Allow me first to welcome your election, Madam, to
the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-

19 06-52879

first session, confident that it will result in important
decisions in the common interest.
 It is with particular pride and emotion that I wish
to recall the sixtieth session, during which many
decisions, important for the Organization, were made.
In Montenegro it will be remembered as historic since
it was at that session that our nation was admitted as a
fully fledged Member of this unique world
organization. I wish therefore to thank the Secretary-
General and the President of the sixtieth session,
Mr. Eliasson, and the other representatives of nations
in this forum for having contributed to making the
ceremony of Montenegro’s admission as the 192nd
Member State of the United Nations so uplifting.
 It is a great honour and pleasure at this session to
represent Montenegro which for the first time now
participates in the debate as a fully-fledged Member.
As the President of Montenegro, Filip Vujanovic, has
already stressed from this rostrum, we see this as a
huge chance, as well as a huge responsibility.
Montenegro is a young European nation that has
existed on its own on the international scene for only a
few months, but it is firmly determined to continue
with even more strength to contribute to peace,
stability and prosperity, by respecting and promoting
the underlying ideas, principles and goals of the United
Nations and its documents. I am strongly convinced
that in the time in which we live the importance of a
State, big or small, primarily depends on its
contribution to the respect for and implementation of
these fundamental international values and standards.
This is relevant in both a regional and a broader
context.
 It is in the nature of small States to be more
sensitive to the need for tolerance and dialogue, for
openness, and international relations based on mutual
trust, equality and solidarity, and also to the value of
unity in diversity, which is the axiom of this time, and
of global integration, the basis on which today’s
Montenegro is developing. In this sense I would add
that small nations are destined to be elitist. I hope that
it is not presumptuous to say that Montenegro
promoted these principles best in the recent referendum
that we organized in full partnership with the European
Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe, and the Council of Europe, proving that
even in south-eastern Europe the most difficult and
most sensitive issues — such as the status issue — can
be tackled in a democratic fashion and in accordance
with the highest international standards. We are
therefore proud to stress that the democratic process
and outcome of the Montenegrin referendum is also a
European policy victory in our region, and are
confident that through this example we can contribute
to stability and good-neighbourly relations in our
region.
 Indeed, regional cooperation is inseparable from
European and global integration, which are essentially
about issues of peace, stability, security and prosperity,
the more so as the globalization that is gaining
momentum confronts us with new challenges and new
threats of a political, environmental and socio-
economic nature. The issues of today, such as
international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction, illegal migration and trafficking,
poverty, threats to the environment, and so forth,
highlight the need for common action.
 This vision of the future is exemplified in the
Millennium Declaration, which projects the principles
and goals of the Charter to the world in a new age,
highlighting common responsibility and solidarity in
order to accomplish a vision of a more secure,
prosperous and just world. Without stability there is no
democracy, just as without democracy there is no
stability or sustainable economic development. These
are interdependent processes that must take place
simultaneously, and that highlights the importance of
accomplishing the Millennium Goals. All this brings to
the fore the importance of efficient multilateralism
through action by the United Nations, which needs to
be reformed in order to adequately cope with today’s
challenges, as well as other international and regional
organizations and all nations.
 With full awareness and responsibility we will
continue to build in Montenegro stable institutions that
guarantee the rule of law, freedoms, equality and non-
discrimination, human and minority rights as well as
solidarity and a market economy. We will also continue
to promote multi-ethnic harmony and tolerance,
convinced that religious and cultural diversity is
enriching and conducive to greater stability and
growth. It is also conducive to striking a balance
between the State and the individual, fully in
accordance with the principles of sustainable
development.
 In this context I wish to express my gratitude to
the specialized United Nations agencies for their

06-52879 20

efforts and support. I believe it is important to stress
from this rostrum that in partnership with the United
Nations Development Programme and our European
partners we will build the first eco-building designed to
house United Nations agencies operating in
Montenegro.
 We are very proud that at the very outset of life
on its own Montenegro was admitted to the United
Nations, the institution that is the meeting point for a
multitude of cultures and identities, which it merges
into one address that each and every one of us
identifies with, an institution in which all peoples and
States enjoy full equality. We see this as historic proof
of acknowledgement of respect for the fundamental
values and goals of the United Nations, still equally
valid today. I am confident that Montenegro will
distinguish itself even more as a trustworthy and
constructive partner and that our cooperation within the
United Nations will take on a new quality and will
remain a key component of the political action of
Montenegro. Today’s Montenegro has a clear vision of
development and of its European perspective, and is
ready to fully contribute to a united Europe and the
United Nations.


It is
a great honour and a pleasure to address the General
Assembly at its sixty-first session on behalf of Bosnia
and Herzegovina.
 First of all, I would like to congratulate
Ms. Al-Khalifa on her election to her important post,
and also to thank the former President for his
contribution to the United Nations reform process.
 Bosnia and Herzegovina aligns itself with the
statement made by the representative of the European
Union (EU), which provides a framework for the
discussion of issues such as peace, stability,
development, human rights, the rule of law and the
need to further strengthen and reform the United
Nations.
 We endorse the EU statement, but we would also
like to share with the Assembly Bosnia and
Herzegovina’s experience in peacebuilding, the
implementation of human rights and the rule of law
and economic development in a post-conflict
environment. We believe that in that way we can
contribute to the future success of the international
community elsewhere in the world.
 Bosnia and Herzegovina is, beyond any doubt, an
example of successful intervention by the international
community, despite a few negative experiences. I
would like to make it absolutely clear that the job in
Bosnia and Herzegovina is not yet done. There are still

06-52885 34

some bridges that we have to cross before we will have
finished the 15-year-long marathon task of stopping the
fighting, promoting reconciliation and building a stable
Bosnia and Herzegovina with a view to becoming an
EU member in the near future.
 Bosnia and Herzegovina belongs to Europe; it is
part of the European continent. Medical students —
future doctors — all take the Hippocratic oath. They
swear to apply the highest ethical norms. Law students
get their basic training from the standards of Roman
law. The European heritage and European practices are
firmly rooted in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We must
now embrace all European Union standards and norms.
We do not feel discouraged when we hear people talk
of “enlargement fatigue”. Through the enlargement
process, Europe is spreading democracy itself. It would
be completely contrary to EU and United Nations
principles to grow tired of the spread of democracy.
 Recent events in the Middle East have shown us
how important it is to achieve a just and lasting peace
there. But just as we sympathize with people living in
crisis areas today, so too those living in such areas can
observe the process of peacebuilding in Bosnia. One
should pay attention not just to the stabilization of one
State in the Balkans but also to the capacity that the EU
and the rest of the international community have to
initiate swift and efficient intervention.
 We in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been assisted
by the United Nations, NATO, the EU, the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,
the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the
Council of Europe. We have also benefited from other,
unique assistance mechanisms, such as the recently
established Office of the High Representative and the
Peace Implementation Council, which include
European Union members, Japan, Russia, the United
States of America, Canada, Turkey and others.
 The war has been stopped, the refugees have
returned and today we are negotiating a Stabilization
and Association Agreement with the EU. However,
none of us should allow the current flaws in Bosnia
and Herzegovina to develop into something more
serious, leading to instability.
 As magnificent as it was in terms of stopping the
war, the Dayton Peace Agreement did not tackle some
essential issues, such as providing for every citizen to
enjoy equal rights throughout the country, or for the
State to be able to exercise its powers as a modern,
multi-ethnic State.
 Many visitors to my country are especially
impressed by the number of churches, mosques and
synagogues that there are, and the way in which they
coexist in close proximity to one another, serving their
purpose in Bosnia and Herzegovina. That is the spirit
of Bosnia that we inherited from our ancestors, but the
Dayton Agreements have not enabled us to maintain
that traditional aspect of the country.
 On the other hand, Bosnia and Herzegovina has
been able to achieve economic and political
development, which strengthens its prospects for
joining Euro-Atlantic integration processes. The
number of foreign military troops on our soil has been
reduced tenfold and the mandate of the EU-led
peacekeeping force has shifted from stabilization to
integration. We have established a single economic
space and a single judiciary system, and the various
intelligence services are now united and are for the
first time under strict and democratic parliamentary
supervision. We have formed a single State-level
Ministry of Defence, and thereby qualified for
accession to the NATO Partnership for Peace
programme.
 Bosnia and Herzegovina, as it is today, was not
shaped by conventional political means. Its structure
was defined by the Dayton Peace Agreement as a way
to prevent war. The sustainability of the Bosnia and
Herzegovina of Dayton has been strengthened by the
launching of the Stabilization and Association
Agreement negotiations with the European Union,
which began on the tenth anniversary of the signing of
the Dayton Agreement.
 The Office of the High Representative is
scheduled to be abolished in the middle of next year.
That Office will be transformed into the Office of the
Special Representative of the EU for Bosnia and
Herzegovina. That should be linked to our signing of
the SAA with the European Union. So far, negotiations
have gone well, and Bosnia has demonstrated sufficient
awareness and technical ability to enable it to embark
on the Euro-integration project. We are preparing for
elections in October, but, unfortunately, the ongoing
campaigns have delayed our efforts to fulfil the vital
political criteria.
 Next week, by voting, the citizens of Bosnia and
Herzegovina will have an opportunity to participate in

35 06-52885

the shaping of their future. They deserve election
campaigns that look not at the past, but towards the
future. They do not deserve campaigns such as the one
that was characterized last week by the EU Council of
Ministers as a cause for concern and prompted it to
stress the EU’s commitment to the territorial integrity
of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
 Bosnia and Herzegovina participates actively in
regional cooperation, and we participate in all regional
initiatives, including the Stability Pact for South
Eastern Europe, the South-East European Cooperation
Process, the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative and many
other programmes and projects. On that basis, a huge
number of bilateral and multilateral agreements were
signed, creating an international legal framework for
cooperation on and the harmonization of a number of
issues.
 That is especially interesting in the light of the
Kosovo issue. Bosnia and Herzegovina keeps a close
eye on the negotiations. We believe that any solution
must be the result of negotiations if both sides are to
accept it. Any future solution should accommodate a
common future within the Euro-Atlantic environment.
The consequences of the final solution, once it is
found, must under no circumstances jeopardize the
stability of the region or that of the neighbouring
States.
 I am pleased to inform the Assembly that the
Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina is on
the path to successfully achieving the Millennium
Development Goals. Those priorities are
complementary with the criteria for European Union
membership. In cooperation with the International
Atomic Energy Agency, Bosnia and Herzegovina is
developing capacities for the detection and prevention
of illegal trading in and the proliferation of radioactive
materials throughout our territory.
 As a mine-affected country, Bosnia and
Herzegovina is quite active in the implementation of
the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use,
Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel
Mines and on Their Destruction. It is well known that
there is still a significant number of landmines in our
country as a consequence of war. I should like to thank
all the countries that have contributed to the demining
process in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
 We are also playing an active role in United
Nations programmes that address the issue of
HIV/AIDS. We have established a State-level
commission to fight AIDS. Its current activities focus
on preventing the disease from spreading, establishing
an early warning system, and informing the public of
the dangers of the disease.
 As a young democracy and a country with special
experience, Bosnia and Herzegovina supported the
forming of the Human Rights Council and the
strengthening of the role of the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights. We believe that their
work is gaining in importance every day. We strongly
and decisively support the international system for
universal human rights protection.
 In my country, human rights have been violated
not only by war and crises, but also by certain
decisions of the international community. One example
is the problem of decertified police officers. The
decisions of the United Nations-led international police
caused them to lose their work permits. They were
offered no opportunity to file complaints or take their
cases to any type of court review. Our Ministry for
Human Rights has prepared, in close cooperation with
the Office of the High Representative for the
Implementation of the Peace Agreement on Bosnia and
Herzegovina, a possible model for a review process, to
be led by the European Union Police Mission in Bosnia
and Herzegovina, the current representative of the
international police presence in the country. The absurd
and flagrant violation of human rights committed by
the United Nations itself is a mistake that must be
acknowledged. It can thereby be corrected and the
credibility of the United Nations as an institution
preserved.
 One of the most important international
obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina is cooperation
with The Hague Tribunal for war crimes. That is
indeed a precondition for long-term stability. That is
why it was offered to the entire region as a condition of
further progress in Euro-Atlantic terms. According to
the data gathered by both domestic and foreign
intelligence, most wanted war criminals are not hiding
on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our
institutions are focused on cutting off the financial
support networks. It is a sad and pitiful fact that
Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic have not yet been
arrested, but it is even worse for Bosnia and
Herzegovina and its citizens to be punished because of
the two of them. We are penalizing the victims instead
of punishing the criminals. Bosnia and Herzegovina

06-52885 36

must be allowed to pursue progress on its road to
democratization and the European Union, because
improvement in that regard will create an even stronger
mechanism for destroying the war criminals’ support
network.
 The horrible terrorist attacks on New York, the
anniversary of which we recently marked, changed the
world’s entire security paradigm. The attacks made us
think in ever more serious terms. Terrorism is one of
the greatest challenges faced by the modern world, and
it is virtually impossible for countries to respond to
such a challenge individually. Member States may
individually strengthen their capacities, but a global
and complete response can be achieved only by the
United Nations.
 Having established the Ministry of Security, an
intelligence agency and an investigations and
protection agency at the State level, and by
coordinating their work through the Counter-Terrorism
Task Force, we have undertaken a series of very
important steps not just in terms of internal reforms,
but also in terms of our contribution to the global anti-
terrorist campaign. We have adopted an anti-terrorism
strategy for the period 2006-2009 that will guide us
through the implementation of European standards in
that field. We are in the final stages of adopting a new
law on the fight against terrorism and financial support
for terrorism.
 Bosnia and Herzegovina wholeheartedly
supported the establishment of the Peacebuilding
Commission, and we genuinely hoped to contribute
actively to its work. The experience of peacebuilding
in Bosnia is vast and relevant, and we are eager to
share it with other Member States.
 Although our country was not elected, we wish to
thank all those who supported us through the process.
At the very least, we sent yet another signal to the
world that we are no longer simply the receivers of
international aid. The support we gained has
encouraged us to continue to insist on a more balanced
and more proactive participation in United Nations
projects worldwide. In that context, I stress Bosnia and
Herzegovina’s aspirations as a candidate for non-
permanent membership of the Security Council for the
term 2010-2011, and I would welcome the Assembly’s
support in that regard.
 Despite our limited capacities, we try to
participate in international peace efforts. We have sent
our military observers and police officers to the Congo,
Ethiopia, Liberia, Haiti, the Sudan, Eritrea and Cyprus.
As a sign of our support for the Iraqi people, we have
deployed a demining squadron to assist, to the extent
of its capacities, in building a sustainable and stable
Iraq.
 The escalation of conflict in the Middle East
marked this summer and claimed many victims,
numerous civilians among them. We support Security
Council resolution 1701 (2006) calling for a full
cessation of hostilities. We particularly appreciate the
diplomatic efforts of Security Council members,
including the United States and France, that led to the
final harmonization of the resolution. We hope that this
positive breakthrough will constitute a sound basis for
diplomatic efforts in the Middle East and that lasting
peace will finally be achieved in that region.
 I would also like to call attention to the
humanitarian issues that are generally discussed at
every session of the General Assembly. In order to
contribute to the work of the humanitarian agencies
and United Nations efforts in general regarding that
very important field, Bosnia and Herzegovina has
submitted to the membership a draft declaration
relating to basic tenets of humanitarian action in
emergency situations, contained in document A/60/627.
The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina seeks to
contribute to progress in world preparedness for
emergency situations on the basis of our own lessons
learnt. I invite Member States to consider the adoption
of the draft declaration and to continue to contribute to
progress in such important activities globally.
 In conclusion, I thank all members for the
assistance and support that we received from the
international community in years gone by and to
express my hope that they will use their voices to
support Bosnia and Herzegovina as a candidate for
non-permanent Security Council membership. In so
doing, they will contribute to Bosnia’s assumption of
its place in international relations. Furthermore, I wish
to thank Mr. Kofi Annan, on behalf of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, for his contribution and commitment to
stability and prosperity in my country. He has
confirmed his commitment by visiting us twice.


I am pleased to
convey to Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, on behalf
of the State of Kuwait, its Government and people, our
most sincere congratulations to her personally and to
her brotherly country, the Kingdom of Bahrain, on her
election as President of the General Assembly at its
sixty-first session. We assure her of our readiness to
cooperate with her seriously and constructively as she
assumes her heavy responsibilities.
 I cannot fail to mention here, with great
appreciation and admiration, the prominent role of the
Secretary-General in his ongoing efforts at the helm of
this Organization to enhance and energize the work of
its various bodies and to make them more democratic,
transparent and capable of meeting the challenges of
this century, and more effective in carrying out the
duties assigned to them in the fields of peace, security
and development.
 In that context, Kuwait welcomes the Republic of
Montenegro as a new Member of the United Nations.
 In the Outcome Document of the 2005 World
Summit, our leaders expressed their firm belief and
conviction in the important role of this Organization as
an umbrella for multilateral work. They drew a road
map for us to follow as we seek solutions to the major
international threats and challenges that threaten
international peace and security, such as terrorism, the
deterioration of the environment, human rights
violations, poverty, hunger and the spread of such
dangerous and infectious diseases as AIDS and
malaria.
 Of great concern is the emergence of new
challenges to international peace and security that are
no less dangerous than those aforementioned, such as
the incitement of hatred, xenophobia, insults to
religions, including Islamophobia, together with all
kinds of racial, ethnic and religious discrimination.
 A year after the adoption of the Outcome
Document, and despite the extensive efforts made to
follow-up the implementation of the Summit’s
resolutions, there is still an urgent need to redouble the
efforts to achieve our objectives in the fields of
disarmament, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons,
counter-terrorism, setting a balance between developed
and developing countries in international trade, and
reform of the Security Council to enhance its authority
and efficiency and give greater transparency and
fairness to its decisions by according due consideration
to the representation of the small States that make up
more than half the membership of the United Nations.
 The State of Kuwait hopes that efforts will be
enhanced to promote dialogue and advance
international coordination and cooperation to overcome
the problems that impede the achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals in various regions of
the world. Kuwait will maintain its course in adhering
to the provisions, principles and purposes of
international agreements and conventions.
 While we take pride in the social, economic and
political development that has been achieved in
Kuwait, as reflected in the annual international reports
issued by the specialized agencies of the United
Nations, we will not be distracted from pursuing our
efforts to further improve the social and economic
conditions that favour the Kuwaiti citizen’s standard of
living and prosperity. In that context, Kuwait will
continue to support, within its means, the efforts of
many developing countries to achieve their
development goals. It will continue to do so through
the Kuwaiti Fund for Economic Development, which
finances infrastructure projects by granting soft loans,
which to date amount to $12 billion and have benefited
more than 100 countries around the world.
 Kuwait also contributes to the funding of
development projects in developing countries through

06-52885 42

United Nations programmes and specialized agencies,
and regional organizations and associations. Within the
framework of supporting international efforts to
eradicate poverty, Kuwait announced last month that it
will provide $300 million to the Islamic Development
Bank to combat poverty in Africa.
 Kuwait follows with grave concern the difficult
security conditions in brotherly Iraq resulting from
ongoing terrorist acts that target the Iraqi people, State
institutions and economic and social facilities. Despite
progress in the political process that has led to the
formation of a constitutionally elected Government, the
difficult security conditions impede similar progress in
rebuilding what the previous regime destroyed as a
result of its hostile policies towards its own people and
its neighbours.
 Kuwait reiterates its commitment to all relevant
Security Council resolutions and vows to continue
supporting the efforts of the Iraqi Government to
promote democracy and respect for human rights, to
rebuild, confront security problems and achieve
national harmony between the various segments of the
Iraqi people. We hope that the international community
will also redouble its efforts in support of the efforts of
the Iraqi Government and the League of Arab States to
achieve security and stability in Iraq, which in turn will
contribute to consolidating peace and security in the
region. There is no doubt that a democratic, secure,
stable and economically prosperous Iraq that respects
human rights, is a master over its own decisions,
without any interference in its internal affairs, and lives
in peace with its neighbours will be in the interest of
all the States of the region without exception. That is
what Kuwait hopes for and seeks to achieve.
 At the regional level, with regard to the issue of
the three disputed Emirati islands, Kuwait supports the
position of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council and
hopes that negotiations will resume and intensify at all
levels between the brotherly United Arab Emirates and
the friendly Islamic Republic of Iran to find a solution
to that conflict in conformity with the principles and
rules of international law and good-neighbourly
relations, which would enhance the security and
stability of the region.
 Concerning the Iranian nuclear issue, Kuwait
calls on all the concerned parties to spare the region
any crisis that could undermine the security and
stability of that vital region, which for the past two
decades has been the theatre of conflicts and wars that
have squandered the fortunes and resources of its
countries and delayed their development. We therefore
hope that action will be taken to resolve the crisis by
diplomatic means. We urge the Islamic Republic of
Iran to continue its cooperation with the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the international
community in order to dispel any fears or doubts
surrounding the nature and aims of its nuclear
programme.
 In that context, we affirm our position on the
need to make the Middle East, including the Gulf
region, an area free from all weapons of mass
destruction. That zone must include Israel, which must
accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons and subject all its nuclear facilities to
the safeguards regime of the IAEA.
 In recent weeks, the brotherly Republic of
Lebanon was subject to a vicious Israeli aggression
that killed hundreds of innocent civilians, injured
thousands of others, and made more than 1 million
people refugees. Kuwait immediately and very strongly
condemned those shameful and inhumane crimes
against the brotherly people of Lebanon. Proceeding
from its sense of duty and responsibility, and driven by
close brotherly relations, the Government and people
of Kuwait organized emergency relief operations to
alleviate the suffering of the Lebanese people through
the Kuwaiti Red Crescent society, other associations
and the private sector. Kuwait also announced the
donation of $324 million to the efforts to rebuild
Lebanon.
 While Kuwait welcomes the measures taken by
the international community to implement Security
Council resolution 1701 (2006), it calls on Israel to
cease its repeated aggressions against Lebanon and to
respect its sovereignty, independence and territorial
integrity. Kuwait also calls on the international
community to assist the Lebanese Government to
extend its control over all Lebanese territory and to
support its endeavours to recover all of its rights,
including compensation for its losses as a result of the
Israeli aggression.
 The core of the Middle East crisis is the
Palestinian question. That issue, regrettably, remains
stalled. International endeavours and efforts to move it
forward are met with Israel’s intransigence and refusal
to implement international resolutions, as well as its

43 06-52885

disregard for international conventions and the
agreements it has signed with the concerned parties
within the framework of the peace process.
 The continued Israeli occupation of Arab
territories will always be a source of tension and
instability in the Middle East. Israel’s repeated military
incursions in the occupied territories, oppressive
practices against the Palestinian people, and
undermining of the Palestinian Authority will not
benefit the Israeli Government, nor will its continued
aggression and deliberate destruction of Palestinian
infrastructure and national Palestinian institutions
secure its so-called security. The solution lies in
resolving the root causes of the problem and by
restoring usurped rights so that all the peoples of the
region can enjoy peace and stability.
 In that context, we renew our full support for the
struggle of the Palestinian people to recover its lawful
political rights and establish its own independent State
over its own land with Jerusalem as its capital. We
demand that the Israeli Government withdraw from all
the Arab lands it occupies, including the Syrian Golan
Heights, in implementation of relevant Security
Council resolutions and the principle of land for peace.
In that respect, we reiterate the importance of the Arab
peace initiative adopted in Beirut in 2002 as the only
strategic option for achieving a permanent, just and
comprehensive peace in the region.
 Since its founding, the United Nations has
registered numerous accomplishments and
demonstrated its efficacy in establishing peace and
security in various parts of the world. It has helped
prevent many problems from deteriorating and it has
thereby become an indispensable tool of the
international community in confronting global issues
and challenges. It is our hope that the United Nations
record of accomplishment in achieving peace and
security will soon include Iraq, the Middle East, the
Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and other countries that
are still experiencing conflicts and wars that have
killed countless numbers of their citizens, depleted
their resources, destroyed their capacities and delayed
their march towards development and progress.


I should like at the outset to
congratulate Ms. Al-Khalifa on her well-deserved
election to the presidency of the General Assembly at
its sixty first session. I am confident that, given her
wisdom and experience, she will steer the proceedings
of the Assembly successfully. I also express our
profound appreciation to her predecessor, His
Excellency Mr. Jan Eliasson of Sweden, for his
excellent work during the sixtieth session.
 In the same vein, we salute the Secretary-
General, His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, for his
dedication and commitment to the work of the United
Nations. My delegation would like to pay him special
tribute for his distinguished leadership and remarkable
contribution to the United Nations, taking into
consideration his imminent departure at the end of a
long, dedicated and brilliant career in the service of our
Organization. Under his leadership, the United Nations
has recorded significant achievements. He ably laid the
foundation for Member States to make further
progress, especially with regard to the reform of the
United Nations. We will carry on with this task,
bearing in mind his vision of sustained global
cooperation among States. Allow me to wish him the
very best in his future engagements.
 We are gathered here to reaffirm our faith in the
United Nations and to recommit ourselves to the
purposes and principles of the Charter. Today, the
world needs a stronger United Nations and effective
multilateralism that reflects current realities. Only thus
will humanity be able to respond in a timely manner
and without hesitation to the global challenges that we
face.
 We fully support the comprehensive reform of the
United Nations as proposed by the Secretary-General.
The reforms should aim at strengthening the
Organization and making it more efficient, effective
and responsive to the needs of all its Members. We
further attach great importance to strengthening the
role and authority of the General Assembly as the main
deliberative and policy-making body, whose
relationship with other principal organs should be
placed in a fitting context so as to ensure cooperation
and respect for their roles as provided for in the
Charter.
 My Government believes that the reform of the
Security Council, including its expansion, is essential.
The African continent deserves to be fairly and
equitably represented in the Council. That is not too
much to ask.
 During the World Summit in September last year,
we reaffirmed our commitment to the Millennium
Declaration (resolution 55/2), adopted more than six
years ago. The Summit Outcome (resolution 60/1)
reiterated our commitments to the implementation of
the decisions made during previous conferences and
summits. My Government appreciates the work done
under the guidance and able leadership of former
President Eliasson in the realization of the Summit
decisions.

06-52885 18

 The fruits of those efforts are visible to us all, as
they culminated in the inauguration of the
Peacebuilding Commission, the creation of the Human
Rights Council, the creation of the Central Emergency
Response Fund and the establishment of the Ethics
Office. We also welcome the accomplishments in the
area of management reform. People around the world
have high hopes that these newly created instruments
will achieve the specific mandates set for them. We
therefore encourage all Member States to continue, in
an open and transparent manner, to finalize the review
of the process.
 Namibia attaches importance to the global
development agenda. Thus we are concerned about the
slow pace at which this essential matter is being
handled and about the lack of adherence to the
commitments in line with the Millennium Declaration.
In this regard, I urge all fellow leaders to stand
together in finding effective solutions to push back the
ever-encroaching frontiers of poverty, hunger, disease
and ignorance.
 The African people know that they must take a
lead in resolving problems and challenges on the
continent. In those endeavours, they need to form
effective partnerships with the international
community. I therefore welcome the commitments
made by the Group and Eight last year in Scotland to
consider increasing development aid to Africa, to
cancel the debt owed by the poorest countries and to
promote universal access to antiretroviral drugs for
HIV/AIDS by the year 2010.
 We reiterate our call for cooperation among the
United Nations, its specialized agencies and the
African Union and its subregional organizations
dealing with economic and social development on the
continent. We continue to emphasize the importance of
the Economic and Social Council as a central
intergovernmental body for promoting a more
integrated approach to global peace and development.
 Namibia welcomes the presidential and
parliamentary elections recently held in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, which, most international
observers agree, were conducted in a peaceful and
transparent atmosphere. We urge the United Nations
and the international community at large to continue to
support the people of the Democratic Republic during
this crucial democratic transition.
 The situation in the Darfur region of the Sudan is
cause for serious concern. The African Union, through
the African Union Mission in Sudan and with the
assistance of the international community, has made
efforts to bring peace to that region under
exceptionally hard conditions. We commend the
African Union Special Envoy, Mr. Salim Ahmed Salim,
for his tireless efforts in bringing the parties to an
agreement. We urge all the parties to respect their
commitments.
 We welcome the visit to the Sudan by the United
Nations Security Council team in June this year and the
recommendations they made. Namibia looks forward to
an urgent and smooth transition from the African
Union Mission to a United Nations peacekeeping
mission in Darfur in accordance with Security Council
resolution 1706 (2006). We urge the Government of the
Sudan and other parties concerned to accept this
transition, which we believe will be in the best interest
of the people of the Sudan in general and those of the
Darfur region in particular.
 I would like to join other countries around the
world in expressing our concern about the illicit trade
in small arms and light weapons, which remains a
menace to humanity. The proliferation of such weapons
compromises peace and security. They also pose
serious challenges to law enforcement agencies around
the world.
 We are concerned that the question of Western
Sahara remains unresolved. The inalienable rights of
the people of Western Sahara to self-determination and
independence must be upheld and respected, as
stipulated in the relevant United Nations resolutions.
We therefore call for the urgent implementation of all
relevant Security Council and General Assembly
resolutions, with the aim of holding a free and fair
referendum in Western Sahara.
 Namibia is also deeply concerned about the
ongoing suffering of the people of Palestine. We wish
to reaffirm our full and unequivocal support for the
inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-
determination and national independence. In this
context, we appeal to the United Nations to assume its
full responsibility by implementing all its resolutions
and decisions on Palestine, with immediate effect and
without precondition.
 Sadly, the people of Lebanon have once again
been subjected to war and indiscriminate bombing,

19 06-52885

which have caused enormous suffering and the deaths
of innocent people, including children and the elderly,
as well as severe damage to and destruction of property
and infrastructure. Against that background, we call for
the immediate and unconditional implementation of
Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and appeal to
the international community to provide humanitarian
assistance to the people of Lebanon in dealing with the
resulting humanitarian crisis.
 For many years now, the majority of Member
States in this Assembly have expressed concern over
the continuous economic, commercial and financial
embargo against Cuba, which continues to cause severe
hardships for the Cuban people. The Government of
the Republic of Namibia upholds the principles of
peaceful coexistence of nations and fair and open trade
among nations. Thus, we call on all Member States, in
conformity with their obligations under the Charter of
the United Nations, for an immediate and
unconditional lifting of the embargo against the
Republic of Cuba, as called for in General Assembly
resolution 60/12 and many previous resolutions.
 In June 2006, the General Assembly convened a
High-level Meeting on the implementation of the
Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS. That
Meeting served as an important opportunity for
Member States to assess progress and further
strengthen and expand responses to the HIV/AIDS
pandemic. Before the High-level Meeting, the African
Union had adopted an African Common Position at a
special session in Abuja in May 2006. Namibia is fully
committed to the implementation of the Declaration of
Commitment on HIV/AIDS. We are, equally, grateful
for the support for the call to mobilize resources and to
forge a stronger partnership in confronting the
pandemic. We stress the need for universal and
affordable access to comprehensive service packages
for all those infected.
 In our ongoing efforts to reform and strengthen
the United Nations, making it more effective and
responsive to today’s challenges — poverty and
hunger, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, civil wars and the
war on terror — we should place human lives and
human dignity at the centre of all our efforts. The
reform we have embarked upon should be seen as a
process and should be undertaken in a spirit of mutual
understanding and with a sense of collective
ownership. Let us strive to re-energize the United
Nations and make it an Organization that we can all be
proud of, so that we can make planet Earth a common
home for all humanity to live in peace, stability and
prosperity.


I praise the merciful,
all-knowing and almighty God for blessing me with
another opportunity to address this Assembly on behalf
of the great nation of Iran and to bring a number of
issues to the attention of the international community. I
also praise the Almighty for the increasing vigilance of
peoples across the globe, their courageous presence in
different international settings, and the brave
expression of their views and aspirations regarding
global issues.
 Today, humanity passionately craves commitment
to the truth, devotion to God, the quest for justice and
respect for the dignity of human beings. Rejection of
domination and aggression, defence of the oppressed,
and longing for peace constitute the legitimate demand
of the peoples of the world, particularly the new
generations and the spirited youth who aspire to a
world free from decadence, aggression and injustice,
replete with love and compassion. The youth have a
right to seek justice and the truth. They have a right to
build their own future on the foundations of love,
compassion and tranquillity. I praise the Almighty for
this immense blessing.
 What afflicts humanity today is certainly not
compatible with human dignity. The Almighty has not
created human beings so that they could transgress
against others and oppress them. By causing war and
conflict, some are quickly expanding their domination,
accumulating greater wealth and usurping all the
resources, while others endure poverty, suffering and
misery as a result.
 Some seek to rule the world relying on weapons
and threats, while others live in perpetual insecurity
and danger. Some occupy the homeland of others,
thousands of kilometres away from their borders,
interfere in their affairs and control their oil and other
resources and strategic routes, while others are
bombarded daily in their own homes, their children
murdered in the streets and alleys of their own country,
and their homes reduced to rubble.
 Such behaviour is not worthy of human beings
and runs counter to the truth, to justice and to human
dignity. The fundamental question is this: under such
conditions, where should the oppressed seek justice?
Who, or what organization, defends the rights of the
oppressed and suppresses acts of aggression and
oppression? Where is the seat of global justice?
 A brief glance at a few examples of the most
pressing global issues further illustrates the problem.
The first is the unbridled expansion of nuclear,
chemical and biological weapons. Some Powers have
proudly announced the production of second- and
third-generation nuclear weapons. What do they need
those weapons for? Is the development and stockpiling
of such deadly weapons designed to promote peace and
democracy? Or, are the weapons actually instruments
of coercion and threat directed against other peoples
and Governments?
 How long should the people of the world have to
live with the nightmare of nuclear, biological and
chemical weapons? What binds the Powers that
produce and possess those weapons? How can they be
held accountable by the international community?
Furthermore, are the inhabitants of those countries
content with wasting their wealth and resources on the
production of such destructive arsenals? Is it not
possible to rely on justice, ethics and wisdom instead
of on such instruments of death? Are not wisdom and
justice more compatible with peace and tranquillity

37 06-52737

than nuclear, chemical and biological weapons? If
wisdom, ethics and justice prevail, then oppression and
aggression will be uprooted, threats will wither away
and no reason will remain for conflict.
 This is a solid proposition, because most global
conflicts result from injustice and from the fact that the
powerful are not content with their own rights, but
want to deny the rights of others.
 People across the globe embrace justice and are
willing to make sacrifices for its sake. Would it not be
easier for the global Powers to ensure their longevity
and win hearts and minds through the championing and
real promotion of justice, compassion and peace, rather
than by continuing the proliferation of nuclear and
chemical weapons and threatening their use?
 We have experienced the threat and the use of
nuclear weapons. Has it achieved anything for the
perpetrators other than the exacerbation of tension,
hatred and animosity among nations?
 The second issue is the occupation of countries
and the exacerbation of hostilities. The occupation of
Iraq has continued for the past three years. Not a day
goes by without hundreds of people being killed in
cold blood. The occupiers are incapable of establishing
security in Iraq. Despite the establishment of a lawful
Government and the National Assembly of Iraq, covert
and overt efforts are being made to heighten insecurity,
magnify and aggravate differences within Iraqi society
and instigate civil strife.
 There is no sign that the occupiers have the
necessary political will to eliminate the sources of
instability. Numerous terrorists were apprehended by
the Government of Iraq, only to be let loose under
various pretexts by the occupiers. It seems that the
intensification of hostilities and terrorism serves as a
pretext for the continued presence of foreign forces in
Iraq.
 Where can the people of Iraq seek refuge, and
from whom should the Government of Iraq seek
justice? Who can ensure Iraq’s security? Insecurity in
Iraq affects the entire region. Can the Security Council
play a role in restoring peace and security in Iraq when
the occupiers are themselves permanent members of
the Council? Is the Security Council capable of making
a fair decision in this regard?
 Let us consider the situation in Palestine. The
roots of the Palestinian problem go back to the Second
World War. Under the pretext of protecting some of the
survivors of that war, the land of Palestine was
occupied through war and aggression, resulting in the
displacement of millions of its inhabitants. It was
placed under the control of some of the survivors of the
war, who brought even larger population groups from
elsewhere in the world who had not even been affected
by the Second World War. A Government was
established in the territory of others with a population
collected from throughout the world at the cost of
driving millions of the rightful inhabitants of the land
into diaspora and homelessness.
 That is a great tragedy with hardly any precedent
in history. Refugees continue to live in temporary
refugee camps, and many have died while still hoping
one day to return to their land. Can any logic, law or
legal reasoning justify this tragedy? Would any
Member of the United Nations accept such a tragedy if
it occurred in its own homeland?
 The pretexts for the creation of the regime
occupying Al-Quds al-Sharif are so weak that its
supporters want to silence any voice that tries merely
to speak about them, as they are concerned that
shedding light on the facts would undermine the raison
d’être of the regime — as, indeed, it has done. The
tragedy did not end with the establishment of a regime
on the territory of others. Regrettably, from its
inception, that regime has been a constant source of
threat and insecurity in the Middle East region —
waging war, spilling blood and impeding the progress
of countries in the region. It has also been used by
some Powers as an instrument of division, coercion
and pressure on the people of the region.
 Reference to those historical realities may cause
some disquiet among supporters of that regime. But
these are simple facts, not myths. History has unfolded
before our eyes. Worse still is the unwarranted blanket
support provided to the regime. We need only watch
what is happening in the Palestinian land. People are
being bombarded in their own homes and their children
murdered in their own streets and alleys. But no
authority, not even the Security Council, can afford
them any support or protection. Why?
 Meanwhile, a Government has been formed
democratically and through the free choice of the
electorate in a part of the Palestinian territory. But
instead of receiving the support of the so-called
champions of democracy, its ministers and members of

06-52737 38

parliament have been illegally abducted and
incarcerated in full view of the international
community.
 What council or international organization is
standing up to protect this brutally besieged
Government? Why cannot the Security Council take
any steps?
 I should like now to address the issue of
Lebanon. For 33 long days, the Lebanese lived under a
barrage of fire and bombs, and close to 1.5 million of
them were displaced. Meanwhile, some members of the
Security Council practically chose a path that provided
ample opportunity for the aggressor to achieve its
objectives militarily. We saw the Security Council
practically incapacitated by certain Powers so that it
could not even call for a ceasefire. The Security
Council sat idly by for many days, witnessing cruel
scenes of atrocities against the Lebanese, while
tragedies such as the one that occurred at Qana were
persistently repeated. Why?
 In all of these cases, the answer is self-evident.
When the Power behind the hostilities is itself a
permanent member of the Security Council, how can
the Council fulfil its responsibilities?
 The third issue is lack of respect for the rights of
members of the international community.
 I now wish to speak about some of the grievances
of the Iranian people and about the injustices against
them.
 The Islamic Republic of Iran is a member of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and is
committed to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons (NPT). All our nuclear activities are
transparent and peaceful and are under the watchful
eyes of IAEA inspectors. Why then are there objections
to our legally recognized rights? Which Governments
object to those rights? Governments that themselves
benefit from nuclear energy and the fuel cycle. Some
of them have abused nuclear technology for non-
peaceful ends, including the production of nuclear
bombs, and some even have a bleak record of using
them against humanity.
 Which organization or council should address
those injustices? Is the Security Council in a position
to address them? Can it stop violations of the
inalienable rights of countries? Can it prevent certain
Powers from impeding the scientific progress of other
countries? The abuse of the Security Council, as an
instrument of threat and coercion, is indeed a source of
grave concern. Some permanent members of the
Security Council, even when they are themselves
parties to international disputes, conveniently threaten
others with the Security Council and, even before any
decision by the Council, proclaim the Council’s
condemnation of their opponents.
 The question is: what can justify such
exploitation of the Security Council, and do not such
acts erode its credibility and effectiveness? Can such
behaviour strengthen the ability of the Council to
maintain security?
 A review of recent historical realities would lead
to the regrettable conclusion that justice has become a
victim of force and aggression. Many global
arrangements have become unjust, discriminatory and
irresponsible as a result of undue pressure from some
of the powerful nations. Threats to use nuclear
weapons and other instruments of war, by some powers
have taken the place of respect for the rights of nations
and the maintenance and promotion of peace and
tranquillity.
 For some Powers, claims of promoting human
rights and democracy can last only as long as the
claims can be used as instruments of pressure and
intimidation against other nations. But when it comes
to the interests of the claimants, concepts such as
democracy, the right of self-determination of nations,
respect for the rights and intelligence of peoples, and
international law and justice have no place or value.
That is blatantly manifested in the way in which the
elected Government of the Palestinian people is
treated, as well as in the support extended to the
Zionist regime. It does not matter if people are
murdered in Palestine, turned into refugees, captured,
imprisoned or besieged; that, apparently, does not
violate human rights.
 Nations are not equal in exercising their rights as
recognized by international law. Enjoying those rights
is dependent on the whim of certain major Powers.
Apparently, the Security Council can only be used to
ensure the security and the rights of some big Powers.
But when the oppressed are being bombarded and
decimated, the Security Council must remain aloof and
not even call for a ceasefire. Is this not a tragedy of
historic proportions for the Security Council, which is
charged with maintaining the security of countries?

39 06-52737

 The prevailing order of contemporary global
interactions is such that certain Powers equate
themselves with the international community and
consider that their decisions supersede those of over
180 other countries. They consider themselves to be
the masters and rulers of the entire world and give
other nations a mere second-class ranking in the world
order.
 The question needs to be asked: if the
Governments of the United States or the United
Kingdom, countries which are permanent members of
the Security Council, commit aggression, occupation
and violation of international law, which of the United
Nations organs can call them to account? Can a
Council in which they are privileged members address
their violations? Has that ever happened? In fact, we
have repeatedly seen the reverse. If they have a
difference with a nation or State, they bring the matter
to the Security Council as claimants, then
simultaneously arrogate to themselves the roles of
prosecutor, judge and executioner. Is that a just order?
Can there be a more vivid case of discrimination and
more clear evidence of injustice?
 Regrettably, the persistence of some hegemonic
Powers in imposing their exclusionist policies on the
international decision-making mechanisms, including
the Security Council, has resulted in a growing mistrust
on the part of world public opinion that is undermining
the credibility and effectiveness of the most universal
system of collective security. How long can such a
situation last in the world? It is evident that the
behaviour of some Powers constitutes the greatest
challenge before the Security Council, the entire
Organization and its affiliated agencies.
 The present structure and working methods of the
Security Council, which are legacies of the Second
World War, are not responsive to the expectations of
the current generation and the contemporary needs of
humanity. Today, it is undeniable that the Security
Council, most critically and urgently, requires
legitimacy and effectiveness. It must be acknowledged
that as long as the Council is unable to act on behalf of
the entire international community in a transparent, just
and democratic manner, it will be neither legitimate
nor effective. Furthermore, the direct relationship
between abuse of the veto power and erosion of the
legitimacy and effectiveness of the Council has now
been clearly and undeniably established. We cannot
and should not expect the eradication, or even the
containment, of injustice, imposition and oppression
without reforming the structure and working methods
of the Council.
 Is it appropriate to expect this generation to
submit to decisions and arrangements established over
half a century ago? Does not this generation or future
generations have the right to make their own decisions
about the world in which they want to live?
 Today, genuine reform in the structure and
working methods of the Security Council is more
necessary than ever. Justice and democracy dictate that
the role of the General Assembly, as the highest organ
of the United Nations, must be respected. The General
Assembly can then, through appropriate mechanisms,
take on the task of reforming the Organization and, in
particular, rescue the Security Council from its current
state. In the interim, the Non-Aligned Movement, the
Organization of the Islamic Conference and the African
continent should each have permanent-member status
in the Security Council, with veto privilege. The
resulting balance would hopefully prevent further
trampling of the rights of nations.
 It is essential that spirituality and ethics find their
rightful place in international relations. Without ethics
and spirituality, attained in the light of the teachings of
the divine prophets, justice, freedom and human rights
cannot be guaranteed. The resolution of contemporary
human crises lies in observing ethics and spirituality
and in the governance of righteous people of high
competence and piety. Should respect for the rights of
human beings become the predominant objective, then
injustice, ill temper, aggression and war will fade
away.
 Human beings are all God’s creatures and are all
endowed with dignity and respect. No one has
superiority over others. No individual or State can
arrogate to themselves special privileges; nor can they
disregard the rights of others or position themselves,
through influence and pressure, as the “international
community”.
 Citizens of Asia, Africa, Europe and America are
all equal. Over six billion inhabitants of the Earth are
all equal and worthy of respect. Justice and the
protection of human dignity are the two pillars in
maintaining sustainable peace, security and tranquillity
in the world.

06-52737 40

 It is for this reason that we state that sustainable
peace and tranquillity in the world can only be attained
through justice, spirituality, ethics, compassion and
respect for human dignity. All nations and States are
entitled to peace, progress and security. We are all
members of the international community, and we are
all entitled to insist on the creation of a climate of
compassion, love and justice.
 All Members of the United Nations are affected
by both the bitter and sweet events and developments
in today’s world. We can adopt firm and logical
decisions, thereby improving the prospects for a better
life for current and future generations. Together, we
can eradicate the roots of bitter maladies and
afflictions, and instead, through the promotion of
universal and lasting values, such as ethics, spirituality
and justice, allow our nations to taste the sweetness of
a better future.
 Peoples, driven by their divine nature,
intrinsically seek good, virtue, perfection and beauty.
Relying on our peoples, we can take giant steps
towards reform and pave the road to human perfection.
Whether we like it or not, justice, peace and virtue will
sooner or later prevail in the world with the will of
Almighty God. It is imperative, and also desirable, that
we, too, contribute to the promotion of justice and
virtue.
 The Almighty and Merciful God, who is the
Creator of the Universe, is also its Lord and Ruler.
Justice is His command. He commands His creatures to
support one another in good, virtue and piety, and not
in decadence or corruption. He commands His
creatures to enjoin one another to righteousness and
virtue and not to sin or transgression. All divine
prophets, from the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him)
to the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), to the
Prophet Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), to the
Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him), have all
called humanity to monotheism, justice, brotherhood,
love and compassion. Is it not possible to build a better
world based on monotheism, justice, love and respect
for the rights of human beings, and thereby transform
animosities into friendship?
 I emphatically declare that today’s world, more
than ever before, longs for just and righteous people
with love for all humanity; and above all, it longs for
the perfect righteous human being and the real saviour
who has been promised to all peoples and who will
establish justice, peace and brotherhood on the planet.
 O, Almighty God, all men and women are Your
creatures, and You have ordained their guidance and
salvation. Bestow upon humanity that thirsts for justice
the perfect human being promised to all by You, and
make us among his followers and among those who
strive for his return and his cause.


I would like to extend
my congratulations to Her Excellency Ms. Haya
Rashed Al-Khalifa and to her country, Bahrain, on her
election as President of the General Assembly at its
sixty-first session. I am confident that she will ably
build upon the legacy left by her predecessor, His
Excellency Mr. Jan Eliasson of Sweden. Mr. Eliasson
deserves special recognition for the competent and
dedicated manner in which he presided over the
sixtieth session and facilitated the positive outcomes
that we have witnessed so far in the United Nations
reform agenda.
 Let me also pay tribute to His Excellency
Mr. Kofi Annan for his distinguished career as an
international civil servant, specifically his 10-year stint
as Secretary-General. His wisdom and his unwavering
commitment to multilateralism have contributed
immensely to a revitalized United Nations. He will
most certainly be remembered for his steadfast
promotion of human rights, for creating space at the
United Nations for civil society and the private sector
and for his visionary outlook for the future of the
United Nations in the current global dispensation. We
wish to thank him for his invaluable service to this
Organization and its Member States, and to extend our
very best wishes to him in his future endeavours.
 The World Summit last year started us on the path
of re-engineering the United Nations to make it more
relevant and responsive to the many challenges that
threaten peace and security in the world at the
beginning of this century. The Summit Outcome clearly
reflected a historic compromise by Member States on a
number of core principles and attendant actions to face
squarely the myriad problems confronting the planet.
Most importantly, we reaffirmed the commitment we
made at the beginning of the millennium to confront
the scourge of poverty and to improve the living
conditions of millions of people living in abject
poverty. Our challenge today is to clarify how the
international community can more effectively
contribute towards the global goals of poverty
alleviation, peace and development for all humanity.
 The dynamics of today’s world, conditioned by
immense forces of change, have forced us to accept the
stark reality that no nation can prosper alone and that
the problems we face demand global consensus.
Consequently, all of us must emphatically reaffirm
central role of the United Nations in the cooperative
management of the world’s problems. Dominica firmly
supports a rejuvenated United Nations and universal
application of its ideals, in particular the maintenance
of international peace and security, the protection of
human rights and fundamental freedoms and the
promotion of international cooperation in solving
economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems.
 We welcome progress towards realizing some of
the commitments made by world leaders last year.
Creation of the Peacebuilding Commission now

06-53615 26

presents a great opportunity for ensuring a tangible
connection between conflict resolution and
development. It is our hope that the new Human Rights
Council will remain focused on its mission and avoid
becoming entangled in the politicization that
contributed to the eventual demise of its predecessor.
The Human Rights Council has made a commendable
start with the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights
of Indigenous Peoples, which in turn gives great
impetus to the aspirations of the Second United
Nations Decade of the World’s Indigenous People,
which the Commonwealth of Dominica has steadfastly
supported, as one of the few Caribbean countries with
a thriving indigenous Carib population. We, therefore,
call on the General Assembly to give full support to the
adoption of this declaration by consensus.
 The Commonwealth of Dominica, located as we
are in the hurricane belt, in an earthquake zone and in a
volcanic region, particularly welcomes the
establishment of the Central Emergency Response
Fund, which we believe will significantly enhance the
capacity of the United Nations to respond more
effectively to the increasing frequency of natural
disasters brought about by climate change and global
warming. We, the Member States, now have an
obligation to contribute to the building of the Fund,
while at the same time taking steps to put in place
measures to combat climate change and reduce our
emission of greenhouse gases. Member States must be
commended for the movement in a few important areas
that will contribute to a revitalized United Nations. The
first relates to progress in the area of Secretariat and
management reforms, which we hope will contribute to
greater transparency and accountability in United
Nations operations. The second is the finalization on
26 August 2006 of the new treaty protecting the rights
of persons with disabilities, and I am pleased to
announce that my Government is committed to signing
and ratifying that treaty. We believe that that
convention provides a solid basis for breaking down
the discrimination directed towards people with
disabilities.
 The next area is the adoption by the General
Assembly on 8 September 2006 of a United Nations
Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Through this
action, we have in a small way honoured the numerous
victims of international terrorism and demonstrated our
resolve to combat the scourge of terrorism wherever it
exists. We must continue to work towards a counter-
terrorism convention.
 My country is continuing to make progress
towards realization of the Millennium Development
Goals, despite the many challenges with which it is
confronted. In the aftermath of the devastation wreaked
upon our economy by the rulings of the World Trade
Organization disputes settlement mechanism, which
resulted in the virtual dismantling of our banana
industry, we had to undergo stringent fiscal
adjustments to deal with unsustainable debt. The great
sacrifices of the Dominican people resulted in modest
economic growth and helped to consolidate our
economic recovery. Spiralling oil prices, however, are
seriously threatening the modest gains we have made.
National effort is, therefore, focused on developing
alternative, renewable energy sources, such as hydro,
wind and geothermal.
 Recent global events have not been encouraging.
The collapse of the Doha Development Round further
threatens to marginalize small island developing States
like Dominica in the global trading system. Trade is
one central element in the international agenda that can
foster sustainable economic growth, reduce our
dependence on declining aid and contribute to
realization of the Millennium Development Goals and
the development aspirations of the small vulnerable
economies.
 The global trading system must recognize,
however, that there is no such thing as a level playing
field, even among developing countries, as there are
varying levels of size, vulnerability and development.
There are large developing countries, there are small
developing countries and there are very small
developing countries. In addition, there are the least
developed countries, which may be large or small.
Where the very small developing countries are islands,
their vulnerability is multiplied several fold. In
addition to market access, therefore, small island
developing States require increased development
finance for trade and productive capacity enhancement
combined with trade rules that are responsive to their
development aspirations. In this regard, small
vulnerable economies and the least developed countries
urgently need a trading system that acknowledges their
vulnerability and grants them the necessary special and
differential treatment. This will ensure that they benefit
from their participation in the global system and lead
to greater equity and fairness in the process.

27 06-53615

 Increasingly, South-South cooperation has
become vitally important to countries like the
Commonwealth of Dominica, as the developed nations
retreat from fulfilling their commitment to contribute
0.7 per cent of their GNI for development assistance.
South-South cooperation from China, Cuba, Libya,
Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela is
contributing positively to our human resource
development, revitalization of our infrastructure and
implementation of our public sector investment
programme. We believe that the developed countries
can make a greater effort to assist us in realizing the
commitments made under the Barbados Programme of
Action and the 2005 Mauritius Strategy for the Further
Implementation of the Programme of Action for the
Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States. We in the Caribbean Community and Common
Market (CARICOM) understand the critical
importance of deepening regional integration and that
is why we agreed this year to move towards the
CARICOM Single Market and Economy. That
development, we believe, is an important pillar in
maximizing regional trade and development and in
minimizing the negative impact that is likely to be
inflicted upon us, as small vulnerable economies, from
the forces of globalization. We look forward to the
support of the donor community in this important
endeavour.
 Good neighbourliness is an important plank in
our foreign policy, and through this approach we seek
to continuously build and strengthen relations with all
the countries of the greater Caribbean Basin, including
Cuba, the United States of America and Venezuela. We
believe in harmonious and friendly relations with all
our neighbours. We should not be expected to choose
one over the other, but should be seen more as a bridge
across the Caribbean Basin. Maritime and border
disputes within our region, and particularly between
CARICOM Member States and our neighbours in
Central and South America, are best resolved in an
atmosphere of friendship and cooperation, using the
good offices of the United Nations, the Organization of
American States and other forums that can bring about
resolution to such disputes.
 The year 2007 will mark the bicentennial of the
abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in the former
British Empire. We anticipate a commemorative event
in the General Assembly to mark this historic occasion.
The Caribbean Community and Common Market
(CARICOM) Group of nations will table a resolution
in the General Assembly to mark the occasion and
expects the support of all Member States of the United
Nations in this regard.
 We welcome the return to constitutional
government in Haiti, the first country to declare its
independence from colonialism and slavery. We
commit ourselves to work closely with President René
Garcia Préval and his Government in their
development efforts. We also welcome the recent
announcement of commitments to Haiti by the
Government of the United States of $492 million over
three years, and by the Government of Canada in the
amount of $100 million annually. We appreciate greatly
the many pledges of assistance for Haiti’s
reconstruction from various bilateral and multilateral
donors and wish to emphasize the necessity for these
pledges to be disbursed on a timely basis to provide the
Haitian Government with the capacity to bring about
improvements in the physical and social infrastructure
of the country and the quality of life of the people of
this CARICOM member State.
 The situation in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon,
Darfur, and the Middle East continue to occupy our
attention. Regarding the unfortunate devastation
caused by the war between Israel and Hizbollah, we
believe that Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) is
a good basis for a future peaceful relationship between
Israel and Lebanon, and we urge both countries and the
neighbouring States to abide by the provisions of that
resolution. The Commonwealth of Dominica has stated
before in this forum that the only solution to the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the establishment of a
sovereign and independent Palestinian State alongside
the State of Israel, both with secure and defensible
borders recognized by the international community.
 The situation in Darfur is very troubling and the
international community must take action now. We
commend the African Union for renewing the mandate
of the African Union Peacekeeping Force, and urge the
Sudanese Government to reconsider its opposition to
the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping force
to bolster the efforts of the African Union to provide
protection and security for the people of Darfur, which
is a prerequisite for a lasting solution to the underlying
problems giving rise to the state of conflict.
 In conclusion, let me express my delegation’s
wish for a successful sixty-first session under

06-53615 28

Ms. Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa’s leadership. It is our
hope that the development agenda will once again
assume the highest priority of the General Assembly
and that we can more effectively promote peace and
security, eradicate terrorism, and above all promote
poverty alleviation. We must also focus on moving
forward with the reform agenda of the United Nations
system, including Security Council and Economic and
Social Council reform. We can prevail if we act
responsibly and together. Support for multilateralism
and the ideals of the United Nations must remain our
priority.


With
confidence, Iraq is making qualitative steps in the
transition to nationhood. Under extremely difficult
circumstances, Iraq is pursuing this goal and the
inherently complicated task of rebuilding the country.
Iraq continues courageously to reach for the promise of
a democratic, federal and pluralistic State, where
generations of long-oppressed Iraqis will regain their
dignity and freedom and their right to join the civilized
and progressive nations of the world.
 As we make our way forward, we are keen to
establish a deep-rooted experiment with seeds from
Iraq’s authentically rich and enlightened ancient
heritage. We will pay attention to the lessons of older
civilizations in Iraq and the national diversity that
embodies the Iraqi vision.
 The new Iraq has passed through crucial
transitional stages in an incredibly short period of time.

06-53317 8

The political process has been strengthened and
expanded through the participation of broader and
more effective social, political and civil forces. Last
year, the first parliamentary elections were held,
leading to the formation of a Transitional National
Assembly; these were followed by a national
referendum on a permanent constitution for the first
time in the history of modern Iraq. A second round of
elections was held on 15 December 2005, which
elected members of a Council of Representatives for a
four-year term. The Council convened on 1 February
2006.
 These developments, supported by the will of the
Iraqi political forces and with the help of our friends,
have galvanized the Iraqi majority with its varied
political, social and intellectual background. They have
created a positive political process, which has
produced a Government of National Unity and
Salvation under the leadership of Prime Minister Nuri
al-Maliki.
 The region of Iraqi Kurdistan elected a Council
of Representatives, followed by the formation of a
united Kurdistan Regional Government. This
demonstrates that political harmony does indeed exist
in the midst of the country’s broader political process.
It demonstrates significant development in our
economy, our culture and our social fabric as a whole
where security, stability and economic prosperity
prevail. A market economy has been successful and
prosperous for Iraq.
 What we have achieved so far in the political
arena reflects a united national will to succeed in the
process of building an Iraq that can confront all of its
challenges, ranging from defeating the terrorists —
who label others as infidels — and extremist
ideologies, to achieving security and stability.
 Terrorist operations and activities of those who
label others as infidels and organized crime groups in
our country are not merely characterized by the killing
of innocent people or provoking security chaos; they
also aim at destroying the country’s infrastructure and
hampering our ongoing efforts to rebuild the country
and place it firmly on the path of peace, security and
democracy.
 We must emphasize that the forces of extremism,
those that oppose democracy and human values, are
intent on making Iraq a stepping stone for reaching
other goals and for wreaking even more destruction.
These forces comprise regional and Arab elements that
export their crises beyond their borders in the hope that
Iraq will prove to be fertile ground on which they can
deal with those crises by fighting their battles on Iraqi
soil and among the people of Iraq. Those groups are
mainly composed of remnants of the former dictatorial
regime in league with organized criminal elements,
themselves a product of the oppression of the old
regime and the lapses of security that followed its
collapse.
 The supply line of money and weapons for those
groups extends to neighbouring Arab and regional
States. They are further supported by individuals who
infiltrate the borders, many of them Al-Qaida
operatives and runaway Saddamists. Such groups
harbour the illusion that they can suppress the will of
our people by continuing to kill, terrorize and spread
despair among innocent Iraqis.
 To confront such evil intent, national
determination will flourish, welcoming all the people
of Iraq to participate in the process of building a
national consensus. The Prime Minister has launched a
national reconciliation plan in the hope of providing
the protection and conditions that are necessary for
political stability, calm and security. This initiative was
formulated and developed through the contributions of
a number of political parties holding seats in
parliament and represented on Iraq’s National Security
Council. That is how the first steps towards success
were taken. The initiative has received the support of
several political opposition groups, including militant
groups that were previously part of the armed
opposition.
 We continue to make efforts within the tripartite
Presidential Council — the President, the Prime
Minister and the Speaker of the Legislature — to
expand the range of participation for groups that are
genuinely interested in the initiative, regardless of their
intellectual, political or organizational orientation. We
are encouraging them to join the national effort until
all forces are mobilized to bring about political
stability and security in Iraq. As we are working
tirelessly for a secure and stable Iraq, we are also
striving to re-establish an advanced and developed
State where everybody can enjoy peace and security.
We aspire to that not only for Iraq, but also for all
States of the Middle East. This reflects Iraq’s concern,
despite its preoccupation with its internal situation,

9 06-53317

about the suffering of its Arab brothers, especially the
Palestinians.
 Iraq recognizes the implications of the
destruction suffered by the brotherly State of Lebanon
and its proud people as a result of the Israeli military
onslaught. Therefore, we call for implementation of the
resolutions of international legitimacy for resolving the
Palestinian question, which is at the core of this
chronic conflict. We call for implementation of
Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) concerning
the brotherly State of Lebanon, which deserves
sympathy and genuine support through funding and
technology from all civilized nations, not solely from
its Arab brethren.
 The ongoing crises and wars in our region impose
an enormous responsibility on the international
community and the States of the region themselves to
reach a just and permanent political settlement that
would defuse crises, conflicts and wars. It also makes
it incumbent upon us to reach a just and lasting peace
that rids the area — and humanity — of the scourge of
war, bloody conflict and terrorism.
 Iraq, through its Minister of Foreign Affairs, has
endorsed the latest decisions of the League of Arab
States. Therefore, I call on the international community
to accept these fair, logical proposals that are capable
of ending strife and achieving security and peace for
the peoples of the region.
 States with influence at the international level
have weightier responsibilities because of the strategic
importance of the Middle East with respect to the
policies, economies and global objectives of those
influential States. They should, therefore, adopt a
decisive approach in endorsing solutions that respect
the rights and interests of the States and peoples of the
region, as provided for in United Nations resolutions
and human rights law. The decisive factor in
establishing a firm foundation for a regional
understanding, leading to just solutions, to a permanent
peace based on transparency and the principle of
respect for the rights of all parties and to stability in
the Middle East, is embodied in collaborative efforts,
the will of neighbouring countries and a serious resolve
to defeat terrorism and eliminate its hotbeds and
causes. A global war on terrorism limited only to
military means will not be sufficient to defeat
terrorism. We should, therefore, explore and adopt
political, economic and other means and tools to
strengthen the elements that will lead to victory in that
war. In our view, it is beneficial here to consider
General Assembly resolution 60/4, which calls on
Governments, the United Nations and civil society
organizations to develop ways and means in that
direction and to work to promote a culture of peace and
to condemn violence. It also calls for the formulation
of ways and means to expand the circle of dialogue
among civilizations in its religious, cultural and civil
society dimensions.
 What I have referred to serves to strengthen
Iraq’s vision of making the Middle East a zone free of
weapons of mass destruction — especially nuclear
weapons — similar to zones in Africa and Latin
America. Such zones safeguard the right of countries to
develop technical capacity for the scientific and
peaceful use of nuclear energy in order to achieve the
goals of sustainable development. In that regard, I
would like to emphasize that, in accordance with its
permanent constitution and its higher national interests,
the new Iraq is committed not to produce such
weapons. Iraq will also join the Chemical Weapons
Convention and other international instruments
pertaining to such weapons.
 We would like to take this opportunity to
emphasize that there are no weapons of mass
destruction of any type in the new Iraq, as has been
confirmed in the reports of the most recent United
Nations team to visit Iraq. Given that fact, and taking
into account the interests of our country, we urge the
Security Council to dissolve the United Nations
Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission
(UNMOVIC), either by decommissioning it or by
transforming it into an international body associated
with the United Nations and funded through the
Organization’s regular budget. UNMOVIC, which in
its current form is financed through Iraqi accounts, is a
waste of Iraq’s resources. Our people are in desperate
need of those funds at this point in our country’s
development.
 Major international objectives can only be
achieved by joining efforts and harnessing the goodwill
of the international community in the service of all
humankind. The United Nations has taken it upon itself
to play a constructive role in establishing global
environment conducive to international peace and
security.

06-53317 10

 Changes on the international stage oblige us to
keep abreast of progress in every field, so as to enable
the United Nations to carry out its functions. That
should be done by better utilizing resources and
capabilities to benefit the peoples of the world, as well
as by strengthening the role of the Organization in the
maintenance of international peace and security. There
is also a need to respect the principle of the equality of
all countries and their right to participate in the
formulation and adoption of decisions and policies that
affect the international community.
 We also need to establish appropriate democratic
mechanisms to make possible the participation of
countries with the desire and capabilities to support
efforts and decisions conducive to the implementation
of programmes and the achievement of our common
goals. In that connection, we believe that the reform of
the international Organization must take account of the
interests of all, and must seek to bring about equality
and justice by reaching a balance through transparency
and consensus.
 In the light of those principles, Iraq appreciates
the effective role played by the United Nations to
resolve international problems. We are grateful to
Mr. Ashraf Qazi, the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General for Iraq for the role he is playing.
Iraq hopes that the specialized agencies and
programmes of the United Nations will return to Iraq to
resume their part in its development and
reconstruction.
 In that context, I cannot fail to refer to the
International Compact with Iraq. The Compact is the
result of an initiative by the Government of Iraq to
establish an international contact group that brings
together countries and organizations willing to help
Iraq and promote its reconstruction efforts. The group
will also help establish a sustainable partnership
between Iraq and the international community to
overcome the challenges resulting from our economic
and political transition. It is our hope that the
international community will fulfil its obligations by
providing the resources required to address key
priorities and achieve a common vision in the
framework of an economic transformation process and
a sustainable development programme through agreed
mechanisms.

 I express our gratitude to the ministers for foreign
affairs who took part in the successful meeting on the
Compact that was held in this building a few days ago.
The meeting proved that the new Iraq is no longer
isolated from the international community. It also
illustrated the fact that the new Iraq is on its way to
assuming its proper place in a free and developed
world.
 With regard to reconstruction and the
commitments of donor States towards Iraq, we would
like to thank those States that are providing assistance
to effectively contribute to generating optimism vis-à-
vis leaving the past behind, launching the reform
process and achieving comprehensive development.
However, we also look forward to further support and
determination in fulfilling those commitments, because
we believe that launching reconstruction projects and
stimulating the economy will be decisive in
strengthening the security situation and restoring
stability to Iraq, the region and the whole world. In that
connection, I would like to emphasize that, with our
free national will, we are committed to moving forward
in reconstructing and implementing our national
development programmes and plans.
 We believe that it is our right to seek the
cancellation of the numerous and exorbitant
reparations payments and debts of the new democratic
Iraq, which must not be made to pay for the sins of a
dictatorship that committed many crimes against its
people and betrayed the nation. Iraq believes that
achieving sustainable development goes hand in hand
with respecting human rights, providing security,
achieving justice, ensuring the fair distribution of
wealth and developing the agricultural, economic and
service sectors.
 In order to rise to the challenge posed by those
tasks, we must respect women and their rights and
ensure that they play their role in the development
process and in the political arena. That goal has now
become a firm principle in our pursuits, as stipulated in
the Iraqi constitution, which confirmed the right of
women to contribute to our country by holding no less
than 25 per cent of the seats in the Council of
Representatives. Iraqi women also now head four
ministries in the Iraq Government of National Unity.
 In conclusion, I would like to address anyone and
everyone who harbours doubts that we are as
committed and determined as we were three years ago

11 06-53317

to achieving national reconciliation. I assure them that
the reconciliation process is a promising one. It is
receiving all possible support and is moving forward
with the backing of all political blocs. Our efforts will
be focused on making reconciliation a permanent
living reality that reflects the aspirations and hopes of
the people of Iraq. That is especially so given that
important steps have been taken that have resulted in
national consensus and support from all the influential
political forces in the country. We have also succeeded
in charting a road map to resolve all remaining key
issues, including those pertaining to the constitution,
federal regions, militias, oil, de-Baathification and the
new national flag, emblem and anthem.
 As we underscore our determination, we also
express the hope that Arab and regional parties,
including neighbouring countries in particular, will
share our determination and make every effort to halt
any activities, support for or encouragement of the
forces of terrorism — including those who label others
as infidels and the remnants of dictatorial fascist gangs
in the country. We also call upon neighbouring States
to take the necessary measures to seal their borders
against infiltrators.
 We reaffirm our keen desire for security and
safety for all our neighbours. We also express our
adherence to the principle of non-intervention in the
internal affairs of other States, so as to prevent our
territory from being used as a staging ground to carry
out acts against our neighbours. However, our people’s
patience is wearing thin, in particular when we see the
blood of our innocent sons and daughters being spilled
and defiled, our infrastructure destroyed, our mosques
and holy shrines ruined and the rebuilding of our
armed forces and security services impeded in an
attempt to delay the achievement of full sovereignty. It
is difficult for our political leadership to keep quiet
forever.
 The ferocity of the terrorist attacks that target our
people and country will not dissuade us from working
persistently and with unwavering determination to
defeat the terrorists. In so doing, we shall rely on our
people’s vigilance, our political forces and our military
and security capabilities, which are visibly being
developed and strengthened in a number of Iraq’s
governorates as the tide of terrorism recedes.

 The building of Iraq’s national armed forces and
its strengthening to the desired levels continues apace,
in an effort to ensure that our capabilities reach the
necessary level, degree of competency and readiness to
gradually bring about the departure of Coalition forces
from our country. Those forces are present in Iraq in
accordance with an international resolution. In the
current circumstances, their presence is essential as we
carry out the task of building up our armed forces that
will be capable of putting an end to terrorism and of
maintaining stability and security. Once that has been
achieved, it will then be possible to talk about a
timetable for the withdrawal of multinational forces
from Iraq.
 The President returned to the Chair.
 At this point, I would like once again to express
our gratitude to the forces that participated in liberating
our country from the worst dictatorship in history. In
particular, we would like to thank President George W.
Bush for his leadership in the campaign to liberate Iraq
from tyranny and opening up the way for a new,
democratic, pluralistic and federal Iraq that is at peace
with itself and the world. That historic mission has
well served the people of Iraq and peace and security
in the region.
 In conclusion, allow me, on behalf of the people
and Government of Iraq to congratulate you, Madam
President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, on your
election to preside over the General Assembly at its
sixty-first session. We wish you every success in
achieving the goals set for this session, and we reaffirm
our determination to cooperate with you fully in that
noble undertaking.
 I also wish to take this opportunity to express our
gratitude and appreciation to Secretary-General Kofi
Annan for his dedicated efforts to re-energize the
United Nations to work towards international peace
and security and to promote development and respect
for human rights throughout the world.