I congratulate
Mr. Vuk Jeremić on his election as President of the
General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. His
election represents one more important step in an
already illustrious career, as well as a historic moment
for Serbia, one that recognizes its courageous efforts
to overcome a difficult recent past and to proceed with
determination towards European integration.
Allow me also to express a word of recognition
to Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser for his
successful leadership of the Assembly in a particularly
demanding year. We also offer praise and support to
our Secretary-General for his commendable work, in
particular for his efforts made to promote peace in a
time of great challenges.
As Portugal is three months away from the
conclusion of our mandate in the Security Council,
to which we were elected by a significant majority of
the Member States present in this Hall, we consider
it appropriate to present an assessment to the General
Assembly. We fulfilled our mandate with both rigour
and transparency, always seeking to strengthen the
credibility and efficiency of the principal organ
entrusted with the protection of international peace
and security. We were guided by the same principles
that have always oriented our foreign policy and which
have merited the trust of the Assembly, namely, the
defence of the primacy of international law, the search
for effective multilateralism and the central role of the
United Nations in the international architecture.
With equal coherence and firm resolve we have
defended the promotion of human rights, the role of
women, the protection of civilians, the strengthening
of action defending children against violence and the
protection of children in the context of armed conflict.
Sustainable development, the fight against poverty,
food security and the particularly devastating effects
of climate change on small island developing States,
which threaten their very existence, remain, for
Portugal, fundamental pillars for our action within the
United Nations.
With equal perseverance, we have sought to
strengthen the role of the Security Council in the fight
against new challenges to international peace and
security, such as organized crime; the proliferation of
illicit trafficking, terrorism and pandemics; the Council’s
capacity to prevent conflicts and to bring mediation
into play; and its efforts to improve coordination with
regional and subregional organizations. We have played
an active role, and continue to do so, in the collective
efforts to overcome crises, such as those that emerged
in Côte d’Ivoire, Libya and Yemen, or the current
challenges in Syria, Guinea-Bissau and Mali.
Our actions have always been driven by openness
to dialogue and a constructive and balanced attitude,
embodying our vocation to build bridges and generate
consensus without abdicating our values and principles.
We hope to have lived up to the high expectations and
trust placed in us.
As Chair of the Informal Working Group on
Documentation and Other Procedural Questions, we
sought to improve the internal working methods of
the Council and its communication with the General
Assembly, with a view to making it more effective and
open and more in harmony with our times. We will
present a report to the Assembly on the work undertaken
on that issue.
It is important, however, to recognize that the
credibility of the Security Council is also underpinned
by a need for its composition to reflect the current
geopolitical reality, one that is quite different from the
dynamic that was in place in 1945. It is increasingly
difficult for us, as it is for many others, to see that the
increasing role of Brazil and India in the international
scene has not yet been acknowledged with permanent
seats on the Security Council, or that Africa is the only
continent without a permanent seat on the Council.
The Security Council continues to confront
serious obstacles. The number of victims in Syria
is exponentially increasing day by day. We remain
impotent witnesses before a true humanitarian
catastrophe and a generalized systematic violation of
the most basic rights of the Syrian people. In addition,
the catastrophe could have been avoided had the Syrian
Government not chosen military force and brutal
repression in response to the legitimate protests by its
people, which systematically excluded any possibility
of a politically negotiated outcome to the crisis. However, there is no alternative to a political
solution, one that supports the legitimate aspirations of
the Syrian people and allows for a democratic transition
driven by the Syrians themselves, one in which they see
their wishes reflected. Increased militarization of the
conflict will undoubtedly lead to even more suffering for
the civilian population, threaten the territorial integrity
of Syria and increase the risks of destabilization for its
neighbours and indeed for the region as a whole.
The appointment of Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, a
diplomat whom we greatly respect, as the Joint Special
Representative of the United Nations and the League of
Arab States for Syria should be seen as a new opportunity
for the parties to revisit their options, cease the violence
and seriously engage in a process of political transition.
For the Joint Special Representative’s mission to be a
success, the Security Council will finally have to exert
joint, continued and effective pressure on all parties
and most certainly on the Syrian authorities, who bear
primary responsibility for the current situation.
The impasse in finding a lasting solution to the
Israeli-Arab conflict is also of great concern and an
increasingly urgent issue in the light of the recent
developments in the Middle East and North Africa
and the fight of the people of those regions for liberty,
democracy and dignity. There will be no lasting peace,
no stability and no security in the Middle East without
a solution to the question of Palestine.
We understand and share Israel’s legitimate
security aspirations. Yet we also understand and share
the frustration of the Palestinian people, for whom
an independent Palestinian State is not simply an
inalienable right, but also a straightforward question of
justice. Only a comprehensive deal that is negotiated
directly by the parties on the basis of United Nations
resolutions and internationally recognized parameters
and which solves the pending questions and is dedicated
to the two-State solution of Israel and Palestine living
side by side in peace will meet both the security
concerns laid down by Israel and the aspirations of
the Palestinian people for independence, liberty and
dignity. We appeal to the Israelis and Palestinians to
quickly restart direct negotiations.
Another regional issue still at an impasse and of
serious concern in the Middle East is the question of
a nuclear Iran. We regret the absence of any positive
developments on the issue despite the significant
diplomatic efforts under way and the application of mechanisms of international pressure. The onus of the
situation is on Tehran.
In Africa, we are faced with a grave situation in
the Sahel, particularly in Mali, which threatens the
whole region and could spread throughout Western
Africa, putting both stability and development at risk
in a number of countries. As a result of a tapestry of
historical, economic and social influences, we are
witnessing an exponential growth in terrorism, with
increasing links to organized transnational crime,
drugs and other sorts of illicit trafficking. In that regard,
the international community should be more active.
Accordingly, we support the outcome of the recent
High-level Meeting on the Sahel, which contributed to
the creation of an integrated international strategy for
the region.
It is against that grave regional background that
the crisis in Guinea-Bissau is unfolding. The military
coup of 12 April interrupted a democratic electoral
process, violating the principles defended by the
United Nations, as was clearly recognized in Security
Council resolution 2048 (2012). It is imperative that the
constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau be restored. That
requires the appointment of an inclusive Government
that includes the African Party for the Independence
of Guinea and Cape Verde, which is the party holding
the majority in the National Assembly; permission for
the legitimate leaders to return without restrictions on
their civil and political rights; and the organization of
free and credible elections. Any and all solutions to the
present crisis will have to respect international legality
and the constitutional order of Guinea-Bissau, and must
be translated into an internal, inclusive, and credible
political process capable of creating national stability.
To that end, coordinated action by the international
community — the United Nations, the African Union,
the Economic Community of West African States, the
Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP)
and the European Union — is essential. Portugal is
fully engaged and available to work with all interested
parties in the process.
It is inconceivable that, in the twenty-first century,
democratically elected African leaders are pushed aside
by force and are made to live outside their countries. It is
up to all of us to defend the principles of the Charter and
to apply, without any ambiguities, the principle of zero
tolerance in such situations. In that context, I note the
increasingly relevant role of the African Union, which has been working in close coordination with the United
Nations for the promotion and protection of peace and
security on the African continent. I also take advantage
of this opportunity to congratulate Mrs. Dlamini-Zuma
on her election as President of the Commission of the
African Union. That also represents a milestone in the
strengthening of the role of women in Africa, which we
also welcome with great satisfaction.
Allow me also to refer to a successful case and a
good example, Timor-Leste. It is a successful example
thanks, first of all, to the Timorese themselves, but also
owing to the efficient support of the United Nations.
The United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-
Leste will conclude its mandate at the end of the year.
It will do so with the sense of having accomplished
its purpose, thanks to the maturity shown by the
Timorese people over recent years, as exemplified in
the successful presidential and legislative elections
held just a few months ago. A new cycle of cooperation
between the international community and Timor-Leste
is now opening in line with the priorities defined by
that country’s Government.
In that context, Portugal will continue to support
Timor-Leste on its path to economic and social
development, including the strengthening of its
institutions and democratic values, as well as the rule
of law and the promotion of the human rights of the
Timorese people. Timor-Leste, like Guinea-Bissau, is a
member State of the CPLP, along with Angola, Brazil,
Cape Verde, Mozambique, and Sao Tome and Principe.
Within the CPLP we share a common language and
history, but we have also developed shared efforts
towards the defence of universal values, through active
multilateralism within the framework of the United
Nations and the regional organizations to which we
belong.
The significance of the Portuguese language as
a language of global communication, business and
culture, with about 250 million speakers, should be
taken advantage of by the international community. For
that reason, we will continue to work together to have
Portuguese recognized as an official language of the
United Nations.
I referred at the beginning of my statement to
Portugal’s commitment to multilateralism as the most
effective means for finding common solutions to the
global challenges that we face. I specifically noted
our efforts in the defence of human rights and in the promotion of sustainable development. In that context,
we support the outcomes achieved at the United
Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, in
part thanks to the notable efforts of Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon and the Brazilian Government.
We continue to defend the universal, indivisible
and interdependent rights of all human beings, be
they political, economic, social or cultural. We have
a solid commitment to humanitarian law and to the
excellent work of the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees. In that context, with the
commitment to defend and promote human rights and
with the same sense of responsibility with which we
undertook our current mandate in the Security Council,
Portugal has announced its candidacy for the Human
Rights Council for the years 2015 to 2017. We hope to
be able to merit, once again, the trust of the Assembly
and to serve, for the first time, in that body.
The changes in today’s world call for the promotion
of a culture of dialogue on a global scale based on
tolerance and the respect for human dignity. The
United Nations should remain in the vanguard of those
efforts, namely through initiatives such as the Alliance
of Civilizations. I would like to congratulate the High
Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations for
his leadership and work in the defence of peace and
of a better understanding among peoples. Indeed, the
dialogue among different cultures, civilizations and
religions is at the very heart of the work of the United
Nations.
In conclusion, today, as in the past, the United
Nations has to reflect on what it is and what we
collectively want it to be. It should translate the
indispensable convergence of the common will of
States into actions that contribute to a better world.
Its central objective should be the maintenance of
international peace and security and greater prosperity
for all. Portugal stands steadfast in its commitment to
those efforts.


I will
begin my remarks by congratulating Mr. Vuk Jeremić,
President of the General Assembly, on his election.
My country offers its support to him as he fulfils his
important role. Success in his work will also represent
success for the United Nations and therefore for all the
peoples of the world. We endorse his commitment to
the “adjustment or settlement of international disputes
or situations by peaceful means”, and we support
the road map that he has outlined for the exercise of
his duties. We welcome the outstanding work of his
predecessor, Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, and
emphasize in particular his commitment to mediation.
We reiterate our support for the five imperatives of the
agenda presented in January by Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon for his second term.
Barely a year ago, we gathered in this Hall,
encouraged by an echo of hope. It came from North
Africa and the Middle East and was broadcast by
a wide cross-section of voices gathered around one
universal value — freedom. That hopeful clamour can
still be heard in the complex transitions to democracy,
propelled by the will of the people. Tunisia, Egypt and
Libya are the best examples. We convey our admiration
and respect to those countries and their people.
Today, however, the sounds most strongly
resonating in this Hall are the desperate cries of
women and children in Syria. To them, we convey our
solidarity. At the same time, we are distressed at the fury
unleashed by those who would manipulate intolerance
and extremism. We are worried by the resurgence of
territorial conflicts, the warmongering rhetoric of some
States and the indifference of autocratic regimes. We
face the ongoing challenges of relentless terrorism, drug
trafficking and organized crime. Meanwhile, alarming
signs of environmental destruction are cropping up
with increasing urgency. These challenges have made
us aware of the many threats we face, and they reiterate
the seminal importance of this Organization and of the
multilateral system as a whole.
The peaceful settlement of disputes is imperative
for peaceful coexistence among individuals, peoples
and countries. For Costa Rica, it is also a part of daily
life and a central goal of our foreign policy. It is a value
that is deeply rooted in our respect for diversity and our
commitment to tolerance and the rule of law. To prevent conflicts or to strip them of their violent consequences,
we must promote preventive diplomacy and mediation.
We enjoy the best results when these processes generate
legally binding agreements and decisions within the
framework of the rule of law. A clear link therefore
exists between the theme proposed by President
Jeremić for this session and the commitment by the
United Nations and its Member States to the rule of law.
Costa Rica believes in the power of mediation, and is
thus part of a group of countries dedicated to promoting
it within the United Nations. In July 2011, thanks to
an initiative by the group that was enthusiastically
supported by many other States, the Assembly adopted
by consensus its first resolution aimed at strengthening
the role of mediation (resolution 66/291). A few days
ago, the Assembly gave its support to a follow-up text.
Moreover, Costa Rica is proud to have headed up
one of the most successful mediation processes in the
history of our hemisphere. In the mid-1980s, various
armed conflicts bloodied our brotherly countries in
Central America. There seemed to be no way out of the
conflict. However, thanks to the tenacious leadership
of former Costa Rican President Óscar Arias Sánchez,
on 7 August 1987, the region’s Heads of State signed
the Central American peace plan in Guatemala. That
leadership earned our compatriot and President the
Nobel Peace Prize.
The success of the peace plan stemmed from
the double commitment of the signatories: to cease
hostilities, and to address their root causes. Thanks
to this comprehensive approach, the vision of the five
Presidents of the Central American isthmus and effective
international support, Central America silenced its
guns and achieved peace. It was a peace founded on
democracy and the commitment to development and
justice.
Unfortunately, the region today faces another
challenge of similar proportions. I refer to the onslaught
of drug trafficking and international organized crime.
We are a transit route between the production centres of
the south and the large consumption centre of the north.
This situation has made us the victims of a problem
over which we exercise minimal control. Our resources
to deal with the problem are even more meagre.
Central Americans countries have agreed on regional
strategies to work jointly on prevention, interdiction
and suppression, but our capacity for action is limited
and has prevented any rapid implementation. Despite all this, Costa Rica has rejected the
dangerous notion of a “war” to confront these scourges.
Rather, we are working to expand opportunities for
young people, promote preventative measures, improve
police capacity, strengthen the effectiveness of the
judiciary and assist addicts. Fortunately, we are seeing
results in terms of civil security. For example, our
murder rate, which is the lowest in Central America,
has fallen from 11.7 per 100,000 people in May 2011,
to 9 per 100,000 in May of this year. Reports of crime
in general decreased by 12 per cent from 2010 to 2011.
However, the cartels’ onslaught is so intense, the
logic of the drug market so disastrous, and the global
strategies to control it so disorganized and insufficient
that the outlook is grim.
Costa Rica therefore believes a more active link
must be developed between the United Nations and
the design and implementation of balanced regional
strategies to deal with the drug trade. Moreover, drug
traffickers must be viewed as a real threat to peace and
international security.
Costa Rica is a small, democratic, unarmed
and civilian country. The multilateral system and
international law are our only means of defence. For this
reason, we have recognized the compulsory jurisdiction
of the International Court of Justice since 1973.
At the end of 2010, we appealed to the Court after the
Government of Nicaragua illegally deployed military
forces and civilian personnel in part of our national
territory. In March of the following year, the Court
pronounced a series of provisional measures. Among
them, the Court ordered Nicaragua to remove its forces
from the disputed area and granted environmental
custody to Costa Rica. However, the Government
of Nicaragua has consistently f louted the order and
continued to send personnel to that area. It has done so
in open defiance of the Court, to the detriment of our
bilateral relations, and in violation of paragraph 31 of
the Declaration on the Rule of Law at the National and
International Levels that was adopted a week ago by the
Assembly (resolution 67/1). We do not want this case to
mar relations or, even worse, the profound human ties
between our countries. But Nicaragua has still failed to
fulfil the provisional measures of the Court. We regret
this, we condemn this and we denounce this once again
in this Hall.
Despite its clear adherence to the rule of law and
commitment to mediation, the international community
has been unable to adopt a key instrument for avoiding conflicts or, at least, limiting their destructive effects.
At the end of July 2012, we failed to reach a consensus
on a universal, robust and binding arms trade treaty.
It was a sombre moment for peace and human dignity.
Costa Rica, one of the co-authors of that initiative, will
not cease in its efforts to promote the kind of instrument
that the millions of victims of conventional weapons
are demanding from the silence of their tombs.
The rule of law should also be the foundation of
global governance. If this governance is to be robust in
any area, it should be in the area of the environment.
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development brought about important progress in this
respect. However, the biggest tasks and commitments
remain pending. While the global temperature
continues to rise, droughts and f loods continue to
exact a toll in lives, destroy infrastructure and displace
populations. The environmental threat is about to
assume exponential dimensions. We cannot wait any
longer to act.
Costa Rica adopted sustainability as a development
model several years ago and has embraced its national
responsibilities on the matter. We have increased
our forest coverage. We generate 90 per cent of our
energy from renewable sources. Over 25 per cent of
our territory is made up of national parks, and we have
adopted the goal of becoming a carbon-neutral country
by 2021. But these and many other initiatives by small
countries will be useless without the commitment of
the biggest carbon emitters and without international
cooperation for mitigation and adaption in the most
vulnerable countries.
The formulation of the post-2015 sustainable
development goals gives us an excellent opportunity
to move forward. We expect their formulation to be a
multisectoral and participatory process that includes
rule of law and good governance components.
Middle-income countries still need the support
of the international community to consolidate our
improvements in economic and human development.
Let us not forget that our achievements are due, in
part, to the proper use of cooperation mechanisms.
To eliminate these because they have been well used
would be a disastrous mistake. That is why Costa
Rica, together with other middle-income countries,
will continue to participate actively in improving the
methodology guiding the graduation processes in the
context of the United Nations Development Programme.
As we mentioned, we must consider, in the models for these processes, not only income, but also other criteria
that better reflect the extent of our challenges and
that foster cooperation strategies that provide greater
support to our development efforts.
The main leadership role in global governance
should be played by the United Nations, on the basis
of international law. Only legitimate multilateral
action can promote and protect the most important
global public goods. We cannot discount the external
challenges to the leadership of this Organization. But it
is more important that we recognize the internal need to
commit ourselves to making it more vigorous, effective,
efficient, inclusive and representative. Member States
should understand that the best way to promote our
national interests through the United Nations is to
reform it in order to improve its performance.
Costa Rica aligns itself with the concept of a global
Secretariat that was formulated by the Secretary-
General, and is ready to give its constructive support to
translating this idea into reality. We are also committed
to the comprehensive reform of the Security Council
and believe that improving its working methods should
be an ongoing process.
We emphasize the value of the responsibility
to protect as a critical operative principle of the
international community.
The fight against impunity is part of the fight for
human dignity. This is why we ardently support the
International Criminal Court, one of the most relevant
achievements of the multilateral system since the
creation of the United Nations.
The upheavals in the world today demand our
attention and fill us with dismay, but hope also
flourishes alongside them. What better example is
there, in this regard, than the spirit recently embodied
by the Olympic and Paralympic athletes in London, who
competed with clear rules, fair play, mutual respect and
a feeling of achievement? If the conflicts of our world
mimicked that experience, the course of humanity
would be different. Maybe such a fundamental change
is not possible, but we should at least continue to work
for a world that is more just, peaceful, free, sustainable,
and respectful of human dignity and the rule of law.
Costa Rica reiterates its profound commitment to this
task.


I wish
to congratulate Mr. Jeremić on his election as President
of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session.
I am confident that with his ability and experience he
will successfully fulfil that lofty mission. I also wish to thank Mr. Al-Nasser for his positive contribution as
President at the last session.
The world is undergoing major and profound
changes. The trends towards multipolarity, economic
globalization and the application of information
technology are gaining momentum. Countries have
never been as interconnected and interdependent as they
are today. Emerging markets and developing countries
have never had such strong influence, and cross-
civilizational dialogue and exchanges are flourishing
as never before. To promote peace, development
and cooperation has become the shared aspiration of
people across the world and the common pursuit of the
international community.
On the other hand, the world is still far from being
peaceful. The underlying impact of the international
financial crisis and the European debt crisis remains
strong. Destabilizing factors and uncertainties affecting
global growth have increased. Regional turbulence
persists, hotspot issues keep emerging and traditional
and non-traditional security issues have become
intertwined. The international security environment is
highly complex.
Facing both unprecedented opportunities and
challenges, we must not allow the outdated Cold War
mentality and zero-sum game theory to stand in our
way. We should act like passengers who stick together
in a boat when crossing a torrential river and seek
win-win progress through cooperation. That is the only
option for countries around the world. To ensure one’s
own security, a country should respect and accommodate
the security of other nations. To achieve one’s own
development, a country should actively promote
common development. In pursuing one’s own interests,
a country should take into account the interests of
other nations. Only by promoting common security and
development for all its members can the international
community effectively address complex and multiple
security threats and global challenges, resolve
increasingly serious difficulties facing development and
ensure durable peace and sustainable development in
the world. With that in mind, China believes that it is
important to do the following.
We should promote equality and democracy in
international relations. Mutual respect and equality
are basic norms governing international relations. All
countries, large or small, strong or weak, rich or poor,
are equal members of the international community. Respect for each other’s sovereignty, core interests
and choice of social system and development path is a
fundamental principle guiding State-to-State relations.
We should resolutely promote greater democracy in
international relations. A country should deal with its
internal affairs itself. Issues involving the interests of
various countries should be handled by those countries
through consultation. We should remain true to
multilateralism and uphold the purposes and principles
of the Charter of the United Nations and the central role
of the United Nations in international affairs.
China strives to strengthen political mutual trust
and to address problems and differences with other
countries through dialogue and exchanges. China does
not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries or
impose its will on others. China does not allow outside
forces to interfere in its internal affairs.
We should seek win-win progress through
cooperation on development. As economic globalization
deepens, all countries have a high stake in each other’s
success. We should therefore enhance cooperation
and develop common interests to achieve win-win
progress with benefits for all. We should tap the
potential for cooperation in all countries, increase and
develop cooperation, improve cooperation mechanisms
and work together to make economic globalization
balanced, inclusive and beneficial to all.
We should accelerate the development of
developing countries and narrow the North-South gap.
We should enhance global development cooperation to
ensure that the benefits of development reach everyone.
Since the start of the international financial crisis,
while maintaining its own robust growth, China has
significantly increased contributions to international
financial institutions, extended a helping hand to other
developing countries and bought more bonds from
certain developed countries. That has helped to stabilize
the international economic and financial situation and
to maintain the economic and social development of the
relevant countries.
We should ensure fairness and effectiveness in
conducting global governance. Facing increasing
global challenges, the international community should
strengthen coordination and cooperation, establish a
fair, equitable, flexible and effective system of global
governance, properly address the various global issues
and promote the common well-being of humanity.
China supports the United Nations in enhancing its authority, efficiency and ability to address new threats
and challenges through the required proper reform.
It is important to advance the building of a global
system of economic governance with a focus on
reforming the international financial system, rapidly
implement the quota and governance reform plans of
the International Monetary Fund and other financial
institutions, and increase the representation and voice of
emerging markets and developing countries. We should
fully implement the outcome and consensus of the
United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
(resolution 66/288, annex), further develop international
cooperation on sustainable development and discuss the
establishment of a post-2015 international development
agenda based on actively implementing the Millennium
Development Goals.
We should launch a process of open, transparent
and democratic intergovernmental consultation,
with development and poverty reduction as the core
objectives. We should also fully leverage the role of
civil society and the private sector in that task. Together
with all other parties, China is ready to actively
participate in reforming the international system and in
global governance and to jointly face the various global
challenges.
We should pursue common progress by embracing
the diversity of civilizations. According to ancient
Chinese philosophy, the world will be a great place
when all things thrive without harming each another
and when various efforts are pursued in parallel
without their clashing. We should encourage exchanges
and mutual learning among different civilizations and
social systems, draw on each other’s strength through
competition and comparison and make progress by
seeking common ground, while maintaining our
differences. We should respect the diversity of the world
and the right of all countries to independently choose
their development path. China encourages dialogue
and exchanges among civilizations. We should replace
confrontation with dialogue and bridge differences
with inclusiveness in order to make the world more
harmonious and to ensure common progress for
humanity.
We should seek common security amid growing
interdependence. No country is immune to the complex
and multiple security threats and challenges in the
world. We should foster a new thinking on security that
is characterized by mutual trust and benefit, equality and coordination. We should adopt a holistic approach
to address both the symptoms and the root causes of
the various security challenges and should build a
peaceful and stable international and regional security
environment.
The United Nations should fully play its role in
maintaining international peace and security and
in establishing a fair and effective mechanism for
common security. We must resolve disputes through
dialogue and negotiation and oppose the wilful use or
threat of force. We must oppose all forms of terrorism,
separatism and extremism.
West Asia and North Africa are undergoing
profound changes. China respects and supports efforts
by countries in those regions to independently deal
with their internal affairs. We respect the aspirations
and calls of people in those areas for change and
development. The unique features of those regions in
terms of religion, civilization, history and ethnicity
must be respected. We hope that the relevant parties will
settle differences through inclusive and constructive
political dialogue and that they will resolve problems
peacefully.
Safeguarding peace and stability in those areas,
upholding the fundamental and long-term interests of
Arab countries and ensuring the growth of friendly
China-Arab relations will remain a central goal of
China’s policy towards such regions. We will continue
to tirelessly strive, together with countries in those
areas, to promote peace and development in line with
the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United
Nations.
China is deeply concerned about the stalled
Palestinian-Israeli peace talks and the economic
and humanitarian difficulties facing the Palestinian
people. The turbulence in the region should not divert
international attention from the Palestinian issue. China
supports the Palestinian people in establishing, on the
basis of the 1967 border, an independent Palestinian State
that enjoys full sovereignty, with East Jerusalem as its
capital. China supports Palestine’s membership of the
United Nations and other international organizations.
China urges both Palestine and Israel to take concrete
measures to remove obstacles and to work for the early
resumption and substantive progress of the peace talks.
China is deeply concerned about the ongoing
tension and worsening humanitarian situation in
Syria. We call on all relevant parties in Syria to put an immediate end to the fighting and violence, to
implement the relevant Security Council resolutions,
Mr. Kofi Annan’s six-point plan and the communiqué
of the foreign ministers’ meeting of the Action Group
for Syria (A/66/865, annex), and to launch an inclusive
political dialogue and a Syrian-led political transition as
soon as possible. China is open to any political plan that
is acceptable to all parties in Syria. The relevant parties
of the international community should play a positive
and constructive role in that regard, credibly support
Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, Joint Special Representative
of the United Nations and the League of Arab States,
in conducting impartial mediation, and strive to set
in motion and move forward the process of political
transition in Syria.
The Iranian nuclear issue has reached a new, critical
stage. The relevant parties should remain committed to
a diplomatic solution and begin a new round of dialogue
as soon as possible. In the spirit of respecting each
other’s concerns, we should act with flexibility and
pragmatism to expand common ground and overcome
differences, seek early progress in dialogue and
negotiation and, over time, achieve a comprehensive,
long-term and appropriate solution to the issue. China
has always supported efforts to uphold the international
nuclear non-proliferation regime and will continue to
work with the parties concerned and play a constructive
role in seeking a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear
issue through dialogue and negotiation.
The Asia-Pacific region has maintained general
stability and rapid growth for many years, thereby
making important contributions to global stability
and prosperity. Given the growing threat of shrinkage
in the global economy and increasing volatility in the
international situation, maintaining peace, stability
and sound growth in the Asia-Pacific region is crucial
to ensuring the well-being of its people and meets the
broader interests of the international community.
We should fully respect the reality of a
diverse and interdependent Asia-Pacific region,
and continue to follow the approach of regional
cooperation — building consensus, making
incremental progress and accommodating each other’s
comfort levels — that has proved effective over the
years. We should promote regional development with
greater determination, advance regional cooperation
with increased resources, and handle differences with
longer-term interests in mind so as to uphold the peace,
stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region. As an important participant in building the
international system, China is committed to sharing
development opportunities with other countries and
to working with them to overcome various challenges
and realize security and development for all. China
will stay the course of peaceful development. We seek
a peaceful international environment in which China
can promote its own development. By so doing, China
will contribute to global peace and development. China
is firm in upholding its core interests. At the same
time, it respects the legitimate right of other countries
to protect their interests. We seek to expand common
interests with other parties for the sake of the common
good.
China has contributed a total of some 21,000
personnel to United Nations peacekeeping missions
and taken an active part in international cooperation
on counter-terrorism, anti-piracy and non-proliferation
efforts. In our efforts to resolve major international
and regional hotspot issues, we have urged the parties
concerned to seek peaceful solutions through negotiation
and thereby played an important and constructive role
in easing tensions and achieving the political resolution
of those issues. China has made remarkable progress
in pursuing peaceful development and will continue to
follow that path in the years to come.
China will enhance friendly relations and
cooperation with all other countries on the basis of
the five principles of peaceful coexistence and strive
to promote a new type of relationship among major
countries based on mutual respect and win-win
cooperation. Following a policy of building good
relationships and partnerships with neighbouring
countries, China has actively expanded exchanges with
its neighbours.
China has contributed to over 50 per cent of
Asia’s growth for many consecutive years. We have
endeavoured to build mechanisms of mutual trust and
political cooperation with other Asian countries and
appropriately to address differences and frictions among
relevant countries. On the basis of firmly upholding
China’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,
we have worked with our neighbours to maintain sound
relations and overall stability in the region. China treats
other developing countries as good friends and good
partners; we therefore support each other and seek
common development on the basis of equality.
By the end of 2011, the Chinese Government had
built over 2,200 projects that are important to the local economies and people’s lives in the countries
concerned. We have cancelled the debts owed to China
by 50 heavily indebted poor and least-developed
countries. We have trained over 60,000 personnel in
various sectors for 173 developing countries and 13
regional and international organizations. All of that has
contributed to the economic and social development of
other developing countries.
China has taken an active part in reforming the
international system and global governance, and
assumed its due share of international responsibilities
and obligations as its capabilities permit. We are
working to build a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory
global trading system and a more equal and balanced
new global partnership for development. We support
a greater role for the Group of Twenty as the premier
forum for international economic cooperation, as well
as the efforts of emerging markets represented by the
BRICS group — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South
Africa — aimed at exploring a new model of global
cooperation.
The global economy is at a critical stage, and
achieving full recovery and sustained growth will be a
long and difficult task. Last year, despite a challenging
economic environment both at home and abroad, China
registered a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate
of 9.3 per cent, and made good progress in adjusting its
economic structure and improving people’s lives. Since
the beginning of the year, in order to address some
new problems in economic performance, the Chinese
Government has stepped up anticipatory fine-tuning of
the economy and introduced a series of targeted policy
measures. That has boosted market confidence and
ensured steady growth.
China’s GDP grew by 7.8 per cent in the first half of
the year, and the country has enjoyed sound economic
and social development. China is still in an important
period of strategic opportunities for development.
Industrialization, urbanization, the application of
information technology and agricultural modernization
will continue to unlock our great potential for
development. We have the confidence, means and
ability to maintain steady and robust growth and
achieve long-term, sound and sustainable development.
During its twelfth five-year plan for the period
2011-2015, China’s domestic market will become one of
the largest in the world. Its total imports are expected
to exceed $10 trillion, and direct outbound investment is expected to exceed $500 billion. That will create
enormous business and job opportunities for the world
and provide good opportunities for other countries’
development.
The Diaoyu Islands have been an integral part
of China’s territory since ancient times. China has
indisputable historical and legal evidence in that
regard. Japan seized the islands in 1895 at the end of the
Sino-Japanese War and forced the Chinese Government
of the time to sign an unequal treaty to cede the islands
and other Chinese territories to Japan. After the Second
World War, the Diaoyu Islands and other Chinese
territories occupied by Japan were returned to China
in accordance with the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam
Agreement and other international documents.
By taking such unilateral actions as the so-called
island purchase, the Japanese Government has grossly
violated China’s sovereignty. This is an outright denial
of the outcomes of the victorious anti-fascist World
War and poses a grave challenge to the post-war
international order and the purposes and principles of
the Charter of the United Nations. The moves made by
Japan are totally illegal and invalid. They can in no way
change the historical fact that Japan stole the Diaoyu
Islands from China and that China has territorial
sovereignty over them. The Chinese Government is
firm in upholding China’s territorial sovereignty. China
strongly urges Japan to immediately stop all activities
violating China’s territorial sovereignty, take concrete
action to correct its mistakes and return to the path of
resolving the dispute through negotiation.
The Communist Party of China will soon hold
its eighteenth National Congress. We are confident
that the important meeting will lead China’s reform,
opening-up and modernization drive to a new stage.
The facts have shown and will continue to prove that
China’s development is peaceful, open, cooperative and
win-win in nature. We will work with the international
community to follow the trend of history and the call
of the times and build a harmonious world of enduring
peace and shared prosperity.


Allow me to congratulate
the President on his election to the presidency of the
General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. I would
like to assure him of my delegation’s full support and
cooperation during his tenure of office. His impeccable
credentials and experience will ensure a successful
session. I also wish to commend his predecessor for his
sterling leadership during the previous session.
The establishment of the United Nations by 51
countries following the Second World War ushered in
hope for collective security, shared prosperity and justice
in international relations. Six decades have passed and
the membership of the Organization has swelled more
than threefold. But obstacles still remain in the path
towards creating a world that was envisioned by our
forebears. We know the solutions that can effectively
address the multifaceted challenges that confront our
world. But it is increasingly difficult to arrive at those
solutions within the multilateral system. On the international stage, unilateral actions that
defy civility and international law are growing more
frequent, and increasingly go unpunished. Despite the
lessons of history, there are countries that still believe
they can solve the political problems of our time through
war and coercion. It does not matter to them that history
has shown that the goal of domination through the use
of force is not only elusive and dangerous but also
unsustainable.
Humankind derives no comfort from the potential
conflict between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the
Western Powers over Iran’s nuclear programme. That
looming crisis can be avoided not through the threats
being made against Iran, but through negotiations based
on respect for sovereign equality and the recognition of
the rights and legitimate fears of all parties involved.
Our generation is already facing too many problems.
Surely we cannot afford another avoidable war.
We are saddened by the increasing tension in the East
China Sea between two of the most respectable members
of the international community, the People’s Republic
of China and Japan. No one should take advantage of
the situation to fan the flames of discord between those
two great nations and ancient civilizations. Instead, we
must encourage them to resolve their differences with
maturity and through peaceful dialogue.
In the Middle East, it is about time that individual
interests gave way to compassion and reason, so that
the people of Palestine can enjoy their inalienable
right to self-determination in our lifetimes. Two States
existing side by side in peace and security have long
been recognized by the international community as the
only plausible route to enduring peace and stability in
the region. The State of Israel must be prevailed upon
to support that solution. It must stop building illegal
settlements on Palestinian lands, which have the
potential to render the prospects of a two-State solution
irrelevant.
Our call for lifting the economic embargo against
the Republic of Cuba has gone unheeded for the past
20 years. Our thoughts are with the ordinary people of
Cuba who for decades have been denied the fruits of
globalization and prosperity through no fault of their
own. This unfortunate situation has continued for too
long and must be resolved. We call on all stakeholders
involved to search for a just and peaceful solution, just
as we continue to call on the Kingdom of Morocco
to cooperate with the international community and facilitate the independence and self-determination of
the people of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
Peace within and among nations is a fundamental
condition for development. The dream of a prosperous
world will continue to be an illusion if tensions persist
and our world is perpetually at war with itself. That
is why we welcome as timely and relevant the choice
of theme for this session, “Bringing about adjustment
or settlement of international disputes or situations by
peaceful means”.
Today, many nations are rising up against
dictatorial regimes in defence of their basic human
rights and freedoms. The popular democratic uprising
in the Arab world has underscored the frustration of the
people with longstanding political repression and lack
of accountability. In some Arab countries this quest for
freedom, human rights and democracy has been met
with atrocious force and brutality. The Government
of Syria must accept the popular legitimacy and
supremacy of the people’s aspirations before it is too
late. Further militarization of the situation in Syria will
make the conflict too costly in terms of human life. At
the same time, we call on all countries to refrain from
interfering in the internal affairs of Syria in a manner
that undermines the prospects of peace in that country.
True revolutions need no external sponsors. The efforts
of the international community must focus on helping
the Syrian people find a negotiated, peaceful and lasting
settlement of the ongoing conflict in their country.
Africa, too, is trying hard to rid itself of wars and
conflicts. While we thought we had dealt with the scourge
of the coups d’état, it has recently reared its ugly head
in a few African countries. We call on the international
community to join hands with the African Union and
stand firm in refusing to recognize any Government
that comes to power through unconstitutional means.
It is indeed a mockery of the United Nations, as an
Organization that cherishes democratic values and
principles, to accord legitimacy to unconstitutional
regimes by allowing them to participate in its activities
on an equal footing with bona fide Members. In
Africa, we have adopted a policy of zero tolerance to
unconstitutional changes of Government, and have
remained steadfast in our resolve to refuse to recognize
Governments that have no democratic legitimacy. We
urge the international community to support that policy
and to make it universal. Africa has not been without successes in pursuing
the settlement of disputes by peaceful means. The United
Nations, the African Union and other stakeholders have
worked together with the Somali authorities to pave
the way for peace in Somalia. The positive results of
that joint effort are beginning to be visible. Remarkable
strides towards democracy and State-building have
been registered. The election of the President less than
two weeks ago is a cause for celebration. Today, the
people of Somalia have reason to hope that they can
put the unfortunate era of instability behind them. It is
important to recognize, however, that the road ahead
for the Government and the people of Somalia is still
long and steep. The continued and unfaltering support
of the international community is indespensable to
ensuring that Somalia does not relapse into conflict and
become a failed State.
The development and possession of nuclear and
other weapons of mass destruction remains a serious
concern for the peace and security of humankind.
Some States possess those weapons in large quantities
and have not remained faithful to their commitments
under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons. Those States often threaten to humiliate
non-nuclear-weapon States. That is why other countries
aspire to acquire nuclear weapons. We must renew
our collective commitment to a nuclear-weapon-free
world — a world that is safe for future generations,
sustained by the shared values of universal peace and
prosperity.
In the same way, for as long as international trade
in small arms, light weapons and other conventional
weapons remains unregulated, peace will continue to
elude us. The failure of the international community,
less than three months ago, to conclude a robust, legally
binding arms trade treaty has left an indelible mark on
our generation. We need to step up efforts during this
sixty-seventh session and live up to our responsibilities.
Conventional weapons, including small arms and light
weapons, are the real weapons of mass destruction in
Africa; they fuel conflict and account for the death of
scores of our people every day.
Across the globe, military and political repression
have combined with religious intolerance to sustain the
spectre of terrorism that continues to besiege our world.
While the international community must address those
root causes, there can be no acceptable justification for
terrorism, because it is both brutal and indiscriminate,
and it is innocent people, including women and children, who bear the brunt of it. Lesotho condemns
terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It does
not matter if it is sponsored by States or individuals,
or whether its evil schemes are carried out by crude
means or the most sophisticated weaponry. The recent
murder of American diplomats in Libya demonstrates
the brutality and senselessness of terrorism. It deserves
our strongest condemnation. We extend our sincere
condolences to the people and Government of the
United States of America.
A few days ago, we had an opportunity to reaffirm
our resolve to uphold the rule of law both at the national
and international levels. Respect for the rule of law is
a precondition for guaranteeing fundamental freedoms
and respect for human rights. Similarly, strengthening
the rule of law at the international level is critical for
effectively addressing our current global challenges.
International law is the very foundation of peaceful
coexistence between nations.
The role played by the International Court of
Justice as an instrument for the peaceful resolution
of conflicts and the bedrock of the international legal
order is sacrosanct. Lesotho reaffirms its support for
the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and
for other established international courts and tribunals.
But those bodies must not be politicized, so that they
can retain their integrity and fairness.
It is almost four years since the multiple global
crises befell us, yet the prospects for economic recovery
remain gloomy. Evidence of climate change is all around
us. Extreme weather conditions, f loods, drought, soil
degradation and the rise of sea levels threaten the very
existence of humankind. In my country, drought and
f loods have heightened food insecurity, and famine is
looming. In August, my Government had to declare
Lesotho in a situation of food crisis and called on its
development partners to assist. That followed a severe
drought that afflicted Lesotho in the last planting
season. I am humbled to repeat that call for help
before this body. Our response to the crisis will focus
on the priorities of subsidizing agricultural input and
promoting drought-resistant crops, as well as scaling up
conservation farming and providing nutrition services
to mothers of infants and young children.
We went to Rio de Janeiro in June with a
determination to adopt ambitious and measurable steps
to address sustainable development. Regrettably, the
Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development did not meet everyone’s expectations. A
lack of a concrete commitment by developed countries
to provide developing countries with financing and
technology is a source of concern. Nevertheless, there
is still hope that a sustainable future is within reach.
We must continue to work for the future we want and
deserve.
As we march forward, we must ensure that the
formulation of the sustainable development goals and
their interphase with the post-2015 development agenda
is done carefully and in an inclusive manner. We must
avoid parallel tracks for the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) and the sustainable development goals,
which should be viewed as being complementary to,
and not a substitute for, the MDGs.
The United Nations, which has remained the same
for the past 67 years, cannot be effective in efficiently
addressing the challenges of our time. The need for
the early reform of the United Nations, in particular
the Security Council, was universally agreed by the
international community at the World Summit in 2005.
Yet, seven years later, negotiations on the reform of the
Council are still without progress. As the status quo is maintained, the Council remains largely inept in the
discharge of its mandate. Let us resolve to make the
Assembly’s sixty-seventh session one of action and less
rhetoric.
Allow me to conclude by pointing out that a
responsive, effective and efficient multilateral system
is the only answer to the problems of the twenty-first
century. It must be a United Nations that draws on the
full diversity of its membership. With the necessary
commitment and political will, that goal can indeed be
attained.


It is my distinct honour
to address the Assembly on behalf of the Government
and people of Belize. I wish to congratulate Mr. Vuk
Jeremić on his election as President of the General
Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. I am confident
that he will guide the deliberations of the Assembly in
a forthright and skilful manner.
I take this opportunity to reaffirm Belize’s
unequivocal commitment to the principles, goals
and ideals of the United Nations, and to pledge our
unconditional support for the success of its endeavours.
Based on its performance over the past 67 years, we
feel confident to opine that, whereas the United Nations
is unquestionably imperfect, just as our democracy is
imperfect, our United Nations is also, however — like
democracy — the best institution devised by mankind
dedicated exclusively to achieving a safer, more just
and prosperous world.
As the twenty-first century inexorably evolves,
laying bare the fragility and vulnerability of our planet
to dangerous global forces, both natural and man-made,
which threaten the existence of all living things on
our planet, the genius and prescience of the founding
fathers in creating the United Nations is illuminated
beyond doubt. It is probably debatable whether in
1945 the imperative for mankind to work together
in harmony to ensure the survival of our very planet
was appreciated by all nations. It may be questionable
whether it was universally appreciated in 1945 that it
was absolutely necessary to have a global institution
dedicated to the protection of mankind against man’s
penchant for causing destruction as well as against
Nature’s destructive elements and forces. Today,
however, the need for the United Nations is not only
manifest to everyone, but there are clarion calls for it
to do more and to be more inclusive, representative and
democratic, calls to which Belize adds its voice.
My country gained its independence largely in
consequence of a resolution of the United Nations
calling upon the United Kingdom to grant us our
independence by the end of 1981, thereby bringing to
an end more than 100 years of colonial administration.
But whereas we attained our political independence in
September 1981, our sovereignty over our homeland is
still being threatened by a territorial claim dating back
to the post-1940s by our neighbour Guatemala. We therefore find the theme for this session’s
debate a timely and fitting one, namely, bringing about
adjustment or settlement of international disputes or
situations by peaceful means. Happily, I can today
inform the Assembly that the Governments of Guatemala
and Belize both have agreed to a recommendation of
the Secretary-General of the Organization of American
States to allow the Guatemalan claim to be adjudicated
upon by the International Court of Justice if that is
the will of the citizens of our respective countries, as
expressed in simultaneous referendums to be held on
6 October 2013.
The resolution of the territorial differendum
between Belize and Guatemala will not only consolidate
Belize’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also
enhance the peace and security of our subregion and be
conducive to the strengthening and deepening of our
regional integration process.
Belizeans are a peace-loving people. We abhor
conflict. We believe in the rule of law. And we have
faith in the United Nations.
With almost half of our population under the age
of 25 and approximately 37 per cent under the age of
18, our nation’s future and destiny are inextricably tied
to the welfare of our children. And in order for them
to attain their full potential, they must be properly
nurtured and fed with balanced, nutritious meals. They
must be safely and comfortably housed and they must
be properly educated and trained, beginning from the
time they are in the cradle. Our children must be trained
and educated especially in science and technology.
They must be trained to think creatively, to be fiercely
competitive, to be industrious and to be prudent in
the management of our resources. Our Government is
convinced that it is only with this type of training and
development that our citizens will be able to compete
successfully in the world market and generate the
wealth that is required to transform our society into a
truly developed nation. If we fail our children today, we
are setting ourselves up to fail in our common future.
With a view to attaining development objectives,
our Government has initiated some ambitious,
comprehensive pro-poor policies. For example, our
Government is committed to a programme to ensure that
low-income Belizean families do not have to face the
difficult choice between sending their children to school
or buying food. Qualifying families in underserved
rural or urban areas can already rely on our conditional
cash-transfer programme and on our food pantry
programme. We provide education subsidies to families
of children attending secondary school. We continue
to emphasize and expand early childhood education
and to improve access to alternative education. We are
investing in improving the quality of the health care to
which our citizens have access.
As a small State that took its place among the
nations of the world only 31 years ago, Belize is
experiencing all the growing pains that naturally afflict
the young. Furthermore, our situation is aggravated by
the fact our population is less than 350,000 persons,
who trace their origins to all over the globe and are
consequently multi-ethnic, multi-faith, multilingual
and multicultural. With such a diverse population, the
urgency of social cohesion cannot be overstated. When
we add to this mix the challenges which today confront
us all, occasioned by natural disasters such as climate
change and by man-made ones such as the global
financial collapse and transnational criminal activity,
it becomes readily apparent that it is wholly beyond
the capacity of any one Government to discharge its
obligation towards its citizens solely through national
initiatives and devices and solely with domestic
resources.
For this reason, the Belize Government has
embraced the multilateral system and our cooperation
partners around the world. We are partnering with
them in many fields, including economic, social,
environmental and humanitarian, in our perennial
quest to better secure all our citizens and develop them
to their fullest potential. In this regard, United Nations
funds, programmes and agencies such as the United
Nations Development Programme, the United Nations
Population Fund, UNICEF, UNESCO, the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the
World Health Organization are working tirelessly with
countries like Belize to carry out the decisions of the
international community and support efforts to meet
the aspirations of our people. Belize avails itself of this
opportunity to thank all our development partners for
the tremendous contributions they make daily to the
security and development of our country and people.
We know that more can and, indeed, must be done
to raise our ambitions in delivering for the poor, for the
needy and for the vulnerable. It is therefore urgent that
we move to shape a post-2015 development agenda that
reflects our equal stake in a common future, addresses the concerns of the wealthy and strong, and meets the
needs of the poor and the vulnerable.
Belize remains fully supportive of all regional
initiatives. We have sought and obtained membership
in the Organization of American States, the Caribbean
Community (CARICOM), the Central American
Integration System and the Community of Latin
American and Caribbean States. We work closely in all
these subregional groupings on the issues of concern
to us such as climate change, security and economic
development. And here we feel constrained to point
out that the impact of climate change on our region has
been direct, dire and devastating, compelling us to join
forces with our CARICOM partners and with the wider
Alliance of Small Island States to advance our interests
in the climate change negotiation process. In that
connection, Belize is proud of its contribution as host
nation of the CARICOM Climate Change Centre, which
is tasked to provide technical and scientific advice
to inform subregional policy positions in executing
adaptation and mitigation projects in our subregion and
to raise awareness of the deleterious impact of climate
change in our respective countries. We thank the staff
of that institution for the sterling work they are doing.
With respect to the nefarious enterprises of
transnational trafficking in humans, drugs and arms,
Belize subscribes to the view that a regional response
is imperative to combat these pernicious scourges.
Our countries are not the markets for these illicit
commodities. Our countries do not benefit from
the immense profits generated by these criminal
enterprises, yet we bear the burden of having to divert
scarce resources, badly needed for development, to
combat the activities of these merchants of death and
destruction. Indeed, our countries are overwhelmed by
the grim tasks which now befall us of having to mend
the shattered lives of our children and of mourning
their untimely deaths. That is why Belize is committed
to the implementation of the Central America Regional
Security Strategy and to working with our partners
to ensure that the Strategy has the level of support
necessary to guarantee that it is effective.
Our region, Central America and the Caribbean,
has been labelled as among the most violent regions
of the world, with homicide rates that have reached
crisis levels, occasioned largely by the use of small
arms and light weapons. But almost all small arms and
light weapons found in our region start out as legally
manufactured and legally traded arms. Every Member
of the United Nations is involved in some measure in this
trade, which we believe is of dubious value to mankind.
It is therefore deeply regrettable that, despite what
appeared to be an emerging consensus and despite the
underlying global urgency of a multilateral response,
the conclusion of an arms trade treaty has so far been
beyond the reach of the international community. It
is urgent, in our view, that we redouble our efforts to
break the gridlock and reach the compromise necessary
to arrive at a consensus on an arms trade treaty as soon
as possible.
The States of Latin America and the Caribbean are
almost all classified — wrongly and unjustly, in our
view — as middle-income countries. That is a generic
classification that masks the varied challenges our
countries continue to face arising from poverty, high
levels of income inequality, economic vulnerabilities
and debt. As a consequence, all our countries have
been calling for a change in paradigm so that the
classification of countries as middle-income countries
no longer guides development cooperation. We urge all
our development partners to heed this call and address
this situation.
Finally, we would like to echo the call of other
Members of this institution who have advocated the
lifting of the economic embargo against Cuba, which
continues to fetter the development of that sister
Caribbean nation and its people.
Belize also notes and joins those positive voices
that support Taiwan. We therefore urge Taiwan’s full
participation in the United Nations.
We ask also that urgent attention be given to the
concerns of the people of Israel and Palestine, whose
legitimate expectation to live peaceful, fruitful lives
continues to be frustrated. And we stand in solidarity
with the citizens of the Middle East, particularly those
in Syria, in their quest for those democratic freedoms
to which we all aspire.
As we move ahead to take on the new challenges
that will emerge during the sixty-seventh session, as
we redouble our efforts to address the long-standing
problems our world faces, and as we renew our faith
in the multilateral system, the role of the Assembly
and of our United Nations Organization will become
increasingly critical and relevant. This is the only body
that is truly universal in character and which commands
legitimacy and authority. The entire world looks to the
United Nations to solve the multitudinous problems which beset mankind. In the circumstances, the United
Nations is simply just too big to fail in the discharge of
its singular obligation: to safeguard the well-being and
safety of humankind and planet Earth.


At the outset, I would
like to congratulate Mr. Vuk Jeremić on his election
as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-
seventh session. I am confident that his experience in
international affairs will enable him to guide the work
of this session wisely and ably, and I wish him every
success in his task.
I would also like to commend his predecessor,
Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, for his
successful and prudent leadership of the sixty-sixth
session of the General Assembly, and to commend the
great efforts made by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
and pay tribute to his tireless efforts and the role of this
international Organization in promoting international
peace, security and development.
Security and stability in the Arab Gulf region are a
high priority for all of us. Our balanced policies are based
on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations
and the provisions of international law, especially those
calling for peaceful coexistence, confidence-building,
good neighbourliness, mutual respect, non-interference
in the internal affairs of other States, and pursuing
peaceful means in resolving conflicts and disputes.
On the basis of those principles, my Government
expresses, once again, its regret regarding the
continued Iranian occupation of our three islands:
Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb. We demand
the restoration of the United Arab Emirates’ full
sovereignty over those islands. We emphasize that all
actions and measures taken by Iran are null and void,
and are in contravention of international law and all
norms and universal human values.
The events unfolding in Syria are for us a cause
for great sadness. They have gone beyond all limits
and norms. The United Arab Emirates is closely, and
with great concern, following the policies of violence,
killing, displacement and expulsion being pursued by
the Syrian regime against its people, which regime
has lost all its legitimacy. We therefore call upon the
international community to consider with seriousness
and firmness what is happening to our Syrian brothers
and to shoulder its humanitarian responsibilities.
We see it as our duty to stop those atrocities against
the peaceful Syrian people. We are convinced that a solution to the crisis can be achieved only through an
orderly transition of power.
That severe humanitarian crisis requires us
to support the people of Syria, in particular the
refugees. The United Arab Emirates has shouldered
its responsibilities and obligations towards the Syrian
refugees in Turkey and Jordan and will continue to do
so by providing relief. We urge all States to contribute
to such humanitarian efforts.
The Middle East holds great importance for us,
and we believe that peace and stability will never be
achieved in that region until the Arab-Israeli conflict
is resolved. That is the central and vital issue to the
people of the entire region, and reaching a just solution
is the key for bringing peace and stability to the whole
area. It cannot be realized without putting an end to
the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian and Arab
territories through Israel’s withdrawal to the lines
of 4 June 1967, including from East Jerusalem, the
occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the remaining
occupied Lebanese territories. The achievement of a
just and comprehensive peace must be carried out in
accordance with resolutions of international legitimacy,
the principle of land for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative
and the establishment of an independent Palestinian
State, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The United Arab Emirates welcomes the
considerable progress achieved in the political process
in Somalia through the completion of the transitional
phase, the convening of the Constituent Assembly,
the adoption of the Constitution of Somalia and the
election of Mr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the new
President of Somalia. We also reaffirm our support
for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political
independence of Somalia, and look forward to working
with its Government towards achieving security and
stability and countering piracy in a region of such
vital importance, not only with respect to oil and gas
transport but also to the world economy in general.
In the United Arab Emirates, we remain committed
to supporting the security and stability of Afghanistan
and confirm the continuation of our humanitarian and
developmental support to that distressed country. In
that context, we welcome the outcome of the donors
conference that was held in Tokyo, with the hope that
the pledges announced at the conference will contribute
to the process of the reconstruction of Afghanistan. As
we approach the year 2014 and the commitment for
military withdrawal from Afghanistan and for turning
the country over to its people and Government, we
aspire to see an Afghanistan that is free from terrorism,
extremism and violence.
At the same time, the United Arab Emirates
expresses its deep concern over the violence against
the Rohingya Muslim community in Myanmar and
calls upon the international community to urge the
Government of Myanmar to cease all acts incompatible
with the principles of fundamental human rights.
We reaffirm our commitment to all requirements of
nuclear non-proliferation and renew our support for the
efforts aimed at designating the region of the Middle
East, including the Arab Gulf region, a zone free of
weapons of mass destruction — especially the Arab
Gulf region. In that context, we must also call upon
Israel to join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons and subject all of its nuclear facilities
to the comprehensive safeguards regime.
In that regard, we urge the Islamic Republic of Iran
to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy
Agency in implementing its international commitments
in order to dispel all fears and suspicions surrounding
its nuclear programme. We look forward to a peaceful
solution to that crisis, ensuring that our region remains
free of tension and conflict, while guaranteeing the
transparency and peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear
programme.
The United Arab Emirates began in 2009 to develop
a nuclear energy programme for peaceful uses in order
to meet the country’s growing demand for energy and to
support economic development projects. It ensured that
the programme’s rules and regulations were based on
the highest standards of sustained safety and security
measures and principles of nuclear non-proliferation.
I take the opportunity to call upon the States of the
region to draw on the experience of the United Arab
Emirates in that field and to study the standards of
transparency, technology, safety and security upon
which the programme is based.
We would like to emphasize the importance of
addressing the implications of climate change, which
involves developing renewable energy technologies to
achieve sustainable development and providing clean
energy for developing countries, which are among
the goals advocated by the United Arab Emirates in
offering various types of humanitarian and development
assistance.

The United Arab Emirates reiterates its firm
condemnation of all acts of terrorism, illicit trafficking
in drugs and arms and human trafficking, as well as
organized crime, which are interlinked phenomena that
feed into each other. It reaffirms its resolve to continue
cooperating with international and multilateral efforts
aiming at the total elimination of those negative
phenomena, which pose a direct threat to international
peace and security.
The United Arab Emirates has announced the
establishment of the International Centre of Excellence
for Countering Violent Extremism, in collaboration with
several inf luential friends and actors, which will begin
its work in Abu Dhabi at the end of the year. Moderation
and tolerance are the basic principles guiding our
political orientation and represent lofty values to the
citizens of the United Arab Emirates and to society as
a whole. In that sense, the United Arab Emirates has
been and will remain committed to moderation in its
approach, and accepts other communities as part of a
diverse world built on mutual respect. Those are the
human values that have formed our convictions with
regard to many issues, such as counterterrorism, human
rights, the empowerment of women and coexistence
among peoples and religious sects.
The United Arab Emirates emphasizes the
importance of consolidating the values of tolerance,
moderation and respect for religions, as well as the
importance of protecting religions against defamation
and contempt and stresses the need to develop the
necessary legislation in that regard. I must condemn,
in the strongest possible terms, abuses against Islam,
as freedom of expression should not be allowed to
undermine any religion or belief, whatsoever. We also
condemn all violent reactions to any such abuse.
Terrorism poses a challenge to international peace
and security and leads to violating the human rights
of ordinary people by depriving them of the right
to live in peace and prosperity. In that context and
based on our commitment to the principles of human
rights, the United Arab Emirates renews its support of
international efforts aimed at ensuring peace, security
and prosperity for all the peoples of the world, and
looks forward to expanding its engagement in that area.
The United Arab Emirates has also been focusing
its efforts on reducing gender discrimination.
Therefore, we look forward to playing an active role
in the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and
the Empowerment of Women, based on our successful  national experience in empowering the women of
the United Arab Emirates, who actively participate
in managing the affairs of the State as well as the
community.
In conclusion, I would like to appeal to all
Member States to support the quest of the United Arab
Emirates to host World Expo 2020 in Dubai under the
slogan “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”. We
look forward to receiving the support necessary to
strengthen my country’s candidacy, particularly since it
is the first time that the event will be held in the Middle
East, North Africa and South Asia region.


I commend the Secretary-
General for his immense efforts in leading the United Nations and its Secretariat to fulfil its mission and
implement the tasks with which the Organization is
charged. The theme of this session is very timely. The
United Nations plays a leading role in the settlement of
disputes by peaceful means. It possesses the legal and
institutional framework to do so.
States Members of the United Nations have
committed themselves to the principles contained in the
Charter. The peaceful settlement of disputes therefore
primarily depends on the determination of the national
and international leaders. Only if they are determined
can the United Nations and other international
organizations and institutions arrive at decisions and
take action.
Let me speak about some concrete challenges
that require strong will and decisive action by the
international community. The conflict in Syria threatens
security and stability in the whole region and beyond.
Latvia urges all members of the Security Council to
find the political will to unite and resolve that crisis.
The lives of innocent people must be protected.
The risk of the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction is one of the most serious global threats.
The international community should be united in its
commitment to prevent it. Latvia is seriously concerned
about the potential use of Syria’s stockpiles of chemical
weapons.
We deplore the lack of progress in dialogue with
Iran on the nature of its nuclear programme. We believe
that its full cooperation to clarify all outstanding
questions is needed.
We call for strengthening the efforts to reach the
goals of the the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons and its action plan. In that regard,
we applaud the steps taken by the United States and
Russia towards global disarmament and transparency.
We hope that they will trigger further efforts to reduce
the reliance on nuclear weapons.
Latvia also welcomes the consensus outcome of
the second Review Conference on Small Arms and
Light Weapons. We should redouble our efforts to find
solutions on the Arms Trade Treaty as soon as possible.
Latvia welcomes the increasingly active role
played by regional organizations such as the African
Union and the League of Arab States in the peaceful
settlement of conflicts.

European regional organizations have also been
actively working towards the resolution of protracted
conflicts in the wider Europe. We see a positive
trend towards a political settlement in Transnistria,
Republic of Moldova. However, only with progress on
the withdrawal of foreign troops will any settlement
be sustainable. A multinational peacekeeping mission
with an international mandate could be a rational way
forward.
The consequences of the conflict in Georgia in
2008 will have a long-lasting effect on the security
situation in the region. The European Union Monitoring
Mission in Georgia is presently the only international
player that monitors the implementation of the sixpoint
agreement. Gaining actual access to the occupied
territories would contribute to lasting progress. In
addition, the restoration of a meaningful presence of
the United Nations in Georgia is needed.
We remain concerned about the increasing number
of incidents at the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The conflicting sides should abstain from hostile public
rhetoric and should concentrate on confidence-building
measures. The conduct of major military exercises in
that volatile region should be avoided.
Afghanistan has been at the centre of the world’s
attention for much more than a decade. We believe
that the international community is fully committed to
assisting the Afghan Government in strengthening its
public administration and the National Security Forces.
Latvia will continue its involvement in the European
Union (EU) and NATO missions in Afghanistan. We
also intend to participate in the missions after 2014. In
addition, Latvia will provide a financial contribution to
the international fund in support of the Afghan National
Security Forces.
The future of Afghanistan is closely linked to
economic development and regional cooperation.
We encourage the full engagement of the Central
Asian countries in discussions on the region’s future.
Afghanistan has the potential to become a regional hub
for transportation and transit. Using our experience as
an entry point to the Northern Distribution Network,
Latvia is already engaged in training Afghan experts
in the areas of transportation and anti-drug trafficking.
The global economic and financial crisis has
focused leaders’ attention on immediate measures to
overcome it, often diverting their attention from long-term global challenges. The world economy remains
fragile, even if some positive trends can be observed.
Latvia welcomes all efforts to stabilize the situation in
the eurozone and supports recent steps in that regard.
We are working hard to be part of the solution and to
become a net contributor to global economic stability.
Latvia’s own gross national product grew more
than 5.5 per cent in 2011. That positive trend is set to
continue in 2012. Over the past decade, we have achieved
significant progress with respect to both income and
structural convergence. The quality of governance and
economic structures in Latvia is comparable to that
of the member countries of the Office of Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD). Looking to
the OECD’s expected enlargement, Latvia is ready to
offer its experience with transition and with the kind of
decisive reforms that are leading us to recovery from
the recent crisis.
Overall, Latvia has emerged from the downturn
stronger and more competitive, with a balanced
economy and a positive business environment that
positions us well for the next growth cycle. Above all,
the sustainability of economic health must go hand
in hand with the process of incorporation into the
eurozone. Latvia believes that the challenges can be
overcome and aims to introduce the euro in 2014.
International peace and security are closely linked
with two other pillars of the United Nations, namely,
development and human rights. Latvia welcomes the
establishment of the high-level panel on the post-2015
development agenda. We are pleased that the EU’s
Commissioner for Development, Mr. Andris Piebalgs
of Latvia, will contribute to the panel’s work.
The current framework of the Millennium
Development Goals has revitalized global action on
development and improved its effectiveness. Latvia’s EU
presidency in 2015 will evaluate the progress achieved
and contribute actively to the agreement on post-2015
framework, which should remain people-centred,
focused, time-bound and simple.
In recent years we have witnessed a growing number
of people in many countries demanding freedom and
justice. The international community must support
their aspirations. We must help build stable democratic
institutions and establish the rule of law. We believe
that respect for human rights, good governance and
inclusive economic development will help to prevent
future conflicts.

Latvia participates in capacity-building in several
conflict and post-conflict countries. We actively support
nations in transition in their efforts to strengthen the
rule of law. We welcome the fact that those issues are
now part of the Secretary-General’s five-year Action
Agenda and we are committed to their implementation.
Latvia believes that economic and social
development will benefit from the introduction of the
principles of open Government. Civil society in Latvia
actively participates in the decision-making process at
all stages and levels.
Latvia fully supports the work of a strong and
effective Human Rights Council. We have put forward
our candidacy for the elections to the Council in 2014.
In order to keep pace with the modern world, the
United Nations needs to change. The time has come
to start real negotiations on reforming the Security
Council. We support the enlargement of the Council in
both the permanent and the non-permanent membership
categories. Any enlargement of the Council should
include at least one new non-permanent seat for the
Eastern European Group.
The world is going through a period of turbulence,
as shown by recent violent events in the Middle East.
We strongly condemn the attacks on diplomatic
missions in several countries as unacceptable. Latvia
fully supports the freedom of association and the right
to demonstrate peacefully. We deplore any attempts to
use religion to fuel extremism and violence. Tolerance
and respect for our differences are the key to preventing
conflicts and violence, both in our communities and
internationally.
Finally, Latvia looks forward to a fruitful sixtyseventh
session of the General Assembly. Let us address
the challenges with true political will.