The Democratic Republic of Sao
Tome and Principe joins other speakers at this global
forum in congratulating the President on his election to
lead the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session.
His election is the acknowledgment by Member States
of the more than 30 years’ experience that he and his
country, Qatar, have given in service of promoting
international peace and security, sustainable
development and dynamic, multidimensional
cooperation among developing countries, as well as in
continuing the search for solutions to the challenges
facing multilateral diplomacy today.
 We also congratulate the President on the
significance of the theme of this session, “The role of
mediation in conflict resolution through peaceful
means”, whose relevance and timeliness merit the
attention of all of us here and can help ensure that the
outcome of our collective discussions will support the
United Nations in its effective guidance of global
democratic governance and in implementing coherent
and consistent mechanisms aimed at achieving lasting
peace and a more secure world.
 We further congratulate Mr. Ban Ki-moon on his
reappointment to the post of Secretary-General, and
thank him for the effort and skill with which he has
guided the Organization, whose challenges and
responsibilities seem more pressing than ever in the
current international context. We would also like to pay
tribute to the outgoing President, Mr. Joseph Deiss of
Switzerland, who carried out his duties with zeal and
dedication during the past year.
 The theme of this session of the Assembly gives
us an opportunity to reflect deeply together on the
impact of international mediation on the resolution of
conflicts in various regions of our planet. We would
like to bring to this reflection a discussion of the
central role that the United Nations should play in
mediating such conflicts. This exercise should help us
formulate concrete proposals for strengthening the
capabilities of our Organization in this area.
 Mediation as a method of resolving conflicts
between States began to be used in 1907 in the form of
good offices and mediation on the basis of The Hague
Convention for the peaceful regulation of international
conflicts. United Nations reports on peacekeeping
operations should therefore remind us that the
restoration of peace focuses on ongoing conflicts and
strives to de-escalate them through diplomacy and
mediation. The widespread use of international
mediation to resolve crises as a fundamental technique
of peaceful conflict resolution has not always matched
our expectations or produced the expected results.
 It is for that reason that Sao Tome and Principe
believes that rather than settling for its role in
peacekeeping, international mediation must evolve to
become a fundamental factor in peacebuilding. In that
regard, the United Nations should be responsible for
dealing with what appears today to be a trend towards
the professionalization of international mediation,
which relegates to the background the legal
instruments ratified by specialized institutions to deal
with a given conflict. Defining the legal status of the
mediator and the methodology of mediation, as well as
greater involvement by diplomats and experts with
experience in international law, seems to us to be
necessary and important steps that the United Nations
should take in the future.
 The State of Sao Tome and Principe has followed
with concern the growing international climate of
tension, characterized by proliferating claims in
various regions, some of them violent and destructive.
Our concern is all the more worrisome given our
distinct feeling that in such circumstances the
mechanisms available to the United Nations for dealing
with such matters effectively and accurately are pushed
into the background. We regret the absence of a
responsible partnership between the African Union and
the Security Council designed to resolve the crisis in
Libya.
 It is therefore urgent that we strengthen the role
of the United Nations by reforming the entire
system — a process that should not drag on. This

11-51390 22

reform should include the Security Council and some
of the specialized agencies of the United Nations,
aligning them with the aspirations and demands of the
modern world.
 On 9 July, Africa saw the birth of one more free
and independent nation: the Republic of South Sudan.
The Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe,
which has already recognized the brotherly State of
South Sudan, congratulates its people on this
achievement and wishes its leaders every success in
building a peaceful and prosperous nation. Similarly,
we appeal to the entire international community to
make a joint effort to support the new authorities and
political actors of that country in order to maintain the
national sovereignty of the new State and to promote a
climate of national unity and political stability.
 East Africa is facing a serious food crisis caused
by phenomena that are beyond the control of men and
by the political and military conflict still raging in
parts of Somalia. It is incumbent upon us all to
contribute without delay to finding a lasting solution to
this serious situation. The Government of Sao Tome
and Principe proclaims its readiness to participate in
activities contributing to the alleviation of the suffering
of the people of that region. We join other Members of
the United Nations in appealing to the international
community to provide more financial resources to
support efforts to normalize the situation in the region.
In the particular case of Somalia, we would appeal for
an increase in official development assistance.
 The United Nations is still addressing the pending
question of the Western Sahara and has adopted several
resolutions aimed at settling the conflict between the
Kingdom of Morocco and the Frente Polisario. Sao
Tome and Principe would like to see the two parties sit
at the negotiating table and urges the United Nations to
proceed with the population census, in accordance with
its own resolutions, with a view to completing this long
process of negotiation.
 Democracy has the virtue of giving a voice to
people so they can choose their leaders through
popular, free, direct and transparent elections by secret
ballots cast in voting booths. The uprisings that started
in January in North Africa have expressed the
sentiments and will of the people of Tunisia, Egypt and
Libya to turn the page of their contemporary history. It
is in this conviction that the Democratic Republic of
Sao Tome and Principe recognizes the new governing
authorities in these countries as legitimate
representatives of their peoples.
 We welcome the presence of the National
Transitional Council within the United Nations, and
urge the authorities of that country to conduct an
inclusive process of peaceful transition to ensure
peace, stability and social progress in that part of
Africa. Furthermore, our country is of the view that
political changes should take place not under violent
circumstances, but without any pressure or political
interference.
 The Middle East continues to be shaken by an
unprecedented wave of conflicts within the borders of
some Middle Eastern countries as well as in the
broader region. The people of Syria, Yemen and
Bahrain have demanded reforms in State institutions.
However, we see the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
continue. We reaffirm our support for the Palestinian
people’s right to guide their destiny, and we advocate,
in accordance with the relevant United Nations
resolutions, for the existence of a Jewish State. We take
this opportunity to appeal to the Government of the
United States of America and the European Union to
exert their influence to persuade the Government of the
State of Israel to stop building settlements in the
occupied territories.
 The trade embargo imposed on Cuba decades ago
is a major concern for our countries, and for Sao Tome
and Principe in particular. We urge the lifting of the
sanctions so that Cuba can participate on equal footing
with other States in the process of building an
international society that is more balanced and fair.
 Global security is vital to the sustainable
development of our countries. The threats emerging in
the world today — particularly transnational crime,
piracy, trafficking and the sale of weapons and
drugs — are a real source of concern for Sao Tome and
Principe, a country with extensive sea borders in the
Gulf of Guinea. These phenomena are threats that
cannot be ignored and require greater interaction with
the Member States with which we share these extensive
maritime borders. They also require our commitment to
conflict prevention, management and resolution
mechanisms, based on efforts to fight organized crime
and with a view to ensuring our collective security.
 In this connection, we highlight the fact that the
32nd meeting of the United Nations Standing Advisory
Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa,

23 11-51390

organized by the United Nations Office for
Disarmament Affairs through its Regional Centre for
Peace and Disarmament in Africa in Lomé, was held in
Sao Tome and Principe in March.
 On behalf of the Government of the Democratic
Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, I would like to
thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his timely
and correct decision to give Africa its own central
Office, which we believe will contribute greatly to the
promotion and development of actions to prevent,
manage and resolve conflicts in the region and will
assist countries of the region in coping with possible
threats to their sovereignty.
 The profound changes wrought in the
international political scene, resulting from structural
changes in the world economy, pose new challenges to
countries like Sao Tome and Principe. My country, a
micro-island State, advocates greater access to the
various opportunities available at the international
level, in particular the possibility of obtaining more
official development assistance and facilities to attract
foreign investment.
 It is our collective responsibility to take measures
to address the harmful effects of climate change and
ensure the continuity of the clean development
mechanism, particularly for the least developed
countries. We appreciate the political willingness of
Member States to further pursue the building of the
necessary consensus to achieve significant and legally
binding results in Durban, South Africa, at the next
Conference of the Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change, thus
guaranteeing the second commitment period of the
Kyoto Protocol.
 However, climate change has caused imbalances
in the microclimate of our country, with drastic
consequences for our domestic production, thereby
threatening the food security in Sao Tome and Principe.
From this perspective, and in order to combat this
scourge, civil society in Sao Tome has been advocating
the need to enhance the study of the causes and adverse
effects of climate change in Sao Tome and Principe. To
fulfil this goal, the authorities of my country would
like to continue to rely on the invaluable collaboration
and availability expressed thus far by the international
community in general and the specialized entities of
the United Nations in particular.
 I cannot end this speech without addressing the
situation of the two straits.
 Taking into account that has Taiwan not only
enormous potential, but also a population of around
23 million people, its participation in United Nations
specialized agencies, as has been the case since 2009
with respect to the World Health Assembly, could make
a substantial contribution to the international
community. In this regard, we urge the relevant United
Nations bodies to seek ways and means to ensure the
participation of Taiwan in some of the mechanisms and
agencies of the United Nations system, in particular the
International Civil Aviation Organization and the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change.
 The Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and
Principe has just concluded the consolidation of its
democratic process and transition of power through an
election by universal suffrage, which was direct and
anonymous. The President-elect took office on
3 September. Domestically, our Government is working
to reduce poverty and promote economic growth and
institutional reform, particularly in the area of justice,
in order to strengthen the capacities of the country’s
democratic institutions and development.
 With regard to the Millennium Development
Goals set by the United Nations for 2015, the
Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe has
made significant progress, particularly in the areas of
education and health. We recognize, however, that
greater efforts should be made to attain the desired
objectives. In that regard, our State wishes to continue
to benefit from the continued and multifaceted support
of the international community.
 To conclude, I would like to reiterate the
readiness of the Government of the Democratic
Republic of Sao Tome and Principe to participate in
efforts to mobilize our collective will and our synergies
in pursuit of the noble principles and objectives that
underpin the creation of the United Nations.


I
sincerely congratulate His Excellency Mr. Nassir
Abdulaziz Al-Nasser on his election to the post of
President of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth
session. I am convinced that his considerable
experience will contribute to the achievement of
significant results on behalf of States Members of the
United Nations and the entire Organization.
 This year, the great family of States Members of the
United Nations was enriched by a new 193rd Member. On
behalf of Ukraine, I would like to express our support
for the Government and people of South Sudan in the
process of State-building, and to assure them of
Ukraine’s readiness to develop equal and mutually
beneficial cooperation with a new member of the
international community.
 This is a special session given the number of high-
level meetings devoted to issues of a global scale —
nuclear safety and security, the prevention of
non-communicable diseases, desertification and land
degradation, racism and discrimination.
 During this session, the delegation of Ukraine has
actively participated in discussions on the issues that
are most topical for our State — nuclear security and
disease control. With regard to the theme of the general
debate, “The role of mediation in the settlement of
disputes”, I note that the issue of preventing armed
conflict, and the loss of human lives and the suffering
triggered by them, was one of the cornerstones of
Ukraine’s first membership, as an independent State, of
the Security Council in 2000-2001.
 Preventive diplomacy and mediation at the
regional and international levels, from the frozen
conflicts in the post-Soviet space to a peaceful
settlement in the Middle East and the restoration of
stability in North Africa, remain an integral part of
Ukraine’s foreign policy. We pursue that policy in the
United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, and will
continue to do so during Ukraine’s presidency of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in
2013.
 Regrettably, conflict prevention efforts are often
not effective enough, and conflict settlement takes too
long. Our main duty in such cases is to save lives and
to alleviate the fate of civilians who find themselves in
danger. Ukraine will always provide help to those who
suffer. In addition to humanitarian efforts, we are ready
to support all constructive international peace
initiatives and preventive measures.
 We believe that, in armed confrontations, top
priority must be given to respect for human rights, first
of all by ensuring the safety of civilians. Guided by
this principle, Ukraine was among the first to carry out
a humanitarian mission in Libya at the beginning of
this year. The Ukrainian amphibious landing ship
Konstantin Olshansky was used to evacuate almost
200 citizens of 20 nationalities, more than half of them
women and children, from the conflict zone.
 Ukraine has just celebrated the twentieth
anniversary of its independence. Today, we are
assessing the road we have travelled and rethinking
some important moments in our modern history in
order to find effective solutions to the issues that have
remained unresolved for many years. It is precisely for
that purpose that I have initiated sweeping reforms in
the country, aimed at social and economic
transformations and at further strengthening the
democratic system and the rule of law in Ukraine.
 The foundations of all reform processes in
Ukraine are the fundamental democratic values that
Ukrainians share with other Europeans. That is why the
guiding principles we have determined for the
modernization of the country are directly related to the
ambitious objectives contained in the future
Association Agreement between Ukraine and the
European Union.
 The twentieth anniversary of our independence is
only an instant in historical terms, yet the roots of our
statehood can be traced back thousands of years. Since
ancient times, Ukraine has been developing a European
spirit and culture, while cherishing the traditions of
tolerance and inter-ethnic and intercultural harmony in

5 11-50702

our society. We believe that straightforward and frank
dialogue based on universal values is the only way to
find a common language in each country and in
international relations alike.
 Ukraine’s position on the need to uphold human
rights at all times and everywhere as the highest value
has always been crystal clear. Examples of that
commitment are seen in Ukraine’s activities during its
two terms of membership in the Human Rights Council
from June 2006 to June 2011. We will not lessen our
attention to this subject and are planning to rejoin the
Council in 2018.
 As Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the
Council of Europe from May to November this year,
Ukraine is focused on the issues of children’s rights,
the development of local self-governance and the rule
of law. We are convinced that the rule of law and
respect for human rights, as the bases for building a
society, are needed to counter many contemporary
threats, including the complex challenges of terrorism.
 Recently, the world shuddered from the attack on
the United Nations building in Nigeria, which offered
yet further proof that the ugly face of terrorism is
becoming more repulsive and brazen. The blow was
struck directly against our Organization, which is of
particular concern and requires increased security for
United Nations premises.
 As one of the State initiators of the Convention
on the Safety of United Nations and Associated
Personnel, and as a party to all universal anti-terrorist
conventions currently in force, Ukraine resolutely
condemns any manifestations of terrorism. We believe
that all terrorist acts, regardless of who commits them
and where or why they are committed, violate a
fundamental human right — the right to life — and
therefore constitute a crime against humanity. I pay
tribute to the memory of those killed 10 years ago, on
11 September 2001, as well as to all other victims of
terrorist attacks.
 I am sincerely proud of the significant
contribution of Ukraine to the peaceful coexistence of
humankind. I refer not only to our voluntarily
abandoning nuclear arms and large stockpiles of highly
enriched uranium. The awareness of the global scale of
the effects of the Chernobyl disaster was the impetus
for my initiative to convene the Kyiv Summit on the
Safe and Innovative Use of Nuclear Energy in April.
The Summit enabled us to enhance international
cooperation in strengthening nuclear safety and in
responding adequately to accidents and emergencies. I
sincerely thank all the participants in the Kyiv Summit
and all of the donor countries that announced their
contributions to Chernobyl projects.
 We also welcome the holding of the high-level
meeting on nuclear safety and security, scheduled for
tomorrow. We are committed to jointly working further
on this issue. Our country has unique experience in the
rehabilitation of the area and the population victimized
by the Chernobyl disaster. We are ready to share this
experience. Ukraine consistently supports efforts to
ensure gradual and irreversible nuclear disarmament
for the purpose of completely eliminating nuclear
weapons from the world. We continue to insist that
security assurances for non-nuclear and non-aligned
States should be enshrined in a legally binding
international instrument. I urge the leaders of other
States to consciously follow the example of Ukraine
and its practical actions to promote disarmament and
non-proliferation.
 Ukraine is actively participating in United
Nations efforts to maintain international peace and
security. Throughout its 20 years of independence, over
34,000 Ukraine’s soldiers and police have taken part in
peacekeeping missions in more than 20 operations
under the United Nations mandate. Ukraine is a
dedicated supporter of United Nations peacekeeping
reform, the goal of which is to strengthen the
Organization’s capacity and eliminate existing
shortcomings. Utmost attention should be paid to
ensuring the mobility of aviation resources in United
Nations peacekeeping, as well as to enhancing legal
protection for Blue Helmets. We are grateful to
Member States for their support of Ukraine’s initiatives
in this area, and we hope for effective joint work to be
undertaken in this direction.
 One year ago, we held a High-level Plenary
Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals.
Ukraine is committed to its obligations in achieving
national development goals. Among our main priorities
are poverty reduction, ensuring quality education,
environmental protection, improving health and
reducing child mortality, curbing the spread of
HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, and ensuring gender
equality.
 Working on today’s immediate tasks, we believe
it is necessary to pay greater attention to the

11-50702 6

increasingly acute issue of climate change and
environmental protection. We endorse the idea of
creating an effective international mechanism for the
environmental protection of Earth as our common
planet — a global environmental organization with
universal membership functioning on a permanent
basis. We also call upon Member States to study the
idea of developing a new universal instrument that
could serve as a so-called environmental constitution,
give all countries clear guidelines from the cultural
perspective, and identify compulsory principles for the
sustainable development of the global green economy
and the environmental safety of the planet.
 We consider it necessary to work on improving
global energy security. We encourage the development,
under United Nations coordination, of an effective
multilateral cooperation mechanism aimed at achieving
development goals in the energy field.
 In overcoming the impact of the global economic
crisis, we must avoid new challenges to the financial
sector that affect trade and investment. It is our belief
that economic and social development should be
facilitated by the further liberalization of trade.
 In recent years, we have come to see how
vulnerable any one nation can be to various security
threats and natural or manmade disasters. All these
examples have shown us the need for effective
international mechanisms for combating such
phenomena. It is high time that the United Nations and
its specialized agencies seriously strengthened their
role in coordinating international efforts aimed at
preventing, responding to and overcoming the impacts
of catastrophes and severe humanitarian crises. We
look forward to strengthening the specialized United
Nations agencies and improving their effectiveness.
Ukraine stands ready to continue its active involvement
in the practical humanitarian efforts of the World Food
Programme. A few days ago, Ukraine decided to
provide, through the United Nations, humanitarian
assistance in the form of wheat for the purpose of
combating hunger in the Horn of Africa.
 Ukraine supports the greater involvement of the
General Assembly in international life and
strengthening its voice in addressing a wide range of
global issues. The modern world is presenting the
United Nations with new, complex and increasingly
difficult issues. We will not be able to improve the
effectiveness of our joint work, however, without
comprehensive reform of the Organization and its
principal bodies, including the Security Council.
 Ukraine is open to discussing all progressive
concepts of reform that can bring Member States to the
broadest possible agreement. The consideration of the
interests of every regional group is an indispensable
component of the process of reforming the Council.
Ukraine believes that at least one additional
non-permanent seat of an expanded Security Council
should be given to the Group of Eastern European
States.
 I am confident that the sixty-sixth session of the
General Assembly will strengthen the United Nations
in the face of global challenges and threats, reliably
guaranteed by our strong political commitment and a
clear vision of our common goals. I believe in our
shared success.


Let me begin by
congratulating the President on his election to the
presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth
session. Let me also express our sincere appreciation to
His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of
the United Nations, for the strong commitment and
dedication with which he has been serving the United
Nations. We wish him further success in his second
term.
 Nepal warmly welcomes the Republic of South
Sudan as the newest member of the United Nations.
 It is a distinct honour and privilege for me to
bring to the General Assembly the voice of the
voiceless of the world. I have brought with me
greetings from the nearly 30 million toiling, but proud,
people of Nepal, who have recently liberated
themselves from an age-old feudal monarchy and
autocracy. Nepal is the enchanting land of Mount
Everest, the top of the world. It is the birthplace of
Gautam Buddha, the apostle of peace. It possesses an
unbelievable variety of natural beauty and diversity.
 In recent years, a momentous transformation has
taken place in Nepal. After a long and persistent
struggle, the feudalistic and autocratic monarchy has
been abolished. We have entered into a new historic era
with the creation of the new Federal Democratic
Republic of Nepal. Today, the new State apparatus
strives to take into account the multi-ethnic,
multilingual and multicultural diversity of the country.
The abolition of all discrimination and oppression on
the basis of class, gender, nationality, region and caste
and the creation of an inclusive democratic system and
a just society are at the heart of all our decades-long
struggles. Thanks to the ultimate sacrifice of the
thousands of martyrs of the historic people’s war of
1996 to 2006, the people’s movement of 2006, the
Madheshi movement and many other oppressed
people’s movements, we have come this far to lay the
foundation of a new Nepal.
 We must consolidate those historic gains and
institutionalize them in order to establish sustainable
peace, justice and prosperity for all. My Government is
fully committed to doing that with the conclusion of
the peace process and the writing of a new constitution
through the Constituent Assembly at the earliest. The
constitution will not only guarantee fundamental
democratic norms and values, but it will also ensure
that our multiparty democracy is inclusive,
participatory and life-changing for all, especially the
oppressed labouring masses and marginalized people.
It is rightly said that the highest measure of democracy
is neither the extent of freedom nor the extent of
equality; rather, it is the highest measure of
participation. We want to institutionalize a genuinely
participatory democracy for all, particularly those who
are downtrodden.
 In that context, I would like to remind the
Assembly of the poignant words expressed from this
rostrum in 2008 by the Chairman of my party, the
Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, and the
then Prime Minister, Comrade Prachanda, about the
landless peasants, the downtrodden women, the so-
called untouchable dalits and the millions of exploited
masses of Nepal, who aspire to liberation from all
forms of oppression and exploitation.
 Nepal’s home-driven peace process and historic
transformation are unique and could be a good example
for drawing lessons. We believe that transformation has
to be holistic in order to have a long-lasting impact at
the grass-roots level. Transformation in the political,
social and economic fields has to be brought about
holistically. It is attainable with dedication, dialogue
and consensus-building among stakeholders. As in any
other country, transitional pains and delays exist.
However, we are united in our vision, and we intend to
complete the transition process with the consensus and
cooperation of all political parties and stakeholders. We
are confident that, with international goodwill and
cooperation, we will achieve it at the earliest.
 Nepal’s foreign policy is based on the
fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter,

21 11-51360

non-alignment and panchsheel and the promotion of
regional cooperation through the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation. We would like
to be a vibrant bridge between our two neighbours,
India and China, and beyond. At a time when
humankind is so much in need of peace and when we
all strive for it, we particularly appeal for the
development of Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, as
the fountain of world peace through effective
international support and cooperation. The
International Committee for the Development of
Lumbini needs to be reactivated at the earliest.
 I extend sincere thanks to the United Nations,
especially the United Nations Mission in Nepal, for
providing invaluable support and assistance throughout
our peace process. We are hopeful that we will
continue to receive the goodwill and support of the
international community in our efforts to
institutionalize lasting peace, equity and prosperity in
the country. The United Nations upholds the noble
vision of peace and security, development, justice and
human rights for all. But if we look around the world,
we have a long way to go to achieve this. We still face
conflicts, deprivation and demeaning poverty all
around us. How can we achieve sustainable peace in
the world when there is so much inequity, deprivation
and marginalization around us? We have to deal with
their root causes. How can one justify the spending of
$1.5 trillion on war weapons every year while more
than 2 billion people across the globe lack the basic
necessities of food, medicine, et cetera?
 In that context, I appeal to the United Nations to
come forward with a far-reaching and comprehensive
development package. We need a new Marshall Plan
for the rebuilding and reconstruction of post-conflict
countries. Lip service and symbolic support are not
enough. It is now time for a bold, visionary step to deal
with the complex problems of today that would be the
most cost-effective approach to deal with global
problems and ensure sustainable peace.
 The principles and purposes of the Organization
as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations
represent the highest ideals of the global community.
Yet we live in an age of paradox. The gap between the
poor and the rich is ever-widening. Today, the level of
inequality between States is the highest of any time in
the past. Least developed countries (LDCs) — or, as I
would prefer to call them, underdeveloped countries —
are facing the full force of the negative side of
globalization that is its deep structural constraints.
 Growing joblessness is a major challenge for all
of us. In this integrated world, the grinding poverty of
the masses, who number in the billions, is a recipe for
disaster. Islands of prosperity amid a sea of poverty are
unsustainable, morally indefensible and economically
undesirable. In a globalized and interconnected world,
our destiny is inextricably intertwined. When my house
is on fire, your house cannot be safe, and vice versa.
 The recurrence of economic and financial crises,
fuel and food crises and the deeper structural crises
have vindicated the need to seriously review the
current economic paradigm. I believe that now is the
right time for deeper soul-searching and the creation of
a new, just and scientific economic order. The new
global economic order needs to deal with the current
global volatility and the growing marginalization of
poor and weaker economies. The financial, capital-
driven globalization process is increasingly exposing
its inherent structural deficiencies and its
incompatibility. Unless the interest of labour, the basic
source of human wealth, is duly integrated in this
process, we may soon face the globalization of unrest
and upheaval. The United Nations should act as the
principal forum to examine that in a coherent, inclusive
and holistic manner.
 Least developed countries face severe structural
constraints on their development efforts. Their
vulnerabilities have been further aggravated by
multiple crises. Despite some good progress in
achieving individual goals, LDCs as a group are mostly
off-track in meeting the internationally agreed upon
development goals, including those contained in the
Millennium Declaration (resolution 55/2). A rights-
based approach to development is a must.
 It is quite disheartening that even today about
75 per cent of LDC populations live in abject poverty
and hunger. This situation is unacceptable and must
come to an end sooner rather than later. Business as
usual will not be a solution to deep-rooted problems.
The historically structured process of “development of
underdevelopment” needs to be structurally addressed.
 The Istanbul Declaration and Programme of
Action must be implemented in their entirety and in an
effective and timely manner. In particular, financing
for development should be ensured as per the
commitment that has been made. Duty-free, quota-free

11-51360 22

market access and supply-side capacity must be
ensured to LDCs. Investment, technology transfer and
private sector development should be promoted in
LDCs. They are essential to achieving the legitimate
aspirations of LDCs. A renewed and strengthened
global partnership is critical to their implementation.
We do not want to see another missed opportunity for
LDCs.
 Nepal, in its capacity as Chair of the LDCs, will
make every effort, in cooperation with our fellow
LDCs, to ensure that the issues and concerns of LDCs
remain high on the priority list of the United Nations
development agenda. Similarly, the special difficulties
of landlocked developing countries should be
recognized. Freedom of transit should be ensured to
them as a matter of right, together with the scaling up
of support for trade facilitation and infrastructure
development.
 Labour migration is a global phenomenon. We
must protect the rights of all migrant workers and their
family members to ensure that globalization is fair to
all. As Nepal’s economy is increasingly dependent on
remittances, that issue is very crucial for us.
 Clearly, climate change has emerged as one of the
greatest challenges of the twenty-first century. Global
warming has precipitated the melting of the snow in
the Nepal Himalayas, a source of fresh water for over
1 billion people who live in South Asia. We have
therefore taken the initiative of promoting the
sustainable mountain agenda in order to highlight their
special vulnerabilities and fragilities. Industrialized
countries should bear greater responsibility for that.
 There is an urgent need to make progress in
climate negotiations and to ensure enhanced and
predictable financing. The United Nations Conference
on Sustainable Development summit scheduled for
next year is critical to defining a more sustainable
development path and to eradicating poverty for LDCs.
The sustainable development agenda should encompass
all ecological considerations, including the crucial
issue of sustainable mountain development.
 Nepal reiterates its call for the general and
complete disarmament of all weapons of mass
destruction in a time-bound manner. Nepal strongly
believes that regional mechanisms complement efforts
to promote the global disarmament agenda. The United
Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in
Asia and the Pacific, located in Kathmandu, could be
instrumental in revitalizing the Kathmandu process to
facilitate dialogue and deliberations on confidence-
building in the region.
 Nepal unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its
forms and manifestations and calls for an expeditious
conclusion of the negotiations on a comprehensive
convention on international terrorism. We should
differentiate between terrorism and struggles for
freedom.
 Nepal’s commitment to human rights is deep and
unflinching. We are fully aware that the protection and
promotion of all human rights, including the right to
development and fundamental freedoms, strengthens
the sustainability of peace and progress. We have
established an independent constitutional body — the
National Human Rights Commission — as a watchdog
institution. We are committed to building and
strengthening that specialized national institution as a
true custodian of human rights.
 The General Assembly, which is the only
universally representative body at the global level,
needs to be given commensurate power and authority
to truly work as a world parliament. It should not
remain toothless. Similarly, Nepal supports the
expansion in the membership of the Security Council
in both categories. Reform must address all interrelated
issues, such as representation, as well as transparency
and accountability in the working methods of the
Security Council. The role and contributions of smaller
States in the maintenance of international peace and
security must be duly acknowledged.
 We underline the crucial role of the United
Nations in promoting international cooperation for
development. Its role in shaping the policy debate on,
and establishing global norms in, economic and
financial matters must be strengthened. Nepal
welcomes all efforts aimed at promoting system-wide
coherence, including the operationalization of
UN-Women.
 Nepal’s participation in United Nations
peacekeeping is long-standing and consistent. We
remain steadfast in our commitment to international
peace and security. Nepal has already provided more
than 80,000 peacekeepers, with 62 of our soldiers
having laid down their lives in the line of duty. We
would therefore like to call for equitable representation
at the leadership level.

23 11-51360

 In recent times, we have witnessed an outpouring
of popular sentiment calling for change and freedom
around the world. We believe that this is a sign of a
new beginning, where people are asserting themselves
as the masters of their own destinies. We applaud these
changes. We should support them based on the
fundamental principles of the United Nations.
However, no one should hijack the agenda of
democracy for partisan ends.
 The long-drawn-out peace process in the Middle
East is a matter of serious concern for us all. We must
find a comprehensive and just solution to these
problems. It is our principled position that we support a
fully independent and sovereign Palestinian State based
on United Nations resolutions. We look forward to its
materialization at the earliest date.
 Finally, let me reiterate that the United Nations
principles must be holistic and should be pursued in a
balanced manner. The United Nations should not only
be the custodian of its noble principles; it must deliver
on its promises. Let it not be a mere umbrella for the
big Powers. In today’s globalized world, the United
Nations has more responsibility than ever before for
creating an inclusive and just global order. Let it not
falter in its historic duties.
 Let the United Nations serve the larger interests
of the poor and the weakest segment of the
international community. Let the economic
transformation of the least developed countries with a
rights-based approach be at the top of the United
Nations agenda. Let the United Nations not fail the
aspirations of millions of people for freedom, equality
and prosperity. Let its vision be translated into a visible
change in the lives of oppressed people. Last but not
least, let us keep in mind that either we all reach the
goal of global peace and prosperity together, or nobody
will.


First, on behalf of His Excellency Mr. Paul Biya,
President of the Republic and Head of State of
Cameroon, and on behalf of the delegation that I have
the honour to lead at the current session, I warmly
congratulate the President on his unanimous election to
preside over the Assembly at its sixty-sixth session.
 To Mr. Joseph Deiss, his predecessor, we wish to
say how much his work as President of the Assembly at
its sixty-fifth session was appreciated, just as
Cameroon appreciated his visit to Yaoundé in January
during his African visit.
 We also once again sincerely congratulate
Mr. Ban Ki-moon on the extension of his mandate as
Secretary-General for a further five years. His
determination and commitment to the United Nations
during his first term of office contributed to the
initiatives and important actions of the United Nations
to promote peace and social and economic
development throughout the world. He will have our
best wishes and constant support during his second
term, when we hope that he will successfully continue
his  work in every area within the framework of the
United Nations agenda, particularly in terms of
aligning and harmonizing the points of view of the
various Member States.
 This year a new Member, the Republic of South
Sudan, joined the Organization. We had the
opportunity to solemnly, but joyfully, welcome it on
14 July, following its declaration of independence a
few days earlier. The arrival of this new State allows a
dark chapter to be closed: decades of war, with a litany
of woes, death, displaced persons, tears, human tragedy
and suffering among the people of that land on our
African continent.
 Cameroon takes the opportunity to join in paying
a well-deserved tribute to the leaders of the Sudan and
of South Sudan, as well as to the United Nations and
the African Union, for their tireless work in supporting
the negotiations before the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement was signed in 2005, as well as during its
subsequent implementation. The United Nations
Mission in the Sudan and the recent creation of the
United Nations Mission in the Republic of South
Sudan, whose task it is to support the new State in the
process of consolidating its institutions and democracy,
show the unique, decisive role played by the United
Nations, fully in line with the fundamental purposes
and principles of its founding Charter.
 Cameroon welcomes the role that the United
Nations has played in that regard. In more general
terms, we believe that its role in conflict management
should be played in a fully transparent way and in line
with the principles, purposes and ideals of the Charter,
which calls for the peaceful settlement of international
disputes and for respect for the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of States.
 That is where the theme selected for this sixty-
sixth session — “The role of mediation in the
settlement of disputes through peaceful means” —
takes on its importance, reminding us that the Charter
states that the Organization’s primary purpose is
  “To maintain international peace and
security, and to that end: to take effective
collective measures for the prevention and
removal of threats to the peace, and for the
suppression of acts of aggression or other
breaches of the peace, and to bring about by
peaceful means, and in conformity with the
principles of justice and international law,
adjustment or settlement of international disputes
or situations which might lead to a breach of the
peace”.
 The Charter also calls upon Members of the
United Nations to

11-51378 16

 “refrain in their international relations from the
threat or use of force against the territorial
integrity or political independence of any state, or
in any other manner inconsistent with the
Purposes of the United Nations.”
 International disputes, and a fortiori internal
conflicts, should be settled peacefully in line with our
Charter, through negotiation and mediation, rather than
by recourse to force.
 That is the position that the African Union, the
continental organization of African States, ceaselessly
advocates and defends. Cameroon agrees with the
African Union that any lasting solution to an internal
political crisis must take into account the State’s
national political institutions and the legitimate
aspirations of the people concerned, but also the
maintenance of the country’s unity and territorial
integrity. It considers that priority must be given to
measures that guarantee the maintenance of peace, the
promotion of national reconciliation and the
consolidation of a democratic culture and ownership of
the rule of law by Governments and citizens.
 With regard to some current burning questions in
this area, and particularly with regard to management
of the Libyan issue, Cameroon noted the General
Assembly decision on 19 September approving the
mandate of the Libyan delegation established by the
National Transitional Council, as well as the statement
made here by the Chairperson of the African Union
Council on 21 September, which was preceded by the
19 September press release. Fully in line with our
external policy, Cameroon will respect the decision and
statement in the context of its bilateral relations with
the Libyan State, and within various international
institutions.
 It is the international community’s duty to
support States and their peoples in the management of
their national affairs, and in seeking to ensure that they
control their own fate. Governments, for their part,
must seek to respond to the legitimate aspirations and
the many and varied expectations of their peoples in all
areas.
 In Cameroon the Government is seeking to
implement the reforms that began a few years ago to
consolidate national political institutions and
modernize our democracy. At the same time, it has
established policies to create an environment
favourable to development and revenue-generating
activities and to improve the living conditions of its
people, in a context of repeated international economic
and financial crises, which have disturbing effects on
the national programmes of States.
 In economic terms, my country has had since
2009 a real moral compass for national players, both
public and private, and for our external partners: the
Growth and Employment Strategy document. The
document is part of a comprehensive shared vision of
development for Cameroon up to 2035, called Vision
2035. It emphasises seeking increased growth, job
creation, poverty reduction and a tangible improvement
in the living conditions of our people. The strategy will
be implemented by, in particular, large-scale, labour-
intensive building projects throughout the country, with
particular emphasis on the energy sectors, mining and
the creation of human capital.
 In political terms, and with regard to elections,
our independent electoral institution — Elections
Cameroon (ELECAM) — set up in 2006 and made
responsible for the entire electoral process, from the
electoral register to the organization of the ballot, the
oversight of elections and referendums, has become
fully operational, and has a number of local offices.
 Giving the right to vote to Cameroonians living
abroad is part of the law that was promulgated this
year. The electoral register has been updated by
ELECAM, and incentives, such as free national
identity cards, were given to encourage a large turn-out
at the elections. Furthermore, legal provisions have
been established to ensure the transparency, freedom,
honesty and credibility of the elections in a context of
consensual democracy.
 In that regard, there is a deadline of importance to
the Cameroonian people in the short term. On
9 October they will have the right to elect their leader
and determine their future, as is the case in all
democracies. I am referring to the presidential election.
With all of the provisions that I have just mentioned,
made with the technical assistance of United Nations
specialized agencies, we believe that the conditions
now exist to ensure that the election takes place
peacefully. Independent national and foreign observers
will be authorized to monitor the presidential election.
 I wish to highlight with pride the political
maturity demonstrated by the people of Cameroon.
They have always been able to make the best choice in
order to ensure that we preserve national achievements,

17 11-51378

particularly with regard to peace and national unity,
and the people have been able to work together in a
spirit of patriotism, and with a high sense of a citizen’s
responsibilities when required to meet the various
challenges, both external and internal, that they
encounter and have encountered throughout their
history.
 I reiterate Cameroon’s commitment to peace
through mediation, as well as its commitment to
democracy and good governance, both internally and
internationally.
 I close by emphasizing my country’s commitment
to the ideals of the Charter, and to those set out in the
Constitutive Act of the African Union. My country
wishes to see enhanced cooperation between those two
international institutions, as they deal with issues
affecting African countries, in line with the spirit and
letter of those two international instruments.
 This has been, on behalf of the President of the
Republic of Cameroon, His Excellency Mr. Paul Biya,
Head of State and head of Cameroonian diplomacy, our
contribution to the general debate at the sixty-sixth
session of the General Assembly of the United Nations,
which is our common international Organization with
global competence.


Liberia congratulates you,
Mr. President, on your election to the important office
of President of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth
session. We are confident that you will steer the work
of this session in a manner which brings pride to your
great country, the State of Qatar. Mr. President, we
wish you well and pledge Liberia’s full support to you
in pursuit of the priorities which you have identified.
 Let me also pay tribute to your predecessor, His
Excellency Joseph Deiss of Switzerland, for the
effective manner in which he conducted the affairs of
the General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session. His
sound and outstanding leadership enabled the session
to register many achievements.
 We warmly congratulate the Secretary-General,
His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, on his unanimous
re-election, and extend the highest commendation to
him for his vision and foresight, and for the tireless
efforts with which he continues to administer the
Organization. We embrace the priorities which he has
set for his second term, which are centred on
sustainable development.
 It gives me great pleasure to welcome and
congratulate the Republic of South Sudan upon its
admission as the 193rd Member of the United Nations
and to assure it of Liberia’s friendship, support and
solidarity.
 The theme chosen for this year’s general debate,
“The role of mediation in the settlement of disputes by
peaceful means”, could not have been selected at a
more opportune time. Communities within our world
continue to be polarized by conflicts which have their
roots in political marginalization and socio-economic
inequities. Despite global interdependence, inter-State
relations are still constrained by divergent ideological
convictions and structural inequalities in the global
economic system. These have resulted in divisions
which undermine our efforts to move as one global
community towards sustainable development.
 Mediation, as part of preventive diplomacy, is
indeed a powerful dispute-resolution mechanism. The
United Nations has a central role in promoting
mediation in pursuit of peace. The good offices of the
Secretary-General remain critical to the mediation
efforts of the United Nations. Regional and subregional
organizations are assuming an increasingly active and
complementary role in mediation and the peaceful
settlement of disputes. These initiatives must not only
be acknowledged and encouraged but also supported
by the global community.

11-51384 8

 As a post-conflict country, Liberia has benefited
immensely from numerous mediation efforts that
include national, regional and international initiatives
aimed at restoring and maintaining stability in the
country. Our experience leads us to suggest that greater
emphasis be placed on preventive measures, and that
the tools of mediation be employed as soon as early
warning signs of conflict emerge. The benefits of
establishing an early-warning system that will deal
with potentially explosive situations before they
degenerate into full-blown infernos are obvious.
 It has been nearly a decade since this body and
friendly nations intervened to restore Liberia to
normalcy. That intervention ended a disastrous 14-year
civil war and created conditions for the deployment of
the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the
establishment of a transitional Government and the
democratic election of Africa’s first female President.
 Consistent with our commitment to national
recovery and post-war reconstruction, we have
developed programmes and policies specifically aimed
at lifting Liberians to higher levels of productivity,
reviving basic services, restoring infrastructure and
re-establishing the rule of law. Overall, we are making
progress on all of these fronts and building a more
inclusive society in which the full potential of all of
our citizens can be harnessed.
 In this endeavour, special emphasis has been
placed on the empowerment of women and their
participation in all aspects of the national endeavour. A
well-crafted gender policy is enabling the Government
to address the concerns of women and girls. We
consider the creation of the gender entity UN-Women
to be an important positive development in the context
of the United Nations effort to promote women’s
empowerment. Liberia pledges its fullest support for
the success of this important body.
 Cognizant that youths constitute the highest
percentage of our population, we are committed to
developing programmes that will strengthen and
empower them for future leadership. We hope that the
action plan adopted by the recent United Nations High-
level Meeting on Youth will garner international
support for our youth programmes.
 We are continuing to progress in our efforts to
reform our security sector. Special attention is focused
on building the capacity of the Liberian National
Police. However, we remain deeply concerned about
events affecting security in the Mano River Basin. That
is why we are thankful to the Security Council for
extending the mandate of UNMIL.
 Liberia is pleased to have been placed on the
agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). The
Liberia configuration of the PBC and the
Peacebuilding Support Office have worked with the
Liberian Government and other stakeholders in
developing the Liberia priority plan, which focuses on
security-sector reform, strengthening the rule of law
and accelerating national reconciliation.
 I would like at this juncture to thank His
Excellency Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein,
Permanent Representative of Jordan and Chairman of
the Liberia configuration, and the configuration’s
members for their commitment and dedication. In the
same spirit, I also commend His Excellency
Mr. Eugène-Richard Gasana, Chairman of the
Peacebuilding Commission, and its members for their
support for the configuration.
 We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge
the significant role being played by the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the
maintenance of peace and security in the subregion.
ECOWAS member States are contributing tangibly to
peacebuilding in Liberia by strengthening capacity,
especially in the technical area. We are also
collaborating as a subregion in addressing the common
problems of transnational organized crime, human and
drug trafficking, and the illicit trade in small arms and
light weapons.
 Liberia is poised to conduct another democratic
election on 11 October. It will test our commitment to
democratic governance and peaceful coexistence.
Every action is being taken to ensure that the elections
are free, fair, transparent and credible. We invite the
international community to observe and monitor these
elections.
 Despite the significant gains made in improving
the living conditions of our people, we realize that far
more needs to be done to fully meet their aspirations.
However, negative economic forces continue to hamper
global growth. This situation has had repercussions for
all countries. Although the resulting effects have
impacted developing countries generally, those most
affected are in Africa, where the crippling effects of
external debt, deteriorating terms of trade, decline in
investment and capital flows are debilitating.

9 11-51384

 Mr. Cancela (Uruguay), Vice-President, took the
Chair.
 Post-conflict countries are even more severely
affected. This is why we have particular appreciation
for the outcome of the Fourth United Nations
Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
convened in Istanbul in May. We hope that the Istanbul
Programme of Action will bring real change for LDCs.
 Food security remains a concern for many
developing countries. The World Bank estimates that
44 million people have slipped into poverty since June
because of rising food prices. This unfortunate
situation should be addressed with urgency. We must
act now, effectively and cooperatively, to roll back the
adverse impacts of rising food prices and protect
communities.
 Our Government is responding to the current rise
in food prices with immediate action under the policy
Ending Hunger in Liberia, which aims to strengthen
the entire agricultural food chain from securing quality
seeds for farming in productive lowlands to connecting
farmers to local markets and eventually to regional and
global ones. Simultaneously, we are deepening our
partnership with the Food and Agricultural
Organization of the United Nations and other United
Nations bodies for long-term investments in
mechanized agriculture to achieve food security in
Liberia.
 While we seek food security, we are equally
mindful of the need for health security. Liberia is
among countries with the highest maternal and child
mortality rates in the world. This is due primarily to
the lack of skilled health workers, poor health delivery
systems and inadequate medicines and supplies. This is
why we welcome the new initiative of the Secretary-
General aimed at improving the health of women and
children.
 I wish to state my country’s position on some of
the prevailing situations that threaten peace, security
and international cooperation in our world. The
unresolved riddle in Somalia presents a strong
challenge to the United Nations in relieving the Somali
people of the tragedy and cruelty they have endured for
many years. The phenomenon of famine has
exacerbated the situation in that country and affected
livelihoods in the Horn and East Africa. Those
circumstances necessitate an urgent call for action.
 The question of peace in the Middle East has
hovered over the world for far too long. Liberia
believes that whether deliberations take place in the
Security Council or the General Assembly, dialogue
between the parties remains the most viable option for
ending the stalemate towards an independent Palestine.
We therefore call on Israel and Palestine to
demonstrate a concrete commitment to engaging each
other in a constructive dialogue that will achieve the
desired two-State solution.
 Suppressive actions by Governments to frustrate
the desire of their people for democratic reforms must
never be condoned because they undermine
international peace and security. Coherent and concrete
actions by the Security Council are critical in
addressing those situations. Liberia welcomes the new
leadership of Libya under the National Transitional
Council (NTC). After more than four decades of
suppression, the Libyan people have high expectations
for the restoration of their freedom and liberties. We
encourage the NTC to move quickly to restore Libya to
normalcy by establishing an inclusive transitional
Government that will organize democratic elections.
 As the United Nations grows in membership and
experience, Liberia joins other nations in calling for a
more democratic Security Council that reflects realities
of the twenty-first century. Africa expects to have
greater representation in a reformed Security Council.
More broadly, we encourage the Secretary-General’s
continuing effort to modernize the organization.
 Finally, it is my hope that Member States will
work together to advance the cause of our common
humanity, and make the world a better place in which
to live.


I have the pleasure of congratulating you, Sir,
on your election to the presidency of the General
Assembly at its sixty-sixth session. I assure you of the
full and sincere collaboration of the Holy See. I also
congratulate the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon,
who during this session, on 1 January 2012, will begin
his second term.
 I would also like to cordially welcome the
delegation of South Sudan, which became the
193rd Member State of the Organization last July.
 Every year, the general debate offers the
opportunity to address the principal questions that
concern humanity in search of a better future for all.
The challenges facing the international community are
many and difficult. They bring ever more clearly in
focus the profound interdependence within the family
of nations, which sees in the United Nations an
important agent, despite its limitations, for identifying
and implementing solutions to major international
problems.
 Without attempting an exhaustive survey, my
delegation wishes to reflect on a few of the priority
challenges so that the concept of the family of nations
can increasingly take shape.
 The first challenge is a humanitarian one. It calls
the whole international community — or better, the
family of nations — to look after its weakest members.
In certain parts of the world, such as the Horn of
Africa, we are, sadly, facing grave humanitarian
emergencies that force millions of people — the
majority women and children — to leave their homes,
large numbers of them being victims of drought,
famine and malnutrition.
 The Holy See renews its appeal to the
international community, expressed many times by
Pope Benedict XVI, to amplify and support
humanitarian policies in those areas and to work to
concretely address the various factors that amplify
their vulnerability.

41 11-51670

 These humanitarian emergencies make clear the
need to find innovative ways to put to work the
principle of the responsibility to protect, at the base of
which is the recognition of the unity of the human
family and the innate dignity of every man and every
woman. As is known, that principle points to the
responsibility of the international community to
intervene in situations in which Governments on their
own cannot — or do not wish to — comply with their
primary responsibility to protect their populations
against grave violations of human rights and the effects
of humanitarian crises. If States are no longer capable
of guaranteeing that protection, the international
community must intervene with the juridical means
foreseen in the United Nations Charter and other
international instruments.
 However, it must be recalled that there is a risk
that that principle may be invoked in certain
circumstances as a pretext to use military force. It is
good to recall that even the use of force in keeping
with the United Nations rules should be a temporary
solution, a true emergency measure, accompanied and
followed by a concrete commitment to pacification.
 For that reason, in taking up the challenge of the
responsibility to protect, we must engage in a deeper
search for the means to prevent and manage conflicts,
exploring all possible diplomatic avenues through
negotiation and constructive dialogue, noting and
encouraging even the weakest signs of willingness to
negotiate or desire for reconciliation on the part of the
parties involved.
 The responsibility to protect must be thought of
not as military intervention alone — which should
always be the last recourse — but above all as a
requirement that the international community be united
in facing crises. It must create forums for genuine,
sincere negotiations, support the moral force of law,
seek the common good and encourage Governments,
civil society and public opinion to find the causes of
and offer solutions to crises of all kinds. I must act in
close collaboration and solidarity with the affected
populations and place above all else the integrity and
security of all citizens.
 It is therefore important that the responsibility to
protect, understood in that sense, should be the
criterion and motivation that underlies all the work of
States and of the United Nations to restore peace,
security and the human rights. Moreover, the long and
generally successful history of peacekeeping
operations and the more recent initiatives in
peacebuilding can offer valuable lessons for conceiving
models for implementing the responsibility to protect
in full respect for international law and for the
legitimate interests of all the parties involved.
 Respect for freedom of religion is a fundamental
factor in peacebuilding, the recognition of human
dignity and the safeguarding of the human rights. This
is the second challenge I would like to reflect on.
 The situations in which the right to freedom of
religion is violated or is denied to believers of different
religions are unfortunately many. We have witnessed
rising intolerance for religious reasons. Christians are
the religious group that currently suffers the greatest
persecution because of their faith.
 The lack of respect for freedom of religion
threatens security and peace and hinders authentic
integral human development. The particular weight of
a given religion in a nation should never mean that
citizens of other faiths are discriminated against in
social life or, worse still, that violence against them is
tolerated. In that connection, it is important that a
common commitment to recognize and promote the
religious freedom of every person and every
community be promoted by engaging in sincere
interreligious dialogue, encouraged and supported by
Governments and international bodies.
 I reiterate the concerned appeal made by the Holy
See to authorities and religious leaders to adopt
effective measures for the protection of religious
minorities, wherever they are threatened. In that way,
believers of all faiths everywhere will be able to live in
security and continue to make a contribution to their
society.
 In thinking about the situation in some countries,
I would like to repeat in particular that Christians are
citizens like any other citizens, connected to their
homeland and faithful to all of their national duties. It
is natural that they should enjoy all the rights of
citizenship, freedom of conscience and worship,
freedom in teaching and education and freedom in the
use of communications media.
 Moreover, in some countries, although much
importance is placed on pluralism and tolerance,
paradoxically there is a tendency to consider religion
as something foreign to modern society or even as a

11-51670 42

destabilizing force. Various means are sought to
marginalize religion and prevent it from having any
influence on social life.
 But how can anyone deny the contribution of the
world’s great religions to the development of
civilization? As Pope Benedict XVI stressed, the
sincere search for God has led to greater respect for
human dignity. For example, Christian communities,
with their heritage of values and principles, have
contributed much to making individuals and peoples
aware of their own identity and their dignity, as well as
to the establishment of rule-of-law institutions and the
recognition of human rights and their corresponding
responsibilities. From that standpoint, it is important
that believers, today as yesterday, feel free to offer
their contribution to the promotion of a more just
human order, not only through their responsible
involvement in civic, economic and political life, but
also through the witness of their charity and faith.
 A third challenge that the Holy See would like to
bring to the attention of the Assembly is the continuing
global economic and financial crisis.
 We all know that a fundamental element of the
current crisis is the deficit in ethics in the economic
structures. Ethics are not an external element of the
economy; the economy has no future if it has no moral
element. In other words, the ethical dimension is
essential in addressing economic problems. The
economy does not function only through market self-
regulation, and even less through agreements that are
limited to accommodating the interests of the most
powerful.
 The economy needs an ethical raison d’être in
order to work for humankind. The notion of producing
resources and goods — that is, the economy — and of
managing them strategically — that is, politics —
without seeking to do good through those same acts —
that is, without ethics — has proven to be a naïve or
cynical illusion, and always fatal. Moreover, every
economic decision has a moral consequence.
 The economy therefore needs ethics to function
properly — not just any ethic, but a people-centred
ethic that can offer prospects to new generations.
Economic and commercial activities oriented towards
development should be able to effectively reduce
poverty and alleviate the suffering of the most
disenfranchised.
 In that regard, the Holy See encourages
strengthening official development assistance in
accordance with the Group of Eight commitments
made at Gleneagles. My delegation hopes that the
debates on this theme at the forthcoming High-level
Dialogue on Financing for Development will bring the
expected results.
 Furthermore, the Holy See has repeatedly
stressed the importance of new and more in-depth
thinking on the meaning of the economy and its
objectives, as well as a forward-looking review of the
global trade and financial architecture to correct its
dysfunctions and distortions. This review of
international economic rules must form part of wider
efforts to forge a new global development model.
Indeed, the state of our planet’s environmental health,
and above all the cultural and moral crisis of
humankind — the symptoms of which have been
evident around the world for some time — demand
this.
 These considerations should also inspire the work
of the forthcoming United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development, to be held in June, on the
conviction that “Human beings are at the centre of
concerns for sustainable development”, as stated in the
Principle 1 of the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment
and Development.
 The sense of environmental responsibility and
preservation should be guided by our awareness of
being a family of nations. The idea of “family”
immediately evokes something more than merely
functional relationships or a simple convergence of
interests. A family is by nature a community based on
interdependence, mutual trust, mutual aid and sincere
respect. Its full development is based not on the
supremacy of the strongest, but on the attention paid to
the weakest and most marginalized, and its
responsibility extends to future generations. Respect
for the environment should make us more attuned to
the needs of the most disenfranchised. It should create
a development strategy centred on the individual that
promotes solidarity and the shared responsibility of all,
including future generations.
 This strategy can only benefit from the United
Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty, planned
for 2012. An unregulated and non-transparent arms
trade has significant negative repercussions. It hampers
integral human development and heightens the risk of

43 11-51670

conflicts, especially internal conflicts, and instability.
It fosters a culture of violence and impunity, which is
often linked to such criminal activities as drug
trafficking, trafficking in human beings and piracy.
These are becoming ever more serious international
problems.
 The results of the current arms trade treaty
process will test the true willingness of States to
assume their moral and legal responsibilities in that
regard. The international community, conscious of the
great numbers of people affected by the illegal trade in
arms and ammunition and aware of their suffering,
must focus on concluding an arms trade treaty that is
effective and enforceable. Indeed, the primary
objective of the treaty should be not only to regulate
the trade in conventional arms and obstruct the black
market, but also and most importantly to protect human
life and build a world more respectful of human
dignity.
 Indeed, the United Nations’ contribution to
building a world more respectful of human dignity will
demonstrate its ability to effectively carry out its
mission, which is to help the family of nations to
pursue the common objectives of peace, security and
integral development for all.
 The Holy See is also concerned about the events
unfolding in some countries of North Africa and the
Middle East. I would like to take this opportunity to
renew the appeal made by the Holy Father Benedict
XVI, who called on all citizens, particularly young
people, to do their utmost to promote the common
good and build societies in which poverty is overcome,
in which every political choice is inspired by respect
for human beings and in which peace and harmony will
triumph over divisions, hatred and violence.
 A final observation concerns Palestine’s request
for recognition as a Member State of the United
Nations, made here on 23 September by the President
of the Palestinian National Authority, Mr. Mahmoud
Abbas. The Holy See views this initiative as an attempt
to find a definitive solution, with the support of the
international community, to the question already
addressed by the General Assembly in its resolution
181 (II) of 29 November 1947. That fundamental
document sets down the legal framework for the
existence of two States. One of them has already been
born, while the other has not yet been established,
although nearly 65 years have passed.
 The Holy See is convinced that if one desires
peace, brave decisions must be taken. It hopes that the
competent bodies of the United Nations are resolved to
help effectively implement the final objective, that is,
achieving the Palestinians’ right to have their own
independent and sovereign State and the Israelis’ right
to security, both States with internationally recognized
borders.
 The response of the United Nations, whatever it
may be, will not be a complete solution. Lasting peace
can be achieved only through good-faith negotiations
between Israelis and Palestinians, avoiding actions or
conditions that contradict declarations of goodwill. The
Holy See therefore urges the parties to return to
negotiations with resolve. It urgently appeals to the
international community to increase its commitment
and stimulate its creativity and initiatives in order to
reach a lasting peace, in respect for the rights of the
Israelis and the Palestinians.


On behalf of President Tommy
E. Remengesau, Jr., and the people of Palau, I offer my
congratulations to the President on his election. I
assure him and all Member States that the United
Nations will have my Government’s full cooperation
and support in the coming year.
 Our existential challenge is climate change. To
quote the text prepared for the President’s address at
the opening of this session, we “cannot accept, under
any circumstance, proposals for mandatory emissions
reduction targets that take for granted sacrificing the
homelands of entire peoples”. We must reach an
agreement on a set of quantified emission reduction
targets for the second commitment period of the Kyoto
Protocol. These targets must reflect the urgency of the
circumstances.
 The post-2012 regime must address mitigating
the impacts of climate change on small island
developing States. As the text of the President’s
opening address states, Member States “must be guided
by a single consideration: saving those small island
States that today live in danger of disappearing entirely
as nations”. Never before in all history has the
disappearance of whole nations been such a real
possibility. As we noted in Niue, Palau and the
members of the Pacific Islands Forum are deeply
concerned about the growing threat that climate change
poses not only to our sustainable development, but in
fact to our future survival. This is a security matter that
has gone unaddressed.

08-51845 30

 It is for this reason that the Pacific Small Island
Developing States submitted a draft resolution at the
sixty-second session of the General Assembly
requesting that the Security Council honour the Charter
of the United Nations and actively continue its
consideration of the security implications of climate
change. We were gratified by the positive response
from the international community and thank our many
co-sponsors for their support. We will reintroduce our
resolution in the sixty-third session and look forward to
Assembly action this fall.
 In the meantime, we cannot wait. While Palau
contributes little to greenhouse gas emissions, we are
taking significant steps to reduce our reliance on fossil
fuel, despite the detrimental economic consequences to
us. The number of projects on energy efficiency and
renewable energy has been increased, and we thank our
donor partners for their support. We appreciate the
support of Italy and Austria in supporting development
cooperation with respect to energy for sustainable
development. We also thank the European Union for
their ongoing assistance in the area of renewable
energy.
 We sincerely hope that Taiwan will be able to
participate in the specialized agencies of the United
Nations. The Republic of China’s meaningful
participation in those agencies, such as the World
Health Organization and the International Civil
Aviation Organization, would help promote peace and
cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, enhance
important dialogue and help all peoples.
 The oceans that surround Palau are the backbone
of our nation’s existence and are integral to our
continued viability as an independent nation. At the
sixty-first session we banded together to protect
vulnerable marine ecosystems from deep sea bottom
trawling, a destructive fishing practice responsible for
95 per cent of the worldwide damage to seamounts. We
congratulate the South Pacific Regional Fisheries
Management Organisation for adopting interim
measures that are a substantial step towards eliminating
bottom trawling. We urge all other regional fisheries
management organizations and flag States to follow
this example, and we remind everyone that the
deadline to take action, 31 December 2008, is fast
approaching.
 Palau has been active on the issue of bottom
trawling because of its effects on ocean ecosystems.
The North Pacific is home to some of the world’s best
remaining fisheries. Their diversity is a key reason for
the Micronesia Challenge, whereby the countries and
territories of Micronesia joined together to conserve 30
per cent of near-shore marine resources and 20 per cent
of land resources by the year 2020.
 This project is the first of its kind in the world. It
covers 6.7 million square miles of ocean and helps to
protect 10 per cent of the world’s coral reefs, including
more than 60 threatened species. We thank the General
Assembly for its recognition of this programme at its
sixty-second session, in resolution 62/215 on oceans
and law of the sea and thank our development partners,
including Turkey, the Global Environment Fund, the
Nature Conservancy and Conservation International for
their support.
 Since Palau joined the United Nations in 1994,
we have highlighted our concern that the Organization
has no presence in our country. We were pleased
therefore when the United Nations Development
Programme, the United Nations Population Fund and
the United Nations Children’s Fund announced that
eight new joint offices would open in Pacific island
countries, including Palau. We welcome that historic
accomplishment and await the opening ceremony.
 Palau is an active participant in the efforts of the
international community to combat terrorism and has
made every effort to improve its anti-terrorism
capacity. We have met with the Counter-Terrorism
Committee Executive Directorate to advance our
requests for assistance, particularly in the area of
combating money-laundering and terrorism financing.
Unfortunately, the efforts of the Directorate have been
insufficient. Our experience has been that the capacity-
building efforts of the United Nations have focused on
helping countries draft and adopt legislation. That is an
excellent first step, but an insufficient one, as the best-
designed legislation is meaningless without
enforcement.
 We hope that, during the sixty-third session of the
General Assembly, the United Nations will take the
next step and help smaller countries that have the drive
but not the means to operationalize the laws and
regulations they have in place to fight terrorism. We
urge the establishment of a voluntary trust fund that
would allow small States to develop effective counter-
terrorism initiatives. We thank the United States and

31 08-51845

Australia for the counter-terrorism assistance they have
given us.
 Urgent attention should be paid to Security
Council reform. Without it, there can be no genuine
United Nations reform. Japan has demonstrated its
concern for and commitment to Palau and all its Pacific
neighbours, and should be a permanent member of the
Council. Likewise, India, the world’s largest
democracy, is a developing nation with a deep sense of
involvement in Palau and the rest of the Pacific. We
have supported and continue to support the principles
of the draft resolution proposed by the Group of Four
countries.
 We have worked very hard to change the dates for
submission to the Commission on the Limits of the
Continental Shelf. The new submission regime will
allow developing countries to preserve our claims to
the resources contained in our extended continental
shelf. Though that extension of time for submission is
welcome, it is only half the battle. We still need the
resources and the technical expertise necessary to make
a full submission, and we request the assistance of the
international community in helping us to achieve that
goal.
 Palau was the last country to emerge from the
United Nations trusteeship system. The United Nations
helped to return our sovereignty after four colonial
administrations. We are thus particularly proud to
advance the objectives of this unique institution and
look forward to working together to achieve them
during this session of the General Assembly. In
closing, let me thank the Assembly in my country’s
native language: Kom Kmal Mesulang.


At the outset, I wish to extend our
sincere congratulations to Mr. Miguel d’Escoto
Brockmann on his election as President of the General
Assembly at its sixty-third session. I would also like to
take the opportunity to pay tribute to the President of
the General Assembly at its sixty-second session,
Mr. Srgjan Kerim, for his able leadership during his
past term.
 For Turkey, the United Nations Charter reflects
the common aspirations and conscience of humanity.
The United Nations provides a political and moral
compass for our endeavours towards a just
international order — a better order that will prevent
new conflicts, ensure that human rights are upheld and
lead to more equitable and sustainable distribution of
prosperity.
 In this framework, we believe that the most
pressing task before the international community is to
bridge, as quickly as possible, the enormous gap
between the wealthiest and the least fortunate. We have
certainly made considerable progress in that direction,
including towards meeting the Millennium
Development Goals; however, our common fight
against poverty, illiteracy, epidemic diseases, child
mortality and climate change is still far from over. On
the contrary, volatile fuel prices, the food crisis and the
global economic slowdown have brought about an even

21 08-51570

more challenging development and security
environment. Under such circumstances, the fight
against terrorism, racism, xenophobia and all forms of
religious discrimination and extremism takes on
particular importance.
 We must indeed remain extremely vigilant
against the risk of further alienation between different
cultures and religions. In that respect, we regard the
Alliance of Civilizations initiative, which we
cosponsored with Spain under the auspices of the
United Nations Secretary-General, as an important
instrument that can help us avoid such a dangerous
track.
 Turkey will continue to be a leading country in
further advancing the goals of this initiative which
enjoys worldwide backing, including from the
European Union and the Organization of the Islamic
Conference. We hope that the Group of Friends of the
Alliance of Civilizations, which now consists of
14 international organizations and 76 countries
representing different regions ranging from Latin
America to Africa and Asia, will keep growing. In this
vein, we look forward to hosting the second Forum
meeting of the Alliance of Civilizations in Istanbul
next April.
 As I said, a top priority issue on our agenda is the
need to address the problems of the developing world.
There is no question that developing countries should
get all the assistance they need to achieve sustainable
development. They must be supported under a renewed
global development agenda and through increased
foreign investments and enhanced trade facilities. For
its part, Turkey is trying to contribute to this
endeavour, first and foremost through increased
development assistance. Turkey also provides special
facilities for development, health, education and
agricultural projects in various parts of the world. As a
result of such fast-growing aid programmes, Turkey is
now recognized as an emerging donor country by the
international community.
 The United Nations Ministerial Conference of the
Least Developed Countries which Turkey hosted in
Istanbul last year has clearly demonstrated our
commitment to humanitarian and development
assistance. We have now offered to host the Fourth
Ministerial Conference. Similarly, the first-ever
Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit held in Istanbul
last month provided an important opportunity to
explore new avenues of cooperation with the African
continent.
 Turkey is also committed to combating global
warming, which has serious implications for the entire
world, but more so for the developing countries.
Driven by that conviction, we are taking active part in
negotiations to shape our new global climate change
agreement, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol.
 Turkey also pays special attention to the global
water crisis. In that regard, we hope that the Fifth
World Water Forum which we will host in Istanbul next
March will inspire new thinking and concrete action on
this important question.
 If I may now turn to the political issues besetting
our region, I am pleased to note that Turkey has been
actively contributing to the advancement of peace by
facilitating dialogue. We have also been working hard
to build a sense of co-ownership of regional issues
among our neighbours through a series of regional
cooperation initiatives. Encouraged by its strong
regional ties, Turkey has launched another initiative
designed to prevent further conflict in the recently
traumatized South Caucasus. In that regard, I believe
that the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform
proposed by Turkey could be an instrumental
framework for building a climate of confidence in the
region that will allow discussion of our common
problems in a democratic setting.
 In the light of impressions from my visits to our
neighbours Armenia and Azerbaijan and those of Prime
Minister Erdogan to the Russian Federation and
Georgia, all parties concerned seem receptive to the
idea; we hope they will give it a chance to work. I
sincerely believe that a positive perspective thus
created will help to solve frozen conflicts, including
occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, on the basis of respect
for the principle of territorial integrity. No doubt, such
a perspective will also help improve the bilateral ties
between the countries of the region.
 The President returned to the Chair.
 It is also well past time to settle the conflicts of
the Middle East, at the core of which lies the
Palestinian question. Turkey actively supports all
endeavours to bring about a lasting solution to that
central problem and alleviate the plight of the
Palestinian people. Turkey is also making every effort
to help advance the Syrian and Lebanese tracks. One

08-51570 22

recent example is the indirect peace talks that Syria
and Israel started under Turkey’s auspices this past
May in Istanbul.
 In Iraq, too, Turkey stands firmly with the Iraqi
people and Government. Besides our bilateral efforts, I
am particularly pleased to see that the Neighbouring
Countries process, which I initiated five years ago, is
functioning well. If the international community’s
efforts are to succeed, the Iraqi people need to settle
their differences through dialogue and compromise on
controversial issues, among them the final status of
Kirkuk.
 Afghanistan is another country where Turkey is
investing heavily in the future of a nation with which
we have special historical ties. Turkey will continue to
contribute to the security of the Afghan people and to
their reconstruction efforts. We will also continue our
initiatives to create an atmosphere conducive to
regional ownership and cooperation, in particular
between Pakistan and Afghanistan. That is equally vital
for the common struggle against terrorism and for the
stability of the region.
 Finally, an urgent and peaceful settlement of the
question of Iran’s nuclear programme, in conformity
with International Atomic Energy Agency norms and
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
obligations and respecting the right to the peaceful use
of nuclear energy, remains high on Turkey’s active
diplomatic agenda.
 I am convinced that would-be solutions to
individual conflicts in the Middle East will be
sustainable only if we adopt a comprehensive approach
based on a positive vision for the future. That is why I
invite all the parties to give serious consideration to the
longstanding idea of collective arrangements for
conflict prevention and resolution that would promote
regional security and stability by building confidence,
facilitating political dialogue and encouraging
economic and cultural cooperation in the Middle East.
 Turkey gives full backing to diplomatic efforts
towards a political settlement in Cyprus. The solution
lies in the establishment of a new partnership State
composed of two constituent States of equal status. The
process towards that goal should be based on the
United Nations parameters of bi-zonality and the
political equality of the two sides. We welcome and
firmly support the comprehensive settlement
negotiations recently started between the two leaders
under the good offices of the Secretary-General.
 At the same time, I believe that efforts to end the
unfair isolation of the Turkish Cypriots who voted
courageously in favour of the Comprehensive
Settlement of the Cyprus Problem in 2004 — a plan
that was unfortunately rejected by the other side — are
long overdue.
 Before concluding, I would like to stress the
indispensable nature of the United Nations in resolving
all those matters. Indeed, without an effective and
functional world body, it is impossible to realize the
hopes and expectations of our nations. That is why we
attach the utmost importance to reforming and further
strengthening the United Nations system as a whole. It
is also why Turkey is constantly stepping up its
engagement in and contributions to all aspects of the
United Nations agenda, ranging from development and
peacekeeping to human rights.
 It is also with that sense of responsibility that
Turkey has decided to put forth its candidature for a
non-permanent seat on the Security Council for 2009
and 2010. Turkey has not been represented in the
Council for nearly half a century, and we believe that
the main tenets of our foreign policy, together with our
economic, social and cultural attributes, will allow us
to bring added value to the work of the Council. I hope
that the General Assembly, with its valuable support,
will do us the honour of granting Turkey the
opportunity to do so.