We are pleased to express our warmest and most sincere
congratulations to Mr. Ganev on his well-deserved election to the presidency
of the General Assembly at this session and on the competent and dynamic
manner in which he has been conducting the Assembly's proceedings. We are
convinced that achievements and successes will be the common denominator of
his term of office.
To his predecessor, Mr. Samir Shihabi, we express our profound
appreciation for the exemplary way in which he conducted the proceedings of
the previous session.
We wish to convey to you, Mr. Secretary-General, the fraternal greetings
of the people and the Government of Equatorial Guinea, and also the special
greetings addressed to you by the President of the Republic,
His Excellency Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who congratulates you both on your
election as Secretary-General of our world Organization and on the efforts you
are making, in all parts of the world and day after day, with the sole aim of
achieving justice for a better world. Given the complexity of this task, we
extend our best wishes to you for your own personal well-being and that of
your family.
Our greetings and warm welcomes go to the new States that have joined the
United Nations family. As in a traditional family, the birth of a new member
is a symbol of joy and hope: joy, because of the new-found vitality of our
Organization; and hope, because of the new experiences, opinions and
alternatives that there will be to enable us to resolve the problems and
situations confronting the international community.

Our Government, in the conviction that there can be no better unity than
that which flows from and is based on diversity, has formally recognized all
those States that are members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, and
has initiated and established diplomatic relations with each of them; our
Government hopes to be able to proceed in the same manner with each of the new
Members of the United Nations family.
On the political scene, the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly
is taking place at a historic time characterized by new crises, new
obscurantism and new methods of exerting pressure and oppression that stand in
real contrast to the hope and the optimism that filled the international
community with the end of the cold war.
The reason for this is very clear and appropriately reflected in the
report of the Secretary-General, in which he so rightly states that:
"The cold war confronted the international community with a singular
threat to security; now, a widely varying array of resentments,
ambitions, rivalries and hatreds masked for decades have come to the fore
to threaten international harmony and shared purpose." (A/47/1, para. Ill)
Figure 6 of that report, on peace-keeping forces and observer missions,
testifies most tellingly to this sad reality: before 1988, the United Nations
had conducted 13 missions, while between then and now there have been 14 of
them in only four of the Organization's 47 years of existence.
True, there are glimpses of optimistic, hopeful signs on the horizon;
however, it is also true that all generations have the right to live in peace,
justice and security and to enjoy life so as to leave a better legacy to
future generations.

We note that high-level international conferences are being held these
days in order to find solutions to the problems facing peoples and nations:
New York saw the World Summit for Children in September 1990; Geneva hosted
the summit on the advancement of the rights of rural women this year;
Rio de Janeiro hosted the Earth Summit in June 1992; the international
community's agenda includes the holding of the second World Conference on
Human Rights in 1993, the conference on population and development in 1994 and
on the advancement of women and on social development in 1995.
Equatorial Guinea welcomes these and other similar events, and once again
reaffirms that, for these events to succeed and their results to be
implemented in practice, the principle of the self-determination of peoples
and the promotion of responsible relations between States are necessary
conditions if justice, peace and international security are to prevail.

In South Africa, apartheid and racial discrimination continue to claim
innocent victims. In Somalia, selfish political interests and the desire for
power have combined with natural disasters to accelerate the disappearance of
an entire nation. The civil war in Liberia, which continues to claim victims
and cause the permanent exodus of its citizens, has spilled over its borders,
destabilizing the countries of the subregion and blocking the way towards a
peaceful solution to the conflict: the holding of free elections in an
atmosphere of peace and security.
In the former Yugoslavia, war is resorted to in order to slow down the
effects of the end of the cold war, setting an extremely dangerous precedent,
bearing in mind that the geopolitical and demographic spectrum of the former
Yugoslavia is not unique in the community of nations. Our Secretary-General,
Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, pointed out that sad reality when he rightly wrote:
"This is, then, a conflict with an international dimension. The
future shape and security of one or more Member States indeed their
very existence has come under threat." (A/47/1, para. 141)
On the Korean Peninsula, as in Cyprus, intervention and interference in
the internal affairs of States, including foreign occupation and domination,
continue to play the same role as they did in the days of the cold war. The
legitimate desire of the Korean people, both North and South, to see their
country reunited, and the legitimate aspiration of Cypriots to attain their
national identity, free from ethnic disputes and narrow-minded nationalism,
are receding farther and farther from the process of peaceful solution and are
disappearing in the sea of hegemonic interests. We believe that the best
contribution that the international community, the United Nations and peoples

who love peace and justice can make to the peaceful and lasting solution of
these and other conflicts is, above and beyond all interests, to ensure
respect for the self-determination of the peoples affected.
In Equatorial Guinea we welcome and applaud the efforts to restore peace
and justice to all the affected areas and the multifaceted humanitarian
assistance provided by the international community in the collective framework
of the United Nations system in general and in particular the European
Economic Community, the Organization of African Unity, the Non-Aligned
Movement, the Economic Community of West African States, the United States of
America, Japan and other States and governmental and non-governmental
charitable bodies.
The increasingly acute economic and financial crisis afflicting all
countries, and the developing ones in particular, with special emphasis on the
least developed countries, still rests on the well-known pillars built by the
current economic order, which has been so often denounced in almost all
international forums. With the passing of time, the external debt becomes
ever more unpayable, in spite of the constant efforts and sacrifices the
debtors make to increase the output of raw materials and export commodities
while accepting the discipline imposed by structural adjustment programmes.
In the international markets, to which access is difficult because of the
protectionist policies of the fortunate countries of the North, the prices of
raw materials remain low, while the prices of manufactured goods remain high,
much to the despair of the less fortunate countries of the South.
We are sure that everything needed to solve these and other problems in
the context of international cooperation for development is within our grasp:

a reduction in military budgets and progress in disarmament and the curbing of
the arms race, which, together with democracy, free markets and respect for
fundamental freedoms, would carry us swiftly to the goal that we all share:
well-being.
We take the opportunity given us by this world forum to express in this
context our profound and sincere gratitude to the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund, the United Nations Development Programme and
other international financial organizations and individual countries for their
ongoing contribution to the task of rehabilitating and rebuilding the economic
and financial structure of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. From this
rostrum we invite them all to continue along that path and to support
Equatorial Guinea on the occasion of the Third Round Table, to be held soon in
Geneva, Switzerland.
Equatorial Guinea cannot presume to be immune to and free of the ills,
often a legacy of the past, that afflict national communities and the world
community in the vital social domain and in the equally vital area of human
rights.
The economic and financial restrictions caused by the unbalanced
international economic order prevent our having enough schools and training
centres and make us unable to guarantee the provision of health services
meeting the needs of all our inhabitants. Nevertheless, the effort of our
Government, within the limitations of its modest means, combined with the
assistance received from friendly countries and international organizations,
is becoming increasingly evident in improvements in those sectors.

We in Equatorial Guinea believe that as long as a people lacks a basic
infrastructure to resolve problems of education, medical and pharmaceutical
care, a clean environment, drinking water, housing and so on there should be
serious, profound reflection on the concept of human rights.
In the face of all the factors affecting the human being, including the
challenges of his natural enemies, our Government has started out on the road
to the fullest enjoyment of fundamental freedoms and the guarantee of respect
for human rights. In this context, we express our deepest appreciation to the
following for their support of the work being carried out by our national
constitutional bodies and special commissions, such as the National Commission
on Human Rights, the National Commission of Support for the Children of
Equatorial Guinea and the National Commission for the Protection of the
Environment, to name but a few: the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund,
the World Food Programme, the United Nations Population Fund and all those
others that directly or indirectly provide effective and disinterested
assistance to our country.
On mentioning, however briefly, the question of human rights, I cannot
fail to refer to the erroneous image of our country held by the Commission on
Human Rights and certain journalistic circles. We believe and maintain that
the Commission is an organ at the service of the United Nations and therefore
of the Member States. Its components, including experts and rapporteurs,
cannot become prosecutors acting against sovereign States Members of the

United Nations, nor can they assume the role that a country's legal system and
international law grant to State authorities.
We have seen, to our regret, that in exchange for the firm political will
and readiness of our Government to promote respect for human rights in
Equatorial Guinea by providing, inter alia, all sorts of logistical
assistance local transportation, public and private contacts, access to
public and private locations and places that were off limits for security
reasons, and so on - the report of the Rapporteur assigned to Equatorial
Guinea only denigrates the image of our country and its Government, incites
violence and undermines the peace and order that prevail in our country.

While flatly rejecting the report presented to the Commission on Human
Rights at its session in Geneva in March 1992 for its lack of realism and
objectivity, the Government of Equatorial Guinea pledges to the international
community that it will, within its means, continue its programme in defence of
human rights and fundamental freedoms, launched on 3 August 1979, in a climate
of peace, justice, harmony and understanding, and that it will not allow
itself to be swayed by attempts at intimidation and/or provocation.
Equatorial Guinea wishes to express its satisfaction at the bilateral and
multilateral efforts made by the international community to promote global,
regional and subregional disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons. In
this regard, we welcome the decision taken by the General Assembly, at the
initiative of the Economic Community of Central African States, to support the
formulation of confidence-building, disarmament and development measures, as
well as the establishment of a Standing Consultative Committee to deal with
questions of security in Central Africa. We hope that its programme and
timetable of activities, drawn up during the organizational meeting held in
Yaounde in July 1992, will be given the complete support of the Assembly at
this session.
We could not conclude this statement without availing ourselves of the
opportunity to inform the Assembly of the current state of the democratization
process being carried out in our country.
We overwhelmingly approved our new Fundamental Law at the end of last
year. It is based, inter alia.
"on the principles of social justice, reaffirmed solemnly in instruments
on the rights and freedoms of the human being, as defined and enshrined
in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights".

At the same time, it recognizes political pluralism in Equatorial Guinea. A
set of laws regulating these rights and freedoms was promulgated early this
year, and a transition Government was established with the sole and exclusive
task of preparing the people and adapting the Republic's institutions to
current realities, characterized by the multiparty democracy that has been in
effect over the 12-month period that will end on December 1992.
At present, five political parties the Partido Democratico de Guinea
Ecuatorial, the Union Popular, the Convencion Liberal Democratica, the Partido
Social Democrata and the Union para la Democracia Social - have been
registered and given official status under the provisions of the Law on
Political Parties of 6 January 1992. These parties are already conducting
their political activities throughout the country in a climate of dialogue,
order, peace and tranquillity.
In the same direction, and with the two-fold objective of involving all
the country's forces in the construction of a new era of democratic
coexistence, on the one hand, and of alleviating the sad and heavy burden that
the phenomenon of exile and displaced persons places on the international
community, on the other, the President of the Republic,
His Excellency Mr. Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, approved and promulgated for the
second time since 1979 the Law on Amnesty, under which
"All acts of commission or omission of a political nature committed
by Equatorial Guineans and characterized as political offences and crimes
in the Criminal Code or in special criminal laws passed prior to
2 December 1991 shall be forgiven and forgotten."

Therefore
"All citizens of Equatorial Guinea granted this amnesty who are
outside the country will be able freely to enter the national territory
and reside therein. They shall be entitled to all rights and freedoms
under the conditions set forth in the Fundamental Law and other legal
provisions of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea."
In this context, we hope that, on the same humanitarian grounds that
inspired the Governments of the host countries and the international
governmental and non-governmental organizations, they will continue to give
all assistance necessary to facilitate the voluntary return of our brothers
and sisters, just as our Government has already taken, and will continue to
take, steps to do so and to ensure their integration into the society of
Equatorial Guinea.
In the coming months, the People's House of Representatives - the
parliament of Equatorial Guinea - will be taking a decision on the draft
Electoral Law, which is to be formulated with the help and participation of
all duly constituted political parties. This will conclude the planned
medium-term actions and will lead to the final stage in the process of
democratization through the organization and holding of municipal, legislative
and presidential elections in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
May I conclude my statement by emphasizing the relevance and timeliness
of the report of the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, entitled
"An Agenda for Peace". We believe that the content of this important document
is a challenge to our generation and to the United Nations, since, if by

national and international "preventive diplomacy" we succeed in attaining the
following objective:
"To seek to identify at the earliest possible stage situations that
could produce conflict, and to try through diplomacy to remove the
sources of danger before violence results" (A/47/277, para. 15).
we shall have marked the real beginning of the new era, and future generations
will indeed be grateful.


I have the honour to convey to you and to
all the representatives here the warm greetings of
His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, King of Bhutan, and his good wishes for
the success of the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly.
I should first like to congratulate you, Sir, on your election as
president of the forty-seventh session of the Assembly. Your unanimous
election is testimony to the high regard the international community has for
your country and the Assembly's confidence that your leadership will provide
the necessary direction on many important issues that we shall take up during
this session.
I should like to take this opportunity to place on record our deep
appreciation to Mr. Samir S. Shihabi, for the excellent manner in which he
conducted the proceedings of our last session.
I wish to extend our warm welcome to the Governments and peoples of all
the new Members of " ¬∞ United Nations. The large number of new Members is
testimony not only to t' 3 historic changes that are taking place in the world,
but also to the universality and importance of the United Nations. We welcome
them and look forward to the opportunity to work together.
During the last three years the world has witnessed the disappearance of
the ideological conflict that had divided it and pervaded every aspect of
social and economic life for much of this century. While these sweeping
changes have brought new opportunities for peace, stability and progress,
hopes have been dampened on the one hand by the unleashing of old hostilities
and new conflicts, and on the other by the further impoverishment of millions
of people for whom the changes in the international scene have little
meaning. The social and economic situation remains dismal not only in many
developing countries but also in many developed countries which are suffering
from a prolonged recession. Though the opportunity for peace and progress has
never been better, the challenges of inequity and poverty, which are the main
reasons for instability and conflict, continue to be daunting as ever.
In many ways the United Nations has been the greatest beneficiary of the
changes in international affairs. After many years of blatant disregard and
even disrespect by many and a lack of confidence in its abilities by others,
the international community is now increasingly turning to the United
Nations. There is greater willingness on the part of everybody to work
through the Organization.
In this context we should like to record our appreciation to our previous
Secretary-General, Mr. Perez de Cuellar, for having created this opportunity
and increased respect for the United Nations. We should also like to express
our admiration and appreciation to our present Secretary-General,
Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, for taking immediate steps to make the Organization
relevant and more responsive to the needs of the world, particularly in the
area of conflict. We share his views on the need for immediate peace-keeping
and peace-making and for greater emphasis on conflict resolution. Above all,
we share his view on the need to give equal importance and attention to
conflict and suffering wherever they may be in the world.
The situation in the Middle East continues to be a major concern for
global peace. While the unnecessary and senseless aggression against the
peaceful people of Kuwait has been reversed, the issue of prisoners and
disarmament remains. This new confrontation has added another dimension to
the region, where peace and stability have already been denied for a long time.
We fully appreciate the efforts of the sponsors of the dialogue that is
taking place on the Middle East. We sincerely hope that the talks will defuse
the conflict and pave the way for peace in the region. However, this process
will not be successful unless the question of Palestine and occupied Arab
lands is addressed and the legitimate rights of the Palestinians to
self-determination in their homeland are guaranteed. Equally, the territorial
integrity of Lebanon and the security and safety of all States in the region,
including Israel, must be assured. Only then will there be meaningful peace
in the region.
In South Africa, while there has been progress towards change, the
process has been continuously marred by a heavy toll in human lives. The
violence must stop and the talks should continue. The inevitable course of
change should not be restrained any further.
While the cold war has ended, one of its last remnants still stands in
the division of the Korean peninsula. We welcome the recent exchanges between
the two countries and believe they will eventually lead to unification. We
fully support the pragmatic steps set forth by President Roh Tae Woo of the
Republic of Korea in his address to this session and share his vision of the
Korean peninsula presenting itself as one nation before this body in the near
future.
The supply of arms over the years has made it possible for conflicts in
Somalia and other regions of the world to continue despite the major changes
in the international scene. The results have been tragic, and we cannot but
emphasize the immediate need for humanitarian assistance and for resolution of
the problems.
The disappearance of the bipolar world has provided the best opportunity
for ending the arms race and bringing about complete disarmament. The chance
to direct all efforts and resources from the production of weapons of mass
destruction towards the service of humanity must not be allowed to slip by.
While there has been reduction of major weapons, the production and supply of
smaller arms have continued to thrive in many parts of the world. Developing
countries can ill afford to spend their resources on such unproductive and
destructive enterprises.
The tragedies of war and conflict are not the only factors contributing
to human suffering. While they may be dramatic and require immediate
attention, more suffering is taking place on a day-to-day basis, involving
millions of people in the world. Just as it is important to end conflict, it
is essential that the problems of poverty be addressed.
The decade of the 1980s produced few, if any, positive results in the
field of socio-economic development; consequently, the living conditions of
only a few are better than when the decade started. The International
Development Strategy for the 1990s, adopted by the General Assembly at its
eighteenth special session; the Cartagena Commitments agreed to at the Eighth
Conference of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD VIII); the Rio Declaration of the Earth Summit; and the Jakarta
Message of the Tenth Summit Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement all call
for renewed efforts in international development in the decade ahead.
On the otherwise discouraging scheme there have been two important
events: the World Summit for Children, in September 1990, and the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in
Rio de Janeiro in June this year. The children's Summit clearly drew our
attention to the need to redouble our efforts to give our children the
necessary care, attention and education if we are to ensure a better future
for humanity.
The Earth Summit clearly established the common stake we all have in the
well being of the planet. It recognized that, while the responsibility for
preserving the delicate ecological balance falls on all nations, at the same
time those responsible for its degradation and abuse must be held
accountable. Our planet can no longer sustain a high level of exploitation,
and there must be a willingness on the part of those placing a high demand on
natural resources to reduce consumption. At the same time more resources are
necessary to improve the conditions and meet the basic needs of billions of
people in developing countries, particularly the more than 1.1 billion people
who live in absolute poverty. As further misuse of the earth's finite
resources would be disastrous, the only alternative is a greater willingness
to share.
The high pace of population growth and the resulting increase in demand
on resources is a serious threat to the environment and to the future.
Developing countries, where 4.3 billion of today's population of 5.5 billion
live, and where nearly all the next billions will be added in the decades
ahead, must take all measures to ensure that population and development are
balanced in a sustainable manner.
The next three to four decades will be the most challenging humanity has
ever faced, as they will determine the long-term survival of our planet. Just
as we have a common stake in the environment and social well being, our
futures are also tied in terms of overall global economic health. The slow
recovery in the North from a long protracted recession has affected all
countries. Similarly, the economic strength of developing countries clearly
affects economic opportunities for the North.
The long established target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product for
official development assistance has not been reached by most donor countries
and is not likely to be during this century. Official development assistance,
whether through bilateral or through multilateral channels, has been set back
not only in terms of slow growth but also in terms of slow disbursement
resulting from increasing modalities and conditionalities.
The question of debt still awaits comprehensive solution after more than
a decade of discussion. Both the need for debt relief and the requirement of
additional credit must be dealt with in a fair and comprehensive manner. The
serious imbalances in international trade in terms of prices for commodities
as well as volume of trade must be made more stable. Trade is one of the few
avenues available to developing countries for progress, and must not be
restricted. It is also necessary that access to knowledge and technology be
made easier.
Our discussions on development and political change must take into
account the human and social dimensions. There is increasing social tension
and disregard for human dignity arising out of poverty, high population growth
and resulting unemployment, migration and competition for scarce resources.
The wholesome well being of individuals and their rights can be assured if
there are stable social, economic, political and natural environments. We
look forward to the Second World Conference on Human Rights, in 1993, and the
proposed world summit for social development to address these important issues
in an integrated manner.
In my own country, Bhutan, development activities started only in the
1960s. Since then, major changes have taken place: an effective fiscal and
financial management system, a basic network of social services, roads
connecting all population centres, and a growing export sector comprised of
energy, minerals and agricultural products have been established. The
development of human resources and the preservation of our rich environment
have been given special attention. Despite the considerable progress, our
economic infrastructure remains inadequate, and the country's communications
and transport systems require expansion. In addition to the problems all
least developed countries face, Bhutan is further handicapped by being
landlocked.
Bhutan has always taken full responsibility for its own development, and
we will continue to do so, but the progress we have made thus far would not
have been possible without generous support, particularly that of India,
Japan, Switzerland, Denmark, Kuwait, Austria, Norway, the Netherlands,
Germany, the United Kingdom and Australia and various agencies and bodies of
the United Nations, in particular the United Nations Development Programme,
the United Nations Children's Fund, the International Fund for Agricultural
Development, the United Nations Capital Development Fund, the World Health
Organization, the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations, the United Nations Volunteers, the United Nations
Population Fund, the United Nations Department of Technical Cooperation for
Development and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization. I take this opportunity to express the sincere gratitude and
appreciation of the people and Government of the Kingdom of Bhutan to our
development partners.
One of the important issues before the Assembly is the establishment of
the Commission on Sustainable Development. We fully welcome such a
commission, but we must emphasize that its mandate and relationship to
existing organizations must be very clear, and its task must contribute
tangibly and substantively to socio-economic development. Let it not be one
of the multitude of international organizations struggling to bring about
development.
The strengthening, revitalization and reorganization of the United
Nations must extend to all its organs and organizations. In this context we
welcome the concrete steps that our Secretary-General has taken in
streamlining the Secretariat. The United Nations is finally being geared to
undertake its peace-keeping, peace-making and humanitarian relief work
effectively. We urge that a similar effort be made to ensure that the
multitude of organs and agencies involved in development be streamlined and
revitalized with the same vigour.
We have listened carefully to the various views on reforming and
democratizing the United Nations. This is an extremely important matter that
must take into account the significant historical changes and the current
membership of the international body. There is need for a new enlightened
balance among the principal organs of the United Nations. The General
Assembly must be provided with more responsibility, and the International
Court of Justice with more authority.
Finally, the United Nations is no longer the hostage of ideological
conflict and now has new found respect and confidence. While this opportunity
must not be missed, the path ahead is a long one, and the United Nations must
move quickly to make itself relevant and capable of meeting the
responsibilities it has long not been permitted to carry out. But above all
the United Nations must be fair in fulfilling the aspirations and meeting the
hopes and needs of all its Members, big and small.


At the
outset, I wish to greet this Assembly and to convey to it our esteem as well
as Tunisia's appreciation for the United Nations' tireless efforts to realize
the aspirations of mankind for peace, security and prosperity.
I should like to take this opportunity to repeat my warm congratulations
to you, Mr. President, on your election to preside over this session. We know
that your skills will contribute to the success of our work. I should also
like to command the positive role played by your predecessor,
Mr. Samir Shihabi, representative of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
whose activities have extended the Arab and Muslim to the international level
under the leadership of King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques. Your predecessor made a major contribution to the work of the
General Assembly at its forty-sixth session.
I wish also to congratulate Mr. Boutros Boutros Ghali, the new
Secretary-General of our Organization and wish him every success in his
mission. He has embarked on his work with his accustomed characteristic
dynamism and determination, which augur well for our Organization's future.
I welcome the new Member States recently admitted to the Organization.
No doubt, they will make a valuable contribution to the work of the
international community in the service of security, peace and justice.

For a number of years now, the world has been undergoing radical changes
whose effects are beginning to make themselves felt at the international
level. Detente is starting to emerge within the community of nations, and to
create a climate conducive to the advent of world peace and security and the
attainment of the lofty objectives that inspired the establishment of the
United Nations.
The international community has welcomed the dawning of a new era based
on peace, security and the upholding of human rights in the wake of the ending
of the cold war with its ideological conflicts that were the source of
tensions and disputes in all parts of the world. Those changes show that the
international community has begun to regain its self-confidence and to put its
faith in concerted international action in the knowledge that international
problems can be resolved only through the strict application of the principles
enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, which all Member States have
undertaken to uphold.

Tunisia, in this new era continues to be devoted to the noble purposes
and principles upon which the United Nations was founded, and, therefore,
considers that the desired new world order must be forged, as of necessity,
through a process of peaceful and lasting settling of conflicts and resolving
disputes by dialogue and negotiation with a view to establishing peace and
security in the world.
Despite the encouraging developments in international relations, the
world today still faces major challenges in all fields and at all levels. We,
therefore, must show realism and determination in facing up to those
challenges within the context of the just and equitable application of
international legality.
Consequently, it is the first duty of the international community to
focus, without delay, on questions that threaten peace, on the basis of the
norms of international law and the values enshrined in the United Nations
Charter as well as on the methods of preventive diplomacy as set out by the
Secretary-General in his "Agenda for Peace" (A/47/277).
The cause of the Palestinian people is one of the most important of these
questions. This people has for too long been the victim of injustice, and it
is time for it to exercise, like all other peoples, its right to
self-determination and the establishment of its own independent State on its
territory, in conformity with international legality and international
instruments.
Proceeding from the stance of championing the rights of peoples and
adhering to the tenets of international legality, Tunisia has supported the
efforts of the United States of America, the Arab countries and the
international community to hold a peace conference on the Middle East, just as
it has supported every constructive effort aimed at settling this question on

the basis of returning the occupied Arab territories, including Al Quds, and
the exchange of land for peace pursuant to Security Council resolutions
242 (1967), 338 (1973) and 425 (1978).
Tunisia has followed with interest the bilateral negotiations between the
parties concerned, particularly Israel and the Palestinian delegation acting
on the instructions of the Palestine Liberation Organization. It has also
participated in the multilateral negotiations on the Middle East.
While reiterating its support for the peace process, Tunisia joins the
international community in calling upon Israel to put an end to its policy of
settlement which aims at changing the demographic and social structure of the
occupied Arab territories, changing their Arab cultural identity and imposing
a fait accompli, as it is this policy that poses a major obstacle to the
achievement of peace in the region.
Tunisia has welcomed the positive developments witnessed by the people of
South Africa in the direction of constitutional reform and the search for a
formula that may lead to the emergence of a new, democratic society based on
equal opportunity and the elimination of disparities. However, the halting
negotiations between the authorities in Pretoria and the African National
Congress of South Africa and the escalation of violence are cause for grave
concern.
Tunisia again expresses the hope that the necessary conditions will be
met for the resumption and continuation of negotiations and the establishment
of a transitional Government to implement the desired political reforms with a
view to establishing a just and egalitarian society and putting an end to all
forms of racial discrimination and all types of violence. In this way, the
people of South Africa will be able to exercise their legitimate rights.

participate in bringing about the recovery of the African continent and
contribute to the strengthening of peace in the world.
In this respect, we wish to express our highest regard for the efforts of
the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, as well as those of the
Organization of African Unity under the chairmanship of President Abdou Diouf
with a view to reopening dialogue and putting an end to the use of violence as
a means of settling disputes.
The developments that have taken place on the international scene have
substantially contributed to the defining of the parameters of the new world
order and highlighted the tendency to effectively implement the principles and
achieve the goals of the United Nations Charter. This has given the
Organization a prominent status in the international arena, imparted a great
deal of effectiveness to its action and enabled it to move rapidly and
effectively, whenever possible, to put out the fires of discord, settle
conflicts and restore lasting peace.
Proceeding from this, Tunisia considers that the new world order cannot
emerge and gain strength without the elimination of all sources of tension in
the world.
Tunisia, while welcoming the start made in putting into effect principles
that it has long upheld, notes with deep concern the emergence of new sources
of tension in the world, particularly in the Arab Maghreb region, in Somalia
and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the exacerbation of the dispute
between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United Arab Emirates over the
islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb.
As far as the Arab Maghreb region is concerned, the Arab Maghreb Union is
entering its fourth year. In that short period, it has taken significant

steps towards the establishment of its structures within the framework of
rotation of its chairmanship between its member States. Nevertheless, certain
difficulties exist and stand in the way of the Union. We are trying to
overcome those difficulties and to find appropriate solutions to them. Among
the difficulties is the crisis between Libya and certain Western countries.
We hope a peaceful solution will be found for this dispute within the
framework of international legality, particularly since Libya has accepted
Security Council resolution 731 (1992). We hope that dialogue will be pursued
with a view to finding a political solution that would be in the interest of
the young Arab Maghreb Union and spare the region any escalation that may lead
to instability.
Tunisia also wishes to voice its profound concern over the situation in
the sister country of Somalia due to the famine, the prevalent violence and
the devastating war that threatens Somalia's very existence. Tunisia urges
the parties to the conflict to put an end to the bloodshed and hopes that they
will try and find an appropriate solution to the crisis, through a balanced
approach of dialogue and negotiation.
Despite its modest means, Tunisia has contributed to the humanitarian
assistance extended to that sisterly country. In this respect, we wish to
draw attention to the final document of the tenth summit meeting of the
Movement of Non-Aligned Countries on the subject of Somalia and urge the
international community to work for its implementation in order to put an end
to the martyrdom of the Somali people.
While denouncing the deterioration of the situation and the continuation
of acts of aggression, as well as the "ethnic cleansing" to which the people
of Bosnia and Herzegovina are being subjected, Tunisia considers that these

inhuman acts perpetrated against the Bosnian people should inspire the
international community to show more resolve and firmness in its actions so as
to preserve the existence of that people and protect its rights.
Tunisia supports the Security Council resolutions calling for measures to
protect the population and halt this savage aggression against the Bosnian
people, convinced as it is that such actions constitute a breach of the rights
of peoples and a flagrant violation of the values and principles enshrined in
the United Nations Charter.

The escalation of violence is also illustrated elsewhere by Iran's
military occupation of the islands of Abu Mousa, the Greater Tunb and the
Lesser Tunb, which belong to the United Arab Emirates. Proceeding from its
adherence to the principles of the United Nations and tenets of international
legality, which constitute an indivisible whole, Tunisia supports the United
Arab Emirates' full and complete sovereignty over its territory, recalls the
resolution adopted by the League of Arab States on this question, emphasizes
the necessity of avoiding any act that would threaten the security of the Gulf
region and calls for compliance with the principle of good-neighbourliness,
for acting in accordance with international treaties and other instruments,
and for resorting to the bodies that are competent to settle disputes of this
kind.
In the same vein, we wish to reiterate our support for the sovereignty
and territorial integrity of Kuwait, in accordance with international legality
and also wish to voice our concern over the destiny of the fraternal Iraqi
people, as well as for the territorial integrity of Iraq, which must be
preserved. In this connection, we hope to see our brethren in the region in a
position to treat the past as a closed issue, in consonance with the spirit of
understanding and solidarity that has always inspired the Arab nation.
The new international order will not be able to take shape unless an end
is put to the arms race, which constitutes a constant threat to international
detent-p. Tunisia, which, since the Paris Conference, has made clear its
position with regard to chemical weapons, welcomes the progress made towards
general and complete disarmament, particularly with respect to weapons of mass
destruction, which consume vast sums of money and huge resources. We also

welcome the current efforts to strengthen and consolidate the process. In
this respect, the agreement on chemical weapons recently concluded in Geneva
is a positive step towards disarmament and the strengthening of international
peace and security. However, the implementation of that agreement must go
hand in hand with the elimination of other types of weapons of mass
destruction, particularly nuclear weapons, especially in such a sensitive
region as the Middle East.
We see the new international order as one of freedom, democracy, and
human rights, which are noble and universal values that are consonant with the
ideals of the United Nations, to which the Tunisia of the new era subscribes.
On the basis of this conviction, Tunisia is working to make those values a
reality within the framework of a democratic process, the underlying
foundations of which are the upholding of the rule of law and the functioning
of the State through institutions based on respect for individual and
collective freedoms within a tolerant and open civil society where justice,
freedom, and equality prevail for all citizens and human rights are protected
and promoted.
Tunisia is convinced that genuine democracy rejects anarchy, the pursuit
of supremacy, and violence. Democracy is a civilizing value based on a sense
of responsibility and self-denial within the framework of recognized moral and
social principles. Nevertheless, the success of this process also depends on
recognition, in the case of every country of that country's specific features,
as well as its characteristic socio-economic and cultural conditions, which
are the foundations of their identity.
Tunisia takes pride that it will host, next autumn, the conference
organized by the United Nations on human rights in Africa as a prelude to the

International Conference on Human Rights. We also take pride in the fact that
our country has been chosen by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization to host the Conference on human rights and education to
be held next November.
Proceeding from the conviction that democracy and development are
mutually complementary, Tunisia has given human rights their full meaning by
extending them to the political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental
spheres. In this respect, we see it as one of our first duties to improve the
quality of life in a natural environment not threatened by desertification,
pollution, or erosion. For this reason, Tunisia has decided to draw up an
integrated national plan for the protection of the environment, and
participated in the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, where it put
forward constructive proposals.
Tunisia regards the protection of human rights as a daily duty that it
develops and strengthens in the interest of its citizens in order to ensure
for them a life of stability and dignity within a framework of sustainable
development. The protection of human rights, in our view, means reconciling
the interests of the individual and those of the community, for the interests
of individuals would lose all meaning if society were threatened by anarchy
and instability as a result of extremism and terrorism, especially when the
perpetrators employ violence and exploit religion for unstated ends.
The Tunisia of 7 November, being deeply attached to its Arab-Islamic
identity, has always been one of the torchbearers of Islam and one of its
largest bases. It therefore believes deeply in the message of openness,
brotherhood, and coexistence preached by our Muslim religion and by the other

revealed religions in general. Accordingly, concerned to prevent religion
from being turned from its true path and to protect human rights and civil
society from the actions of those who exploit religion in order to attain
their unstated objectives, Tunisia has decided to set extremism and terrorism
in their true context, and has done so in many regional bodies.
Tunisia believes that it is time to adopt a collective position regarding
this phenomenon and to cooperate sincerely in order to isolate extremist and
terrorist groups which hide behind religion, in order for us to protect the
interests of our peoples and our States and create conditions that make it
possible to address the real problems, face up to the challenges and protect
religion from any attempt to exploit and manipulate it.
It is common knowledge that many countries continue to suffer from a
difficult international economic situation that impedes their progress and
development. These countries await with impatience the fruits of the new
world order in the hope that this new era will be one not only of peace and
stability, but also of development and economic and social prosperity.
Although peace-keeping is the main concern of the new world order, the
fact remains that its viability will depend on its ability to assign to
economic and social issues their full measure of importance and to establish
just and equitable rules for international cooperation. For this reason, we
believe that the international community is today called upon to realize the
aspirations of .our peoples regarding cooperation, solidarity, and the
settlement of their basic problems. Thus, the new international order has a
duty to reconsider the structure of the world economy with an eye to the
general interest, without discrimination or exclusion.

Given the exacerbation of the world economic crisis and its adverse
effects on the process of development in the countries of the Third World
despite the major efforts and immense sacrifices made by our peoples, it is
essential that we put our heads together and try to find the best means of
facing up to the economic problems of the world in an appropriate manner. The
aim should be to enable our peoples to fully enjoy their economic, social and
cultural rights and to make it possible for them to contribute to the
democratization of our societies and the development of relations of
understanding and friendship between peoples.
Moreover, we hope the wealthy countries will be convinced of the need to
expand their cooperation and to change the way they deal with us
economically. This would encourage us and show appreciation for our efforts
and sacrifices in the drive to restructure our economies. What we are asking
the developed nations to do is to renounce their protectionist policies
against our exports, and to seek a solution to the debt problems.
While endorsing the Secretary-General's ideas in his "Agenda for Peace"
wherein he calls for regional arrangements to contain crises in accordance
with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, Tunisia will continue
to contribute with all the means at its disposal to the strengthening of this
process. It will do so in particular in the bodies of which it is a member,
namely, the Organization of African Unity, the League of Arab States, the
Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement. We also
hope that international economic issues will be accorded a larger share in the
process of restructuring the United Nations, because of their effects on the
future of peace in the world.

Tunisia is convinced that the United Nations has a decisive role to play
in the process of development in the Third World, and hopes that the
Organization will continue to play that role in order to help those countries,
which still sorely need the support of the Organization, and its specialized
agencies in finding appropriate solutions to the problems of indebtedness,
deteriorating commodity prices, deteriorating terms of trade, drying up
capital inflows to middle-income countries and the transfer of the wealth of
developing countries to the rich creditor nations.
In this connection, Tunisia calls for a strengthening of trade in
accordance with the international trade order which has emerged from the
multipartite trade negotiations at the eighth session of the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), as this would be the ideal
framework for strengthening the efficacy of international trade. Tunisia also
calls for more participation by the developing countries in the
decision-making process relating to international trade.
Social questions today have assumed a higher position in the
Organization's scale of priorities, particularly the issues of employment,
health, education and the environment, which play a highly significant role in
eliminating the causes of tension and in improving the quality of life for all-
While welcoming the high priority accorded to such issues, Tunisia calls
for promoting the tendency further and for the allocation of more adequate
financial resources that would make it possible to meet the needs of the
peoples of the Third World and to enable them to exercise their natural rights
to employment, education and health. Proceeding from this, Tunisia supports
the proposal for convening a world summit meeting on development in 1995 on

the occasion of the Organization's fiftieth anniversary, following the
international Conference on Human Rights scheduled for next year, the
Conference on Population and Development that would be held in 1994 and the
Women's Conference in 1995.
The eyes of the peoples of the entire world are today turned towards the
United Nations, which is the living conscience of mankind and the beacon of
its hope for a better future.
Therefore, Tunisia has renewed its longstanding attachment to the Charter
and the goals of the Organization. It has always supported the Organization's
efforts and is determined to support its action to ensure that law, justice
and peace will have the upper hand in the world. The best proof of the stance
is, of course, my country's continued participation in the peace-keeping
operations organized by the United Nations, in the Congo and Namibia, in the
sixties and, recently, in Western Sahara, Cambodia and the former Yugoslavia.
We are convinced that the establishment and maintenance of peace depend
on the intensification of peace-keeping operations whenever the need arises.
In this connection, it may be necessary to conduct an in-depth study of the
best means of tightening and supporting those operations while increasing the
Organization's ability to continue to stage them successfully.
The ideas and proposals that were thrashed out in the summit meeting of
the Security Council last January have highlighted the need to develop and
maintain a balanced relationship between the General Assembly, the Security
Council and the Organization's Secretary-General, as well as for a
strengthening of the role of the General Assembly, in the light of the

important functions assigned to the Assembly under the Charter and in
conformity with the new realities that have been created by the current
developments in the international situation. The Security Council's role
should be developed in consonance with those developments.
We consider that it is high time we considered collectively the
representation of the international community in the Security Council in the
light of the great responsibilities assigned to it in maintaining
international peace and security.
In so doing, we shall have strengthened the democratic character of the
organs of the United Nations in conformity with the new spirit of democracy
now prevailing in the world. This will satisfy the yearnings of many peoples
and will ensure for our Organization greater confidence and credibility in the
eyes of international public opinion.
We are fully convinced that our Organization, by virtue of its great
experience and influence, is capable of giving effect to this ambitious
civilizing project and making a valuable contribution to the strengthening of
cooperation among Member States within the framework of a new outlook that
will open up promising vistas for mankind and give it renewed hope and
confidence.
Tunisia has already put forward many ideas and proposals to bring about
these new reforms and tendencies that, in our view, must shape international
economic relations. On more than one occasion it has made appeals to this
end, most significantly in the General Assembly at its forty-fourth session by
President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from this very rostrum, for the conclusion
of a covenant of peace and progress between the industrialized and the
developing countries.

The constructive spirit prevailing in the work of this session once again
confirms the determination of the United Nations to play to the full its
assigned role in the international arena in the maintenance of peace and
security in the world. We are convinced that the Organization will succeed in
consolidating the achievements of mankind and in providing it with the
opportunities it needs for progress and prosperity.


It is a great pleasure for me to
congratulate you, Sir, on your election to your high office at such an
important juncture in the history of the United Nations. I should also like
to greet the many new Members that have been admitted to our Organization in
recent months. We welcome them all and look forward to cooperating closely
with them in our efforts to strengthen the United Nations.
Many of us had hoped to see a new, more equitable world order emerge in
the wake of the profound changes we have experienced over recent years.
Unfortunately, this has not been the case. The tragic conflicts in Bosnia and
Herzegovina and Somalia illustrate the challenges we are up against. In many
ways they are similar. Underlying ethnic, religious, social and economic
problems were "frozen" during the cold war. They were suppressed rather than
dealt with in a constructive way. Democratic traditions were not allowed to
develop. Some leaders have exploited the absence of democratic traditions,
appealing to narrow ethnic and even clan interests. The disastrous
consequences are brought home to us daily on our television screens. In
Somalia the political crisis has been deepened by extreme poverty and by
environmental degradation.
We must strongly condemn the unspeakable cruelties being committed in
Bosnia and Herzegovina and other parts of the former Yugoslavia. We cannot
accept, and will not recognize, any attempts to change international borders
by force. The parties must understand that they cannot achieve their goals by
armed force. I urge the parties to the conflict to cease fighting at once.
The "ethnic cleansing" in the former Yugoslavia is an unacceptable violation of

international law and must be brought to a halt. An international tribunal
should be set up to punish all those responsible for the war crimes that are
now being committed. All prison and detention camps should be closed down
immediately, and the captives must be allowed to return freely to their homes
without any further harassment.
Strict observance of the sanctions introduced by the United Nations
Security Council is essential to exert maximum pressure on the parties
concerned. As the former Yugoslavia no longer exists, Serbia and Montenegro
must apply for membership of the United Nations, along with other new States.
We must all give our firm and unequivocal support to the London Agreement and
the Geneva process. All parties to the conflict must now honour their
commitments. The United Nations Protection Force, in which we are proud to
take part, is doing a tremendous job under exceedingly difficult
circumstances, particularly in Bosnia. We must all stand united behind the
United Nations and refrain from actions that will only prolong the conflict.
Our first priority must be to alleviate the sufferings of the civilian
population by providing humanitarian assistance. A great number of human
lives will depend upon how the United Nations manages to protect humanitarian
supplies and monitor heavy weaponry. I strongly condemn the cowardly attacks
on United Nations forces engaged in humanitarian supply operations around
Sarajevo. Those guilty of these crimes must be found and brought to trial.
It is now of the utmost importance to prevent the conflict in Bosnia and
Herzegovina from spreading throughout the Balkan area. We must consider all
available means, and support those measures which have already been applied.
The recent decision by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe to
send observer teams to Kosovo, Sandzak and Vojvodina is an important step.

While we are grieved by the tragic war, we must not lose hope. We must
assist the people of the former Yugoslavia to accept and respect each other
and to come to terms again, making peace through reconciliation. We must
encourage the forces of moderation and good will; we must ensure that all
parties take part in a peace-making process. We must act justly - and, if
need be, forcefully.

In Somalia the United Nations must give top priority to providing
sufficient food and medical supplies to the starving people. This will be an
important test of our collective ability to respond quickly and effectively in
the face of natural and man-made disasters. Somalia also needs assistance in
finding political solutions to its internal problems, and, equally
importantly, in building a more sustainable economy. Norway supports a United
Nations peace-keeping presence in this war-torn country, and we are willing to
participate in such an operation.
The time for peaceful change in South Africa is running out. We condemn
the recent killings of innocent people, and call on the South African
Government to restrain the police and the army throughout South Africa,
including the so-called homelands. We are confident that this can be
achieved, if it really wants to.
We urge the South African Government to meet the reasonable demands of
the African National Congress of South Africa so that negotiations can be
resumed in order to work out the framework for adopting a new constitution and
establishing an interim government. Norway is prepared to contribute at a
practical level by sending observers to monitor the violence and facilitate
the negotiation process in South Africa. We will maintain our economic
boycott until we see some real progress in the negotiations.
All these crises and conflicts demonstrate the need for more effective
international crisis-prevention and crisis-management mechanisms. The end of
the cold war has opened a window of opportunity for the United Nations to live
up to the great objectives of its Charter. We must seize that opportunity.
The Secretary-General's report "An Agenda for Peace" (A/47/277) is a
starting-point for a serious discussion on how this can be achieved.

We need to consider further the circumstances under which the United
Nations should resort to real enforcement, mindful of our obligations under
the Charter. Burden-sharing is essential with regard to peace-keeping. Every
country has a duty to participate, including those which so far, for various
reasons, have refrained from getting involved.
Some 35,000 Norwegian men and women have participated in a total of
16 United Nations peace-keeping operations. We are prepared to intensify our
efforts in this field. But our collective efforts must move beyond
traditional peace-keeping into such fields as refugee-repatriation, electoral
assistance and human rights monitoring. This concept proved successful in
Namibia and is now being put to a new test in Cambodia. As a means of
improving our capacity for such broader operations, we have proposed the
establishment of a special United Nations institute for education and training
in peace-keeping and related activities.
There can be no lasting peace in the world as long as a large part of
humanity lives in misery and despair. Maintaining international peace and
security is a prime responsibility of the United Nations, as is promoting
economic and social progress and respect for human rights.
We must adamantly oppose any tendency to ignore the fundamental
challenges of the continuing North-South divide. Otherwise the very future of
our planet is in danger.
In spite of remarkable economic and social progress in many developing
countries, the inequalities persist. According to the United Nations
Development Programme's latest human development report, the richest
20 per cent of the world's population receive 83 per cent of total world
income, whereas the poorest 20 per cent have only 1.4 per cent. We cannot
allow these inequalities to persist.

The African continent has been particularly hard hit by economic decline,
and a concerted international effort must be mounted to reverse this
unfortunate situation.
To break out of the development impasse, increased contributions from the
industrialized countries will be needed, in the form of better market access
for developing countries, more investment, increased development aid and debt
relief for the poorest countries.
But the slow rate of economic growth and high level of unemployment in
most countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
limit demands for products from developing countries. The outlook is
uncertain, and the unfinished business of the Uruguay Round adds to this
uncertainty. Capital needs are enormous; competition for capital is fierce.
Developing countries are the losers.
The current financial and monetary instability poses great risks to
countries and individuals. We need to impose stability and prevent
speculation from throwing national economies into peril. There is no
alternative to effective coordination of financial and monetary policies. But
that coordination can succeed only when coupled with social purpose, a fair
distribution and public efforts to create employment. In fact, most of the
economic problems that we are faced with are linked to lack of coordination,
to rivalry and to laissez-faire attitudes among industrialized countries.
The developing countries are, as always, the ultimate losers. Their best
line of defence is to undertake policy reforms to mobilize their people,
educate them and and diversify their economies. Development is not likely to
accelerate without good governance, democracy, respect for human rights,
reduced military spending and improved redistribution systems, with increased
emphasis on health and education.

Alleviating world poverty is necessary if we are to reduce the rapid
population increase in many parts of the world. At present rates, the world
population is doubling every 40 years, and could reach somewhere between
8 billion and 14 billion by the middle of the next century. Keeping to the
low end of that scale will make all the difference to life on Earth and
humanity.
We must deal with population growth through an integrated human rights
approach, including education and the enhancement of the status of women,
improved public health and family planning.
Confronted with these great challenges, we find it a sad paradox that
development aid flows continue to stagnate and remain at less than half of the
United Nations target of 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).
Norway's official development aid has exceeded 1 per cent of our GDP for more
than 10 years, which reflects our strong commitment to the fight against
poverty.
At the Rio Conference on Environment and Development it was made clear
that we are heading towards a crisis of uncontrollable dimensions unless we
change course. The North as well as the rich in the South will have to change
consumption and production patterns.
Developing nations came to the Rio Summit with open economic demands, and
understandably so: for them, the Conference was essentially about development
and justice.

At Rio, we achieved progress in many fields, but too little in most
fields and none at all in some fields. We opened two important conventions
for signature. It is imperative that we make them more effective. They will
not work unless all major countries sign, ratify and implement them.
Furthermore, Rio made it clear that the challenges of dealing with
environmental threats and poverty are cross-cutting, long term, predictable
and unavoidable unless we establish a world order of burden-sharing, common
perceptions and common responsibility.
Therefore, critical decisions remain to be taken. Traditional
international conferences run by consensus can advance only at the pace of the
most reluctant mover in each field. The future requires stronger
decision-making procedures. Nothing less will serve us. I welcome the
high-level Commission on Sustainable Development and expect it to become
effective under a revitalization of the economic and social responsibilities
of the United Nations. Norway proposed the establishment of such a Commission
and expects to take an active part in its work.
The challenge of economic and social development requires a more unified
approach and stronger direction within the United Nations system. Over the
years the number of agencies, programmes and councils has mushroomed, with too
little inter-agency cooperation. This cannot continue. We must streamline
our organization to avoid duplication and to improve effectiveness.
The Nordic countries have addressed these challenges through the Nordic
United Nations Project. Although we have made some headway, we need to
proceed during the present session of the General Assembly.
In view of the greater demands now being made on the United Nations, we
must stress the importance of sound and predictable financing. Being the

eighth largest contributor to the United Nations system in absolute terms, and
by far the largest in per capita terms, we find it exceedingly difficult to
understand why so many countries fail to honour their obligations.
It is disappointing, to say the least, to read in the Secretary-General's
report:
"Perennial shortages, the absence of reserves, and a debilitating
uncertainty over the immediate future, are the main characteristics of
the financial situation of the United Nations." (A/47/1, para. 46)
Immediately preceding this sentence the Secretary-General points out that some
$900 million in assessed contributions are unpaid, together with some
$844 million dollars towards peace-keeping operations.
Frankly, this is an unworthy situation. We must increase our financial
discipline. The permanent members of the Security Council have a special
responsibility in this respect. And the question must be raised whether
countries should be eligible at all for membership of the Security Council if
they have not paid their dues.
We must be willing to provide the Secretary-General and his staff with
the necessary means to promote peace and to wage war against environmental
degradation and underdevelopment.
Our daily diet of printed and electronic presents a picture of a
world in need of better governance and of more coordination. Our present
forms of cooperation, developed in a less interdependent world, are still too
weak and unlikely to stand the test of time. We should not pretend that they
can.


May I begin, on behalf of His Majesty King
Mswati III, Her Majesty the Indlovukazi - the Queen Mother and the whole
Swazi nation, by conveying to you all the greetings and good wishes of the
Kingdom of Swaziland.
I offer my country's sincerest congratulations to Mr. Ganev on his
well-deserved election to the presidency of the United Nations General
Assembly at this forty-seventh session. We are most confident in his ability
to guide deliberations in this distinguished gathering towards successful
conclusions.
Allow me also to express Swaziland's gratitude to his predecessor,
Ambassador Samir Shihabi of Saudi Arabia, for his extremely effective
leadership as President at the forty-sixth session, during which much valuable
work was conducted.
Our thanks and admiration are also due to the members of the Bureau,
whose role in the day-to-day activities is central to the success of the
Assembly.
I should also like to take this opportunity to express Swaziland's
appreciation of the outstanding service given this Organization by the former
Secretary-General, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, whose diplomatic experience

and dynamic leadership contributed so much to the re-emergence of the United
Nations as the only international institution with the influence to improve
social, economic and political standards throughout the world.
Our congratulation, too, go to his successor, our new Secretary-General,
Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who has already shown the experience, diplomacy and
wisdom necessary to make a success of this most important and challenging post.
We wish him strength through God's held and blessing as he continues to
lead us in these difficult times.
This year has seen the admission of new Member States, once again
demonstrating the principle of extending the advantages of membership to all
who desire to embrace our founding Charter. We welcome our new Members, and
we are confident that their presence will contribute substantially towards
this new age of international understanding and cooperation, as we strive to
attain universal harmony.
Many obstacles remain in the way of true international peace and
stability but, as has been shown in the past, with the release of East-West
tension and the subsequent removal of the atmosphere of fear and mistrust
which had so clouded past deliberations, this forum remains our one hope in
our search for acceptable solutions to the many challenges that confront us.
Although the Kingdom of Swaziland remains, thankfully, peaceful and
stable, it is a fact that, in these times of global interdependence, we are
subject to, and affected by, the pressures or events occurring outside our
borders; not just in our own subregion but also by the tragedies and crises
occurring throughout the world.
The role of the United Nations as the most powerful and influential body
for immediate humanitarian aid, and as the most acceptable international

broker for peace, continues to stretch our collective resources to the
utmost. The priorities for our efforts become ever harder to define, as the
incidence of disaster and conflict, with their corresponding calls on our
resources, appear to increase.
We in Swaziland accept our responsibility, through our membership of the
United Nations, to lend our support wherever the call for humanitarian aid,
and assistance to end the bloodshed of a conflict, is made, regardless of our
direct or indirect involvement in those situations.
Our regular and prompt payment of dues testifies to our commitment to
this policy, and we are proud of our record.
The various unresolved conflicts on our own continent are, of course, of
primary consideration to us, and of immediate concern is the situation
affecting our neighbour. South Africa.
We have watched as the momentous changes of the last two years have
brought the inevitable ebb and flow of hope and despair. We have been
constant in our support of a peaceful process, through negotiation, towards
the establishment of a new South Africa whose guiding principles would be
acceptable to all partners, and we have been reassured by the words and
actions of the United Nations in its acceptance of that goal.
We have suffered along with the victims, many of Swazi origin, of the
terrible violence that continues to plague the peace process; and we welcomed
the initiative of the United Nations in dispatching a team of observers, under
the capable leadership of the distinguished Special Envoy, Mr. Virendra Dayal,
to assess the violence in the townships. We are confident that they will
successfully bring to bear their collective expertise and experience in
helping to resolve this most distressing problem.

Swaziland now urges all political leaders in South Africa to put aside
their differences and to return to the negotiating table in a spirit of
compromise and conciliation for the sake of their country and for the future
of their children.
We in southern Africa can only pray that there will be an early, peaceful
conclusion of the process, so that we too can benefit from the advantages that
closer social and economic links with a new South Africa will inevitably bring
us and the other countries of the subregion.

The situation within the borders of our other neighbour, Mozambique,
offers at last some ray of hope for an early resolution, and our support for
the processes of peace there seem finally to have been rewarded. Swaziland
wishes to express its deepest admiration and praise for all those involved in
the peace negotiations between FRELIMO and RENAMO, which resulted in the
momentous accord signed in Rome last month. In particular, the efforts of the
Governments of Italy, Portugal and the United States, and the individual
contribution of His Excellency President Robert Mugabe, deserve our applause.
But without the commitment of both sides of the dispute to peaceful
settlement, the assistance and advice of these international friends would
have been worthless. We salute the initiatives of both parties and entreat
them to carry through the undertakings of the accord without further bloodshed
and with a determination to regain the peace which has so long been denied the
Mozambican people.
The crisis in Mozambique has a great and direct bearing on our own
situation. At least 80,000 Mozambican refugees currently enjoy Swazi
hospitality at continuing great expense to our national economy in the
form of resources in land, finance, employment opportunities and other social
services. We, and indeed the refugees themselves, look forward to the
resumption of a secure and peaceful atmosphere in Mozambique so that
repatriation can reasonably take place and thus relieve the pressure of the
substantial burden that is being carried by us.
Just as we continue to rely on the efforts of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees and other humanitarian agencies for help in coping
with these unfortunate victims, so we shall be looking for assistance when the
time comes for them to return home. We are confident that we, and the
refugees, deserve such aid.
Swaziland welcomed the end of hostilities in Angola, and we would like to
express our appreciation to those whose efforts brought the crisis to an end.
We now join the rest of the international community in praying for a
successful election process so that all Angolans will be able to reap the
benefits of peace.
The horrifying situation in Somalia continues to give us cause for grave
concern. The almost unbelievable proportions of the disastrous effects of
famine and the continuing interfactional fighting beg action on an
international scale. We fully support all United Nations efforts to bring
relief to the starving, suffering millions. Words mean little in such
circumstances, but the people of Somalia should know that our prayers are with
them; with God's blessing and with positive assistance from us, they will pull
through this dark episode in their country's history.
The situations in Chad, the Sudan and Liberia also give little cause for
hope for early solutions. Again, we pledge our full support to all efforts to
bring about peaceful and lasting solutions to these problems which affect the
stability of our continent.
In Europe, too, the ravages and upheaval of war and social change have
had their devastating effect. The situation in former Yugoslavia in
particular gives immediate cause for concern, with the ongoing war in Bosnia
and Herzegovina and the crises of uncertainty in the other newly-independent

States. The efforts of the United Nations and the European Community to bring
about peace are to be applauded and they deserve our fullest support. We pray
that sense will prevail amongst the leaders of different factions and that use
will be made of the negotiating table in bringing about an early end to the
horrific bloodshed in this unfortunate corner of Europe.
We applaud the work of the United Nations Special Envoy, Mr. Cyrus Vance,
and that of the European representative. Lord Owen, in their extremely
difficult task as intermediaries. The performance of the multinational
monitoring force, operating under the most frustrating and challenging
conditions, is also in the best United Nations traditions and deserves our
admiration and praise.
Swaziland has been watching with great interest, and not a little
optimism, the developments over the last year in the Middle East. The
disputes and conflicts in this important area have for too long been the cause
of international concern, and we welcome all efforts to bring about an
atmosphere in which all parties can resolve their differences. The Government
of the United States of America, in particular, deserves mention in its
determination to get the Middle East peace initiative up and running.
Moreover, the latest conciliative remarks by His Excellency, the new Israeli
Prime Minister, with the correspondingly constructive responses from the
affected countries, give cause for encouragement that our prayers for positive
steps towards the achievement of lasting peace in the whole region may at last
be answered. Much, of course, remains to be done, but we can only support and
encourage all initiatives towards the achievement of this aim.

Swaziland is distressed to hear of the latest disasters which have
afflicted some areas of Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, the United
States of America and other countries in different parts of the world. The
disasters which have caused so many thousands of deaths and destroyed the
homes of millions constitute a crisis of unprecedented proportions. We join
others in the international community in pledging our moral support for
immediate substantial aid to relieve the suffering and to help rebuild the
shattered economies of these areas.
Swaziland joined the rest of the United Nations last year in welcoming
the two Koreas as Members of our Organization. The resolution of the crisis
between these two countries has been on our agenda for a long time, and
Swaziland welcomes and supports any initiative to bring about an atmosphere of
conciliation and peace between them.
We call on the people of Afghanistan to use the present opportunity for
peace to bury any divisive differences between them and to move on with the
task of national reconciliation and economic development so that all may enjoy
the hard-won fruits of peace.
In Cambodia, we have welcomed the efforts of our sizeable United Nations
presence in assisting with the consolidation of positive trends towards peace
and stability. We look forward to having a unified Cambodia add its
influential support in the restoration of peace throughout the region of
Indo-China.
In these and other conflicts around the world, the United Nations has
distinguished itself in trying to act as brokers for peace and as the provider
of humanitarian aid. This has been achieved, often in the most hazardous and
difficult circumstances, but with an increasing rate of success and with the
noblest intentions of creating a safer, more stable world. To that end, the

initiatives towards limiting proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are
of paramount importance in our efforts to bring about true international peace
and harmony, and Swaziland gives these efforts its fullest support.
The pressing issue of the environment was important enough to attract all
members of the United Nations family to the Earth summit in Brazil earlier
this year.

The commitment shown there by all participants, and ratified by a number
of far-reaching treaties, to address the multiple problems posed by man's
thoughtlessness and ignorance was fully justified and was a timely reminder of
how much irreparable damage we have already caused. For us in Swaziland, the
Summit served as a catalyst in our efforts to become more aware of our
environmental responsibilities, and we are now taking those responsibilities
very seriously indeed. In fact, no greater reminder of our own reliance on
our natural resources was needed, as we found ourselves in the middle of the
worst drought on record.
It is ironic that, as we strive as a nation to develop along the right
paths and as our economic base becomes more and more dependent on increasingly
sophisticated industrial development, it takes the failure of a basic natural
resource to make us realize how complete our reliance still is on the basic
gifts of nature and how carefully we must nurture our country's precious
resources to ensure that future generations inherit a fruitful and productive
land.
We are indebted to the United Nations for its prompt response in
convening the successful pledging conference in Geneva in June to benefit
those who have been hardest hit by the drought, and our gratitude is also due
those in the international community that responded so generously.
But a short-term response is not enough. We in the region have
recognized that our emphasis must now be on ensuring that we are adequately
prepared for any such natural disaster in the future. We shall be looking to
the Organization for advice and assistance so that our people may never again
suffer as they have this past season.

One principle to which Swaziland is attaching increasing importance is
the linkage of our nation's development, both social and economic, to a
dependence on closer cooperation with our regional partners. Social
development is inextricably linked to economic performance, and the
eradication of many of our national social problems, such as poverty,
unemployment, crime and the like, depends on improvement in our economic
situation.
Our membership in such regional organizations as the Preferential Trade
Area Authority and the Southern African Development Coordination Conference
and the Treaty signed recently at the Organization of African Unity (OAU)
summit in Abuja, establishing the African Economic Community, point out our
strong commitment to improving our economic performance through closer
economic and trade cooperation with the rest of our continent. Those
organizations and initiatives are serious attempts by Africans, for the
benefit of Africa, to pull themselves out of the economic and social quagmire
of recent years. We deserve and expect the support, encouragement and
positive assistance of the international community if we are to make a success
of it and thereby reduce future dependence on the developed world.
Africa is disturbed to see much-needed developmental funds being diverted
to other targets, and while Swaziland, for one, is making every effort to
prepare itself to stand on its own, our country and others in our subregion
are still in desperate need of continuing assistance in many areas, precisely
so that we shall be able to establish the mechanisms and organizations that
will allow Africa to be self-sufficient in the future.
Swaziland hopes and prays that Africa will not be neglected now at a time
when assistance is most needed. That fact has been driven forcefully home to

us with the production of the latest World Economic Survey, which, as is
inevitable in the midst of an international economic recession, has once more
painted a miserable picture for developing countries. For Africa, in
particular, the litany of depressing economic news makes for distressing
reading.
One area of particular concern to us as we strive to become less
dependent on the developed world is the widening gap between North and South,
between the primary-commodity producers and the manufacturers of finished
products, a situation exacerbated by the protectionist trade policies employed
by some and by the inability to bring to a successful conclusion, so far, the
Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
Those are some of the areas which inhibit the release of the developing
world from the chains of dependence on the developed countries. We appeal to
all to address these problems in the only way that will produce results: in
the spirit of true international brotherhood within this family of nations.
Our Organization has much to be proud of and much still left to do. The
United Nations remains the only truly global forum in which the world's
problems can be discussed and from which the collective experience and
expertise of all our Member nations can be pooled to find solutions.
Swaziland is proud to count itself one among this illustrious company and, on
behalf of His Majesty King Mswati III, Her Majesty the Indlovukazi and the
whole Swazi nation, I have the honour of once more reaffirming my Kingdom's
commitment to the guiding principles enshrined in the Charter of the United
Nations.
May almighty God watch over the deliberations of the Assembly and reward
it with the success it deserves.