclusion. I also
wish to take this opportunity to commend his
predecessor, Mr. Jan Kavan, whose tireless efforts have
steered the United Nations along a constructive path
during a year of difficult challenges.
This session meets at a most critical juncture or,
as the Secretary-General put it in his address: “We have
come to a fork in the road” (A/58/PV.7). This road was
meant to build a multilateral system to ensure a better
world for the human race. It is at this critical juncture
that the threats and challenges to multilateralism of the
past 12 months have underscored, more than ever, that
in order to collectively confront these threats and
challenges to global peace, security and prosperity, the
23

world cannot do without multilateralism. But, as
echoed by many from this rostrum, the big question is:
how?
As the foremost multilateral institution, the
United Nations needs to carry out its mission in the
context of these realities. The Secretary-General has
expounded his far-sighted initiative for the proposed
reforms of the institutions and the establishment of a
high-level panel of eminent personalities. Thailand
lends its support to the Secretary-General’s noble
endeavour and hopes that, during the next session, he
will come up with a proposal that will take us on the
right path.
Many different views, agreements and
disagreements have been expressed in this Hall in this
general debate. This illustrates that the international
community must learn to live with and be tolerant of
differences. We may differ in culture, religion and
values, but our differences and diversities must not
become the sources of hostility. They must be a source
of our combined strength to enhance partnership and
multilateralism. We believe that the promotion of true
partnership and human security will help the United
Nations mission in fulfilling its noble goals.
From Timor-Leste to Sierra Leone and Bosnia
and Herzegovina, the international community can be
proud of forging partnership in peacekeeping
operations under the framework of the United Nations.
Thailand is proud to be one of the 89 countries
participating in United Nations peacekeeping
operations and wishes to reiterate its commitment to
continuing this partnership wherever and whenever
needed through its participation in the United Nations
standby arrangements system. For its part, Thailand
remains firmly committed to supporting United Nations
reconstruction and peace-building efforts, as we have
done in the past in Timor-Leste and Afghanistan.
Thailand has already contributed $250,000 to Iraq
through the International Committee of the Red Cross
and is committed to providing another $500,000 for
dried halal food. Military construction engineers and
medical personnel are also being dispatched to Iraq to
provide further humanitarian assistance. We hope that
peace can eventually reign in the region.
No one deserves peace, stability and a prosperous
future more than the peoples of the Middle East. Far
too long have the people of that region suffered from
violence, acts of terror and despair. We call upon the
international community to come together in
addressing this problem. All sides must seize the
opportunity to embark on the road towards a just and
comprehensive peace so that the people of Israel and
the people of Palestine can at last live in peace,
security and harmony.
Terrorism spares no one, strong or weak, rich or
poor. To succeed against terrorism, there is no other
way but to be united. The Government of Thailand has
worked very closely with the international community
to rid the world of this scourge. Domestic legislation
has been amended in order to enable Thailand to cope
with terrorist activities and to suppress the financing of
terrorism more effectively. We take no second chances
in our fight against international terrorism.
As freedom from fear and freedom from want are
the two major components of human security, it is clear
that human security cannot be achieved simply because
a country wants to do it all alone. Rather, human
security is achieved because all countries decide to do
it all together. It is achieved because countries are
willing to forge a partnership out of their differences to
build strength for human security.
That is why Thailand considers its membership of
the Human Security Network an important partnership
strength, complementary to the core values of the
United Nations for the promotion of peace and security,
economic and social development, human rights,
humanitarian affairs and international law. Only two
weeks ago, Thailand was proud and honoured to have
hosted the Fifth Meeting of States Parties to the
Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling,
Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and
on Their Destruction. It was the first time this Meeting
has come to Asia, where land mines are a threat to the
security of hundreds of millions of people. Throughout
our presidency of the Convention until the first review
conference in November 2004, Thailand will do its
utmost to ensure much further achievements and
considerable progress in the core objectives of the
Convention: mine clearance, victim assistance,
stockpile destruction and universal acceptance of the
Convention.
Across the continent, as one of only three Asian
partners for cooperation with the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe, Thailand seeks to
build bridges between Asia, especially the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations, and Europe. We believe
24

that not despite our differences in cultural and social
values, but because of those differences, Asia and
Europe will learn the art of living together, creating a
world of human security.
Narcotic drugs and pandemics transcend all
borders and become as much of a threat to human
security as terrorism. Like terrorism, decisive and
resolute partnership actions at all levels are required to
tackle these global problems to achieve sustainable
development.
The Thai Government has declared war against
narcotic drugs since taking office in February 2001.
This year, we made it the peak of our campaign. Our
battle against the scourge of drug production and
trafficking, especially methamphetamines, must be all
but comprehensive. Within the permit of the law, we
have mounted an integrated strategic campaign,
incorporating prevention, treatment and rehabilitation,
and suppression. We hope to be able to declare a total
victory by the end of the year.
We have forged a more effective partnership with
our neighbours and beyond to overcome this global
scourge once and for all. This past June, Thailand
hosted a five-nation meeting comprising Thailand,
China, India, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
and Myanmar to discuss combating transnational
crimes, including the issue of drug trafficking.
Furthermore, Thailand is also forging partnership at the
global level by working hand in hand with the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as a partner with
shared responsibility to counter drugs and crime in the
global context.
Just as drugs tear at the social fabric of societies,
diseases such as HIV/AIDS cripple human resources
across the globe. Thailand commends the convening of
the high-level plenary on HIV/AIDS on 22 September.
We support the ongoing efforts undertaken within the
framework of the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria. We also remain steadfast in
our partnerships with neighbouring countries,
particularly the Greater Mekong subregion, as well as
with related United Nations agencies, to help tackle the
global challenge posed by HIV/AIDS. As host of the
Fifteenth International AIDS Conference in July 2004,
we look forward to high-level representation of the
world community to share the experiences, as well as
to forging strong partnerships and cooperation to build
a united global front to deal with this pandemic.
With regard to Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS) — the disease that crippled many
countries and affected the tourist industry so badly
throughout the world this year — we found that only
the prompt response and commitment of ASEAN and
the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
partnership enabled us to keep the pandemic under
control and quell the panic and fear, which were worse
than the disease itself.
The non-traditional security threats of HIV/AIDS,
SARS and narcotic drugs — “soft threats”, in the
words of the Secretary-General — demonstrate once
again that no matter what differences each country or
region may have, international cooperation and
partnership are crucial in order to combat both
traditional and non-traditional challenges to human
security.
Guided by the principle of deriving partnership
strength from diversity, Thailand has embarked on
various initiatives to bridge socio-economic disparities
at the regional and subregional levels with a view to
enhancing peace and prosperity. The Asia Cooperation
Dialogue (ACD), which is only in its second year of
existence but already comprises 22 Asian countries,
representing East, West, South, North and Central Asia,
is a prime example. Within one year of its inception,
the ACD had achieved considerable progress with
regard to various cooperation programmes, even in the
area of financial cooperation. The second ACD
Ministerial Meeting in June this year adopted the
Chiang Mai Declaration on Asian Bond Market
Development. The Asian bond market has been
heralded as the new financial architecture for the
“world of differences”.
Thailand continues to work for partnership based
on diversity and difference so as to promote socio-
economic development among nations. Given the
economic disparity among our immediate neighbours,
the economic cooperation strategy initiated by the
Prime Minister, Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, is the most
recent partnership aimed at narrowing the economic
gap between Thailand, Cambodia, the Lao People’s
Democratic Republic and Myanmar, with a view to
generating employment and income based on
comparative advantage and mutual benefits. It will
complement other bilateral and regional cooperative
frameworks, and serve as a building block towards
advancing ASEAN economic integration.
25

Thailand has chosen the theme, “A World of
Differences: Partnership for the Future”, for the 2003
meeting of the economic leaders of APEC, scheduled
to take place in Thailand in October. The convening of
that APEC leaders’ meeting reflects the belief that,
despite the diversity and differences that exist
throughout the region, there is unlimited benefit and
potential that can be tapped through effective
partnership. The meeting will discuss five sub-themes:
a knowledge-based economy; the promotion of human
security; financial architecture for a world of
differences; small and medium enterprises; and action
on development pledges. In addition, we will focus on
the issue of counter-terrorism with a view to promoting
economic stability in the Asia-Pacific region and
beyond. The choice of those sub-themes shows that,
despite the differences among APEC economies,
partnerships on those issues can be forged for the
benefit of the region and of the world.
Last year, at the fifty-seventh session, I gave a
comprehensive account of Thailand’s dual-track
strategy to attain steady economic growth with social
equity. Before concluding, I would like this morning to
report to the Assembly on the success of our efforts to
create economic and social partnership. That success is
the result of combining the diverse strengths of both
the grass-roots economy and the export-led business
sector as engines of growth. We are confident that our
economy rests on a secure and firm foundation that will
lead us along the path of economic growth and
sustainable development.
Last year, the Thai economy registered a 5.3 per
cent growth in gross domestic product, which was
followed by 6.7 percent growth in the first quarter of
this year. That is our best economic performance since
the 1997 crisis. On 31 July, Thailand paid back all of
its International Monetary Fund loans in full — two
years ahead of schedule. The Government is committed
to the eradication of poverty, as defined by the United
Nations, by the year 2009. By placing human security
at the forefront of the Government’s policies, Thailand
is stressing its determination to ensure for the Thai
people a society free from want and free from fear.
Living in a world of differences will entail misery
if we keep forging conflict out of diversity. It will
entail hardship if we keep exacerbating disagreement.
It will entail stagnation if we keep failing to make
room for compromise. It will entail human suffering if
Governments keep turning their backs on chances of
partnership. And it will entail devastation if we use our
differences as an excuse to always differ.
But we, Members of the United Nations, live in a
world of differences. It is incumbent upon all of us to
ensure that our world of differences has a future — a
future that will not entail misery, hardship and human
suffering as a result of those differences. It is
incumbent upon every one of us to work with United
Nations institutions so as to ensure that our differences
are turned into a source of strength for our future.
Thailand is doing its part, and will continue to do so,
for such a future.


Two hundred years after the first cry of freedom in
Latin America, our peoples are propelled by new winds
of emancipation. A fresh generation of leaders has
taken up the old flags of our heroes to demand real
global interdependence through an economic order
inspired by solidarity and by the building of a lasting
peace.
I would like to take this opportunity to
congratulate the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan,
for the commendable work that he has done to uphold
and promote the principles that were enshrined in the
Charter 58 years ago.
For too long, Latin America had been on the
margins of history. It had been reduced to playing the
part of providing inexpensive labour and raw materials
to more developed economies, while its most brilliant
minds were lured away and absorbed by large urban
markets. Our region has also fallen victim to
mercenaries, soldiers of fortune and heartless people
representing dehumanizing and destructive transnational
corporations that overthrew Governments, provoked
wars between friendly countries and squandered our
countries’ resources.
Nevertheless, we are not here to complain about
those ignominious days. Nor are we here to cling to the
glories of the past. On the contrary, we have come to
express our firm will to work together for a dignified
present and a secure future for those who are now
dying from hunger, thirst, cold and easily preventable
and treatable diseases. Our voices today arise from our
roots, cultures and traditions, and proclaim a Latin
America that is integrated into the world, with a fresh
sense of fraternity, to make the lives of our peoples
more humane and enriching.
We must seek a multipolar world in which
cultures enhance rather than confront one another and
regional production promotes peace and prosperity in
the world to save present and future generations from
the terrible scourge of new major conflicts. Let us
make a renewed commitment, without scepticism and
with the intrinsic dignity that God has bestowed on
every human being.
In Paraguay, a small but dignified country, we are
making a major effort at capacity-building with respect
to national and international communities. A sine qua
non is to revive production, attract investors back and
sell our products on world markets.
Although our peoples have suffered long years of
recession and deprivation because of the foreign debt
burden, my Government has managed to redirect public
resources towards education and to coordinate the
efforts of civil society and the State to democratize
young people’s access to the world of knowledge. Only
effective human capital, with ethical principles, will
enable us to survive and grow in a climate of
globalization. Towards that end, we fervently hope for
a globalization that involves not simply economics but
also justice, science, technology and development. Our
challenge is to achieve global progress.
I come from an island surrounded by land, as
Paraguay’s renowned writer Augusto Roa Bastos so
aptly described the country. But with the advent of
democracy, to the credit of the people’s self-sacrifice,
our country has restored its identity, memories and
dreams. We Paraguayans accept our geographical
disadvantage as an opportunity to be creative and
industrious, as our development requires. For this
reason, we appeal for international solidarity to help to
implement the plan of action of Almaty, which is
designed to overcome the limitations of landlocked
developing countries, including Paraguay.
We have a strong ethical belief in this historic
objective. The inequality that impoverishes most of the
world is immoral. There is not a trace of Christianity in
the lack of solidarity with the destitute. In that regard,
the individual must be treated as a whole person, so
that he may in turn bring well-being to his family, for
the sake of all society. If leaders do not provide a moral
example, it will not be possible to advance towards a
democracy that is embraced by the people and fosters
true participation in a society that is distinguished by
its moral capital, the essential basis of a humanistic and
humanizing economy. A world in crisis requires
humanism, not humanitarianism. The world seeks
solidarity, and not mere charity.
We must understand that the impoverishment of a
large share of humankind jeopardizes world balance. It
is true that many countries have become impoverished
not simply as a result of outside influences but also
because of corruption and impunity on the part of local
leaders. But it is equally true that without an ethical
belief in the international order and the strong will of
5

leaders to praise God and renounce historical patterns
of greed of rich countries, the world that we leave to
our children will not be fit for living.
Unfortunately, while we are shaping a future
based on ideals and utopias in this hallowed chamber
of world peace, we have not figured out how to end
war, since in various parts of the world the arms race
continues, as does growing poverty. It bears repeating
that, as leaders of our respective countries, we must
cease speaking in terms of friends and enemies, which
has a weakening and destructive effect. We must use
that energy and those resources to ensure just social
development in economically less-developed countries.
Without pluralistic and equitable participation in
crucial international policy decisions discussed here in
our Organization and a commitment to multilateralism,
the United Nations and, in particular, the Security
Council, will inevitably fail in its noble objective of
maintaining peace in the world.
In this context, Paraguay supports the aspirations
of Latin America and other continents to be
represented in the Security Council, where the presence
of Brazil as a permanent member would fulfil the great
and legitimate interests of our region.
Paraguay would like to reiterate here its full
support for the efforts and aspirations of the Republic
of China on Taiwan to become a fully-fledged member
of the international community through the United
Nations. In this regard, we appeal to the principles of
universality contained in the Charter so that this long-
overdue and heartfelt desire of the sister Republic of
China on Taiwan may be fulfilled.
As I said some weeks ago in my own country —
and as I reaffirm here — the ethics of fraternity and
mutual respect must govern international relations
today if humanity is to make progress towards lasting
peace inspired by the rule of law and reason.
With the same vigour with which we advocate
worldwide peace, we condemn terrorism in all its
manifestations and sources. In Paraguay, we have
pledged — a pledge we are resolutely fulfilling — to
combat the breeding grounds of terrorism and its
financial support, drug trafficking. We shall not deviate
from that commitment. Likewise, we energetically
denounce the terrorist action against the United
Nations headquarters in Baghdad that occurred
yesterday and that of 19 August. We mourn the death
of outstanding United Nations staff members, including
the distinguished Brazilian and Latin American citizen,
Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights. In that same line of
action, in Paraguay we are dismantling organized crime
and money-laundering, regardless of who promotes,
conceals or commits those crimes.
I reiterate that our country will no longer be a
bridge, corridor or end point for such criminal
operations. With the same energy with which we
combat crime and illegality, we reaffirm our
unwavering commitment to respecting human rights,
which is an increasingly important part of our domestic
and foreign policies, promoting full enjoyment of
public and individual freedoms for the peoples of the
world.
The fight for freedom, democracy, social equity
and world peace will be of no avail if we do not more
responsibly face the challenges for the preservation of
our environment. Let us seek the well-being of our
peoples today but not forget that our children will live
on this planet tomorrow. In Paraguay and Latin
America, we are determined to be the protagonists and
architects of a shared destiny of responsibility, justice
and equality.
Finally, may the new global order be more
human, supportive, responsible and participative, and
may its essential purpose be to promote development,
progress and the well-being of all the peoples of the
Earth in an environment that is truly more just, fair and
balanced. May God bless us and may we build together
the peace that our children and future generations need.


It is my pleasure to
express congratulations and best wishes to Mr. Julian
Hunte on his election as President of the General
Assembly at its fifty-eighth session, and to express my
confidence in his ability to ensure a productive and
successful session as a representative of his friendly
country, Saint Lucia. It is also my pleasure to express
appreciation for the efforts of Mr. Jan Kavan, former
Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, in
presiding over the fifty-seventh session and for the
tireless efforts of the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi
Annan, in reaffirming the contributions and the role of the
United Nations in addressing regional and international
issues to fulfil the will of the international community,
particularly by carrying out its principal responsibility
for maintaining peace and security in the world.
Today, the United Nations is nearing the end of
the sixth decade since its establishment after the
Second World War as part of a world order accepted by
all humanity to avoid the catastrophic consequences of
war. Also today, the world is witnessing unprecedented
threats, conflicts and crises, and it faces challenges that
threaten the noble purposes and principles enshrined in
the Charter of the Organization, a body to which the
world's peoples look to avoid the perils of war, to free
themselves from the fear of force and oppression, and
to seek justice, prosperity and stability.
Since its inception, the United Nations has carried
out the responsibilities set out in its Charter in a wide
range of fields that are relevant both to people's daily
lives and to the international community. Those
responsibilities have included peacekeeping operations,
development programmes, conferences on the
environment, enhancing and expanding the role of
women, protecting human rights, the resettlement of
refugees, combating disease and epidemics, dealing
with national disasters, spreading a culture of peace,
and reaffirming international legality and the rule of
law. However, those great achievements in people's
lives and in Member States of the Organization will
count for nothing in the face of regional conflicts, civil
wars and ethnic strife in many parts of the world.
Many resolutions crucial to the maintenance of
peace and stability continue to be ignored and therefore
fail to serve the will of the international community.
Therefore, all of us   leaders, peoples and Governments
  have the moral responsibility to reactivate and
implement those resolutions. We must reflect on the
reasons that they have not been implemented; we must
objectively consider why that has taken place; and we
must study the Organization's successes and failures in
that regard. In order to overcome these shortcomings in
the current world order, we must muster the necessary
political will and mobilize the efforts of the States and
peoples that the Organization has comprised since its
inception. Only thus will we be able to bridge the
chasm between hopes and realities and to correct the
misalignment between texts and ambitions and between
resolutions and their implementation.
The Kingdom of Bahrain, under the leadership of
His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, has
reaffirmed its strong belief in upholding the principles
and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and
its confidence in the Organization's ability to shoulder its
historic and legal responsibilities to build and maintain
peace and to strengthen the foundations of peace.
Bahrain's leading regional and international role
in comprehensive human development   both economic
and political   has over the years been consistently
supported by United Nations statistics and reports. The
latest of those reports   the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report of 8
July 2003   demonstrates that fact. At the political
level, Bahrain has moved quickly forward with the
consolidation of constitutional democracy and the rule
of law after the overwhelming popular approval of the
National Action Charter, promulgating its Constitution
of February 2002 and establishing the two Chambers of
the National Assembly in October of that year. At the
level of civil society and human rights and in order to
increase the pace of reform and development, Bahrain
took significant steps to enhance constitutional
guarantees of civil and political freedoms and rights
through a royal decree establishing the Constitutional
Court in 2002 and through the Workers Trade Union
law of the same year.
Reaffirming their status and role in society,
women in Bahrain are constitutionally entitled to vote
and to run as candidates in elections, and to hold
important positions in both the public and private
sectors. In addition to that, women participate in the
18

broad social activities of the Supreme Council for
Women, part of a coordinated and integrated system of
development efforts that include mother and child care,
achieving equality between men and women in a
society that believes in the unity of the family, values
gender equality and respects the rights of the family.
The Kingdom of Bahrain, a regional centre for
trade, with well-established social and economic
foundations based on a historic tradition of openness, is
today a hub for trade in goods and capital, in a
legislative and social environment in which Bahrainis,
non-Bahrainis and visitors alike enjoy the stability
required for investment and the movement of capital.
These laws guarantee that the country remain an
attractive and successful location for residence and
movement for individuals and investors. Bahrain is
also a fine example of successful economic
liberalization, which has made it an attractive point in
the Gulf area for regional projects and investment.
Achieving economic integration and regional
cooperation between the Gulf and Middle East regions
and other major and free trading blocs depends upon the
strong foundation of a political and strategic environment
conducive to achieving peace and cooperation.
In that context, the achievement of a just and
comprehensive peace in the Middle East can be brought
about only through a recognition of the inalienable legal
rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and
the establishment of their independent State, a return of
sovereignty over territory occupied since 1967 and
control over their economic resources, in accordance
with resolutions of international legality and the
principles and aims of Middle East initiatives, and on
the basis of agreements between the two sides, which
must be fully respected and implemented.
The road map, which has gained consensus among
the international community, supports the establishment
of an independent Palestinian State living in peace and
security, side by side with Israel, as envisaged by
United States President George W. Bush in his peace
initiative of June 2002, as reaffirmed by the
international Quartet comprising United Nations, the
United States, the European Union and the Russian
Federation, and as agreed upon by the Palestinian
Authority. This provides a unique, historic opportunity
to achieve a balanced settlement that will restore the
legitimate rights of the people and achieve a delicate
balance between the obligations of the parties and their
rights to security and peace.
The recent Israeli decision to remove in principle
Chairman Yasser Arafat, the elected Palestinian
President, and its threats to eliminate him, are very
dangerous matters that contravenes the principles of
democracy and the rules of international law. This was
reaffirmed by the adoption of resolution 10/12 at the
tenth emergency special session of the General
Assembly on 19 September 2003.
Bahrain, which expresses its concern at this
dangerous Israeli decision, calls upon the Quartet and
the international community to pressure Israel to prevent
the implementation of this decision, whose repercussions
would weaken current peace opportunities.
Peace in the Middle East must be comprehensive;
it requires the full implementation of resolutions of
international legality, particularly Security Council
resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), which call for
Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories,
including the Golan Heights, and Security Council
resolution 425 (1978), regarding the Lebanese
territories remaining under occupation. The Middle
East today faces great challenges as well as unique
opportunities and crucial moments that will determine
the future of the region for generations to come.
This peace must be a single and indivisible unit.
That applies both to the Middle East and to the Gulf
region. It is a fundamental and vital request by Bahrain
and the Arab world that steps be taken by the
international community, the United Nations and
influential parties, in particular the United States, to
normalize political, economic and civilian life in Iraq,
so that the country can regain its Arab, regional and
international role.
In order for the Iraqis to determine their destiny,
within a constitutional framework that provides for the
rule of law and guarantees political freedom, peace and
security for all Iraq's citizens and ethnic groups   a
vital legal requirement   the Iraqis themselves must
be allowed to rebuild economic, political and social
foundations, as well as civil society, within an Iraqi
national Government.
The Kingdom of Bahrain believes that the
formation of a new national Government in Iraq is an
important step for the brotherly Iraqi people towards
19

taking over their own affairs for a better life and for an
increased regional and international role.
With regard to the Islands of the Greater and
Lesser Tunb and Abu Moussa, which belong to the
brotherly United Arab Emirates, we hope that the
current important dialogue between the United Arab
Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran will lead to a
peaceful settlement of this issue and contribute to
security and stability in the Gulf region.
The international commitment to fighting
terrorism, political violence and extremism has become
both an international and a national responsibility,
particularly since the events of 11 September 2001,
which claimed the lives of many innocent people.
Combating terrorism has become an international
obligation, in keeping with the United Nations
commitment to respect human rights, foremost of
which are the rights to life and security.
Accordingly, the Kingdom of Bahrain has backed
all international and regional efforts to combat this
dangerous scourge, which threatens us all and whose
effects can be felt around the world. Most recently, we
have witnessed the evil attack on the United Nations
headquarters in Baghdad, in which Mr. Sergio Vieira de
Mello, Special Representative of the Secretary-General,
and a number of other innocent people lost their lives
while serving the cause of international legality.
In that regard, Bahrain condemns the vicious
orchestrated campaign waged against a sister State, the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, by some Western media. We
wish to commend Saudi Arabia for its tangible and
important contribution to the global campaign against
terrorism, to which it itself was exposed. Bahrain fully
supports and endorses all the measures taken by Saudi
Arabia in its attempts to eliminate terrorism and to
consolidate regional security and stability.
The challenges of today's world order,
represented by the United Nations, are greater than any
particular region or State, and encompass all areas of
life and society: the economy, education, health,
technology and information, particularly following the
information and communications technology revolution,
in the context of the comprehensive globalization of
thought, trade, politics, war and peace.
Today, it is neither possible nor acceptable,
within the globalization of international relations at
various levels, for one region to have full prosperity
and abundance while others suffer from poverty and
want, drought and desertification, and from incurable
diseases which science and medicines cannot yet tackle
and to which countries and Governments are unable to
effectively respond or provide medicine or care for
millions of victims.
Against the backdrop of globalization, the
international community cannot ignore these trends.
The summits, conferences and United Nations special
sessions that have been held over the years to deal with
issues such as human rights, the environment,
development, women's rights, habitat, motherhood,
children, culture and civilization reflect the degree to
which those issues are connected to humanitarian,
cultural, social and peace and security issues. Bahrain's
active role and contributions and effective participation
in summits and General Assembly special sessions, and
its involvement in the International Year of Dialogue
among Civilizations in particular, clearly show that
Bahrain's national policies and programmes dovetail
with the priorities of the international community. An
example of that was Bahrain's hosting of high-level
dialogues among religions and cultures in autumn
2002. In the same vein, the Kingdom of Bahrain hosted
a meeting on Islamic-Christian dialogue in October
2002, at which a number of valuable recommendations
were put forward that we hope will contribute to efforts
made in this area. Bahrain also recently hosted an
Islamic forum, in which a number of Islamic scholars
and clerics took part, to promote harmony among
various Islamic schools of thought. Bahrain will
continue to play the role of a haven for brotherhood
and dialogue and a meeting place where various
religions and cultures live side by side in peace.
The Kingdom of Bahrain believes on the basis of
conscientious and free national will that the world
today urgently needs a strong and revitalized United
Nations, as was the case in the wake of the Second
World War, to maintain international peace and security
and effectively contribute to enhancing the dignity and
welfare of humanity. In its quest for peace, the
Kingdom of Bahrain is pursuing national policies of
development and democracy to raise hope for a better
future that will free the individual from fear and
despair, oppression, famine, poverty and ignorance,
provide him with a dignified life and protect him from
natural disasters. Our national and international policies
are closely inspired by the work of the United Nations,
particularly in the development, social, economic and
20

humanitarian fields. Those policies are based on
constitutional legality, democracy, transparency and
good governance and guarantee the respect of
individual rights and freedoms. Bahrain aspires to
peace and security within the country, the region and
the world as a whole.