At the
outset, Sir, I would ask you to kindly convey to
Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa my warm and
heartfelt congratulations upon her election to the
presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-first
session. My congratulations go also to all the other
members of the Bureau who, I am certain, will help her
to successfully accomplish her illustrious and sensitive
delicate tasks as President. I also take the opportunity
to pay due tribute to her predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson,
President of the General Assembly at its sixtieth
session, for the high quality of his work during a term
of office that took place in a difficult international
environment.
 I cannot continue without expressing my
gratitude, and that of the entire Congolese people, to
Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General, whose mandate
will come to an end this year on a positive note for all.
Thanks to the remarkable leadership of that worthy son
of Africa, the States Members of our Organization have
enjoyed a decade of intense and active diplomacy
which has made it possible to solve a large number of
conflicts throughout the world. Here, I should mention
especially the situation of the countries of the Great
Lakes region, in particular that of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo.
 As the sixty-first session of the General Assembly
is taking place, my country, the Democratic Republic
of the Congo, is passing through a special period of its
political history. The transition period that began in
1990 will soon draw to a close, with the establishment
of the country’s new institutions.
 On 30 July, we held countrywide, in a climate of
peace and transparency, the first truly democratic
pluralistic elections in 40 years. The success of that
undertaking constitutes a great joint effort by the
Congolese people and by the bilateral and multilateral
partners of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I
would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those
partners.
 With regard to the unfortunate events in Kinshasa
from 20 to 22 August 2006 following the
announcement of the provisional results of the first
round of the presidential elections by the Independent
Electoral Commission, all necessary steps have been
taken in order to prevent such incidents from
happening again. The electoral process will continue in
a climate of national peace and harmony.
 The progress achieved daily, sometimes at the
cost of much sacrifice, is the outcome of a difficult
political process that was launched, as members know,
after a long internal and external armed conflict. The
humanitarian consequences of that conflict are one of
the worst tragedies ever experienced by mankind.

06-52885 30

Problems remain in many sectors, and the next
Government will have to confront them, taking account
of the urgent and legitimate expectations of the
Congolese people.
 The new Government must continue integrating
and reforming the army, in order to guarantee peace
and security for our people. It must work to improve
the living conditions of the population. In other words,
it must do its utmost to meet their fundamental needs,
in particular health care, education, food security, basic
infrastructures, electricity and drinking water for all —
without forgetting, of course, the fight against malaria
and HIV/AIDS and the fight against poverty.
 In order to succeed, the new Government must,
inter alia, strengthen good governance by fighting
corruption and guaranteeing legal and judiciary
security in the framework of ongoing judicial reform. It
will be possible to achieve that vision only by
mobilizing the energy of our entire nation through
active and inclusive participation by all of the sons and
daughters of our country, whatever their political,
ideological or religious convictions may be.
 In that regard, we welcome the configuration of
our future parliament, which already reflects the wealth
and political diversity of our people, and which has an
oversight role that will be fundamental to the
functioning of the State. For that reason, I reaffirm my
faith in the concept of peacebuilding and make an
urgent appeal to the international community to
continue its partnerships with the Democratic Republic
of the Congo after the establishment of the new
institutions.
 As we observe the international scene, we see
recurring scourges, including continuing tensions and
armed conflicts in several regions of the world, the
worsening the living conditions in developing
countries, especially in Africa; the rise in clandestine
immigration; the destruction caused by different
pandemics; the increase in crime and acts of terrorism;
and the harm to the conservation and protection of the
environment. In view of these threats, the Assembly at
its previous session had organized, as part of its work,
the World Summit of heads of State and Government,
dedicated to an assessment of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) and other commitments
resulting from the major international conferences and
meetings.
 Following that assessment several decisions were
taken, including the creation of the Peacebuilding
Commission and the Human Rights Council — two
basic structures whose effective establishment we can
only welcome. Achieving the MDGs is a priority for a
good number of countries, especially the most
disadvantaged. That is why the momentum in the
implementation of the relevant recommendations of the
Millennium Summit should not weaken. We would like
to see our discussions here include those issues.
 In addition to the above-mentioned scourges,
other matters are a source of concern for our country,
including the reform of the Security Council, the
complete cancellation of the debt of developing
countries, an increase in official development
assistance, the adoption of a comprehensive convention
on international terrorism and the global strategy to
fight that phenomenon, armed conflicts, collective
security, and the adoption of an international treaty on
forced disappearances. All those issues challenge the
harmonious progress of the community of nations and
the very future of coming generations.
 To meet those challenges effectively, all countries
of the world must show solidarity with each other, in a
spirit of sincere cooperation and humanist justice. With
regard to crises in the world — in the Middle East, in
Africa or elsewhere — the Democratic Republic of the
Congo recommends, more than ever, their peaceful
solution under the Charter of the United Nations and
the relevant resolutions of the Security Council.
 I hope this Assembly shares my belief in the
rebirth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with
the advent of new institutions seeking to usher in a new
era of peace, stability and development, not only in my
country, but also in Central Africa and the entire region
of the Great Lakes. Despite the challenges our
Organization faces day after day, it is on a note of
hope, of solidarity among nations and of synergy in
their actions for a brighter future for present and future
generations that I conclude my statement. I hope for
much success in our work.


Let me begin by
congratulating you, Madam President, on your election
to the presidency of the General Assembly at this
session. I am especially pleased to see a woman in this
important position after a break of nearly 30 years. I
join those who have expressed thanks to the Secretary-
General for his leadership and commitment in recent
years in addressing the very serious challenges facing
the international community.

06-53609 14

 Allow me also to take this opportunity to
congratulate the Republic of Montenegro on its
accession to membership of the United Nations.
 The commitment to global partnership for
development is a timely, yet sobering, theme in light of
the long road we have still to travel and the setbacks
already encountered. A major setback has been the
crisis in global trade talks. Trade can be the single most
important vehicle for global development, and we
should not let the opportunity presented to us by the
Doha Development Agenda slip from our grasp. We
must ensure that gains from trade liberalization benefit
the poor and are fairly distributed. Iceland remains
strongly committed to the Agenda.
 Many developing countries, particularly in sub-
Saharan Africa, have little chance of achieving the
Millennium Development Goals by the target date,
unless significant additional resources are made
available. We welcome and support international
efforts for debt relief to the poorest countries. We also
applaud those countries that have committed to
increasing official development assistance. Iceland is
also shouldering its responsibility. Over the next three
years Iceland’s development assistance will have
almost tripled in size, and we are determined to do
even more. Beyond 2009 our assistance should
increase even further, with the ambition of reaching the
United Nations target of 0.7 per cent of gross national
income.
 The global partnership rests on the principles of
transparency, accountability, good governance, equity
and commitment to poverty reduction. Iceland also
attaches special importance to the rights of women and
children. As the Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner,
Shirin Ebadi, so rightly pointed out in her Nobel Peace
Prize Lecture on 10 December 2003,
 “To disregard women and bar them from active
participation in political, social, economic and
cultural life would in fact be tantamount to
depriving the entire population of every society
of half its capability.”
 We want to see more determined efforts by
development partners and United Nations agencies to
pursue gender equality. The work of the United Nations
Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) must be
given more weight within the United Nations. Iceland
has increased its support for the work of UNIFEM
more than tenfold over the past two years, and we will
increase our support even further.
 The mission statement of the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) correctly insists that the
survival, protection and development of children are
central to human progress. Nobody questions this
statement, yet more than 10 million children die from
preventable causes every year. Iceland will further
increase its contributions to the vital work of UNICEF.
I am proud to say that the people of Iceland have been
particularly active and make the highest contribution
per capita of national societies to UNICEF.
 At least half of the eight Millennium
Development Goals relate to resource use and
environmental conservation, that is, to sustainable
development. We will not be able to eradicate extreme
poverty or hunger if we cannot safeguard the
environment, the basis of food security around the
world. We cannot hope to reduce child mortality unless
we deal with the contamination of fresh water. There is
a close relationship between the health of the earth’s
ecosystem and human welfare, security and peace.
Icelanders base their livelihood on the living resources
of the sea and abundant renewable energy. Iceland rose
from relatively recent poverty to affluence through the
application of technological innovations and by
drawing on international cooperation. We are
convinced that our success could be replicated in many
other parts of the world, given the right incentives and
an enabling environment.
 In this connection, I should like to refer in
particular to two areas of sustainable development:
ocean issues and energy issues.
 Ocean issues have far-reaching development
implications. Ninety-five per cent of those who make
their living from fisheries are in the developing world.
A billion people depend on fisheries for their main
intake of protein. At the same time, we are seeing a
rapid increase in pollution of the ocean and depletion
of its living resources. That is why Iceland has
prioritized this area in its development cooperation and
in the work of the fisheries department of the United
Nations University in Iceland.
 Energy issues also loom large. While Icelanders
enjoy the good fortune of having clean, renewable
energy for 70 per cent of our total energy use, energy
issues are increasingly becoming one of the main
drivers of the sustainable development agenda within

15 06-53609

the United Nations. Two billion people lack access to
electricity. All eight Millennium Development Goals
will require greater energy consumption.
 Unfortunately, more energy consumption in most
cases means greater greenhouse gas emissions. One of
our greatest challenges today is to square the
development circle, to meet our development needs
while safeguarding the environment. One way certainly
is to increase substantially the share of renewables in
world energy demand. That is why Iceland is taking an
active part in promoting renewables and new
technologies through its development cooperation and
the work of the geothermal department of the United
Nations University. Another example of our
commitment in this area is the international seminar on
hydrogen use for the developing world, to be held in
Reykjavik later this week. It will be co-hosted by
Iceland and the United Nations Department of
Economic and Social Affairs.
 Much has been achieved over the past 12 months
in implementing the outcome of the World Summit. In
this connection, I join others in expressing appreciation
for the outstanding work done by Jan Eliasson as
President of the General Assembly at its sixtieth
session. We now have a Peacebuilding Commission.
The new Human Rights Council has also been
established. It is the duty of all of us to make sure that
we strengthen its credibility and turn it into a powerful
defender and reinforcer of basic human rights. Its
credibility will depend to a large extent on its even-
handedness.
 Useful work has already been done on internal
reform of the United Nations. The success of these
reforms — I think in particular of the mandate
review — will affect the long-term credibility of the
United Nations. It is with great interest and high hopes
that we await the outcome of the work of the High-
level Panel on System-wide Coherence.
 Peace and security is fundamental to
implementing a global partnership for development. In
the face of the crippling effects of terrorism, we
welcome the agreement on the Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy. In the fight against terrorism,
human rights must not be compromised; otherwise, we
undermine the values that we seek to defend. Torture
cannot be justified. As we have seen recently, years of
careful development can be reversed almost overnight
by war. Conflict prevention, restraint by the parties
involved and a commitment by other actors to urge
restraint, rather than encourage conflict, are also
fundamental to the partnership.
 Sixty years ago, on 19 November 1946, Iceland
became a Member of the United Nations. Iceland has
since then strongly supported the principles of the
United Nations as written in the Charter. With the full
support of the other Nordic countries — Denmark,
Finland, Norway and Sweden — Iceland decided in
1998 to present for the first time its candidature for a
seat on the Security Council for the period 2009-2010,
with elections to be held in 2008. This candidature,
which was declared within the Western European and
Others Group in April 2000, is based on our readiness
to shoulder the responsibility of serving on the United
Nations body charged with maintaining and
strengthening peace and security. As one of the almost
100 smaller States of the United Nations, Iceland
makes every endeavour to cultivate mutually beneficial
relations with all Members of the Organization and
believes itself to be favourably positioned to exercise
with fairness and firmness the role of a Security
Council member.
 The task of building a global partnership for
development is not easy. But it is the only way in
which we can realistically address the challenges
facing us, whether they be challenges of poverty,
security, the environment or health. As Secretary-
General Kofi Annan has put it, “the cause of larger
freedom can only be advanced by broad, deep and
sustained global cooperation among States”.


I first congratulate Her
Excellency Ms. Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa on her
election as the third female President of the General
Assembly. I firmly believe that the involvement of
women in the decision-making processes at the
national and international levels can contribute to the
better management of today’s global problems. In
fulfilling her challenging tasks during the sixty-first
session, the President may rest assured of the support
and cooperation of the representatives of the Republic
of Hungary. I also wish to salute her predecessor,
Ambassador Jan Eliasson, who served us with
distinction, dedication, an innovative spirit and a good
sense of humour. He made great efforts and
achievements to advance the reform of the United
Nations.
 During the 2005 World Summit, our heads of
State or Government agreed to proposals with the
potential to adapt the world Organization to the
realities of our contemporary world. While we have
accomplished only modest reforms so far, we should
remind ourselves that United Nations reform is more a
process than a single event.
 In order to foster public confidence in the United
Nations, we must agree on substantial management
reform, with greater accountability and transparency
and better allocation of resources. The reform process
should include all the main bodies of this Organization,
including the General Assembly, which, in our view,
must remain the most important deliberative body of
the Organization.
 Hungary supports the expansion of the Security
Council in both the permanent and non-permanent
categories to better reflect the political realities of
today. However, new approaches need to be identified
to facilitate the emergence of a compromise. The
enlargement of the Council should be combined with
enhanced efficiency and improved working methods.
 Hungary condemns all forms of terrorism, which
give rise to fear and distrust in our daily lives. It is our
firm conviction that the United Nations should remain
a key player in the international fight against the
scourge of terror. It is therefore natural that Hungary
welcomes the recent adoption of the new United
Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (resolution
60/288) and looks forward to the elaboration of a
comprehensive convention on terrorism by the General
Assembly.
 The establishment of the Peacebuilding
Commission was one of our top priorities. We believe
that the Commission is well equipped to deal with
fragile post-conflict situations.
 With the establishment of the Human Rights
Council, the international community has opened a
whole new chapter in its joint efforts to protect human
rights. My Government has wholeheartedly supported
this ambitious project from the outset. We sincerely
hope that with the completion of the Council’s first
year of existence, adequate machinery will be put in
place to address the challenges of the twenty-first
century. The universal periodic review is one of the
initiatives on the Council’s agenda and holds the
promise of making a real difference. The full and
unhindered participation of non-governmental
organizations in the activities of the Council is also of
vital importance for us.
 Protection of minority rights, including those of
national minorities, is a pivotal element of Hungary’s
human rights policies. The turbulent history of our
region has all too often demonstrated the potential of
inter-ethnic tensions to trigger crisis situations.
Conflicts based on ethnicity, both past and present,
must remind us all that multi-ethnic societies are in
desperate need of a sensitive and careful approach to
minority issues, sound legal arrangements, generosity
in practice and firmly embedded institutional
guarantees, safeguarding the rights of minorities.
 The interdependence of democracy and human
rights is clearly demonstrated in countries and regions
with a deficit of democratic practices. As the late
Sergio Vieira de Mello, former High Commissioner for
Human Rights, stated so eloquently, “Imperfect as the
ship of democracy may be, no other vessel has proved

06-53329 28

as seaworthy in bringing us safely to the shores of
human dignity”.
 Driven by the policy objective of promoting
democracy, the Government of Hungary launched the
International Centre for Democratic Transition last
year in Budapest. The Centre intends to provide
guidance regarding transition in a supportive manner
by collecting experience from past democratic
transitions and sharing it with those determined to
follow that path. Hungary fully supported the
Secretary-General’s decision to establish the United
Nations Democracy Fund. Being a member of the
Advisory Board and a contributor to the Fund, we are
pleased to recognize that the projects approved by the
Fund properly reflect local, regional and global
demands.
 Fifty years have passed since the citizens of
Hungary rose up against a brutal dictatorship,
demanding democracy, human rights and dignity. The
totalitarian regime crushed the dreams of the
Hungarian revolution and took cruel revenge during its
return to power on top of foreign tanks.
 The spirit of 1956, however, was not to be
defeated. Fifty years ago, the Hungarian revolution
began with a peaceful demonstration to show solidarity
with the Polish nation. Today, I am proud to confirm
that Hungary will show solidarity with every nation
that seeks freedom and democracy for its people.
 It is my moral obligation to express our profound
respect for the activities of the dedicated politicians
and diplomats who kept the so-called Hungarian
question on the agenda of the world Organization for
several years. Hungary will never forget the devotion
of Povl Bang-Jensen, the Danish United Nations
officer who served as Secretary of the United Nations
Committee entrusted with the examination of the
Hungarian events of 1956. His efforts and sacrifice
made for the sake of the Hungarian revolution are
etched on our collective memory forever.
 The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
and their delivery systems constitutes a major threat to
international peace and security. The most important
challenge faced by the international community in this
context is non-compliance with the Treaty on the Non-
Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). My
Government sincerely hopes that the next NPT review
cycle will ultimately bring tangible results, and it urges
all nations to make genuine contributions to that effect.
 Working out lasting solutions for unresolved
issues relating to the western Balkans is of paramount
importance for peace and stability in the European
continent. Hungary is convinced that the success of the
status talks in Kosovo will depend on the ability of the
parties to build mutually acceptable arrangements,
which, in turn, will require a proper time frame. A
functioning multicultural society in Kosovo is
inseparable from the sincere implementation of
standards, respect for minority rights and effective
decentralization, all of which are essential
preconditions for the successful outcome of the status
talks.
 Hungary is fully committed to a just and lasting
peace in the Middle East. It is essential to revitalize the
peace process on the basis of the Road Map and other
agreements accepted by the parties concerned. Israel
has the right to live in peace and security, and the
Palestinians have the right to an independent and
viable Palestinian State peacefully coexisting with its
neighbours.
 Peace and stability in Lebanon are vitally
important for the entire Middle East. The international
community, along with the parties concerned, must
make every effort to ensure the swift and full
implementation of Security Council resolution 1701
(2006).
 The Republic of Hungary is strongly committed
to building a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. Our
resolve has been manifested by my Government’s
recent decision to take over the leadership of the
Provincial Reconstruction Team in Baghlan province.
Although major efforts are being undertaken by the
international community to assist in the reconstruction
process in Afghanistan, the primary responsibility for
the stabilization and development of the country lies
with the Afghan people themselves.
 Hungary remains gravely concerned about the
prolonged and dramatic security situation in Iraq. We
welcome the resolve of the Iraqi Government to engage
all communities in order to achieve reconciliation and
strengthen national cohesion. I would like to reiterate
Hungary’s continued commitment to assisting the
people of Iraq in their endeavour to build a free and
prosperous country.
 The deteriorating situation in Darfur is another
matter of grave concern. The Government of the Sudan
should agree to the swift deployment of a United

29 06-53329

Nations peacekeeping force with a mission to halt the
unfolding humanitarian catastrophe. In this regard,
Hungary also hopes that at this session the General
Assembly will make advances in the elaboration of the
important concept of the responsibility to protect.
 Six years ago, the Governments of the world
made a solemn pledge to strive to eliminate global
poverty by signing the Millennium Declaration
(resolution 55/2). A great deal remains to be done to
achieve the objectives set out in the Millennium
Development Goals, in developing countries, by the
donor community and here at the United Nations. We
need to make sure that development, in rich and poor
countries alike, is sustainable. As a new EU member,
Hungary is gradually increasing its official
development assistance and recognizes the special
development needs of the world’s poorest regions.
 In conclusion, I would like to thank and
commend the outgoing Secretary-General for his
tireless efforts during the past 10 years, often under
difficult and challenging circumstances, to promote the
principles of the Charter. His devotion, diplomatic
skills and vision have earned him profound respect all
over the world.


Allow me, Madam, to
add my heartiest congratulations to you on being the
third woman in the history of the United Nations to be
elected President of the General Assembly, particularly
at such a critical moment. Your election is an
inspiration for women everywhere who are struggling
to achieve equality and opportunity. You illustrate the
truth that, as Plato wrote 2,400 years ago, any society
that does not exploit the talents of its women is wasting
half of its resources. I also wish to congratulate and
thank your predecessor, my friend and colleague Jan
Eliasson, for all he worked so hard to achieve during
his term.
 While we are recognizing service to the United
Nations, we would be remiss if we did not extend our
appreciation to Secretary-General Kofi Annan. I want
to express the appreciation of my Government for all
his efforts to maintain and strengthen the prestige and
moral authority of the Organization.
 I would also like to welcome Montenegro to the
family of States.
(spoke in French)
 Greece fully aligns itself with the statement made
by the President of Finland on behalf of the European
Union (EU). We would also like to express our views
on the major questions that the United Nations will be
dealing with in the session that is now opening.
 It is just the beginning of the twenty-first century,
and the future looks threatening: we see poverty, war,
humanitarian crises, refugee flows, terrorism, arms
proliferation, human trafficking, drugs, sectarian
violence, environmental degradation and natural
disasters. In order to understand the full extent of these
calamities, we must identify and understand, and then
deal with, their roots, which have been formed over the
centuries. We have to unite the force of our ideas and
resources and mobilize what we have in common —
that is, our humanity. As taught to us by the
philosopher Isocrates, the condition for peace is not
money, which buys men, or force, which subjugates
them; it is the all-encompassing power of goodwill.
 The United Nations is a unique forum, the place
where, as individuals and as nations, we offer the best
of ourselves. We need this Organization to be strong
and productive. We draw from it the strength that frees
us from mistrust to overcome conflicts, the strength
that allows us to move forwards towards greater
understanding and tolerance.
 Terrorism is the scourge of our times. It is a blind
evil that takes no account of our religion, our race or
our gender. This danger must be confronted
collectively. It is neither possible nor desirable to
confront it alone. We will firmly support the efforts
undertaken by the Security Council’s Counter-
Terrorism Committee, and we are prepared to provide
it with all necessary assistance. Finally, we would like
to support the counter-terrorism policy that the
Secretary-General will soon be presenting to the
General Assembly. The best way to confront terrorism
is to promote peace, tolerance, the acceptance of others
and, above all, development: no longer to abandon
anyone by the wayside and to give everyone the
opportunity to access what is essential for life.
 In the light of what I have said, and bearing in
mind the General Assembly’s main theme for this
year — to create a global partnership for
development — this is both timely and appropriate.
Translating this vision into fact must happen at the
global level, and for this we need significant
participation by all countries in the economic and
financial decision-making process. The International
Monetary Fund’s recent decision to increase the voting
rights of countries such as China and India is an
important step in the right direction.
 The news coming from the Doha round, however,
is not encouraging. The clock is ticking; and each day
it becomes even more important for all parties to put
their shoulders to the wheel to reach an agreement,
with the objective of creating an effective multilateral

06-53323 22

trading system. The winners will be the developing
countries — but also the developed countries.
 Equally important is the need to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals in line with the agenda
established by heads of State or Government at the
Summits of 2000 and 2005. Among our objectives,
clearly, is to reach the critical threshold of 0.7 per cent
of gross national income to be allocated for official
development assistance to the countries most seriously
affected by economic difficulties. That is the keystone
of a global partnership for development, which we are
committed to forging as soon as possible.
 Developing countries, for their part, need to
follow sensible economic policies. They need to
undertaken reforms that will encourage growth, and
they need to finally improve governance by creating
institutions that are accountable and operate with
complete transparency. It is only together, through
collective action, that we will be able to correct the
inequalities that are at the root of many of the conflicts
in the world.
 Allow me to stress in this respect that Africa must
be the highest of our priorities. We must pay heed to
the dormant conflicts in West Africa, East Africa and
Central Africa if we want to avoid the kinds of crises
being played out in the Sudan and other countries on
the continent. The African Union is best placed to put
an end to these conflicts, and we must help it by
finding lasting solutions to the problems that make life
so cruel in very many of these regions.
 Another urgent need is to act effectively and
speedily to put an end to the suffering of the
populations of these countries, so that we no longer see
babies dying of AIDS when a few dollars’ worth of
medicines can save them.
(spoke in English)
 The tensions in the Middle East demand equal
attention. The Middle East is the region that will test
the mettle of this Organization as a force for peace in
the immediate future. If we fail in that test, all of us
stand to pay a heavy price. During the past several
months, we all witnessed unforgettable images of
suffering and destruction in that part of the world.
 The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is at the root of
most problems in the region, and it is obvious that it
should be at the top of the list of our priorities if peace
and stability are to return to that area. The Road Map
offers the strategic plan for a solution based on the
principle of land for peace, especially since basic
elements of it are well known and generally accepted
by the international community. The Road Map is in
essence a performance-driven guide to a settlement
based on all relevant Security Council resolutions,
including resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), and
on the conclusions of the Madrid Conference and the
Beirut Arab Summit. We must all make every effort to
see that they are implemented.
 On Lebanon, strict implementation of Security
Council resolution 1701 (2006) provides the blueprint
for resolving the basic problems that led to the recent
crisis. We understand the difficulties before us, but we
must push ahead resolutely, because determination and
tenacity are essential to tackling long-standing issues
in volatile regions.
 The continued violence and instability in Iraq are
a cause of great concern for all of us. It is critical that
every possible effort be made to bring order and unity
to that troubled country. Deaths, especially of civilians,
have reached terrifying levels, with no end in sight to
the slaughter. All who have any influence with the
warring factions in Iraq must try to make them see
what pain and suffering they have inflicted on their
own people and what yet worse horrors they will
unleash on their land if they continue to drift towards a
devastating civil war.
 Our own region, the Balkans, was once known as
history’s cauldron. We endured a century of bitter
ethnic, religious and ideological conflicts, up to very
recent times. We are moving rapidly, however, to
disown that label for the sake of our own peoples and
of the new Europe we are building. Some trouble spots
remain, but we are trying to deal with them in a new
spirit of cooperation and tolerance.
 Kosovo is one issue that still needs attention. The
status talks are under way, and we hope that they will
produce a viable settlement that will strengthen the
security and stability of the entire region. Right now,
this appears difficult. To overcome the impasse will
require patient and careful diplomacy. Our goal in
reaching a viable long-term solution should not be
compromised by setting an artificial deadline.
 I deeply regret the fact that the Cyprus problem
remains unresolved. For all 32 years of the military
occupation of one third of the territory of Cyprus by
well over 40,000 Turkish troops, Greece has strongly

23 06-53323

supported every United Nations initiative aimed at the
achievement of a comprehensive solution. We are
committed to doing everything possible to achieve a
just and viable solution, on the basis of the pertinent
Security Council resolutions and of EU principles and
values. We strive for a bizonal, bicommunal federation
that will bring peace and prosperity to the island. Our
goal remains a solution agreed between the two
communities without arbitration and tight timetables,
to be approved subsequently by referendums. To those
efforts we are prepared to lend our wholehearted
support.
 Greece’s foreign and security policy is based on
the principles enshrined in the Charter, especially those
relating to the peaceful settlement of disputes and
good-neighbourly relations. This basic framework is
also reflected in my country’s continuing efforts to
further improve relations with Turkey and to
consolidate mutual understanding and cooperation. For
our part, we are trying to overcome the remaining
difficulties and are continuing to take initiatives to
widen and deepen cooperation in all fields so that the
relationship with Turkey becomes a win-win situation
for both countries. In this context, we are hopeful that
Turkey will reciprocate so that our countries can
solidify good-neighbourly relations.
 European integration is the bright promise on the
horizon for the entire region of South-Eastern
Europe — a future which will encompass greater
cooperation and interaction among all the countries in
the area and at long last heal the wounds of the past
century.
 We live in a troubled world, and the United
Nations is always enmeshed in the worst of the
troubles so that it sometimes seems that it is not
accomplishing much. We must not forget, however, the
conflicts it has resolved, the misery it has diminished,
the suffering it has relieved and the pain it has eased all
over the world in its brief lifetime.
 “Man feeds on dreams of hope”, Aeschylus
wrote. For men, women and children everywhere, the
United Nations remains the best hope there is.


At the outset, I
would like to congratulate Ms. Haya Rashed
Al-Khalifa on her election to the presidency of the
sixty-first session of the General Assembly and wish
her every success during her tenure.
 I would like also to extend my sincere thanks to
her predecessor, my good friend Mr. Jan Eliasson,
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, for his efforts
and active work with the delegations throughout the
last session.
 The 2005 High-level Plenary Meeting of the
Assembly became an important milestone in the history
of the United Nations. It reaffirmed our faith in the
Organization and our unwavering interest to make it
stronger and effective. I am pleased to emphasize the
positive moves that we have made since last September
on issues such as development, the environment,
HIV/AIDS, Secretariat reform, establishment of the
Central Emergency Response Fund and the
Peacebuilding Fund.
 The founding of the Peacebuilding Commission
and the Human Rights Council are remarkable
moments in the history of the United Nations. Yet more
remains to be done to realize our common vision of
solidarity and collective security, which is premised on
the shared values and principles of the Charter.
 As we move towards such ambitious goals, it is
increasingly apparent that multilateralism with a strong
United Nations at its core remains the only reliable
instrument for maintaining international peace and
security, achieving sustainable development and
promoting respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms.
 Strengthening the deliberative and decision-
making authority of the General Assembly, which
represents the views of all Member States, is key to the
successful implementation and effectiveness of the
reforms.
 Azerbaijan believes that reform of the Security
Council should not be confined to enlargement of its
membership. We stand for the rationalization of the
Council’s working methods, greater transparency in
decision-making, accountability in performance and
full implementation of its resolutions.
 The election of the new Secretary-General is an
event of the utmost importance for the Organization. It
has already been revealed to suffer from a number of
deficiencies and requires greater transparency and
inclusion of the wider membership. Azerbaijan
believes that the new head of the United Nations
should clearly recognize the trends and challenges
faced by the international community at the beginning
of the twenty-first century.
 Azerbaijan regrets that the late response of the
Security Council to the evolving crisis in the Middle
East allowed the humanitarian tragedy to unfold. In
that regard, implementation of the measures contained
in Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), including
those related to the Lebanese Government’s seven-
point peace plan, is very important for bringing durable
peace to the Middle East. Azerbaijan will continue its
efforts to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the
conflict and alleviate the sufferings of civilians in
Lebanon.
 I would like to express profound support for the
States that have fallen victim to terrorist attacks. While
strongly condemning terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations and reaffirming our commitment to
jointly fight that global scourge, we register our serious
concern over attempts to link terrorism to the Islamic
religion, culture or people.
 There is a dire need to stop and reverse a growing
tendency towards Islamophobia in the world.
Azerbaijan, in its capacity as Chairman of the
Ministerial Council of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC) calls upon Member States to
undertake concrete measures to enhance dialogue and

21 06-53341

broaden understanding among nations, cultures and
religions by promoting tolerance and respect for
freedom of religion and belief. It is of vital importance
to raise public awareness about the tenets and values of
Islam worldwide, including in the Muslim societies. To
that end, we plan to host in Baku in 2007, under the
aegis of the OIC, an international conference on the
role of the mass media in developing tolerance and
mutual understanding.
 The situation in the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan has recently become a subject of urgent
consideration by the General Assembly, due to the
massive fires occurring in those territories. The
Assembly adopted without a vote a resolution stressing
the necessity to conduct an urgent environmental
operation with a view to suppressing the fires,
overcoming their detrimental impact and rehabilitating
the affected territories. The resolution has a two-fold
purpose. On the one hand, it envisages a number of
practical steps, including an assessment of the short-
and long-term impact of the fires on the environment
as a step in preparation for the environmental
operation, counteracting the environmental degradation
of the region, and the rehabilitation of the fire-affected
part of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. On the
other, it serves as an unprecedented example of
engaging the parties to the conflict, particularly
Armenia and Azerbaijan, in a joint environmental
operation to be carried out directly in the fire-affected
zone. The implementation of the resolution will
contribute to establishing an atmosphere of trust and
confidence and will give positive impetus to the
negotiation process.
 Sadly, that is the only positive development so far
and cannot be attributed to the overall situation
concerning the settlement process. Although no
substantial progress has been registered so far, the
parties and mediators have accepted the stage-by-stage
approach in the settlement process as the only possible
option. Basically, there are two main issues on which
the parties disagree — the definition of the status of
self-rule for the population of the occupied Nagorny
Karabakh region and the withdrawal of Armenian
forces from all the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
 There is a common understanding that the status
cannot be defined today. It should be elaborated
through a peaceful, democratic and legal process with
the direct participation and consent of both Azerbaijani
and Armenian communities of the Nagorny Karabakh
region. To that end, the Armenian occupying forces
have to withdraw from the occupied territories and the
necessary conditions have to be in place to allow the
secure and dignified return of the indigenous
Azerbaijani displaced persons to the Nagorny
Karabakh region and the surrounding territories of
Azerbaijan.
 Such a logical chain of events will establish the
necessary conditions for the next stage of the
settlement, which is normalizing life in the conflict-
affected area, restoring intercommunal relations,
launching socio-economic development and
considering appropriate models of self-rule for the
entire population of the region within Azerbaijan.
 Our position is based on relevant resolutions of
the Security Council and decisions of the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which
unequivocally demand the unconditional withdrawal of
the occupying forces from all occupied territories of
the Republic of Azerbaijan, the restoration of its
sovereignty and territorial integrity, the creation of
favourable conditions for the safe return of the civilian
population, the restoration of intercommunal relations,
and the elaboration of the status of self-government
within a democratic and legal process, based on the
agreement of both communities of the region.
 It is difficult to hope for a breakthrough in the
negotiations when Armenia rejects face-to-face
meetings and refuses to take a constructive approach to
solving existing problems. What is more worrisome is
that Armenia is attempting to support by all available
means the separatist regime established under its
control in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and to
spread myths and legends about the historical past and
the alleged democratic and economic achievements of
the regime. As a matter of fact, the reality on the
ground proves the opposite. The Armenian community,
which is the only remaining part of the entire
population of the Nagorny Karabakh region of
Azerbaijan, is increasingly inclined to leave the
unrecognized quasi-entity due to worsening living
conditions and the lack of any prospect of economic
and social development.
 The dynamics of development of the entire region
are strikingly evident, and in five or 10 years the
economic growth of the region vis-à-vis Armenia will
be much more impressive. It could be given a chance
to join ongoing regional and transnational projects, but

06-53341 22

prior to that Yerevan has to take a number of steps to
establish normal relations with its neighbours.
 The first plenary meetings of the Assembly under
the presidency of Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa
were marked by an extremely difficult debate over an
issue that was procedural in nature, but had a
substantial political bearing. I join my colleagues from
the States members of the Georgia, Ukraine,
Azerbaijan, Moldova Organization for Democracy and
Economic Development (GUAM) in commending her
wisdom and efforts aimed at ensuring that the rules of
this house serve the interests of all Member States.
Procedural disadvantages should not constrain the
Member States from bringing critical issues affecting
their security to the attention of the Assembly.
 The GUAM heads of State, in their Joint
Declaration on the issue of conflict settlement, called
upon States and international organizations to further
facilitate, within their competence, conflict settlement
processes in the GUAM area. Therefore, the inclusion
of the new item on conflicts in the GUAM area in the
agenda of the General Assembly is an attempt to raise
the awareness of the Assembly of dangerous
developments emerging from those unresolved
conflicts.
 The pledges we have made to promote better
standards of living in larger freedom nourish the faith
of people around the world in future positive change
and development. Hence, there is no greater imperative
than to fulfil the development agenda and to strengthen
global partnership for development.
 Azerbaijan is convinced that national
development strategies should be a principal
framework of development cooperation and support.
Efficiency in the implementation process cannot be
achieved unless it employs measures targeted at
increasing the self-sufficiency of countries in the long
run, inter alia, through knowledge, capacity-building,
infrastructure development and market access and,
ultimately, by reducing their dependence on foreign
aid. A favourable global economic situation remains a
prerequisite for the success of national development
strategies, macroeconomic policies and, eventually, the
economic and financial stability and growth of
countries.
 Azerbaijan believes that international
organizations should support the efforts of countries to
improve and sustain their economic performance. We
look forward to the contribution of the United Nations
with a stronger and more effective Economic and
Social Council capable of effectively discharging its
newly assigned functions.
 Let me now describe the economic outlook for
Azerbaijan and its experience in enhancing growth,
development and social well-being. In the light of
trends in 2005, gross domestic product is expected to
increase by 30.5 per cent in 2006, driven by oil and gas
production and exports. In 2006, State spending has
been increased by up to 65 per cent, a large proportion
being spent on the public sector and infrastructure. The
key challenge facing the Government is to create a
favourable environment for investment in the non-oil
sector and to diversify exports. To achieve this
objective, it must keep domestic reforms on track and
strive to strengthen the business environment.
 The year 2006 marked a historic moment for the
region and beyond, with the official inauguration of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline. We are
looking forward to completion of the Baku-Tbilisi-
Erzerum natural gas pipeline this fall and remain
committed to contributing to global energy security. At
the same time, we are actively developing
transregional infrastructure projects, in particular the
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad, which has been recognized
as an important addition to the East-West and North-
South transportation corridors.
 Last but not least, the establishment of the
Human Rights Council marked a critical step towards
enhancing the universal system for promoting and
protecting human rights worldwide. The Council has
been endowed with the necessary mandate to give
human rights the central role foreseen by the Charter,
and its status is that of a subsidiary body of the General
Assembly. We have to build effective mechanisms,
such as universal periodic review, special procedures
and a complaints procedure within the Council. As a
newly elected member of the Human Rights Council,
Azerbaijan reiterates its readiness to cooperate with
other Member States in order to ensure that the new
Council becomes an effective body guided by the
principles of universality, objectivity and non-
selectivity and that it bases its activity on constructive
and transparent dialogue and cooperation.


While acknowledging the unique and irreplaceable role
played by the United Nations in international affairs,
one still has to recognize the need to reform this
institution according to present-day realities. Let me
briefly dwell upon our vision of these reforms.
 It is necessary to significantly increase the
efficiency of the United Nations management, which
must set itself realistic and feasible objectives and
rapidly respond to challenges and threats. The reform
of the Organization must reflect the principles of
sovereign equality and non-interference in internal
affairs and strengthen the equal cooperation between
States. It must be based upon the principles of broad
international consensus.
 The General Assembly needs to concentrate on
designing constructive ways of addressing the
problems of regional and global security, which affect
the interests of the majority of the Member States.
Much attention should be given to questions of post-
conflict rehabilitation and combating terrorism. The
United Nations should assume a coordinating role in
these spheres using the support of all Member States.
Such an approach will contribute to strengthening the
Organization’s ability to meet contemporary
challenges.
 Security Council reform must ensure the fair
geographical and regional representation of both
developed and developing States whose authority has
been acknowledged by the international community
and who play an important role in addressing the main
tasks facing the Organization today.
 The international community is about to make a
decision on an important issue — the election of the
new Secretary-General. Considering the principle of
rotation and the increasing political weight and
economic significance of the Asian countries, the
Republic of Uzbekistan fully supports the view that a
representative from the Asian group should assume that
post. We support the candidature of the Minister
forForeign Affairs and Trade of South Korea, Mr. Ban
Ki-moon.
 The international community places its hopes on
the newly established Human Rights Council, which is
called upon to improve the work of the United Nations
in the field of human rights. It is important not to allow
the Council to be used as a tool for promoting the
interests of certain countries to the detriment of others.
Only by stopping the practice of double standards,
politicization and confrontation can we turn that body
into the forum for equal and open dialogue, enjoying
the trust of all Member States. The work of that United
Nations body must be guided by objective and
unbiased assessment of human rights issues. It must
assist in elaborating constructive solutions to all
problems that arise, instead of being used for political
purposes.
 The fundamental changes in today’s world are
accompanied by the emergence of new challenges and
threats. At present, terrorism, extremism and drug
aggression pose a great danger to the sustainable
development of States and peoples of the world.
 The principal approaches of the Republic of
Uzbekistan towards addressing these and other
problems of security include the following points.
 Uzbekistan firmly supports the United Nations
Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (resolution 60/288),

15 06-53341

adopted by the General Assembly on 8 September
2006. Terrorism is not acceptable in any of its forms
and manifestations. The fight against terrorism can be
effective and efficient only by eliminating its causes,
the first of which is the ideological and extremist
centres that finance and direct the forces of
international terrorism. We must also design common
approaches to assessing this, the most dangerous
phenomenon of today’s world.
 A universal convention on international terrorism
could become an effective basis for joint counteraction
against the threat of terrorism. This instrument must be
of a non-discriminatory nature, exclude the policy of
double standards and call upon States for concerted
action in countering the ideologies of extremism.
 Maintenance of regional and global security is
not possible without establishing comprehensive peace
and stability in Afghanistan. One way to resolve the
Afghan problem and restore a peaceful and neutral
Afghanistan is effective and real progress in
implementing concrete projects, funded by the
international community, in the social, economic and
humanitarian spheres — those spheres that can affect
attitudes among the long-suffering people of
Afghanistan.
 A fundamental strategy review and more efficient
coordination are required in combating one of the most
dangerous problems: drug production and drug
trafficking.
 Uzbekistan, as an initiator of a nuclear-weapon-
free zone in the region, together with its neighbours, is
doing everything possible to strengthen the global
nuclear non-proliferation regime. On 8 September 2006
in Semipalatinsk, the Central Asia Nuclear-Weapon-
Free Zone Treat was signed. That initiative, put
forward by the President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, is a concrete contribution
of the States in the region to strengthening the global
non-proliferation process and also to creating a solid
system of regional security. Uzbekistan calls upon
nuclear powers to accede to the protocol on security
guarantees annexed to the Central Asia Nuclear-
Weapon-Free Zone Treaty as soon as possible. I wish
to take this opportunity to express gratitude to the
United Nations for its assistance in realizing this
initiative.
 Mr. Sow (Guinea), Vice-President, took the Chair.
 In closing, I express my sincere hope that the
results of the work of the General Assembly at its
sixty-first session will contribute to the successful
realization of the joint efforts of the Member States in
the struggle against threats and challenges to global
security and to furthering the peaceful development of
peoples.


Madam
President, let me first of all express my happiness at
seeing you preside over the General Assembly. Your
election sends a clear signal concerning the ever-
stronger participation of women in decision-making
processes worldwide. We value your impressive track
record on women’s rights in particular, and we will
assist you in every possible way in the fulfilment of
your difficult task.
 We can take pride in the many accomplishments
achieved during the past session, most prominently the
establishment of the Human Rights Council and of the
Peacebuilding Commission. These are important
institutional advances which offer us a real opportunity
to do things differently and to do them better. They do
not, however, automatically guarantee the results that
we had in mind when we made the decision that new
institutions were needed. No structural change,
however skilfully crafted, can bring about substantive
change in and of itself. In the area of human rights in
particular, we must increase our efforts in order to
create the truly new international discourse that is
needed, based on cooperation and the even-handed
implementation of international standards. Only a new
partnership in the field of human rights, with the full
participation of all stakeholders, including civil society
and the private sector, can ensure that people
worldwide enjoy all the human rights to which they are
entitled. It is only through such a new partnership that
we will be able to make the quantum leap towards an
era of implementation.
 One of the major issues that we did not resolve
following the World Summit in September 2005 is
Security Council reform. Here again, we are of the
view that structural change is needed but that it is not
sufficient in itself. On the one hand, the Council must
be given a new structure and a different composition in
order to maintain its credibility worldwide. It must
better reflect the geopolitical realities of the twenty-
first century, which are fundamentally different from
those that prevailed at the time of the creation of the
Organization. But we must also address the equally
urgent necessity to improve the way in which the
Council goes about its daily business.
 Time and again we have witnessed occasions on
which the Council did not live up to its mandate, as
enshrined in the Charter, to act on behalf of the
membership as a whole. A better representation of the
views of the general membership is therefore essential
for its effectiveness and credibility, in particular
through a stronger involvement on the part of non-
members of the Council that have a particular interest
in, or expertise on, a given subject. We are satisfied to
see that the Council has taken a step in the right
direction in that regard, and we will remain committed
to helping to improve its working methods.
 Working methods and enlargement are clearly
complementary elements of Security Council reform. It
would appear that, after a pause of more than a year, it
is time to try our hand again at expanding the Council,
preferably through a sober approach that takes into
account the experiences gained in 2005.
 Like many before me, I would like to applaud
Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his outstanding
tenure at the helm of the Organization. One key
element of his legacy is the high priority he has
attached to the rule of law. We agree that the core
strength of the United Nations is its solid grounding in
international law, its proud track record in promoting
international law, and the unique legitimacy it can
provide in making decisions. In our globalized world,

06-53317 32

in which non-State actors play an ever-increasing role,
clear rules are needed which are applied equally to
everyone, in a transparent manner.
 However, we have yet to witness the advent of an
era of the rule of law, as called for by the Secretary-
General. On the contrary, we have witnessed a
dangerous erosion of international law, in particular
international humanitarian law, and we must urgently
find ways to place the issue of the rule of law high on
the agenda of the Organization. We will work with
others to ensure that the General Assembly makes
concrete progress on this matter during this session.
 While there are negative trends in the area of
respect for international law, we have made some
significant advances, in particular in the area of
international justice. It is now commonly understood
that there can be no impunity for international crimes
and that no one who has committed them is immune.
This is a historic development which has found its
most powerful expression in the establishment of the
International Criminal Court. The Court is now seized
of three situations, one of which was referred to it by
the Security Council, and more than 100 States have
become parties to the Rome Statute. This very strong
momentum can be maintained only if States and,
indeed, the Organization lend their active support to a
judicial institution which fully relies on such
cooperation in gathering evidence and arresting
indictees. Most importantly, we must realize that peace
and justice are, in the long run, complementary
concepts, and we must uphold the principle that there
can be no amnesty for the worst crimes under
international law.
 The international fight against terrorism poses a
particularly complex challenge in the area of the rule
of law. First, we must complement the existing
international legal framework by adopting a
comprehensive convention against terrorism. We have
put forward our ideas in this respect and hope that they
can help in reaching an agreement, which is long
overdue. Secondly, it must be clear that the fight
against terrorism and the observance of human rights
and international humanitarian law are complementary
and mutually reinforcing. Human rights are at the core
of the value system of the international community, as
we all recognized at the Summit last year. Curtailing
them in the name of the fight against terrorism would
therefore play into the hands of terrorists, who fight

this very system with fanatic zeal. Last but not least,
the United Nations, and the Security Council in
particular, must lead by example in upholding due
process and the rights of individuals.
 When I spoke in this Hall last year, I presented a
mixed assessment of the outcome of the World
Summit. On the one hand, I expressed disappointment
at the vagueness or even complete absence of some
aspects of United Nations reform, but I also warmly
welcomed some real advances. The recognition of the
responsibility to protect constituted such an advance;
indeed, it was a real milestone in the Outcome
Document. Today, we must acknowledge that the
international community has not followed up the
commitment it made at the World Summit with
concrete action.
 The situation in Darfur, irrespective of the
definition of the crime in question, clearly falls within
the scope of the responsibility to protect, but we have
yet to see the action necessary in accordance with our
common commitment to protect civilian populations.
 The United Nations, in spite of its shortcomings,
remains the only such Organization of global reach and
is uniquely placed to address the complex challenges
the world is facing today. However, it will be capable
of living up to this role only if we re-establish the
institutional balance within the system. In particular,
the General Assembly must reassert its role as a central
policymaking body and work on a par with the Security
Council.
 The most prominent topics for the Organization
in the coming weeks are clear: the situation in Darfur,
the Middle East, the nuclear programme of Iran and the
appointment of a new Secretary-General. All these
topics are dealt with in the Security Council, while the
General Assembly plays at best a secondary role. The
Assembly must, therefore, address in parallel, and
make progress on, the development agenda in all its
aspects, system-wide coherence, disarmament, Security
Council reform and other priority areas of the work of
the organization. A better division of work between the
two most important organs will make the Organization
as a whole more effective and more efficient. It is,
therefore, in the common interest of all States to make
the General Assembly the central policymaking body it
was designed to be by the founding fathers.


First
I very respectfully invite all those who have not done
so to read the book that I am holding, one of the most
recent by Noam Chomsky, who is among the most
prestigious American and world intellectuals. The
book, “Hegemony or Survival: America’s Quest for
Global Dominance”, is an excellent work to help us
understand what happened in the world of the twentieth
century and what is happening now, which is the
greatest threat looming over our planet: the
hegemonistic claims of American imperialism, which
threaten the very survival of the human species. We
continue to warn about this danger and to appeal to the
people of the United States and the world to halt this
threat, which is like the sword of Damocles hanging
over our heads.
 I had considered reading a chapter from the book,
but to save time I shall confine myself to a
recommendation. The book is very good, an easy read.
I am sure, Madam President, that you are familiar with
it. It is published in English, German, Russian and
Arabic. The first people who should read it are our
brothers and sisters in the United States, because the
threat is in their own house. The Devil is there; the
Devil himself is in the house.
 The Devil came here yesterday, right here. It still
smells of sulphur today. Yesterday on this rostrum the
President of the United States, whom I refer to as the
Devil, talked as if he owned the world. It would be
appropriate to have a psychiatrist analyse yesterday’s
address by the President of the United States. As the
spokesman of imperialism he came to share his
prescriptions for preserving the current pattern of
domination, exploitation and pillage of the peoples of
the world. It was like an Alfred Hitchcock movie. I
would even propose a title: “The Devil’s Recipe”.
 As Chomsky says here clearly and in depth,
American imperialism is doing all it can to consolidate
its hegemonistic system of domination. We cannot
allow it to do that. We cannot allow the establishment
and consolidation of world dictatorship. The address of
the world tyrant, cynical and full of hypocrisy, shows
the imperialists’ intention to control everything. They
say that they want to impose a democratic model, but it
is the democratic model of their own conception: the
false democracy of elites, and furthermore an original
democratic model imposed by bombs, bombardments
and invasions. What a strange democracy! It would be
necessary to revise the ideas of Aristotle and the other
Greek pioneers of democracy in the face of this model,
imposed by marines, invasions, aggression and bombs.
 The President of the United States told us
yesterday in this Hall, “everywhere you turn you hear
extremists who tell you that you can escape your
misery and retain your dignity through violence and
terror and martyrdom.” (see ). Wherever he
looks he sees extremists, and when he looks at your
colour, my brother, he thinks “You are an extremist”.
Mr. Evo Morales Aima, the worthy President of
Bolivia, looks like an extremist to him. The
imperialists see extremists everywhere.
 No, it is not that we are extremists. What is
happening is that the world is waking up and people
everywhere are rising up. I tell the world dictator “I
have a feeling that the rest of your days will be a living
nightmare, because everywhere you will see us rising
up against American imperialism, demanding freedom,
equality of peoples and respect for the sovereignty of
nations.” Yes, we may be described as extremists, but
we are rising against the empire, against the model of
domination.

11 06-52879

 The President also said, “I would like to speak
directly to the people across the … Middle East: my
country desires peace.” That is true. If we walk through
the streets of the Bronx, New York, Washington, San
Diego, California, San Antonio and San Francisco —
anywhere in the United States — and speak to
individual citizens, we shall find that the country does
want peace. The difference is that the Government of
the United States does not. It wants to impose its
system of exploitation and pillage and its hegemony
through war. If it wants peace, what is happening in
Iraq? What happened in Lebanon and Palestine? What
has happened over the past hundred years in Latin
America and in world? Now there are new threats
against Venezuela and Iran.
 The President spoke to the people of Lebanon,
saying “Many of you have seen your homes and
communities caught in crossfire.” What cynicism!
What a capacity to lie shamelessly! Was it crossfire
when bombs were dropped on Beirut with millimetric
precision? He was thinking of a Western, where men
shoot from the hip and somebody gets caught in the
crossfire. This was imperialist fire, fascist fire, the fire
of an assassin, the genocidal firing of the empire and
Israel on the innocent people of Palestine and Lebanon.
That is the truth.
 Now it is said that we are suffering because we
see homes destroyed. Early this morning I was looking
at some statements in preparing my remarks, and I
have brought with me a document in which I note that
the President of the United States came to talk to the
peoples. He said “To the people of Afghanistan”, “To
the people of Lebanon”, “To the people of Iran”. He
addressed them all directly. One wonders what those
peoples would tell him if they were given the
opportunity. What would they have to say? I know
what is in the soul of the peoples of the south, the
oppressed peoples. They would say “Yankee
imperialist, go home!” That would be the cry of the
peoples of the world if they could speak with one voice
to the American imperialists.
 That is why last year when I came to this Hall, as
I have been doing for the past eight years, I said
something that has now been fully confirmed. Hardly
anybody here can defend the United Nations system.
Let us be honest and accept that the system born after
the Second World War has collapsed. It is worthless. It
is true that it serves to bring us together once a year to
meet, make statements, prepare long documents, reflect
and listen to good speeches like those yesterday by
President Evo and President Lula and the ones we have
just heard from the President of Sri Lanka and the
President of Chile. But the Assembly has been turned
into a merely deliberative organ, with no power to
make any impact on the terrible situation in the world.
 That is why Venezuela once again proposes here
today, 20 September, that we re-establish the United
Nations. Last year we made four modest proposals that
we felt were crucially important for discussion by
heads of State and Government, ambassadors and
representatives.
 The first — President Lula said this yesterday —
is the expansion of both the permanent and non-
permanent membership of the Security Council, with
developed and under-developed countries of the third
world as new permanent members. That is the first
step.
 Secondly, there must be effective methods to
address and resolve world conflicts, with transparent
debate and decision-making.
 Thirdly, it is essential that, as everyone demands,
there be an immediate end to the anti-democratic
mechanism of the veto that is exercised when decisions
are made in the Security Council. Let me give a recent
example. The immoral veto of the United States,
blocking a resolution, allowed the Israeli forces to
destroy Lebanon with impunity before our very eyes.
 Fourthly, as we have always said, the role and
powers of the Secretary-General must be strengthened.
Yesterday the Secretary-General practically gave us his
farewell speech. He recognized that in the past 10
years serious world problems such as hunger, poverty,
violence and human rights violations had worsened and
become more complicated. That is a terrible
consequence of the collapse of the United Nations
system and American hegemonistic pretensions.
 A few years ago Venezuela decided to wage this
battle within the United Nations, recognizing the
United Nations, as Members, and lending it our voice
and our thinking. Our voice is an independent one
representing dignity, the search for truth and the
reformulation of the international system, with
denunciation of persecution and of the aggression of
hegemonistic forces against peoples of the planet.
 That is how Venezuela, the homeland of Bolivar,
came to put itself forward for a non-permanent seat on

06-52879 12

the Security Council. The United States Government
launched open, immoral aggression throughout the
world to try to prevent Venezuela being freely elected
to a seat on the Security Council. The empire is afraid
of the truth, of independent voices. It calls us
extremists, but it is the extremist.
 I should like to thank all those countries that have
announced their support for Venezuela even though the
ballot is secret and there is no need to make an
announcement. I believe that the open attack by the
United States empire has increased the support of many
countries, and that support strengthens the morale of
Venezuela, our people and Government. Our brothers
in the Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR),
for example, have expressed their support as a bloc.
With Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, as well
as many other Latin American countries, such as
Bolivia, Venezuela is now a full member of
MERCOSUR. The Caribbean Community has
expressed its support for Venezuela, as has the Arab
League. I am immensely grateful to our Arab and
Caribbean brothers. The African Union, almost all of
Africa, has expressed support for Venezuela, as have
countries such as Russia, China and many others.
 On behalf of Venezuela and its people, and of the
truth, I thank them all most warmly. With a seat on the
Security Council, Venezuela will make not only its
voice but that of the third world and all peoples heard
throughout the world. We will defend dignity and truth.
 Over and above all this, there are reasons to be
optimistic — a poet would say “hopelessly optimistic”.
Beyond the threats, the bombs, the wars, aggression,
preventive war and the destruction of entire peoples,
we can see that a new era is dawning. As Silvio
Rodriguez sings, “the era is giving birth to a heart”.
New trends are developing, alternative ways of
thinking, alternative movements. Young people think
differently. As has been shown in scarcely a decade,
the idea of the end of history has been shown to be
totally false, as has that of the Pax Americana and the
establishment of the capitalist neo-liberal model, which
creates poverty and is rejected.
 Now we must define the future of the world. The
dawn is breaking all over: Latin America, Africa,
Europe and Oceania. I want to emphasize that
optimistic vision, so that we may strengthen our will
and our readiness to fight to save the world and build a
new and better world.
 Venezuela joins that struggle, and that is why we
are threatened. The United States has already planned,
financed and set in motion a coup in Venezuela, and it
continues to support coup attempts and terrorism there.
President Michelle Bachelet Jeria reminded us a short
time ago of the horrendous assassination of the former
Chilean Foreign Minister, Orlando Letelier. I would
simply add that those who perpetrated that crime, in
which an American citizen also died, are free. And they
are Americans themselves, CIA terrorists.
 We should also recall that in a few days there will
be another anniversary: 30 years will have passed since
another horrendous terrorist act, the destruction of an
airliner of Cubana de Aviación in which 73 innocent
people died. Where is the biggest terrorist of this
continent, who masterminded the blowing up of the
plane? He spent a few years in prison in Venezuela, but
thanks to the CIA and Venezuelan Government
officials at the time he was able to escape. Now he
lives in the United States, protected by the
Government. He confessed and was convicted of his
crime, but the United States Government has double
standards and protects terrorism when it wants to. I say
this to make the point that Venezuela is fully
committed to combating terrorism and violence, and
joins those peoples that are fighting for peace and a
world of equals.
 I have just spoken of the Cuban airliner. Luis
Posada Carriles is the name of the terrorist concerned.
He is protected here, as are very corrupt people who
have fled Venezuela. A group of terrorists bombed
various embassies and assassinated people. During the
attempted coup they kidnapped me and were going to
shoot me. But God intervened, as did a group of loyal
soldiers and the people, who took to the streets. So by
a miracle I am here today. The leaders of that
attempted coup and those terrorist acts are living in this
country today, protected by the United States
Government. I accuse the American Government of
protecting terrorists and of holding a completely
cynical discourse.
 I mentioned Cuba. I was very recently in Havana
for a few days, and I left it feeling happy because the
birth of a new era could be seen. The Non-Aligned
Movement summit adopted a historic final document.
Do not worry; I shall not read it out. It contains a set of
resolutions adopted after open and transparent debate.
More than 50 heads of State attended, and Havana was
the capital of the south for a week.

13 06-52879

 We have now relaunched the Non-Aligned
Movement. If there is anything I could ask of all those
here, my partners and brothers and sisters, it is that
they lend their good will to strengthen the Non-
Aligned Movement, which is important for the birth of
the new era and the prevention of hegemony and
imperialism. The Assembly will know that we elected
President Fidel Castro Chairman of the Non-Aligned
Movement for the next three years, and we can trust
him to lead us very efficiently. Those who hoped that
Fidel would die were disappointed, and they will
continue to be disappointed, because he is back in his
olive-green fatigues and is now not only President of
Cuba but Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement. A
very strong movement has been born: that of the South.
We are men and women of the South.
 With these documents, ideas, criticisms and
reflections, I am now closing my file and taking the
book with me. Do not forget that I recommend it very
warmly and very humbly to all those present. I have
tried to put forward ideas to save our planet, to save it
from the imperialist threat. I hope that in this century,
in the not too distant future, we shall see our children
and grandchildren living better, in a world of peace
based on the fundamental principles of the United
Nations — a renewed and relocated United Nations. I
believe that it must move to another country, to a city
of the South. That is what we in Venezuela have
proposed. The Assembly knows that my personal
doctor and chief of security had to stay on a locked
plane. Neither was allowed to come to the United
Nations. This abuse we regard as a personal insult by
the Devil. It smells of sulphur here, but God is with us,
and I embrace you all. May God bless us all.


At the outset, allow
me to congratulate you, Madam President, and the
Kingdom of Bahrain on your assumption of the
presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-first
session. As a woman, I welcome your election with
great pride and wish to assure you of my delegation’s
full support in every possible way.
 I also wish to express my delegation’s profound
appreciation to President Jan Eliasson, your
predecessor, for his hard work and dedication in
advancing the United Nations reform agenda over the
past year.
 Also, I take this opportunity to welcome the
Republic of Montenegro as a new member of the
United Nations.
 As I speak, Thailand is going through a critical
period — a transition, following the military
intervention, to a needed reform process that will
strengthen our democracy in both its form and content.
As a peace-loving country, we are grateful that the
political change in Thailand has taken place peacefully.
The situation in the country returned to normal within
hours. On behalf of the Thai people, I wish to thank
our friends for their understanding and support.

25 06-53952

 With the resilience of Thai society, the General
Assembly can be assured that Thailand will emerge as
a stronger and more vibrant democracy. We will ensure
a swift return to democracy within a definite timeline.
An interim constitution will be promulgated in the
coming days, with the military once again being placed
under the constitution. This interim constitution will
provide full guarantees for civil liberties and rights
under the supervision of our National Human Rights
Commission. Under the interim constitution, a new
civilian Government will again be put in place within
the coming days, and we can well expect that one of
the first tasks of the new Government will be to abolish
martial law.
 Constitutional reform will lead to a new
constitution and general elections within one year, if
not sooner. It is the hope of the Thai people that, as a
result of this reform, independent organizations to be
re-established under the new constitution will become
more effective in carrying out their tasks to check and
monitor the work of the executive branch of
Government. This is the challenge and the promise.
 I wish to assure the General Assembly that
Thailand’s foreign policy will remain unchanged. The
conduct of our foreign policy will continue to be
guided by the spirit and principles enshrined in the
United Nations Charter, and we remain firm in our
commitment to our obligations under international
treaties and agreements to which we are party.
 Our thriving partnership with other countries
shall continue to be fostered and enhanced. Thailand’s
international economic policy, including multilateral
trade negotiations and free trade agreements, will be
continued. We will monitor our active role in the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and
in the Asia Cooperation Dialogue. We will also
continue to promote the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-
Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, a subregional
and self-reliant collective effort aimed at speeding up
regional integration, and BIMSTEC (Bangladesh-India-
Myanmar-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation), an
organization devoted to economic and social cooperation,
bridging the two sub-continents of South Asia and
South-East Asia. Members of the General Assembly
can, therefore, be assured of continuity in our foreign
policy at all levels — bilateral, regional and
multilateral.
 The world today is weakened by
misunderstanding and fear. We judge one another based
on our perceptions, which often times are not accurate.
Out of fear, we go to war to seek peace.
 Instead of waging war, we should cultivate peace.
We should learn to respect one another, starting from
within one’s own family, community and workplace,
and extending it to other societies, peoples of different
races, religions and beliefs. Starting with ourselves, we
should expand our circle of friendship and peace and
do everything possible to spread the message of peace
within our nations and around the world.
 In this regard, Thailand commends various
initiatives to bridge differences among peoples across
cultures and civilizations. We welcome and support the
Alliance of Civilizations and the Interfaith Dialogue
and Cooperation towards Peace in the Twenty-First
Century. We encourage the strengthening and
promotion of such initiatives in order to foster peace
and lessen the possibility of armed conflict.
 Each year, the United Nations spends more than
70 per cent of its $10 billion annual budget on
peacekeeping and other field operations. This trend can
be reversed only if the United Nations works harder to
create a culture of prevention. Prevention is, in the
long run, less costly than peacekeeping operations. In
this regard, it is particularly encouraging that two
important new bodies have been established to
contribute to strengthening the United Nations role in
conflict prevention.
 The Peacebuilding Commission is expected to
enable countries to recover after emerging from
conflict and to sustain durable peace. The Human
Rights Council holds out the hope of promoting a
culture of human rights for all. It should play a role in
helping to prevent situations of human rights violations
from deteriorating and developing into armed conflicts.
The Council’s success will be measured not by the
number of resolutions it adopts, but by its real impact
on the ground.
 One of the most effective measures for
prevention of armed conflict is development. Thailand
is encouraged that the theme of the general debate this
year, “Implementing a global partnership for
development”, responds to the immediate need to
ensure that development goals are achieved on the firm
basis of a global partnership. Developed countries need
to honour their commitments, particularly in their

06-53952 26

official development assistance to developing countries
and least developed countries.
 Sustainable development is, however, not about
aid, it is about trade and opportunity. Developing
countries must not be denied the opportunity to trade
themselves out of poverty. The suspension of the Doha
Round dealt a serious setback to hopes for a true
partnership between the developed and developing
worlds. A global partnership for development must
ensure win-win conditions for rich and poor alike. We
must redouble our efforts to ensure that development
does not become a casualty of domestic interests.
 Global partnership is also not limited to
relationships among States. The work of the United
Nations can never be at its best if it does not reflect the
voices of peoples at the grass-roots level. The
Organization must ensure a global partnership for
development and engage partners at all levels. In this
regard, Thailand commends the work of the United
Nations Fund for International Partnerships and
encourages it to carry out additional good work to
assist developing countries, especially those in Africa,
in attaining sustainable development. We also thank
Secretary-General Kofi Annan for having explored the
possibility of engaging civil society and the private
sector in the work of the United Nations. My
delegation looks forward to more work being
undertaken in this regard during the current session of
the General Assembly.
 As the Secretary-General pointed out in his report
to the General Assembly this year, the United Nations
is a network of capacities and a source of operational
capacity. In order to maximize this potential, there is
an urgent need to reform the United Nations
Secretariat. Discussion on Secretariat and management
reform has been occupying a large part of our time
since the World Summit. I encourage Member States to
cooperate closely to achieve the common goal of
ensuring that this Organization works to serve peoples
in all corners of the world, in a transparent and most
effective manner.
 To enable the United Nations to deliver its best
potential as a network of capacities, we also need to
ensure that the work of the United Nations at
Headquarters and in the field is coherent and well
coordinated. In this regard, Thailand looks forward
enthusiastically to studying the report and
recommendations of the High-Level Panel on UN
System-wide Coherence. We need to ensure that efforts
at the national, regional and international levels are
coordinated and that they respond to needs on the
ground. The work of regional commissions and
organizations should feed into the work of the United
Nations at Headquarters in such a way as to maximize
their synergies.
 The year 2005 was one of vision and
commitments. Our leaders met at the World Summit
and laid out their visions for a better world,
underpinned by effective multilateralism and a more
effective United Nations. We have spent most of 2006
mapping out details of the commitments laid out by our
leaders. In addition to the Peacebuilding Commission
and the Human Rights Council, another welcome effort
undertaken by the General Assembly this year was the
recent adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy (resolution 60/288), which provides
a good example of political will at work. Thailand
wishes to encourage Member States to exert even
greater political will in order to permit the speedy
conclusion of a comprehensive anti-terrorism
convention.
 Moreover, the importance of prevention in the
fight against terrorism can never be overstressed. The
causes of marginalization and extremism — including,
in particular, a lack of development — definitely
require the world’s priority attention and must be
properly addressed.
 In June, the General Assembly adopted a strong
Political Declaration (resolution 60/262) — as a
follow-up to the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on
HIV/AIDS — aimed at significantly scaling up our
efforts to achieve universal access to comprehensive
prevention programmes, care, treatment and support
for all those who need them by the year 2010. Because
AIDS has killed more than 25 million people and
orphaned 15 million children since the first cases of
AIDS were reported 25 years ago, and because close to
40 million people worldwide are living with
HIV/AIDS, Member States must take those
commitments seriously and translate them into
concrete actions at the national level.
 Although much has been accomplished since the
World Summit, that is only the beginning; much more
needs to be done. The year 2007 must be a year for
action and implementation. When the United Nations
was founded 60 years ago, it was our forefathers’

27 06-53952

aspiration that the peoples of the world would live free
from want and fear and in dignity. Today, the United
Nations continues to strive to achieve that noble goal.
Maintaining peace and security, promoting
development and promoting and protecting the human
rights of peoples throughout the world are not the
responsibility of any single nation; they are our shared
responsibility. Each and every one of us must serve as
an agent for change. We must serve as instruments for
peace.
 Finally, I would be remiss to end this statement
without paying tribute to Secretary-General Kofi
Annan for his decade of hard work and dedication
serving in the most impossible job in the world, and for
his entire career in the service of humanity. The
Secretary-General’s shoes will be extremely hard to
fill. Anyone who is elected to serve in that post will
have a full agenda on his hands: ensuring that
multilateralism works effectively and that the United
Nations remains relevant.
 The Association of Southeast Asian Nations,
comprising Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia,
the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Viet Nam, has endorsed and supported the candidature
of Mr. Surakiart Sathirathai of Thailand to carry on the
work of Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Mr. Surakiart’s
vast background in Government, business and the
academic world would enrich the work of the
Organization. As someone from a developing country,
Mr. Surakiart could serve as a bridge-builder, linking
the North with the South, and could be a voice of
moderation for the world community. In addition to the
fact that he is an Asian candidate, Mr. Surakiart
possesses outstanding personal qualifications. If he is
elected, his experiences could be of great use to the
work of the United Nations in the challenging times
ahead.