For Venezuelans, Latin
Americans and Caribbeans, it is an honour, Sir, to have
you as President of the General Assembly at this
session. No one is a more authentic Christian than a
progressive Christian. It is a risky position and one
which requires sacrifice for a person like yourself,
whose life has been a testament to his lofty values.
Indeed, this criterion is valid for Muslims, Jews,
Buddhists, animists, Hindus, atheists, and so on if their
lives are a testament to their respective ethical
obligations.
 There is another religion whose adherents and
priests preach from their temples. It is the religion of
neoliberalism, whose god is the market.
 A few years ago, a well-known academic,
captivated by his own materialistic image, announced
the end of history, claiming that we had reached not the
fountain of eternal youth but the secret to eternal
prosperity. Today, prompted by the sixtieth anniversary
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we
qualify that thought as a curse that reflects the
insensitivity of the most egotistical and corrupt.
 At the time of the French Revolution someone
said “Freedom, how many crimes are committed in
your name?” These days we could say “Free market,

08-53141 22

how much poverty, how much violence, how much
torture, how many wars, how many invasions, how
much oppression, how much social injustice is
committed in your name?” We are, therefore,
sympathetic with President Nicolas Sarkozy’s peace
initiatives and his appropriate ideas about a regulated
capitalism and a summit of countries affected by the
financial crisis.
 Accustomed as we were to suffering the perverse
effects of the brutal application of neoliberal policies,
today we see the pain, anguish and anger of millions of
our brothers in the United States. They have been
swindled by upper-class criminals, an experience that
we Venezuelans know well.
 Since memory is fragile and the neoliberal global
dictatorship uses private communications media to hide
its crimes, allow me to recount a terrible event that
occurred in the country that was the first lab rat for the
most radical formula from Wall Street and the
International Monetary Fund. I am speaking of my
country, Venezuela.
 In only two days, in February 1989, a
spontaneous people’s rebellion was mercilessly
crushed. It was a protest against the application,
without anaesthesia, of the magic formulas that the
great financial centres imposed on us. Several
non-governmental human rights organizations at the
time registered thousands of deaths, but the official
statistics recognized only 259 dead, without
mentioning those who were injured or material
damage — only 259 dead in two days.
 As a diplomat in those terrible days, I assumed
that there would be complaints and condemnations
from friendly Governments with good human-rights
track records. Nothing of the sort happened. Venezuela
was the pet project of Latin American democracies
and, at the same time, a neoliberal laboratory whose
failure had to be kept secret. The media accomplices of
yesterday that kept these crimes secret are the same
that today slander the democratic, peaceful, socialist
revolutionary Venezuelan process led by President
Hugo Chávez.
 In Venezuela we practice extreme democracy:
extreme freedom of expression, extreme participation,
extreme challenge to the neoliberal monster and
extreme commitment to social justice, hence the
international media campaign to attempt to slander and
stifle democracy in Venezuela. The instruments of that
campaign have a name: the Fox network in the United
States, the Grupo de Diarios de América, the Inter
American Press Association, the neocolonialist group
Promotora de Informaciones, S.A., the El Pais daily,
the Cadena de Ondas Populares de España (COPE)
radio network of the blessed Catholic Bishops’
Conference of Spain, the El Mercurio daily in Chile,
the El Universal daily in Mexico, the pro-coup
Venezuelan television station Globovision, and many
other lackeys of the international far right.
 That brings to mind a topic that no one talks
about. Some people think that Nelson Mandela did
away with apartheid. In the United States, the people
we see on the television screens are like the people we
see in the streets. Not so in Latin America, in
Venezuela and in multi-ethnic Latin American
countries. On their televisions we do not see people of
mixed races, nor indigenous people, nor Afro-Latin
Americans unless they are playing the role of the
servants. Hence the racist hatred against the indigenous
majority in Bolivia. Racism is the most perverse form
of discrimination. In the worst dictatorships and under
persecution, it is possible to hide one’s thoughts, faith
and political affiliation. But what one can never hide is
the colour of one’s skin.
 Democracy, international social justice and peace
cannot survive under the schemes of unilateralism and
the muscular exercises of hegemonic powers. Dissent
should not be punished but rather recognized as an
expression of democratic and pacifist values.
Appreciation of and respect for those who are different
is a guarantee of the fulfilment of the principles
enshrined in the United Nations Charter. Democracy
and peace should stem from creativity and the
confidence generated by the variety of ideas, colours,
interests and proposals.
 Progressive democracy has burgeoned in Latin
America and the Caribbean, particularly within the past
10 years, just as the continent has been undergoing
profound social change. Long ago, during the sixties
and seventies, the magic solution to attain the complete
democracy and social progress that some preached was
through free and transparent elections, although in
certain select circumstances the elections were neither
very democratic nor very transparent. Nevertheless,
they were welcomed into the so-called democratic
club, since they adhered to unspoken patterns of
political behaviour dictated by the global metropolis.

23 08-53141

 It is a fact that today in Latin America elections
are more participatory, more transparent and freer than
ever. Nevertheless, the results are not welcomed when
the winners have previously been labelled as villains
by the imperial super-Power.
 The spectre of progressive democracy is lying in
wait for the continent of social injustice. People are
deciding their own destiny, as they should. But they are
making this choice with a clear preference for leftist
movements that offer a response to their circumstances.
That does not suit the far right, which is no lover of
democracy, as much as it claims to be.
 That reminds me to some extent of Henry Ford,
when he spoke of his great success in selling the
Model T. He said “Any customer can have a car
painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black”.
Something similar is happening with the super-Power
and its partners on our continent. Anyone who wins
free and transparent elections monitored by credible
international observers is accepted, provided that
person is right-wing.
 Dissent is not accepted by some people in the
global village. The new movements, which are
supported by the majority of those who are excluded,
are not welcome. The magnates of private media are
themselves a threat to democracy and freedom,
aligning themselves with the interests they serve, while
poisoning the collective psyche of the more timid
groups in society.
 Concerted efforts to undermine legitimate
institutions are being launched and consolidated under
fundamentalist doctrines. New witch hunts identify that
phenomenon, and the fundamentalists of the right are
embarking on well-coordinated and well-financed
ventures while continuing to sign off on huge corporate
deals. Such is the case with the Halliburton company,
whose balance sheets are spattered with Arab and
American blood. All the while, Al Qaeda is bigger than
ever, and the weapons of mass destruction have still
not been found.
 Homegrown right-wing and racist forces,
emboldened by foreign support, do not recognize the
legitimacy of new or renewed institutions and cause
political and social instability and separatism. Look at
Bolivia. In Ecuador, those groups will not accept the
overwhelming popular support provided yesterday to
President Correa’s draft constitution, so we will have
to invite him to come in and join the axis of evil.
 In any case, there is not much to worry about
when it comes to the leftist democracies. They are very
modern, in the sense that they do not have religious or
gender police, while on the other hand they are
antiquated democracies, where those who gain the
most votes come in first and are elected.
 The drama of poverty, social exclusion and
uneven distribution of income still tyrannizes our
countries. The current model of development is not
sustainable. It endangers life, the planet and peace. As
long as there is still hunger, our democracies and our
environment are threatened. The time for profound and
demanding changes has come. Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon, in his address to this Assembly at its 5th
meeting, referred to the need for a new understanding
on business ethics, with more compassion and less
unconditional faith in the magic of the markets. Greed
and consumerism have brought about climate change,
the energy crisis, financial chaos and the food crisis.
 The world food crisis continues to expand. Food
has become just a form of merchandise used to
maximize profits, with the human right to food
ignored. According to the statistics of the Food and
Agriculture Organization, global food production has
consistently exceeded global population growth. That
means that sufficient food is produced in the world to
provide more than 2,800 calories every day to each of
the world’s inhabitants. Close to 18 per cent more
calories are produced per person than was the case in
the 1960s, despite the increase in the total population.
If sufficient food is produced in the world, how can we
explain the fact that more than 850 million people now
suffer from hunger or malnutrition, that 25,000 people
die from hunger every day and that 18,000 of those are
children?
 The Secretary-General has stated that
development is in a state of emergency, and he
continues to appeal for progress on the Millennium
Development Goals.
 Venezuela promotes policies for social inclusion,
public policies to ensure everyone’s rights. In order to
build a new model for development on the basis of
solidarity, social justice, equity, cooperation, respect
for human rights and the participation of the people,
Venezuela has a comprehensive social development
policy based on the human being. The foundation of
that policy is social missions undertaken through wide-
ranging and free social and economic programmes to

08-53141 24

reach out to all sectors of society, with a particular
emphasis on the most vulnerable, in order to guarantee
the social and economic rights of our people in peace
and democracy.
 With great satisfaction and humility, our country
can share with the Assembly the progress we have
achieved in implementing the Millennium
Development Goals. The number of people in extreme
poverty has dropped in our country, and there has been
an increase of 10.8 per cent in primary school
attendance. Unemployment has dropped from 23 per
cent to 7 per cent. In recent years, gross domestic
product expenditures on health have increased by 57.1
per cent. We provide total coverage to those suffering
from AIDS. The proportion of the population with
access to drinking water has increased from 80 per cent
in 1998 to 95 per cent in 2007. During the period from
1996 to 2007, infant mortality dropped from 23.4 to
13.4 per 1,000 live births.
 Venezuela has made major contributions to
efforts for cooperation and complementarity between
the countries of the South. The Bolivarian Alternative
for the Americas (ALBA), which was established by
Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Dominica, Honduras and
Venezuela, is an initiative that brings together the
abilities and strengths of its members to bring about
structural change and the relationships necessary to
achieve development and continue to exist as sovereign
and just nations.
 Petrocaribe is an energy cooperation agreement
proposed by the Government of Bolivia to resolve the
asymmetries in the region between energy producers
and consumers by means of a new, equitable and just
system of trade between the countries of the Caribbean
region.
 The Union of South American Nations
(UNASUR) is an ongoing political endeavour, which,
in its short existence, has shown that it is politically
effective and respects the sovereignty of peoples. It has
arrived at common positions on projects in the fields of
energy, social affairs, finance, education,
infrastructure, dispute resolution and defence, and has
gone beyond mere talk to become part of daily life of
the citizens of South America. The recent unanimous
support of President Evo Morales and democracy in
Bolivia is a good example of that.
 The President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, stated that more than
a half of the peoples of the Earth languish in hunger
and poverty while ever-increasing amounts of money
are wasted on arms, wars, luxury items and totally
superfluous and unnecessary goods.
 That addiction to war is the only thing that can
explain the fact that, after the collapse of the Soviet
Union, war-loving countries and alliances continued to
chip away, day after day, at Russian democracy and to
intrigue in the region against Moscow instead of
abandoning their threats of war and trying to resolve
the lack of trust that is the source of conflict and
violence. It is a disgraceful situation that has not
wanted for ignorant cowboys who think they are
heroes. The Russian bear is awakening from its
hibernation.
 How many human lives have we lost among
Iraqis, Americans, Latin Americans, Europeans, Asians
and Africans? And how many lives could we save if the
resources devoted to war and to the recovery of
financial institutions were devoted instead to social
investment?
 The reform process requires the adoption of
measures to strengthen the authority of the General
Assembly, including on matters of international peace
and security, given that it is the principal deliberating,
participatory and democratic body of the Organization.
Venezuela supports the expansion of both the
permanent and non-permanent membership of the
Security Council, the abolishment of the
antidemocratic post-war mechanism of the veto and the
improvement of the Council’s working methods, so
that it may be more transparent and accessible and so
that never again will anyone resort to lying to the
Council.
 We must remain vigilant to ensure that the
Human Rights Council continues to operate on the
basis of principles of impartiality, objectivity and
non-selectivity without stigmatizing anyone and to
promote constructive dialogue, without diversions
about certification, cooperation without preconditions
or vetoes, and respect for the particular circumstances
of nations and regions, as well as for our diverse
historical, cultural and religious pasts.
 We reject racist, xenophobic and discriminatory
measures that clearly deny the human rights that
should apply universally to all, including migrants.
Criminalizing migrants and their families violates their
fundamental rights. Measures such as the Return

25 08-53141

Directive approved by the European Parliament incite
racism, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination
and intolerance. That is incompatible with the defence,
promotion and protection of human rights, democracy
and the rule of law. We prefer a Europe of light,
integration and reconciliation to a Europe of shadows.
 We know that we are not at the end of history; we
are not even at the beginning of the end of history.
What we do know is that we are apparently at the close
of a chapter of history, at the end of a neoliberal
nightmare in which unbridled capitalism — as John
Paul II described it — social violence and the
persistent worldwide violation of all human rights
prevailed.
 This afternoon, the House of Representatives of
the United States of America took an historic decision
whose effects will be felt throughout the world in the
times to come. Very soon next year, we hope to be able
to say that the worst has past and that the perverse
effects of the religion of the market will be replaced,
God willing, on the global level, allowing us to move
towards democracy, progress and social justice,
ensuring peace among nations — among nations that
are free and stand together, among nations that are
united.


At the outset, I
have the honour of congratulating His Excellency
Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann of Nicaragua on his
election to the post of President of the General
Assembly at its sixty-third session. I wish him every
success in his endeavours. I would like also to pay
tribute to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Srgjan
Kerim, for his active collaboration with delegations
throughout the last session. I wish also to express my
profound respect for the able leadership demonstrated
by His Excellency Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in
the management of the United Nations.
 The effectiveness of the international security
system has an impact on the authority of the United
Nations. When agreement among Security Council
members on approaches to overcoming challenges to
world peace seems elusive, the common security and
credibility of the United Nations are seriously affected.
 We shall respect our shared values and accept the
restraints inherent in those values in order to find an
approach that is based on a global consensus. The
 A/63/PV.13

13 08-53122

Security Council must fully realize its primary
responsibility for the collective management of threats
that transcend national boundaries and have
implications for international security. All of us must
strictly follow the Charter as a unique instrument of
international relations.
 The reform of the United Nations and its Security
Council will further improve the credibility of the
United Nations system. The success of the reforms will
depend on our political willingness to deliver the
expected results. We need to harmonize diverging
views in order to arrive at a generally acceptable
solution that will reflect the universal character of the
United Nations and adapt it to present-day realities.
 We must enhance the role of the General
Assembly as the supreme policymaking organ of the
United Nations. It is only by strengthening the
Assembly’s mandate that we can successfully tackle
some of the most pressing issues facing humanity.
 This session is taking place at a very critical
juncture for the South Caucasus region and for the
international community as a whole. The worrisome
events that took place last month in Georgia have
clearly shown that restoring stability to the region
requires a collective effort to strengthen the
international security system.
 Obviously, the situation in that region is a matter
of concern for us, and Azerbaijan is already making its
contribution to reduce tensions. We firmly believe that
issues that cause disagreements in the region must be
settled peacefully, through dialogue, on the basis of the
norms and principles of international law and mutual
respect.
 The Georgian case has also proved that the
protracted conflicts existing in the area of Georgia,
Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova (GUAM), including
the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
remain a major source of instability, and a fragile
ceasefire regime cannot be a substitute for lasting
peace in the region. Persistence of these conflicts
endangers international peace and security and
prevents the full utilization of the potential of this
strategically important region, situated at the
crossroads of Europe and Asia. A resolution of the
protracted conflicts in the GUAM area will not only
bring immediate benefits to affected countries, but will
substantially contribute to stability and regional
security.
 In that context, the Caucasus Stability and
Cooperation Platform initiated by Turkey could serve
as a good departure point for building the regional
security system. It is of utmost importance to ensure
that our common efforts are built on the principles of
mutual respect for territorial integrity, recognition of
existing borders, equality and good-neighbourliness.
 The prerequisite for the establishment of
cooperation and good-neighbourly relations in the
region is the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the
occupied lands and the restoration of the full
sovereignty of Azerbaijan over those territories. Only
through that can we pave the way for peace and
economic prosperity for the entire region.
 The earliest possible resolution of the armed
conflict in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh region of
Azerbaijan remains a primary task for us. The
Government of Azerbaijan is committed to a peaceful
settlement of the conflict on the basis of the norms and
principles of international law, including relevant
Security Council resolutions, General Assembly
resolutions and documents of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe.
 In order to facilitate the negotiation process,
Azerbaijan initiated, during the sixty-second session of
the General Assembly, consideration of the agenda
item entitled, “The situation in the occupied territories
of Azerbaijan”. The Assembly comprehensively
addressed the issue and adopted resolution 62/243. We
highly appreciate the principled support of the States
members of the General Assembly for that resolution,
which reaffirmed the Assembly’s continued respect and
support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
the Republic of Azerbaijan within its internationally
recognized borders and demanded the withdrawal of all
Armenian forces from all the occupied territories of the
Republic of Azerbaijan. The resolution also reaffirmed
“that no State shall recognize as lawful the situation
resulting from the occupation of the territories of the
Republic of Azerbaijan, nor render aid or assistance in
maintaining this situation” (resolution 62/243, para. 5).
It recognized
“the inalienable right of the population expelled
from the occupied territories of the Republic of
Azerbaijan to return to their homes, and
stresse[d] the necessity of creating appropriate
conditions for this return, including the
A/63/PV.13

08-53122 14

comprehensive rehabilitation of the conflict-
affected territories”. (para. 3)
 The Assembly
“[recognized] the necessity of providing normal,
secure and equal conditions of life for Armenian
and Azerbaijani communities in the Nagorno-
Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, which will allow
an effective democratic system of self-
governance to be built up in this region within the
Republic of Azerbaijan”. (para. 4)
 I would like to stress that the principles laid out
in the resolution will be used as a basis in the
negotiation process. The General Assembly will
continue to follow the situation in the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan under agenda item 18 of the
current session.
 In recent years, Azerbaijan has made crucial
contributions to strengthening regional stability by
promoting security, energy, communications and
economic cooperation projects. Production and secure
delivery of hydrocarbon resources of the Caspian Sea
to international markets has been an important element
of Azerbaijan’s foreign and domestic policy. We will
continue to carry out a strategy that will substantially
improve energy security and economic prospects in the
region and beyond.
 Another strategic project under implementation is
the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway
linking our country with Georgia and Turkey through a
major transport connection. This will create an
essentially new and effective communication corridor
between East and West, between Europe and Asia.
 The economic development and growth of
Azerbaijan have been on the rise. The growth rate of
our gross domestic product remains one of the highest
in the world, and reached 18 per cent in the first nine
months of 2008. According to the forecasts of
international financial institutions, the growth rate will
retain its dynamics for the next year.
 Azerbaijan is of the view that facilitating trade
offers enormous opportunities to pursue development
objectives. Against this background, the joint report of
the World Bank and the International Finance
Corporation, “Doing Business 2009”, recognized my
country as a top reformer in 2007-2008 in
implementing business regulatory reforms, and as one
of the leading countries with investment-friendly
economies. According to the report, out of 181 countries,
Azerbaijan was rated first in improving the commercial
environment and encouraging business start-ups.
Azerbaijan strongly believes that these factors are
central in attracting and mobilizing financial resources
to support socio-economic development of the country.
 In the meantime, we are champions in the
implementation of the Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative (EITI) and consider the
General Assembly’s adoption without a vote of
resolution 62/274, on the EITI, as a sign of the global
recognition of our efforts.
 Protection and promotion of human rights is one
of the central duties of the international community.
Today, this is not merely a question of protecting
individuals; it is fundamental to promoting peace and
stability around the globe. Azerbaijan remains actively
involved in the work of the United Nations human
rights bodies. As a member of the Human Rights
Council, we attach great importance to the efficient
functioning of the Council. It is our common task and
responsibility to ensure that that institution lives up to
the expectations vested in it and truly becomes an
objective, vigorous and credible universal human rights
body.
 Azerbaijan is fully committed to all its
obligations as a State member of various international
organizations to promote democracy, the rule of law
and human rights. We believe that through consistent
reforms and investments in education, we will achieve
long-term stability and prosperity in our part of the
world.


At the outset, allow me to
congratulate you, Mr. President, on your election. In
fulfilling your challenging tasks during this session,
you may rest assured of the support and cooperation of
the delegation of the Republic of Hungary. I also wish
to salute your predecessor, Mr. Srgjan Kerim,
representative of the Eastern European Group, who
served us with distinction and dedication.
 The challenges we have to face daily in an
increasingly globalized world require answers based on
the principle of universally accepted values and the
practice of flexible adaptation to swift changes in our
environment. That need is reflected in the new external
relations strategy adopted by the Hungarian
Government at the beginning of this year. Our strategy,
policies and actions demonstrate our commitment to
upholding the rule of international law, to giving
priority to effective multilateralism, to spreading the
culture of cooperation and the peaceful settlement of
international disputes, and to working towards
preserving a liveable and sustainable environment for
future generations. Hungary’s geographic position and
its expertise in democracy building, good governance,
promoting the rule of law and human rights,
disarmament and non-proliferation will serve as a good
basis for our effective contribution to the work of the
Organization.
 Skyrocketing energy prices, food and financial
crises and commodity speculation are endangering the
results we have attained so far towards achieving the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). A coherent
and coordinated response is needed to reverse that
process. As an emerging donor country, Hungary
firmly believes that the international community
cannot use the difficulties we all face as an excuse not
to do the utmost to achieve the MDGs.

08-53129 8

 We are firmly dedicated to broadening the
outreach of our foreign policy to the developing
countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the
Caribbean. International development cooperation and
assistance are a growing segment of our foreign policy.
We are strongly committed to intensifying our efforts
in the years to come. We are therefore gradually
increasing our official development assistance,
concentrating primarily on those activities where
Hungary has comparative advantages, especially in the
areas of agriculture to combat famine and poverty
through the introduction of modern growing facilities,
animal husbandry technologies, forestry and fisheries
programmes, water management, developing health
services and promoting good governance.
 Every day we are ruining our environment
through the intensive pace of development and the
emission of greenhouse gases. To address that
challenge, we need a more effective institutional
framework that includes clear political guidance;
adequate, stable and predictable funding; a strong
scientific base; and improved assessment of activities
and emergency response institutions. Hungary fully
agrees that the matter is urgent and hopes that the
ongoing deliberations on the future of the United
Nations Framework Climate Change Convention and
the Kyoto Protocol will lead to concrete results in the
coming year.
 This year we mark the sixtieth anniversary of the
adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, as well as 15 years of the existence of the
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Over the past 60 years, humankind has made
extraordinary progress in the promotion and protection
of human rights. Our job is to work hard for the full
implementation of human rights treaties. Our
expectations were fulfilled on 3 May of this year when
the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities entered into force. Hungary became the
second Member State to ratify the Convention and its
Optional Protocol. We hope that it will be universally
accepted in the near future.
 We strongly supported the establishment of the
Human Rights Council and we are determined to
continue to do so. In our view, the time has come for
the Council, as well as for all of us, to redouble our
dedicated efforts to make the work of the Human
Rights Council more efficient.
 Following the adoption of a consensus resolution
by the Council last September, the Forum on Minority
Issues will hold its first session at the end of 2008. I
am personally very proud that the first Forum session
will be chaired by a fellow Hungarian,
Ms. Viktória Mohácsi, a member of the European
Parliament. I hope that, under her guidance, the Forum
on Minority Issues will be widely recognized, efficient
and results-oriented.
 We firmly believe that a lasting solution to
current challenges cannot be achieved without the
effective involvement of women in all aspects of
international cooperation. I would like to state that
Hungary fully supports the initiative to undertake a
comprehensive review of the implementation of
Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) by 2010, and I
am confident that the United Nations should play a
leadership role.
 The United Nations and the European Union —
together with Governments, non-governmental
organizations and other international organizations
around the world — have made tremendous efforts to
promote international cooperation in the area of the
prevention of genocide and mass atrocities. However,
the steps taken thus far still fall short of preventing the
many dreadful crimes against humanity. As a Member
of the United Nations and the European Union,
Hungary is fully committed to the idea of preventing
genocide and is ready to take specific steps to that end.
We have decided to prepare a feasibility study on the
establishment in Budapest of an international centre for
the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities. In our
view, it should be an independent institution with the
aim of contributing to international efforts to prevent
the occurrence of genocide.
 The most important outstanding issue in the area
of counter-terrorism, is the full and speedy
implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy (see resolution 60/288), for which
Member States have the main responsibility.
Concluding a comprehensive convention on
international terrorism also remains a high priority for
the Republic of Hungary, and we fully support the
work of the Ad Hoc Committee in that regard. We hope
that we will be able to finalize the drafting of a
comprehensive convention on international terrorism
during the sixty-third session.

9 08-53129

 In spite of the many security and political
challenges that still persist in Afghanistan, we
acknowledge and appreciate the achievements of the
international community and the enormous work that
has been done so far to bring about tangible
improvements in the everyday lives of the Afghan
people. In that process, the United Nations Mission in
Afghanistan remains instrumental, especially in the
preparation and conduct of the upcoming presidential
and parliamentary elections in 2009 and 2010. Hungary
remains committed to helping Afghanistan to rebuild
following many years of war and to create a State that
is safe, stable and democratic. We are committed to
continuing our military assistance as a leading nation
in the Provincial Reconstruction Team in the northern
part of the country, as well as to expand our
development activities in Afghanistan.
 Contributing to peace and stability and achieving
prosperity have constituted a cornerstone of Hungarian
foreign policy in the Western Balkans for many years.
We continue to believe that that goal is best served by
actively supporting the integration of the region into
Euro-Atlantic structures. As we all know, on
17 February, Kosovo declared its independence. A
number of United Nations Member States recognized
that independence, including Hungary. We deem it of
crucial importance that a resolution of the Kosovo
Assembly and its new constitution fully committed
Kosovo to democracy, the rule of law, the protection of
Serb communities and other minorities, the protection
of cultural and religious heritage and the international
presence. Without a stable Kosovo there can be no
stability in the Balkans. In that context, we welcome
and support the continued presence of the international
community on the basis of Security Council resolution
1244 (1999). We also remain committed to contributing
to the stability of Kosovo through the European Union
Rule of Law Mission, the International Security Force
in Kosovo and an international civilian office as part of
the international presence.
 Hungary fully supports the efforts of the
international community and various institutions to
implement the peace agreement in Georgia. Hungary
strongly believes in the peaceful settlement of
conflicts. The use of military force to settle territorial
disputes represents a dangerous precedent that can
have further implications in the whole region and
beyond. Any further steps and negotiations must be
based on full respect for Georgia’s sovereignty,
territorial integrity, internationally recognized borders
and democratically elected leadership. It is of crucial
importance that all parties agree on a unified
interpretation of the agreement. We fully support, and
we are ready to participate in, the planned missions of
the different international institutions, such as those of
the EU and the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe, in resolving the conflict and
monitoring the implementation of the peace agreement.
Hungary has offered humanitarian assistance, and we
are studying further possibilities to assist Georgia.
 Hungary attaches great importance to the
comprehensive process initiated at the Annapolis
Conference, convened by the President of the United
States of America, in order to settle the Middle East
conflict. Since Annapolis, there have been regular
meetings between Israel and the Palestinian National
Authority. We hope that the peace process will lead to
the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the
normalization of Israeli-Arab relations.
 The Iranian nuclear programme continues to be a
matter of serious concern for my Government. Iran has
failed to provide the international community with
credible assurances as to whether its nuclear projects
are in line with its international obligations. We deeply
regret that the leadership of Iran has refused to abide
with the relevant Security Council resolutions. Only
full and unconditional compliance with the demand to
suspend its enrichment-related and reprocessing
activities can pave the way for the re-establishment of
confidence in the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear
programme and open up prospects for intensified
economic and political cooperation. We hope that Iran
will change its present course of confrontation and opt
for constructive dialogue with its partners.
 After five years of conflict, Iraq is showing clear
signs of recovery for the first time. With the help of the
international community, Iraq is achieving major
milestones in the reconciliation and reconstruction
process. Hungary welcomes the fact that the improved
security situation allows for the establishment of a
withdrawal schedule, assuming that a fundamental
change in the capability of the Iraqi Government to
take control provides grounds for a long-term
settlement of the crisis.
 Due to the conflict raging in Darfur, which is one
of the most worrisome on the African continent, the
situation in the Sudan and neighbouring countries is

08-53129 10

still unpredictable and explosive. Hungary welcomes
the extension of the mandate of African Union-United
Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur until 31 July 2009.
It is essential that the mission be fully deployed by the
end of the year. The establishment of criminal courts in
the region paves the way towards a solution of the
crisis in Darfur. Nevertheless, we should continue to
follow the fragile peace process closely.
 We are convinced that, in order to address the
various challenges of the twenty-first century, the
international community needs a strong, reformed and
well-functioning United Nations. Progress has been
made in all areas of United Nations reform in the past
two years, with some new bodies becoming
operational. In other areas we need further
consultations and negotiations with Member States in
order to achieve a lasting solution. Hungary is ready to
contribute to those negotiations. We welcome the
recent decision of the General Assembly to start the
intergovernmental negotiations on the reform of the
Security Council during the sixty-third session.
 In conclusion, Hungary is strongly committed to
work with you, Mr. President, during the sixty-third
session of the General Assembly in attaining the
objectives of the United Nations.


On behalf of
the Government and the people of the Republic of San
Marino, I wish to congratulate Mr. d’Escoto
Brockmann on his appointment as President of the
General Assembly at its sixty-third session. Please rest
assured that the Republic of San Marino is eager to
offer all its support for the success of this session.

08-51851 42

 I would like to express our appreciation for the
excellent work carried out during the sixty-second
session of the General Assembly by the outgoing
President, Mr. Srgjan Kerim, in particular for the
commitment and determination he demonstrated while
presiding over the Assembly and promoting the United
Nations reform agenda.
 I would also like to give special thanks to the
Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for the great
energy and dedication he has displayed in leading this
Organization and, in particular, for his admirable
commitment to the United Nations reform agenda and
his continuing vigilance and determination in the face
of emergencies and events of international political
importance.
 Furthermore, I would like to express San
Marino’s appreciation for the consideration the
Secretary-General has shown to all United Nations
Member States, without distinction, including small
States, and for the attention he has paid to particularly
delicate and urgent issues, such as climate change and
the global food crisis.
 The United Nations reform process is of
fundamental importance to world equilibrium and must
remain the focus of our efforts. We must not allow our
failure to reach agreement on United Nations reform to
lead to the decentralization and weakening of the
Organization’s pivotal role.
 The key role played by the United Nations is of
the essence in present international conditions, marked
by wars and national conflict. In these early stages of
the twenty-first century, we are witnessing a series of
new conflicts ever more driven by economic interests
and clashes of civilizations, both ethnic and religious,
often within the same country.
 More than 60 years ago, the signatory States of
the Charter of the United Nations assumed the shared
responsibility of maintaining international peace and
security. They undertook to work together to prevent
and remove threats to international security, to
suppress acts of aggression and to resolve, through
peaceful means, disputes within and between States
that could lead to war.
 On the sixtieth anniversary of the creation of the
United Nations peacekeeping bodies, it is important to
remember the men and women who believe in those
ideals, who have dedicated themselves to the people of
the world, working tirelessly to promote peace and
stability worldwide in dangerous war-torn zones with
resolve, dedication and professionalism while always
remaining impartial and neutral.
 However, in spite of all their work, we are still
far from attaining those goals and the United Nations
has not had a full impact on many international crises.
The reform of the United Nations in this context has
thus become even more essential. Reform would enable
the United Nations to have the necessary strength to
act, fully respecting the ideals and objectives that it set
itself at its founding.
 The Republic of San Marino has always
supported the United Nations reform process and, in
particular, believes the process of the revitalization of
the General Assembly to be fundamental. Those
reforms are necessary to reaffirm the role of the
General Assembly as the most representative body of
the United Nations.
 The Republic of San Marino believes that the
strengthening of the General Assembly is of even
greater significance for, as a profoundly democratic
body of the United Nations, it currently represents the
most important forum in which a small State can be
heard and bring its own contribution at the
international level.
 Greater efficiency would make the General
Assembly more complementary in its relations with the
other main bodies of the United Nations, thus avoiding
any duplication of activities and establishing
mechanisms that would effectively implement the
provisions of resolutions adopted by the Assembly.
 The process of democratization within the bodies
of the United Nations assumes fundamental importance
for a small State such as the Republic of San Marino.
Greater representation and democratization of the
Organization’s main bodies can guarantee States with
small territories and populations the possibility of
participating and having a larger role in the decision-
making process within multilateral bodies.
 I am convinced that smaller States like San
Marino can contribute in a fundamental way to the
Organization precisely because they do not have
macroeconomic, military or geopolitical interests.
 It is of parallel importance that small States
establish efficient forms of collaboration and
consultation in order to coordinate their actions so that

43 08-51851

their voices can be adequately heard within
international organizations.
 In the framework of contacts with other small
European States, which are frequently renewed,
including on the occasion of our participation in the
work of the General Assembly, San Marino has
promoted a meeting with other small European States
with which it is already collaborating on specific
humanitarian projects, to consider other forms of
multilateral collaboration.
 Having participated with a group of small States
in the financing of a UNICEF project for children
affected by HIV in Gabon, this year the Republic of
San Marino, in concert with the private sector, is taking
part in other UNICEF projects aimed, in particular, at
protecting the rights of disabled children.
 Strong involvement in the protection of children’s
rights has characterized relations between San Marino
and UNICEF for many years. That commitment was
further expressed last December through the
participation of Their Excellencies the Captains Regent
at the commemorative plenary meeting of the General
Assembly on the follow-up to the outcome of the
special session on children, an event that lent further
impetus to the States’ activities and underscored the
need for their cooperation.
 Population growth, climate change and the spread
of new diseases, as well as economic and financial
instability and armed conflicts, are seriously
threatening the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). In particular, the subject
of climate change has become a priority in the United
Nations agenda over the last two years because of its
impact on our habits and the future needs of all
countries without distinction. Those regions that are
most vulnerable due to their geographic position, as
well as developing countries, and small islands in
particular, are facing an even graver emergency
situation.
 In addition, the global food crisis and rising
prices present a trend that is increasingly distressing.
The United Nations and the specialized agencies play a
central role in confronting those emergencies. In
particular, the Republic of San Marino would like to
express its full support to the High-Level Task Force
on the Global Food Security Crisis, established by the
Secretary-General last April with the precise objective
of coordinating all ongoing activities aimed at
stemming the crisis.
 On the occasion of the opening of the fifty-
second session of the Commission on the Status of
Women, the Secretary-General announced the launch
of the campaign “Unite to End Violence Against
Women”. San Marino intends to work in support of that
campaign to protect the rights of women, which
parallels a commitment undertaken during its
chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the
Council of Europe.
 I would like to add that the campaign to combat
violence against women was also carried out at the
national level, where we tried to raise public awareness
of an issue too often ignored or underestimated.
Following that initiative, the Parliament of San Marino
recently adopted a new law: the Prevention and
Repression of Violence against Women and of Gender-
Based Violence. It is a decisive and innovative legal
instrument for our country that provides for, inter alia,
the introduction of preventive measures addressing
violence against women and gender-based violence, as
well as the protection of victims during criminal
proceedings.
 The Republic of San Marino also pays particular
attention to the problems faced by persons with
disabilities and the protection of their rights. San
Marino has in fact already ratified the International
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the
Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities and its
Optional Protocol.
 The Republic of San Marino is pleased to
celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
 The Republic of San Marino has always been
committed to the promotion of the principles of
peaceful coexistence and the mutual respect between
individuals and peoples, in the knowledge that the
understanding of others and mutual respect are the
fundamental prerequisites of justice and peace. The
promotion of intercultural dialogue is a concrete tool
for attaining those values and for affirming one of the
guiding principles of the United Nations: peace
founded on justice and international cooperation.
 San Marino is committed to and continues to
work towards the promotion of intercultural dialogue,
in particular in its religious dimension. At the regional

08-51851 44

level, in the context of its activities in the Council of
Europe, San Marino this year coordinated the Council’s
first meeting on the religious dimension of intercultural
dialogue, which was held on an experimental basis.
Representatives of member States of the Council of
Europe, religious leaders, experts and representatives
of civil society participated in the meeting. The
development of dialogue among and with religions at
all levels of society makes a fundamental contribution
to preventing tensions which may endanger the
peaceful coexistence of peoples, as stressed at the
high-level meeting on that subject promoted by the
United Nations.
 In conclusion, I would like to wish the President
great success in his important task and to assure him of
our full support during the sixty-third session of the
General Assembly.


I wish to begin by joining
those who have congratulated Mr. d’Escoto Brockmann
on his election as President of the General Assembly at
its sixty-third session. My delegation is confident that,
under his able stewardship, the General Assembly will
make progress on many issues scheduled for discussion
during the current session. I would also like to pay
special tribute to his predecessor, Mr. Kerim, who
successfully presided over the General Assembly at its
sixty-second session.
 The focus of our discussions at the present
session, namely, the impact of the global food crisis on
poverty and hunger in the world, as well as the need to
democratize the United Nations, relates well to our
Millennium Development Goals. For us in the
developing world, the eradication of poverty is the first

11 08-51851

of our priorities and should indeed continue to receive
serious attention.
 The current global food crisis, characterized by
escalating food prices, is causing untold suffering for
the majority of poor people in many developing
countries. That has been compounded by the energy
crisis, with devastating social and economic
consequences, especially for the most vulnerable in
society such as women, children, the elderly and
people living with HIV and AIDS. The crisis now
qualifies as a humanitarian emergency that requires
global solidarity to provide post-haste assistance in the
form of food, water and energy.
 For most developing countries, the crisis is
competing with other pressing demands for scarce
resources for development, including achieving the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially as
we are faced with declining official development
assistance and foreign direct investment. The trend
will, regrettably, reverse some of the progress made
towards the attainment of the MDGs. It is therefore
crucial that national efforts aimed at addressing the
global food and energy crises be complemented by
appropriate international assistance and interventions,
including debt cancellation for low-income,
food-deficient developing countries so as to release
more resources to fight hunger.
 Adequate support for food production
programmes is absolutely necessary. We call for more
research into better seed varieties and assistance in
irrigation technology and improved water harvesting
methods, necessary to mitigate the effects of climate
change on agriculture. Zimbabwe believes that the
challenges of climate change should be addressed in
the context of development programmes that recognize
the three pillars of economic and social thrusts, as well
as environmental protection.
 In the past year, Zimbabwe is proud to have
played its modest part in promoting sustainable
development through its chairmanship of the sixteenth
session of the United Nations Commission on
Sustainable Development. The session examined the
obstacles and barriers to development in the areas of
agriculture, land use and rural development, and to
drought-mitigation measures and desertification
prevention in Africa. My Government, which was an
active participant at the High-Level Conference on
World Food Security, held under the auspices of the
Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome in June
this year, will continue to play its active role in
formulating policy recommendations on the subject of
sustainable development targets.
 We share the view that trade is an important tool
for development, and so we reiterate our call for an
open, rule-based, predictable and non-discriminatory
trading and financial system that seeks the removal of
the main trade barriers. Tariffs have unfortunately
remained high on goods from developing economies,
such as textiles and farm products. It is therefore
disturbing that the Doha Round negotiations have
collapsed without any indication of when they will be
reconvened.
 The objectives of the Charter of the
United Nations in the economic arena will remain
unfulfilled unless all Member States genuinely and
seriously participate in efforts to redress challenges
that persist in developing countries. Social justice,
political stability and sustainable development in most
developing countries can best be achieved through
genuine and committed support for empowerment
programmes through, inter alia, just land ownership
patterns. We understand only too well in our context
that sustainable development is not possible without
agrarian reform.
 My Government has therefore gone a long way
towards laying the foundation for sustainable food
production through its land reform programme. The
majority of our rural people have been empowered to
contribute to household and national food security and,
indeed, to be masters of their own destiny. However,
the effects of climate change, which have included
recurrent droughts and floods in the past seven years,
and the illegal, unilaterally imposed sanctions on my
country have hindered Zimbabwe’s efforts to increase
food production. Once again, I appeal to the world’s
collective conscience to apply pressure for the
immediate removal of those sanctions by Britain, the
United States and their allies, which have brought
untold suffering to my people.
 Zimbabwe has always been and continues to be a
firm believer in multilateral approaches to solving
disputes, as opposed to the unilateralism favoured by
some countries. Our experience has shown that the
cooperative and pacific approach often leads to lasting
solutions to conflicts. We therefore deplore the
vindictive approach, which is often characterized by

08-51851 12

self-righteous finger-pointing, double standards and the
imposition of unilateral sanctions, to coerce smaller
and weaker countries to bow to the wishes of militarily
stronger States.
 In addition, the unilateral and coercive economic
measures that we have witnessed in recent years are
again completely at cross purposes with the principles
that guide international cooperation, as enshrined in the
Charter of the United Nations.
 Not long ago, some permanent members of the
Security Council sought to invoke Chapter VII of the
Charter of the United Nations so that its weight of
sanctions and other measures could be applied against
my small country, which, by any stretch of the
imagination, is no threat to international peace and
security. What insanity is this that has afflicted some
world leaders? Should that sacred document, the
Charter of the United Nations, be allowed to suffer
such undeserved emasculation and disgraceful abuse?
And where is the protection of small and innocent
countries like mine from threatened and real acts of
aggression and punitive acts, often based on
completely false allegations of violations of the rule of
law, democracy or human rights? By the way, those
who falsely accuse us of those violations are
themselves international perpetrators of genocide and
mass destruction.
 The innocent masses of men, women and children
who have perished in their thousands in Iraq surely
demand retribution and vengeance. Who shall heed
their cry? Surely those who invaded Iraq under false
pretences and on the strength of contrived lies and in
complete violation of the Charter of the United Nations
and international law must be made liable for them.
They must be made to answer for their acts of
aggression.
 Zimbabwe derives solace from the fact that there
are some permanent members of the Security Council
that have taken principled stands in defending the
Charter and protecting our sovereignty by ensuring that
the Council acts not only within its mandate, but also
impartially, objectively and justly. Indeed, their sense
of justice ensured that Zimbabwe — a country that
poses no threat to regional or international peace — did
not fall prey to the cocktail of lies and machinations
that had been designed by our detractors to encourage
United Nations sanctions against us under Chapter VII.
We thank them for upholding truth and objectivity.
 While we recognize the important role of the
good offices of the Secretary-General in helping
Member States to resolve political and other problems,
we are of the view that international civil servants
should discharge their noble duties with sensitivity and
neutrality. At no time should they seek to pander to the
whims and caprices of the mighty against the weak.
Similarly, we call on certain Security Council members
to desist from abusing the Secretariat in an attempt to
promote their political interests. It is our firm belief
that the Secretary-General and his staff should be
allowed to serve all Member States without fear or
favour.
 We reiterate our long-held view that the Security
Council as presently constituted is undemocratic. Its
present configuration renders it subject to manipulation
by the powerful countries that use the Council as a
readily available legitimizing forum for their political
machinations. Thus, it is imperative that the Security
Council be democratized by ensuring equitable
geographical representation through an increase in its
membership. Zimbabwe remains steadfast in its
support for the Ezulwini Consensus, which calls for
Africa to have two permanent seats with the same
powers and prerogatives as the current permanent
members, as well as two non-permanent seats.
 We share the view that the General Assembly, a
body that represents all of us and enjoys a wider
representation of States, must continue to be the
supreme decision-making body of the United Nations.
We call for its revitalization to make it more effective
and to enable it to fully carry out its Charter mandate.
It is our fervent hope that a revitalized General
Assembly will reassert its prestige, its pre-eminent
role, its authority and its capacity to guide and direct
other organs of the United Nations system. In that
context, the tendency of some members of the Security
Council to usurp the power and mandates of the
General Assembly must be resisted.
 I am pleased to report that the inter-party talks in
Zimbabwe — for which our regional grouping, the
Southern African Development Community (SADC),
appointed a facilitator — ended with the signing of an
agreement on the formation of an all-inclusive
Government on 15 September. That was achieved
entirely through African mediation, which is clear
testimony that Africa is capable of overcoming its own
challenges and problems, which, by the way, are often
the remnants of colonialism. African leaders, working

13 08-51851

together, were able to find an African solution to an
African problem. In that regard, I wish to pay special
tribute to President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa,
whose patience, fortitude, sensitivity, diplomatic skills
and painstaking work made it possible for the
Zimbabwean parties to overcome what had appeared to
be insurmountable and intractable difficulties in
reaching an agreement.
 I would like to extend my thanks to SADC, the
African Union and individual African and other leaders
who lent their support to that initiative. My party, the
Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, will
abide by the spirit and letter of the agreement to which
we have appended our signature. As the Government,
we are prepared to cooperate with all other countries
that respect Zimbabwe’s sovereignty. I would therefore
like to appeal to those members of the international
community that have imposed illegal sanctions against
Zimbabwe to lift them so that my country can focus
undisturbed on its economic turnaround programme.
 In conclusion, we hope that we will continue to
shape an Organization that upholds universal values
and interests, attends to the urgent needs of those in
need and remains in the service of humanity. Long live
the United Nations!


I warmly greet and congratulate the members of the
Assembly as we begin our work at the sixty-third
session.
 First of all, I would like to convey to
representatives and the peoples of their countries the
wishes for peace and prosperity of His Excellency
Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, President of
Turkmenistan. Allow me to congratulate the esteemed
President, Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, on his
election to that high and responsible post and to wish
him success in organizing the fruitful work of the
General Assembly at this sixty-third session. Allow me
also to thank Mr. Srgjan Kerim for his successful
leadership of the Assembly at its previous session and
for his active collaboration with the delegations.
 The United Nations, which is mandated to discuss
and resolve issues relating to the maintenance of
international peace and security, is currently at one of
the most critical moments in its history. That is
especially evident against the background of current
developments at the global and regional levels. The
diversity of contemporary challenges and threats calls
for the adequate preparation of a whole range of
approaches to prevent them through cooperation among
all Member States.
 Today, we need solid measures to counter and
fight such global challenges as international terrorism,
human trafficking, organized crime, illegal drug
trafficking and the threat of the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction. We are also witnessing
the effects of climate change and environmental
degradation. On top of that, the world community is
facing global issues relating to energy and food
security.
 Turkmenistan is a principled and active
participant in the process to identify joint actions
aimed at resolving the most pressing problems of our
time. In that context, we regard the need to intensify
international action to ensure peace and security as a
priority task. The fight against terrorism is one of the
most important aspects of that problem.
 Turkmenistan, as a party to major United Nations
instruments to combat international terrorism and
organized crime, supports the Organization’s efforts to
develop a global strategy to fight terrorism and stands
ready to provide its practical assistance to the
international community in that regard.
 The non-proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction is a pressing issue on the international
agenda that is connected with ensuring peace and
security. Our country plays an active role in identifying
non-proliferation measures and takes practical steps for
their implementation at the national and international
levels. As a party to the Treaty on the

08-53135 4

Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and other very
important international legal instruments in that sphere,
Turkmenistan has joined international initiatives aimed
at preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction.
 In that connection, the signing of the Treaty on a
Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia, which was
prepared and adopted under the aegis of the United
Nations in 2006, has become an important element in
the efforts of the world community to resolve the issue.
 Today, we must all take a fresh look at the
existing system for maintaining international peace and
security. The current situation and emerging trends call
for an adequate approach and the formulation of
comprehensive measures, and the community of
nations should take part in their implementation. I am
confident that ongoing discussions and deliberations at
this session will provide us with an opportunity to take
stock of the entire panorama of the contemporary
world through the prism of ensuring a safe life for
States and peoples.
 Undoubtedly, the General Assembly will help to
consolidate efforts of Member States for the effective
implementation of such measures. Turkmenistan
supports close cooperation with the United Nations in
adopting comprehensive measures for collective
interaction to address the most pressing issues of our
times. In that connection, we believe it necessary to
consider qualitatively new factors in ensuring security.
 Energy security has become an integral
component of the global security system. The
availability and accessibility of fuel and energy
resources, their free delivery to international markets
and effective use by consumers have become major
factors in the development of the world economy as a
whole.
 As a major oil and natural gas producer,
Turkmenistan holds a prominent place in the global
energy system. In that connection, we take a highly
responsible approach to developing international
cooperation on the basis of our national interests and
the needs of our partners. Turkmenistan’s policy, of
diversifying supplies of hydrocarbon materials and
ensuring energy security has become an important
factor in that approach. It is apparent that major
investments are needed to develop an effective and
stable system of global energy security and that a
considerable share of those investments should be
directed towards the transportation of hydrocarbons
and the protection of energy infrastructure. In order to
ensure adequate supplies to the world energy markets,
we will also need a highly developed infrastructure of
international pipeline networks.
 At the same time, ensuring energy security is not
simply a matter of increasing the pace of hydrocarbon
extraction, developing new deposits or expanding the
infrastructure for transporting and delivering energy
supplies to end users. We must take into account other
factors of that system, such as political stability, the
situation in world markets and the presence of security
guarantees for international pipelines.
 Adequate security for energy infrastructure
facilities also implies a decrease in their vulnerability
to the impact of natural and man-made disasters,
potential risks connected to changes in the military and
political situation in certain regions of the world,
threats from international terrorists, and the
unauthorized siphoning of transported energy
resources. Such problems often interrupt or reduce
supplies of fuel, in particular oil and natural gas, and
result in major financial losses and higher prices for
energy supplies, with a negative impact on the
development of the world economy.
 Therefore, it has become increasingly urgent to
coordinate the efforts of States to establish a unified
system of energy security. To that end, we must
develop an appropriate international legal framework
and effective partnership mechanisms, including for
the protection of energy transportation systems. It
appears that this problem affects us all, be they energy
producers, transit countries or consumers.
 On that basis, Turkmenistan has launched an
initiative aimed at elaborating, under United Nations
auspices, a unique document defining the legal basis
and security guarantees for the functioning of
international pipelines. As a preliminary step towards
implementing that initiative, Turkmenistan has
prepared a draft resolution on the reliability of energy
transit and its role in ensuring stable economic
development and international cooperation, which is
being proposed for consideration at the sixty-third
session of the Assembly. Support for that draft
resolution may provide a good stepping stone for the
future and demonstrate the principled readiness of the
world community seriously to resolve those issues. In
that context, Turkmenistan is prepared to organize in

5 08-53135

2009 an international conference on that problem under
United Nations auspices in Ashgabat, our country’s
capital.
 This year has witnessed an important event in the
life of Central Asia that, I believe, may have a
considerable positive impact on the situation in the
region. I mean by that the commencement of the
functioning of the United Nations Regional Centre for
Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia. The
inauguration of the Centre gave an impetus to the new
stage of strategic partnership of Central Asian
countries with the United Nations in undertaking a set
of measures aimed at preventing conflicts and
eliminating their underlying causes.
 We consider the inauguration of the Centre as
testimony of the great attention that the world
community devotes to the processes occurring in
Central Asia, clear understanding of the role and
importance of our region in global international affairs
and a desire to provide utmost positive assistance in
tackling regional problems. In the long run, that
activity will be aimed at achieving the long-term goal
of ensuring the security, stability and sustainable
development of the States and peoples of the Central
Asian region.
 Moreover, we believe that close interaction of
neighbouring countries is one of the most decisive
factors. In that context, by closely adhering to its
international obligations as a permanently neutral
State, Turkmenistan stands for developing good-
neighbourly cooperation with all the countries of the
region.
 In that connection, Turkmenistan provides
economic and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan
and actively supports the efforts of the international
community to restore peaceful life in that fraternal
country. We would like to see Afghanistan as a
peaceful and prosperous nation, a good neighbour and
partner of all the States in the region.
 The issue of the Caspian Sea has acquired special
relevance in the context of regional stability and
economic cooperation. Moreover, its comprehensive
consideration envisages the solution of problems
relating to the establishment of an international legal
basis for cooperation, as well as large-scale
development of the geo-economic potential of the
Caspian region as a major energy basin and
transportation crossroads between East and West,
South and North. For some States in the region that do
not have direct access to international sea
communications, the Caspian Sea is the most important
route to the world markets.
 In that regard, effective activity in the Caspian
Sea is directly linked to the enhancement of security in
the adjacent region. Turkmenistan advocates that the
Caspian area should be a zone of peace, stability and
effective international cooperation on the basis of
mutual respect and a partnership of equality.
 Being an integral part of the international
community, Turkmenistan sees its future in the
development of a truly democratic society, in which
every individual person, his or her rights and freedoms
and the all-round development of his or her potential
represent the main value and measure of the country’s
progress. Just a few days ago, Turkmenistan witnessed
a major political event — the adoption of the new
version of its constitution, which laid down the legal
basis for the development of national statehood and the
further democratization of social life. In particular, the
constitution considerably broadens the powers of the
parliament as the country’s main legislative body. In
addition, it expands the role of local bodies of
government and self-government, in whose work
citizens take an active part on a broad representative
basis.
 Democratization is a natural process of
development of any State and society, and in that
connection, the strengthening of a democratic, secular
and law-based State is our own conscientious sovereign
decision, and we will steadfastly follow this course.
 The foreign policy of Turkmenistan is determined
by the national interests of our State and its people, and
its main goal is civilized development on the basis of
positive integration into global political and economic
processes. Therefore, cooperation with the United
Nations is the strategic direction of our foreign policy,
and the principles enshrined in the United Nations
Charter serve for us as the basis for the development of
Turkmenistan’s relations with other States.
 We view the United Nations as a universal
international organization, serving as the main
guarantor of the global security system and the
framework of the present and future world order. We
advocate that international law and the United Nations
Charter and their principles of respect for the
sovereignty of every nation and its choice of its own

08-53135 6

way of development and non-interference in internal
affairs should remain the basis of the world order and
the alpha and omega of relations among nations.
 On that basis, Turkmenistan determines its view
to its partnership with the United Nations and states its
interest in strengthening and expanding its role in the
system of international relations, especially with regard
to the consolidation of the efforts of Member States to
ensure peace and security on Earth.


“[We] will not enjoy development without security, we
will not enjoy security without development, and we
will not enjoy either without respect for human rights”
(A/59/2005, para. 17). In this year when we celebrate
the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, that fundamental observation by former
Secretary-General Kofi Annan continues to be as
relevant as ever, and it must continue to guide our
actions and those of our Organization and our
Governments.
 I should like briefly to recall the two high-level
events that we have attended in the past few days: that
on Africa’s development needs and that on the
Millennium Development Goals. Those meetings
showed that some progress has been made — and there
has been unquestionable progress that must be
acknowledged: for example, we have seen a drop of
400 million in the number of people living in extreme
poverty, a drop of 27 per cent in the mortality rate of
children under the age of five, increased investments in
education and health and progress regarding gender
equality. But they also emphasized the absolute need to
strengthen our efforts if we want to achieve the goals
that we set ourselves by consensus in 2000, all the
more since the rise in food and fuel prices and the
slowing of the world economy that we have seen in
recent months threaten our achievements.

41 08-52265

 Luxembourg has resolutely focussed its
cooperation policy on the eradication of poverty,
particularly in the least developed countries. Its actions
are conceived in the spirit of sustainable development,
including its social, economic and environmental
aspects, with men, women and children at their core.
Today, my country spends 0.92 per cent of its gross
national income on official development assistance,
and we expect to continue on that track in order to
achieve the goal of 1 per cent in the coming years.
Together with others, we shall invest our efforts to
ensure that the commitments entered into 2005 at the
European level are fully respected at the Doha
Conference on Financing for Development.
 While establishing a true development
partnership must be based on shared responsibilities by
donor and recipient countries, and while we are
counting on strengthened action by developing
countries with regard to good governance, the rule of
law, capacity-building and ownership of their own
development, respect by developed countries of their
commitments regarding the quality and quantity of
assistance is an important basis for such a partnership,
particularly with respect to Africa. Nevertheless, I
would like to recall that the European Union and its
member States account for 55 to 60 per cent of global
worldwide development assistance.
 I would not like to omit a subject that was at the
centre of our discussions last year and that has a major
impact on the potential of countries’ development:
climate change. It is essential to continue along the
course started in Bali and to conclude in Copenhagen a
post-Kyoto regime that does not impede, but rather
supports, the sustainable economic development to
which the developing countries aspire. Mechanisms
making an effective transfer of technology possible and
appropriate financing available are, in our view,
indispensable tools for the post-2012 regime, with
respect to both mitigation and adaptation as part and
parcel of an effective global multilateral regime, with
legally binding emission reduction targets for
industrialized countries and with contributions by each
according to their means.
 Luxembourg, for its part, decided at the
beginning of the year to systematically integrate the
question of adaptation to climate change into its
development programmes.
 However, climate change has a potential impact
not only on development but on the security of
countries. The initiatives of small developing Pacific
island countries to refer this issue to the Assembly
seems to me most timely. It favourably complements
the initiative by the Maldives at the seventh session of
the Human Rights Council to take up the relationship
between climate change and the full enjoyment of
human rights. As I have already had the opportunity to
say from this rostrum, to successfully take on climate
change we must tackle it in all its complexity and face
it in a concerted manner. What better framework to do
so than the United Nations?
 Since development needs, particularly in Africa,
have been at the centre of our attention this week,
allow me to say a few words about some of the
conflicts in Africa which impede the development of
the countries they are ravaging, and in whose solution
the United Nations is heavily invested — unfortunately
not always with the desired results.
 The conflict of Darfur is in its sixth year now,
and images of people devastated by attacks,
displacement, precarious life in the camps and the daily
fear of fresh violence continue to haunt the media, and
also our minds. International efforts and efforts of the
United Nations to resolve the crisis, particularly
through joint deployment with the African Union of the
largest peacekeeping mission ever decided on, and the
central role of mediation in the search for a political
solution may continue to be in vain if the parties to the
conflict, blinded by their short-term interests, continue
to lack the necessary political will to commit
themselves to a lasting solution.
 For a solution to Darfur to be lasting, it must
comprise a number of components: security, by
cessation of hostilities and a return to calm on the
ground; political, by the conclusion of an agreement
for the sharing of power and resources; humanitarian,
through effective measures to respond to immediate
humanitarian needs and development needs of the
population; and judicial, of course, by the end of the
widespread impunity for the crimes committed in
Darfur and bringing to justice the main perpetrators of
the atrocities there to make a true reconciliation
possible. Peace and justice should go hand in hand in
Darfur, just as throughout the world. That is one of the
fundamental principles that guide Luxembourg’s
foreign policy. We cannot, nor should we, close our
eyes to the serious crimes committed in Darfur. Any

08-52265 42

political solution that would indefinitely put off justice
in Darfur would be flouting even further the rights of a
population that has been suffering for too long.
 The European Union and my own country are
endeavouring to make their contribution with the
deployment of the European Union force (EUFOR) in
Chad and the Central African Republic, a force charged
with protecting the refugees of Darfur as well as
internally displaced persons, and allowing the
humanitarian community access to those vulnerable
people in a volatile security environment. EUFOR
must pave the path for a United Nations force starting
in the spring of next year. It is important that this
transition occur under good circumstances, according
to the timetable, and that the force can deploy fully, in
the interest of achieving lasting stability in the
subregion.
 Another conflict in Africa which concerns us
greatly is the one in Somalia. Somalia has been in the
grips of civil war for more than a generation now, and
the consequences are felt throughout the entire region
of the Horn of Africa. The signing of the Djibouti
agreement several weeks ago between the Transitional
Government and an opposition party will perhaps open
the way to a lasting stabilization of Somalia. Only by
consolidating the political situation and improving
security can the international community fully carry
out its peacekeeping efforts in that country in the wake
of the African Union, which has deployed a
peacekeeping force under extremely trying
circumstances. I welcome the efforts under way in the
Security Council to give concrete form, when
conditions permit, to the firm commitment entered into
by the international community and the United Nations
to help Somalia.
 Much more could, indeed, be said about the
situation in Africa. We are concerned over the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, where fighting has
recently resumed. In Zimbabwe, one must hope that all
forms of intimidation and violence will now be ended
so that that battered country can recover. However,
more could also be said about the positive
developments in Liberia and Sierra Leone, where it has
been possible to put in place an integrated strategy for
peacebuilding and to draw up a reliable way out of the
crisis.
 The sum of $700 billion has been at the centre of
concerns over financial policy this week. It appears
that this staggering sum has been deployed in order to
repair the damage of the capitalism of the casino-like
banking sector that relies on debt and speculation to
achieve precarious growth. Imagine, for a moment, this
sum being applied to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals upheld by this Assembly in 2000
and 2005. Millions of children could survive. Millions
of women would not die during or after childbirth.
Much progress could be made against AIDS and
malaria, or in education and training programmes for
millions of poor people who live on one or two dollars
a day. Take a moment to reflect on this.
 I also want to mention another topic which
concerns us a great deal, one where our Organization,
in cooperation with the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the European
Union, should play a central role, namely, the conflicts
in Georgia.
 As the President of the French Republic,
representing the European Union, said a few days ago
from this rostrum, the European Union wants to act for
peace. It is prepared to make its contribution,
particularly by deploying an on-the-ground observer
mission, and in the international discussions that
should begin in mid-October in Geneva, with a view to
a peaceful and lasting solution. Such a solution should
be based on full respect for principles of independence,
sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we condemn
any action at odds with those principles. Additionally,
we feel it is important to see that an independent
investigation be carried out on the Georgian conflict.
 It is said that war kills truth first. The European
Union has committed itself to stopping the violence
and getting the troops out of Georgia, which will
undoubtedly help the Georgian people in both
humanitarian and security terms. The real reasons for
the outbreak of this conflict cannot be left to historians.
Light must be shed on the situation. Therefore and
most importantly, in order to avoid similar cases in the
future, the raison d’être of the United Nations is to
prevent the outbreak of armed conflict. If a conflict
arises it is incumbent on all of us to investigate the
reasons and the circumstances in order to prevent other
clashes.
 I also want to share what was said by the
President of the European Council regarding another
topic, particularly after having heard the statement last
Tuesday of the President of the Islamic Republic of

43 08-52265

Iran before the General Assembly (see ). It is
intolerable that Iran should call for the destruction of
the State of Israel. We cannot tolerate such anti-Semitic
comments, particularly from this rostrum here in our
Organization.
 As so often, shadows of darkness and rays of
hope become intermingled when we analyse
international situations, but one constant remains true:
the importance of an effective multilateral system.
 The United Nations could be even more effective
if it were to continue its internal reform efforts.
Unfortunately, there is a certain fatigue with regard to
reform of the Organization. This is particularly
regrettable because global challenges cannot wait. A
more cohesive and effective Organization would
benefit us all. Let us not hesitate to redouble our efforts
to honour our reform commitments of 2005.
 With regard to the reform of the Security
Council, I am pleased that we are finally going to begin
intergovernmental negotiations at the beginning of
2009. I hope that those negotiations will quickly
achieve results. I also hope that the reformed Council
will be more representative, but above all, I hope that it
will perform better and be more transparent, thereby
ensuring greater effectiveness and enhanced legitimacy
and implementation of its decisions.
 Other areas of reform agreed in 2005, such as the
management of the Organization, have not yet been
addressed. I therefore encourage the Secretary-General
to pursue his effort to reform human resources
management on the basis of the three pillars of
transparency, effectiveness and the taking of
responsibility.
 With regard to system-wide coherence, we should
pursue our efforts in the areas of operational activities,
commercial practices and environmental initiatives. We
must essentially move away from the fragmented
system that has evolved in the course of the past
60 years of United Nations history.
 In conclusion, I think it very important to once
again draw the Assembly’s attention to our collective
decision regarding the responsibility to protect people
against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and
crimes against humanity. We should continue to work
on the concept of the responsibility to protect, which
should be implemented in the framework of criteria
and conditions set out in the final document of the
2005 Summit (resolution 60/1), so as to progressively
establish an irrefutable basis upon which the
international community can act in accordance with a
given situation.
 As a founding Member of the Organization, my
country endeavours to contribute to the purposes and
principles of the Charter through resolute and ongoing
solidarity, through concrete involvement in efforts
aimed at development, peace, security and respect for
human rights, and through the determined pursuit of a
multilateral approach with the United Nations at the
core. It is in that same spirit that, as we did in 2001,
Luxembourg has presented its candidacy for a
non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the
period 2013 and 2014. That too is how we intend to
continue to shoulder our share of responsibility in this
Assembly.


At the outset, my
delegation wishes to convey, on behalf of the people
and the Government of the Republic of Zambia, our
deepest and sincere appreciation and gratitude to
Member States, as well as the United Nations, for the
numerous messages of condolences we received
following the loss of our beloved President, His
Excellency Mr. Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, State
Council, who passed away in Paris, France on
19 August 2008. Their messages of sympathy
comforted and strengthened us immensely.
 We are particularly indebted to the Government
of Egypt for the medical attention rendered to our late
President when he suffered a stroke while attending the
African Union summit in Sharm el-Sheik on 29 June
2008 and for his subsequent evacuation to France. We
are similarly grateful to the Government of France for
the medical attention and hospitality availed to the late
President up to the time of his death as well as for the
repatriation of his body to Zambia for burial. The
President was put to rest on 3 September 2008, which,
incidentally, would have been his sixtieth birthday.
 I wish to inform this Assembly that, in
accordance with the Zambian Constitution, elections
for the new President should be held within 90 days of
the death or incapacitation of a sitting President. Thus,
the Government has designated 30 October 2008 for
the presidential by-election. In the spirit of
transparency, accountability and good governance, the
Zambian Government has invited international
organizations, including the United Nations, to send
election observers to the elections.
 At this juncture, let me join others who have
spoken before me in congratulating you, Mr. President,
on your assumption of the presidency of the General
Assembly at its sixty-third session. Zambia has no
doubt that you will steer this session to a successful
conclusion. I wish to assure you of Zambia’s support.
 May I also take this opportunity to pay tribute to
your predecessor, Mr. Srgjan Kerim of the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, for ably presiding
over the proceedings of the General Assembly at its
sixty-second session.
 I wish to thank the Secretary-General for his
tireless efforts in his dedicated service to humankind in
trying to maintain international peace and security,
achieve development and eradicate poverty for all.
 The theme for this session, “The impact of the
global food crisis on poverty and hunger in the world
as well as the need to democratize the United Nations”,
is indeed testimony to the noble efforts of the
Secretary-General. The theme is also most appropriate,
especially since it is relevant to the development
challenges currently facing Africa and the developing
world as a whole.
 It is confirmed in the Secretary-General’s reports
that many developing countries, and in particular
sub-Saharan Africa, will not meet the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 and that Member
States should therefore redouble and reconfirm their
commitments if we are to meet that target.
 Zambia believes that the attainment of the MDGs
will be meaningful only if it is all-inclusive. That will
require the implementation of programmes and policies
for empowering women, the girl child and other
vulnerable groups of society be part of the overall
process within that framework.

11 08-53129

 In that regard, Zambia supports the assertion that
women’s empowerment and gender equality are drivers
for reducing poverty, building food security and
reducing maternal mortality. It is in that realization that
most of the States members of the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) signed the SADC
Protocol on Gender and Development in
August 2008 — the first of its kind in Africa.
 Such regional and national efforts need to be
complemented by global action. It is in that regard that
Zambia welcomes the ongoing debate on reforms in the
context of United Nations system-wide coherence,
particularly as they relate to strengthening the gender
architecture, which is currently fragmented and
underresourced.
 In the process of empowering women and striving
for gender equality, Zambia realizes that HIV/AIDS
continues to be a challenge to the country’s
development, with the prevalence rate for women
being higher than that of men. The pandemic is robbing
the country of a young and productive workforce. The
Zambian Government therefore has put in place a
number of policies that have helped to reduce the
prevalence of HIV from 16 per cent in 2001 to
14 per cent in 2007. That reduction in the prevalence
rate is an indication that our Government is determined
to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. That would not,
however, be possible without the support of the
international community.
 The Monterrey Consensus places obligations on
developed and developing countries alike to come up
with concrete strategies and action to address poverty.
Most African countries, including Zambia, have
resolved to develop their economies and embarked on
prudent macroeconomic management, channelling
resources to growth sectors that present the greatest
prospect for wealth and employment creation. They
have further developed policies, plans and programmes
that are not only growth-oriented but also pro-poor and
address social development.
 I wish to acknowledge with appreciation the role
that our cooperating partners and the international
community have played and continue to play in all our
development and poverty-eradication programmes. We
welcome the commitments made by Africa and its
cooperating partners in the context of various
important initiatives and partnerships in recent years,
inter alia, the Tokyo International Conference on
African Development, which among other things, came
up with a Follow-up Mechanism with regard to
implementation of commitments made during the
conference.
 Similarly, the China-Africa Partnership and the
European Union-Africa Strategic Partnership have also
contributed substantially to Africa’s development
needs. With regard to the India-Africa Forum, we also
look forward to the speedy implementation of
commitments undertaken during the Summit Forum in
India in April 2008.
 Furthermore, we appreciate the assistance
rendered by the G-8 Africa Partnership, the Emergency
Plan for AIDS Relief of the President of the United
States of America, the comprehensive health-care
initiative sponsored by the Government of Cuba, the
Initiative for Africa’s Development of the Republic of
Korea and Pakistan’s Special Technical Assistance
Programme for Africa. In similar vein, we look forward
to the implementation of the recently launched Africa-
Turkey partnership forum.
 Zambia notes with concern, however, that the
efforts the cooperating partners are making with regard
to improved access to the markets of the developed
countries and official development assistance flows
and finance for development for African countries have
not been completely fulfilled. We commend the five
cooperating partners that have met or exceeded the
target of 0.7 per cent of their gross national income as
their contribution to official development assistance.
We urge the cooperating partners that have not fulfilled
their commitments to do so. We also look forward to
the upcoming Follow-up International Conference on
Financing for Development to Review the
Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus in Doha
and hope donors will honour their commitments.
 We are aware that improved market access for
developing countries is one commitment that, once
fulfilled, will offer the greatest prospects for our
integration into the world trading system. It also has
the potential to foster food security for all and to raise
the standard of living of the majority of the population
that depends on agriculture for its livelihood.
 In that regard, Zambia notes with disappointment
that the Doha Round of trade negotiations collapsed at
a time when many of us were looking forward to a
successful conclusion to those protracted talks. It is my
country’s hope that the negotiations will reconvene and

08-53129 12

conclude as soon as possible so that the developing
countries can compete favourably and become
integrated into the multilateral trading system.
 The current global oil and food crises not only
pose a threat to the gains made in achieving
macroeconomic stability and growth in developing
countries, but are an even greater threat to the
achievements made towards eliminating extreme
poverty and reducing by half the proportion of people
suffering from hunger.
 A solution to the food crisis must be found as a
matter of urgency. In that connection, Zambia wishes
to thank the Secretary-General for establishing the
High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security
Crisis, whose task is to find a coherent and coordinated
approach to resolving the food crisis. In addressing the
crisis, we must be mindful of the fact that a large
percentage of the people in developing countries
depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Therefore,
in finding a solution to high food prices, we should
ensure that we do not inadvertently encourage rural-
urban migration by including measures that are
disadvantageous to those engaged in food and general
agricultural production.
 In addition, the issue of climate change, which
has worsened the food crisis, requires the concerted
efforts of the international community to address it
through the development of adaptation and mitigation
measures. Zambia, like most of sub-Saharan Africa,
has not been spared the adverse effects of climate
change, such as increased exposure to drought, rising
temperatures, more erratic rainfall and extreme weather
conditions. Those are threatening water and
agricultural systems, thereby condemning millions
more to face malnutrition and water shortages.
 Mr. Tanin (Afghanistan), Vice-President, took the
Chair.
 Let me now turn to the ongoing reforms of the
United Nations, in particular the protracted discussions
on reform of the Security Council. Zambia wishes to
reiterate the fact that United Nations reform will not be
complete without meaningful reform of the Security
Council. Any new proposals to reform the Council
should take into account Africa’s call for two
permanent seats with the veto power and two
additional non-permanent seats, as that will not only
address the historical injustice against Africa, but also
respond to the need to democratize the Security
Council, given that Africa constitutes the second-
largest bloc of the United Nations membership.
Equally important in that regard will be the need to
reform the working methods of that important United
Nations body.
 It is a matter of concern to Zambia that the
question of Western Sahara has remained unresolved
for such a long time. In accordance with the principles
enshrined in the United Nations Charter and General
Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960,
the people of Western Sahara should be free to exercise
their inalienable right to self-determination. In that
regard, Zambia calls for the implementation of all
relevant United Nations resolutions on that matter,
while supporting the ongoing efforts between the
parties concerned to find a lasting solution.
 With regard to the situation in Zimbabwe, Zambia
welcomes the signing of the Inter-Party Agreement on
15 September 2008 and pays tribute to former South
African President Thabo Mbeki, who, on behalf of
SADC, successfully discharged the mandate entrusted
to him. We remain optimistic that the concerned parties
will adhere to the Agreement, which has created a good
basis for addressing the socio-economic problems
confronting the country. In that regard, we appeal to
the international community to provide all possible
support to the people of Zimbabwe in their efforts to
resuscitate their economy.
 There is no doubt that the United Nations remains
the only multilateral institution capable of addressing
the challenges of our one world. The world’s poor are
looking to the United Nations system to deliver on its
commitments to enable them to live in dignity with
every possible opportunity, free from hunger and
diseases such as HIV/AIDS and, above all, in a
peaceful, secure and environmentally sustainable
world. Let us therefore not fail them, for they deserve
no less.