First, I would
like to pay tribute to the work of the Secretary-General.
A former British Minister once said of the NATO
Secretary General that he should be more of a secretary
and less of a general. Kofi Annan has been more of
everything: more of a diplomat, more of a reformer and
more of a moral voice of leadership in the world.
 In a world shattered by conflict, the founders of
the United Nations saw that only by coming together,
united in support of larger freedom, could we build our
shared future. Today, when the world’s nations are
even more interdependent than they were in 1945, what
does it mean to stand, as they intended, united? At one
level it means taking action when things go wrong,
where there is an actual breakdown of security or a
descent into violence or chaos. Today in particular, the
United Nations faces the challenges posed by multiple
upheavals and crises across the world.
 In the Middle East the United Nations is playing
a vital role in establishing stability in southern
Lebanon. Troops from the European Union are
deploying alongside those from the Middle East, Asia
and Africa. All Member States must meet their
obligations under Security Council resolutions 1701
(2006), 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006), if we are to
enable Lebanon to be the proud, democratic and
diverse nation that its people want it to be.
 But we are all aware that this most recent conflict
in Lebanon had its roots in the continuing failure to
achieve a just solution to the Palestinian question. That
is why the United Kingdom has consistently argued
that there can be no higher priority than reinvigorating
the Middle East peace process.
 In Iraq, Prime Minister Al-Maliki’s national
reconciliation plan can help leaders from all
communities come together. At this crucial juncture,
we must all intensify our support. The International
Compact provides the right vehicle. It allows the Iraqi
Government to set its own vision and shows us how we
can help turn that vision into a reality.
 In Afghanistan, real progress has been made, with
the United Nations taking a leading role in
coordinating the international effort. But real
challenges still lie ahead. NATO’s task of securing the
south of the country is far from easy. Soldiers from
many NATO countries, not least my own, have given
their lives to provide a better future for the people of
Afghanistan. The Afghan Government and people, too,
want security, development and good governance. The
United Kingdom and the international community are
determined to help them to achieve them.
 We must show a similar shared determination in
urging the Government of Iran to address international
concerns over its nuclear ambitions and its support for
terrorism. The proposals put forward by Britain, France
and Germany with China, Russia and the United States
offer a path for the Iranian Government to develop a
more constructive relationship with the rest of the
world and give Iran’s talented population the
opportunities and prosperity that is their right,
including, if they wish, a modern nuclear power
industry. We want to be able to resume negotiations.

06-53317 20

Iran knows what is required, and that the alternative is
increasing isolation.
 Darfur remains in crisis. I pay tribute to the
efforts of the African Union and its peacekeepers.
Wednesday’s decision to extend their mandate averted
a security vacuum. We must now strengthen the force
of the African Union Mission in the Sudan. But it can
only be a temporary reprieve. We also need action
immediately on the political and humanitarian front.
Those who have not signed the Darfur Peace
Agreement must do so. Those who have must abide by
its provisions.
 To underpin that Agreement, we urgently need a
greatly strengthened international presence on the
ground, with the active engagement and support of
Asian and Muslim, as well as African, countries. That
is why the Security Council authorized the deployment
of United Nations peacekeepers to Darfur. I urge
President Bashir to extend the Sudan’s relations with
the United Nations in a common purpose to bring
lasting peace and genuine stability to the whole of the
Sudan. It is, above all, his responsibility.
 The security challenges the world faces are real.
As an international community we must deal with
them. But standing united also requires us to take up a
second, deeper level of global responsibility, namely,
tackling the underlying problems that promote conflict
and underdevelopment. We must strive to promote
sound global values and to build multilateral systems
within which nations and individuals can cooperate,
co-exist and each achieve their potential.
 Many representatives to the Assembly have
already spoken of the need to accelerate progress
towards the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals. Progress on those Goals is a moral
imperative rooted in a concern for, and an
understanding of, our common humanity. But it is also
a political imperative, because there will be no stability
and security in our global community while so many
millions of men, women and children in that
community face only a life of hunger, poverty,
inequality and disease.
 The same is true for those whose lives are
shattered by conflict or blighted by injustice. The
Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights
Council are new structures that give us new
opportunities and new impetus. At the same time, we
must see a step change in efforts towards an
international arms trade treaty that will end the
irresponsible transfer of arms that fuel conflict and
facilitate the abuse of human rights. That is why the
United Kingdom, with six other countries, will
introduce a draft resolution in the First Committee to
establish a process to work towards a legally binding
treaty on the trade in all conventional arms.
 Collectively, we have a responsibility to protect
human life and a duty to defend the international
institutions that help us as a community to achieve that
goal. The answers lie not in division or in personal
attacks, but in the earnest and consistent pursuit of
justice and peace.
 Our collective responsibility to each other is
nowhere more evident than in the huge challenge posed
by climate change. The British Prime Minister, Tony
Blair, made climate change one of our two G8
priorities last year, alongside poverty reduction in
Africa. When the Prime Minister appointed me as his
Foreign Secretary, in May, he specifically charged me
with putting climate security at the heart of our foreign
policy. We will not solve that problem if we do not
each assume our share of the responsibility for tackling
it. Nobody can protect themselves from climate change
unless we protect each other by building a global basis
for climate security. That goes to the heart of the
United Nations mission, and the United Nations must
be at the heart of the solution.
 To put it starkly, if we all try to freeride, we will
all end up in free fall, with accelerating climate change
the result of our collective failure to respond in time to
that shared threat that faces us all. Look just at the
danger posed by rising sea levels. Potentially, that
could cause massive damage to some of the key urban
centres of our global civilization. London, Shanghai,
Dhaka, Singapore, Amsterdam, Cairo and, yes,
Manhattan are all at risk. That is why we must all — as
foreign ministers, heads of Government and heads of
State — be ready to do more, and do it more quickly.
Our climate presents us with an ever-growing threat to
international security. Dealing with climate change, by
both adapting to what is now inevitable and acting to
avert still greater damage, is no longer a choice, it is an
imperative.
 We need common commitment and genuine
action. We must all be ready to find a way to get the
agenda moving beyond Kyoto. The Gleneagles
dialogue meeting in Mexico at the beginning of

21 06-53317

October will be one such opportunity, a chance for
developed and developing countries to work together
on that shared problem.
 If we do not act now, an unstable climate will
undermine our progress in all those other areas that
matter to us, not least the Millennium Development
Goals themselves. Take one of the most basic needs of
all, water. Already perhaps two fifths of the world’s
population finds it hard to get the water they need. At
the same time, many in the world rely on affordable
energy to help lift themselves out of poverty — and,
indeed, perhaps to give them access to that water. But
there is a dilemma: if we provide affordable energy by
burning fossil fuels, we accelerate climate change. That
means further disrupting water supplies. For some
people who now have plenty of water it will mean new
shortages. For those who already have little, it will
mean less. In turn, everywhere less water means less
food.
 Let me give a specific example of that dilemma.
The whole world, as well as the Chinese people, is
benefiting from the great success of the Chinese
economy. No one in China or elsewhere wants that
growth to stop. But it is based, in China as elsewhere,
on a rapidly increasing use of the fossil fuels that are
creating climate change. Yet China is a country already
vulnerable to climate change. The Chinese Government
knows that as the Himalayan glaciers melt and
agricultural land shrinks, crop yields will fall, fresh
water will become more scarce and the economy itself
will suffer, and with it the world’s economy.
 All the nations of the Arctic Circle are being, and
will be, affected by melting permafrost, with
disruptions to infrastructure and to investment. The
Vice-President of Palau has just given us a vivid
description of what the environment means for his
nation. We all share, to a greater or lesser extent, that
same dilemma. If we do not act on climate change, we
risk undermining the very basis of the prosperity and
security we are seeking to achieve. That is why we
must recognize that talk of having either a successful
economy or a stable climate is a false choice. We must
work together to find paths for economic growth that
will protect our climate. The truth is that we already
have much of the technology we need to move to a
low-carbon economy. But we must now deploy it very
much more rapidly. What we do in the next 10 years
will count the most.
 The former chief economist of the World Bank,
Sir Nicholas Stern, will shortly publish one of the most
significant and wide-reaching analyses so far of the
economic impacts of climate change itself. One of the
key emerging findings of his work is that while it will
not cost the Earth to solve climate change, it will cost
the Earth, literally as well as financially, if we do not.
 Moreover, if we learn to tackle climate change
together, we have an opportunity to build trust between
nations and to strengthen the multilateral system. But if
we get it wrong, that trust will be further eroded. It is
the developed, rich world that bears a large
responsibility for the present level of greenhouse gas
emissions, but it is the poorest in our global
community — those least able to bear it — who will
bear the brunt of climate insecurity. We all need to do
more. But the rich world should of course continue to
lead the effort, applying the principle of common but
differentiated responsibility, which must continue to be
our guide. In the joint endeavour which the United
Nations represents there can be no more stark or more
urgent warning than that.


Allow me first of all to
align myself with the very warm congratulations
addressed to you, Madam President, on your election to
your very important position. I would like to assure
you once again of the full support of my country in
your endeavours for further reform of our Organization
and for the consolidation of its role in the coming year.
I would also like to express our gratitude to the
previous President of the General Assembly, Mr. Jan
Eliasson, for his dedicated and efficient work and for
the achievements that were made in implementing
United Nations reforms.
 I would also like to greet the newest member of
our large family, the Republic of Montenegro. I am
sure that that country from our region, South-East
Europe, will spare no effort in contributing to the work
of the United Nations.
(spoke in French)
 Bulgaria is on the threshold of a historic
achievement. After 17 years of reforms to build
political democracy and a market economy, my country
is preparing to join the European Union (EU) on
1 January 2007. Our journey, although difficult, has
been successful. I am certain that, as a new member of
the Union, Bulgaria will contribute added value to the
European Common Foreign and Security Policy. We
will work with even greater determination for a strong
and effective United Nations, which must be at the
very centre of the global security and development
system. Bulgaria endorses the position set out earlier
by the Finnish presidency of the EU.
 We welcome the fact that concrete outcomes have
been achieved in implementation of the radical reform
process launched at last year’s World Summit. We hope
that that the momentum will be maintained and that the
process, which is necessary and useful for all Member
countries, will move forward even more quickly.
 I would like to express our profound respect and
gratitude to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for
his tireless efforts throughout the past decade to
strengthen the United Nations in a globalized world.
 I would like to refer to the resolution that was
recently adopted on the revitalization of the work of
the General Assembly. The implementation of the
resolution should lead to enhanced coordination of the
work of the General Assembly, the Security Council
and the Economic and Social Council, and to a
strengthened role for the President of the General
Assembly, a streamlined agenda and improved methods
of work.
 No United Nations reform effort would be
complete without the crucial element of Security
Council reform. Despite all the efforts made, we have
not yet been able to reach consensus on a viable
formula for Council expansion that can be supported
by all Member States. Bulgaria believes that any
reform exercise should increase the representativity
and legitimacy of the Council, while preserving the
effectiveness of its decisions and its key role in
maintaining peace and security. We also support efforts
to improve its working methods.
 At the level of institutional reform, two new
United Nations bodies have been established: the
Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights
Council. Their potential will be realized in the future.
There are certain areas, however, where the desired
progress is far from being achieved: mandate review,
the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council,

17 06-53323

ensuring effective management and promoting
coordination among the agencies and bodies of the
United Nations system. Despite the challenges, our
work must continue at an accelerated pace with a view
to the achievement of concrete results during this
session.
 I would like to point out that yesterday Bulgaria
deposited its instruments of ratification relating to the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women and the United Nations
Convention against Corruption. We also attach great
importance to combating the traffic in human beings
and drugs, as well as to the fight against organized
crime.
 Five years on from 11 September 2001, terrorism
in all its manifestations continues to pose a genuine
threat to human civilization. That is why Bulgaria
welcomes the launching of the United Nations Global
Counter-Terrorism Strategy to fight that scourge at all
levels. The consensus that has emerged regarding the
Strategy must give impetus to the process of adopting a
comprehensive international convention on terrorism,
in accordance with the decisions taken at the 2005
World Summit. Such a convention would provide the
international community with an effective,
comprehensive, universal legal framework for the fight
against that scourge and give substance to its firm
condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations.
 Bulgaria supports all initiatives to promote
dialogue and mutual understanding among people of
different religions, ethnic groups and cultures.
Bulgarian history and our national experience have
always been characterized by dialogue and tolerance.
In this context, we look forward to the
recommendations of the High-Level Panel of the
Alliance of Civilizations, and we will take part in their
implementation.
 Bulgaria pursues a policy aimed at promoting
effective arms control, the non-proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction and disarmament. We are
concerned about the genuine threat of destabilization
affecting legal instruments currently in force, in
particular the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons (NPT), because of non-compliance
with obligations and unilateral withdrawals by certain
States.
 We support the entry into force of the
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. We firmly
believe that the unresolved question of the Iranian
nuclear programme should be dealt with promptly, on
the basis of Security Council resolution 1696 (2006)
and relevant decisions of the International Atomic
Energy Agency. Likewise, we call for the
implementation of Security Council resolution 1695
(2006) and urge progress in the six-party talks on the
North Korean nuclear problem.
 The United Nations must be endowed with
sufficient capacity to enable it to deploy
multidimensional peacekeeping operations that are
aimed not just at maintaining peace, but also at
strengthening the sovereignty of States and building
democratic institutions that will guarantee the stability
of peace processes. In this context, I would like to
point out that yesterday Bulgaria signed the Optional
Protocol to the Convention on the Security of United
Nations and Associated Personnel.
 As a member of NATO and the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe, as a future
member of the European Union and as a country that
contributes troops to peacekeeping operations,
Bulgaria actively promotes effective partnership and
cooperation among the United Nations and regional
and subregional organizations in activities aimed at
conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding.
Current cooperation between the European Union, the
United Nations and the African Union is an
encouraging example of such cooperation, which is
already bearing fruit.
 My country is actively contributing to long-term
security and stability in South-East Europe. We
welcome the fact that the Balkans are now seen as a
region, not of crisis and conflict, but of cooperation
and integration. One convincing example of political
cooperation among the countries of that region is the
South-East Europe Cooperation Process. Bulgaria is
preparing to assume the chairmanship of that Process
in mid-2007, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that
that structure can support regional cooperation and
promote European and Euro-Atlantic integration in that
part of Europe.
 In addressing our geographic region, I cannot
overlook the problem of Kosovo. Reaching a decision
on the future status of that province is on the agenda of
the international community. Bulgaria is playing a very

06-53323 18

active role in efforts aimed at creating the atmosphere
of trust and openness necessary for the holding of such
negotiations. We fully support the Special Envoy of the
Secretary-General, Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, in his efforts
to find a solution, based on the maximum amount of
common ground, to which both parties could agree. We
call on the international community to let itself be
guided by the principles of sustainability, monitoring,
regional stability and the European perspective in
working out a final decision on the status of Kosovo.
 Bulgaria attaches particular importance to the
situation in the Middle East. We welcome and support
the efforts of the Secretary-General and the Security
Council, as well as the key role being played by the
European Union in the expanded United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon, which is called on to ensure
peace in southern Lebanon in implementation of
Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). Bulgaria will
make its own contribution to the international
community’s efforts to bring about lasting peace.
 We remain convinced that the crisis in Israeli-
Palestinian relations would be best resolved by direct
negotiations between the countries concerned, based on
an absolute rejection of the use of force and with the
necessary support of the international community. We
support all of the efforts to that end on the part of the
Quartet, as presented yesterday here at the United
Nations.
 Bulgaria greatly appreciates United Nations
initiatives relating to the stabilization of the political
and constitutional process in Iraq, as well as the
principles set out in the International Compact. We will
continue to meet our obligations in Iraq in support of
national institutions aimed at providing for the security
and prosperity of that country.
 We support all positive trends towards
strengthening the sovereignty of Afghanistan. During
the past year, my country doubled its participation in
the International Security Assistance Force. We support
the Afghanistan Compact adopted at the London
Conference a few months ago.
 We welcome the adoption of Security Council
resolution 1706 (2006), whose implementation will
assist in the implementation of the political agreements
recently reached on the Sudan. In our view, the
international community must take urgent action to
address the humanitarian tragedy in Darfur.
 Bulgaria, with more than 50 years’ experience as
an active and responsible Member of our Organization,
and which has served three terms in the Security
Council and held the presidency of the General
Assembly for one year, has submitted its candidacy to
the Economic and Social Council for the period 2007-
2009. I am convinced that our country’s experience and
expertise, as well as its commitment to contribute to
strengthening the effectiveness of the United Nations,
are important reasons to support our candidacy.
(spoke in English)
 We are witnessing and also taking an active part
in the implementation of the most important reform
since the United Nations was founded. Today more
than ever before, the peoples of the world need our
Organization to help establish long-lasting peace,
prosperity and a better future for new generations. We
must succeed in reforming the United Nations so that it
can change the world for the better.


I
wish to begin by congratulating you, Madam President,
on your election as President of the General Assembly
at its sixty-first session. I am confident that, under your
guidance, this session will achieve full success. I also
wish to pay tribute to Mr. Jan Eliasson, President of the
last session, and to Secretary-General Kofi Annan. I
would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate
the Republic of Montenegro on becoming a Member of
the United Nations.
 The world is experiencing profound and complex
changes. Peace, development and cooperation have
become trends of our times and represent the common
aspirations of all countries and peoples in the world.
However, the world is not tranquil and the issue of
development remains prominent. There is still a long
way to go in the pursuit of durable peace and common
development. Recently, the nuclear issue on the Korean
Peninsula, the Iranian nuclear issue and the Lebanese-
Israeli conflict have flared up, adversely affecting
regional and global stability and testing the wisdom,
unity and patience of the international community.

06-53317 22

 To maintain peace is the shared mission of the
entire international community. Consultations based on
equality and peaceful negotiations are the only
effective means to resolve disputes. China, as a
permanent member of the Security Council and a
member of the international community, will continue
to make every effort to achieve a peaceful resolution of
hotspot issues.
 As regards the nuclear issue on the Korean
Peninsula, China is committed to maintaining peace
and stability on the Peninsula, making it free of nuclear
weapons and promoting the six-party talks. During the
Security Council’s deliberations in July regarding the
missile tests by the Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea and the related resolution, China made strenuous
efforts to engage the parties concerned, in an effort to
maintain peace on the Peninsula and in North-East Asia
and preserve the unity and authority of the Security
Council and safeguard the progress already made in the
six-party talks.
 Long-standing antagonism and mistrust between
the parties concerned is the main cause of the current
difficulty. All parties should be patient and pragmatic
and act with vision to reduce differences and remove
obstacles through dialogue. The six-party talks remain
an effective mechanism to enhance understanding and
trust and resolve the Korean nuclear issue. We hope
that the parties involved will be cool-headed and more
flexible, expand common ground, meet each other
halfway and work together for the early resumption of
the six-party talks and progressive implementation of
the joint statement. That is the only viable solution to
the Korean nuclear issue.
 With respect to the Iranian nuclear issue, China
calls for upholding the integrity of the international
nuclear non-proliferation regime, and is opposed to the
proliferation of nuclear weapons. It has worked for a
peaceful resolution of the issue in order to promote
peace and stability in the Middle East. At the same
time, the legitimate right of countries to the peaceful
use of nuclear energy should be fully respected,
provided they fulfil their relevant international
obligations.
 Diplomatic negotiation represents the best chance
to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue and serve the
interests of all parties. China hopes that the parties
involved will exercise patience and restraint, continue
to take a flexible approach and remain committed to
the right course of pursuing a peaceful resolution.
China will continue to play a constructive role in
working for an appropriate settlement of the Iranian
nuclear issue.
 As regards the Lebanese-Israeli conflict, China
opposes any move that will undermine peace and
stability in the region, and calls for a comprehensive
cessation of hostilities. China welcomes Security
Council resolution 1701 (2006) and hopes that it will
be strictly observed. China hopes that the parties
concerned will reach an early agreement on a
framework of political settlement that is both just and
durable.
 The question of Palestine is at the core of the
Middle East issue. The peace process should be re-
started in keeping with the relevant resolutions of the
United Nations and the principle of land for peace, in
the interest of reaching an early and comprehensive
settlement of the Middle East issue, including the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict, so that the countries
involved can live in harmony and the region can enjoy
durable peace.
 The United Nations has played an instrumental
role in resolving regional flashpoints this year. But the
Organization also faces major challenges. In the new
international environment, to enhance its role through
reform is in the common interest of humankind. The
United Nations needs to take resolute steps in carrying
out reform. The United Nations should develop in a
way that promotes the purposes and principles of its
Charter, upholds the unity and cooperation of the
Organization and serves the collective interests of its
Members. The reform of the United Nations should be
comprehensive in coverage, and progress should be
made in security, development, human rights and other
fields. More should be done to promote development
and facilitate the realization of the Millennium
Development Goals. The reform of the Organization
should, as far as possible, satisfy the needs of its
Member States, particularly those from the developing
world. The reform should be a democratic process and
full consultations should be conducted to reach
widespread consensus. Major controversial issues
should be handled with caution and dealt with through
in-depth consultations.
 China welcomes the progress made in reforming
the United Nations, in particular the progress in
implementing the World Summit Outcome. We will

23 06-53317

pledge $3 million to the United Nations Peacebuilding
Fund. We will continue to work with other countries to
make progress in the reform of the United Nations,
strengthen the unity and authority of the Organization
and increase its efficiency and capacity to respond to
challenges.
 As the chief administrator of the United Nations,
the Secretary-General has an important role to play. In
the election of the next Secretary-General, China will
firmly support an Asian candidate. We are convinced
that Asia can produce a competent and well-respected
Secretary-General acceptable to all Member States.
 The scale of assessments for the apportionment of
the expenses of the United Nations involves the
interests of all Member States and constitutes the
financial foundation of the Organization. All Member
States have an obligation to pay their assessments on
time and in full. The ability to pay is the basic
principle governing the scale of assessments. It should
be adhered to, as it has proved effective and represents
the general consensus of Member States. Over the
years, China has honoured its financial obligations in
good faith and has made appropriate contributions to
the budget of the United Nations. As China’s economy
grows, we are prepared to increase our contributions to
the Organization’s budget in accordance with the
principle of ability to pay. We are ready to take part in
relevant discussions in a constructive way, and hope
that a fair and equitable formula will be reached on the
basis of extensive consultations.
 Without overall development, global peace and
progress cannot be sustained. In addition to developing
the concept of partnership and improving its
modalities, all countries should honour our
commitment to the global partnership for development
set out in the Millennium Declaration, the Monterrey
Consensus, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
and last year’s World Summit Outcome.
 Countries should shoulder the primary
responsibility for their own development and
implement comprehensive development strategies in
keeping with the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs).
 The international community — and developed
countries in particular — should increase development
assistance, promote international trade, technology
transfers and investment, offer more extensive debt
relief, provide more support to developing countries
and respect their ownership of national development
strategies.
 The United Nations should play a bigger role in
the field of development. It should create a fair and
equitable framework to assess progress in meeting the
MDGs and ensure that the United Nations Foundation
and the various United Nations programmes and
specialized agencies provide greater support for
capacity-building programmes in developing countries.
It should enhance coordination between international
development policy and monetary, financial and
trading regimes and create an enabling international
environment for developing countries.
 The suspension of the Doha round serves
nobody’s interests. Members of the World Trade
Organization should demonstrate political will,
speedily resume the Doha development round and
work towards a comprehensive and balanced outcome.
 Non-governmental organizations should be
encouraged to be more extensively and deeply involved
in development cooperation. Their efforts and those of
Governments should complement each other.
 The establishment of the Human Rights Council
echoes the calling of our times. Member States have a
common responsibility to make the Council a dynamic
and effective body. The Council should give greater
attention to massive and gross violations of human
rights caused by armed conflicts and should support
the international community in its efforts to prevent
conflicts, restore peace and combat terrorism in all its
forms and manifestations.
 The Council should attach equal importance to
economic, social and cultural rights and encourage the
international community and United Nations agencies
to take effective measures to support countries in their
efforts to realize their right to development.
 The Council should continue to give special
attention to the rights of women, children, persons with
disabilities, migrant workers, ethnic minorities and
other vulnerable groups to ensure that they enjoy the
same level of respect as others.
 The Council should promote dialogue and
cooperation on an equal footing between countries of
different social systems and levels of development,
address human rights issues properly and reject double
standards and politicization.

06-53317 24

 For decades, relations between China and African
countries have been characterized by sincerity and
mutual support. We have conducted our cooperation on
the basis of equality and mutual benefit, while
safeguarding sovereignty and independence and
promoting social and economic development in our
respective countries. All that has served to bring about
significant benefits for the Chinese and African peoples
alike.
 China and Africa will hold a summit and the third
ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa
Cooperation in Beijing from 3 to 5 November.
Focusing on the theme of friendship, peace,
cooperation and development, Chinese and African
leaders will discuss ways to establish and foster a new
type of strategic partnership featuring political equality
and mutual trust, win-win economic cooperation and
cultural exchanges. They will also draft a blueprint to
enhance China-Africa cooperation. China is committed
to peaceful development. Africa, which is home to the
largest number of developing countries, is committed
to achieving stability and renewal. Stronger ties
between China and Africa will contribute to South-
South cooperation and international peace and
development.
 The conduct of China’s diplomacy aims to
safeguard world peace and promote common
development. China is committed to developing itself
through safeguarding and promoting world peace
through its own development. We are pursuing
development that is peaceful, inclusive, cooperative
and harmonious in nature. We will endeavour to
promote the fundamental interests of our own people in
harmony with the common interests of other peoples
and to pursue peace, promote development and resolve
disputes through cooperation.
 China is dedicated to building a harmonious
world. It hopes to increase mutual respect and
understanding with other countries and to live in
harmony with them. China respects the right of a
country to choose its own path to development. It
supports equal participation by different countries in
international affairs and democracy in international
relations. It works to enhance mutual benefits, win-win
outcomes and global prosperity through sharing the
benefits of economic globalization and technological
progress. China seeks to promote a diversified world
and advance human civilization by furthering dialogue,
understanding and mutual enrichment between
different cultures. China is committed to advancing
human progress by enhancing dialogue, building
mutual trust with other countries and working with
them to address global issues.
 China will continue to demonstrate to the world
that it is an important force for global peace and
development and that the Chinese people will remain
trustworthy friends and cooperation partners to the
world’s peoples.


Madam President, Burkina Faso is pleased to
see you presiding over the General Assembly at its
sixty-first session. Please be assured of the full
cooperation of my delegation, which will spare no
effort to help your noble mission succeed. I would also
like to express our gratitude to Mr. Jan Eliasson,
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, who
successfully guided the work of the Assembly at the
sixtieth session.
 This session is being held at a time when peace
and security are seeing their foundations severely
shaken in several regions of the world. Areas of tension
persist in Africa, despite recent efforts to dispel them.
That is the case, for example, in the Sudan, Somalia
and Côte d’Ivoire. Fortunately, fighting has ceased in
several countries, thus opening up real opportunities
for progress and development.
 In Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and
Burundi, democracy and building the rule of law have
now become a reality. That is proof that nothing,
absolutely nothing, can replace the political will of
people to engage fully in inclusive and constructive
dialogue. We very much hope that the democratic
process which is under way in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo will be successfully pursued.
Likewise, we welcome the progress made in the inter-
Togolese political dialogue. Having had the privilege
of following that process as a facilitator, President
Blaise Compaore has been able to sense fully the
degree of determination of the Togolese political
leaders. That is why we reiterate the appeal he made to
Togo’s partners to provide the support necessary for
the economic revitalization of Togo.
 The crisis in Côte d’Ivoire is at a decisive turning
point. We are convinced that with the firm and sincere
commitment of all parties and the support of the
international community a lasting solution can be
found very quickly.
 In the Middle East, we have watched a disturbing
escalation in the violence in recent months. Since the
causes of that conflict are sufficiently known to all,
there is no reason to go into them here. While
welcoming the adoption of Security Council resolution
1701 (2006) and the deployment of an expanded
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),
Burkina Faso strongly hopes that negotiations will
continue and intensify at all levels in order to achieve a
global and lasting peace in that region, a peace that
will restore the sovereignty of Lebanon, provide
freedom for the Palestinian people and ensure Israel’s
security.
 The question of free and fair international trade
remains on the table. The collapse of the Doha
Development Round is proof of this, and it has shown
us the need to search for the best way to ensure that the
rules of the multilateral trading system set by the
World Trade Organization are strictly observed. For
Burkina Faso, which has thrown its full weight behind
the interests of African cotton producers, this
requirement is more imperative than ever. Sustainable
development, the reduction of poverty and the
elimination of hunger and precariousness in the world
still constitute challenges that must be faced.
 Over and above what has been done to reduce
debt and find innovative financing mechanisms, which
we welcome, the international community must work
to forge a true North-South partnership that will
guarantee fair treatment of the questions of concern to
all the regions and countries in the world. The midterm
review of the implementation of the Brussels
Programme of Action for the Least Developed
Countries, held several days ago, and its conclusions
suggest that we are moving in the right direction.
 The sheer scale of international migration in
recent years, together with the daily tragedies
experienced by thousands of young people who risk
their lives, presents a new challenge caused by
accelerated globalization. To deal with the problem, the
countries of origin, transit and destination must find
more imaginative solutions that go to its root causes, as
neither barriers, nor borders, nor interdiction, nor
forced repatriation can be an adequate, much less a
sustainable, response. That is why we welcome the
results of the Euro-Africa Conference on Migration
and Development, held on 10 and 11 July 2006 in
Rabat, the initiatives taken by the African Union to
prepare a joint African policy on migration and the

29 06-53323

conclusions of the High-level Dialogue on
International Migration and Development, held
recently in New York at the margins of the current
session.
 The unprecedented rise in the price of a barrel of
oil and the resulting energy crisis have hit our
countries hard. The economies of African countries that
do not export oil, such as Burkina Faso, will take a
long time to recover. This crisis means that we must
find not only innovative forms of international
solidarity but also alternatives to fossil fuels. With this
reality in mind, Burkina Faso has already decided to
make the development of biogas from the waste of
plant crops, such as cotton, one of its priorities.
 The question of nuclear energy has been on the
agenda of most of our meetings for some time. Burkina
Faso reiterates its firm condemnation of the arms race
in general and the proliferation of nuclear weapons in
particular. It is now imperative that we give full force
to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons. However, we must do so without prejudice to
the rights of all States to develop, produce and use
nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
 In the name of democracy and justice, we have all
sought to create a new United Nations, a symbol of
modern governance and efficiency in its management
of world affairs. That is why we have undertaken to
ensure deep-rooted reform of the Organization and its
working methods. Africa in particular is dedicated to
that cause because we are convinced that it is the only
way to put right an unjustice that has festered over
decades.
 Change was launched with the creation of the
Peacebuilding Commission and the Central Emergency
Response Fund, the conversion of the Commission on
Human Rights into the Human Rights Council, and the
adoption of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We
must now all work together to ensure that
multilateralism and universalism triumph over
unilateralism. To that end, we need a strong and
democratic United Nations that is open to all peoples
who seek peace and justice.
 That spirit of openness and universalization in the
Organization must be a component of a genuine and
irreversible democratic movement. That is why we
must do justice by the 23 million Taiwanese whose
only aspiration has always been to play an active role
in our common endeavour to build a better world.
 In that respect, Burkina Faso is very pleased to
welcome Montenegro as the 192nd Member of the
United Nations.
 On behalf of my country, Burkina Faso, I wish
now to pay special tribute to Secretary-General Kofi
Annan, who, with commitment, tact, selflessness and
unprecedented efficiency has breathed new dynamism
into the Organization over the past 10 years and
rejuvenated the founding elements of the new United
Nations that we have dreamed of for decades. As he
prepares to move on from this important chapter in his
life, we wish him every success in his future activities.
 The aspirations of our peoples are vast. Just as we
must strive to optimize governance globally, we must
also work to entrench local governance, democracy and
freedom. That is the only way we will be able to satisfy
those legitimate aspirations and to bequeath to future
generations a world of peace that is reconciled to itself.


I would like
to begin, like previous speakers, by extending my
warmest congratulations to Ms. Haya Rasheed Al-
Khalifa, the first woman in nearly 40 years to take up
the position of President of the General Assembly. This
is good news for international politics. I wish her every
success in discharging the mandate on which she is
now beginning, in which she can be assured of
Portugal’s firm support. We are confident that she will
continue the excellent work carried out by her
predecessor, Minister Jan Eliasson, whom I am very
happy to remember here.
 This session of the Assembly is also notable for
being the last during which Secretary-General Kofi
Annan will be in office. I therefore solemnly express
on behalf of the Portuguese people our heartfelt, deep
appreciation for the way in which he has carried out his
duties over the last 10 years, contributing concretely
and decisively to international peace and stability in a
world that we all wish were more just. It was on his
watch — and with his indispensable personal help —
that we saw the birth of the new State of Timor-Leste.
Portugal will not forget that this was one of the great
recent victories of the United Nations, in peoples’ fight
for self-determination, and in defence of the values in
the Charter.
 This Organization has carried out a crucial task in
Timor-Leste, in maintaining peace, consolidating the
rule of law and, together with donor countries, creating
the foundations for a more prosperous economic and
social future for the Timorese people.
 There is still a long way to go, it is true. But it is
important that the Timorese people be aware that they
can count on the United Nations. Unfortunately, the

06-52988 24

recent internal crisis raised a serious question about
security, and it is vital that this be resolved if the
country is to find stability.
 We therefore applaud the new United Nations
peace mission, the United Nations Integrated Mission
in Timor-Leste, which represents a continuity of the
significant investment made by the international
community, to which Portugal belongs. We participate
actively in this Mission, consistent with our ongoing
commitment, going back over three decades, to the
political process of the new State of Timor-Leste.
 In this regard, I would also like to pay due tribute
to the memory of Sergio Vieira de Mello, brutally
murdered three years ago in Baghdad in the service of
the United Nations. We will not forget all that he did
for the just cause of the Timorese people, and in
defence of the values that the United Nations
embodies.
 This last decade has been one of great changes.
The United Nations has had undoubted successes, but
there have also been missed opportunities. Many
accuse the Organization of undue complexity, slowness
in its decision-making process and excessive
bureaucracy. It is true that diplomacy requires time, but
it does produce results. If there is something that we
have learned over these last years, it is that there is no
alternative to multilateralism; multilateralism is where
the United Nations plays a determinant role.
 The United Nations is today one of the greatest
guarantors of our collective security. It is our duty to
preserve and strengthen it. It is an investment from
which we all stand to benefit. Each one of us is a
Member of this Organization not only to serve and
promote our own national interests, but also — and I
would go so far as to say above all — to fulfil the
hopes and dreams of the people of the whole world.
 The world today, as we know, is full of risks and
threats that no country can face alone. If we do not
unite in our efforts, we are halfway down the road to
failure. Reality, particularly in recent years, has proved
this to us quite clearly.
 I would therefore like to underline Portugal’s
commitment to multilateralism, because we firmly
believe that this is the path where one can best uphold
the essential values of peace and development.
 A big part of this multilateral action rests on a
dialogue between cultures and civilizations. It is
through this dialogue that we assume a collective
responsibility to overcome obstacles, prejudices,
preconceived ideas and, principally, ignorance. Our
challenge here in this dialogue is not to limit ourselves
to mere declarations, but to take firm and concrete
steps towards greater interaction between peoples and
cultures.
 Despite the huge uncertainties and
misunderstandings in the world today, we have a set of
principles — contained in our Charter — that can
inspire us and guide us. They are our best help.
 The dialogue between cultures and civilizations
also imposes demanding domestic political agendas, in
the respect for differences and the inclusion of all
citizens in society — the inclusion of immigrants; the
inclusion of all, irrespective of their beliefs or
religions.
 On the other hand, the dialogue between
civilizations also imposes steps forward on the
international scene, the strengthening of economic
bonds between North and South. The strengthening of
world trade mechanisms constitutes an investment in
our own security, and is an essential part of that
dialogue; hence the importance of overcoming the
obstacles of the Doha Round in the context of the
current negotiations in the World Trade Organization.
We all have to be prepared to give up something so that
at the end of the day everyone can win.
 One of the biggest political challenges that we
face in this dialogue of cultures and civilizations is
undoubtedly the Middle East. The region remains one
of the main focal points of instability in the world. We
all have in our minds the painful images of the most
recent crisis in Lebanon, where we witnessed the
suffering of civilians on both sides of the conflict. This
reinforces all the more the need to actively pursue a
permanent and balanced solution, which may bring
about a dynamic of hope and peace in the region.
 The Middle East is not a military issue. The
Middle East is, above all, one of the greatest political
and diplomatic challenges that today’s world faces. We
should not, therefore, miss the window of opportunity
offered to us by Security Council resolution 1701
(2006). It is a challenge where the United Nations and
the European Union assume shared responsibilities in
promoting peace and stability, through an effective
multilateral dialogue.

25 06-52988

 Portugal fulfils its duty and supports the urgent
implementation of this resolution, and we are present
in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon to help
implement it.
 I would like to draw attention, once more, to
Africa. Portugal has given it great attention, and
invested great efforts there, and it is our duty to ensure
that the continent is not forgotten. There is progress in
Africa that we should encourage, and we also have a
historical responsibility on which the developed world
should not and cannot turn its back.
 I am pleased to stress here today the
determination with which the European Union has been
reinforcing its partnership and its strategy with the
African continent. The current drafting of a Euro-
African joint strategy will lead to a script for our
relations with Africa in the fundamental areas of peace
and security, good governance and human rights,
regional trade and integration, and also aspects relating
to human development.
 I stress the word “joint”. All of us share the
responsibility — Africans and Europeans alike. I trust
that the conditions will soon be right for this strategy
to be adopted. And I hope that it will be at the highest
level, when we hold in Lisbon the second European
Union-Africa summit.
 In recent years, with the consolidation of the
African Union and various regional organizations and
initiatives, very significant progress has been made in
many fields on the African continent, and this has been
driven by the continent itself and its own institutions. It
is our duty to recognize these developments, support
them with renewed support and vigour, and develop
them further.
 I would also like to recall that last July, in Bissau,
the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries
celebrated its tenth anniversary. This organization has
been consolidating itself and strengthening its
involvement within the United Nations system, where
it currently holds observer status, presenting itself as a
credible organization in the fostering of international
partnerships.
 In Bissau, on the tenth anniversary, we pledged
our commitment to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals, by defining and implementing a
general cooperation strategy where the highest priority
is given to achieving these Goals. This is our priority
in our domestic policy in Portugal; at the top of our
priorities are the Millennium Development Goals. We
shall implement them with a bilateral and multilateral
cooperation strategy that will help to fight poverty,
alleviate the pressure on migratory flows and promote
sustainable development.
 September in New York, above all else, should
not be some sort of annual pilgrimage to rediscover
this Organization. At the end of the day, the credibility
of the United Nations is in our hands.
 We all face the same challenges. But, at the same
time, they give us the opportunity to live in accordance
with our ideals and put into practice the principles that
have guided us for more than six decades. The only
way out is for us to look for answers together. That is
why we need a stronger and more cohesive United
Nations. We owe this to ourselves. We owe it to our
children. But, above all, we owe it to future
generations.


I would
like to congratulate you, Ms. Al-Khalifa, on your
election as President of the General Assembly at this
session, since I believe it is very significant that a
woman has assumed that role, to promote gender
equality, which is a goal both of my Government and
of the United Nations.
 On behalf of the Argentine Republic, we would
also like to congratulate the President of the General
Assembly at its sixtieth session, Mr. Jan Eliasson, for
the work he carried out, and to renew our recognition
of Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his role in action
promoting peace, multilateralism and the fight against
poverty.
 We have come to the General Assembly in the
firm belief that the revitalization of this forum of
global representation is fundamental so that
international law can be the instrument of rationality
that will enable us to settle conflicts and combat the
threats to peace.
 The international conduct of the Argentine
Republic is inspired by the values of representative
democracy, respect for fundamental human rights and
active defence of international peace and security.
Those principles, shared by the vast majority of the

5 06-52885

Argentine people, guide our administration and are the
basis of our foreign policy decisions.
 In the field of human rights, in 2003, after more
than two decades of sustained democratic rule in
Argentina, we experienced a true paradigm shift. In
response to the mandates of the whole of society, the
three powers of the State adopted, within their
respective purviews, concurrent decisions against
impunity, preserving memory, truth and justice and
securing reparations.
 The annulment by Congress of the laws that
accorded impunity for State-sponsored crimes of
terrorism, the ruling that those laws and pardons
granted by the courts in our country were
unconstitutional, and the reopening of over a thousand
court proceedings for crimes against humanity — some
of which have resulted in the conviction of those
responsible — constitute landmarks of that shift. It is
our conviction that democracy is strengthened with the
simultaneous fight against impunity and promotion of
full respect for the rule of law, without calling for
revenge.
 With that experience, we have, since the
beginning of the reform of the United Nations system,
strongly supported incorporating human rights into the
hierarchy so as to raise the institutional level of their
treatment to that already given to development and to
the maintenance of international peace and security.
That determination led us to establish the Human
Rights Council, in whose creation Argentina
participated actively.
 The first steps of that body have been positive,
having approved the text of the International
Convention for the Protection of All Persons from
Enforced Disappearance. That is an instrument of great
significance for our country, as it defines a crime
against humanity from which Argentina suffered
massively in the past, at a high cost to our society. We
have among us here today a representative of an
organization that was extremely involved with that
issue — one of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo,
Mrs. Marta Vázquez, who is accompanying our
delegation. We hope the General Assembly will adopt
that very important instrument quickly, during this
session.
 Five years after the attacks that shocked this city
and the world, we would like to firmly condemn the
serious threat of global terrorism. Argentina considers
all acts of terrorism against innocent civilians to be
criminal and unjustifiable, and accepts no argument to
justify such methods.
 The Argentine people suffered two atrocious
attacks in the 1990s against the Embassy of Israel and
the headquarters of the Asociación Mutual Israelita
Argentina. We are still struggling, in spite of the time
that has elapsed, to fully clarify the facts and punish
the culprits. We believe that, in order to face this
criminal threat successfully, we must carry out a
sustained multilateral and legitimate response. Respect
for human rights, international humanitarian law and
refugee law is essential, as are international
cooperation and legal assistance to effectively enforce
the norms against terrorism.
 If, in facing down global terrorism, we resort to a
global violation of human rights, the only winner in
this fight shall be terrorism. We will advance firmly in
the fight against terrorism only if we frame it within
respect for local laws and international norms and
conventions. No complication can be an excuse for not
combating terrorism within the law.
 Peace is built and maintained by understanding
the true concept of solidarity among nations from a
wider perspective than the purely military or the
predominantly unilateral. Nations big and small, rich
and poor, will be markedly vulnerable if we fail to
grasp that the fight against terrorism demands
sustained multilateral, intelligent action firmly based in
legitimacy, respect for fundamental rights,
proportionality of response and the support of
international public opinion.
 We would like to express our concern regarding
the hostilities on the border between Israel and
Lebanon, resulting in hundreds of casualties, severe
damage to the civilian infrastructure and hundreds of
thousands of displaced persons. The violence must
stop. We need to address the causes at the heart of the
crisis, avoid the disproportionate use of force, and
understand that only negotiated political solutions can
hold in the long term. Argentina will continue to
support a fair solution to the Middle East problems
within the framework of resolution 1701 (2006).
 We must understand that the world will move
closer to peace only insofar as it promotes equality and
struggles to eradicate poverty and exclusion. That is
true both for the global system and for each country
nationally.

06-52885 6

 Argentina supports the building of societies that
are fairer, more equitable and with a better distribution
of the benefits of economic growth. We also believe
that each country has the right to search for its own
development model with no external conditionalities.
We not only aspire to generate sustainable growth; we
also want it to reach everyone. There must be
harmonized growth that translates into a balanced
income distribution, because we know that what is
needed is not development for a mere few, but the
development of the whole country.
 In the region and in the Common Market of the
South, we want an efficient instrument to address
poverty and exclusion; we want the common good to
prevail over sectarian interests and to overcome
stagnation and the technology gap; and we want to
define a sustainable and productive development model
that valorizes our competitive advantages and fosters
our vast wealth in human and material resources.
 The economic situation of the Republic is very
different from what it was when our Administration
began. We are achieving true structural change. That
includes uninterrupted growth at rates of between 8
and 9 per cent; the growing participation of investment
in the gross domestic product; record local savings
rates; the resurrection of local industry; a fiscal surplus
at historic levels; a clear expansion of our industrial
sales to the world; the systematic decrease of local and
external public debt; the preventive accumulation of
reserves; lesser external exposure; a marked drop in
unemployment; a strengthening of the income of wage
earners and retirees; and a significant fall of poverty
and destitution levels.
 With a prudent monetary policy, an orderly fiscal
policy, a fiscal and commercial surplus, and a
responsible management of indebtedness, we are
increasingly reducing the vulnerability and uncertainty
that characterized the Argentine economy in the past.
Decent work, social inclusion, national production,
internal consumption and sustained growth have
allowed us to fulfil the goals of the Millennium
Declaration, although there is still a long way to go to
recover from the hell into which we had fallen.
 We seek the integral sustainability of that
process, not only in its macroeconomic aspects, but
also guaranteeing social equity and a fairer distribution
of income through the reduction of poverty and
unemployment.
 In implementing a national education plan with a
strong federal emphasis that highlights the challenge of
improving the quality of education, ensures the
growing funding of the public sector, and interacts with
the private sector, we seek also to achieve its strategic
sustainability.
 We cannot but point out that these achievements
have not been supported by the International Monetary
Fund, which has denied us any kind of aid, and, it must
be said, that they are in many cases the result of
ignoring or even contradicting its recommendations
and conditionalities. We have sufficient empirical proof
of the failure of international financial organizations in
the promotion of development in less developed
countries. In many cases, their conditionalities have
actually had the opposite effect, hindering
development.
 The world has changed and those organizations
have not. They still insist on jeopardizing advancement
with their misguided interference. That is why we
support, together with most countries, the reform of the
international financial architecture to make it more
effectual in assisting the progress of nations with fewer
resources. In noting the reluctance of international
financial organizations to effect any real change in
their policies, we feel it necessary to endorse such
change and to consider the creation of new
international financial instruments that would allow us
to fund development projects to fight poverty and
hunger in the world and generate true options for
progress.
 Argentina is distressed to note the stagnation in
the negotiations of the Doha Round for the
development of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
It is imperative, within the current globalization
process — from which developing countries must
profit — to reach a successful and balanced result fully
consistent with the mandate of the Doha Declaration.
Thus, we reaffirm the need to reach a satisfactory
result in agriculture in this WTO round, including a
substantial reduction in domestic subsidies, the
elimination of export subsidies and ample access to the
markets of developed countries.
 We are increasingly concerned to see the
deterioration of the global environment. We affirm that
there can be no double standards. The environment
must be protected in developed and in developing
countries, in rich countries and in poor, in the countries

7 06-52885

of the North and of the South, in the central and in the
peripheral countries.
 In developing their industries, the more
industrialized countries have profited from a true
environmental subsidy from the rest of the countries
which today compromise, in their relative
backwardness, a true world environmental reserve.
That is why we cannot accept that those countries that
have achieved greater development — often at the
expense of the degradation of the environment and by
producing a severe global effect evident in climate
change — should seek to transfer to us the more
contaminating part of their industrial processes.
 There can be no reliable solutions without the
concerted action of all countries of the world, insofar
as the nature of the problem is of a global scale. It is
unacceptable for the claims of the developing States to
go unnoticed. It is imperative to take the path of
solutions.
 Our countries wish to receive investments and
present profitable opportunities in the energy,
transportation and infrastructure fields, and even in
sensitive sectors. Therein lies a strong foundation for
international collaboration, but we do not want
investors to undertake activities in our countries that
are prohibited in the industrialized countries just so
that they can improve the profits of shareholders by
creating the illusion of an allegedly less expensive
product by raising the costs of environmental pollution,
deteriorating health conditions and lowered life
expectancy.
 On a different subject, we attach high importance
to our participation, together with other countries of
the region, in the United Nations Stabilization Mission
in Haiti. In our view, beyond the progress achieved in
the transition, the steady support and economic
assistance of the international community will continue
to be critical in the areas of security, the strengthening
of institutions, the fostering of political dialogue, the
protection of human rights, social inclusion, the
promotion of the rule of law, the creation of
administrative capacity and, above all, the promotion
of economic and social development through concrete
contributions.
 We reiterate here our will to achieve peaceful
nuclear development under the verification of
international organizations. Argentina’s commitment to
disarmament and the non-proliferation of nuclear
weapons, our adherence to the Treaty on the Non-
Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and our long-
standing practice in the field are known to all.
 In conclusion, I wish to recall that the question of
the Malvinas Islands — which includes the Malvinas,
the South Georgias, the South Sandwich Islands and
the surrounding maritime area — has been under
consideration by the United Nations since 1965. The
General Assembly and its Special Committee of 24 on
Decolonization have defined this as a special case that
differs from traditional colonial situations in that it
involves a sovereignty dispute that must be resolved
through bilateral negotiations between my country and
the United Kingdom, in accordance with the provisions
of resolution 2065 (XX) and other relevant resolutions.
 We must stress that the Government of the United
Kingdom persists in ignoring those General Assembly
resolutions. Nonetheless, I would like to reaffirm once
again my country’s readiness to engage in constructive
dialogue with the United Kingdom. We call upon the
United Kingdom to promptly heed the request of the
international community to resume negotiations.
 In conclusion, we are firmly convinced that the
basis exists for international cooperation that can help
the world move towards peace. The tensions and
difficulties besetting humanity must not prevent us
from understanding the extent to which the
authoritarian notion that military might can provide
unilateral solutions to conflicts and threats is starting to
recede. That mistaken belief has led only to failure and
great suffering.
 Only multilateral solutions, reached through the
arduous process of negotiation, despite their
limitations, can move us forward. In this context, the
United Nations has a fundamental role to play in
ensuring greater understanding among nations with a
view to creating a safe, peaceful and fairer world in the
years to come.


Let me start, Madam, by
saying how pleased we are to see you presiding over
the General Assembly at its sixty-first session. You
have our full support.
 The latest cycle of violence in the Middle East
and the recent escalation in Darfur have once again
highlighted the need for a strong multilateral response
to global challenges. Last year’s World Summit set out
an ambitious agenda on how to strengthen the United
Nations. Reform efforts must continue. The decisions
made here in New York during the sixtieth session
should be translated into concrete results in the field.
 For too long, people in Darfur have suffered the
appalling consequences of conflict. Our common
efforts must be intensified to end the fighting and
violence, to ensure respect for human rights and
international humanitarian law and to end impunity. A

23 06-53952

United Nations peacekeeping force should be allowed
to protect the people in Darfur. We urge the
Government of the Sudan to accept such a force. A
continued African Union force presence is crucial for
the humanitarian situation and the transition towards a
United Nations peacekeeping force in Darfur. We urge
rebel groups that have failed to sign up to the Darfur
Peace Agreement to do so. Sweden stands ready to
contribute to a United Nations mission in Darfur. We
need to live up to the principle of the responsibility to
protect that we accepted at last year’s Summit. The
Security Council must show the will to act when
civilian populations are threatened by the most serious
crimes.
 A comprehensive approach to the conflict in the
Middle East is urgently needed, with the strong and
increased involvement of the international community.
Positive contributions will be required from key
countries in the region, including Syria and Iran.
 The events this past summer have shown that a
solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and long-
term security for Israel are objectives that cannot be
achieved by military means. Negotiations are the only
avenue to peace. The Stockholm Conference last month
resulted in immediate steps to extend support for
Lebanon’s early recovery. It is vital that we sustain our
commitment to Lebanon’s reconstruction and to the
strengthening of its sovereignty. Full implementation
by all parties of Security Council resolutions 1559
(2004) and 1701 (2006) is needed. Sweden is currently
preparing a military contribution to the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon.
 The Israeli-Palestinian conflict lies at the core of
the tensions in the Middle East. The vision of an
independent and democratic Palestine, living side by
side with a secure Israel, based on the implementation
of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338
(1973), must be revived and concretized. Israel’s right
to exist should be unequivocally recognized by all. We
condemn rocket attacks against Israeli territory.
Terrorist attacks can never be justified and must end.
 Sweden remains concerned at the humanitarian
situation in Gaza and the West Bank. Humanitarian
access must be guaranteed, and humanitarian law
should be observed throughout the occupied
Palestinian territories. The expansion of Israeli
settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories must
stop. This settlement policy should instead be reversed
as it undermines confidence in a credible political
process, as does the building of the barrier on occupied
Palestinian territory.
 The situation in Iraq is serious, with its negative
impact on security in the region and beyond and with
untold suffering of innocent civilians. We need to help
the Iraqi people build a future free from war and
internal strife.
 With an estimated 27,000 nuclear weapons in the
world, we have to make progress in addressing the
threat posed by weapons of mass destruction.
Disarmament and non-proliferation are crucial to world
security. They are interlinked. We must press ahead for
progress on both issues.
 The international community’s concerns over
Iran’s nuclear programme must be met. No one wishes
to see an isolated Iran. Our wish is for Iran to take its
rightful place among nations in international
cooperation. But neither would we like to see an Iran
that pursues a nuclear weapons option. The Weapons of
Mass Destruction Commission, led by Mr. Hans Blix,
has presented a large number of constructive
recommendations in its report, entitled “Weapons of
Terror”. These recommendations offer a way forward
towards disarmament and non-proliferation.
 There are over 1.1 billion people living in abject
poverty in our world today. Well over 100 million
children do not attend school. It is true that there has
been progress. The number of extremely poor has
declined by 130 million since 1990. Since the
Monterrey Conference in 2001, aid has increased by
over $50 billion.
 The World Summit gave increased attention to
development issues, forging a vital link between
security, development and human rights in the fight
against poverty. But this is not enough. If we are to
implement the Millennium Development Goals by
2015, we have to do more. The primary responsibility
lies with the developing countries themselves. They are
in charge. Good governance must be the guiding
principle at all levels. Donor countries should actively
support the efforts of the developing countries to
reduce poverty and lend their full support to
developing countries in their efforts to increase their
participation in international trade.
 The High-level Panel on United Nations System-
wide Coherence provides a unique opportunity to

06-53952 24

revitalize the support of the United Nations to the
developing countries. If the Organization can become
more effective at the country level, it will be able to
mobilize more resources and ensure that they will
reach the countries in need.
 Sweden has always given high priority to the
strengthening of the United Nations. During this
session, it is essential that we stay focused on
implementing the decisions already taken and continue
to seek agreement on outstanding issues from the
Summit.
 We created the Peacebuilding Commission as a
tool to assist countries in managing the difficult
transition from post-conflict situations. The country-
specific commissions should now deliver results,
beginning with Burundi and Sierra Leone.
 The Human Rights Council must be a body that
reacts firmly against violations of human rights.
 Thousands of innocent men, women and children
have been killed across the world through acts of
terrorism. This global threat can only by met by
collective action by Member States. That is why we
adopted the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism
Strategy (resolution 60/288) in the General Assembly a
couple of weeks ago. It sends a strong political
message that terrorism is unacceptable in all its forms
and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever
and for whatever purposes, as it constitutes one of the
most serious threats to international peace and security.
The Strategy should now be implemented, with full
respect for human rights. Let us also build upon this
achievement to agree on a comprehensive convention
on terrorism during the current session of the General
Assembly.
 The world needs a stronger and more effective
United Nations. In order to realize this, we need to
make further progress in Secretariat and management
reform. While a number of initial steps were taken
during the past year, some key reform proposals have
been deferred to the sixty-first session. These need to
be adopted and implemented.
 The United Nations reform process will be
incomplete as long as the Security Council remains
unchanged. If we want its decisions to be genuinely
accepted as legitimate and effective, we must reform
the Council to better represent the world of today. This
is a difficult but vital area of reform. While expanding
the Council, we must safeguard its efficiency.
Therefore, there should be no extension of the veto
power. The use of the veto should be limited.
 The General Assembly will remain at the heart of
the United Nations. During the past 12 months, by
agreeing on a number of essential reforms, the General
Assembly has in many ways revitalized itself. Let us
now continue to make full use of the broad mandate of
this crucial body, representing all the Member States of
the United Nations.
 The time has come to build on the achievements
of the United Nations over the past year and to seek
solutions to the issues where we have been unable to
agree. The time has come to prove that the United
Nations can continue to make a difference — in Darfur,
the Middle East or wherever there is conflict, poverty,
and human suffering.


May I extend
the warmest congratulations to you, Sheikha Haya, on
your election as President of the General Assembly.
Allow me also to say a word of gratitude and
admiration to Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Jordan
applauds the progress achieved in United Nations
reform under Secretary-General Annan’s tenure. In
particular, we welcome the recent creation of the
Human Rights Council and of the Peacebuilding
Commission.
 I come before the Assembly today with a deep
sense of urgency. Never has it been more important for
the world community to act decisively for peace in my
region. The recent crisis in the Middle East is a crisis
for all nations. There can be no just global order when
aggression and occupation are permitted to take the
place of international law. When these occur in a
region as strategic as the Middle East, the shockwaves
run worldwide. Our young people are asking, where is
the justice, where is the will, of the global community?
We must answer them by establishing a lasting peace

06-52737 10

based on the international legality that we have
pledged to uphold.
 That means a new focus on the core problem. The
region’s contemporary crises are outgrowths of a
central grievance felt throughout the Middle East and,
indeed, the world. That grievance, plain and simple, is
Israeli occupation and the denial, over decades, of
Palestinian rights. Until we end that wrong, conflict
will breed more conflict, year after year.
 The Middle East conflict has repeatedly come
before this institution. And the United Nations position
has been repeatedly articulated in resolutions
condemning aggression and occupation, affirming
Palestinian self-determination and supporting a process
for peace. Yet, each year without progress has brought
us another crisis, more suffering and more division. It
is time to take a better path.
 We must, of course, respond immediately to help
those who suffer the terrible destruction of conflict. In
Lebanon we must ensure that the Government can
extend its sovereignty and control over all Lebanese
territory. The Arab world and the international
community must make every effort and must support
reconstruction and development. Those are vital
measures; but in the Middle East they are only partial
measures.
 We can solve the Arab-Israeli conflict only by
addressing the issue at its core: the restoration of
internationally recognized Palestinian rights. In 2002,
the 22 Arab States — agreeing unanimously — led the
way with a breakthrough peace proposal. Our vision
and our commitment is a viable and independent
Palestinian State living side by side with a secure
Israel. Under the Arab peace initiative, Israel’s security
would be guaranteed and the occupation of Palestine
would end, in accordance with United Nations
resolutions.
 Events show clearly that there can be no
unilateral solution to the conflict. There must be a
genuine partnership among all parties, in the context of
international legality and justice.
 Such a global partnership for peace is directly
connected to the global partnership for development.
Around the world, nations at peace are moving forward
with economic growth and development: investing in
education, building communities and helping to shape
the future of the world. But no nation succeeds in
isolation. All nations and all people — especially our
young people — must be able to share in a promising
future.
 We must make peace a priority. We must do so
now. No session of this great institution could make a
greater contribution to a future of justice and hope.


The United Nations
is now more at the centre of international affairs than it
has been for many years. We see the Secretary-General
and his staff driving diplomacy. They are on the
ground, moving forward peace efforts in the Middle
East and coordinating and sustaining peace operations
in Lebanon. The United Nations is drawing up
mandates and getting ready for new and urgent
assignments, such as the one in Darfur.
 The United Nations is assisting countries coming
out of conflict, such as Burundi and Sierra Leone. It is
giving protection under international law to soldiers
and civilians in Afghanistan. It is also launching a
Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
 It is to the United Nations that we all turn when
other processes fail, and Norway is working hard to
support its leading role, be it by sending naval units to

06-52737 48

Lebanese waters, by having soldiers in Afghanistan, or
by training future peacekeepers for Darfur.
 The policy platform of the Norwegian
Government states that:
“It is in Norway’s best interest that we have a
United Nations-led world order. The Government
will therefore work to strengthen the United
Nations and international law.”
 The United Nations can count on Norway. We
believe that our combined efforts in the areas of peace,
the environment and development will pass the tests of
foresight as well as hindsight.
 Those of us who are staunch supporters of a
strong and effective United Nations must also be key
players in driving the process of change and renewal. I
have the honour to serve with colleagues on a panel for
United Nations reform appointed by the Secretary-
General. The Panel is drawing up proposals on how the
United Nations can deliver more and do so better and
faster in the areas of development, humanitarian
assistance and the environment.
 It was the 2005 Summit that called for greater
coherence in and better governance of the United
Nations. Over time the United Nations has added new
bodies, new organs and new activities to its portfolio.
Few people comprehend the overall picture; few can
tell what the United Nations is doing in a particular
country for development; and few can definitively
answer how much money the United Nations is
spending in a specific country.
 In several countries the United Nations system is
represented by more than 20 different organizations. A
country such as Ghana is reported to be host to 14
different United Nations agencies. Many United
Nations organizations deal with many of the same
issues. This is simply overlapping. More than 20
different United Nations organizations deal with water
and more than 10 United Nations organizations deal
with the promotion of education for young girls. This
leads to a fragmented, loosely governed system; it
leads to duplication and reduces possibilities for
monitoring results. This is not the way we would
govern our own affairs — nationally or locally. It is
we, the Member States, who are to blame.
 We must put an end to duplication, fragmentation
and rivalry between different parts of the system.
Instead, we must focus on results. We must be willing
to change, adapt to new situations and relinquish tasks
that are no longer needed. We need to ensure that less
is spent on bureaucracy, and more is spent in the field.
 Let us take, for example, the coordination of
humanitarian relief after the establishment of the
Central Emergency Response Fund headed by Jan
Egeland. With these resources, he is able to coordinate
more effectively through the direction of the financial
flows. In the absence of a crisis governance and
financing cannot be separated.
 All matters of reform seem extremely
controversial here in the United Nations, but they must
be carried out. The most irresponsible thing we could
do now would be to do nothing, i.e. to allow bodies,
governing boards and their representatives to duplicate
work and squander scarce resources.
 The report of the High-level Panel on System-
wide Coherence will be presented to the Secretary-
General later this year. We have had an open,
transparent process. We have held meetings in all parts
of the world and listened to a great many stakeholders,
practitioners and country representatives. My plea to
you all — to all the Member States — is to meet that
report with an open mind.
 Let me be clear about this: any efficiency gain
must be channelled back to the developing world.
Every single cent gained in improved performance or
reduced overhead must go to aid that reaches the
needy. Recipients and donors alike would find that
attractive.
 We are in the fortunate position of having set
clear goals for the Organization. Six years ago we
adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
here in New York. We pledged to do our utmost to
achieve these goals — Norway is working on all eight.
This year we give 0.96 per cent of our gross national
product in development assistance and we will reach
the 1 per cent mark in a few years.
 Now we have vigorously set out to take a lead in
realizing Millennium Development Goal 4, which
compels us to reduce child mortality by two thirds by
2015. Every year, children, in numbers equal to one
and a half times the population of New York City, die
before their fifth birthday — most of them from
preventable diseases. A number of children, equal to
the death toll in the recent tsunami, die every month
from pneumonia alone. Vaccines, costing just $20 for

49 06-52737

each child, could have prevented most of those
common diseases.
 Allowing such child mortality puts shackles on
the growth potential of States, prolonging the long
night of underdevelopment. This can and must be
changed. Yesterday I announced that the Norwegian
Government has decided to increase its annual
contribution to child mortality and vaccines from
$75 million per year to $125 million next year. In total,
Norway will contribute $1.3 billion through 2015 for
vaccine-related activities to reduce child mortality.
 The next step will be to develop a global strategy
for reaching Millennium Development Goal 4,
specifically a plan for financing and execution.
Meeting that Goal, and other Millennium Development
Goals, really depends on United Nations reform. An
organization that sets goals and carves them in stone —
as we did when we adopted the Millennium
Development Goals — such an organization must adapt
its structure and methods of work to these goals.
 We also have to reform the United Nations to
reduce child mortality, i.e. in order to save lives as we
said we should. We have done great things in the past
and have greater means than any other generation and
any other organization. I invite you all to join this
global campaign for child survival.


I have the honour to
convey to the General Assembly the warm greetings of
His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan,
as well as his best wishes for the success of the sixty-
first session of the General Assembly. I would also like
to congratulate you, Madam President, on your
unanimous election as the President of the Assembly.
Your election is a reflection of the General Assembly’s
confidence in your personal abilities and the high
esteem that the Kingdom of Bahrain enjoys. My
country has fond memories of 21 September 1971,
when our two Kingdoms became proud members of the
United Nations. My delegation also wishes to pay
tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson, for the
exemplary manner in which he directed the work of the
sixtieth session. Under his stewardship, a number of
important decisions of the 2005 World Summit were
implemented. We are confident that, under your
dynamic leadership, Madam President, the sixty-first
will be able to successfully complete all its tasks.
Bhutan is honoured to serve as one of the Vice-
Presidents. We assure you of our full cooperation and
support.
 We fully support the theme for the general
debate, “Implementing a global partnership for
development”. In this era of globalization and
technological advances that have brought
unprecedented prosperity to a minority of the world’s
population, the international community must unite
forces to extricate the vast majority of the world’s
inhabitants from the vicious circle of poverty and
destitution. The global partnership must engender
greater political will to address the problems of trade,
market access, technology transfer and a host of other
issues that impede growth and development in
developing countries. It is also imperative that the
outcomes of major United Nations conferences and
summits, especially those relating to development, are
fully implemented by all.
 The Midterm Comprehensive Global Review of
the Brussels Programme of Action for the Least

06-53317 16

Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010, which
was undertaken earlier this week, has revealed much
less progress than desired. It is my delegation’s hope
that, as provided in the declaration that was adopted by
the review meeting, all stakeholders will genuinely
commit themselves to the special needs of the least
developed countries and work towards the full
implementation of the Programme of Action, which
constitutes a fundamental framework for strong global
partnership to accelerate sustained economic growth,
sustainable development and poverty eradication in the
least developed countries (LDCs).
 Owing to the limited prospects for raising
domestic resources, attracting foreign investment and
securing funds on commercial terms, official
development assistance (ODA) is a critical resource for
LDCs in achieving the goals and targets of the Brussels
Programme of Action. In fact, for many LDCs, such as
mine, ODA constitutes the primary resource for
development. My delegation therefore appeals to all
developed countries to abide by their aid commitment
to allocate 0.7 per cent of their gross national product
to ODA, with 0.15 per cent to 0.20 per cent of that
earmarked for least developed countries.
 A summit meeting of landlocked developing
countries was held on 14 September in Havana, Cuba.
That was the first-ever summit meeting of landlocked
developing countries and it highlighted the serious
constraints faced by landlocked developing countries.
It is our hope that the international community will
duly consider the problems of landlocked developing
countries and support the road map for global
partnership set out by the Almaty Programme of
Action.
 The task of reforming the United Nations remains
incomplete, in view of the slow progress in areas such
as the strengthening of the Economic and Social
Council and the reform of the Security Council. It is
not enough to say that the reform of those bodies is
required, while we allow ourselves to be constrained
by other considerations. We need to strengthen the
Economic and Social Council to enable it to deal
effectively with the social, economic and development
issues that are of primary concern for the vast majority
of Member States.
 The Security Council needs to be reformed to
reflect today’s realities and challenges. My delegation
strongly believes that the status quo is no longer an
option. The Security Council has to be urgently
reformed in all its aspects, including its composition
and working methods. It is regrettable that the proposal
submitted by the Group of Four at the sixtieth session
was not acted upon. It is my delegation’s hope that the
sixty-first session will be able to bring about real
reform of the Security Council.
 We welcome the adoption by the sixtieth session
of the resolution on the revitalization of the General
Assembly. We must continue with our efforts to further
enhance the role, authority, effectiveness and efficiency
of this body, which is the chief deliberative,
policymaking and representative organ of the United
Nations.
 Terrorism continues to threaten peace, security
and development in many parts of the world.
 The recent train bombings in Mumbai, India, and
the plot to blow up transatlantic aircraft uncovered in
London last August remind us of the need to take
strong measures against international terrorism. In that
regard, my delegation welcomes the General
Assembly’s adoption at its sixtieth session of the
United Nations Global Counter-terrorism Strategy
(resolution 60/288). The next important steps are to
implement the Strategy and to renew efforts to
conclude a comprehensive convention on international
terrorism.
 Recent developments in the Middle East once
again highlight the urgency of finding a solution to the
problem there. My delegation calls upon all concerned
parties and others in a position to help to strive for a
just and comprehensive solution.
 I would like to take this opportunity to express
my country’s deep appreciation to His Excellency
Mr. Kofi Annan for his dedicated service to the United
Nations as its Secretary-General. We are confident that
the next Secretary-General, who should be from Asia,
will lead the United Nations to greater heights in the
service of humankind.
 Allow me to take a few moments to apprise the
international community of the progress that Bhutan is
making. As a small, least developed country with a
population of just over half a million people, the
hurdles we face are enormous. Yet, under the far-
sighted leadership of His Majesty the King, the country
has been making significant progress in all fields.

17 06-53317

 On the political front, most notable is the
culmination of the reforms that will usher in
parliamentary democracy in 2008. Those changes are
taking place in an environment of peace, progress and
stability. We are hopeful that the transition will be
smooth and the final outcome enduring.
 Bhutan’s development is guided by the conviction
that human well-being and contentment must be
promoted through the pursuit of material progress, on
the one hand, and the fulfilment of spiritual and
emotional needs, on the other. That development
philosophy, as I have stated before in the Assembly, is
defined as the pursuit of gross national happiness,
rather than just gross national product. We will be
happy to share our experience on that development
philosophy, as we did at the international conference
on the theme “Rethinking development: local pathways
to global well-being”, which was held in Nova Scotia,
Canada, in June 2005. We believe that the happy planet
index that was recently published in the United
Kingdom by the New Economics Foundation bears
close a relation to the development paradigm pursued
by Bhutan.
 I wish the General Assembly every success.