I bring the greetings and
best wishes of the people of the Republic of the
Marshall Islands. I congratulate the President on his
election to chair the Assembly at this session. He has
our confidence and support.
 I offer my gratitude to the United Nations for its
continuing role in coordinating and leading the world’s
efforts to meet challenges affecting the interests of all
nations. The United Nations Joint Presence Office in
the Marshall Islands has brought the ideals of the
Organization closer to our people and country. Our
hope is that other United Nations agencies — including
the World Health Organization, the United Nations
Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Food
and Agriculture Organization and the United Nations

51 09-52425

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific — will follow suit and make their presence felt
more prominently, producing concrete results on the
ground.
 I wish to acknowledge the personal commitment
of the Secretary-General to meeting the challenges of
climate change. His reminder to take our best to the
table in Copenhagen in service of a higher calling to
save the planet is well noted. His call for a clear moral
imperative for bold and decisive urgent action and his
recognition of the duty of the larger economies to the
most vulnerable have not gone unnoticed by us small
island States. Although some may consider as
insufficient the Group of 8 commitment in Italy this
year, I believe it is an encouraging and a necessary step
forward.
 We cherish the hope that the increasing
participation of the United States in debates on issues
relating to climate change is a signal of its intention to
take its rightful place at the forefront of the global war
against climate change. Likewise, we are encouraged
by Japan’s bold and new commitment to address the
adverse effects of climate change.
 Let me express my appreciation to the Alliance of
Small Island States (AOSIS) for its leadership in
assisting small island developing countries to prepare
for negotiations in Copenhagen. We assure AOSIS of
our unwavering support.
 Full of expectation, the world has its eyes on
Copenhagen. It will be an event of historic significance
where, despite our differences, everyone can now view
the entire planet through a common perspective.
 Now, a few weeks away from Copenhagen, I feel
moved to ask what it is that we want to see happening
in there. What kind of outcome do we expect? How
should we and future generations judge the success of
Copenhagen?
 The answer, it seems to me, is a matter of
perspective. Major economies will no doubt be
watchful that Copenhagen does not disturb too much
an established way of life and all its benefits. I ask
these nations to consider the implicit moral obligation
that comes with their privileged and affluent status.
 For the small island States, however, the question
is whether Copenhagen will diminish or enhance their
security and their chances of survival, whether the
populations of the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Tokelau
and others should make haste to evacuate and head to
safer regions, as foreshadowed in a recent warning
from the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees.
 Therefore, our message to the leaders in
Copenhagen is clear: we appeal to them to strive with
every fibre of their being to increase their level of
commitment to combating climate change, to show the
world by their deeds — not words — their unbending
commitment to secure an effective post-Kyoto global
agreement. We appeal to them to be as unrestrained as
the wind and set the limit on the increase in global
average temperature above the pre-industrial period at
a level that will ensure our survival. We appeal to them
to be fair-minded and to act with determination to
reduce global emissions from 1990 levels by at least
85 per cent by 2050. We appeal to them to ensure that
global emissions peak no later than 2015. Finally, we
appeal to the leaders of all nations to construct in
Copenhagen the ark of salvation in which all nations
and peoples will find shelter.
 I believe that the success of Copenhagen will be
ultimately judged by the extent to which small, low-
lying island States — the most vulnerable — will feel a
sense of guaranteed safety and security. For, in our
interdependent global community, the moral duty of
the collective must always be the protection of the
weak and the most vulnerable.
 Short of that, however, Copenhagen will be no
more than the continuation of the law of the jungle, the
survival of the strongest. It will be a moral and
political failure. For Copenhagen is not about
mathematics. It is not about raw power; it is not
competition for the survival of the few. It is about
unleashing the moral and political forces and synergies
inherent in the collective body of nations for the good
of all. What else does political will mean but this?
 Failure in Copenhagen will make a mockery of
the Millennium Development Goals, for their
achievement will be beyond our capacity to attain. It
will question the ability of the Charter of the United
Nations to safeguard our pre-existing sovereign rights.
In short, the world and the most vulnerable in it cannot
afford the cost of failure.
 Closer to home, even though the rate of emission
of the Marshall Islands is insignificant in relative
terms, we have set for ourselves a reduction target of
40 per cent by 2020. Over the years, and subject to

09-52425 52

accessibility of funding, we have been pursuing a
systematic programme of solar power use. Nearly 40
per cent of the households in our outer islands are now
drawing on that power as one of their main sources of
energy. We intend to pursue this initiative until all 33
islands in our country are fully covered. On the
Micronesian subregional front, we are committed to the
goals of the Micronesia Challenge.
 Our efforts to adapt continue to suffer from the
lack of adequate funding, compounded by the sheer
complexity in accessing it from the sources.
Simplifying the process by direct access to those
sources could enable us to fast-track some of our
adaptation priorities, such as seawalls, coastal
management and safe water projects.
 I now turn to a matter that is very dear to the
heart of every Marshallese. We are deeply encouraged
by the Security Council meeting today, moderated by
President Obama, on the use and testing of nuclear
weapons.
 Nuclear weapon testing was conducted on our
islands between 1946 and 1958, at the time when we
were a ward of the United Nations trusteeship system.
Our first-hand experience as victims of nuclear weapon
testing on our islands, and the painful memories that
continue to haunt us after six decades, are nightmares
we would not wish on anyone. The toll in human
suffering and environmental damage has been
devastating. Now, sixty years since the detonation of
some 67 nuclear bombs, the Marshall Islands is still
grappling with the after-effects. Complete recovery in
terms of restoring affected islands to full economic
productivity and adequate compensation of the victims
remains uncertain.
 We have not come here to condemn or to point
fingers. However, we are compelled by our moral duty
to humanity to raise our voice in gatherings such as
this and to appeal to the conscience of the world
community. We call for the formulation of a new
perspective by which the spectre of war and of the use
of nuclear weapons may forever be dismissed from the
surface of the Earth.
 Banning nuclear weapons will not by itself
remove the root cause of war. Important as it may be, it
does not exert an enduring influence. People are too
ingenious not to invent still other forms of warfare.
Political agreements or good intentions alone are not
enough. The world craves something much more deep-
seated than pure pragmatism. It yearns for permanent
peace that springs from an inner state supported by a
moral attitude.
 There is no lack of recognition by national
leaders of the nature of the problem, but there is a
paralysis of will. The stark realities of the experience
of the people of the Marshall Islands have deepened
our profound conviction that, in a world irreversibly
moving towards a global society, it becomes imperative
that we recast our perspective, a perspective in which
national impulses and interests will find their fullest
expression when subordinated to the needs and
interests of the planet, our collective homeland, a
perspective that does not regard that subordination as
being disloyal to the nation.
 Amid our deepening economic and financial
woes, the Republic of the Marshall Islands continues to
remain buoyant through the generous support of our
friends and partners. Our special relationship with the
United States within the framework of the Compact of
Free Association provides a unique partnership that is
enduring and stable.
 We express our firm support for the efforts of the
United States and its allies in combating terrorism, and
we are proud of our young Marshallese men and
women serving in the armed forces of the United
States. The support also provided by Japan, the
Republic of China (Taiwan), the European Union,
Australia and our other donor partners is sincerely
acknowledged.
 The increasing complexity of the management of
evolving global affairs demands a reconstitution of the
membership of the Security Council. Japan’s
distinguished leadership and achievements in the area
of human security match its aspirations to seek a
permanent seat on the Council and thus deserve
favourable consideration. Evidence of progress in the
confidence-building process between China and the
Republic of China (Taiwan) deserves praise and
encouragement from the international community.
Taiwan’s membership in the United Nations
specialized agencies will enable its 23 million people
to play an active part in the affairs of the family of
nations.
 Not a single nation can escape the powerful grip
of the challenges of climate change. Its deadly virus is
here already. The remedy is clear: collective and
resolute action, now more than ever. The choice is

53 09-52425

ours. We implore Almighty God to give us courage and
wisdom.


The
establishment of the United Nations came about
through the fundamental recognition of our
interdependence as peoples and nations. Canada was
among its founding members, who were inspired at the
time by the need to create an international consensus
for the stability and security of a world ravaged by war,
more than 60 years ago. There is therefore no more
appropriate forum than this one for me, as Minister for
Foreign Affairs of Canada, to reaffirm my country’s

09-52592 46

commitment to collective action, namely, to work
together with all countries to pursue shared objectives
and overcome common challenges.
 The global economic and financial crisis, as well
as the global security and environmental threats facing us,
have underscored the extent of that interdependence. We
have placed economic recovery and growth at the top of
our priorities and have taken decisive action in Canada
to mitigate the impact of the crisis on all Canadians.
 However, the recovery of Canada’s economy cannot
happen in isolation from economic recovery across the
world. Moreover, protectionism is a common threat to all
of the world’s economies. History has taught us that we
cannot hope to emerge from the current crisis if we
impede global trade in an effort to protect our national
economies. We therefore need vigorous and effective
consultation at the highest levels so that we can work
together to resist the protectionist urge.
 Since the establishment of the United Nations,
more than 100,000 Canadians have served in United
Nations missions in Africa, the Americas, the Asia-
Pacific region and the Middle East. Today, thousands
of others — soldiers, police, diplomats, aid workers
and others — are working in support of missions led or
mandated by the United Nations around the world.
 Eradicating terrorism in all its forms is the
responsibility both of Canadians and of the United
Nations. Indeed, Canada is committed to combating
terrorism and to ensuring that the perpetrators and
supporters of terrorism are held accountable for their
actions. The Taliban in particular are a threat to global
peace and security. Like the United Nations, Canada is
determined to eradicate that threat.
 Our mission in Afghanistan is the most vivid
illustration of Canada’s determination to that end. It also
constitutes our most significant overseas contribution.
Canada’s mission is an efficient, integrated, civilian-
military partnership of approximately 2,800 military
personnel and more than 100 civilians. Those Canadians
are working tirelessly and making great sacrifices in
support of the United Nations-mandated Mission to
reconstitute a stable and secure Afghanistan that is at
last led by Afghans themselves.
 In the months ahead, Canada will expect Afghan
political leaders to make progress on key priorities —
from good governance to anti-corruption efforts and
from reconciliation to reconstruction, economic growth
and regional cooperation, so as to promote stability in
their country. As they tackle the many challenges
ahead, they must ensure that their efforts promote,
protect and improve human rights in a concrete
manner, in particular the rights and living conditions of
Afghan women and girls.
 Canada is also providing significant assistance to
Haiti, where our contribution will total $555 million
between 2006 and 2011. We aim to promote democracy,
security and economic growth and, above all, to secure a
better future for all of Haiti’s children and young people.
 Many other challenges remain. Canada regrets
the deteriorating security situation in southern Sudan,
and we call for the full implementation of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Along the same
lines, we encourage all parties to the Darfur conflict to
end hostilities through the joint mediation of the
United Nations and the African Union. Canada is
determined to contribute to resolving the conflict in the
Sudan. Since 2006, we have disbursed more than
$640 million in support of international efforts to
achieve sustainable peace in that country.
 We are all acutely conscious that nuclear
proliferation is a global threat we all face. Canada was
deeply troubled by the recent revelation that Iran has
been building a covert uranium enrichment facility for
several years. We condemn Iran’s continued refusal to
respect Security Council resolutions and International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) obligations. We
therefore call on Iran to allow the IAEA immediate and
unfettered access to all sites, including that facility. We
expect a full investigation.
 We hope that talks between Iran and the five
permanent members of the Security Council plus
Germany that are scheduled for 1 October will address
the continued duplicity surrounding Iran’s nuclear
programme. Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada
has been clear in his discussions with President
Obama, Prime Minister Brown, President Sarkozy and
our other allies. Canada will welcome the efforts
deemed necessary to remove what is clearly a threat to
international peace and security.
 In that regard, Canada commended President
Obama for having taken the initiative to organize a
summit meeting of the Security Council on the issue of
non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament (see
S/PV.6191). We commit ourselves to working with other
countries to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and

47 09-52592

new terrorist threats. However, finding a diplomatic
solution to those problems will require that we mobilize
political will to ensure that every country adheres to
the vision of a world free of nuclear weapons.
(spoke in English)
 At this time of the year in my country, the leaves
on the trees are changing colours. That dramatic
display reminds all Canadians of the need to protect
our natural heritage, which is one of the most majestic
in the world. But neither borders nor seasons can stop
the havoc caused by climate change. Canada therefore
remains committed to an ambitious post-2012 global
climate change agreement that is consistent with the
principles and provisions of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change and
supports sustainable, low-carbon global growth.
 We are committed to taking domestic actions to
reduce our total greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per
cent from 2006 levels by the year 2020, and by 60 to
70 per cent by 2050. Canada is a world leader in the
development of clean technologies to combat climate
change, including carbon capture and storage. We seek
to establish a new global partnership that will advance
the development and deployment of those technologies.
 Canada joined other countries at the L’Aquila
meeting of the Group of Eight (G-8) and at the Major
Economies Forum in affirming the broad scientific
view that the increase in global average temperature
above pre-industrial levels ought not to exceed two
degrees Celsius.
 This global phenomenon needs a global response.
That is why Canada wants to see all emitters be part of
this international effort. We congratulate the Secretary-
General for convening his productive Climate Change
Summit, as well as for assuming the leadership that
naturally falls to the United Nations in this area. All
major economies will be required to meet this global
challenge. This must be reflected in the context of a
fair, equitable and effective agreement at Copenhagen
in December.
 Adaptation to the impacts of climate change is an
important issue for all countries. It must be a core
element of a post-2012 climate change regime if we are
to build resilience to climate change impacts. Canada
has contributed significantly to a number of initiatives,
including the World Bank’s Pilot Program for Climate
Resilience. We continue to support international action
that strengthens the capacity of the poorest and most
vulnerable to adapt to a changing climate.
 As an Arctic State and Power, Canada is proud of
its long-standing sovereignty over that increasingly
promising territory. Canada also recognizes the important
responsibility that we have to Northerners and to the
sustainable development and environmental protection of
the region. Cooperation with our Arctic neighbours and
the peaceful pursuit of our interests has underpinned
and will continue to underpin Canada’s arctic foreign
policy and to guide our actions in the region. Through
our bilateral and multilateral engagement — whether at
the United Nations and the Arctic Council or in
working with our Arctic partners — Canada will continue
to show leadership on such Arctic issues as shipping, oil
and gas and contaminants and biodiversity.
 Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, 61 years ago, Canada has worked
vigorously to strengthen the United Nations human
rights machinery to ensure the credibility and integrity
of fair and balanced mechanisms to promote human
rights and fundamental freedoms. Human rights are an
important part of Canadian foreign policy and our
relations with Member States. During our recently
completed term on the Human Rights Council, Canada
worked to make it a forum for constructive international
dialogue. We will continue to work towards building an
efficient, responsive and credible Human Rights
Council that is true to its founding principles. Canada
will also continue to promote respect for basic human
rights and the freedom of expression and association.
And we will continue to advocate for those unjustly
detained in the world’s most abusive regimes.
 Finding the political will to translate our values into
actions and ensuring that we continue to hold to account
those who would violate basic human rights is in the
interest of all Member States. Supporting those who
are making sincere efforts to advance the human rights
of their populations is also one of our collective
objectives.
 Canada is meeting its international commitments.
We are on track to double our international assistance
to $5 billion by 2010. We have also already met our
commitment to double aid to Africa between 2003 and
2009. Canada will also continue to provide
humanitarian assistance to those affected by conflict
and natural disasters.

09-52592 48

 Through Canada’s chairmanship of the Sierra
Leone country-specific configuration of the
Peacebuilding Commission, we are working to bridge
the gap between humanitarian assistance and long-term
development. As Chair of the G-8 in 2010, Canada will
place emphasis on making the G-8 more accountable
and effective. Accountability means fulfilling our
commitments. Effectiveness is about strengthening our
partnerships, including with the United Nations, to
tackle challenges such as the fragility of States and
nuclear non-proliferation. Canada will also co-host the
summit of the Group of 20 (G-20) in June 2010, along
with our good friend the Republic of Korea.
 Our priority will remain economic recovery and
building the foundation for sustainable growth,
including for the most vulnerable. Earlier this week,
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a concrete
and innovative contribution to that effort. Building on
our previous G-20 commitments, Canada will provide
the African Development Bank with approximately
$2.6 billion in additional lending room. That will assist
the Bank in responding quickly to the demands of its
borrowing members while it continues its poverty
reduction efforts.
 I would urge representatives not to let the
dizzying succession of major events addressed here
cause them to lose sight of the importance of reforming
the Security Council. The Council is our most powerful
means of collective action. But we can, and indeed we
must, make it more effective, more accessible and more
flexible — more adapted, in fact, to the challenges and
opportunities of the broader international community.
 Canada has long supported efforts to make the
Security Council more responsive to today’s security
challenges and more representative of the world’s
regions, in particular Africa, which has been
historically underrepresented. Any real reform must
lead to increased transparency and accountability. That
will not be achieved by extending the privileges of a
few to a few more, but through democratically elected
access to the Security Council and through more
consultation with and openness to the wider
membership of the United Nations.
 In conclusion, this small reminder of the
responsibility we all bear for our citizens’ economic,
environmental and nuclear security can leave us
perplexed or even worried. But what we must never
forget is that, in this seemingly uneven battle, we have
in our arsenal the most effective weapons ever devised
by humankind, namely, freedom, democracy, human
rights and the rule of law.


On behalf of the
Kingdom of Morocco, I should like to congratulate you
warmly, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the
General-Assembly of the United Nations at its sixty-
fourth session. We are proud to see a son of a brotherly
country from our region at the helm of this universal
body. You may rest assured that our delegation is
prepared fully to support your endeavours aimed at
ensuring a greater role for our Organization in meeting
the challenges of today’s world.
 I wish also to seize this opportunity to express
our appreciation and support to His Excellency
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his tireless efforts
not only to realize the objectives for which our
Organization was created, but also to enable the
Organization to fulfil the aspirations of the peoples of
the world in the course of this third millennium.
 The global crises, owing to their universal
impact, multifaceted nature and wide implications,
have given additional impetus to our collective action
and strengthened coordination among the different
constituents of this universal body. Today, the world is
facing recurrent and unprecedented crises in the fields
of economics, finance, food and energy that have
shaken the foundations of universal governance. These
crises have also adversely affected the socio-economic
and environmental systems of all States, especially in
developing countries.
 As the most representative Organization in the
world, the United Nations embodies the living
conscience of the international community. As such, it
is the most appropriate forum for coordinated joint
action and for the reactivation of collective initiatives
in order to analyse the root causes of such crises and
contain their impact through the adoption of agreed
solutions likely to mitigate their effects. Effective and

09-52586 50

fair economic governance is dependent on the
revitalization of the multilateral system based on
realism, efficiency and innovation as a means of
finding solutions that reflect the aspirations and hopes
of present and future generations.
 The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
were adopted as a common platform for action with
clear objectives and a time frame for their
implementation, with a view to achieving human
development in the world. Much progress has been
achieved in many States thanks to the efforts of the
international community since the Millennium Summit.
However, the progress made towards those goals has
not been consistent or steady within States or among
States in general. The negative implications of the
current economic crisis may exacerbate those
disparities, especially in Africa. The few years that
remain before 2015 thus require us to adopt a
coordinated global approach and to build real
partnerships in order to mobilize additional financial
resources in line with the commitments made in the
Monterrey Consensus and the Doha Declaration on
Financing for Development as well as in the
declarations of the Group of Eight and the Group of 20.
 In this context, Morocco hopes that the fourth
high-level meeting on financing for development, to be
held in November 2009 in New York, will yield results
commensurate with the expectations of the developing
countries, thus giving new impetus to efforts to attain
the Millennium Development Goals, thus leading to the
formation of an international alliance for African
development in the framework of coordinated efforts
and initiatives aimed at achieving the Goals within
specific time frames. We also hope that the United
Nations agencies that are active in the area of
development will mainstream the Millennium
Development Goals and use them as the main and
appropriate framework for their action. In this context,
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
in particular should use the Millennium Development
Goals as practical and comprehensively agreed upon
indicators when drafting its report on human
development. The MDGs provide a practical and
qualitative, not only quantitative, way to measure
living that better reflects the ever-evolving concept of
development.
 In keeping with this vision, the National Initiative
for Human Development, launched in May 2005 by His
Majesty Mohammed VI, constitutes a pillar of
Moroccan social policy. The initiative is based on an
integrated approach to development in all its aspects —
political, economic, social, environmental and cultural.
By building roads, providing energy services and
encouraging income-generating activities, the Initiative
has achieved concrete results in fighting poverty and
exclusion, improving infrastructure and de-marginalizing
rural areas.
 Collective efforts in the field of development will
remain insufficient unless they are accompanied by
daring and effective policies for the protection of the
environment and concrete measures to mitigate the
impact of climate change, which now more than ever is
threatening the future of mankind. In that connection,
Morocco is convinced that the conference on climate
change to be held in Copenhagen in December will
undoubtedly constitute an important step towards an
international agreement on climate. In that regard,
Morocco reiterates the proposal it made at the
conference held at Poznan, Poland, in December 2008
for the creation of a multilateral fund for the transfer of
technology to the developing countries in order to
enable them to deal with the grave implications of
climate change.
 Mindful of the necessity to operationalize
concrete measures to protect the environment and
contain the negative impact of climate change, His
Majesty Mohammed VI instructed the Government to
draft swiftly a comprehensive national environmental
charter, with the aim of protecting national resources
and reserves as part of a sustainable development
policy. The environment should be considered a shared
national heritage whose protection is the collective
duty of current and future generations. Likewise,
Morocco will reactivate its national energy strategy
aimed at the development of renewable energy sources
and the recycling of waste water.
 Convinced that the peace process is the only
viable option in the Middle East, the Kingdom of
Morocco has participated constructively and
responsibly in all efforts of the international
community to relaunch the peace process on solid
foundations. That means that the process must be in
accordance with resolutions of international legality,
the previous relevant agreements and commitments
among the parties concerned, and the Arab Peace
Initiative, which as a realistic option reflects the
collective Arab will to arrive at a just and
comprehensive solution that guarantees the right of the

51 09-52586

Palestinian people to create their own independent
State, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, an Israeli
withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories,
including Syrian and Lebanese territories, and a stable,
secure and peaceful existence for all peoples of the
region.
 The Kingdom of Morocco expresses its
appreciation to the United States Administration for its
efforts and for the encouraging positions taken by
President Obama. We hope that it will persevere in
order to overcome obstacles to a resumption of
negotiations. We also commend all other international
efforts, including European efforts, to that end.
 Those efforts will be productive only if Israel
halts its illegal practices, which prevent the
achievement of peace. Those practices, in particular the
building of settlements in the occupied Palestinian
territories and the unjust blockade against our brotherly
Palestinian people, run counter to the peace option.
The settlement activities and the expulsions taking
place in Al-Quds, aimed at altering the legal and
demographic status of that holy city, are flagrant
violations of international instruments and require
urgent action on the part of all peace-loving countries.
 In that regard, His Majesty Mohammed VI, in his
capacity as Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, has
always warned the international community against the
risks associated with altering the legal status of
Al-Quds. He has also been urging the influential
international Powers to swiftly implement the
requirements of international legitimacy in order to
preserve the religious, cultural and spiritual features of
the holy city in such a way as to create appropriate
conditions conducive to the resumption of the peace
process.
 The achievement of peace through the peaceful
resolution of conflicts is the essence of the historical
mandate of the United Nations. It should be based on
the principles of equality among States and respect for
their independence and territorial integrity, in
accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. In
addition, there is a need to eliminate all weapons of
mass destruction and to combat terrorism in all its
forms and manifestations.
 As a member of the Peacebuilding Commission,
Morocco will continue its relevant activities, including
by mobilizing efforts in support of African countries.
Such efforts are being made within the framework of
South-South cooperation, with concrete projects,
defined goals and shared benefits and in keeping with
the priorities of Moroccan foreign policy as determined
by His Majesty King Mohammed VI. As one of the
first active participants in United Nations peacekeeping
missions, Morocco has always taken a keen interest in
United Nations efforts to enhance such operations as
part of the new partnership proposed to adapt to
international developments and the requirements for
lasting peace.
 Furthermore, recent developments in the area of
disarmament provide reason for optimism. The
positions expressed and the statements made at the
highest levels augur well and maintain the momentum
for disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. We hope
that efforts will be made at the international and
regional levels for the entry into force of the
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, given the
outcome of the meeting on article 14 of the Treaty,
which I had the honour to co-chair last Thursday with
my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of
France.
 Since its establishment, the United Nations has
endeavoured to promote international and regional
cooperation to uphold the principles of coexistence,
peace, good-neighbourliness and consultation at a time
when regional economic gatherings are playing a
pivotal role in addressing economic, security and
environmental issues. Convinced of that role, Morocco
has taken a keen interest in promoting good-
neighbourly relations in nearby African, Maghreb and
Mediterranean regions. Likewise, Morocco supports
the Mediterranean Union as a promising framework for
increasing dialogue and cooperation between the two
sides of the Mediterranean. Moreover, on 4 August
2009, mindful of the important role of the Atlantic
Ocean and the opportunities it provides for collective
action, Morocco launched an initiative aimed at
cooperation among African countries bordering the
Atlantic as the basis for a broader partnership with
other coastal countries in that geo-strategic region.
 His Majesty King Mohammad VI has reaffirmed
Morocco’s strong and enduring resolve to contribute in
good faith to the consolidation of the Arab Maghreb
Union, the reactivation of its structures and the
strengthening of relations among its members,
including brotherly Algeria. Indeed, that regional body
could play a central role in building fruitful
partnerships and in ensuring security and stability in

09-52586 52

Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Our
belief that the Arab Maghreb project must be
reactivated as an embodiment of our peoples’ hopes
and aspirations is in keeping with our sincere desire to
work to remove all obstacles to the realization of our
peoples’ expectations and the consolidation of
brotherly relations among its five members.
 In that regard, Morocco has responded
responsibly and in good faith to the appeals of the
Security Council for efforts to find a political, lasting
and negotiated solution to the regional dispute over the
Moroccan Sahara. A bold autonomy initiative, regarded
as serious and credible by the international community,
has been proposed as a promising and realistic basis for
a lasting solution to that artificial conflict.
 With the same resolve and responsibility,
Morocco, with the support of the Security Council, has
been engaged in the new dynamic resulting from its
initiative aimed at negotiations under United Nations
supervision. In its resolutions 1813 (2008) and 1871
(2009), the Council called for serious and intense
negotiations in a spirit of compromise and realism with
a view to finding a political, lasting and negotiated
solution that is in keeping with the principle of
self-determination and that cannot be monopolized by
anyone or selectively interpreted to conceal undeclared
objectives and a hidden agenda. Morocco will continue
its full cooperation with the Secretary-General and his
Personal Envoy to find a definitive solution to this
regional dispute that fully respects the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco and
grants autonomous status to the population of the
Sahara provinces, which is likely to ensure their
progress and well-being and enable them to manage
their domestic affairs in a democratic manner.
 The Kingdom of Morocco has always been at the
forefront of international and regional initiatives aimed
at promoting the values of dialogue, tolerance and
openness to others, especially as they relate to the
necessary dialogue between Islam and the West and to
respecting universal human rights standards, as
prevalent as they are all over the world.
 Based on those convictions, Morocco will
continue to promote its fruitful cooperation and
positive dialogue at the bilateral, regional and global
levels. Motivated by the same spirit of commitment,
the Kingdom of Morocco will assume its responsibility
and will play its role fully within the main United
Nations bodies, with a view to reinforcing the
Organization’s efficiency, credibility and contribution.
 May the blessings, peace and mercy of Allah be
upon all participants.


It
is my pleasure, Sir, to convey to you on behalf of the
State of Kuwait and on my own account our most
sincere congratulations on your election as President of
the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session.
Undoubtedly, your long regional and international
experience will be an important asset in achieving the
success we desire in the work of this important session
of the General Assembly. I also wish to pay tribute to
the presidency of your predecessor, His Excellency
Father Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, former Minister
for Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, during the sixty-third
session. I cannot fail to express also our appreciation for
the efforts and good offices of His Excellency
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and of the entire
Secretariat staff. We thank them for all their efforts in
the service of peace and security and in improving the
performance and the programmes of United Nations
bodies with a view to enhancing and developing their
capacities to keep pace with new developments on the
international scene and to respond effectively to the
challenges and dangers of today’s world.
 Never before has the world been in such need of a
strong, effective global organization. The diversity and
complexity of the challenges, crises and new
developments which confront our world today, in
addition to regional and international questions that
have remained unresolved for a long time, require
Member States to shoulder their responsibilities in
supporting this Organization, providing it with the
financial resources it needs to perform its duties and
discharge its responsibilities effectively and with
innovative methodology. Also, the United Nations
itself has a responsibility to improve its own
administrative structure and its performance in the
field, and to enhance its capacity to detect and monitor
developing challenges. This must be commensurate
with the current dangers, which require bold initiatives,
quick action and effective treatment.
 Combating terrorism; eradicating poverty and
hunger; combating dangerous diseases such as
HIV/AIDS, malaria and the A (H1N1) influenza virus,
which of late has spread in a frightful manner all over
the world; and dealing with the spread of the scourge
of illegal drugs: these are all challenges that require
from our Organization innovative joint action that
recognizes the dangers, diagnoses the crises, prepares
the resources and intervenes effectively in a radical and
collective fashion. Also, mobilizing specialized
regional organizations to act in a concerted and
organized effort is an important element in addressing
these challenges.
 Moreover, there are other challenges and threats
from which the international community still suffers,
the most prominent being the financial and economic
crisis and the phenomenon of climate change. The
financial crisis has had a negative impact on the
economies of the developing countries and has
impeded their efforts to attain the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). This has resulted in the
emergence of economic and social problems such as a
high rate of unemployment, deceleration in the rate of
economic growth, the collapse of financial markets and
an obvious contraction in regional and world trade.
 In this regard, we welcome the Outcome
Document adopted by the high-level meeting convened
by the President of the General Assembly last June (see
resolution 63/303), where commitments were made to
help developing countries overcome the effects of the
financial crisis, through an increase in official
development assistance, and to improve the
international trade system. It also emphasized the need
to continue the reform of the international financial
institutions to ensure equitable representation on their
executive boards and to enhance their oversight role, as
well as to improve the conditions for providing
financial and technical assistance for the developing
and least developed countries.

37 09-52463

 That effort, along with joint arrangements, led to
the emergence of signs of global economic recovery
during the last few weeks. It is our hope that such
action will continue in order to address a no less
dangerous crisis, that of climate change and the
degradation of the environment. This problem requires
an urgent global response. In this regard, we look
forward to the success of the important Climate
Change Conference, to be held in December in
Copenhagen, Denmark.
 Kuwait will be honoured to host in
mid-December their Majesties and Highnesses, the
leaders of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States
of the Gulf, at their thirtieth Summit Conference,
where they will have a full agenda. Foremost of the
many issues before them will be a project of vital
importance: the electric grid linking their States. We
hope that this strategic step will be the first of many,
including the monetary unification project and the
issuance of a unified Gulf currency.
 The State of Kuwait is proud to top the list of
Arab States, and to hold thirty-third position overall, in
human development. As indicated in the Arab Human
Development Report 2009, “Challenges to Human
Security in the Arab Countries”, issued by the United
Nations Development Programme, Kuwait scored the
highest marks among the Arab States in the fields of
education, health and general freedoms. Let there be no
doubt that the Government of Kuwait will continue its
efforts to improve economic and social conditions, and
to achieve all the Millennium Development Goals even
before the target date, which will provide a better life
for its citizens and residents.
 Kuwait is proud, too, that the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime, located in Vienna, has
listed Kuwait as first among Arab States, and third
globally, in combating illegal drugs and drug
trafficking. That was possible only through a focused
national effort and broad regional cooperation, which
achieved outstanding results.
 The State of Kuwait will continue steadily to
meet all its financial commitments to international and
regional institutes, funds and programmes in the field
of development assistance as well as to support
infrastructure projects in the developing and least
developed countries. Kuwait will also continue to
contribute to development projects through the Kuwait
Fund for Arab Economic Development, which since its
establishment in 1961 has provided assistance
amounting to more than $14.5 billion to more than a
hundred countries.
 The State of Kuwait has also taken initiatives to
stimulate economic growth, raise living standards and
reduce poverty in States suffering from the increase in
prices of basic food commodities. For this purpose,
Kuwait has established the Decent Living Fund, with
$100 million capital, and has allocated $300 million to
fight poverty in Africa through the Islamic
Development Bank.
 Although Kuwait is a developing country, the
percentage of humanitarian development aid that it
provides exceeds the target adopted at international
conferences, reaching 1.31 per cent of its gross
national product, compared with 0.45 per cent of the
gross national product of States members of the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD).
 Based on the State of Kuwait’s realization of the
importance of economic cooperation and trade in
consolidating relations between States, His Highness
the Emir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, convened the first Arab
Economic Summit, focusing on development, which
Kuwait hosted last January. The Conference adopted a
number of important and ambitious economic projects
aimed at reaching new horizons of partnership and
cooperation. Also adopted was the proposal by the
State of Kuwait to establish a $1 billion fund, to which
we will contribute $500 million, to support and finance
small and medium-size development projects, which
will help raise the standards of living of Arab citizens.
 The June parliamentary elections in my country
represented a qualitative transformation in Kuwaiti
parliamentary life, with four women obtaining the trust
and support of the Kuwaiti voters. They now join their
brothers in representing the Kuwaiti people and
expressing their ambitions under the dome of the
National Assembly. This civilized accomplishment
comes after Kuwaiti women have achieved success in
the fields of private and public enterprise, as well as
government work, including holding ministerial
positions in the Kuwaiti Cabinet. We express our pride
in, and appreciation of, the significant achievements of
Kuwaiti women and will continue to support their role
as active partners in the political, economic and social
fields.

09-52463 38

 We express much sorrow and pain that the
question of Palestine has remained unresolved for over
six decades, despite numerous international efforts and
initiatives by a number of international and regional
parties. A source of major concern is the deteriorating
political, economic, social and humanitarian situation
in the occupied Palestinian territories, including
Jerusalem, as a result of the continued exercise by
Israel, the occupying Power, of its illegal policies and
practices, contrary to international law and relevant
United Nations resolutions.
 In this regard, we renew our condemnation of
repeated Israeli aggression against the occupied
territories, in particular, the military aggression against
Gaza last December, in which more than
1,400 Palestinians, among them women, children and
the elderly, were killed. That aggression also resulted
in the unjustifiable destruction of homes, property and
civilian infrastructure.
 We call upon the international community, the
Security Council in particular, to assume its
responsibilities and take all necessary measures to stop
Israel’s violation of international humanitarian law and
its settlement activities as well as the policy of
collective punishment it imposes on the Palestinian
people. That policy is applied through its blockade of
Gaza and its restriction of the freedom of access and
movement of persons in all areas, including in the
occupied territories. We also call for an immediate halt
to Israel’s settlement activities, which are carried out
under unacceptable pretexts.
 The State of Kuwait also wishes to refer to the
report (A/HRC/12/48) of the United Nations Fact
Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, which clearly
proves that the Israeli forces committed war crimes
during the brutal aggression against Gaza last year.
This represents a grave violation of international
humanitarian law. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the
Security Council and the broader United Nations to
assume their responsibility to stop these crimes against
humanity and to punish the perpetrators in accordance
with international law.
 Because of its moral and national responsibilities,
as well as its steady support for the Palestinian cause,
the State of Kuwait, in addition to supporting
international efforts to improve living conditions in
Gaza and to rebuild what the Israeli aggression against
Gaza destroyed, has voluntarily pledged to donate
$500 million, $200 million of which is to rebuild Gaza.
This is a portion of its commitments within the context
of the League of Arab States to support the Palestinian
Authority.
 Kuwait also took the initiative of responding to
the appeal that the United Nations Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
(UNRWA) launched last December by donating the
entire amount sought, $34 million, to cover the cost of
urgently needed relief aid.
 In this context, we believe that the suffering of
the Palestinian people will continue until there is a
permanent, just and comprehensive peace, which must
mean ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian
territories, the establishment of a Palestinian State,
with Jerusalem as its capital, and total Israeli
withdrawal from all Arab territories it has occupied
since 4 June 1967, in implementation of relevant
Security Council resolutions, the Road Map and the
Arab Peace Initiative.
 As for Iraq, the State of Kuwait commends the
speedy efforts of the Iraqi Government to achieve
peace, security, stability and prosperity for the Iraqi
people. Kuwait supports every action that will preserve
the sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity
of brotherly Iraq and ensure non-interference in its
internal affairs. The State of Kuwait also condemns all
acts of terrorism in Iraq aimed at destabilizing its
security and stability and instigating detestable violent
sectarianism.
 To put an end to the so-called sectarian violence,
it is important to resume the policy of dialogue and
national reconciliation in order to ensure ample
participation by all sectors of society in all phases of
the political process, including the parliamentary
elections to be held next January. The State of Kuwait
will continue to support every effort to assist brotherly
Iraq to regain its standing and natural position in its
regional and international environment, in order to
build a democratic, unified and peaceful Iraq, living in
peace internally and with its neighbours, committed to
fulfil its obligations as laid down in resolutions of
international legitimacy.
 The State of Kuwait hopes that the conflict over
the occupied United Arab Emirates islands will be
resolved by peaceful means. It calls upon the friendly
Islamic Republic of Iran to settle the question through

39 09-52463

direct brotherly negotiations or by recourse to the
International Court of Justice.
 The resolution of conflicts and the settlement of
differences between States, particularly in our region,
must depend on a set of firm principles, deeply rooted
in international relations, and emanating from
resolutions of international legitimacy and the rules of
international law. If necessary, a decision of the
International Court of Justice must be sought to
preserve good-neighbourly relations. That basis and
those legal principles cannot be sidestepped to achieve
the self-interests of one side at the expense of the other.
In no case would that serve good-neighbourly relations
or the building of mutual trust, and therefore it would
affect the peace and stability of the parties, as well as
international peace and security.
 We followed with great interest yesterday’s
Security Council summit (see S/PV.6191) addressing
one of the most important matters affecting
international peace and security, nuclear disarmament,
in order to create a world free of nuclear weapons. We
noted with satisfaction the unanimous adoption of
Security Council resolution 1887 (2009), which sets
the stage for a world free of nuclear weapons and
weapons of mass destruction, a world that fulfils the
hopes of humanity and ensures the safety and
prosperity of the world’s peoples.
 While Kuwait supports the right of all States to
use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, it reiterates
its deep-rooted belief in the important need for
disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction and
for declaring the Middle East region a zone free from
nuclear weapons. We renew our call to deal seriously
with Israel, the only country in the region that did not
adhere to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and
call upon Israel to adhere to the Treaty and subject all
its facilities to comprehensive International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.
 Kuwait also hopes that negotiations between the
friendly Islamic Republic of Iran, the IAEA and other
countries concerned will continue, with a view to
reaching a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear
issue in order to dispel the fears and doubts
surrounding the nature and purpose of its programme.
 In conclusion, it is our hope that joint political
will can be mustered to achieve the noble purposes and
principles of the Charter and to confront the serious
challenges facing our world today.
 There is also an urgent need to redouble our
efforts to reject fanaticism and xenophobia, and to
continue strengthening the dialogue between different
civilizations and religions as the ideal mode for
achieving understanding between cultures. This will
create an appropriate environment to consolidate the
principle of mutual respect and build bridges between
societies.


At the outset, please allow me to
congratulate Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki on his election
as President of the United Nations General Assembly at
its sixty-fourth session. We wish him success in his
work and assure him of Montenegro’s unwavering
support.
 I would also like to thank the former President,
Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, for his endeavours and
personal contribution in discharging this challenging
post.
 At the same time I would like to pay my tribute to
the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for his
outstanding efforts in leading the Organization in these
trying times.
 As we have heard from the statements of previous
distinguished speakers, given the impact of the world
economic and financial crisis and related food and
energy crises, climate change and the flu pandemic on
the economic and social growth and development,
politics and global relations, including achievement of
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other
internationally agreed development goals, only a
coordinated and a concerted global effort can yield
positive results.
 Response to current challenges requires,
therefore, that we pool all capacities and resources, as
well as a strong political will from us all. In this, the
key role belongs to the United Nations, the world’s
most important multilateral forum.
 Montenegro, as a country that advocates the
equality of peoples and nations in international
relations, is fully committed to active participation in
efforts to work out a global response to present-day
challenges. Preserving peace and security through
activities aimed at creating positive political,
economic, social and cultural environments for the
implementation and respect of international law, the
rule of law and the protection and promotion of
fundamental human rights and freedoms are the main
principles and bases of the Montenegrin foreign policy
priorities.
 In that regard, Montenegro remains strongly
committed to the fundamental principles and purposes
of the United Nations Charter, which imply peaceful
resolution of disputes and non-interference in the
internal affairs of States.

09-52470 34

 Strong cooperation with neighbouring countries
and regional stability are the underlying principles of
the foreign policy of Montenegro and a precondition
for progress in its broader integration processes. Since
the previous General Assembly session, we have
moved to a new and more demanding phase of
European and Euro-Atlantic integration. We feel
particularly encouraged by the dynamic progress
Montenegro has made towards membership in the
European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO). We expect that in the near future
the European Commission will issue an opinion on
Montenegro’s preparedness for EU membership, and
we also expect an invitation to join in the NATO
Membership Action Plan, which will open additional
opportunities for those two integration processes to
gain momentum.
 Taking into consideration the strong impact of the
world economic and financial crisis on overall socio-
economic development, the most recent reports from
the global financial markets are encouraging,
indicating an end to the global crisis even earlier than
expected. However, in order to ensure sustained
economic development, increased aid and
implementation of trade agreements and the
achievement of international solidarity is imperative in
addressing the needs of the world’s poorest and most
vulnerable.
 Given that the recovery is going to be long and
gradual, all countries, led by the United Nations,
should be committed to the implementation of policies
and measures initiated in the various international
forums, including the United Nations Conference on
the world economic and financial crisis and its impact
on development, the G-20, World Bank and the
International Monetary Fund.
 Bearing in mind the nature of the Montenegrin
economy as a small and open system, we have not been
able to remain immune to the turbulent global
developments. In that regard, the Government of
Montenegro has adopted a package of economic policy
measures aimed at maintaining macroeconomic
stability, improving productivity and preserving a
favourable economic environment.
 The harmful consequences of climate change,
increasing energy consumption and growing
dependence on imported fossil fuels, along with their
negative impacts on the environment and standards of
living, are issues causing profound concern among us
all. The Summit on Climate Change held on the eve of
the general debate is, in our view, a significant step
forward in Member States’ political support for the
process of the implementation of the MDGs in this
field.
 We believe that both the character and the effects
of climate change call for a comprehensive
international response based on the principles of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC), which would facilitate sustainable
economic development of society in accordance with
the guidelines of the 2007 Bali Action Plan.
 I would like to take this opportunity to express
Montenegro’s strong support for the negotiation
process on a new post-2012 climate framework and for
calls to “seal the deal” in Copenhagen in December.
 We believe that further efforts need to be made to
promote a green recovery and to build up national
capacities for adaptation and mitigation of the impact
of climate change, while simultaneously stimulating
innovation and economic growth, contributing to
poverty reduction and ensuring access to sustainable
energy sources.
 In that regard, we underline the importance of
regional cooperation, which enables us to implement
adaptation and mitigation measures in a regional
context, which promotes political dialogue and leads to
more effective action by States in the talks within the
UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol frameworks.
 In order to contribute to the efforts being
undertaken at the national and international levels in
addressing the impact of climate change on the
environment and economic development and in
reaching a successful deal in Copenhagen, Montenegro
will organize a regional conference on climate change
and sustainable development for the Mediterranean and
South-East European countries in Budva, on 16 and
17 October.
 The Millennium Development Goals require each
and every one of us to redouble our efforts to reduce
poverty, improve health and education, promote peace
and human rights, and achieve sustainable
development. We are aware that it is the primary
responsibility of States to take measures aimed at
improving the social security of the poor and
vulnerable segments of society and alleviating the most

35 09-52470

severe consequences of poverty. In this context we
strongly welcome the convening of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) review summit in 2010.
 Montenegro strongly supports and is committed
to fulfilment of the MDGs and implementation of all
United Nations documents — including the
Millennium Declaration — related to development
issues and the special needs of Africa, as a pre-emptive
action aimed at creating a safer world. As a country
moving towards European integration, we welcome the
European Union-Africa partnership and the efforts
currently under way to find solutions to development
needs and to root out poverty on the African continent.
 In this regard, we support the message of the
2008 Yokohama Declaration aimed at giving
momentum to current development issues, including
education, health and sanitary measures within the
framework of the MDGs, the development of
agriculture to improve food security, measures to
tackle climate change, as well as establishing and
maintaining peace as a prerequisite for economic
growth.
 We emphasize the crucial importance of the
debate on the concept of the responsibility to protect,
and we fully support the activities of the Secretary-
General and the assessments outlined in his latest
report. We believe that an upsurge of internal conflicts
and serious violations of human rights in the 1990s has
spurred a discussion on the need for the protection of
civilians in armed conflict, which has unquestionably
led to further deliberations on and analyses of the
primary obligation of each State to protect its citizens
from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and
crimes against humanity, as well as to consideration of
the international community’s responsibility in the
event that countries fail to act. In this context, we
underline the importance of reaching an agreement on
an appropriate concept and instruments within the
framework of the United Nations and international law,
based on a broad consensus of all actors.
 In supporting peacekeeping missions as efficient
and dynamic instruments for monitoring respect of
human rights and building sustainable institutions in
conflict areas, we have established legal prerequisites
within our security policy in order to be able to
contribute our military and police troops to the United
Nations peacekeeping missions, including missions to
Liberia, Afghanistan and Cyprus and the European
Union peace operation in Somalia.
 Given the problems of the Balkan region,
Montenegro attaches particular importance to a policy
that addresses the needs of refugees, asylum-seekers
and internally displaced persons (IDPs) and is
conducting extensive activities aimed at finding lasting
solutions for the refugees and IDPs from the territory
of the former Yugoslavia. As part of those efforts, a
renewed registration procedure supported by the Office
of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) is under way for refugees and
IDPs living in Montenegro to resolve their final status,
in accordance with the highest international standards
and international law instruments.
 In this regard we highlight the importance of a
comprehensive approach and the need for the
cooperation of all actors, primarily UNHCR, the
European Commission and the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe.
 Montenegro stresses the importance of the
promotion of and the respect for international law in
the development of international relations today. In this
context, the rule of law and the protection of human
rights have an irreplaceable role in the fight against
international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction and organized crime.
 We are firmly convinced that only the
coordinated efforts of the global community can take
on international terrorism. Montenegro supports the
implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy, as well as measures to fight
corruption, organized crime, drug trafficking and
human trafficking, and we further underscore the need
for cooperation among all the bodies of the United
Nations system, in particular the committees of the
Security Council and the Counter-Terrorism
Committee.
 Montenegro attaches particular importance to the
fulfilment of the obligations stipulated by the United
Nations Convention against Transnational Organized
Crime and the United Nations Convention against
Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
Substances and it actively participates in projects of
the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which
contribute to regional peace and stability, strengthening
of the judiciary and a more efficient fight against all
forms of organized crime.

09-52470 36

 In view of all of the above, it is clear that the
responsibility of the United Nations is only increasing.
We therefore welcome the reform process of the world
Organization and hope that it will result in a more
democratic and representative United Nations. We
attach particular importance to strengthening the role
and efficiency of the General Assembly and its main
bodies, and fully support intergovernmental talks on
Security Council reform. These negotiations offer an
opportunity for small States to express their interests,
in addition to providing a vision for an improved and
more transparent functioning of the most important
United Nations organ.
 As the Assembly may know, this past June the
United Nations Development Group identified
Montenegro as a country eligible for implementation of
the Delivering as One pilot initiative launched within
the framework of the overall reform process aimed at
improving the efficiency, coherence and coordination
of United Nations development programmes on the
ground. In our view, that decision recognizes
Montenegro’s strong commitment to United Nations
standards and values and provides an endorsement of
the highly successful joint efforts of the United Nations
team and the Montenegrin Government.
 Given the myriad of challenges and their negative
effects on the environment, as well as the potential
increase in social, religious and cultural tensions
leading to political instability, only the coordinated and
comprehensive response of all international
stakeholders, including civil society and the private
sector, can create the preconditions for efficiently
addressing the consequences of the ongoing crises. In
this regard, the United Nations has a decisive role to
play in coordinating efforts towards the achievement of
concrete results.
 Convinced of the great potential of the United
Nations, if supported by the active participation of
Member States, we reiterate Montenegro’s commitment
to building a responsible international community
ready to meet the needs of all of its members.


I thank Almighty God
for granting me the opportunity once again to address
this important international forum.
 At the outset, I wish to begin by congratulating
Mr. Ali Treki on his assumption of the presidency of
the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session, and to
wish him every success. I would also like to extend my
thanks to Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, President
of the General Assembly at its sixty-third session, for
his excellent stewardship of the work of the Assembly
during his term.
 Over the past four years, I have spoken about the
main challenges facing our world. I have talked about
the underlying causes of those challenges and about the
need for world Powers to review their outlook and
work out new mechanisms to address the pressing
international problems before us. I have also talked
about the two conflicting outlooks that prevail in our
world. One is based on the predominance of its
materialistic interests through spreading inequality and
oppression, poverty and deprivation, aggression,
occupation and deception and looks to bring the entire
world under its control and to impose its will on other
nations. That outlook has produced nothing but
frustration, disappointment and a dark future for
humankind as a whole.
 The other outlook is one that espouses a belief in
the oneness of the Almighty God, follows the teachings
of His messengers, respects human dignity and seeks to
build a secure world for all members of the human
community in which everybody can equally enjoy the
blessings of sustainable peace and spirituality. This is
an outlook that respects all human beings, nations and
venerable cultures in defiance of all types of
discrimination in the world. It is also one that commits
itself to an ongoing fight to promote equality for all
before the law on the basis of justice and fraternity
while laying a solid foundation to guarantee equal
access for all human beings in their quest to excel in
knowledge and science.
 Time and again, I have emphasized the need to
make fundamental changes in the current outlook on
the world and on humankind, so as to be able to create
a brighter tomorrow.
 Today, I wish to share with the Assembly a few
points about the changes that should take place. First,
the continuation of the current circumstances in the
world is clearly impossible. The present inequitable
and unfavourable conditions run counter to the very
nature of humankind and move in a direction that
contravenes the truth and the goal behind the creation
of the world. It is no longer possible to inject trillions
of dollars of unreal wealth into the world economy
simply by printing worthless paper assets or by

33 09-52228

transferring inflation and social and economic
problems to others by creating severe budget deficits.
 The engine of unbridled capitalism, with its
unfair system of thought, has reached the end of road
and is unable to move. The era of capitalist thinking
and the imposition of one’s thoughts on the
international community, which is intended to
dominate the world in the name of globalization, as
well as the age of setting up empires, is over. It is no
longer possible to humiliate nations or to impose
double standard on the world community.
 It is necessary to delegitimize and reject any
approach that holds up the realization of the interests
of certain Powers as the only measure of democracy or
employs despicable forms of intimidation and deceit in
the name of freedom and democratic practices.
Approaches by which dictators are portrayed as
democrats lack legitimacy and must be totally rejected.
Time has come to an end for those who define
democracy and freedom and set standards while they
themselves are the first to violate those fundamental
principles. They can in fact no longer be both judge
and executioner or challenge real democratically
established Governments.
 I would like to say again that the time has passed
for a group of people who believe that they alone can
define concepts such as democracy and freedom and
put forth the criteria for those definitions while
simultaneously violating the very principles to which
they claim to aspire. The continuation of Governments
is based on the rule of the people. The development of
nations and increasing freedom worldwide will no
longer allow them to continue their hypocrisy and
vicious attitudes. For those reasons, most nations,
including the people of the United States, are waiting
for real and profound change. They have welcomed
and will continue to welcome change.
 How can it be possible that inhuman policies in
Palestine have driven the entire population of the
country from their homeland for over 60 years by
means of force and coercion, attacking them with all
types of weapons, including banned weapons, and
denying them their legitimate right of self-defence,
and, to the astonishment of the international
community, calling the occupiers peacemakers and
portraying the victims as terrorists?
 How can the crimes of the occupiers against
defenceless women and children and the destruction of
their homes, farms, hospitals and schools be supported
unconditionally by certain Governments and, at the
same time, oppressed men and women be subjected the
harshest economic blockade, depriving them of
resources to meet their basic needs, including food,
water and medicine, and leading to genocide? They are
not even allowed to rebuild their homes, destroyed
during the 22-day barbaric attacks of the Zionist
regime, with winter approaching, while the aggressors
and their supporters deceitfully continue their
rhetorical defence of human rights in order to put
others under pressure.
 It is unacceptable for a small minority to
dominate the politics, economy and culture of large
parts of the world through complex systems,
establishing a de facto new form of slavery, and
harming the reputation of other nations, even European
nations and the United States, to achieve its racist
goals.
 It is unacceptable that nations several thousand
miles from the Middle East send their troops to
intervene militarily and to promote war, bloodshed,
aggression, terror and fear in our region, the Middle
East, while brushing aside the protests of nations in the
region concerned about their future and their national
security, thereby violating peace and interfering in the
affairs of others.
 Such standpoints are baffling. We only have to
look at the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan. A
country cannot remain under military occupation in the
name of the fight against terrorism and drug
trafficking, when the production of illicit drugs has
grown, terrorism has increased and tightened its grip,
thousands of innocent people have been killed, injured
or displaced, infrastructure has been destroyed and
regional security has been seriously jeopardized.
 Yet those who have created the current disastrous
situation continue to blame others. How can they talk
about friendship and solidarity with other nations while
they expand their military bases in various parts of the
world, including Latin America. That situation cannot
continue. It is increasingly impossible to promote
expansionist and inhuman policies on the basis of
militaristic logic. The logic of coercion and
intimidation will have dire consequences and
exacerbate current global problems.
 It is not acceptable that the military budgets of
some Governments far exceed the budgets of entire

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countries of the world. Some countries export billions
of dollars of arms every year, stockpile chemical,
biological and nuclear weapons, establish military
bases or have a military presence in other countries
while accusing others of militarism, and mobilize all
their global resources to impede the scientific and
technological progress of other nations under the
pretext of countering arms proliferation.
 It is not acceptable that the United Nations and
the Security Council, whose decisions should represent
all nations and Governments through the application of
democratic and popular methods of decision-making,
be dominated by a few Governments who seek to serve
their own interests.
 Above all, in a world where culture, ideas and
public opinion should be the only determining factors,
the present situation cannot continue and a
fundamental change seems inevitable. We must strive
to establish a new world system.
 Secondly, any change must be deep-seated both
in theory and in practice, encompassing all spheres of
our life. Outdated methods of government that have
caused the current problems in society cannot be used
to bring about change and create a better world.
Liberalism and capitalism, in particular the types that
seek to dominate the world and to alienate people from
spiritual and moral values, will never bring humankind
happiness, since they are the principal source of all
disasters, wars, poverty and deprivation. We have all
seen how unfair economic structures controlled by
certain political interests have been used to plunder the
national wealth of countries for the benefit of a group
of corrupt businesses. Existing structures are thus
incapable of addressing the challenges that we face.
The political and economic structures created after the
Second World War that sought to dominate the world
have failed, in short, to promote justice and lasting
security.
 Rulers whose hearts do not beat with love for
humankind and who have abandoned ideas of justice
can never provide humankind with the promise of
peace and friendship. By the grace of God, Marxism is
no more; it is history now. And the unhindered growth
of capitalism will certainly meet the same fate because,
based on the divine tradition of a principle in the Holy
Koran, the deceitful one, like a bubble on the surface
of water, will disappear. Only that which eternally
serves the interests of human societies survives.
 We must therefore all remain vigilant to prevent
the pursuit of colonialism and discriminatory and
inhuman goals disguised under slogans for change or in
any new format. The world needs to undergo
fundamental changes, and we must all engage
collectively to bring them about in the right way.
Through such efforts, no one and no Government
would consider itself an exception to change or
superior to others, or try to impose its will on others by
proclaiming world leadership.
 Thirdly, all of the problems that exist in our
world today emanate from the fact that rulers have
distanced themselves from human values, morality and
the teachings of divine messengers. Regrettably, in the
current state of international relations, selfishness and
insatiable greed have taken the place of such
humanitarian concepts as love, sacrifice, dignity and
justice. Belief in the one God has been replaced with
self-belief. Some have sought to take the place of God
and insist on imposing their values and wishes on
others. Lies have taken the place of honesty, hypocrisy
has replaced integrity and selfishness has taken the
place of sacrifice. Nowadays, deception in interactions
is called foresight and statesmanship. Looting the
wealth of other nations is called development efforts.
Occupation is introduced as a gift in promotion of
freedom and democracy. And defenceless nations are
subjected to repression in the name of the defence of
human rights.
 Global problems will be resolved, justice
administered and peace maintained only through the
collective determination and cooperation of all nations
and States. The era of a world polarized by the
premises of hegemony or the domination by a few
Governments is over. Today, we must rise together
through collective commitment against the present
challenges. We must take change seriously and work
collectively to help others return to basic moral and
human values.
 Messengers were sent by God to show the light of
truth to humankind. They came to make people aware
of their individual and social obligations. Living in
piety, having faith in Allah and judgment of human
behaviour or conduct in the next world, believing in
the primacy of justice in both lives, seeking happiness,
well-being and security in the happiness, well-being
and security of others, respecting humankind, making
efforts to expand love and compassion against
hostility — these were all paramount in the teachings

35 09-52228

offered by the divine messengers of God, from Adam
to Noah, Noah to Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ and
the last Prophet, Muhammad, may peace be upon all of
them. All of them came to eliminate war and
ignorance, eradicate poverty and uproot discrimination
in order to spread happiness to the entire world. They
are the best gifts that almighty God has granted to
human beings. If the belief in Entezar — that is, in
patiently awaiting the return of justice to Earth — can
become a common goal and we join hands to achieve
prosperity for all, then there will be greater and more
genuine hope for reform.
 Fourthly, in my opinion, we have several
important matters before us. The Secretary-General and
the General Assembly can take the lead by undertaking
the necessary measures to fulfil our shared goals on the
basis of the following actions.
 First, the United Nations should be restructured
in order to transform this world body into an efficient
and fully democratic organization, capable of playing
an impartial, equitable and effective role in the
international relations. The structure of the Security
Council should be reformed, especially by abolishing
the discriminatory privilege of the veto right. The
inalienable rights of the Palestinian people should be
restored by holding a referendum and free elections in
Palestine to prepare an environment in which all
Palestinian populations, including Muslims, Christians
and Jews, can live together in peace and harmony. All
types of interference in the affairs of Iraq, Afghanistan
and the Middle East, as well as all countries of Africa,
Latin America, Asia and Europe, must be ended.
 As our great Prophet said, a Government may
survive with blasphemy, but never with oppression.
The Palestinians continue to suffer oppression and their
rights continue to be violated. Yet another group of
Palestinians who lived in al-Quds al-Sharif were forced
out of their homes as the occupiers and usurpers
continue to destroy their residential area. Bombings in
Afghanistan and Pakistan have not yet stopped, the
Guantanamo prison has not yet been shut down, and
there are still secret prisons in Europe.
 The continuation of the present situation adds to
hostilities and violence. Oppression and military
aggression must be stopped. Regrettably, official
reports concerning the brutalities of the Zionist regime
in Gaza have not all been published. The Secretary-
General and the United Nations have crucial
responsibilities in this respect, and the international
community is impatiently waiting for the aggressors
and the murderers of the defenceless people of Gaza to
be punished.
 Regarding the second action, current economic
structures must be reformed and a new international
economic order set up based on human and moral
values and obligations. A new course is needed that
would help promote justice and progress worldwide by
allowing the potential and talents of all nations to
flourish, thus bringing well-being to all and for future
generations.
 The third action is that international political
relations must undergo reform on the basis of
promotion of lasting peace and friendship, the
eradication of arms races and the elimination of all
nuclear, chemical and biological weapons to pave the
way for all nations to have access to advanced and
peaceful technologies for the advancement of the
human race.
 The fourth action is that we should reform
cultural structures, promote respect for the diverse
customs and traditions of all nations and foster moral
values and spirituality aimed at strengthening the
institution of the family, which is the backbone of all
human societies.
 For the fifth action, worldwide efforts must be
made to protect the environment and fully observe the
international agreements and arrangements to prevent
the annihilation of nature’s non-renewable resources.
 My fifth point is that our nation has successfully
gone through a glorious and fully democratic election,
opening a new chapter for our country in the march
towards national progress and enhanced international
interactions. Once again, a large majority has entrusted
me with this heavy responsibility.
 And now, I want to declare that our great nation,
which has made significant contributions both to world
civilization and to the Islamic Republic of Iran itself,
and as one of the most democratic and progressive
Governments in the world, is ready to mobilize all its
cultural, political and economic capabilities to engage
in a constructive process aimed at addressing the
international concerns and confronting the challenges
that face human society. Our country, the builder of
cultures, has itself been a principal victim of blind

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terrorism and the target of all-out military aggression
during the first decade of its revolution.
 Throughout the past 30 years, we have been
subject to the hostile attitudes of those who at one time
supported, with all their might, Saddam’s military
aggression and his use of chemical weapons against us,
and who at another time decided to take military action
in Iraq to get rid of the same man.
 Today, our nation seeks to create a world in
which justice and compassion will prevail. We
announce our commitment to participating in the
process of building lasting peace and security
worldwide for all nations, based on justice, spirituality
and human dignity, while being dedicated to strongly
defending our legitimate and legal rights.
 To achieve those goals, our nation is prepared to
warmly shake all hands which are extended to us in
good faith. No nation can claim to be free of the need
to change and reform in this journey towards
perfection. We welcome real and humane changes and
stand ready to actively engage in fundamental global
reforms.
 Therefore, we emphasize that the only path to
continued safety and security is to return to
monotheism and justice. That is the greatest hope and
opportunity of all ages and generations. Without belief
in God and commitment to the cause of justice, along
with the fight against injustice and discrimination, the
world structure will not be corrected.
 Man is at the centre of the universe. Man’s
unique feature is his humanity, a humanity that seeks
justice, piety, love, knowledge, awareness and all other
higher values. These human values should be
supported, and each and every fellow human being
should be given the opportunity to develop them.
Neglecting any of them is tantamount to the omission
of an essential aspect of humanity. These are common
elements which connect all human communities and
which constitute the basis of peace, security and
friendship.
 Divine religions pay attention to all aspects of
human life, including obedience to God, morality,
justice, fighting oppression and endeavouring to
establish just and good governance. The Prophet
Abraham called for the oneness of God against
Nimrod, as the Prophet Moses did the same against the
Pharaohs. Jesus Christ and the Prophet Muhammad,
may peace be upon them, did the same against the
oppressors of their own time. All of these men were
threatened with death and were forced out of their
homelands. Without resistance and objection, the face
of the Earth will not be rid of injustice.
 I turn now to my final point. The world is in
continuous change and evolution. Mankind’s promised
destiny is the establishment of a pure humane life. This
will come about when justice prevails around the globe
and when every single human being enjoys respect and
dignity. That will be the moment when mankind’s path
to moral and spiritual perfection will be opened and his
journey to God and the manifestation of God’s divine
names will come to be. Mankind should strive to
represent God’s knowledge and wisdom, his
compassion and benevolence, his justice and fairness,
his power and art, and his kindness and forgiveness.
 These will all come true under the rule of the
perfect Man, the last divine source on Earth, Hazrat
Mahdi, peace be upon him. He will be an offspring of
the Prophet of Islam, who will re-emerge, and Jesus
Christ, peace be upon him. Other noble and pious men
will accompany him in the accomplishment of this
grand universal mission. This is the belief in entezar:
waiting patiently for the Imam to return; waiting
patiently for the rule of goodness and the governance
of the best, which he promises. This is a universal
human notion and a source of the hope of nations for
the betterment of the world.
 They will come, and with the help of righteous
people and true believers will realize man’s long-
standing desire for freedom, perfection, maturity,
security, tranquillity, peace and beauty. They will come
to put an end to war and aggression and to reveal all
knowledge to the world, as well as spirituality and
friendship. Yes indeed, mankind’s bright future will
come.
 In waiting for that brilliant time to come and in a
collective commitment, let us each do our part to pave
the way and prepare the conditions for building that
bright future. Long live love and spirituality. Long live
peace and security. Long live justice and freedom.