I would like first of
all to congratulate President Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa
on her election to her high post and to assure her of
Albania’s full support throughout her mandate. I would
also like to express our deep appreciation to the
Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his continuous
vision, leadership and efforts to revitalize and reform
the United Nations.
 This year, based on the 2005 Summit Document,
Albania has undertaken concrete actions to promote the
three main pillars, namely, development, security and
human rights, in order to implement the ambitious
United Nations agenda of reforms. We are filled with
optimism at the positive results achieved by the
establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission, the
Human Rights Council and the Central Emergency
Response Fund. Reform of the Secretariat and
management also give us optimism and lead us to
believe that the United Nations must continue these
reforms in order to respond in the best possible way to
new realities and challenges.
 We reiterate our willingness and intent to work
closely with all delegations and to reach as much
agreement as possible by consensus in all significant
aspects of the reforms and we believe that solid and
inclusive management reform is needed for the
strengthening of the United Nations in order to
increase transparency and responsibility and achieve a
more effective and efficient administration of
resources. We support the efforts to reform the
Economic and Social Council, while we also believe
that reform in the Security Council will produce
progress and results, thanks to the efforts and
commitment of all member countries.
 We welcome the High-level Meeting on
International Migration and Development, because we
believe that international migration that is supported by
the right policies can bring major advantages to the
development of the countries of origin and destination,
in terms of respecting and guaranteeing the basic rights
of migrants, while avoiding discrimination and double
standards.
 The United Nations role also continues to remain
very important in the war against terrorism, especially
in securing an effective, global and intensive response
to this threat. We praise the recent consensual adoption
of the Global Strategy against Terrorism. We also feel
that the adoption of a comprehensive convention on
international terrorism would represent a precious
achievement furthering United Nations efforts to
combat terrorism. Albania is collaborating very closely
with all the United Nations bodies in the war against
terrorism, and the visits of the Monitoring Team,
established pursuant to Security Council resolution
1267 (1999), and the visit of the Security Council
Counter-Terrorism Committee, established pursuant to
Security Council resolution 1540 (2004), demonstrate
that Albania is fulfilling its obligations to prevent the
activity and financing of terrorist groups at the national
level.
 We have supported Security Council resolution
1701 (2006) on the Israeli-Lebanon conflict, which
provides for a peaceful solution of the issue and the
sending of peacekeeping forces to that area. Albania
has joined other countries in giving financial support to
rebuild Lebanon.
 The main orientation of Albania’s foreign policy
remains European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and
that is why the efforts of the Albanian State and society
are directed towards meeting European Union and
NATO standards. A few days ago, the European
Parliament ratified the Stabilization and Association
Agreement between Albania and the European Union,

25 06-52885

which places our country at the most important
stage — that of fulfilling the obligations that stem from
the Agreement, and all Albanian political groups and
the entire society are conscious of this. We all believe
that actual membership in the European Council and
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe, and the prospective accession to the EU and
NATO are part of the natural move towards
development, rather than an objective per se.
 We have established relations based on active
cooperation and dialogue at the regional level with all
the countries concerned by actively working to
strengthen regional security and stability. Together
with the countries of the region, we have created an
agenda of joint action against terrorism, organized
crime, the circulation of arms and border management.
In the same way, we have undertaken concrete
initiatives to encourage economic development in the
region.
 Albania believes that the main issue to be
resolved in our region continues to be that of Kosovo.
Kosovo has made great progress in terms of internal
stability; advancing the fulfilment of the required
international standards; improving inter-ethnic
relations; establishing and efficiently running central
and local Kosovar institutions; its serious and
professional commitment to the process of negotiations
with Belgrade through the intermediary of the Special
Envoy of the Secretary-General, President Ahtisaari;
and in its gradual integration into regional activities,
initiatives and structures as part of Kosovo’s
integrating process in the European Union and NATO.
 The leadership of Kosovo, the representative
Kosovar institutions, the political opposition, civil
society, the media and the entire civil factor are
demonstrating social and political cohesion and
increasing unity and open and full cooperation with the
international factor to build a sovereign, independent,
democratic and multi-ethnic State integrated into the
European and Euro-Atlantic structures and at peace
with its neighbours. The United Nations Mission and
the commitments of the Secretary-General have also
played a significant part in that success.
 The progress of talks between Pristina and
Belgrade in Vienna is positive. We encourage the
continuation of constructive dialogue and hope that the
Serbian side will do the same by demonstrating
realism, solidarity with the will of the international
community, and respect for the aspirations of the
people of Kosovo. Albania opposes any possible
scenario for the partition or disintegration of Kosovo,
which past experience suggests could entail conflict
and instability in the future.
 We support a full and speedy solution to the issue
of the status of Kosovo that takes into consideration
the will of its inhabitants and guarantees functionality
within the Kosovar State and society and the freedoms
of the minority communities. A sovereign,
independent, democratic and multi-ethnic Kosovar
State with a clear Euro-Atlantic perspective will serve
the interests of peace and stability in the region and
beyond.
 The view occasionally expressed that the
independence of Kosovo would encourage the
implementation of similar solutions to current
problems in other countries and regions does not seem
accurate to us. The solution of any problem must take
the historical and geographical context into account,
along with other considerations that exclude the search
for and mechanical application of inappropriate
analogies. Given the historical, juridical and moral
aspects of the issue of Kosovo, as well as the fact that
it evolved through the convulsions and wars that
accompanied the disintegration of the former
Yugoslavia, I believe that its solution in accordance
with the will of the citizens of Kosovo themselves is
entirely legitimate. In that light, the solution will also
mark the final stage of that disintegration and the
turning of a new page as part of democratic
developments in the Balkans over the past decade.
 Albania is at an important phase in the process of
comprehensive institutional, legal and economic
reform with a view to adopting European models and
standards. We are committed to improving governance
at all levels to ensure that it adheres as closely as
possible to the interests of our citizens and the country.
The current Government has undertaken various
economic initiatives to liberalize procedures and
enhance our capacity to attract foreign investment. We
are aware that this objective can be achieved only
through reforms that realistically promote a
competitive and open market for unfettered initiative
that offers as many people as possible the opportunity
to conduct business or to be employed and is
coordinated with reforms in the priority public sectors.
Such reforms include increasing investment in
infrastructure and the energy, education and health

06-52885 26

sectors, complemented by effective social policies in
favour of social groups and individuals in need. Our
objective is for economic growth to contribute directly
to meeting the Millennium Development Goals by
making it the main factor in the reduction of poverty,
reducing the unemployment rate to the average level of
the developed European countries, and securing stable
and long-term economic growth that enhances
opportunity for future generations.
 A comprehensive campaign against corruption is
part of our efforts to strengthen the rule of law and
develop the country. In that framework, concrete action
is being taken to implement legislative and institutional
reform in order to take preventive measures, narrow
opportunities for corruptive abuses, enhance public
transparency, eliminate conflicts of interest, improve
access to decision-making, and strengthen the
monitoring role of civil society, local communities and
the media.
 We have also paid special attention to the fight
against organized crime, drug and human trafficking,
and money-laundering. Today we can state with full
conviction that those phenomena are being met with
the full power of the law and the country’s
consolidated structures, and in cooperation with the
international factor. That is why our results have been
significant.
 Albania supports and contributes to a strong and
effective United Nations capable of meeting new
challenges, because we believe the Organization to be
based on the values and principles of multilateralism,
global partnership for development, and joint action to
strengthen collective peace and security to the benefit
of human rights, the rule of law and commitments
against terrorism.
 In conclusion, allow me to affirm that my country
will be active in fulfilling the commitments and
obligations arising from its responsibilities within the
Organization and from those decisions that the General
Assembly will adopt at its sixty-first session.


It is a great honour
and privilege for me to deliver this important statement
on behalf of the delegation of the Kingdom of
Swaziland. Allow me to convey the warm greetings
and best wishes of His Majesty King Mswati III, Her
Majesty the Queen Mother, the Government and the
people of the Kingdom of Swaziland to the whole
United Nations family.
 The Kingdom of Swaziland warmly congratulates
you, Madam, on your historic election to the
presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-first
session. We are confident that your wide experience
and proven legal and diplomatic skills will ensure
success in addressing the challenging and daunting
issues that face the Assembly at this session. We would
also like to commend the excellent work of your
predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson, Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Sweden, in particular for his skilful
leadership and the great effort he put into directing the
General Assembly at its previous session.
 The Kingdom of Swaziland would like to pay
special tribute to Mr. Kofi Annan for his outstanding
work during his tenure as our Secretary-General.
Through his untiring and dedicated efforts, he
demonstrated the vision and qualities that saw him
successfully lead our Organization into the twenty-first
century, despite the daunting challenges that the
Organization faced. We also commend him for his
initiatives in contributing to the economic and social
development of the African continent through the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
 The Kingdom of Swaziland is delighted to extend
a warm welcome to our Organization’s newest
Member, the Republic of Montenegro, whose accession
is a further confirmation of respect for the principles of
universality and representation enshrined in the Charter
of the United Nations.
 However, as we welcome our new Member, we
remain conscious of the fact that the principle of
universality has not been applied to its fullest. I am
referring to the exclusion of Taiwan. With the
admission of Montenegro, almost all the countries of
the world have become Members of this global
Organization, all except one — Taiwan. The exclusion
of this nation poses a legal and a moral challenge to the
international community. The time has come for the
United Nations to stop enforcing a policy of exclusion
against the 23.6 million people of Taiwan. The
Kingdom of Swaziland believes that accepting Taiwan
as a member of the United Nations would not only
restore the rights of the people of that island but would
also contribute to ensuring that peace and stability is
maintained in the Taiwan Strait. We believe that every
country in that region should be allowed to participate
in working towards peace, stability and positive
development. We propose, therefore, that General
Assembly resolution 2758 (XXVI) of 1971 be
reviewed carefully, with a view to restoring the legal
and moral rights of the people of Taiwan to be part of
the United Nations family.
 The Kingdom of Swaziland joins the world in
condemning terrorism and threats to international
peace and security. We condemn all acts of terrorism
that have taken place over the past year and we offer
our sympathies and prayers to all those who were
affected by such acts, especially the families and
friends of those who lost their lives. The world has, in
recent times, seen an upsurge of terrorism on an
unprecedented level.
 We welcome the recent agreement on a counter-
terrorism strategy, which demonstrates the commitment
of the international community to overcome the
scourge of terrorism. It must be borne in mind that all
States, large and small, and in every region, are
vulnerable and could be affected by terrorism.
Therefore, all Member States have to ensure that the
strategy is implemented and further updated in order to
confront the evolving challenges.

13 06-53958

 We fully support the African Nuclear-Weapon-
Free Zone Treaty and call for the elimination of all
nuclear weapons by those States that possess them. As
part of our commitment to a peaceful world, we
support the efforts of the Conference on Disarmament
concerning the prohibition of the development and
manufacture of new types of weapons of mass
destruction. We also continue to be part of the
campaign against the trafficking, sale and distribution
of small arms and light weapons. Such weapons
encourage terrorism on an international as well as on
an individual level.
 The Kingdom of Swaziland welcomes the
establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission, and
we look forward to the realization of the goals
envisaged in the formation of that body. We are also
proud to congratulate a sister State, the Republic of
Angola, on her election to be the first to preside over
this important and unique Commission.
 The recent tragic events that took place in
Lebanon and northern Israel are a cause for great
concern and a challenge to the Peacebuilding
Commission. The Kingdom of Swaziland stands firmly
behind the collective effort of the international
community to ensure the implementation of the
Security Council resolution that ended the conflict
between Israel and Hizbollah. We are of the view that a
comprehensive peace process must be revived as a
matter of urgency.
 While we are especially encouraged by the
developments towards peace on the African continent,
we remain concerned about the worsening security
situation in Darfur in western Sudan, where thousands
of people have been killed and more than 2 million
displaced since the conflict erupted in 2003. We urge
the parties concerned to demonstrate a spirit of
necessary compromise and to cooperate with efforts
made to facilitate the search for peaceful and lasting
solutions. The Kingdom of Swaziland supports
unequivocally every effort that is being made to sustain
peace in this area. We join our fellow Member States in
calling for support from the United Nations. We fully
hope and expect that commitments in words will be
followed up by deeds.
 We welcome the results of the historic first-round
elections that took place in the Democratic Republic of
Congo, the first of its kind in 40 years. These elections
were the first crucial step towards the recovery of that
country, and we support every effort by the United
Nations and the international community to consolidate
this achievement, bearing in mind that it will make a
difference not only to the Democratic Republic of
Congo but to the African continent as a whole.
 The recently established Human Rights Council
has just concluded a successful inaugural session. The
Kingdom of Swaziland welcomes the creation of this
historic new body. The creation of the Council was
indeed a step in the right direction towards
strengthening our Organization’s human rights tools.
We believe that the work of the Council will be guided
by the principles of universality, impartiality,
objectivity, non-selectivity, international dialogue and
cooperation. In this regard, we align ourselves with the
rest of Africa in supporting a less-politicized body that
will respond promptly to cases of human rights abuses
in any part of the world.
 The Kingdom of Swaziland believes that the
ongoing reforms of the United Nations are essential,
especially if the Organization is to retain its global
credibility. It is therefore our hope that the many key
reform proposals that were deferred to this session will
be dealt with satisfactorily. Meanwhile, we welcome
the progress that has been made so far, including the
establishment of a United Nations Ethics Office, the
Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights
Council.
 Neither renewal nor reform would be complete
without the reform of the Security Council. In the quest
for an overall agreement on this issue, the Kingdom of
Swaziland supports the position of the Non-Aligned
Movement and the African Group concerning the
composition and working methods of the Security
Council. We hope and expect that positive results will
flow from the conclusion of this matter.
 As a Member State of this body, we recognize the
vital role that the major United Nations conferences
and summits have played in identifying commonly
agreed objectives which should lead to the successful
implementation of the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs). However, we do realize that nothing can be
achieved without adequate funding, especially for
developing nations. Even though promises have been
made, the time has come for them to be translated into
actions.
 The breakdown and suspension of negotiations of
the World Trade Organization’s Doha Round is

06-53958 14

lamentable. However, insofar as the outcome is
concerned, the Kingdom of Swaziland believes that the
needs of developing nations must be fully taken into
consideration. Failure to do so will undermine the
already limited trade opportunities of these nations and
detract from the pursuit of policies in key areas, such
as employment, industrialization, food security, rural
development and sustained economic growth.
 While we welcome the relevant ideas and general
principles for designing microeconomic, sectoral and
trade policies contained in the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development’s Trade
Development Report of 2006, we still believe that the
specific needs of developing nations have to be
addressed.
 On a more domestic note, let me report that the
HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to be one of the biggest
challenges faced by the Kingdom of Swaziland. As we
begin to realize the benefits of a full-scale national
roll-out of antiretroviral drugs, a critical area of
concern is the care needed by the estimated 63,000
children who have been orphaned by the pandemic.
 That is why, among many other structures we
have put in place to curb this scourge, we have revived
the concept of the “KaGogo”, which means, literally,
“grandmother’s house”. These KaGogo centres are
being constructed across the country and are a new
initiative based on traditional ways that empower local
communities to look after their orphans within
traditional structures. During the High-level
Conference on HIV/AIDS held in June 2006, His
Majesty King Mswati III clearly spelled out the scale
of the pandemic and how it is taking its toll on our
nation. It is indeed our greatest challenge.
 The Kingdom of Swaziland fully supports the
Political Declaration that was adopted at the High-level
Conference, and we are confident that this renewed
commitment will strengthen the global response to the
pandemic. Thus, we realize the urgency of combining
our efforts to ensure that the rate of infection decreases
and that greater access to treatment and care for those
who are already living with the virus is achieved. We
fully support the efforts of such organizations as the
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS), especially in terms of minimizing the
threat of HIV to young people. We believe that that is a
moral obligation and is essential for halting the
escalation of the infection rate. In this regard, we look
forward to working closely with United Nations
agencies in order to alleviate the situation.
 On a more positive note, the Kingdom of
Swaziland is now implementing the recommendations
of our job creation summit, which took place last year.
His Majesty King Mswati III always stands behind his
people and fully supports the idea of the participation
of the people in building the economy. For instance, he
encourages them to start their own businesses as a
means of reducing the unemployment level. However,
we still face significant challenges, e.g., market
fluctuations in certain products such as sugar and
textiles. We also encourage our people to enter into
partnerships and join ventures with foreign direct
investors in order to develop our nation.
 In conclusion, allow me to allude to the fact that
there is indeed much vital work to be completed during
this sixty-first session of the General Assembly. The
Kingdom of Swaziland is confident that the initiatives
already taken will lead to the renewal of our
Organization, and we look forward to a new dynamic
and vibrant working period. We are indebted to the
United Nations for all we have received and achieved
over the years towards the development of our nation.
 I am, therefore, charged by His Majesty The
King, Her Majesty The Queen Mother, the Government
and the people of the Kingdom of Swaziland with
proclaiming the renewal of our commitment to the
Charter of the United Nations. We ask for God’s
blessings upon those charged with leading the
Organization to give them the wisdom and direction
they require to carry out these tasks on behalf of all the
peoples of the world.


I
would like to pay tribute to the Secretary-General,
Mr. Kofi Annan, for everything that he has done; he
has been a great Secretary-General. Thanks to his clear
vision, his commitment and his open-mindedness, he
has greatly contributed to the development of the
United Nations and the promotion of Africa. I thank
him and his team.
 Last year we discussed the Millennium
Development Goals. It was clear that they could not be
attained in the sub-Saharan countries if we did not
make a considerable effort. The initiatives of the G-8,
the World Bank, the European Union and other donors
seemed to constitute a good foundation for a profound
change. Have we noticed a profound change? I do not
think so. The sad reality is that Africa receives less
international assistance per capita than it did 20 years
ago.
 Let us be honest. The great ideas and the
goodwill expressed in words rarely pass through the
filters of existing structures and programmes. The files
on Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon, the Palestine
question and the oil question have put the Africa file in
the shade. It is a fact: Africa is not a priority for
international authorities.
 However, I remind the Assembly that we all set
the Millennium Development Goals. These are
common goals; therefore, their realization is also a
common task. I remind the Assembly, too, that when
we deal with issues we are also writing the destiny of
hundreds of millions of human beings. Our decisions
affect millions of children. Where is the fervent desire,
then, to deliver on what we have promised to do for
them? That is the paradox between what we preach and
what we do.
 I remind the Assembly that the task of this
community is to avoid crises instead of dealing with
crises. This institution should be a place not for
firefighters, but for strategists.
 I emphasize that the idea of one world, the
foundation of globalization, cannot take us towards a
fair and peaceful future as long as many poor countries
are still marginalized. We want the same ticket to enter
the international community as the European Union has
given to Eastern European countries. We should all be
on the same boat. However, many developing countries
are still struggling behind it, swimming hard to try to
catch up with it. How can we get out of this calamitous
situation?
 The Millennium Development Goals must remain
the basis of our discussions and our actions, even if
their achievement becomes more and more difficult.
The industrialized countries have asked us, the

19 06-52988

developing countries, to develop visions for our
countries and to prepare road maps in order to achieve
them. They have asked us to specify the Millennium
Development Goals for our countries. They have asked
us to increase our absorption capacity.
 All of that is fair and understandable. However,
the role of industrialized countries is not to play the
referee, assess players and give out red cards. All
countries, developed and developing alike, must play
together. We must act together and have the same goal.
 That is why I have decided to develop a new
strategy in Madagascar, which we call the Madagascar
Action Plan. The plan has been discussed throughout
the regions of Madagascar with representatives of
private and public organizations to create a sound basis
for achieving our vision, “Madagascar — Naturally!”,
and the Millennium Development Goals.
 The plan has also been discussed with members
of the donor community. I told them that it is based on
our vision and on the Millennium Development Goals,
which we all set together. We should not be satisfied
with existing means; we should mobilize all the means
needed to achieve those goals.
 I also told the donors that the Madagascar Action
Plan is our common plan. We decide together how
many men and women we want to — and can — pull
out of poverty; how many poor children can have a
better education; and how many children we can save
by providing them with safe drinking water and
vaccines.
 Together we have to answer these questions,
because they concern global tasks, common tasks.
Hunger, poverty and disasters are among those issues
that know no borders. Therefore, they are part of our
shared responsibility.
 We must change the approach used in the past,
which was based on division. We must accept that the
tasks are too burdensome to be carried out by weak
people, to whom a new burden is given. I am talking
about goals and measures that we must deal with
together, according to the capacity of each of us.
 International assistance for African development
must undoubtedly be doubled or tripled in the short
term. Donors must deliver on their promises in the
short term if we really want to revive the economies of
African countries.
 People ask why sub-Saharan Africa has not
experienced economic growth in the last few years.
There are many reasons. They include internal
conflicts, lack of good governance, instability and
insecurity. However, the reduction of aid per capita
during the last 20 years is one of the main reasons for
the slowing of economic growth.
 A further reduction of international aid has been
proposed, so that developing countries will become —
so it is said — much more independent quickly. That is
a fundamental misunderstanding. To become
independent, we need more international aid. Greater
support is the shortest path towards independence. The
more we invest in education, infrastructure and health,
the more economic growth will be strengthened. And
the more economic growth is strengthened, the quicker
will the independence of developing countries become
effective.
 Investments in education, health, infrastructure
and so on continue to be conditions for foreign direct
investment. Private investment cannot replace them.
 We should look at the results of the Marshall Plan
and at the huge investments by the European Union in
the new member States. They have been a huge
success.
 The question of absorption capacity has been
discussed. Like all developing countries, we too have
had problems, problems of cooperation between
national and international partners. Basically, if there is
a lack of capacity, it is the result of lack of cooperation
and confidence.
 Capacity must never be the factor that determines
the volume of support. Where there is a lack of
capacity in an area, it is necessary to strengthen that
area. If there are not yet enough human resources
available at the national level, it is necessary to call on
international experts, while reinforcing national
capacities.
 In this context, I would like to add a few words
on “country ownership”. It is true that we in the
developing countries know our problems very well.
Therefore, we are ready to assume our responsibilities.
Deciding on policies and actions must be the
responsibility of nationals. The programmes of the
donors have to be integrated into national programmes.
 But it is also true that we are not always aware of
our weaknesses and are not in phase with all the

06-52988 20

values, rules, standards and procedures that are
acknowledged in most industrialized countries. Often
our fellow citizens do not appreciate the true worth of
good governance.
 Transferring the rules of good governance and
standards of quality in education, health and
infrastructure into our culture and our policies is
essential. The transfer of knowledge is as urgent as is
the transfer of capital. It is not only technical
knowledge that we lack; the transfer of knowledge
must also include values and the concept of
professionalism.
 Let us pool our capacities. What is at stake is so
important that we must use all our capacities at the
same time. Effectiveness must be the rule. Good
cooperation between national and international experts
is the basis of success.
 And let us be more realistic, more pragmatic. The
percentage of international aid spent on studies is far
too high. Most studies are not implemented and simply
repeat what previous studies have already found out.
 I also recommend more effective
decentralization, so that financial aid reaches the grass-
roots communities. The financing mechanism is often
slow and sometimes complex. It resembles a tortuous,
stony path — and it is porous.
 From time to time, we ask the same questions:
How can we better structure international assistance?
Which transfer of funds, for which area and with which
measures is the most important? There is no simple
answer. Each country, each region and each area
requires a different answer. Theoretical discussions
will not help.
 However, there is a foundation that is crucial to
all development: confidence. If a people do not feel
confident, they will not contribute to development. If
international firms do not feel confident, they will not
come.
 Confidence comes from opening up to the outside
world, from stability, security and transparency. Good
governance and democracy are also crucial. I assure
the Assembly that Madagascar, my Government and I,
will hold free and fair presidential elections in
December.
 During last year’s session of the Assembly there
was general agreement about the urgent need to
increase international aid quantitatively and
qualitatively in order to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals. We should therefore act
accordingly.
 North America, Europe and most countries in
Asia and South America have experienced an era of
prosperity and progress. Their peoples now have a
good chance of enjoying a good standard of living until
the age of 80.
 The peoples of Africa do not have that chance. I
therefore call upon the United Nations to develop and
adopt a new, more dynamic and determined approach
in favour of Africa. If that is done, opportunities will
be more balanced and the world will be a fairer place.
 We note that the industrialized countries can react
quickly and launch large-scale operations if their vital
interests are at stake. We desire now the same dynamic
approach for Africa, because the basic needs of our
people are still being ignored. Such an approach is in
the interest of the African peoples, but it is also in the
best interest of humanity. A prosperous Africa is an
asset for the world.


I begin by
congratulating Ms. Haya Rashed Al-Khalaifa on her
assumption of the office of President of the General
Assembly. We have full confidence in her and wish her
every success. I should also like to praise Foreign
Minister Jan Eliasson for his effective leadership
during the Assembly’s sixtieth session, which achieved
truly noteworthy results.
 I also warmly welcome the Republic of
Montenegro as the 192nd Member of the United
Nations.
 The United Nations confronts huge tasks. There
has already been remarkable progress in certain reform
areas, such as the establishment of the Human Rights
Council, the Central Emergency Response Fund and
the Peacebuilding Commission. We also attach great
importance to the launching of the Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy, which calls for enhanced United
Nations measures to deal with terrorism and for the
better coordination of such efforts.
 Estonia is strongly committed to promoting peace
and security throughout the world. We have been
following developments in the Middle East with
concern and compassion. The recent events have once
again demonstrated that, in addition to the need to
secure lasting peace, there is a need for prompt action
and generous contributions from the international
community to resolve humanitarian crises. Estonia has
not been a bystander. We have been responding to the
dire needs of the people in Lebanon and have provided
assistance to the Iraqi people so that they can rebuild
their country.
 Estonia continues to actively support the United
Nations in promoting peace and security, just as we
support the Organization’s important role in
international development. We remain convinced that
the United Nations is an answer to both current and
future threats and divisions in the world. As we fully
subscribe to the comprehensive statement delivered by
the President of Finland on behalf of the European
Union, let me briefly highlight some aspects of global
partnership to which we attach great value.
 One of the main aims of the Millennium
Development Goals is to develop a global partnership
for development. That encompasses a commitment to
good governance and the efficient functioning of
democratic institutions, as well as to fully respecting
human rights and the rule of law for the sustainability
of development efforts. As was emphasized in the Final
Document of the 2005 World Summit, no country can
tackle today’s complex challenges alone. While all
nations bear the principal responsibility for their own
development, their individual efforts should be
supported by concrete global actions and programmes.
Partnership is truly a central element in everything we
do.
 Joint global action is most urgently needed when
a disaster hits a country or a whole region. For a timely
and efficient response from the international
community, a well-coordinated and properly resourced
global disaster relief system is required. Estonia gives
increasingly high priority to the coordination of
humanitarian and disaster relief assistance at the global
level, and finds it important to further strengthen the
United Nations humanitarian response capabilities. The
first year of the Central Emergency Response Fund has
been a promising step towards a balanced and more
responsive international humanitarian system, although
many challenges remain. We are committed to further
increasing our financial contribution to the United
Nations humanitarian system disaster relief assistance.
 In this regard, it is important to always ensure
that disaster relief and all other development activities

29 06-53609

favour environmentally sustainable solutions.
Environmental sustainability is an urgent, but at the
same time long-term, task which demands common
action. Estonia attaches great importance to the need
for coordination and coherence in the field of
environment-related activities, and supports the
creation of a more coherent institutional framework
within the United Nations.
 The fulfilment of the internationally agreed
development goals calls for the engagement of not only
Governments and intergovernmental bodies; the
commitments made at major conferences cannot be
implemented without cooperation with local
institutions, the private sector and non-governmental
organizations. Our experience clearly demonstrates that
non-governmental organizations can play a crucial role
in effective development cooperation. In many cases
civil society institutions are much more efficient in
establishing dynamic working relationships with non-
governmental organizations of partner countries than
government institutions. The cooperation with non-
governmental organizations has been remarkably
advantageous in such sectors as sustainable
development and information and communication
technology, as well as e-governance.
 This brings us to another area of cooperation —
using information and communication technology to
achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Since my
country has been notably successful in employing new
information and communication technologies, as well
as in carrying out extensive reforms, we shall continue
to increase our input into overall development in this
field.
 There is also a need to reinvigorate and reform
the United Nations. Estonia is ready to contribute to
the best of its ability to the development of a
comprehensive information and communication
technologies strategy for the whole United Nations
structure. All these issues — information technology,
sustainable development and humanitarian and disaster
relief — are also on the agenda of the Second
Committee, which will be chaired by the Permanent
Representative of Estonia during this sixty-first
session. We will do our utmost there to see to the
effective promotion of the matters I have mentioned —
and, of course, all other crucial matters before the
Committee.
 We must remain strongly committed to respect
for the rule of law and our rights and dignity as human
beings. Indeed, if we want human rights to form one of
the three main pillars of the United Nations, alongside
security and development, it is essential to implement
both the letter and spirit of resolution 60/251. We
expect the Human Rights Council to be strengthened
and become an authoritative institution, and we expect
human rights issues to gain equal standing with other
major items on the United Nations agenda. This first
year of the existence of the Human Rights Council is a
year of transition and capacity-building. Estonia’s
vision encompasses the establishment of an operational
body reinforced with special procedures and a new
efficient and universal mechanism, which monitors
individual countries, with non-governmental
organizations as essential partners.
 We should also make sure that the rights of
indigenous peoples remain an integral part of human
rights and continue to be a matter of substance for the
Human Rights Council. Adopting the draft declaration
on the rights of indigenous peoples during the current
session is of great importance for the millions of
indigenous peoples worldwide. It is crucial that it be
adopted at a plenary meeting of the General Assembly
this year. Its implementation could be a major step
towards eliminating the widespread human rights
violations suffered by many indigenous peoples. The
Human Rights Council could also host a forum for
dialogue where the representatives of indigenous
peoples, States and a special rapporteur could discuss
the issues enshrined in the Declaration.
 Another new instrument that needs to be adopted
by the General Assembly and implemented by States as
soon as possible is the draft convention on enforced
disappearances — a recurrent phenomenon that must
be fought against. It is essential that it be adopted at
the current session so that States can start to sign and
ratify it at the beginning of next year in Paris.
 The Millennium Development Goals are also
intended to promote gender equality and empower
women worldwide. That includes, of course, the United
Nations. Estonia shares the vision that the role of
women within the decision-making system of the
United Nations should be increased. As the General
Assembly is to decide on the next Secretary-General
this year, we support the proposal to consider
Mrs. Vaira Vike-Freiberga as a candidate. Thus the
President of Latvia could be the first woman to head

06-53609 30

the United Nations in its 60 years of existence. Our
commitment must be reflected in our decisions. The
time has come to have more representatives from
central and eastern Europe in high-ranking posts in the
United Nations. I believe we are ready to make history.
 Before finishing, I should like to express my
deepest respect for the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi
Annan. We appreciate his dedication and personal
determination in addressing the enormous challenges
of the twenty-first century and shaping our common
future. During nearly 10 years of service he has held
mankind’s universal values high and led the United
Nations with true vision.


Traditionally, the General Assembly session
provides an opportunity to conduct a review of the
current situation in the world, identify major
international issues and determine the role that the
United Nations could play in resolving them.
 I believe that we have every reason to conclude
that there is a prevailing trend of growing awareness of
the need to strengthen the collective foundations of
international politics, as well as of the fact that there is
no alternative to tackling problems through multilateral
diplomacy. That trend is based on objective facts, for it
reflects the realities of an emerging multipolar
architecture of international relations. It is logical,
because answers to global challenges and threats can
only be found collectively. Finally, it is a manifestation
of historical continuity, because we are revisiting the
same objective as the founding fathers of the United
Nations were determined to pursue by enshrining in the
Charter the principles for a system of collective
security.
 It is precisely such an approach, firmly grounded
in international law, that can ensure the world’s
sustainable development in this era of globalization.
That requires a strengthened central role for the
universal Organization in every area of international
life.
 We must of course continue to adapt the
mechanisms and methods of the United Nations to the
new environment. Much has been done as follow-up to
the decisions of the 2005 World Summit: The
Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights
Council have been established, and the reform process
has been extended to management.
 It is important that all our further work be based
upon the fundamental principle of the universality of
the United Nations. Patterns contrary to the Charter of
the United Nations that exclude individual States or
groups of States from participating meaningfully in the
activities of the Organization or that introduce a single
system of values into the work of the Secretariat are
unsustainable. Let us not forget that the United Nations
belongs to us all. Moreover, administrative reform
should not lead to the bureaucracy taking over the
management of the Organization, thereby jeopardizing
the intergovernmental nature of the United Nations.
 A trend towards collective action has also spread
beyond the structures of the United Nations. During
Russia’s presidency of the Group of Eight (G-8), there
was greater interaction between the G-8 and other
leading countries and international organizations. Over

06-53005 28

the past 12 months our dialogue partners have actively
contributed to Saint Petersburg summit documents on
every main agenda item, including global energy
security, education and controlling infectious diseases.
 A new and genuinely collaborative type of
interaction between the G-8 and Africa is now
emerging in this era of globalization, as the needs of
the continent are reflected in the mainstream of world
development rather than being viewed as issues
divorced from overall trends.
 The G-8 does not have a monopoly over the
decisions taken at Saint Petersburg. All States are
invited to participate in their implementation.
 Regional organizations and cooperation and
coordination between those organizations and the
United Nations have also strengthened in maintaining
international peace and security. Issues pertaining to
that were discussed yesterday at the special ministerial
meeting of the Security Council (see S/PV.5529). Once
again, we are dealing here with an important dimension
of collective action by the international community.
 The Commonwealth of Independent States has
made a significant contribution to such interaction. To
address common problems, specific actions have been
taken within the Commonwealth area, primarily within
the Eurasian Economic Community and the Collective
Security Treaty Organization. Further substantive and
resolute efforts are being made in the context of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which developed
and launched and initiative to establish a partnership
network for multilateral organizations in the Asia-
Pacific region. Development patterns in that region
will largely determine the future contours of our planet.
 Multilateral institutions in Latin America have
also become stronger, and the development of the
African Union is gaining momentum.
 At their recent Summit in Havana, heads of State
of the countries of the Non-Aligned Movement
expressed their support for a collective search —
within the context of the central role of the United
Nations — for agreed solutions to problems
confronting the world community.
 Europe, of course, is not outside the common
trend towards collective examination and resolution of
common problems. In that connection, we also see
growing awareness of the fact that security and
prosperity are indivisible. We expect NATO to
transform itself from a defence alliance into something
more contemporary that would be in line with
principles of transparency and collective response and
based upon a universal legal foundation.
 We have been watching with keen interest the
emerging foreign policy and security mechanisms of
the European Union. Russia is prepared to cooperate
with multilateral structures in the Euro-Atlantic space
and other regions of the world. In fact, we already have
effective common mechanisms with many of them.
 Collective efforts are also needed to further
develop international law, primarily within the context
of countering new threats. The United Nations Global
Counter-terrorism Strategy (resolution 60/288), which
was recently adopted by consensus, is an important
contribution in terms of strengthening the legal basis
for the anti-terrorist coalition and ensuring a
comprehensive approach to counter-terrorism. It is not
only about countering all terrorist manifestations and
ideologies, it is also about eliminating the problems
that give rise to terrorism. The next step will be to
agree upon a comprehensive anti-terrorism convention.
 It is necessary to secure the achievements that
have been made by taking practical steps. In the course
of Russia’s presidency of the G-8, the Second
Ministerial Conference on Drug Trafficking Routes
From Afghanistan was held, where additional measures
were approved aimed at mobilizing the international
community to counter the terrorism-related drug threat
originating from Afghanistan. Another international
meeting will be held in Moscow next November to
focus on developing modalities for government-
business partnerships in countering terrorism.
 What is needed today are more proactive
measures to prevent lethal weapons from falling into
the hands of non-State actors, as well as the consistent
implementation of Security Council resolution 1540
(2004) and other counter-terrorism resolutions of the
Council. The Russia-United States global initiative to
combat nuclear terrorism, which was launched at Saint
Petersburg by Presidents Vladimir V. Putin and George
W. Bush last July, should be an important tool in
preventing a linkage between weapons of mass
destruction and terrorism. That initiative invites
interested States to act collectively.
 The ever-growing demand for the unique
peacekeeping capabilities of the United Nations also
calls for a collective effort. Not all of those capabilities

29 06-53005

have been utilized to the fullest. Utilizing the
capabilities of the Military Staff Committee, as well as
those of regional organizations, on the basis of the
relevant provisions of the United Nations Charter
would be helpful.
 It is encouraging to see a more active role being
played by Africans themselves in peacemaking
operations in Africa — an undertaking spearheaded by
the African Union and supported by the United
Nations.
 In a number of crisis situations conditions are
gradually emerging for a transition to post-conflict
reconstruction. It is our hope that the Declaration on
Cooperation and Future Action in Stabilization and
Reconstruction adopted at the Saint Petersburg G-8
Summit will help us complement the efforts of the
United Nations and regional organizations at this
critically important period of transition to
peacebuilding.
 A comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli
conflict remains a central task for the world
community. Many of today’s threats have come
together in that region, and the key to resolving them is
most often to be found there. In that connection, I
should first like to mention the truly global challenge
posed by the need to prevent a schism between
civilizations.
 We welcome the emerging prospects for a
national agreement in the Palestinian territories, as
well as for the resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli
talks. It is important to continue to encourage the
parties to meet their respective obligations, with the
clear understanding that any progress towards the
objectives set out by the international community will
inevitably be gradual and that any attempt to act in an
all-or-nothing spirit will be counterproductive and
could once again plunge the region into confrontation.
 The recent war in Lebanon demonstrated the
great fragility of the situation in the Middle East and
the acute need for a comprehensive approach along all
tracks. That presupposes the involvement of all
countries and parties. Without their participation it will
be impossible to reach any viable negotiated solution.
It is also clear that the road to comprehensive peace
will not be an easy one, but now is the time. The
initiative of the League of Arab States to convene an
international conference should contribute to finding
the proper framework for that undertaking. The Quartet
of international mediators should also make a key
contribution to the process.
 A breakthrough on a Middle East settlement
could provide the positive momentum so wanting in
the region. It could also facilitate the solution of other
burning problems in the region and in neighbouring
countries. That is particularly true as regards efforts
aimed at stabilizing the situation in Iraq, where
attempts to contain wanton violence and chaos have
thus far proved unsuccessful. Dozens of people, mainly
civilians, continue to die in Iraq every day. Five
officials of the Russian embassy in Baghdad have also
fallen victim to that barbarous massacre. A resolution
in Iraq will be possible only through concerted efforts.
That requires the involvement in the political process
of all major Iraqi interests and the implementation of
the plans of that country’s Government to reach
genuine national accord, with the concerted support of
the international community, including all of Iraq’s
neighbours.
 We are, unfortunately, now witnessing growing
significance of the use of force in world affairs; that
undermines non-proliferation regimes. The feeling of a
lack of predictability and stability in the area of
security is becoming ever more pronounced. Against
that background, the growing interest of many States in
nuclear energy may give rise to concerns, given the
trend towards the global proliferation of sensitive
technologies.
 Apart from current resolute steps to find
negotiated solutions to individual problems — such as
the Iranian nuclear programme and the problem of the
Korean peninsula — there is a need for an urgent effort
by the entire international community to systematically
strengthen non-proliferation regimes on a generally
acceptable basis, while ensuring that the benefits of
peaceful atomic energy are legitimately accessible to
all States.
 President Vladimir V. Putin’s initiative to
establish multilateral centres for nuclear fuel-cycle
services, along with similar ideas proposed by the
leadership of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) and proposals put forth by United States
President George W. Bush, have found support among
G-8 leaders. We are confident that the development and
practical implementation of such approaches — in
cooperation with all countries with an interest in
modern and safe nuclear energy — will make it

06-53005 30

possible to resolve non-proliferation issues in a non-
confrontational manner.
 As in other areas, the obsession with sanctions —
applied without calculating their consequences —
might produce unpredictable results. It is absolutely
necessary to eliminate the loopholes in the non-
proliferation regimes, but that should be done through
clear and non-discriminatory approaches, without
creating grounds for suspicion regarding the existence
of some hidden agenda.
 Stagnation in the international disarmament
process does not help to resolve non-proliferation
problems. Here again, we need concerted action, for
this is a matter of collective security.
 In the area of strategic arms, the United States-
Russian agreements play an enormously important role.
Their significance goes far beyond the framework of
bilateral relations, considering that virtually all
members of the international community benefit from
strategic stability. We support the consistent
development of the United States-Russian bilateral
disarmament process, as was stated by our Presidents
in Saint Petersburg in July.
 Closely related to that are issues related to anti-
ballistic missiles, in particular within the context of the
existing plans of the United States. In that context,
there is a need for complete transparency and for an
analysis of the consequences for strategic stability.
 The situation surrounding the Treaty on
Conventional Armed Forces in Europe continues to
cause grave concern. The old Treaty, based on the
realities of confrontation between military blocs, has
lost its relevance, while NATO is blocking the entry
into force of the Agreement on its adaptation.
 At the same time, reconfiguration of the military
architecture on the European continent is under way. At
its heart is an expanding military alliance. Such virtual
arms control becomes meaningless as it turns into a
one-way street.
 It is also necessary to revitalize multilateral
disarmament approaches. That agenda should include
the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-
Test-Ban Treaty, non-deployment of weapons in outer
space, conclusion of a fissile material cut-off treaty and
ensuring information security. Nuclear-weapon-free
zones play an important role, and we welcome the
creation of such a zone in Central Asia.
 The overall task is to reinvigorate the efforts of
the international community in the area of disarmament
and arms control, within the framework of the
Conference on Disarmament and other relevant United
Nations bodies.
 The 2005 World Summit unanimously reaffirmed
that peace, security and development are inseparable.
With that in mind, we are prepared to engage in
collective discussions and support further joint
pragmatic steps with a view to improving the
efficiency of the social and economic activities of the
entire United Nations system.
 The Russian Federation realizes its responsibility
as one of the fastest growing economies of the world,
and is devoting increasing attention to development
assistance. Thus far, Russia has written off or has
undertaken to write off $11.3 billion of the debt of
African countries, including more than $2.2 billion
within the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt
Initiative. New steps are planned in that area. Russia
now ranks third in absolute figures of debt relief and
first in terms of the ratio of debt relief to gross
domestic product. We have also increased our
contributions to other international development
assistance mechanisms, including through United
Nations institutions and funds and the Bretton Woods
institutions.
 Today, I cannot fail to express my sincere
appreciation and praise to the Secretary-General Kofi
Annan. For many years, during the most difficult times
for world politics, he has carried out his duties with
dignity. Thanks largely to the efforts of Kofi Annan
and to his ability to take the lead while remaining a
realist in the face of severe challenges, we have
managed to make progress in strengthening the United
Nations.
 Today the United Nations is relevant as never
before. We do not have to create it anew. In the course
of reforming the United Nations in accordance with the
dictates of the time, it is incumbent upon us all to
reaffirm by action our commitment to the world
Organization, which draws its strength from our trust
in it and in its unique legitimacy. Without the United
Nations and its Charter to rely upon, it would prove
impossible to ensure a more reliable and democratic
system of collective security that would respond to the
dictates of our time.


Equatorial Guinea is participating in the
debates of the sixty-first session of the General
Assembly in the firm conviction that this world
Organization remains the only forum with the authority
necessary to resolve any situation facing the
international community. Attempting to usurp that
authority is irrational; it means negating the universal
principles of international law, which govern our world
with justice and equity.
 That is why, before addressing any of the issues
on our agenda, I wish to pay a well-deserved tribute to
His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General,
and to His Excellency Mr. Jan Eliasson, President of
the General Assembly at its sixtieth session, for the
arduous task that they accomplished in the face of the
conflicts that have threatened the peace and stability of
the planet during 2006.
 We should also like to welcome the election of
Her Excellency Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa,
Legal Adviser to the Royal Court of Bahrain, who will
preside over the General Assembly at this session. We
believe that her election is an implicit recognition of
the seriousness, dedication and dynamism that
characterize her country’s quest for global equilibrium
and its respect for the principles of international law,
human freedom, the right of peoples to self-
determination, national independence and sovereignty,
mutual respect among nations, and international
cooperation to promote development and respect for
human rights.
 This session opens at a time of uncertainty for
humanity, due to the many conflicts and the increasing
socio-political imbalance threatening the lives of
millions of people throughout the world. Humanity
today finds itself in a complex situation that raises
several questions.
 What is the current role of the United Nations,
given the absence of priorities in its decision-making
process? What has been gained since the end of the
cold war? What kind of future can humanity hope for
in a world of so-called globalization, governed by a
political and economic system characterized by
inequality and a lack of cooperation in eradicating
poverty in the weakest nations? What kind of future is
there for the developing countries when the gap in the
acquisition of technology for development continues to
grow, or when sprawling intelligence services are
constantly devising plans to keep the world under the
political dominance and economic influence of the
most powerful nations?
 Those and similar questions must be the focus of
attention of politicians and this world body if we are to
straighten this crooked path in international relations.
Presently, there is no judge capable of adjudicating any
international conflict equitably and impartially. From

23 06-52885

our point of view, the authority of the United Nations
has been taken hostage by certain interests that are
monopolizing the world. Nevertheless, I am convinced
that we still have time to rescue the situation if we do
not wish to see the international community completely
derailed, because the results obtained to date are not
satisfactory.
 We must first democratize this world
Organization by reinstating its rightful authority on the
international scene. We must also set an objective
value to the globalization of politics by adopting new,
equitable political and economic strategies to protect
the legitimate interests of the weakest States. If we do
not, we must be prepared to endure a world crisis as a
result of our inability to sustain the current pressures
and jarring disparities among nations.
 Many conferences held in various political,
economic and social forums have identified a number
of strategies to reduce the gap that separates us all, but
such strategies have always been met with the
complete indifference of those who are supposed to
execute them.
 We ought not be surprised, then, by the
phenomenon of terrorism that threatens the world
today, because, although its methods and destructive
effects on humans are condemnable, it remains the
recourse of the oppressed and a reaction of those who
oppose prevailing injustices that have been denounced
throughout the last quarter of a century.
 The ongoing mass migration of peoples from the
South to the North is another consequence of the huge
imbalance caused by the present unjust international
economic system. That migration will never cease if
the North does not help the South to develop with
programmes of support and solidarity.
 We would like to see democracy, equity and
solidarity in a more harmonious world become the rule
that would enable international relations to function,
especially those governed by the Bretton Woods
institutions, the World Trade Organization, the
relationship between the European Union and the
nations of the African, Caribbean and the Pacific, and
all other economic relations between the North and the
South.
 Moreover, nature has endowed the world with
immense natural resources that are perfectly sufficient
to allow all to live in dignity. We do not have to resort
to draconian rules of exchange that favour some and
discriminate against others. Those who seek to
monopolize resources that belong to humanity and who
still believe in the larceny of the past, or rather in their
own ability to perpetuate illegal exploitation by force,
are the same people who today support and maintain
vast mercenary organizations that fall upon the weaker
nations in order to create internal political instabilities
for their own selfish interests.
 Indeed, my country has been a victim of such
plotting because we own crude oil, the product that is
today dividing and destroying the world. My country
was able to avert a mercenary invasion on 6 March,
2004, that was organized by powerful countries that
continue to dispute among themselves and to nurture
ambitions to gain free control of the world’s petroleum.
Fortunately, our security services were alerted in time
and were able to prevent the anticipated genocide.
Those directly responsible for the attempted coup are
serving time in prison, while the brains behind the
whole thing are still at large and thumb their noses at
justice.
 Nevertheless, my Government does not believe
that this natural resource belongs to us alone. My
country benefits from barely 30 per cent of the
proceeds from that exploitation, because, as we have
explained time and again, due to an unjust system of
exchange, the operating contracts give the lion’s share
of those profits to our partners of the North.
 In that regard, I noted at the sixtieth session of
the General Assembly that if the responsibility of
transparency is to be borne equitably, there is a need to
demand the same from the operators of the extracting
industries and compliance with the contracts and
regulations that guarantee equal benefits between the
parties concerned.
 To conclude, the message from Equatorial Guinea
is that we must respond as human beings, because we
still have time to make this planet Earth a better place
for human beings. Therefore, let us turn our backs on
greed, hegemonic ambition and the lack of sensitivity
to the sight of such horror and misery that is rife in our
world, so that we can respond to this system of
injustice and inequality, and so that, as human beings,
we will be able to join hands and face, with solidarity,
intelligence and wisdom, the challenge to spare
humanity from the scourges of war, poverty and
underdevelopment.


The global game has
changed. Interdependence and globalization are
occurring at an unprecedented speed. With
globalization, the concept of national sovereignty has
changed. The international order based on the nation
State — established in 1648 with the Peace of
Westphalia — is being challenged. Non-State actors are
becoming more and more influential on the global
scene. Private militias and transnational criminal
movements are increasingly responsible for conflicts
that used to be between State actors, as well as for
undermining agreements entered into and adhered to by
States.
 The boundaries between domestic and foreign
policy are changing. Developments in one part of the
world often trigger unintended actions in other parts of
the world. If we look the other way when faced with
conflicts and human suffering, problems will grow,
they will not disappear. To meet the goals and
challenges confronting the global community, we need
more than ever a dynamic and proactive United
Nations.
 The United Nations has to proactively address the
agenda set by globalization, and it must be able to
change in order to effectively meet and deliver on the
new challenges. It is in everybody’s interest to have an
efficient United Nations. The Organization adds moral
force to the international community’s actions in a
globalized world. An effective United Nations can
alleviate the negative effects of globalization and turn
it into a positive force. All of us have to work to ensure
that the necessary reform steps to be initiated.
 Last September’s World Summit set an ambitious
agenda for the United Nations and the General
Assembly. I am pleased that we have achieved

25 06-53317

considerable results. Prominent examples include the
establishment of the Human Rights Council, the
Peacebuilding Commission and the Central Emergency
Response Fund. The two new organs represent a long
overdue institutional modernization of the United
Nations that, if used as intended, will help the United
Nations to address new challenges. That is why
Denmark has put so much effort into helping to foster
the Human Rights Council and the Peacebuilding
Commission.
 With Burundi and Sierra Leone on the agenda,
the Peacebuilding Commission has chosen two nations
in need, but also two nations willing to join forces with
the international community in their endeavour to build
their nations.
 As it should, the Human Rights Council allows
for closer scrutiny by the international community of
domestic affairs — not because we wish to punish but
because we wish to help improve. Such scrutiny is a
desirable monitoring mechanism to ensure the
protection of people from abuse by their own
Governments. Let us avoid politicizing the work of this
new body and instead, in a spirit of cooperation, ensure
that the Human Rights Council is successful in meeting
the objectives laid down by the General Assembly. In
that context, I would also like to draw attention to the
decision by the Human Rights Council to recommend
to the sixty-first session of the General Assembly the
adoption of the draft declaration on the rights of
indigenous peoples. Work on the draft declaration has
been under way for more than 20 years. It is high time
that we, the Governments, approve that landmark
instrument aimed at furthering the rights and
aspirations of the world’s indigenous peoples.
 In June, as President of the Security Council,
Denmark sought to highlight the importance of
strengthening international law. We picked up the torch
from the 2005 World Summit by calling a special
meeting on the critical role of international law in
fostering stability and order in international relations
(see S/PV.5474). The Security Council spoke out
clearly in favour of international law, both in general
terms and with regard to specific topics such as
delisting with respect to sanctions. Denmark will
continue to pursue those topics, and we call upon all
Member States to join us.
 The reform agenda is far from exhausted. The
Security Council should be reformed to better reflect
the world of today. Furthermore, we need to make
substantial progress on mandate review and
management reform during this session of the General
Assembly. Otherwise, we will not be able to meet the
challenges. Member States should not micromanage
the United Nations, but should build a strong and fast-
responding Organization to meet new challenges.
 The United Nations must play a strong role in
order to secure positive gains from globalization for
developing countries. Denmark eagerly looks forward
to the recommendations of the High-level Panel on
United Nations System-wide Coherence. Our aim is to
enhance on the ground the efficiency and impact of
United Nations development cooperation.
 It is a cause for concern that we have witnessed
the resurgence of the notion of respect for national
sovereignty as a justification for inaction in
international affairs. There is of course no denying that
nation-States remain the constituent part of the
international system and of this very Organization. But
respect for sovereignty can never become an excuse for
accepting massive human rights violations. That was
the key message from the Summit last year, when
heads of State pronounced their support for the notion
of the responsibility to protect.
 The Security Council has consistently worked to
uphold the sovereignty of Lebanon since 2004. In
August of this year, the Council intervened to stop the
war between Hizbollah and Israel, and decided to send
thousands of peacekeepers to help the Lebanese
Government extent its authority to all parts of the
country. We call upon all regional players to work
constructively towards that goal. Security Council
resolution 1701 (2006) must be fully respected by all
parties. Denmark is actively considering ways to
promote the implementation of resolution 1701 (2006),
including by assisting the Secretary-General in his
endeavours to find ways forward on the political
aspects.
 The war between Hizbollah and Israel proved the
volatility of the Middle East. For decades, the
international community has sought to address the
Arab-Israeli conflict, which continues to breed hatred
and fanaticism. We must support moderate forces for
reform and empower them to stand up against
centrifugal tendencies. We need to redouble our efforts
to finally achieve a comprehensive and lasting two-
State solution to that tragic conflict. It is in nobody’s

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interest that the instability in the Middle East
continues.
 The same goes for the Sudan. The Council’s
decision last month to continue preparations for a
United Nations peacekeeping force to relieve the
African Union force and stop the senseless carnage of
civilians in Darfur drew sharp criticism from the
Government of the Sudan and was denounced as neo-
colonialism and a violation of its sovereign rights. But,
I ask, whose rights are really being violated here?
Rather than the rights of the Government of the Sudan,
I submit that it is the right of the population of Darfur
to receive protection that is being violated. It is
incumbent upon the international community to act if a
Government fails to fulfil the responsibility to protect.
I call upon the Government of the Sudan to work with
us, not against us, in protecting the population of
Darfur.
 In Afghanistan the security situation continues to
be of great concern. We are, individually and
collectively, being tested on our commitment to assist
the Afghan people on their path towards a just and
prosperous future. Warlords, financed by the opium
trade, threaten the democratic rights of the people. The
United Nations must continue to support the
remarkable transformation process undertaken by the
Afghan people and their Government.
 We wish to see a stronger role for the United
Nations in Iraq, in order to contribute to peaceful and
democratic development. A necessary precondition to
improve the situation is better living conditions for all
in Iraq. Needless to say, it is in our common interest to
assist the Iraqi people in their struggle to reform and
build their country. It must not fall victim to
sectarianism and terrorism. If that happens the whole
region will become destabilized.
 The most serious danger associated with
globalization is the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction. The Security Council reacted in unity to
deplore the 4 July launch of several missiles by the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. We call upon
Pyongyang to return to the Six-Party Talks.
 Iran has failed to respond to the demands of the
Security Council. We call upon Tehran to suspend
enrichment activities and accept negotiations on the
generous package.
 Weapons of mass destruction and terrorism
represent a deadly combination. Terrorism is already in
itself one of the major threats to international peace
and stability. We all remember the tragedies here in the
United States five years ago, as well as the terrorist
attacks in London, Madrid, Amman, Bali, Saudi
Arabia, Egypt and Turkey. I am very pleased that the
United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy
(resolution 60/288) has now been adopted by the
General Assembly. That gives us renewed hope that we
may also conclude the negotiations on a comprehensive
convention this year. I call upon all States to seriously
attempt to bridge the differing views that exist with
regard to that very important convention, in order that
we can combat the scourge of our time, terrorism.
 As Chairman of the Security Council’s Counter-
Terrorism Committee, Denmark is working towards the
strengthening of the international fight against
terrorism through improved cooperation between the
Council and Member States.
 Let me conclude my statement by expressing
Denmark’s sincere appreciation to Secretary-General
Kofi Annan for his tireless efforts to promote a more
just, prosperous and peaceful world and for his
leadership of the United Nations. For almost 10 years,
Kofi Annan has served in an office where expectations
for action are not always matched by the requisite
powers and the means to act. He has impressively
carried a heavy burden through troubled times, and
recently has even undertaken new challenges in the
Middle East and in the world at large. His act will be a
difficult one to follow. Let his heritage be that the
stones he lifted do not roll back down the mountain.


I congratulate Sheikha
Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa on assuming the presidency of
the General Assembly at its sixty-first session. I also
commend her predecessor, Jan Eliasson of Sweden, for
his outstanding performance as President of the
General Assembly at the preceding session.
 I acknowledge and pay tribute to Secretary-
General Kofi Annan for his many years of dedication
to the United Nations. The Government and people of
the Bahamas are profoundly grateful to Secretary-
General Annan for all that he has done for the United
Nations, and I look forward to welcoming him one day
to the Bahamas so that we might thank him personally.
 I also congratulate and welcome Montenegro as
the 192nd State Member of the United Nations and
convey the best wishes of the Government of the
Bahamas for the prosperity and welfare of all its
people.
 The Bahamas stands for democracy, the rule of
law and the right to self-determination. In this very
body, before the Committee of 24 on decolonization,
our national leaders made the case for the
independence of our country. We were able to achieve
that in 1973, and ever since then successive
administrations have voiced the Bahamas’ support of
the same principles. I do so again today. In doing so, I
remind this body that the Bahamas and the region of
which it is a part are shining examples to all the world
of all of those principles. Within the next year, the
Bahamian people will again have the opportunity to
choose their Government in a general election based on
universal adult suffrage. There have been, within the
past year in our region, similar general elections in St.
Vincent and the Grenadines and Guyana. The Bahamas
does not support the use of the military in Government
or to overthrow legitimately elected Governments.
Wherever that occurs, it must be deplored and there
must be a return to constitutional democratic rule
within the shortest possible time.
 In our foreign policy, the Bahamas believes in
peace with all nations and we seek to avoid ideological
battles. Ours is a policy that avoids extremism, while at
the same time letting our voice be heard for the
dispossessed. We have the right to be here to speak for
ourselves and to speak for those who cannot speak. Our
people have fought for their voice to be heard and they
will be heard.
 My delegation welcomes the attempt by the
Security Council to increase the transparency of the
selection process in that body for the post of Secretary-
General by apprising the President of the General
Assembly of its proposed actions on this matter and on
the results of the straw polls. We would take this
opportunity to assure this body that whoever succeeds
to the post will have our support and cooperation.
 It was just over a year ago that we adopted the
2005 World Summit Outcome Document that has
served as the road map for reform efforts over the past
12 months. The Bahamas, like other States Members of
this Organization, is pleased that a number of reforms
have been implemented. In that regard, we note the
Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights
Council. With regard to the Human Rights Council, we
hope that it will evolve as an entity dedicated to a
process of constructive dialogue and cooperation in
which all countries may participate on an equal
footing.
 The Bahamas renews its commitment to the
Millennium Development Goals, and in particular to
universal education, fighting HIV/AIDS, equality for
women and cutting poverty in half by 2015. The
country’s international, award-winning Urban Renewal
Initiative has begun to address in particular the issue of
poverty in the Bahamas. The further reform of the
Economic and Social Council should lead to its being

17 06-53615

empowered to implement the internationally agreed
development goals and commitments to the eradication
of poverty, hunger and all other ills that continue to
plague humanity.
 I turn now to the United Nations Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy and the issue of regional global
security. We renew our commitments in that area.
However, as we have done for the past four years, we
want to take the opportunity to further define our
security interests as not being limited to the strategies
defined by a narrow view of counter-terrorism. We
believe that counter-terrorism strategies should be
informed by a much broader definition, namely, as
ensuring the stability of our societies as we fight our
vulnerabilities to drug traffickers, natural and
environmental disasters and poverty, and our
challenges with education and health care. In
particular, we call upon the developed economies in
our region and further afield to remember their moral
and legal obligations to stop the assault of small arms
on our societies, to cooperate in stopping the flow of
drugs through our region, and to work together with us
in declaring the Caribbean Sea and its environs to be a
nuclear-free zone. There must be a strategic alliance
between developed economies and those in our region
to ensure that those security vulnerabilities are
minimized, if not eliminated.
 The Bahamas is greatly heartened by the fact that
Member States have agreed on the text of the
convention on the rights of persons with disabilities,
which is to be adopted by the General Assembly in the
months ahead. That landmark convention recognizes
the importance for persons with disabilities of their
individual autonomy and independence, including the
freedom to make their own choices, and it
acknowledges that those persons should have the
opportunity to be actively involved in decision-making
processes about policies and programmes, particularly
those of direct concern to them. That is an important
step in empowering not only persons with disabilities,
but also the neighbourhoods, communities, societies
and countries in which they live. For too long, persons
with disabilities have been marginalized in many
settings, depriving them of their rights as citizens and
depriving society of the many contributions they could
make in the exercise of their full and unimpeded
participation. The Bahamas plans legislation to further
empower the disabled during the current session of our
Parliament.
 It has often been said that reform is a process and
not an event. We continue to support reform of the
Security Council so that it may more accurately reflect
the interests and balance of power in the realities of the
twenty-first century, including allowing small island
developing States to play a greater role in its activities.
It is our hope that, during this sixty-first session of the
General Assembly, we will see some significant
movement in the reform of the Security Council.
 Any reform would mean very little, however, if it
did not ultimately translate into the well-being of the
people of this planet. In that vein, the Bahamas will do
its part towards the implementation of the global
partnership for development and the translation of that
partnership into not only effective international,
multilateral economic, trading, financial and
environmental governance systems and mechanisms,
but also into the proliferation of healthy, productive
households and communities that contribute to
increased global welfare and security.
 We want to take this opportunity to recall our
concern about coercive measures by developed States
that adversely affect the trade in services in the
Bahamian economy and in our region generally. We
reiterate our call for levelling the playing field and for
a global forum to address how the issue of a level
playing field can be translated into international public
policy.
 The Bahamas welcomed and participated in the
recent High-level Dialogue on International Migration
and Development. At that time, the Bahamas outlined
the many positive impacts that international migration
had made on its economy and cultural development.
However, the Bahamas also noted the many challenges
the country had experienced over the previous 60 years
in managing migration, including those related to the
prevention of irregular or unauthorized migration.
 For the Bahamas, irregular or unauthorized
migration has given rise to considerable challenges in
the social and educational sectors, as well as to serious
national security issues. In this regard, the Bahamas
has pledged to work with our partners in the region
towards the establishment of a better way to match the
supply with the demand for migration in safe, legal,
humane and orderly ways, in order to maximize the
societal and human development potential of global
labour mobility, with the involvement of private-sector
and public-sector stakeholders.

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 The Bahamas is committed to sustainable
development. To a small-island developing State, there
are few things more important than securing the
necessary assistance in order to build resilience against
the many hazards that afflict the country on a
consistent basis, including violent storms or hurricanes,
which pass through our region even more frequently as
a result of global warming. In this connection, we look
to our partners in the region, the hemisphere and
around the world to reduce greenhouse gases. We call
on those countries that have not yet done so to sign the
Kyoto Protocol. It is also imperative that we all
commit ourselves to the development of alternative
sources of energy, in order to become less dependent
on the current polluting technologies that supply our
energy needs but threaten our sustainability.
 The Bahamas would like to take this opportunity
to once again congratulate the people of one of our
regional partners, Haiti, on the election and installation
of its democratically elected Government. It is
imperative that the international community do all it
possibly can to help Haiti establish stability and
security and promote sustained and sustainable
development within its national borders.
 As I have stated on previous occasions, the
Bahamas, which sits some 90 miles over the seas to the
north of Haiti, has a special interest in its stability and
prosperity. Instability in Haiti is bound to cause
instability in the Bahamas. A significant proportion of
the population in the Bahamas is either Haitian or of
Haitian descent. A migration crisis resulting from
instability in Haiti will have an immediate effect on the
Bahamas. Such a crisis would be difficult for our
country to endure and, with the will of the Haitian
community and the support of the world community,
we believe that it can and should be avoided.
 The Bahamas has always made known its support
for the people of Haiti and their aspirations for peace,
security and development. We have and continue to
take seriously our commitment to assist the people of
Haiti in taking charge of their destiny and placing their
country on the path to enduring democracy and
development. The Bahamas believes that it is therefore
imperative that the promised international financial
assistance to Haiti is delivered in a timely and efficient
manner.
 I would also like to take this opportunity to signal
my Government’s support for the upcoming Caribbean
Community (CARICOM) and Caribbean Common
Market initiative to encourage the United Nations to
mark and commemorate the 200th anniversary of the
abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in 2007.
Slavery and the concomitant slave trade together stand
as one of the most vicious violations of human rights in
recorded history. As the global sentinel for human
rights, the United Nations has a duty to highlight the
200th anniversary of the cessation of this crime against
humanity with a special event in 2007. We hope that
this initiative will receive the wide and enthusiastic
support of this General Assembly and indeed of the
wider United Nations community.
 This commemoration will present an ideal
opportunity to pay tribute to peoples of African descent
across the entire spectrum of the diaspora who share a
common heritage and, having survived the middle
passage, have gone on to form the bedrock on which
the prosperity of many developed countries has been
built. For its part, the Bahamas plans to undertake a
number of commemorative events including a festival
of arts which will run from March 2007 to January
2008. During the festival, a different country or region
of Africa will be showcased each month as a means of
exposing Bahamians to the rich culture of Africa
through theatre, art, music and dance.
 One of the other challenges that we will face
during this session is reaching agreement on the scale
of assessments for the apportionment of expenses of
the United Nations for the next triennium. We look
forward to engaging with other Member States to
achieve a scale of assessments that is broadly based on
the principle of the capacity to pay, and that it is
transparent, equitable and stable.
 The Bahamas continues to believe that the
Charter of the United Nations constitutes a viable and
firm foundation on which the Organization can balance
and achieve its objectives to maintain international
peace and security and to promote economic and social
progress. I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm the
commitment of the Bahamas to the principles
enshrined in that universal document, as well as to the
ongoing process of reform, which seeks to more
effectively translate these principles into real peace,
security and sustainable development for all the
world’s inhabitants. While dramatic progress may
sometimes evade us, we must not be swayed from our
course, and we must remain confident that our

19 06-53615

activities and efforts will benefit future generations.
Now more than ever we need the United Nations.