Antigua and
Barbuda joins other Members of the United Nations in
congratulating Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa on her
election to the presidency of the General Assembly at
its sixty-first session. Madam President, we wish you
success in all your efforts and assure you of our full
cooperation. I wish also to thank and congratulate your
predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson, for his outstanding
leadership of the sixtieth regular session of the General
Assembly.
 Permit me also to convey the appreciation of the
Government of Antigua and Barbuda to Mr. Kofi
Annan for his many years of service to the United
Nations and for his overall dedication to the pursuit of
world peace and development. Every year brings new
and unique challenges which add to the burdens of the
office of the Secretary-General, and this past year has
been no exception. In bidding Mr. Annan farewell, on
behalf of the Government and people of Antigua and
Barbuda, I pay tribute to his indomitable courage over
the past 10 years and say to him that success is never
final and failure is never fatal; it is courage that counts,
and he has risen to the challenge when it counted most.
 Among the many accomplishments achieved in
the twentieth century was the establishment of the
United Nations. Among the accomplishments of the
United Nations in its 60 years of existence is its
advocacy of decolonization by peaceful means; its
advancement of the concept of sovereignty as a natural
right of all nations and all peoples; and the awareness
it has brought to the international community that, in
this era of globalization, the majority of humanity is
afflicted not by inter-State wars but by the ravages of
poverty, hunger, disease, environmental degradation
and human rights violations.
 We are aware of the awesome task of
implementing reform measures for this Organization.
We are, however, encouraged by the significant
achievements made since the adoption of the Outcome
Document of the 2005 World Summit. We are pleased
that some progress has been made in areas such as the
establishment of the Human Rights Council, the
Central Emergency Response Fund, the launching of

06-53952 10

the Peacebuilding Commission and agreement on a
counter-terrorism strategy.
 Respectfully, Antigua and Barbuda joins this
community of nations in underscoring the importance
of social and economic development, basic human
rights and their importance to the maintenance of
international peace and security, mutual respect, and
lasting goodwill among nations.
 Slavery is today perhaps the most under-
recognized crime against humanity, in spite of its
consequences: the vicious displacement and brutal
treatment of an entire race. Next year — 2007 —
marks the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the
trans-Atlantic triangular slave trade. The 14 members
of the Caribbean Community, whose people are
principally of African slave descent, are committed to
bringing this anniversary to the attention of the world,
and we look forward to members’ unanimous support
in the General Assembly for our forthcoming
resolution and to their joining us in the appropriate
recognition of this event, which foreshadowed the
abolition of slavery.
 In a few weeks, on 1 November, Antigua and
Barbuda will celebrate 25 years of political
independence. As we take stock of our challenges and
experiences in nation-building and our actions in
attempting to achieve and maintain a decent standard
of living for our people, our progress report is one of
mixed successes and failures punctuated with hope and
frustration.
 The reality is that we are a politically
independent small island nation with limited resources,
existing in an economically interdependent yet fiercely
competitive world.
 Our challenges are many. But, having emerged
from a past dominated by colonialism, we are indeed
proud of our history as an independent democratic
State where people of whatever race, creed or political
affiliation are free to express and exercise all basic and
fundamental human rights, which are inherent features
of the United Nations legal framework. However, for a
politically independent nation like ours to survive in
this economically interdependent world, that requires
effective multilateralism and the forging of real
international partnerships. In other words, our future
depends on our ability to work well with each other in
a spirit of understanding and respect, given our diverse
cultures, histories and economies.
 Antigua and Barbuda is acutely aware of the
importance of partnerships and of the necessity of
working within a multilateral framework to meet the
challenges we face as a young developing nation. That
brings me to the importance of the United Nations in
its role as a melting pot of ideas for constructive and
positive action.
 The United Nations development agenda is an
ambitious, noble, worthy and necessary one. Were we
to accomplish the goals we have set within the
specified time frames, it would be a testament to the
greatness of humankind. My Government and my
people therefore support any process of reform of the
United Nations that will enhance the level of
representation in all its principal organs, increase its
effectiveness and improve its legitimacy. It should be
more democratic in its representation, more reflective
of modern-day geopolitical realities and more timely
and effective in delivering on the outcomes of its many
international conferences, summits and agreements,
including, of course, the Millennium Declaration.
 We wholeheartedly agree with those who believe
that multilateralism should not be subverted and that
the United Nations framework for the peaceful
resolution of international conflicts should not be
undermined or replaced by unilateralist tendencies.
 Additionally, in our efforts to revamp and
revitalize the various development bodies of the United
Nations, we should pay particular attention to the
vulnerability of States. When the entire gross domestic
product of a country can be wiped out by a single
commonplace natural disaster, that country’s economy
is most definitely vulnerable. When the economic
mainstay of a country can be cut off by activities and
events that occur in another country many, many miles
away, that country is indeed vulnerable. When a
country’s economic activity can be effectively stymied
by the failure or refusal of another country to abide by
international rules, accepted norms and arbitral
determinations, that country’s economic prospects are
certainly vulnerable. For small island States like ours,
such vulnerability is our greatest insecurity.
 Over the years, Antigua and Barbuda has joined
the rest of the world in mourning immeasurable losses
from natural disasters, be they monsoon flooding, sub-
Saharan drought or Asian tsunamis. Our Caribbean
subregion is particularly susceptible to the annual
ravages of a hurricane season that lasts from June —

11 06-53952

which the popular ditty says is “too soon” — to
October, when it just may be “all over”. My country’s
Government feels that a review of existing
international disaster relief funds and an increase in the
amount of financial resources made available are
necessary for the elimination of the sad state of the
economic vulnerability of so many of our nations.
 With regard to international peace and security,
the Government of Antigua and Barbuda does not
believe that war benefits any country — not the
warrior, not the vanquished and not the passive
onlooker. As leaders of nations, therefore, international
peace is the greatest gift we can give to our peoples
and to our children. Hence, a world where friendly
diplomatic relations and dispute-solving discussions
between countries are promoted is a world in which
our children and grandchildren will inherit a legacy
worth cherishing.
 Our present-day values and our hopes for a better
tomorrow have been reason enough for my country’s
compliance with a significant number of United
Nations-mandated anti-terrorism treaties. Terrorism
breeds insecurity and exacts a severe financial burden,
even on countries and communities far removed from
the actual terrorist act. We join others in encouraging
the Members of the United Nations to continue to deal
comprehensively with the threat of terrorism by all
means necessary, including the promotion of, and
respect for, religious, cultural and ethnic tolerance.
 We must of necessity be more responsible when
we speak as influential world leaders. With the growth
and development of technology, all of the world is a
stage in a manner that William Shakespeare never
foresaw. It therefore behoves us all to constantly and
continuously mind our exits and our entrances and the
many parts that we play on the global stage.
 Today we join a list of countries that have time
and again in these hallowed halls repeated the clarion
call for greater action by the international community
to realize the laudable objectives and full intentions of
the United Nations Charter in the areas of meaningful
development financing and the concept of fair trade.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan was correct politically
when he said a few days ago from this very rostrum
that “the ‘global partnership for development’ is still
more a phrase than fact — especially in the all-
important area of trade” ().
 Too often we have taken corrective steps at home
on the domestic level to create, in the jargon of the
United Nations, an enabling environment. Yet we see
little or no real or tangible results, because developed
countries do not deliver on their commitments but
continue, in spite of their rhetoric, to support or
continue systematic imbalances in the international
trading system.
 Antigua and Barbuda, in spite of its limited
resources and its highly vulnerable economy, has
embarked upon a strategy of economic diversification
guided by the rules and regulations of the World Trade
Organization. Yet, unfortunately, even as we play by
those rules, the unfair trading practices of some of our
international partners threaten to diminish the modest
economic gains that we have made in recent times. We
need to ask ourselves, are we really serious about
raising standards in the developing world? Are we
really serious about sustainable development?
 Rest assured that in spite of the continuing
rhetoric, we in Antigua and Barbuda will continue our
efforts to achieve a high standard of living and
improved economic and social well-being for our
80,000 people. We will continue to partner with our
sister countries within the Organisation of Eastern
Caribbean States and Caribbean Community
subregional groupings. We will continue our advocacy
for good environmental stewardship and the
advancement of the fundamentals of sustainable
development at home, in our region and beyond. In
addition, we will continue to insist on nationally owned
development strategies as we seek deeper North-South
and South-South cooperation for more meaningful,
tangible and lasting economic development.


It
gives me great pleasure to join in the warm
congratulations to Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa
upon her assumption of the office of President of the
General Assembly at its sixty-first session. We are
confident that her extensive professional and life
experience will be instrumental in addressing the issues
faced by the General Assembly.
 Tajikistan also welcomes the accession of
Montenegro to the United Nations. On this occasion,
on behalf of the Government of our country, I would
like to extend our sincere congratulations to the
Government and people of that friendly State.
 A year has passed since the historic Summit
confirmed the common views of the international
community on the key issues of our time and on the
United Nations as the universal international
Organization whose goals and objectives are focused
on the collective search for answers to the questions of
concern to the entire international community. The
leaders of our States declared that only strict
compliance with the United Nations Charter, a
comprehensive collective approach and mutual trust
can ensure international security and development. The
latest developments in the Middle East have proved
once again the need to enhance the coordinating role of
the United Nations in addressing global and regional
issues.
 Tajikistan is in favour of further strengthening the
United Nations and lends its overall support to the
process of its ongoing reform. As for Security Council
reform, it should be undertaken by consensus, with due
consideration for the interests of all Member States.
 We believe that it was broad consensus that made
possible such major accomplishments as the holding of
the first session of the Human Rights Council, the
launching of the Democracy Fund and the
establishment of the Central Emergency Response
Fund. Of special importance was the establishment of
the Peacebuilding Commission, whose objective is also
to sustain peace and development in post-conflict
countries.
 The Government of Tajikistan was among those
that actively advocated the establishment of an
efficient United Nations body of that kind — one that
would focus on issues of coordination and targeted
support for countries emerging from armed conflict.
Tajikistan’s painful but ultimately successful transition
from civil war to peace convincingly demonstrated the
need for an international peacebuilding agency to assist
the Security Council and other United Nations bodies

06-53341 12

in their efforts to accelerate the rehabilitation of
countries emerging from crisis and to create guarantees
for the non-recurrence of such conflicts.
 Stable peace prevails in Tajikistan today, and
national accord and respect for political pluralism have
been achieved. The complex process of establishing
democracy is under way, and all political forces
involved are aware of their ever-increasing
responsibility for the fate of our country. In compliance
with the Constitution and valid legal procedures, new
effective Government institutions are being
successfully built. Respect for the law is increasingly
the rule rather than the exception. Civil society is
developing at an accelerated pace. Citizens determine
their own destiny through active participation in the
life of the State. The forthcoming presidential
elections, scheduled for November 2006, will be an
important milestone on the road towards peace and will
open a new page in the history of the establishment of
Tajik statehood.
 In Tajikistan, as in the majority of United Nations
Member States, the issue of sustainable development
ranks among our top priorities. Today, we are fully
aware of how instrumental the United Nations agenda
has been in enhancing sustainable development and
eradicating poverty, epidemics, famine and illiteracy
the world over. At the same time, the implementation
of a large-scale programme to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals will require not only extra effort,
but also considerable financing. In that regard, we
expect tangible results from the work of the
Commission on Sustainable Development and the
High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development.
 In that connection, we highly value the outcome
of the United Nations High-level Dialogue recently
held in New York, which helped States concerned with
issues of migration to reach constructive mutual
understanding. Migration has been an issue of vital
importance to our country since the outbreak of the
civil war, when a part of the Tajik population had to
leave the country. I would like to emphasize the special
role and capacity of the United Nations in
strengthening international cooperation in the field of
migration and development. In this regard, Tajikistan is
resolved to achieve as much progress as possible in
implementing the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs). In recent years, tangible progress has been
achieved in the implementation of a number of goals,
and the foundation has been laid for enhancing efforts
in this area.
 But long-term stability in Central Asia in the
years to come is inseparable from the development of
regional integration.
 Currently, vast opportunities are emerging in the
Central Asian region for the implementation of large-
scale economic projects, the creation of a unified
market of commodities and services and the
establishment of conditions for attracting capital
investment. Potential foreign investors see Central Asia
as a single entity; and, primarily, as a common market.
 Economic integration will become a powerful
factor in the sustainable development of the region and
will bring about the reduction of poverty and the
improvement of well-being. For this reason, Tajikistan
will continue to stand for strengthening of ties and the
expansion of mutually advantageous cooperation
among the States of the region.
 The current positive processes in Afghanistan
also create favourable conditions for regional
cooperation in implementing transportation and
communication projects which will provide the region
with access to the southern seaports. The creation of
new multi-modal transport corridors and the revival of
the Great Silk Road routes will form a unified
interconnected system of communications and make it
possible for Central Asian States to gain access to
promising markets.
 It is also obvious that in many respects the
attainment of the MDGs depends on assistance
rendered by the international community to developing
countries. Tajikistan joins the request addressed to the
donor community to at least double the amount of
assistance provided for the purposes of long-term
development. The process of exchanging the debts of
developing countries for national projects in the field
of sustainable development remains an urgent issue.
 One of our planet’s major assets is the fresh water
indispensable for sustaining life. Our common goal in
this respect is to develop qualitatively new patterns for
the sustainable management of water resources and for
addressing water-related economic issues at the
national, regional and international levels. This can be
achieved through a combination of appropriate support
from the international community and national efforts,

13 06-53341

with the leading role being played by countries and
regions faced with the water-resource problems.
 In this regard, Tajikistan hopes for the continued
active involvement of the Member States in the
activities of the International Decade for Action,
“Water for Life”, 2005-2015, including the successful
holding of the International Freshwater Forum in
Dushanbe in 2010. In order to coordinate activities in
this area the Government of Tajikistan is establishing
the National Water Committee. It will monitor progress
and develop effective ways of attaining the goals of the
water Decade at the national, regional and global levels
through cooperation with the countries and
international organizations concerned. Our efforts in
the area of water are part and parcel of the strategic
programme for the attainment of the MDGs.
 It is well known that international terrorism,
transnational organized crime and illegal drug
trafficking obstruct sustainable development. Tajikistan
believes that the United Nations and its Security
Council provide a unique opportunity for the
development and implementation of joint measures to
confront international terrorism and the narcotics
threat. We entirely support the report of the Secretary-
General entitled “Uniting against terrorism:
recommendations for a global counter-terrorism
strategy”, and we view the outlined principles for
confronting new challenges and risks as major
instruments for counteracting those threats.
 The response of the international community to
the complex strategic threat of terrorism must also be
comprehensive. The community of nations must
intensify its efforts to counteract the instigation of acts
of terror, the spread of terrorism ideology, extremism
and separatism, religious and ethnic intolerance and
hostility, and the financing of terrorism.
 Universalizing and improving an international
legal framework to counter terrorism remains an urgent
issue. The speedy approval of the draft comprehensive
convention on international terrorism will serve the
interests of all countries and peoples in the United
Nations community. Tajikistan will continue to support
the strengthening of the United Nations as the core
institution in this area.
 The global system for counteracting terrorism
currently being shaped cannot be established without
the involvement of regional and subregional
organizations. This should be taken into account when
adopting measures aimed at combating any
manifestations of extremism and violence at the
regional and global levels. We regard participation of
regional structures in this process as one of the major
prerequisites for ensuring collective security. Among
the structures of this nature in our region are the
Commonwealth of Independent States, the Collective
Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization.
 We believe that long-term success in combating
terrorism and religious extremism depends on the
elimination of the deep-rooted causes of these negative
phenomena, generated by social and economic
problems in the society. Prevention of illegal drug
trafficking, which, to a certain extent, serves as a
breeding ground for terrorism and international crime,
must become part and parcel of our common struggle
against terrorism. In this regard I would like to
reiterate that Tajikistan is prepared to continue a
constructive dialogue and cooperation with the aim of
establishing an efficient global partnership to
counteract the narcotics threat.
 It must be said that current efforts at
counteracting the narcotics threat are not sufficiently
effective. For this reason, we believe that financial and
technical assistance to Afghanistan, to be rendered
within targeted programmes, and the creation of a
modern, efficient and capable Afghan border service to
safeguard the external borders, including the Afghan-
Tajik border, would be a worthy application of the
efforts of the international community in this area.
Also, within the anti-narcotics partnership, we suggest
enhanced interaction with the Afghan structures with
the purpose of adopting joint measures to prevent drug
trafficking across the Afghan-Tajik border. We are
convinced that these measures could serve as a basis
for the proposed establishment of the first section of
the security belt around Afghanistan. Involvement in
the constructive process of Afghanistan’s neighbours
and factoring in the regional aspects of the post-
conflict rehabilitation of that country may well be key
to the success of the efforts undertaken by the
international community.
 Today, the regional dimension becomes one of
the key factors of long-term development. Broad and
constructive regional economic cooperation in Central
Asia, which possesses considerable natural resources,
is of particular importance at the present juncture. We
believe that achieving that goal could enable Central

06-53341 14

Asia to become self-sufficient in terms of energy, fuel
and food supply and a dynamic, developing region of
the world. Therefore, we believe that the achievement
of the MDGs should hold a place in the new structure
of global security currently being shaped, and become
one of the tools for addressing new challenges and
threats. Today, as never before, it is becoming
increasingly obvious that a security policy needs to be
integrated into development.
 The scale of the challenges facing the
international community dictates the need to further
strengthen our Organization. There is no doubt that we
must do everything we can to make the United Nations
more effective in dealing with issues of international
security. The collective approach should keep us from
making hasty and emotional decisions, since we are
dealing with the Organization responsible for
collective security, sustainable development and
protection of human rights. It is with the United
Nations, despite some of its imperfections, that
humanity places its hope for a peaceful and just world
order, for tangible achievements in the fields of
combating poverty and natural disasters. A responsible
attitude towards the United Nations is in the interests
of each and every Member State.


I bring warm
greetings from the Government and the people of
Solomon Islands. Allow me to begin by conveying my
most heartfelt and sincere congratulations to you,
Madam, on your election as President of the General
Assembly at its sixty-first session. Solomon Islands is
confident that, as a result of your leadership, guidance
and service to the world, our work to achieve global
peace, progress and prosperity will bear fruit. My
delegation assures you of our cooperation and support
during your term in office.
 Solomon Islands would also like to take this
opportunity to applaud and pay tribute to your
predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Jan Eliasson, Foreign
Minister of Sweden, who, with truly admirable skill,
led us in achieving many reform initiatives following
last year's World Summit, in particular the
establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission and
the Human Rights Council, the launch of the Global
Counter-Terrorism Strategy, the adoption of the
development resolution, management reform,
Secretariat mandate review and the Declaration on
HIV/AIDS.
 It would be remiss of me not to thank our
Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, for
his distinguished service to this premier institution. He
has been a constant catalyst for change and has
distinguished himself by combining leadership with
vision, initiative, patience, respect, persistence and
faith in this institution. Solomon Islands continues to
render him and the Secretariat staff our support. We
wish the Secretary-General well in his future
endeavours and sincerely thank him for his service.
 Solomon Islands would also like to join others in
warmly welcoming the newest Member, the Republic
of Montenegro, which was admitted into the United
Nations family in June this year. We wish the new
nation every success and look forward to working with
it for the common good of the globe.
 Democracy remains the bedrock of the Solomon
Islands political system. My Government came to
power four months ago, following the country’s
seventh national election since its attainment of
political independence 28 years earlier. We were
fortunate in having the Electoral Assistance Division of

06-53323 2

the United Nations Department of Political Affairs
monitor and coordinate the international observers who
oversaw this election. Despite the positive verdict of
the international observers, a minor hiccup occurred
during the second part of the election and led to three
days of rioting. Solomon Islands looks at that incident
as a wake-up call, urging that more be done for the
development of its growing population. I am pleased to
say that the incident is now behind us, stability has
been restored and a Commission of Inquiry has been
set up to look into the matter.
 Solomon Islands would like to thank all those
that participated in the election observer programme
including the Commonwealth, the Pacific Islands
Forum, Australia, New Zealand and the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP). My Government
has gone ahead and put in place some integrity
legislation that will strengthen the development of the
party system in Solomon Islands and bring about
needed political stability.
 Like many young democracies, Solomon Islands
is being challenged and tested. Governance is
expensive and needs support in order to be nurtured
and to flourish. Political ideology should belong to all,
not only to those that can afford it.
 The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon
Islands, led by Australia and supported by New
Zealand and all the Pacific Islands Forum countries,
has just completed its third year. My Government has
renewed the Regional Assistance Mission’s term for
another twelve months, given the Mission’s success in
transforming the country from a fragile to a stable
State. Solomon Islands is undertaking a comprehensive
review of the Mission in an effort to strengthen the
existing partnership, with the objective of broadening
the scope and role of the Mission so that it can take a
more development-oriented approach.
 The theme of this session, “Implementing a
Global Partnership for Development”, demands a
renewed commitment to existing partnerships between
developed and developing countries and presents an
opportunity to reorder and close the North-South
divide through a strengthened multilateral system.
 Just last week, more than one quarter of the most
vulnerable Members of the United Nations, the least
developed countries, met here in this Assembly to
review the Brussels Programme of Action. These
countries have special needs and require special
attention. While we welcome the declaration issued by
the High-level Meeting on the midterm comprehensive
global review of the implementation of the Brussels
Programme of Action, it is not the declaration that
implements the Brussels Programme of Action, rather
it is our action in honouring our international
obligations and commitments.
 Solomon Islands is a country of small
communities, scattered across nine hundred islands.
Sustainable development for Solomon Islands can be
achieved only through a global partnership in which
development is directed at rural communities. The
approach must have a sense of urgency and the
common purpose of enabling the rural population to
exploit their resources thanks to the transfer of
appropriate technologies and thus to realize their
economic aspirations.
 The shape and future of international relations
depends on how we manage change. According to
Charles Darwin, it is not the strongest of the species
that survives, nor the most intelligent, but rather the
one most responsive to change.
 I am pleased to note that this year the United
Nations is looking at expanding its presence in the
Pacific region. Such an approach strengthens United
Nations relations with its Members. In that regard,
Solomon Islands looks forward to the proposed
upgrading of the UNDP sub-office in Honiara to the
country level.
 Solomon Islands notes that the first part of the
2005 World Summit Outcome Document features rural
and agricultural development. My delegation is
heartened by a proposed joint UNDP/United Nations
Capital Development Fund project for the
strengthening of the Solomon Islands provincial
government system and for investing in provincial
infrastructure and communications. The project has the
merit of strengthening all democratic principles and
bringing the State closer to its people. My Government
stands ready to assist such a worthwhile project in any
way it can. Solomon Islands calls on all partners to
contribute to it and to better the lives of a people
whose needs have been neglected for so long.
 Solomon Islands follows developments in the
Middle East with concern, in particular in Iraq,
Lebanon and Palestine. It is sad to see parents burying
sons in a conflict that claims the lives of more children
than soldiers. Solomon Islands associates itself with

3 06-53323

the observation of the Under-Secretary-General for
Humanitarian Affairs, Jan Egeland, that something is
truly wrong. Under such difficult circumstances, we
must find the strength to trust one another and work
tirelessly to find a permanent, sustainable and lasting
solution to the crisis. The world looks to this
Organization for a solution, and we must not fail it.
That can only be done if we are prepared to take a
holistic approach in seeking a permanent solution to
the Middle East question, by embracing all parties in
the region and working in the spirit of the United
Nations Charter and through dialogue and consultation.
 On Security Council reform, in the words of our
Secretary-General, “no reform of the United Nations
will be complete without the reform of the Security
Council” (A/61/1, para. 161). The time is ripe to
balance ongoing reforms with Security Council reform.
The Council’s failure to act — for various political
reasons — to contain certain conflicts calls into
question its effectiveness, given its responsibility for
the maintenance of international peace and security.
The most vulnerable Members of the Organization do
not have the luxury of waiting, because conflicts and
potential conflicts may take root. More than 5 billion
dollars has already been spent on United Nations
peacekeeping missions — money that would be better
spent on development.
 Only by enlarging the Council and arming it with
improved working methods can we make it truly
representative and accountable to the wider
membership of this Organization. Solomon Islands
would like to see countries such as Japan and Germany
as permanent members, together with emerging Powers
such as India and Brazil.
 On the question of the representation of Taiwan,
the continuous refusal by this Organization over the
past 13 years to discuss the representation of the 23
million people of Taiwan at the United Nations is a
matter of serious concern. This creates an institutional
gap in an Organization where we are all supposed to
stand equal. My delegation wishes to register its
disappointment at the fact that its right even to discuss
the issue was denied last week. Solomon Islands feels
that the purposes and principles of the United Nations
Charter continue to be violated in this respect. The
time has come for this institution to act according to
the rules that guide the behaviour and conduct of
Members and to have an honest debate on the issue.
Solomon Islands renews its call on the United Nations
to recognize the right of the 23 million people of
Taiwan to be represented at the United Nations.
Solomon Islands is also concerned about security
threats on the Taiwan Strait. My delegation calls on all
Member States to distinguish our collective interests to
preserve peace from narrow interests that threaten
peace. Solomon Islands further calls on the United
Nations, the body responsible for the maintenance of
international peace and security, to mediate and engage
with the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan and other
stakeholders in finding a permanent solution to this
issue.
 This year we will be electing a new Secretary-
General. Solomon Islands, a member of the Asian
Group, would like to see a Secretary-General who has
an interest in our subregion. For the last 28 years, since
Solomon Islands joined this noble institution, no
Secretary-General has ever visited my part of the
world. We would like to see our future Secretary-
General engage more closely with Member States on
the other side of the globe.
 On the subject of terrorism, Solomon Islands
once again reiterates its condemnation of all forms of
terrorism, in whatever form and manifestation,
wherever and whenever it may occur. Recent attacks in
India and in various parts of the world underscore the
fact that terrorism remains a threat to all. Solomon
Islands looks forward to an early conclusion of the
comprehensive terrorism convention and is pleased that
talks between the United Nations Counter-Terrorism
Committee and Member States, including those in the
Pacific region, have begun. It is our hope that the
consultations will address the gaps in national
mechanisms and, where possible, have a regional
approach to the issues. I am pleased to report that, with
the assistance of New Zealand, Solomon Islands
expects to fulfil some of its counter- terrorism
reporting obligations during the course of 2007.
 Mr. Chidyausiku (Zimbabwe), Vice-President,
took the Chair.
 At last year’s World Summit, 170 of our Heads of
State and Government agreed to ensure the fuller
participation of developing countries, in particular the
least developed countries, in the global system. The
lack of agreement at the Doha Round continues to hurt
small island open-market economies, such as that of
Solomon Islands. We hope that enough political will
can be garnered to confront existing differences and

06-53323 4

ensure that a universal, rules-based, open,
non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading
system is established.
 Solomon Islands continues to benefit from North-
South cooperation to sustain its growth. We must also
continue to work on enhancing South-South
cooperation. I am pleased to note that developing
countries, such as Papua New Guinea, have provided
needed assistance in education and security. My
Government is paying closer attention to renewable
sources of energy with the help of India, Taiwan and
Indonesia. It is our hope that, with the cooperation of
all our partners, appropriate technologies will be
transferred, so that communities can have access to
modern and affordable energy. In this connection, the
Global Environment Fund and the United Nations
Environment Programme could look at facilitating such
initiatives. Solomon Islands would like to thank India,
Taiwan, Indonesia, China and the United Nations
Department for Economic and Social Affairs for
enabling experts from the Pacific Islands to meet and
work on such programmes.
 A number of developmental opportunities have
emerged since the 2005 World Summit meeting.
Among other things, a HIV/AIDS declaration has been
adopted. Solomon Islands would like to see the Global
Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria provide a
complete package for the Pacific region, ranging from
awareness to treatment. It is cheaper to invest in a
problem that is small than to treat a full-blown
pandemic. Solomon Islands would like the Global
Fund to reconsider the Pacific regional project
submitted during the sixtieth session.
 Solomon Islands notes with regret that the recent
five-year review conference of the 2001 Programme of
Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit
Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its
Aspects did not agree on a final document. Solomon
Islands continues to believe that the root cause of the
emerging gun culture is development-related. At some
stage, such conferences should focus more on
addressing poverty issues within vulnerable countries,
where gun culture is likely to emerge, in a global effort
to address the issue once and for all.
 On the issue of international migration, which
was taken up at last week’s High-level Meeting,
Solomon Islands, together with its regional neighbours,
continues to seek opportunities to manage short-term
labour migration within its subregion and globally.
While nothing concrete has emerged, the regional
discussion has allowed us to better understand the
receiving States’ position and, hopefully, will allow us
to work towards striking an agreed balance. Solomon
Islands feels that the pull factor from the South to the
North is natural and serves as a win-win factor for the
South that provides needed labour for the North’s
growing economies, while at the same time benefiting
the South financially.
 The United Nations offers opportunities for
Member States to become responsible global citizens.
Solomon Islands would like to see mission recruitment
procedures at country level. We are also seriously
looking at participating in selected United Nations
civilian police missions.
 Finally, a reformed and strengthened United
Nations represents our best hope for a better future.
Solomon Islands reiterates its commitment to work
within the framework of international cooperation to
address today’s economic, social, cultural and
humanitarian challenges.


Madam,
your election to the presidency of the General
Assembly at its sixty-first session is the sign of a
favourable turn of events in the world. I congratulate
you and I welcome you not only as an experienced
diplomat, with established skills and qualifications, but
also as a great advocate of human rights. I wish also to
commend, through you, your country, the State of
Bahrain, for its tremendous contribution to the
promotion of the values of peace, freedom and
equality.
 I should like also to express our deepest gratitude
to Mr. Jan Eliasson for the wisdom and competence
with which he guided the previous session. He
deserves plaudits for having led to a successful
outcome the difficult negotiations on the establishment
of the Human Rights Council and of the Peacebuilding
Commission. I would also like to congratulate a great
son of Africa, a friend and brother, Mr. Kofi Annan, for
his work as Secretary-General. His outstanding work
was recognized at the seventh session of the
Conference of the African Union held last July at
Banjul and was given a moving and memorable tribute
that I would like to reiterate here. Mr. Secretary-
General, the world is grateful to you; Africa is proud of
you. Furthermore, I would like to welcome
Montenegro as a Member State, whose admission
reinforces the universal character of our Organization.
We wish that country a warm welcome.
 This session opens at a time when the overall
situation in the world is becoming more and more
complex with reasons for concern and reasons for
hope. It is our responsibility to ensure through
multilateralism that hope overcomes fear and that the
world becomes safer for future generations. We must
reaffirm our faith in multilateralism, because the many
challenges of our time must be confronted collectively;
no State can deal with them alone. The same is true for
the environment, terrorism, drug trafficking etc. Since
its creation, the United Nations has never slackened in
the search for ways and means to assume its
responsibilities.
 But today more than ever, it is necessary to
encourage the search for collective solutions for the
many sorts of phenomena that weaken global peace.
Today more than ever, we must join our energies to
build a world in which human beings can live where

06-52737 2

they wish in dignity, safe from need and fear. That is
the purpose of our joint activities.
 In order to eradicate armed violence, we must
work for peace through the prevention and settlement
of conflicts. The situation in the Middle East continues
to be a serious threat to international peace and
security. It is urgent that a just, lasting and
comprehensive solution be found to this conflict that is
ravaging this region. We need a solution based on the
agreed proposals, such as the Road Map and the
relevant resolutions of our Organization. The role of
the Quartet in this respect is crucial. The cessation of
hostilities, after one month of pointless violence in
Lebanon, must be consolidated in order to achieve a
lasting ceasefire.
 As for Africa, positive advances have been made
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the
holding of general elections. Every effort must be
made to ensure the successful conclusion of the
electoral process, namely the second round of the
presidential elections. The fact that we are now
speaking of peacebuilding in Burundi, Liberia and
Sierra Leone is not only a reason for satisfaction but
also a reason for hope for other countries still in a state
of conflict. At the same time, in many other situations,
such as those in Côte d’Ivoire, the Sudan or in
Somalia, the search for the way to solve those conflicts
is still on the agenda. We wish to develop a natural
partnership between our regional organization, the
African Union, and the United Nations in managing
these crises in accordance with the provisions of
Chapter VII of the Charter. This is the case in Côte
d’Ivoire with the creation of an international working
group.
 By deciding to hold the meeting of its Peace and
Security Council on Darfur here in New York City, the
African Union has reiterated its willingness to consider
all constructive proposals regarding this conflict. The
African Union’s unflagging efforts to ensure peace in
Darfur has never been in question. The seriousness of
the situation in this region of the Sudan calls for more
energetic and more effective action. We solemnly call
on the Government of the Sudan to make a full
assessment of the tragedy that is taking place before
our eyes.
 In the case of Somalia, we appeal to the
international community to provide its support to
efforts to re-establish peace and reconciliation in
Somalia. The international community must not lose
patience faced with the meagre results in the search for
peace in several of the African conflicts. The
international community must provide strong support
for the efforts undertaken at many levels with, of
course, the agreement of the countries concerned. As
the current chair of the African Union, we promise to
work fully to promote peace and security on the
continent.
 I do not wish to end my statement on this subject
without recognizing the courage of peacekeepers
throughout the world, especially in Africa. Our
gratitude also goes out to the civil society and
humanitarian organizations that work courageously and
with dedication to relieve the suffering of people.
 One of the major challenges that I mentioned
earlier is that of development. The international
community dealt especially with this question during
the Millennium Summit by establishing the
Millennium Development Goals to be achieved before
2015. The assessment that we conducted last year
revealed serious weaknesses. It was clearly apparent
that resources were lacking and that it was essential to
look for new sources of financing.
 Also, we must give due credit to the initial
responses to the appeal launched here a few months
ago during the High-Level meeting held on eradicating
HIV/AIDS, within the framework of our commitment
to achieve universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention,
treatment and care by 2010.
 We welcome the International Drug Purchase
Facility (UNITAID) initiative launched by the French
Government to mobilize resources derived from the
taxation of airplane tickets. Congo, among other
countries, has joined this initiative. This effort is in
line with the Abuja Declaration and Framework for
Action for the Fight Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Other Related Infectious Diseases. It is also in line
with the Brazzaville Commitment, which presents the
common African position. The African Union summit
also declared a state of emergency in Africa with
regard to those diseases.
 In discussing the issue of migration and
development a few days ago in this Hall, the United
Nations took a look at an area of involvement that has
not been sufficiently studied, specifically that of
individuals and other entities — business and

3 06-52737

economic institutions — in bringing people together
and sharing the common goods of our planet.
 The African Union, meeting in Banjul, took this
opportunity to declare a common position that
emphasized the positive nature of the role that should
be played by migration if it is correctly integrated into
an approach to profitable development for the
receiving countries, as it is for the countries of origin
of the migrants.
 Our Organization has launched a vast reform
programme, of which some results are already tangible.
A few moments ago, I talked about the establishment
of the Human Rights Council, as well as the
Peacebuilding Commission. Organizational reform
seeks to adapt our Organization to changes that have
occurred throughout the world over the past 60 years.
 The African Union has made the reform of the
Security Council and the reinvigoration of the General
Assembly a major issue of concern. We must improve
the representative nature of the Security Council,
which is the true lynchpin of the entire institutional
architecture of the United Nations.
 The African proposal for an equitable
enlargement of the membership of the Council
constitutes a fundamental pursuit, which cannot be
replaced by simple palliative measures. We also
believe that the Security Council must improve its
procedures and its working methods to lay the basis for
consensual work. On subjects as serious as counter-
terrorism or nuclear non-proliferation, seeking a
consensus must continually be pursued through
cooperation and dialogue. Between those who give
priority to compliance with the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and those who,
rightly or wrongly, call for effective, concomitant
disarmament and the recognition of a universal right of
access to technologies in all areas, there is no doubt
much to be discussed, but this must be done in good
faith.
 We must refrain from radicalizing our attitudes
by turning the discussion into a conflict of values or
civilizations, because, most often, the problem is really
only due to a lack of dialogue and communication.
 All these problems and challenges prove, if even
there was a need to do so, the importance of the United
Nations. The United Nations is necessary because it is
the instrument of international relations; it is the
enzyme that can give us global peace and security; it
is, really, the conscience of mankind. The world would
not be what it is, without the United Nations.
 Still, our Organization has not succeeded, in spite
of this confident affirmation of its role, in changing
with times to fulfil the deepest aspirations of nations
and peoples. We know that the United Nations can
achieve that goal if the nations that created it, nations
throughout the world, from the most powerful to the
most humble, were to give to the United Nations,
without hindrance or hypocrisy, the means that it needs
to serve humanity.
 Africa, I can assure you, is prepared to do its part
in this highly anticipated debate.


Before proceeding
with my remarks, I wish to indicate that Cyprus, as a
member of the European Union, is represented by the
Union and fully subscribes to the statement delivered
this morning by the President of Finland on behalf of
the European Union. I should also like to express my
sincere congratulations to Ms. Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa
on her election as President of this session of the
General Assembly, and my gratitude to Mr. Jan
Eliasson, President during the sixtieth session, for his
tireless efforts during a historic year for the United
Nations. I also wish to thank the Secretary-General for
his comprehensive report on the work of the
Organization (A/61/1), highlighting the problems, the
concerns and the achievements of the United Nations
and providing guidance on the way forward. I would
like moreover to warmly welcome the Republic of
Montenegro as the 192nd Member of the United
Nations.
 During the session that followed the 2005 World
Summit, implementation of the Summit Outcome
Document (resolution 60/1), and the reform process
more generally, absorbed an important part of the work
of the Organization. The establishment of the
Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights
Council, alongside other important achievements,
constitutes an important building block towards a
consolidated international system based on effective
multilateralism. We should, however, not lose sight of
the fact that the legitimacy and the relevance of the
reform achieved will be judged by its impact on the
lives of our peoples. In that respect, let me underline
that as a country whose priority lies with upholding the
integrity of international law and full respect for
human rights, we have a strong interest in seeing a
Human Rights Council that fulfils its mandate and
leads to human rights improvements on the ground.
 There are also aspects of reform that continue to
elude us, such as Security Council reform and a
comprehensive convention against terrorism; aspects
that remain in progress, such as management reform,
mandate review and system-wide coherence; and
challenges that are increasingly more difficult to
tackle, such as disarmament and non-proliferation.

06-52737 18

 In that regard, I would like to commend the
President of the General Assembly for choosing the
achievement of the development goals as the theme of
her presidency in recognition of their enduring
importance. My Government believes that concerted,
innovative multilateral action to eradicate the scourges
deriving from poverty and underdevelopment can yield
substantial results. In that connection, Cyprus has
joined France, Brazil, Chile, Norway, the United
Kingdom and other countries in deciding to introduce a
special levy on air tickets, the proceeds of which will
fund improved access to medication in developing
countries.
 Regrettably, the urgent need to achieve a
comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East
manifested itself in a very dramatic manner once again
this summer. For almost four weeks, the international
community witnessed a violent crisis in Lebanon that
caused indescribable suffering, devastation and a
deplorably high number of casualties among civilians.
We offer our sympathy and concern to the
Governments of Lebanon and Israel and to the families
of all those affected.
 Firmly convinced that there is no military
solution to such crises, Cyprus, from the very first
moment of the outbreak of violence, supported the
calls for an immediate ceasefire and joined in the effort
to provide assistance both to the Lebanese people and
to the evacuees. Unfortunately, it took almost a month
for the Security Council to discharge its
responsibilities effectively towards the peoples of the
region, causing disappointment and frustration. In our
search for United Nations-centred, effective
multilateralism, the lessons learned from that crisis
should be a strong guiding force. We hope that the
expanded United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, to
whose deployment, operations and support Cyprus has
undertaken to contribute, will be effective in
preventing future eruptions of violence.
 In parallel to the Lebanese crisis, the world
continues to witness the deterioration of the situation
in the occupied Palestinian territories, with a heavy
civilian toll and worsening humanitarian conditions. A
year after the positive prospects created by Israeli
disengagement from Gaza, the current crises serve as a
reminder of the urgent need for a new strategy that
would lead to a comprehensive and lasting settlement
of all facets of the Middle East question on the basis of
relevant United Nations resolutions. In that respect, it
is imperative to urgently revert to the implementation
of international agreements, including the road map,
providing for the creation of a viable Palestinian State
that will peacefully coexist side by side with Israel
within agreed borders.
 Let me now turn to the Cyprus problem — a
problem of the invasion and continuing occupation by
Turkish military forces of 37 per cent of the territory of
my country for more than 32 years now. Mistaken by
some for a protracted conflict, the Cyprus problem
essentially epitomizes the inability of the international
community to redress this set of massive violations of
international legality. The status quo remains
unchanged and the humanitarian and human rights
consequences of the forcible division of the island and
its people persist. The efforts to establish a separate
political and legal entity within the occupied area of
Cyprus by the occupying Power remain undiminished.
Only with respect to investigating the fate of persons
missing since the invasion and establishing the
circumstances of their disappearance have we recently
witnessed some encouraging developments.
 In the political field, we have continued to exert
efforts on two key axes, coming closer to a negotiating
process that would guarantee a peaceful settlement,
alleviate the consequences of the invasion and bring
about the reunification of Cyprus, its territory, people,
society, economy and institutions in a bizonal,
bicommunal federation.
 The political agenda of projecting a separate
political entity in Cyprus has been pursued in recent
years under the pretext of a campaign to lift the so-
called isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community.
However, with the annual per capita income in the
occupied areas of Cyprus currently standing at
approximately $11,000, it is evident that the argument
for economic development is being exploited for
political reasons and is a manifestly unsubstantiated
allegation. A recent example of that pattern of
behaviour is the refusal of the Turkish side to consider
our proposal to increase trading activity by reopening
the port of Famagusta for exports to other States
members of the European Union, in cooperation with
the European Commission, following the return of the
now fenced-off and derelict city of Famagusta to its
lawful inhabitants under the control of the Cyprus
Government.

19 06-52737

 The Greek Cypriots remain committed to
reunification through a functional bizonal, bicommunal
federation. The failure of the most recent initiative did
not alter our commitment or our willingness to work
resolutely towards the reunification of our country. The
proposed plan was not accepted precisely because it
did not provide for the reunification of our divided
country or address core issues and key concerns in a
satisfactory manner. The search for a settlement firmly
remains for us in the United Nations framework, within
the context of the good offices mission mandated to the
Secretary-General by the Security Council.
 I would now like to turn briefly to developments
of a political nature that have taken place over the past
few months and to our attempts during that time to
create the right conditions for the resumption of
meaningful negotiations in the framework of the good
offices mission of the Secretary-General for a viable
settlement of the Cyprus problem. To that end, I wish
to emphasize our concurrence with the opinion of the
Secretary-General that good and careful preparation of
any negotiating process is necessary before full-
fledged negotiations can take place. It was thus agreed
that bicommunal discussions at the technical level
would commence to address substantive aspects of the
Cyprus problem, as well as issues that affect the
everyday life of all Cypriots as long as the status quo
persists — a process that could be complemented by
parallel confidence-building. This expert-level process
is a sine qua non for the preparation of issues and their
presentation to the leaders of the two communities for
the purpose of meaningful negotiation. The method of
initiating these technical discussions was agreed to by
the two communities during the recent visit to Cyprus
of Under-Secretary-General Gambari. Here, I wish to
express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for the
good offices of Mr. Gambari, as well as for the
continuing efforts of the Secretary-General’s Special
Representative, Mr. Michael Møller.
 Addressing these core issues — which must be
settled satisfactorily if there is to be a feasible
solution — should facilitate the attainment of the
broader objectives of a settlement, which should be
based on international law, the relevant United Nations
resolutions, the high-level agreements, the European
Union acquis and the relevant decisions of the
European Court of Human Rights. That entails
establishing a bicommunal and bizonal federal State of
Cyprus with a single sovereignty and international
personality and with a single citizenship. It must also
guarantee the independence and territorial integrity of
Cyprus, without any foreign troops on its soil and
without the possibility of foreign intervention. A
settlement must aim, through a rational approach and a
common vision of the future, to preserve and uphold
the character of the State as a working democracy and
to ensure the reunification of society and the
convergence of allegiances to common institutions.
Ethnic origin, political equality as defined in the
relevant United Nations resolutions, and cultural and
religious diversity should be safeguarded, but not at the
expense of the fundamental rights of citizens and the
functionality and efficiency of State institutions.
 We had hoped that by now, Turkey’s course of
accession to the European Union would have had a
catalytic effect, producing the necessary political will
on the part of Turkey and changing its perception of
Cyprus from that of an adversary to that of a partner, a
valuable neighbour and a potential ally in the European
Union. Such a change in attitude would render
completely anachronistic those considerations that
have led the country to maintain its occupation army in
Cyprus and that fuel its confrontational approach.
 We continue to expect Turkey to at least proceed
with the implementation of its legally binding
obligations vis-à-vis the European Union. This is a
unique opportunity for Turkey to prove its willingness
to turn the page by meeting obligations that it
undertook years ago. Unfortunately, it has so far
persistently refused to comply with them. Instead, our
generous attitude towards Turkey’s accession to the
European Union has met with a blockade against my
country in its bid to join several international and
regional organizations and with Turkey’s refusal to
open its ports and airports to Cypriot vessels, as
required.
 We still believe that in our relations with Turkey,
there is only one way forward: creating a future of
peace and cooperation, building bridges and mutual
understanding, normalizing our relations and working
hand in hand to achieve the goals of the European
Union in our region. That would also enable us to
address all outstanding issues to the benefit of all —
especially the Turkish Cypriot community, which
would have major opportunities to thrive and flourish
if Turkey were to accept and acknowledge that it has
no vested interests in Cyprus and must therefore
relinquish all forms of interference in my country’s

06-52737 20

affairs. Once again, I invite Turkey to recognize that
there is no room for military doctrines with regard to
Cyprus and to join us in seeking a lasting solution for
the benefit of all Cypriots — Greek and Turkish
Cypriots alike — of Turkey and of our entire region.


“United in diversity”:
this motto of the European Union expresses what we,
the 25 — and soon to be 27 — member States of the
European Union, demand from ourselves, as well as
our aspirations for the United Nations. “United in
diversity” is also a concrete management principle of
our practical, everyday work to promote justice, peace,
freedom and prosperity. As the host country to the only
United Nations headquarters within the European
Union, as President of the European Union during the
first six months of 2006 and as a venue for the dialogue
of religions and cultures, Austria has consistently
aimed at translating this principle into practice,
including by providing peacekeepers, despite recent

06-53005 36

bitter experiences such as the tragic death of Major
Hans-Peter Lang while he was serving the United
Nations in southern Lebanon.
 By establishing the Human Rights Council in
Geneva and the Peacebuilding Commission, we have
given ourselves new instruments for carrying out an
important part of our work in this phase of United
Nations reform. Austria thanks Jan Eliasson, President
of the General Assembly at its sixtieth session, for his
vision, tenacity and endurance. We owe it to his
negotiating skills that institutional reform of the United
Nations has been decisively set in motion. We pledge
to devote the necessary determination to the reform
measures that still need to be implemented, such as
management reform, the review of United Nations
mandates and the establishment of a rule of law
assistance unit.
 Today, after decades of division, Europe is
growing together again. That is the major achievement
of the European Union. We have come a long way. The
iron curtain is a relic of the past. Today, we want the
countries of South-East Europe and the Balkans to take
their rightful place in Europe and to be included in the
reunification process of our continent. The European
experience is, profoundly, an experience of overcoming
old and bitter conflicts and of the power of patient and
peaceful transformation.
 Here, I wish to welcome to the General Assembly
the newest European member and the 192nd Member
of the United Nations, the Republic of Montenegro.
 In Europe, difficult issues need to be solved.
Tomorrow, the Security Council will discuss the future
status of Kosovo. Austria supports the efforts of
President Martti Ahtisaari and his team in Vienna. As
neighbours and friends, we urge both Belgrade and
Pristina to engage in these negotiations constructively,
in a results-oriented manner and with the necessary
sense of realism. Our goal is a democratic and multi-
ethnic Kosovo whose citizens can all live in security
and dignity on the basis of mutual trust. In the same
spirit, a confident, peaceful and prosperous Serbia,
fully integrated into the family of European nations, is
crucial for the stability of the whole region.
 In the Middle East, innocent civilians still suffer
from the disastrous consequences of terror attacks and
the indiscriminate use of force. Men, women and
children on all sides must be given a real chance to live
in peace and in an atmosphere of increasing mutual
trust.
 The goal that Austria pursues in its relations with
the Middle East is to realize the vision of Palestinians
and Israelis living side by side in security as
neighbours in two States, working towards a peaceful
and economically successful common future. We know
that the path towards that goal is rocky, but now we
have reached a turning point. In the aftermath of the
armed conflict in Lebanon, all parties in the region
have agreed on the need for renewed engagement on
the part of the international community. The European
Union and its member States can and will make a
substantive contribution.
 However, international efforts can only
support — not serve as a substitute for — efforts by
Israel and the Palestinians. That is why we welcome
the efforts of President Abbas to form a Government of
national unity in the Palestinian territories and the
recent high-level, direct contacts. Yesterday’s statement
by the Middle East Quartet — in which the United
Nations plays such a central role — is another
encouraging signal. We hope that those decisions will
help to alleviate the plight of the Palestinian people
and to move the political process forward.
 Austria is convinced that the work of the Middle
East Quartet should now pave the way towards a major
peace initiative. We see great merit in an international
Middle East conference along the lines of the 1991
Madrid Conference. We believe that such a forum
should be open to regional partners willing to
participate constructively in search of a comprehensive
peace settlement. A conference of that kind could also
examine the longer-term potential for regional security
arrangements.
 As the Secretary-General has rightly pointed out,
Africa must remain one of our main priorities. In
particular, we must engage to prevent a humanitarian
catastrophe in Darfur. It is simply unacceptable that not
even relief agencies are given access to help those most
in need. It is deeply disturbing that there is no clear
perspective for an end to fighting and suffering in the
region. As many others, we urgently call upon the
Government of the Sudan to accept the deployment of
a United Nations peacekeeping force in Darfur without
delay.
 Austria is deeply aware of the need for the
dialogue of cultures and religions. This is because my

37 06-53005

country lies at the crossroads of many different
cultures, at the heart of a continent marked by centuries
of dividing lines. Our own difficult experience has
certainly taught us that mutual tolerance and respect
are universal values, which we must all uphold and that
religious beliefs, by their very nature, must never be
misused to justify violence.
 In view of our own experience, we are also
convinced that the dialogue of religions and cultures is
not a challenge confined only to the international field;
this dialogue begins at home, within our own societies.
Here, as well as at the global level, “United in
diversity” must be our guiding principle. We have to
keep our work down to earth. We have to find answers
on how best to organize living together and provide
orientation in a rapidly globalizing world that many
regard as a menace. Ultimately, it is in the work place,
at school, in defining the role of women in society, in
seeking to create opportunities for young people and in
the media that we decide about the outcome of the
dialogue of cultures in real-life terms.
 I am therefore convinced that we must better
integrate the dialogue of religions and cultures in the
everyday work of the United Nations. This is a topic
that we cannot leave to the street. The minefield of
collective emotions is not a good place to discuss
questions of belief. Complex feelings of frustration,
humiliation and neglect can erupt in violence at the
slightest trigger. In a world where connections are
established by a single mouse click, reactions arrive
within minutes. Here, we need to counteract on the
basis of our common values, in full conformity with
universal human rights and basic freedoms, as they are
the very foundation of our work here at the United
Nations.
 In the 61 years of the United Nations, this is only
the third time that a woman has presided over the
General Assembly, and the first woman to do so
coming from the Arab world. While we congratulate
her personally on her election to this high position,
Austria also regards this election as a signal to all
women in the world: the time has come for women to
take their rightful place in all spheres of public life. We
are called upon to engage politically at all levels, from
the community level to the United Nations. The voices
of women need to be heard more clearly in the work of
the United Nations. Women know what holds families,
communities and societies together. This age-old
knowledge in all its modern variety and colour should
not be left untapped, in particular in peace processes.
In United Nations missions, at the negotiation table, in
decision-making processes and not only as voices in
the background. During its presidency of the European
Union, Austria, in its recruitment strategy, consistently
aimed at deploying women in European Union peace
missions. In addition, we elaborated guidelines for
European Union missions on how to best comply with
the special needs of children.
 In his address to the General Assembly at its 10th
meeting, on 19 September, the Secretary-General
rightly said, “It is shameful that last year’s Summit
Outcome does not contain even one word about non-
proliferation and disarmament”. Austria calls for a
renewed commitment of the international community
to these security goals. We also offer to host the next
preparatory meeting for the Review Conference of the
Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons in Vienna in the spring of 2007.
 Development and the preservation of our
livelihoods require sustainable solutions. Among the
great global challenges we are facing is climate
change. Global warming is real. Austria is committed
to do her part in combating it. However, in Austria’s
view, nuclear energy is not the right answer; it bears
too many risks and uncertainties to be regarded as a
safe and sustainable source of energy.
 Solidarity is at the heart of the United Nations:
solidarity with the poor, the weak and the powerless.
Here, the United Nations task list for the coming years
is rich with promise: achieving the Millennium
Development Goals in full, concluding the Doha
Development Round, fighting against hunger, disease,
poverty and exclusion.
 On Tuesday, we launched the United Nations
Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy with a clear
message: the international community is united against
this scourge of humanity. We will not tolerate terrorism
in any form or manifestation. And we will redouble our
efforts to dry up the breeding grounds from which
terrorism feeds itself. Let me in this context point out
the excellent work of the United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime in Vienna, with its Global
Programme against Terrorism, in delivering technical
assistance to Member States.
 It is out of respect for diversity and in recognition
of the need for unity that Austria has presented its
candidature for a non-permanent seat on the Security

06-53005 38

Council for the period 2009-2010. With this in mind,
we have made the rule of law the backbone of our
candidature.
 Let me close by conveying Austria’s appreciation
for the great personality who has been standing at the
helm of this Organization for the past decade, for Kofi
Annan, the statesman and the person. We thank the
Secretary-General, in particular for being a tireless
encourager, despite the considerable obstacles he has
had to face at times. He is a role model for dignity and
confidence. He is always ready to speak out, in his soft
but firm voice, for those whose voices are not strong
enough or loud enough to be heard; to give voice to the
weak, the poor, the small and those who feel lost or
abandoned. Mr. Secretary-General, the world will
continue listening to your voice as it is the voice of
hope and steadfastness.


At a
time when the United Nations continues on its path
towards universality by welcoming a new Member
State — Montenegro, with which Algeria has been
involved in multi-faceted cooperation — the very basis
of our institution is once again being tested by the
grave developments in the situation in the Middle East,
with violence directed at our brother peoples of
Palestine and Lebanon. Because of their context, their
scope and the breadth of their consequences at various
levels, those acts of aggression — which cannot merely
be seen as passing occurrences — point an accusing
finger at the limitations imposed upon the authority of
the United Nations when it is faced with conflict
situations which run counter to its very raison d’être.
 In the vast areas of the developing world, in
particular throughout Muslim civilization, a silent
frustration is growing and increasing before the
powerlessness of the United Nations to support the
most elementary human values of the Palestinian and
Lebanese people.
 The Middle East is without doubt the most
unstable region of the world. There we see the great
cruelty, flagrant denial of justice and recurrent waves
of violence that are reflected in the serious
deterioration of the humanitarian and security
situation. This makes the prospect of establishing a just
and lasting peace in the region a remote one. The
Palestinian people are improperly subjected to
collective punishment, and Lebanon — whose
suffering is exemplified by the relentless Israeli attack
against Qana — has been caught up in a murderous
war, in which the Lebanese people were able to hold at
bay the infernal firepower and destructive capability
directed against it.
 In the same geopolitical sphere, lack of security
and instability persist in Iraq. The daily ransom paid in
heavy human losses is submerged in a pernicious effect
of habit and trivialization. The establishment of the
Government of National Unity, and that Government’s
decision to opt for inclusive national reconciliation are
first steps in the right direction. Algeria welcomes the
positive response to those developments from the main
political forces in Iraq, and we believe that the best
way to ensure the success of the ongoing political
process — with its objective of allowing Iraq to fully
recover its sovereignty in the framework of national
unity and territorial integrity — would be through
intensified efforts to avoid further fratricidal schism in
the country along ethnic and religious fault lines.
 One year ago, at the World Summit, we defined a
path together towards comprehensive reform of the
United Nations. By joining the consensus on adoption
of a series of specific reform measures, the non-aligned
countries hoped to contribute to the transformation of
the United Nations into an instrument capable of

23 06-53329

addressing the new challenges and threats confronting
the international community.
 First of all, we have seen the creation of the
Peacebuilding Commission, an innovative institutional
mechanism that has long been lacking in the
Organization. We saw also the establishment of the
Human Rights Council, which also marks progress for
the international community as it seeks to achieve
universal respect for all human rights. However, a great
deal remains to be done in order to attain the objectives
which have been set in the reform process.
 Thus, it is important that we strengthen our
efforts in order to succeed at this session in achieving
comprehensive agreement on pending issues, in
particular reform of the Security Council. Through
such comprehensive reform, the Security Council
should become more representative in its membership,
more democratic and more transparent in its
functioning and more in harmony with the positions of
the General Assembly, in order to provide greater
legitimacy to its decisions and to enhance its
effectiveness.
 The peoples of the United Nations had hoped that
the celebration of the Organization’s sixtieth
anniversary would return us to the principles and
purposes of the Charter, and enable us to re-draw the
plans it outlined. But today’s world is full of
uncertainty and too many problems still weigh upon it.
It is confronted with more threats than ever — all of
them equally dangerous — which must be addressed in
a consistent manner in order to better determine their
root causes and thus to enable the international
community to act with determination to eliminate them
for good.
 That is true for terrorism, which continues to
strike communities with its well-known horror and
cruelty and without distinction as to race, sex or
religion. The fight against that scourge, from which no
country is safe, requires unified cooperation at both the
regional and international level, using clear and
complementary approaches.
 Algeria, which has long suffered from terrorist
violence — to which some have reacted with
indifference and others with complacency — can only
welcome the fact that the international community has
become aware of the seriousness of the threat of
terrorism upon international peace and security. It
stresses the urgency of concluding a comprehensive
convention against international terrorism, which
should contain an unequivocal definition of that
scourge and draw a distinction between the legitimate
struggle of peoples against foreign occupation, on the
one hand, and on the other, acts perpetrated by terrorist
groups or individuals, and which would be careful not
to confuse that scourge with any particular religion,
civilization or geographic area.
 I would like to reiterate our legitimate concern as
we are faced with the deadlock of the multilateral
disarmament process, and the disagreement that has
emerged, here and there, on the issue of the non-
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The goal
has remained the same. Disarmament must be overall
and complete and under effective international control.
The policy of nuclear non-proliferation must be
pursued in both its horizontal and vertical dimensions
and those countries that have voluntarily given up the
military nuclear option have the right to expect security
guarantees and free access without discrimination to
nuclear technology for peaceful uses.
 In the Western Sahara, the last territory which
must be decolonized in Africa, the Saharan people
remain deprived of their inalienable right to self-
determination, as enshrined in the Charter and relevant
United Nations resolutions. Just as in 1991 with the
adoption of the Settlement Plan, in 2003 the
international community, after the unanimous adoption
by the Security Council of the peace plan proposed by
Mr. James Baker, former Personal Envoy of the
Secretary-General for Western Sahara, the United
Nations had the hope of seeing a just and lasting
settlement to the conflict. But today we must note that
no positive evolution of that conflict has taken place,
because of the rejection of the peace plan by one of the
two parties to the conflict and its desire to prejudge to
its advantage, the final status of the territory — a status
which can only be determined through a referendum on
self-determination.
 Algeria, which has no claims whatsoever on that
territory and is not in any way involved in the
conflict — which has only two parties as designated by
the international community, namely, the Kingdom of
Morocco and the Polisario Front — has taken note of
the unanimous adoption by the Security Council of
resolution 1675 (2006), which reaffirms the right to
self-determination of the Saharan people. Deeply
respectful of the “Declaration on the Granting of
Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples” as

06-53329 24

contained in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV)
of 14 December 1960, Algeria will continue to support
all efforts designed to enable the Saharan people to
exercise their right to self-determination with full
sovereignty in conditions that are incontestably free
and transparent.
 In another area, the outcome of the seventh
African Union Summit in Banjul shows a mixed record
concerning the development of various crises and other
conflicts situations on the continent, in particular in the
Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
the Sudan and Somalia. Serious efforts are being
deployed in order to promote interaction between the
United Nations and the African Union, in order to
effectively deal with those situations, which have often
shown themselves to be complicated and difficult.
 What is more important — a culture of peace is
developing throughout Africa as a result of a renewal
and recovery, the foundations of which were
established by African leaders of the region through the
creation of the African Union and the New Partnership
for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
 In that light, it is extremely important to insure
that the peaceful settlement of the crisis in Darfur, with
full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity
of the Sudan and in keeping with the Abuja accord,
move hand in hand with harmonious action based on
the good will of all, in particular of the African Union
and the United Nations.
 The question of development is, rightly, one of
the highest priorities of the United Nations agenda, in
particular following the adoption in September 2000 of
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). So, too is
the eradication of poverty, which weighs heavily upon
the conscience of mankind. However, the gap that
exists to date between the goals and the progress
achieved is such that decisive efforts are essential in
order to insure that Africa will achieve its goals by the
year 2015. Similar great efforts are required from the
developed countries to honour their commitments
undertaken at the time of the Millennium Summit,
the International Conference on Financing for
Development held in Monterrey, as well as the 2005
World Summit.
 At the time of the sixtieth anniversary of the
creation of the Organization, all of us realized that the
world had profoundly changed and that it was
necessary to adjust our activities to the new realities.
Faced with the many challenges and structural threats
of our time, the 2005 World Summit gave us a clear
diagnosis and prescribed the necessary remedies. One
year later — the state of the world today further
stresses how acute the problems are and the urgency of
solving them. It makes it crystal clear that it would be
pointless to dwell on the uncertainties and imbalances,
as well as the precarious situations that have become
an inextricable part of the fabric of international
society, unless we want to doom that society to chronic
instability and insecurity.
 Truthfully, the imperfect achievements and
limited gains made by the international community, at
a time when globalization has greatly shrunk both time
and space, demand of us that we view the future with
genuine resolve, concerning what has to be done, rather
than resign ourselves to what merely appears possible.
In that connection, there is no alternative to a truly
democratic reform of the United Nations that includes
the participation of all countries. There is no viable
option other than a globalization based upon peace and
prosperity that benefits all of humankind.


It gives me great
pleasure, Madam, to extend to you the felicitations of
my Government and our people, and my own
congratulations, on your well-deserved election to the
presidency of the General Assembly. My delegation
stands ready to extend to you its fullest cooperation,
not only as a member of your Bureau, but as a close
friend of Bahrain as well. Your predecessor, Mr. Jan
Eliasson, has left an indelible impression on the United
Nations. Under his leadership, we were able to carry
out a substantial part of the package of reforms
mandated by the largest gathering of world leaders, as
set out in the 2005 World Summit Outcome
(resolution 60/1).
 Last year, our leaders met to commemorate 60
years of the United Nations. That meeting gave all of
us renewed hopes for peace, growth, progress and the
pre-eminence of the rights of all peoples. Those hopes
remain, even in the face of continuing threats to the
peace and security of mankind posed by terrorism and
the proliferation of nuclear weapons; even in the face
of grinding poverty and financial uncertainty; even in
the face of intolerance and misunderstanding; and,
certainly, in the face of the fast-changing nature of our
world.
 Those hopes remain because the spirit of
cooperation and community, which lies at the very
heart of our Charter, lives on. Cooperation remains the
key to reaching the goals set by our Charter.
Cooperation, according to a twentieth-century
philosopher, is the only thing that will redeem
mankind.
 It is in that spirit that the Philippines welcomes
and supports the continued work of the Middle East
Quartet and its call this week for greater progress
towards a just and comprehensive peace. We strongly
support the Road Map to peace and maintain our hopes
for the realization of the vision of two democratic
States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace
and security.
 Together with the other members of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), we
were gravely concerned over the deteriorating situation
and the escalation of violence in the Middle East,
particularly the disproportionate, indiscriminate and
excessive use of force in Lebanon. The United Nations
peacekeeping operation now under way in Lebanon
renews our hope for peace and offers a great
opportunity for the United Nations to demonstrate its
relevance and its impact on the world stage.
 Our own quest for peace in the Philippines is
boldly moving forward, thanks to the support and
cooperation of key members of the Organization of the
Islamic Conference and other members of the
international community.
 Our own experience as a country is convincing
proof of the efficacy of collective action in fighting
terrorism. Working closely with our neighbours and
others, we are ridding our country of terrorists. The
recent adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy (resolution 60/288) will help to
strike another blow against terrorists. I commend the
Permanent Representatives of Spain and Singapore for
having successfully steered the negotiations on the
Strategy.
 One of the anchors of the Strategy is an initiative
that is a primary concern of my country: the promotion
of interfaith dialogue and cooperation. In pursuit of
that initiative, the Philippines organized and chaired
two key meetings held yesterday here at the United
Nations: the First Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith
Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and the High-level
Conference on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace. As
founder and current Chair of the Tripartite Forum on
Interfaith Cooperation for Peace — a new movement of
Governments, United Nations agencies and religious
non-governmental organizations accredited to the
United Nations — the Philippines will initiate the
holding of another high-level tripartite conference, this
time to focus on the issue of small arms and light
weapons.
 In addition, the Philippines announced last week,
at the Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, that we
will organize and convene a special ministerial meeting
on interfaith dialogue and cooperation for peace in the
city of Davao, in southern Philippines. Meanwhile, I
commend Spain and Turkey for their new initiative on
the Alliance of Civilizations. I believe that it will

27 06-53323

complement and reinforce, in a mutually inclusive
manner, the Philippine initiative on interfaith dialogue
and cooperation for peace.
 We have barely nine years left to achieve the
Millennium Development Goal (MDG), set by our
leaders, of cutting poverty in half by 2015. That target
could remain a mere vision if no effective mechanism
for resource mobilization is found. It is in that context
that the Philippine initiative on debt for equity in MDG
projects was launched last year; I thank the Group of
77 and China for its support. This initiative does not
call for debt cancellation, a debt moratorium or debt
reduction; it merely calls for the use of part of the
payments from the debt stock of low- and medium-
income developing countries not eligible under the
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt Initiative as
equity for creditors in MDG projects in areas such as
infrastructure, education, employment and health.
 Multilateral cooperation in the field of energy
security continues to grow in importance. Alternative
sources of energy have to be developed. My delegation
recommends that the Secretary-General appoint a
group of eminent persons to look into this matter. The
output of such a group should be the subject of a high-
level dialogue before the current session ends.
 One of the historic achievements of the sixtieth
session of the General Assembly was the decision to
establish the Central Emergency Response Fund for the
rapid deployment of relief and assistance to countries
stricken by natural disasters. The Philippines ranks
third globally in terms of the number of people
exposed to earthquakes and tropical cyclones annually.
For that reason, the Philippines calls on all nations to
support the Fund. We also call for enhanced
cooperation aimed at effective responses to natural
disasters.
 International migration and development was the
subject of last week’s High-level Dialogue. That is an
issue that is close to our hearts. Approximately one
tenth of the population of the Philippines lives
overseas. We are the largest supplier of seafarers, and
our land-based workers can be found in practically all
parts of the world.
 Bearing that in mind, the Philippines joined the
call for the creation of an informal global forum on
migration and development as an outcome of the High-
level Dialogue, provisionally outside the umbrella of
the United Nations, to enable the international
community to continue the dialogue on important
issues relating to migration. My delegation invites
Member States to accede to the International
Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All
Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families in
order to demonstrate and reaffirm the universality of
human rights.
 For my country and its people, human rights and
the sanctity of the life of the individual are of
paramount value. For my Government, the protection
of human life is a sacred commitment. Last week, the
Philippines renewed that commitment through the
signing of the Second Optional Protocol to the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
 Enshrined in our constitution is powerful
language against the death penalty. Three months ago,
President Arroyo gave that constitutional mandate
further expression when she signed into law Republic
Act 9346, which removed the death penalty from our
statute books.
 Such is the value that we assign to life that, in our
constitution, we are bound to protect the life of the
unborn child. Through the signing of the Second
Optional Protocol, the Philippine Government re-
emphasized its unrelenting commitment to
strengthening the protection of human rights.
 I should like to take this opportunity to express
the profound appreciation of the Philippines and of
ASEAN to the outgoing Secretary-General, Kofi
Annan, for his dedicated and tireless service to the
United Nations. He leaves behind a more invigorated
and dynamic Organization, a legacy of reform with
new and needed institutions such as the Human Rights
Council and the Peacebuilding Commission, and an
eloquent recommitment on the part of the United
Nations and its membership to alleviating the plight of
the less fortunate through the articulation of the
Millennium Development Goals.
 The Philippines is particularly appreciative of
Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s support and
cooperation during our recent term as a Security
Council member during the biennium 2004-2005 and
for his steadfast support for the Philippines interfaith
dialogue initiative.
 Two world wars ago, Mr. Woodrow Wilson, an
advocate of a global organization, defined power in
terms that are still relevant today. He said: “Power

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consists in one’s capacity to link his will with the
purpose of others, to lead by reason and a gift of
cooperation”. The drafters of our Charter and the
challenges of the present provide us with the reason.
We must now find within ourselves, as nations and as
peoples, the gift of cooperation.