On behalf of my delegation,
I extend to you, Sir, our sincere congratulations on your
election to the high post of President of the General
Assembly at its fifty-third session. We wish you every
success in discharging your very responsible mission.
I would also like to express my profound
acknowledgement to the President of the General Assembly
at its previous session, Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko, who also
happens to be my predecessor as Ukraine?s Foreign
Minister, for his efficient and fruitful work here. I believe
that the results of the fifty-second session deserve our
positive evaluation, for they gave a strong impetus to the
process of a wide-scale reshaping and strengthening of the
United Nations. The last session will undoubtedly enter
history as the session of reform. I am very pleased to note
that many previous speakers have attributed those
achievements to a large extent to the skilful and fair
presidency of the Ukrainian representative. This provides
undeniable evidence that our nation is not only a consistent
supporter of, but also an active participant in, the process
aimed at reforming the Organization.
May I also applaud Secretary-General Kofi Annan,
whose tireless efforts to initiate and promote this
challenging goal deserve not only words of praise but,
first and foremost, our active support.
The efficiency of the future functioning of the
United Nations will be determined by its ability to
respond adequately to the challenges confronting
humanity at the start of the twenty-first century. The
promotion of an interrelated and integral world, the search
for universal human harmony, the protection and further
development of the values of our civilization, and free
access to them — these are the main priorities on which
the United Nations should concentrate its authority and
attention.
It is widely acknowledged that the main feature of
the present development of the world community is the
globalization of political, social, economic and
humanitarian life. The advanced development of
information and communication technologies and the
interdependence of the economic progress of countries,
with their closely interwoven market of goods, capital and
labour, bring together local processes, separate events,
States and international institutions into a worldwide
network. A great advantage of globalization is the
possibility of resolving problems of individual regions and
countries by using the world?s experiences and the
approaches that have proved to be most efficient.
On the other hand, recent years have been marked
by some of the adverse effects of globalization. The
financial crisis in Asia and Russia, whose repercussions
have been acutely felt all over the world, has become a
subject of special preoccupation in almost every country.
In this regard, Ukraine fully shares the view that the
social and economic impact of globalization should
become a top priority on the agenda of the world
community today.
The United Nations, which bears responsibility for
international stability and sustainable economic
development, has to find the means and tools that could
help overcome the negative impact of globalization. In
this respect, I wish to recall and reiterate the initiative of
the President of Ukraine, officially announced in this Hall
in 1995, to establish a new United Nations economic
security council. In the meantime, Member States could
also entrust the Security Council with additional
assignments and the responsibility to deal with economic
and social challenges that have direct repercussions for
international peace and security.
18

Furthermore, there are other issues which cause
discord and division among nations. These are the problems
of national minorities, deported peoples, refugees, the
spread of terrorism and organized crime, illicit drug-
trafficking and money-laundering.
These challenges require greater responsibility on the
part of individual countries and their leaders for their own
policies, as well as concerted efforts by the world
community to counteract them. All that means that the
United Nations, as never before, faces the urgent task of
harmonizing all human and national interests and creating
a world order whereby a national idea is not opposed to
global solutions. Hence, Member States should care more
for regional and universal security in order to maintain
peace and stability without prejudice to their national
interests.
Events of last summer once again highlighted the issue
of nuclear non-proliferation as pivotal for the world
community. This issue remains a cornerstone and
fundamental principle of preserving the world from a global
conflict. Nuclear tests conducted by two nations in
confrontation testify to the increasing urgency of expediting
the entry into force of international agreements in the field
of nuclear disarmament, as well as the need to ban other
types of weapons of mass destruction.
The issue of nuclear disarmament and non-
proliferation has a special meaning for Ukraine as a nation
which inherited the world?s third largest nuclear arsenal and
voluntarily renounced it and which suffered from the largest
technogenic disaster of this century in Chernobyl. Ukraine
has made an unprecedented and exemplary decision to
initiate the process of practical nuclear disarmament, and it
strictly honours its obligations undertaken in this field. That
is why we believe that we have the moral right to urge
other countries, first and foremost nuclear ones, to pursue
further reductions and, in the long run, to destroy totally
their nuclear potentials. We also call upon the so-called
threshold nations to abandon their nuclear ambitions.
The world community should take effective measures
to create reliable mechanisms for the non-proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction and control over the
implementation of relevant international agreements. The
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
is in fact the only internationally binding document that
consolidates the world community around the concept of
global security. Hence, we have to substantially revitalize
the efforts of the United Nations and the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for its support.
The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), signed
by most United Nations Member States, is also of
exceptional significance. Ukraine, as one of its first
signatories, calls upon the States which hesitate to accede
to it to make this document effective as soon as possible.
As a positive example, it is worthwhile to note the recent
signing of the CTBT by Brazil and Spain. We welcome
this important decision by these two friendly countries.
For many years, the Conference on Disarmament has
been playing an important role as a catalyst in freeing
humanity from the burden of armaments, first and
foremost, the nuclear ones. Ukraine, which a few years
ago joined that body as a full member, continues to
contribute to the success of its activity. I am glad to
mention that it was under the presidency of Ukraine?s
representative at the Conference that the elaboration of
the treaty of the prohibition of fissile material reached its
final stage. As other priorities for the Conference, we are
considering elaboration of a programme of global nuclear
disarmament and of a multilateral agreement on granting
security guarantees to non-nuclear nations by the nuclear
Powers.
The contemporary age which has replaced the period
of global confrontation has set new challenges before the
United Nations in the field of international security. These
include the growing numbers of local, mostly inter-ethnic
conflicts inside countries, which cause civil wars and
involve other nations. Moreover, these conflicts spread
across regions or even turn into major international
conflicts and become the source of global instability. We
are deeply convinced that the international community
must not be reconciled to the age of “cold war” being
replaced by the age of “hot peace”. Finding an adequate
remedy to these dangerous phenomena is one of the main
issues that the United Nations should address today.
Ukraine, with a population of over 50 million
comprising 100 nationalities, has always pursued the
policy of maintaining stability and social accord in its
society. For seven years of its independent existence, our
country, contrary to pessimistic predictions, has succeeded
in avoiding ethnic tensions, regional division or
fragmentation of the society. This has been possible
thanks to the persistent efforts of all branches of State
power aimed at the comprehensive development of
democratic institutions and legal protection of national
minorities. This policy is enshrined in the Constitution of
Ukraine that was adopted two years ago.
19

Conflict prevention remains one of the biggest
challenges for the United Nations, especially the Security
Council. It requires constant attention to potential sources
of tension and immediate and adequate measures to prevent
these tension points from growing into bigger conflicts. In
this context, I would like to underscore the pressing need
for strengthening the mechanism of United Nations global
monitoring and early warning of threats to international
peace and security in order to facilitate the Security
Council?s readiness for a timely and efficient response.
An important role in this respect is played by
international sanctions which make it possible to exert
pressure without resorting to force. We believe, however,
that the mechanism of introducing sanctions requires
serious improvement. First of all, there is urgent need to
work out an efficient tool for compensation for losses
incurred by third countries observing the sanctions.
Regrettably, all previous resolutions adopted by the General
Assembly to assist such countries so far remain
unimplemented, leaving some countries of Central and
Eastern Europe, in particular, to cope on their own with
their uncompensated economic losses.
It is a recognized fact that peace and stability on the
European continent are an inseparable part of the global
security system. Ukraine views the future architecture of
European security as one based on the principles of
comprehensiveness, indivisibility and partnership. This
fundamental position determines our country?s active
cooperation with European and Euro-Atlantic security
structures, such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
and the Western European Union. Ukraine also actively
advocates the further strengthening of the role of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) as an important all-European tool for safeguarding
stability on the continent by means of political mediation,
protection of human and minorities? rights, strengthening of
democracy and humanitarian activity. Closer cooperation
and coordination of efforts between the United Nations and
the OSCE should be established by making it a good
practice to organize regular meetings between senior
officials of the two organizations.
For Ukraine, a country of Central and Eastern Europe,
establishment of friendly and partnership relations with its
neighbours is of great importance. In line with this policy,
last June Kiev hosted the first round of expert consultations
among a number of Black Sea States to work out joint
confidence-building and security measures in the naval
military field in the Black Sea region. Thus, actively
shaping a favourable security environment, Ukraine is
asserting itself as a natural strategic link between various
regions, for the North and South, East and West. That is
why it was not accidental that the initiative of Ukraine?s
President Leonid Kuchma to convene in September 1999
in Yalta an international summit conference entitled “The
Baltic-Black Sea Cooperation: towards an integrated
Europe of the twenty-first century without dividing lines”
has received broad support.
Contributing to the solution of vital global issues by
fostering internal harmony in society, projecting stability
on its environment through its active participation in non-
proliferation and peacekeeping, by shaping a vast network
of regional cooperation, Ukraine, as one of the United
Nations founding members, gives top priority to
strengthening international peace and security and aspires
to be elected next year as a non-permanent member of the
Security Council for the period 2000-2001.
This year the world community is marking the
fiftieth anniversary of United Nations peacekeeping
activities. Over past decades, peacekeeping operations
have grown into an effective instrument of preventing the
escalation of armed conflicts. While it is true that not all
of the United Nations peacekeeping missions have been
equally successful, the overall evaluation of United
Nations activities in this field should be considered
positive. Despite enduring hardship conditions, and often
at risk to their health and even their lives, the “Blue
Helmets” courageously perform a noble mission of
bringing peace to peoples in the planet?s trouble spots. In
this regard, I have the honour to propose that the
Assembly adopt at the special commemorative meeting to
be held on 6 October a declaration in commemoration of
those who served in United Nations peacekeeping
operations, an idea initiated by Ukraine.
The recent practice of peacekeeping in various
regions of the world demands the development of a
comprehensive basic document comprising the conceptual
principles of a new generation of peacekeeping
operations. These principles should have an integrated
block of military, civil, humanitarian, political, legal and
other aspects of such operations. We are convinced that
strengthening the United Nations peacekeeping potential
should become an integral component of the process of
United Nations reform.
In this context, I should like to reiterate the need to
reinforce the United Nations rapid reaction capabilities by
perfecting the United Nations standby arrangements and
making energetic efforts to set up the rapidly deployable
20

mission headquarters. Ukraine has made a practical
contribution to United Nations peacekeeping operations, in
particular in the former Yugoslavia and in some of the
Commonwealth of Independent States countries. We are
ready to continue our active participation in peacekeeping
and to commit additional resources to United Nations
standby arrangements.
Our country supports all measures necessary to
enhance the security of United Nations peacekeepers and
missions. In this regard, we call upon those States which
have not done so to accede to the Convention on the Safety
of United Nations and Associated Personnel in order to
facilitate its entry into force as soon as possible.
While globalization has become a driving force at the
international level, and liberalization and economic reforms
a dominating tendency within nations, international
economic cooperation based on the principles of non-
discrimination, fair competition, partnership and mutual
benefit has become increasingly relevant. The United
Nations should continue to play a leading role in creating
effective mechanisms for such cooperation.
We believe that the Organization?s social and
economic activities should focus more on countries with
economies in transition to accelerate their integration into
the world economy. International assistance will be helpful
for a smoother conduct of economic reforms in such
countries and for overcoming the inevitable difficulties in
transforming national economies. Subsequently, these
nations will achieve a level of economic development and
thus be able to help other countries. The experience of
some countries of Central and Eastern Europe proves that
such a prospect is quite possible.
Based on this knowledge, Ukraine?s course towards
the complete and comprehensive integration of its national
economy into the European and global economic systems
remains unchanged.
I should like to place special emphasis on Ukraine?s
strategy of integration into the European Union, endorsed
by the President of our country. This strategy provides for
the harmonization of national legislation and the intensive
development of trade and economic relations with European
Union members based on the partnership and cooperation
agreement that entered into force last March. I avail myself
of this opportunity to commend the countries of the
European Union for their support, so clearly expressed by
the Austrian Presidency.
We attach great importance to the regional
component of international economic cooperation. Ukraine
was one of the initiators of the regional economic process
within the framework of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC) and of the BSEC?s establishment as
a fully fledged international organization. We think that
today the Black Sea Economic Cooperation organization
has full grounds for claiming observer status in the
General Assembly.
This year we are also marking another event of
historic significance: the fiftieth anniversary of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which has
become a milestone in the quest of the individual to find
his or her own identity in society. This Declaration
provided a powerful impetus to the development of the
international system of protection of human rights, the
creation of the relevant branch of international law, and
the introduction of a ramified system of control over the
fulfilment by States of their commitments in the field of
human rights.
The Declaration remains a crucial element of all
human rights activities within the United Nations and a
model for constitutional practice in many parts of the
world. For instance, the Constitution of Ukraine, which
provides that safeguarding human rights and freedoms
make up the essence of national policy, is based on the
humanistic ideas of the Declaration.
An entire series of events dedicated to the fiftieth
anniversary of this Universal Declaration is under way in
Ukraine. The most important of them was the
International Conference organized early this month in
Yalta by our Government together with the United
Nations Development Programme, which was attended by
representatives from 27 countries and a number of
international organizations; a booklet on that Conference
has been circulated to members. A new Yalta spirit
associated with the observance of human rights and
freedoms was proclaimed at the Conference. This spirit is
best protected in the context of the growing role of
international law.
I believe that it is a matter of honour for all States
Members of this Organization to strictly abide by their
commitments to the United Nations Charter and the
fundamental principles of international law, in particular
as regards respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity,
the peaceful settlement of disputes, and the strengthening
of the role of preventive diplomacy.
21

Ukraine supports the proposals to strengthen the
International Court of Justice, which reflects the increasing
tendency to resolve international disputes by means of law.
The Security Council and other United Nations bodies
should consider making better use of the International
Court?s potential when dealing with international disputes.
Equally important is the setting up of the International
Criminal Court, which should be considered in the context
of the global changes that have taken shape after the end of
the cold war. The importance of this international judicial
institution is supported by the fact that its jurisdiction
covers the most serious crimes committed against
humankind.
Following the recognized principle of pacta sunt
servanda, Ukraine rigorously adheres to its commitments
under international instruments and to the standards and
rules of its national legislation, which are applied in
accordance with the norms of international law.
The decisions on United Nations reform adopted at the
fifty-second session of the General Assembly represent only
an initial stage of the Organization?s sweeping
transformation. Painstaking work is needed to translate
them into practice so that the United Nations can enter the
new millennium renewed and able efficiently to address the
persisting challenges of the present time.
It is therefore necessary to continue with wide-scale
structural adjustments and the reorganization of United
Nations programme activities to make them more results-
oriented, businesslike and tailored to the needs of the
Member States.
The key issue in renewing the United Nations is the
reform of the Security Council. Unfortunately, prompt
resolution of this fundamental question does not appear to
be forthcoming, as the issue has obviously stagnated. It is
in the interest of the international community as a whole to
make every effort to achieve a consensus decision on the
reform of this important United Nations body. It is
impossible to imagine a reformed United Nations without
this crucial issue having been resolved.
To make decisive progress in shaping a more reliable
and predictable world and promoting economic prosperity,
social justice and ecological safety, we must demonstrate
perseverance, courage and political will. Near-universal
membership, a far-reaching mandate, a broad spectrum of
activities and the institutionalized presence of the United
Nations at many levels can and should bring it to the
centre of these efforts.
The authority and efficiency of this world
Organization depend entirely on the membership. If we
wish to see the United Nations truly reformed and
revitalized, we must prove it by our practical deeds. We
must prove that people can continue to rely on the United
Nations and that our Organization is prepared to respond
to new challenges and withstand any tests.


I bring the Assembly
greetings from President Charles Taylor and the
Government and the people of Liberia.
On behalf of the delegation of Liberia and in my
own name, I convey my sincere congratulations to
Mr. Opertti on his assumption of the presidency of the
General Assembly at its fifty-third session. His unanimous
election to this high office is a credit not only to him but
also to his esteemed country. I assure him of my
delegation?s fullest support and cooperation and wish him
every success in the discharge of his duties.
I should like also to register my delegation?s
appreciation to the President?s distinguished predecessor,
Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko, the then Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Ukraine, for the able manner in which he
conducted the work of the fifty-second session. The many
successes achieved during his tenure of office, especially
in the reform of this Organization, attest to his diplomatic
skills and his understanding of the problems which
confront the Organization and our determined efforts to
build a more just and humane international order that is
responsive to the legitimate aspirations of all mankind.
We offer special thanks to our Secretary-General,
Mr. Kofi Annan, for his unrelenting pursuit of the
implementation of the mandates entrusted to him by the
Assembly. My delegation also commends him for his
efforts aimed at the successful execution of the
administrative reforms of the Secretariat, and the
important focus he has placed on development,

peacemaking and peace-building efforts, especially in
Africa, as the most assured basis for sustainable
development.
The Secretary-General?s report (A/52/871) on the
causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and
sustainable development in Africa provides an in-depth
analysis of the social and economic ills of the Continent,
which was thoroughly discussed at the ministerial meeting
of the Security Council. We fully agree with his assertion
that while African Governments must ultimately be held
responsible for the problems confronting their countries,
meaningful steps must be taken by this Organization to lend
support to national measures aimed at alleviating these
problems.
In this connection, it is notable that on 6 October
1998, the United Nations will observe the fiftieth
anniversary of the establishment of its peacekeeping
operations. Africa continues to benefit from the United
Nations peacekeeping operations aimed at the resolution of
conflicts on the continent pursuant to Chapter VIII of the
Charter. While welcoming this cooperation, Liberia calls
upon the Security Council to employ impartiality and non-
selectivity in the execution of its primary role of
maintaining international peace and security.
The international political situation continues to be
characterized by sustained efforts aimed at the maintenance
of international peace and security. While there has been no
major eruption of military confrontation between States,
intra-State conflicts and civil wars in Angola, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea-Bissau, the
Sudan and Kosovo, and the territorial dispute between
Ethiopia and Eritrea have claimed the attention of regional
and subregional organizations such as the Southern African
Development Community (SADC), the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union
and the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
These organizations and regional bodies are
endeavouring, with the complementary support of the
United Nations, to seek negotiated peaceful solutions and to
minimize the humanitarian crises, refugee flows and
internal displacement caused by conflicts and wars.
With regard to the Middle East, my delegation is
deeply concerned about the lack of progress, particularly in
connection with the Madrid Conference and the Oslo
accords. We are of the view that new initiatives should be
undertaken to restart the peace process, focusing on the
understanding reached by the parties. Liberia will support
renewed efforts by the international community that seek
to bring the volatile situation in that region to a fair and
equitable conclusion.
The rise in acts of terrorism threatens the
independence, sovereignty, freedom, economic and social
development of all States. It cannot be overemphasized
that terrorism has no justification as a means to solve
political differences. Therefore, the Government of
Liberia strongly condemns the bombings in Dar-es-
Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya. It is imperative
that concerted actions be taken to combat this
unwholesome phenomenon which has no bounds. Liberia
is in accord with the proposal of President Hosni
Mubarak of Egypt for the convening of an international
conference on terrorism to deliberate on the issue.
The world is faced with the frightening prospect of
an increase in the number of States with nuclear
capability, as well as the proliferation of conventional
weapons. We therefore call for more States to accede to
the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
(NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
(CTBT). There is an urgent need to curtail the trafficking
in small arms and to promote greater transparency in
arms transfers.
The scourge of the worldwide drug problem
necessitated the convening of the drug summit in New
York in June of this year. It is a source of concern that
drug sales have overtaken trade in other commodities, and
the money value of this illegal act has reached over $400
billion annually. My Government reaffirms its
commitment to tackling the drug problem within its
borders and to cooperating at the regional and
international levels in keeping with the Political
Declaration and the guiding principles outlined at the
conclusion of the summit.
The 1990s have been declared an era of
globalization. However, the rapid growth of international
trade and financial flows has affected most economies in
profound ways. Globalization threatens the weak and
vulnerable by marginalizing them in the global economic
system.
For most developing countries, the debt overhang
and unequal participation in the regulation of commodity
pricing, declining official development assistance and
capital flows are perennial problems that hamper their
economic development and integration into the world
2

economy. My delegation therefore joins in the call for the
industrialized countries to bring about equity in the
regulatory framework for the financial and exchange
markets.
In this connection, Liberia reaffirms its support for the
position of the Non-Aligned Movement summit, held
recently in Durban, South Africa, that developed countries
be urged to accelerate the review of the world financial
system, thus ensuring that capital flows were supportive of
expansion in trade, employment and development. In
addition, there is the need to boost development aid from
Western countries and to remove restrictive conditions
linked to receiving international assistance.
In particular, my Government welcomes the call by
President William Clinton of the United States of America
for a meeting in Washington, D.C., in mid-October of this
year, of finance ministers and central bank governors from
nations of the G-7 and emerging economies to debate steps
to shore up the tottering global financial system. His
reaffirmation of this proposal, as well as his pledge made
to this Assembly on 21 September last, to forge a
partnership with Africa, deserves our commendation and
support. Also, we cannot agree more with the Secretary-
General that the United Nations should be included in the
discussion. Its participation will give more international
credibility to the decisions that would emerge from the
meeting.
Even though recent indicators point to improvement in
the economies of several African countries, the vast
majority continue to experience negative growth. The
largest number of least developed countries are in Africa,
and the crippling effects of the heavy external debt and
decline in investment and financial flows have been major
contributors to the poor economic performance of these
countries. There is a need for concerted international action
to remedy this state of affairs. The United Nations system-
wide support for the development of Africa is a step in the
right direction.
My delegation welcomes the recent decision of the
substantive session of the Economic and Social Council,
held in July of this year, and the Council?s ministerial
communiqué on market access for exports from least
developed countries, as well as capacity-building and in-
service infrastructure development. These decisions deserve
full support and should be implemented by Member States.
In this connection, the important initiative taken by the
Government of Japan, a prominent member of the G-7, to
urgently address Africa?s development has the highest
commendation of my Government and the appreciation of
all African States. My delegation looks forward to
actively participating in the important ministerial meeting
which will be convened in Tokyo next month on Africa?s
economic recovery. Moreover, this initiative deserves the
wholehearted support of Member States of this
Organization, particularly the developed countries.
My delegation notes with satisfaction the efforts by
the United Nations to harmonize the issues of
development and the environment. With respect to the
environment, the decision reached on Agenda 21 during
the 1992 Rio Conference is the most comprehensive effort
undertaken by the international community to raise
awareness of the degradation of the environment and the
need to reverse the negative trend. We trust that the issue
of the environment will remain a priority on the global
agenda.
One important and unquestionable achievement for
our Organization to celebrate is the great improvement in
the universal character of the Organization. Nevertheless,
more efforts must be deployed to ensure that every
country becomes a member of this Organization. My
delegation believes that in that regard, the exceptional
situation of the Republic of China on Taiwan must be
examined with a view to the unification of the Chinese
people based on their own will and decision. However,
we also believe that it is the responsibility of this
Organization to provide the impetus for the unification of
the two Chinas. History is replete with examples of the
membership in this Organization of divided countries,
where unification was peacefully settled under the aegis
of the United Nations. We have confidence in the ability
of the United Nations to allow history to be repeated on
a similar matter of grave importance to this Organization.
In the interest of equity and the maintenance of regional
peace and security, my country calls for the parallel
representation in the United Nations of the People?s
Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan.
The matter of reform is one that needs no
justification. It is an imperative for the continued
relevance of the United Nations. An Organization made
up of 185 Member States must, by its nature, allow fair
play and democracy to prevail, and not the rule of
weighted influence. The tenets of the United Nations
Charter do not submit to the principle of “might makes
right”, but to the enlightened principles of international
law which emerge from the objective need for peaceful
coexistence. Unless the powerful States recognize this
3

imperative, the international system will move towards
international anarchy rather than towards a more humane,
peaceful and stable world order.
These reforms will be meaningless unless parallel
reforms can be achieved within the Bretton Woods
institutions, the very essence of weighted and undemocratic
global influence.
On the question of increase in the membership of the
Security Council, Liberia reaffirms its support for an
increase for Africa and other under-represented regions on
the basis of equitable geographical representation, consistent
with the decisions of the Organization of African Unity and
the Non-Aligned Movement.
During the fifty-second session of the General
Assembly, it was my honour to read the prepared text of
Mr. Charles Taylor, President of the Republic of Liberia, to
this Assembly. At that time, only two months had passed
since his assumption of the leadership of Liberia, following
seven years of civil war and the holding of democratic
elections in the country.
Since then, the Government has undertaken measures
towards the rebuilding of the country, national
reconciliation, rehabilitation, repatriation and resettlement.
In light of this, from 19 July to 12 August 1998, the
people of Liberia participated in a national conference to
deliberate on the future of Liberia under the theme “Vision
2024”. This historic undertaking not only reaffirmed
President Taylor?s commitment to participatory democracy
but also afforded a unique opportunity for Liberians at
home and abroad to freely deliberate on and propose
solutions for the building of a new Liberia.
At the conclusion of the conference, a commission
was established and given the responsibility to seek full
implementation of the decisions reached. Those decisions
ranged from decentralization of the Government to the
enactment of legislation covering all facets of the society.
My Government has attached high priority to the
implementation of the decisions of the national conference,
since it has helped produce an agenda which complements
that of the Government and identifies issues and measures
as well as courses of action that could be adopted for the
stability and development of Liberia.
President Taylor is aware that the key to Liberia?s
stability and development lies in fostering genuine
reconciliation among Liberians. A human rights
commission established since the inception of the
Government continues to function. The protection of
human rights will remain one of the cornerstones of
Liberia?s domestic policy. This is why my Government
has now undertaken legislative action to ratify and accede
to all human rights instruments as a concrete attestation
of our commitment to promote and protect human rights
in Liberia.
Convinced that democracy is indispensable for
development, the Government has also undertaken
measures to realize its intention to build institutions to
consolidate the democratic process in the country. We
have encouraged the continued existence and growth of
the 13 political parties that participated in the last
elections. We hold regular consultations with these parties
concerning national issues. We believe that these efforts
are necessary for the dynamic development of a modern
Liberia. Meanwhile, international support remains a
necessity in order for Liberia to find its way forward and
consolidate the gains made by the return to civilian,
constitutional rule.
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter vests the
Security Council with the authority to decide what
measures may be taken to maintain or restore
international peace and security, following a determination
of the existence of any threat to peace, breach of the
peace or act of aggression.
In a number of cases, the imposition of a sanctions
regime or embargo by the Council has yielded, with
minimal collateral harm, the results for which punitive
measures were authorized. However, in other cases,
sanctions have led to grave and intolerable humanitarian
crises which have deprived large numbers of innocent and
vulnerable persons, mainly women and children, of their
most basic needs, while not achieving their intended
objectives.
Within this context, the Government of Liberia
believes that any sanctions regime should clearly define
the punitive measure, its specific target, a definite time-
frame and exemptions to mitigate the unintended harmful
consequences for the whole population of a given country
and those of contiguous States.
In 1992, during Liberia?s civil war, the ECOWAS
subregional grouping imposed an arms embargo on
Liberia as a means to facilitate the peace process and
reduce the level of violence. ECOWAS also further
4

appealed to the Security Council to facilitate the universal
application of the embargo, an appeal the Security Council
heeded positively by adopting a resolution imposing an
arms embargo on Liberia.
By 1997, the Liberian civil war was brought to an end
through the process of a negotiated political settlement,
disarmament, demobilization and the holding of free and
fair democratic elections. After the inauguration of the
elected and constitutional Government, ECOWAS lifted all
sanctions and embargoes imposed against Liberia and called
upon the international community to do the same.
The Government of Liberia, since its assumption of
office, has repeatedly called upon the Security Council to
lift the arms embargo, an appeal that has fallen on deaf
ears. The Liberian Government has a constitutional
responsibility and a sovereign right to defend, protect and
preserve the independence and territorial integrity of the
Republic.
We strongly believe that the arms embargo currently
in force against Liberia is patently unfair since it is open-
ended and provides no criteria for the lifting of the
embargo, as has been the procedure in other, similar cases.
Moreover, the intent and purpose of the 1992 arms embargo
have been achieved by the peaceful resolution of the
Liberian civil crisis through the holding of democratic
elections in Liberia and the installation of the Government
headed by President Charles Taylor on 2 August 1997.
As a responsible member of the international
community, Liberia would accede to the wishes of the
Security Council if it were decided that there was
justification for the maintenance of sanctions against Liberia
based on concrete facts or a violation of international law
or covenants. However, to do so under a sanctions regime
that no longer has validity is unwarranted and inimical to
the interests of the country.
The Government of Liberia requests that the Security
Council take cognizance of Liberia?s legitimate aspirations
and constitutional obligation to its people. It should be
noted that in spite of the support of the Liberian people for
their Government, there may remain some disgruntled
citizens and external actors who seek to disturb the peace
and reverse the progress achieved thus far by capitalizing
on the perceived inability of the Government to adequately
protect itself because of the present arms embargo on the
country. For the Security Council to place a Member State
of this Organization in such an untenable position is
inimical to the interests of the Liberian Government and
people and inconsistent with the purposes and principles
of the United Nations.
The Government of Liberia calls on the Security
Council to impartially assume its responsibility under the
Charter by expeditiously redressing what is considered to
be an injustice to Liberia by lifting its 1992 arms
embargo, imposed on the country for the reasons already
mentioned.
At the threshold of the twenty-first century, it must
be recognized that the full achievement of the goals and
objectives of this Organization has been largely
undermined by the long period of the cold war. Its demise
held out the promise of a peace dividend that was to be
applied to the development activities of the United
Nations.
Regrettably, that is not the case today. However,
within a renewed, principled spirit of interdependence, the
international community can evolve an effective means of
partnership and cooperation to achieve equity in the areas
of economic development and social advancement as
necessary conditions for the maintenance of global peace
and security.
By so doing, we will have crafted a workable agenda
that will propel the human family into the new
millennium with the hope of a just world order that is
responsive to the needs of all inhabitants of our common
planet, as envisaged in the Charter.
Let me give the assurance that Liberia remains
committed to this basic goal in the same determined
manner as when it signed the Charter of the United
Nations in 1945.


Allow me first of all, Sir, to
convey, on behalf of my delegation, my warmest and
most heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Opertti on his
election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its
fifty-third session. His election is a tribute to his country,
Uruguay, a country with which Cameroon shares many
common ideals. It is also a mark of our confidence in his
qualities as a diplomat and lawyer of renown. He can rest
assured of the full cooperation of the delegation of
Cameroon in successfully discharging his important duty.
I also pay a warm tribute to his predecessor,
Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko, the former Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Ukraine, who discharged with effectiveness and
authority the delicate and high-profile mission with which
he was entrusted.
Finally, I renew the firm support of my country,
Cameroon, for the work undertaken by the Secretary-
General, His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, at the head of
the Secretariat of our Organization since his election. He
has resolutely and effectively tackled the reform of the
United Nations with discretion, tact and realism, so as to
make it capable of meeting the challenges facing it.
At a time of globalization and information
superhighways, it is more urgent and necessary than ever
to place the development and dignity of humankind at the
centre of our concerns. We must also acknowledge that
the tremendous technological advances at the end of this
century justify high hopes of a better tomorrow.
By working for the right to development for both
present and future generations, by charting new and more
secure paths in the quest for peace, by watching over
international security more effectively than in the past,
our Organization is, at this delicate period in history,
helping to ease the anguish of humankind in an
international environment that is increasingly complex,
unequal and disquieting.
In this context, the current session of the General
Assembly gains greater prominence and importance
because it coincides with two fiftieth anniversaries: that
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that of
9

the start of peacekeeping operations. Those two events will
form the basis of my remarks.
With regard to the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, the first words of the preamble retain, 50 years
later, striking relevance. It states:
“recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal
and inalienable rights of all members of the human
family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace
in the world”.
Human rights are, first and foremost, a question of
dignity: dignity for every human being; dignity for all of
humankind. We believe that this search for dignity, which
is a condition for peace, justice and freedom in the world,
is the common ideal towards which all human rights actions
and activities should be aimed.
The commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary is a
true rallying call to us and should provide the international
community with an opportunity to refocus its approach to
human rights questions, which remains very simplistic.
Indeed, too often we forget that civil and political rights,
which exercise the international community so much, can
be fully developed only if economic, social and cultural
rights are also guaranteed. Recent experiences of
democratization processes in Africa remind us, by their
very fragility, of the incontrovertible indivisibility,
universality and interdependence of human rights.
To paraphrase the words the head of State of
Cameroon, His Excellency Mr. Paul Biya, spoke at the
World Food Summit in Rome, what dignity can there be for
the hungry? The international community must therefore
give equal priority to the promotion of the right to a
minimum standard of living.
In a world in which the globalization of trade, instead
of placing human beings at the centre of its concerns,
merely means speculation, market manipulation and deals
that generate the greatest profits, making the rich richer and
reducing the poorest to destitution, the social environment
itself is the cause of tension and conflict. That is why we
congratulate the Secretary-General on his report (A/52/871),
submitted to the Security Council as document S/1998/318
on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable
peace and sustainable development in Africa.
In this context, it is apt that, in seeking to establish a
true culture of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the
international community has chosen the central theme of the
commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary to be “human
rights for all”.
Poverty is today the most serious threat to human
dignity. This is particularly true in Africa, which is the
least advanced region and the one most seriously affected
by the economic crisis. Despite the reforms that have
taken place, at enormous social cost, to promote good
governance, democracy and the liberalization of
economies, meeting basic needs remains for many a
luxury in that continent. Whether we are talking about
access to drinking water, primary health care, or
education or about transport or other communication
infrastructures, international cooperation has not yet borne
fruit in a reliable, continuing, predictable and effective
way.
Official development assistance, which elsewhere has
helped to give rise to decent standards of living, is
dwindling drastically. Despite the increasingly favourable
juridical environment offered by Africa, investors seem to
be losing interest in the region. The debt burden is getting
worse. Our products do not have easy access to
international markets, nor are they priced according to
their true value.
It is clear that the marginalization of Africa seems
inevitable unless a true spirit of solidarity quickly
provides real long-term solutions. It is time for the
various initiatives, plans of action and other programmes
adopted to benefit Africa to be translated into reality.
Basing itself on the efforts made by the peoples of Africa,
the international community must increase its assistance
to that continent so as to enable Africans themselves to
make the progress that is indispensable for developing
their potential. In that way African countries will be able
successfully to integrate themselves into world economic
networks and achieve the development to which they
legitimately aspire, despite the well-known geographical
and historical handicaps. Such a development would
inevitably benefit all of humankind.
This solidarity should take the specific form of
reconsideration — indeed, the cancelling — of the debts
of African countries. We should recall that decisions to
cancel debt in the past have enabled countries in difficult
and precarious situations to rediscover the road to
economic prosperity, democracy and greater political
stability.
The path thus seems clearly laid out for the rich
countries that are working to promote freedom and human
10

rights. They should reflect, at the dawn of the third
millennium, on their relations with developing countries
that are becoming poorer because of their deep
indebtedness.
North-South solidarity should also be reflected in a
new concept of official development assistance. Such
assistance is indispensable for establishing development
infrastructure within the context of poverty eradication.
Private flows, channelled through non-governmental
organizations, cannot alone take on that role. Furthermore,
structural adjustment should aim to strengthen and improve
the autonomous management capacity of countries in
difficulty. Otherwise, globalization will mean that certain
countries become richer while others become poorer. That
would render meaningless the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and put in grave danger the requirement of
dignity for every human being, for all people and for peace
in the world.
Indeed, what freedom or self-determination — and
especially, what sovereignty — can there be for a starving
people? What democracy can there be for a people
suffering from malnutrition, with no access to basic health
care, drinking water or elementary education. We thus need
to return the human being to the centre of development.
Cameroon has constantly contributed to this lofty
endeavour.
The salient activities we have undertaken to mark the
fiftieth anniversary in my country include informing people
about human rights and making all of society aware of
human rights issues through media campaigns, seminars,
conferences and poster campaigns throughout our land,
even in villages; the introduction of human rights teaching
in schools and universities; issuing special postage stamps;
promoting in particular the rights of women, children and
disabled or infirm people, establishing a prize for the best
research in the human rights area; and the opening by the
head of State of a public square dedicated to human rights.
But above and beyond commemorating the
anniversary, Cameroon has for a decade been making
important progress in promoting human rights. It did so
first through a series of legislative and regulatory measures
that, inter alia, abolished legal exemptions, restored
individual and collective freedoms, put an end to censorship
and ensured better protection for the interests of workers
and vulnerable social sectors.
Through constitutional revision and a progressive
electoral system, we have established total adherence to the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and ensured the
full participation of our people in making political
choices. Furthermore, a national committee for human
rights and freedoms was established in 1990, which is
freely carrying out its activities throughout the country, as
are the many non-governmental organizations and human
rights groups that have come into being.
With regard to progress made in the world since the
adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and the efforts that remain to be made in this area, there
is no doubt that the promotion of and respect for human
rights are a difficult, ongoing endeavour. Vigilance must
therefore be our watchword, and the struggle for human
rights should not flag in any region of the world.
The United Nations must continue to ensure that
human rights are fully enjoyed by all the peoples of the
world. To that end, the letter and spirit of the Universal
Declaration should gradually be adapted to changing
mores and to science and technology. Bodies that are
above the fray of ideologies and interests should ensure
that it is observed, including through a system of regional
and international human rights courts.
With regard to the fiftieth anniversary of
peacekeeping operations, we wish to pay tribute to the
work done by the United Nations, which has always made
its presence felt wherever peace has been threatened.
Thanks to the Blue Helmets, the United Nations is present
in all the world’s trouble spots, keeping the peace.
It is true that some voices have been heard here and
there deploring their sluggishness, hesitation and, in some
cases the inaction. Sometimes the presence of a United
Nations force or mission has not been able to prevent
large-scale massacres or crimes against humanity,
perpetrated in violation of the most elementary rules of
humanitarian law. Such limits to the actions of our
Organization remind us in a very timely manner that the
United Nations can act only within the limits of the
means made available to it by the Member States. It is up
to Member States, therefore, to provide it with the
necessary resources to enable it to respond fully to the
mission entrusted to it by the peoples of the United
Nations.
Despite these limits, we must acknowledge in a
positive spirit that over the years many peacekeeping
operations and other actions taken by the Secretary-
General have made it possible to prevent the emergence,
aggravation or continuation of many conflicts.
11

Thanks to the Blue Helmets, millions of human lives
have been saved, and sometimes the United Nations has
paid a heavy price for this total commitment to the cause of
peace. The recent tragic death of Mr. Alioune Blondin Beye
and his team, to whose memory I wish to reaffirm the
fraternal homage of the people of Cameroon, is one more
particularly unhappy example of this point.
By ensuring the safety of peoples, the delivery of
humanitarian aid and respect for ceasefire agreements and
by performing an increasing number of administrative tasks,
the Blue Helmets are helping restore confidence and
prevent loss of life and the disintegration of certain States.
Such commitments and sacrifices deserve all our
encouragement.
The fiftieth anniversary of peacekeeping operations
should provide us with an opportunity to think about
questions relating to their continuation: problems of
financing, the safety of personnel involved in the
operations, the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations and
ethical issues.
With regard to the ethical issues, Cameroon believes
that it is time to formulate a code of conduct so that people
participating in peacekeeping operations can remain, above
all, protectors of human rights as well as true beneficiaries
of them. Given the many tasks expected of these
operations, it would be appropriate to review their range,
their scope and the modalities governing them.
Even now, as we congratulate the United Nations on
its work for peace, conflicts are still destroying lives,
tearing apart families and communities and placing at risk
the future of young generations throughout the world. The
reports of the Security Council and of the Secretary-
General, which we receive on a regular basis, are
particularly important in this respect.
The resurgence of terrorism is another element of the
picture, as we were recently reminded by the deadly attacks
against the American embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-
Salaam and the attack in Omagh. Cameroon, a peaceful,
justice-loving country, strongly condemns these unfortunate
events that show that we need to redouble our efforts to put
an end to mindless violence.
This means that we must silence weapons, prevent
disputes and above all create the conditions for true peace.
That does not mean merely the absence of armed
conflict, but living together in harmony, with the entire
international community and all nations building together
a society that respects individual and collective freedoms.
We need to begin by recognizing and accepting
differences as a source of richness and dynamism. We
need to practise tolerance and dialogue, the latter not just
between the citizens of one nation but also between
States, in order to build a more fraternal and democratic
society.
This means in particular that we must opt to settle
disputes through peaceful means and that States must turn
whenever necessary to the International Court of Justice
as the judicial organ of the United Nations and the
essential cog not only in the machinery for peaceful
settlement of disputes, but also within the general system
of peacekeeping and international security established by
the Charter.
At the end of the United Nations Decade of
International Law, the call has become urgent for States
to demonstrate themselves psychologically prepared to
seek recourse naturally to the International Court of
Justice and the political bodies of the United Nations and
those of regional organizations. This is Cameroon’s
conviction, as well as that of the General Assembly,
which in resolution 3232 (XXIX), paragraph 6, reaffirmed
that,
“recourse to judicial settlement of legal disputes,
particularly referral to the International Court of
Justice, should not be considered an unfriendly act
between States.”
That is why Cameroon went to the International
Court of Justice at The Hague with regard to its dispute
with Nigeria over territorial and maritime boundaries. In
this context, I should like to take this opportunity to make
an urgent appeal to the international community, and
especially to the United Nations, to help keep the peace
between our two countries before, during and after the
Court’s verdict.
Silencing weapons is a good thing; eliminating their
use through prevention and — why not? — through
disarmament is even better. That is why we must not rest
until all weapons of mass destruction are eradicated, be
they of a nuclear, chemical, biological or other nature.
It must be pointed out here that another danger has
appeared in certain subregions of Africa — namely, the
proliferation of small arms and their illicit circulation.
This phenomenon is already a threat to peace and should
12

be quickly contained because it can sow the seeds of
conflict.
The conclusions of the recent seminar organized by
the United Nations Secretariat in Yaoundé from 27 to 31
July 1998 within the framework of the Standing Advisory
Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa are
particularly illustrative in that regard. I would like to thank
the Secretary-General and donor countries for their support
of the activities of that Committee. We know that we can
continue to count on their support in implementing the
recommendations of that seminar, especially in continuing
the Committee’s activities. That institution is called on to
play a crucial role in mobilizing the countries of central
Africa to take responsibility for the security of their
subregion under the aegis of the United Nations.
Also with regard to prevention, the recent creation in
Rome of the International Criminal Court is a timely
addition to the mechanisms that protect human rights and
maintain peace. The International Criminal Court will in
effect be responsible for prosecuting and punishing persons
guilty of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity
and the crime of aggression. Cameroon is pleased to have
been one of the first signatories to its Statute and hopes that
all States will become parties to it. To this end, it is urgent
that the crime of aggression be rapidly and clearly defined.
This would abolish the impunity of aggressors and prove to
the peoples of the world our real determination to put an
end to war once and for all.
In the context of this general debate, I have
deliberately chosen, as the Assembly has seen, not to touch
on most current problems, particularly ongoing crises. I
wanted to concentrate on certain permanent essential values
that lie at the basis of the two observances I mentioned,
whose violation causes most of the misfortune in our world
today. I refer to the human persons’s right to dignity and
fulfilment, the right to development and the right to
peace — in short, the right to life. The United Nations is
the guarantor of their observance and promotion.
For Africa, the recent report of the Secretary-General,
which should act as a kind of compass for all of us, lays
down the foundations for all those committed to working
for the prosperity of our peoples. In reality, all regions of
the world need this kind of wake-up call and this kind of
report. We are accountable to future generations for making
these values a reality.
Let us not disappoint. Let us not allow people to be
left along the side of the road. It is up to us to do
everything possible so that these humane values remain a
constant concern of the United Nations and of its
specialized agencies.


On
behalf of the delegation of the Republic of Benin, allow
me to express to Mr. Didier Opertti my warm
congratulations upon his brilliant and unanimous election
as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-third
session. His human skills and vast experience in
international affairs, as well as his dedication to the main
causes of our Organization, augur well for the success of
the important deliberations of this session. My delegation
would like to assure him of its full cooperation.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko of Ukraine, who so skilfully and
devotedly presided over the last session of the General
Assembly. Allow me to associate to this tribute Mr. Kofi
Annan, our Secretary-General, whose dedication and great
diplomatic skills have given greater nobility to our
Organization and new reasons for hope to our world. I
should like to welcome here the efforts of this great
African for the international community.
My country, the Republic of Benin, could be
perceived as just a dot on the world map and perhaps just
as a jot on the map of Africa. In fact, the Republic of
Benin is not manufacturing any atomic bombs, nor has it
any intention of building or possessing them. But it is
without any hesitation that I am speaking before the
representatives of the international community and all the
major Powers gathered here to express the profound
concerns we have over the state of the world today, and
to voice our hopes.
Benin may be only a small point on the world map,
but it wants to be a point of convergence — not only in
Africa, but also for the entire international community.
We want to commit ourselves to building peace rather
17

than bombs, and to promote international cooperation —
and to promote it first at home.
The Government of Benin is committed to building
peace by consistently cultivating tolerance and a spirit of
sharing. There is no other explanation for the ever growing
consolidation of democracy in Benin. Eschewing the words
and customs of others, the people of Benin have boldly
chosen a multi-party system after many years of curtailed
political freedoms. In other words, they have chosen a
politics of peace and tolerance. Today more than 100
political parties vie against each other, unite or clash, but
they do so in peace and with respect for the Constitution
and the law.
My delegation believes that there is no more urgent
task today than replacing the culture of violence and war
which has marked humanity since the dawn of history and
which has so overwhelmed and gravely afflicted Africa and
other regions of the world. That culture must be replaced
by the culture of peace. We believe that the foremost duty
of our Organization continues to be the promotion of peace
and all its values and the behaviour that underpins and
strengthens it.
We believe that the first of these values is the spirit of
sharing. There can be no peace in the world if a small
portion of humanity can surf the Internet and explore
interstellar space while others flounder in quagmire, seeking
a mere pittance or safe shelter in their flight from wars
whose root cause is a desire to retain power — the power
to control land, gold, oil, diamonds and other natural
resources solely for the benefit of arms dealers.
This apocalyptic picture is unfortunately typical of the
sad situation in Africa. It is therefore important to unite all
our efforts to halt all conflicts, not only in Africa, but also
in Europe, the Balkans — indeed, wherever they arise.
The spirit of tolerance and sharing has prompted my
Government to develop the concept of a common social
minimum. This means that all citizens of Benin, wherever
they reside, must be able to feed, house, clothe, care for
and educate themselves. It would be desirable for a
common social minimum to be proclaimed as an essential
objective on the global scale.
I should like to pause here to commend the efforts and
great sacrifices made by various Governments and
international organizations — particularly the Organization
of African Unity (OAU), the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS), through its Monitoring
Group (ECOMOG) and the United Nations itself — to
restore peace to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, Ethiopia,
Eritrea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Whether in Africa or the Balkans, what lasting
solution can possibly be imposed by force of arms today?
Why do Mr. Savimbi and those who support him, either
covertly or overtly, refuse to see that the time for peace
has come for the martyred people of Angola?
With respect to all those conflicts in Africa, the
Republic of Benin welcomes the report (A/52/871)
presented by the Secretary-General at the request of the
Security Council on the causes of conflict in Africa. The
Secretary-General?s appeal deserves to be heard and
supported, not only by Africans but also by all those
whose political, economic or financial decisions will
influence the future of the continent.
If the spirit of peace, sharing and tolerance prevailed
in the Middle East, the long-delayed peace would
undoubtedly be established there. We have learned in
recent days of the efforts which have been resumed so
many times by the United States of America to end the
stagnation of the peace process, for which
Mr. Netanyahu?s Government is principally responsible.
Let us hope that peace will have a better chance this time.
One of the main items on our agenda is the
strengthening of the non-proliferation regime and the
banning of nuclear tests. In this connection, the Republic
of Benin welcomes the decision by India and Pakistan to
sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons (NPT). We have no particular lesson for those
two great countries, which are our friends. But it is clear
to us that the possession of atomic bombs cannot offer
either of them a lasting victory; only a prosperous country
and people can confer that.
Humanity will continue to be under threat until the
current stockpile of nuclear weapons is destroyed. The
major nuclear Powers must today admit this self-evident
truth.
While nuclear weapons pose a permanent danger to
us all, small arms in my country sow permanent
insecurity and hamper our economic development efforts.
Last May a group of heavily armed gangsters attacked a
bank in broad daylight right in the middle of Cotonou,
killing security guards and making off with tens of
millions of francs. If small arms were not available, such
incidents and armed conflicts would certainly be less
18

common, and outlaws would not be as terrifyingly effective
as they are today in numerous countries where ill-equipped
police and militias cannot resist them. The massacre must
be stopped, first and foremost by dealing with those who
are primarily responsible — the producers and exporters of
small arms.
That is why Benin supports the conclusions of the
International Conference on the Proposed Moratorium for
Small Arms Transfers in West Africa, which was held in
Oslo, Norway, from 1 to 2 April 1998.
It has been said that a hungry man is not a free man.
I have spoken at length about arms, conflicts and wars
because, basically, my delegation is hopeful that by banning
the former we can more easily end or at least diminish the
latter.
On the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, it is important to emphasize
that the affirmation of human rights must go hand in hand
with the eradication of poverty. We cannot speak seriously
about human rights, liberty or democracy in a country
where the people have neither bread nor schools.
My country hopes that bold and vigorous measures
will be taken, particularly by the richest countries, so that
those whom globalization leaves inexorably by the wayside
can be given a chance to enter the twenty-first century with
a little more hope. The bold measures must relate in
particular to the issues of debt and the allocation of
additional resources for development.
Like many other countries in Africa, Asia and
America, the Republic of Benin has taken control of its
destiny by carrying out reforms that have often proved very
difficult. Even if our development partners are standing
beside us, these reforms and efforts express first and
foremost the desire of our States and our peoples to take
charge and to emerge from underdevelopment and poverty.
And we have begun to obtain results. In my country, for
example, economic growth has now surpassed demographic
growth.
We must carry our burden even if we have to do so
on our knees; we must not let it fall. I therefore call upon
all those responsible for making economic decisions at the
global level to support more vigorously the efforts of
countries whose burden has brought them to their knees.
In this context, I should like to reaffirm the
importance that the Government of Benin attaches to the
operational development activities of the United Nations
system, which, we are pleased to say, are aimed at
enabling the recipient countries to take control of their
own development. We believe that the decline in
contributions to core resources for funds and programmes
such as the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), the United Nations Children?s Fund (UNICEF)
and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is a
dangerous handicap. The Government of Benin hopes that
the donor countries will demonstrate greater solidarity by
increasing the resources that they allocate to those
institutions.
Nevertheless, I should like to thank all of the funds,
programmes and specialized agencies of the United
Nations whose technical and financial support in the past
five years has been decisive in enabling us to pursue
programmes aimed at constructing a State based on the
rule of law and building a prosperous nation in which all
the citizens of Benin can have a minimum of their
common social requirements met. I should also like to
welcome all the initiatives of the United Nations system,
which have long been working for the development of
Africa, as well as the actions of all our development
partners, in particular Japan, which have ranked the
development and economic recovery of the continent
among their priorities.
Although they may be positive and praiseworthy,
initiatives to benefit Africa must henceforth meet the
fundamental needs and priorities of the African countries.
It is in this spirit that in several days? time Benin will be
participating in the second Tokyo International
Conference on African Development (TICAD II). Our
hope, which many others share, is that that Conference
will go beyond the declaration that will no doubt be
adopted and lead to a programme of concrete action
aimed at finding solutions to the problems of the
continent at the close of the twentieth century.
At the beginning of my statement I referred to the
spirit of tolerance and sharing. I believe that our
Organization is the pre-eminent forum in which we can
learn and refine this spirit. Despite all the criticism, the
United Nations has, to date, proved irreplaceable. We
must continue to try to refine it and to carry out reforms.
In conclusion, therefore, I would like to reaffirm that
the reform of the United Nations, which was begun under
the bold initiative of Mr. Kofi Annan, deserves to be
19

supported and developed so as to guarantee the necessary
conditions for the harmonious pursuit of the process of
democratizing international relations at the dawn of the next
millennium. If we want to begin the twenty-first century
with self-confidence, and if we want the efforts and
sacrifices that have been made thus far on the tortuous and
rugged path to development not to have been in vain, we
must do our utmost to focus greater attention on the
principle of world partnership and the duty of solidarity,
which is what the new international order necessarily
implies.
The twenty-first century may become one in which a
blind global economy using the most sophisticated science
and technology at the same time enslaves three quarters of
humanity. This must not happen. Let us act now so that the
next century can become the century of civilization par
excellence, the century of sharing and of solidarity, the
century of culture and the century of peace. The Republic
of Benin is ready to play its part in this necessary struggle.


It
gives me particular pleasure to congratulate Mr. Opertti
most warmly on his election as President of the General
Assembly at its fifty-third session. Please allow me also to
join those who have expressed their appreciation for the
work done by the former President, Mr. Hennadiy
Udovenko, during the past session.
Since this is the first time that I am taking the floor in
this Assembly, I would like to express to Secretary-General
Kofi Annan our highest consideration and support for his
activity, especially for his efforts in promoting reform of
and a new image for the United Nations.
Romania believes that the role of the United Nations
in contemporary international life remains essential, given
that, in the face of the new challenges to international
security, we can react in a coherent and efficient manner
only under the guidance of a unique system of values, such
as that of the generally accepted principles of the United
Nations Charter, whose validity remains indisputable.
My country desires to participate actively in the
process of redefining the role of the United Nations and of
modernizing its functioning, and it supports the reform of
the Organization as a whole.
The beneficial role of United Nations preventive
diplomacy, demonstrated these past years, as well as the
new approaches regarding humanitarian aid, peacekeeping
and post-conflict reconstruction, are eloquent examples of
the usefulness of joint, coordinated action at the global
level. Romania is actively involved in promoting these
concepts and trends and is participating, to the extent of its
capacity, in peacekeeping and peace-building operations.
The participation of Romanian soldiers in United Nations
peacekeeping missions in Bosnia, Angola, Kuwait, Somalia
or Rwanda represents our contribution to the
implementation of these concepts.
The political will of Romania to act as a factor of
stability on the international level was proved once more
yesterday when we signed a memorandum of
understanding with the United Nations regarding stand-by
arrangements. This event, furthermore, supplements the
recent accession of Romania to the Multinational United
Nations Standby Forces High-Readiness Brigade
(SHIRBRIG). The experience acquired in peacekeeping
operations has highlighted the need to consolidate United
Nations rapid reaction capacity.
Romania is profoundly concerned about the conflict
situations on the agenda of the Security Council and
would like to take this opportunity to advocate, once
more, dialogue among the parties concerned, in order to
facilitate solutions negotiated by those directly involved
in the conflict.
It is essential not to lose the momentum for dialogue
likely to lead to peace, because there is always a right
moment for peace, just as there is also sometimes,
unfortunately, a time which can lead to conflict. For
example, in our view the Middle East today is facing a
unique chance for peace. If the parties involved do not
take advantage of this opportunity, the crisis might
continue indefinitely. Let us do our utmost to avoid an
unfortunate “too late” situation. We were on the verge of
acting too late in Bosnia, in Northern Ireland, and we still
run this risk in Kosovo.
The evolution of the crisis in Kosovo remains
extremely worrying. Romania continues to stand for the
peaceful settlement of this conflict, and we support the
efforts of the international community in this direction,
including those of the Contact Group, the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union, the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) and the Council of Europe. Beyond all doubt, the
countries in the region must be constantly consulted
regarding measures that are to be taken for the settlement
of the conflict.
The Balkans and, in a broader sense, South-Eastern
Europe have, inter alia, an image problem. The inventory
of local disputes gets more attention than the inventory of
real success stories. We forget that a number of these
countries have managed to make the transition from
dictatorships and centralized economies to democracies
and market economies. It is a difficult process but one
courageously undertaken by these countries. It is true that
it is always up to them to improve their political
image — not by falsifying it, but on the contrary by
rendering it more exact. There is the need for a certain
regional pride, for a legitimate aspiration to show the
14

world not only the spectre of intraregional conflicts, but
also a promising economic and cultural potential that
deserves every consideration and encouragement.
Romania is particularly concerned about the still
unresolved conflict situation in the eastern region of the
Republic of Moldova. We believe that there are serious
reasons for concern about the lack of progress in solving
the two major problems of this region — namely, the
withdrawal of foreign troops from the territory of the
Republic of Moldova, and the negotiation of the political
status of the eastern region of the Republic of Moldova. We
support the need for the resumption of negotiations on the
status of this region and the urgent implementation of the
1994 agreement on the withdrawal of the 14th Russian
Army from the territory of the Republic of Moldova.
We believe that the United Nations Security Council
will continue to play a crucial role in the maintenance of
international peace and security. We support the reform of
the Council and want to have the discussions continued on
equitable representation in the Council and an increase in
its membership, with a view to finding generally acceptable
solutions. Our approach is also aimed at obtaining an
additional non-permanent seat for the Group of Eastern
European States.
In the context of increasingly diverse challenges to
international security and the prevalence of non-military
risks, the role of the United Nations in other fields —
economic, social and legal — is becoming more important
than ever. The economic and social dimensions of United
Nations activities offer even more opportunities for a
coherent and efficient management of dialogue and
cooperation on global economic and social issues.

The high-level dialogue which recently took place in
New York on the economic and social impact of
globalization re-emphasized the need for a coordinated
approach to economic interdependence and other
dimensions of international security. An effective response
to the present challenges requires the participation of all
States, as well as international financial and commercial
institutions, in order to reach a new global financial
balance.
In a world of growing interdependence, the assistance
provided by the United Nations system is a good example
of the coordinated way in which we can address the various
problems confronting us. Romania is developing effective
cooperation with the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children?s Fund
(UNICEF) and other funds and programmes within the
new United Nations development assistance framework.
The Romanian Government would like to benefit more
from United Nations assistance in priority fields in
support of domestic reforms.
This year, the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights gives me this
very pleasant opportunity to refer to the human dimension
of our activity. It also provides us all with an opportunity
to reflect more broadly upon the interdependencies which
exist between human rights and peace, development and
democracy.
Romania supports the role played by the United
Nations in asserting the universal nature of human rights
and in consolidating the international system for the
protection of these rights in collaboration with
Governments and civil society.
We also wish to contribute to an active and efficient
United Nations involvement in the fight against terrorism,
organized crime and illicit drug-trafficking. In this
respect, we must take into account the fact that the global
character of these new threats requires a global approach
so that mankind can tackle them in a responsible way.
We cannot afford the luxury of replacing effective action
by endless debate or compassion by contemptuous
judgement.
We should condemn terrorism without speaking of
terrorist peoples or countries. We should condemn
fanaticism without claiming that there are fanatic religions
or denominations. We should encourage dialogue and not
confrontation, solidarity and not segregation. We have to
work for the unity of Europe without instituting various
degrees of “Europeanism”, which could lead to arbitrary
divisions that separate and exclude rather than unite. We
have to encourage the spirit of cooperation and mutual aid
and not the tendency to pass judgement on others. We
should not judge States for the undignified deeds of
certain citizens, nor peoples for the historic accidents
imposed on them by abusive leaders or barbarian
ideologies. We should also refrain from condemning those
who have different views from ours and should not use
the name of democracy to encourage confusion between
public affairs and private, between the values of pomp
and sincerity, between honesty and demagogy. We should
15

not add to the confusion of the world by an ostentatious
relativization of acquired traditions and values.
In this context, Romania reaffirms its attachment to
the concepts of multiculturalism and tolerance of all kinds.
Allow me to recall that an international conference
organized by the community of Sant?Egidio was recently
held in Bucharest on the topic of peoples and religions.
Representatives of all the major religions and
denominations of the world participated in this meeting. As
mentioned in the message of Pope John Paul II, the success
of the meeting testified to Romania?s mission as “an
interface between East and West, offering a genuine
synthesis of cultures and traditions”.
At present, many countries of the world are
undergoing the complex and unique experience of regaining
democracy. That is why there is great interest in good
governance, strengthening democratic institutions and
enlarging the participation of civil society in the exercise of
democracy.
It gives me great pleasure, in my capacity as Acting
Chairman of the Third International Conference of New or
Restored Democracies, to bring to the Assembly?s attention
the fact that the ministerial meeting of the countries
participating in that Conference took place a few days ago
here at United Nations headquarters. On that occasion, a
number of measures were examined concerning the
implementation of the recommendations formulated in the
document adopted last year in Bucharest. In this respect, we
intend to present a draft resolution to the General Assembly
with a view to ensuring the follow-up to this process until
the next Conference.
Romania highly appreciates the framework provided
by the United Nations system, since it allows for the broad
participation of all countries in all fields and enables the
search for common interests that transcend national pride.
Please allow me to raise a few issues relating to
Romania, a country engaged in the broad and difficult
process of economic reform. For us, maintaining an
international environment that is stable, predictable and
stimulating to business and investment is central to
fulfilling our economic reform programme.
Romania?s fundamental option — that of European
reintegration and membership in NATO — is well known.
Our political objectives remain unchanged. Even if the rate
at which these objectives are achieved varies from one
country to another, we have no alternative. As we strive to
replace one system by another, we are encountering all
the difficulties of transition: low standards of living, the
confusion of values, a radical change of mentalities
against the backdrop of social and administrative inertia.
Everything has become a priority. Everything is
compulsory. Everything is urgent. This is why I feel we
need the support and encouragement of the international
community, to the benefit of democratization and
development.
With regard to subregional cooperation, our
experience shows that crisis situations are generally seen
solely from the political, military and sometimes
humanitarian perspectives, but rarely or never from those
of economics or civil society. Certainly, there are well-
targeted subregional projects, such as the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation and those relating to transport
routes linking the Caspian Sea to Western Europe, the
ancient silk route. But we have to recognize that South-
Eastern Europe lacks broad economic integrating projects
that are assisted by the main international institutions.
In the absence of such economic cooperation
projects, our policy is somewhat reactive. We also have
to recognize that, in crisis situations, we still focus on
effects and not on causes; we try to limit the damage and
prevent the spread of the crisis, but do not focus on the
prevention of conflict itself.
In our opinion, we should take better advantage of
the framework provided by the United Nations system in
order to work out development-oriented political
strategies, in particular in the economic field. Similar
developments — leading, on the one hand, to solidarity
and, on the other, to an ever greater diversity of the
problems that confront us — can also be noted in other
regions of the world, not only in the Euro-Atlantic space.
We have followed them attentively and appreciate the
results obtained within the North American Free Trade
Agreement, the Southern Cone Common Market, the
Association of South-East Asian Nations and other
organizations.
Among the priorities established by Romania, it is
worth mentioning the objective of developing and
diversifying our political and economic relations with
countries of other regions, taking into account the
complex and dynamic developments of an ever more
interdependent world under the impact of globalization.
In conclusion, allow me to assure the Assembly of
the commitment of the Romanian delegation to
16

contributing effectively to United Nations activities in
various fields towards the successful outcome of the current
session. We believe in the capacity of the United Nations
to tackle the complex problems facing the international
community on the eve of the third millennium.


On behalf of
the people and the Government of Sao Tome and Principe,
and on my own account, I congratulate you, Sir, on your
election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its
fifty-third session, and wish you success in carrying out
your duties.
On the occasion of the fifty-third session of the
General Assembly, the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome
and Principe would like to join with all other countries of
the world in advocating the cause of development, peace
and liberty for all the world’s people. We want also to state
our deep concern at the grave problems which affect
mankind and which pose a threat to the world.
We are one year away from the beginning of a new
millennium, and it is with sadness that we observe a
world deeply divided between North and South, rich and
poor, and developed and underdeveloped countries.
The African continent continues its process of
healing and its struggle towards development. In recent
decades many countries of our continent have become
independent and democratic, and are ready for the open
market. Some of them have experienced significant
economic growth. Economic reforms and democracy have
made them favourable ground for development.
However, against this background, many African
countries have become poorer. Bad management and
various types of crisis have given these countries very
few opportunities for development. In 1996, 240 million
Africans were living on less than one dollar per day.
Africa’s share of international trade was only 2 per cent,
and the continent received 2 per cent of foreign
investment. Poverty is increasing, and political instability
is creating violent conflicts which are very difficult to
control.
With deep sadness, we observe too many armed
conflicts, such as those in Sudan, Somalia, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, the Great
Lakes region, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea and so on. Too
many lives have been lost; too much economic
infrastructure and too many homes have been destroyed;
too many refugees have been created. That is the result of
armed conflicts in our continent.
This situation merits the attention of all in order to
prevent armed conflicts, by creating an environment for
dialogue and reconciliation based on democratic
principles, good governance and respect for the human
rights of minorities.
The situation in Guinea-Bissau requires the special
attention of the international community in order to
promote dialogue between all the parties in conflict. We
participated in negotiations as a member of the
Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, together
with the Southern African Development Community, and
our mediation resulted in a ceasefire. We appeal to both
parties to create a good environment to secure peace and
tranquillity and restore the normal functioning of
democratic institutions and respect for the Constitution.
19

Angola is also our concern. We call on the
international community to avoid another war in that
country. We also appeal to UNITA and to the Government
of National Unity and Reconciliation, of which UNITA is
a part, to fulfil all the objectives of the Lusaka Protocol and
work for peace and development.
The situation in Central Africa and the Great Lakes
region is for us the most worrying in our continent. I do not
want to exaggerate, but I can say that this subregion is in
flames which can spread into other countries. Our desire is
to work together with the international community and all
countries in the subregion to seek a solution. Despite all the
approaches already made to end the conflict peacefully, we
cannot remain inactive while the conflict is widening, with
catastrophic consequences. The international community
must continue to work for peace to stop the suffering of
innocent people.
Besides the conflicts on the African continent, there
are others, such as that in East Timor. The East Timorese
people have been suffering under foreign occupation. They
are fighting for self-determination, the right to freely choose
their own destiny, in accordance with the Charter of the
United Nations. If we deny them those rights, we contradict
the principles of our Organization. Against this background,
we reaffirm our support for the Maubere people in their
struggle for self-determination. We appeal to the United
Nations and the international community to continue
supporting the negotiations to reach a peaceful end of the
conflict.
The world is facing serious environmental problems.
The development of programmes to protect our planet must
be a priority, and we must work together to avoid
behaviour that damages the environment by creating
pollution, land degradation and destruction in general. We
need to follow the Rio Declaration if we want a safe
environment and sound development. We have to pay
special attention to the problems of desertification, water
pollution, deforestation and biological diversity.
I would like to call attention to resolution 2758
(XXVI), adopted in 1971, which denied over 21.8 million
people their right to international representation and totally
contravenes the principle of universality, consecrated in the
Charter. The admission of the Republic of China on Taiwan
as one of our own would not pose a challenge to any of the
existing Members, and the peaceful coexistence of the two
sides in this Organization would be a catalyst to end one of
the largest and most enduring sources of instability in Asia.
Taking into consideration this and the changes that have
taken place in international relations, we call on the
General Assembly to review resolution 2758 (XXVI).
Fifty-three years after the United Nations was
founded, I would like once again to emphasize and praise
the positive contribution this Organization has made to
freedom, development and peace. The Organization faces
more and more challenges, and it is necessary and
convenient to proceed with reform of the system to make
it capable of responding to the demands upon it. The
reform must also include the Security Council; it is time
to reform its structure to provide a better geographical
representation.
It is our understanding that a more democratic,
efficient and less bureaucratic United Nations may better
shoulder its obligations and carry out its duties, in order
to guarantee progress and universal peace.
The struggle against organized crime, drugs, money
laundering and international terrorism must be one of the
priorities of the United Nations and of all countries.
Everybody must contribute to fighting these problems and
their catastrophic consequences.
My country is facing a difficult moment in its
history. The economy of Sao Tome and Principe has been
undergoing deep changes. Statistical data show that there
is a significant improvement. It seems that inflation has
slowed; there is an improvement in the fiscal system and
the value of the national currency has risen.
The Government has been making efforts in order to
achieve satisfactory results in the area of economic
development and reducing poverty. One of our concerns
is related to the problem of our high foreign debt,
estimated at nearly $270 million and which is 54 times
greater than the value of our exports. Despite all the
efforts that have been made, these numbers are still tragic.
It is essential for Sao Tome and Principe to benefit from
having its foreign debt forgiven. It is very important for
us to be able to participate in the Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries Debt (HIPC) Initiative.
In closing, I would like to thank the United Nations
and its specialized agencies for the support given to my
country.