Our people, from the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela, have followed last week’s debate of
General Assembly. They are a people in the middle of a
revolution that has succeeded in building new spaces
for a political culture; a people that is informed and
educated, that has followed closely the positions put
forward at this Assembly. We could say that the debate
has reflected the current situation in the world, a world
that is struggling to build itself in peace, a world that is
seeking new directions.
 A year ago, the President Hugo Chávez Frías
spoke from this podium to warn the world, to confirm
the alert of many in the world on the madness, the
warmongering madness that has been imposed
alongside the desire for peace, a desire of the majority
of the world.
 Today, we can take stock of this warmongering
madness. Six years ago, through a lie, invasion and
aggression were sold to a brotherly people, the people
of Iraq. It was built on the basis of a global campaign,
a justification for the military occupation of the Arab
people of Iraq, of the Iraqi nation.
 Today, five years later, we can see the result of a
policy filled with hate and evil. From 2002 to 2006 of
the United States budget, $610 billion have been
invested in maintaining the war in the Middle East
$610 billion to bring about death and destruction, $610
billion that were taken from American taxpayers in
order to invest in bullets, bombs and death. That $610
billion invested in war, if it had been invested during
the past six years that the Iraqi occupation has lasted,
today could have meant social progress, equality and
justice for the people of Iraq.
 But the results are obvious, and clearly visible.
Research by the world’s universities states that more
than 600,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the
invasion and military occupation. More than the 3,600
young American were sent to their deaths. More than
25,000 young Americans have now returned to their
country crippled, blind, deaf or disabled for life. The
$610 billion invested in death has only multiplied the
violence, and the result that we see today is that the
invasion has not led to a safer or more balanced world.
The result has not been a world at peace. Today, the
nations of the world must acknowledge that we have a
world that is less safe, with greater dangers because of
terrorism. We have an unbalanced Middle East, filled
with violence and divisions.
 If that $610 billion invested in war and death in
Iraq had been invested in life, we would be looking at a
different situation today. With $610 billion, we could
build 3 million clinics to provide health services to the
world, as is done today by the people of Cuba and
Venezuela through the Bolivarian Alternative for the
Americas for people throughout Latin America and the
Caribbean. With the $610 billion invested in war, we
could build more than 12 million decent homes for
needy men and women of the three neediest latitudes
of the world: Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the
Caribbean. With that $610 billion invested in bullets
and bombs for the purpose of killing, we could have
built more than 300,000 schools that would have
received at least 350 million children and young
students around the world.
 But no, madness and greediness for the natural
resources of the world lead the elites of the United
States to undertake an absurd and irrational war and to
bring violence and death to the world. Today, if we
took stock of the situation, of the direct results of this
senseless and irrational war, we would have to say that
this war has led to death, destruction and
destabilization and has created even more sources of
terrorism than it has been able to heal. That is why this
senseless war is the worst example of how the security
system has functioned to protect balance and peace in
the world.
 Today, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela calls
upon our brothers in the world to think. We must adjust
the mechanisms to find balance and peace and to stop
the madness of war.
 We have seen how in recent days there has been
an increase in the international media campaign to
demonize the people and Government of Iran. We have
seen how dangerously successive threatening
statements have been made against the peace of the
people of Iran. Has the world, or have the
Governments represented in this General Assembly,
wondered what would happen if the insatiable madness
of the elite who govern the United States were to lead
to a dreadful attack on the peaceful people of Iran?
Where would such a situation lead us? It is time to stop
that campaign of demonization, to issue warnings, to
build restraining walls, to call for an end to, and make
alliances to stop, the belligerent madness of the elite
who govern the United States of America.
 Today, the war and the struggle against terrorism
occupy a very prominent place in the international
public agenda. From this podium, we would like to
reiterate to the Government of the United States of
America the legal request for the terrorist Luis Posada
Carriles to be extradited, in accordance with
international law, and to be prosecuted for the crimes
he committed in Latin America and the Caribbean
against our peoples. Does this Assembly know that one
of the most dangerous terrorists, Luis Posada
Carriles   the head of a terrorist gang, who has been
convicted of and confessed to crimes committed in
South America during Operation Condor, who was
responsible for the disappearance of hundreds of men
and women, who has been convicted of and confessed
to having blown up a Cubana Airlines plane in
Barbados in 1976 and who placed bombs in tourist
spots in Cuba in the 1990s   is now free in Florida
and protected by the Government of United States of
America? Does this Assembly know that this terrorist
provided his services to the Central Intelligence
Agency for 40 years?
 We have asked the Counter-Terrorism Committee
of the Security Council to examine that matter with all
due diligence, and we are asking for the support of
friendly Governments around the world for this
terrorist to be extradited and prosecuted for having
blown up a Cubana Airlines plane in Venezuela. This
two-faced behaviour shows the hypocrisy of a policy
that fuels war supposedly to combat terrorism but that,
on its own territory, protects one of the most dangerous
terrorists that the western hemisphere has ever known.
 Likewise, we wish to express from this podium
our solidarity with the growing call by Governments
and peoples of the world for a fair judgement and the
immediate release of the five Cubans imprisoned in the
jails of the empire as part of the war on terror being
carried out on United States territory. This demand that
we are making before the General Assembly today is
part of the flags of struggle that the Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela is raising today.
 From this podium today, we would like to
welcome the victory of President Rafael Correa, of the
progressive forces and of the people of Ecuador in the
recent elections to designate the Constituent National
Assembly, which will direct the peaceful process of
change in Ecuador. This victory in Ecuador is part of a
group of processes of change that have peacefully and
democratically paved the way in South America, Latin
America and the Caribbean, processes of change that
they tried to stop through campaigns by national
oligarchies, through international conspiracies and
through media campaigns. But the voice of the people
of Ecuador is clear. They have joined the voices of the
people of Bolivia, Venezuela and Uruguay. South
America, Latin America and the Caribbean ask, we
demand that the right to peaceful democratic change in
our societies be respected. We demand that the right to
build, through democratic revolution, new processes
and new economic and social structures be respected,
making it possible to overcome poverty and to build
democracies that are truly established by equality.
 The world knows that there has been an ongoing
conspiracy against the Venezuelan democracy and
President Hugo Chávez. The world knows that in 2002
our people defeated an attempted coup d’état that
sought the destruction of democracy and the
assassination of President Chávez.
 Today, the people of Venezuela are in the midst of
a thorough reform of the Constitution. In December,
the people of Venezuela, following a debate on terms
and proposals related to constitutional reform, will go
to the polls to decide in a sovereign manner what our
country’s future should be and what reforms we should
undertake to expand the foundations of political, social
and economic democracy. Today, we reaffirm to the
world that we want respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty
and independence and an end to imperialist-led media
campaigns that try to distort the real conditions of
democracy building by our people and by our popular
revolution.
 Today, we reaffirm the need for deep-seated and
comprehensive reform of the United Nations. A new,
multipolar world of equilibrium, without imperialistic
hegemony, is necessary, urgent and possible. We have
joined the debate on United Nations reform. We
believe that the Organization must be reworked. We
believe that the Organization must rebuild itself so that
it can faithfully serve a multipolar world, a world of
equilibrium, a world of peace, a world without
hegemony. Seventeen years of a unipolar world has
shown us the need for a deep-seated transformation of
multilateral organizations so that they can be placed at
the service of peace, equality, justice and the great
causes of humanity.
 Today, we reaffirm our conviction that the
Organization must be thoroughly reworked and must
move forward by democratizing the Security Council,
expanding both its permanent and its non-permanent
membership; by establishing new functions for the
General Assembly; and by strengthening the political
role of the Secretary-General.
 Finally, let us move forward with new
mechanisms for dialogue, coexistence and the building
of a multipolar world where we can all be equal   a
world where our peoples can see themselves as equal
partners in a global cooperative undertaking to build
the foundations of peace and justice, to overcome the
insanity of war and to be able to thwart the desire of
the world’s elites to take control of the natural
resources and wealth of our people.
 The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reaffirms
its will to move forward together with the peoples of
the world in a thorough reform that will transform the
United Nations into a new Organization   a genuine
instrument for peace, life and development.


Climate
change, at the centre of the high-level event a week
ago, constitutes one of the greatest challenges of our
generation. It puts to the test our ability to create the
collective political will necessary to counter a
phenomenon of potentially disastrous socio-economic
consequences. It also offers a great opportunity to
make the best use of the unique framework that this
Organization provides. The Bali meeting must bring
about a long-term commitment by all States to
launching an ambitious and practical road map towards
a gradually decarbonized global economy. We can
reach that goal if we translate today’s political
momentum into concrete action that goes beyond
tomorrow’s activities.
 Climate change is but one of the areas of concern
to the international community, where it is absolutely
clear that the United Nations is today more than ever
an indispensable Organization. It appears indeed that
its unique nature and potential are more widely
recognized and accepted today than they were until
even very recently. In the words of Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon, the pendulum is swinging back in our
favour. As a strong believer in multilateralism, we
welcome that development.
 However, as true friends of the United Nations,
we must also continue to question the ability of the
Organization to fully use its potential and to fulfil the
purposes and principles of its Charter. Our record in
the area of reform, two years after the 2005 World
Summit, is mixed. We yet have to achieve certain
institutional reforms, and the principle of the
responsibility to protect must be translated into
concrete action, such as in the case of the oppressive
policies of the regime in Myanmar against its own
population. Of course, however, reform of an
organization with tasks as diverse and daunting as the
United Nations is never concluded. We must always be
prepared to make the adjustments that are necessary to
improve its impact, its legitimacy and its efficiency.
Today, such adjustments require a two-fold approach.
On the one hand, we must strengthen its operational
parts and, on the other hand, we must ground the work
of the Organization more firmly in its origins, namely,
the Charter of the United Nations.
The demands in the area of peacekeeping are
greater than ever before. That attests to the faith placed
in the United Nations, but it also makes the
deficiencies in the management of the Organization a
more pressing issue. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
was therefore right to propose changes to strengthen
institutional support for the Organization’s field
activities. We look forward to further progress in that
respect, in particular in the area of procurement. We
are not convinced that the lessons from the oil-for-food
scandal, which has done great damage to the United
Nations, have been fully absorbed, let alone fully
translated into concrete action. We must also credibly
improve the financial efficiency and accountability of
the Organization. That will, in turn, allow us to present
to our domestic constituencies the ever-increasing bills
for peacekeeping operations.
 All the strengthening of the operational and
managerial capabilities of the United Nations will not
change the fact that, operationally and financially, this
is not a powerful Organization. Its budget will always
pale in comparison to what a number of States spend
on their defence budgets, to cite an obvious example.
The genuine power and strength of the Organization
lies in its foundation in international law. The Charter
itself can be regarded as the greatest achievement in
the history of international law. More important,
though, the United Nations has the unique ability to
bestow legitimacy and legality on international action.
In the eyes of the world, the United Nations
symbolizes the rule of law in international relations.
 That is a tremendous asset that we must cherish
and promote wherever possible. The United Nations
and its organs must always be seen as the guardians of
international law. Given its central place in the
institutional architecture of the Organization, that
applies in particular to the Security Council. The
current practice of the Council with respect to the
listing and de-listing of individuals targeted by
sanctions is therefore a cause for concern. We believe
that disregarding international standards of due process
does nothing to improve the effectiveness of sanctions
regimes, but much to undermine the authority of the
Council itself.
 Long years and much energy have been spent on
the reform of the Security Council. It would appear
today that we are as far from a solution as ever. We
believe that the legitimacy of the Council’s actions has
a number of sources, the most important of which are
the quality of its decisions and the extent to which they
reflect international law. In addition, the decisions of
the Council have the necessary legitimacy if they are
genuinely taken on behalf of the membership as a
whole, and therefore also on behalf of the vast majority
of States that do not serve on the Council. That can be
achieved through greater involvement by non-member
States, in particular if and when their interests are
directly affected. Finally, of course, the membership of
the Council must be more representative of the overall
membership of the Organization, and of the developing
world in particular.
 The past few years have not brought about the era
of the rule of law that some had hoped for. Quite to the
contrary, there have been concerted, and ultimately
unsuccessful, attacks on the importance of the rule of
law in international relations. Nevertheless, we have
achieved very significant progress in some areas, in
particular in the area of international criminal justice.
The Security Council has led the way through the
establishment of international and hybrid tribunals. But
the crowning success, of course, was the establishment
of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
 The referral of the situation in Darfur to the Court
was a landmark decision, both legally and politically. It
was a strong message by the Security Council that the
international community does not accept impunity for
the most serious crimes under international law. That
message, however, needs to be backed up by
enforcement action, in particular by the arrest of all
indictees sought by the Court. We therefore call on all
States and the United Nations to cooperate with the
ICC to that end.
 We will continue to take great interest in the work
of the Security Council. At the same time, of course,
we will focus our energy on making the General
Assembly a more relevant and more essential part of
the United Nations system. In that regard, my
delegation looks forward to the President’s leadership
and to closely cooperating with him on the priority
issues he has identified.


I would like to
add my voice to those of previous speakers in
congratulating you, Sir, on the occasion of your
election to the noble post of President of the General
Assembly. I am confident that you will carry forward
the able legacy left by your predecessor, Mrs. Haya
Rashed Al-Khalifa. Our warm tribute also goes to the
Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, as he strives to
reinvigorate our Organization.
 We all have the great belief that in the twenty-
first century the United Nations will be a more
effective Organization. The continued relevance of this
Organization will, to a large extent, depend on our
ability to attune it to our concerns and make it
responsive to our needs.
 The United Nations must continue to serve the
interests of all its Members States, regardless of
whether they are big or small. Our approach to
problems that transcend national boundaries should be
based on a global consensus, while maintaining the key
role of the United Nations in the cooperative
management of these problems. We need to advance
further and harmonize diverging views on the reform
of the Security Council. The Council should be
transformed into a democratic and respectful organ,
reflecting its universal character, corresponding to
present-day realities, and taking into consideration the
need for balanced geographic representation in its
membership.
 The reform package should strengthen the
General Assembly as the policy-making organ of the
United Nations. It is only through reinforcement of the
Assembly’s role and mandate that we can successfully
tackle some of the most pressing issues facing
humanity, not least the process of globalization.
 This year, 2007, marks the fifteenth anniversary
of Azerbaijan’s membership in the United Nations. I
will use this apt occasion both for reflecting on our
experience and for looking ahead. The development of
our region is inextricably linked to energy security
issues. We in Azerbaijan have been working for more
than 10 years on our energy security. When we started
our energy projects, the development of oil and gas
fields and construction of pipelines, we could not
imagine that our energy resources would be so crucial
in supporting the causes of free competition and free
market. But it so happens that we are right on time and
ready to provide an important contribution to global
energy security.
 Our firm dedication to the policy of economic,
political and social reform allowed us to improve our
economic performance significantly. Last year, we had
a 34 per cent growth in gross domestic product (GDP),
and more than 35 per cent this year. In four years, the
State budget increased more than fourfold. We
managed to decrease unemployment and poverty
significantly. A 36.8 per cent increase in the
population’s income and savings in financial
institutions is a direct indication of the improvement in
livelihood.
 Investments continue to play a catalytic role in
the overall development of the country. In 2007, the
level of investments from all financial sources has
reached a growth of 10.6 per cent. Most important, as
compared to previous years, the share of domestic
investments currently accounts for a significant
increase of 50.8 per cent, and a large part of it goes to
the non-oil sector. These are very important steps
towards achieving our goal of a diversified economy.
 We believe that the sustainability of growth and
development in Azerbaijan not only is ensured by the
availability of natural resources but also attests to the
commitment and capacity of the Government to protect
the rights of investors and to implement its
commitments under various contracts in the
multibillion range.
 Transparency and efficiency in oil revenue
management constitutes an important part of the
Government’s efforts to improve public service and
accountability. Thus, it gives me great pleasure to
inform delegates that the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan,
which leads the implementation of the Extractive
Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in Azerbaijan,
won the prestigious 2007 United Nations Public
Service Award in the category of improving
transparency, accountability and responsiveness in the
public service. We believe that this success shows the
efficiency of our Initiative, and we invite United
Nations Member States to discuss the achievements
made under the EITI. We plan to introduce a draft
resolution on this subject during the current session.
 Using our geographical location and unique
transportation possibilities, we are pioneering projects
on bridging Europe and Asia. Countries to the east of
the Caspian Sea have expressed a vivid interest in these
projects, and the role of Azerbaijan in regional affairs
has become more important and has been transformed
into a stabilization factor.
 By dint of its political and historical background,
Azerbaijan became home to various cultures and
religions. Building on this rich experience, during its
chairmanship of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference Ministerial Council, our country provided
substantial input to enhancing dialogue and broadening
mutual understanding among nations, cultures and
religions. We believe that by spreading knowledge
about Islam and its values, cultural dialogue between
the civilizations will contribute to mutual
understanding and trust. In this regard, the framework
of the Alliance of Civilizations provides a good
opportunity for joint action and partnership.
 Azerbaijan currently holds the rotating
chairmanship of the GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine,
Azerbaijan and Moldova) group. Our priority is to
espouse GUAM geopolitical and geo-economic
advantages, utilize its role as a natural corridor
bridging Europe and Asia and promote the
development of civil societies and the economic
cooperation of GUAM Member States.
 At the same time, GUAM serves as an effective
instrument to increase the international community’s
awareness about risks and challenges that its Member
States have been facing. In this regard, I would like
refer to agenda item 16 of the current session relating
to the protracted conflicts in the territories of
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova. These conflicts
have almost the same origin, similarly-developed
scenario and dangerous outcome. They all started from
the manifestation of aggressive separatism, were
accompanied by ethnic cleansing against civilians and
resulted in the violation of the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of these States.
 GUAM is firmly convinced that the settlement of
these protracted conflicts must be based on territorial
integrity within their internationally recognized
borders. Together with GUAM colleagues, Azerbaijan
will defend this fundamental principle of international
law, initiate formal discussions in the General
Assembly and mobilize support of the United Nations
Member States.
 The Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorny Karabakh
conflict remains the most serious challenge to the
security of our region. As a result of the conflict, we
are still facing the continued occupation by Armenia of
a significant part, almost 20 per cent, of the
internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan. We
are hosting approximately one million refugees and
internally displaced persons, who were notoriously
ethnically cleansed and brutally expelled from their
homes of origin in Armenia and in the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan.
 Azerbaijan’s position on conflict settlement is
fully based on the norms and principles of international
law, plus four relevant resolutions of the United
Nations Security Council that provide for the
restoration of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan and the establishment of vast opportunities
for the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of the
Nagorny Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
 Negotiations on conflict resolution, which since
1992 have been carried out within the framework of
the OSCE Minsk Group, have so far not yielded any
results. The more time passes, the more difficult it is
for us to observe from our side of the line of contact
the attempts of the current Armenian leadership to
consolidate the results of the occupation of our
territories, their attempts to destroy everything
associated with the Azerbaijani legacy in these
territories and to carry out illegal activities thereon.
The United Nations shall not tolerate such action. From
this high podium, I would like to address the Armenian
nation in order that they recognize that their policy of
breaching peace and stability in the region has very
dangerous, counter-productive and disastrous
implications for the long-term perspective of
development, above all, for Armenia. I am confident
that Azerbaijan will restore its sovereignty and
territorial integrity. It is only a question of time.
 Finally, on this issue, I would like to express our
gratitude to Member States for their unequivocal
support extended in September 2006 to General
Assembly resolution 60/285, entitled “The situation in
the occupied territories of Azerbaijan”. Although
Armenia dissociated itself from the resolution after
joining the consensus on it, we still believe that
establishing the proper conditions for the
environmental operation may become a significant
confidence-building measure.
 As a member of the Human Rights Council,
Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the efficient
functioning of the Council. It is our common task and
responsibility to ensure that this institution lives up to
the expectations vested in it and becomes a truly
objective, vigorous and credible universal human rights
body. We are looking forward to finalizing the
institution-building of the Council so that it becomes
fully operational and devotes attention to the issues
directly within its mandate.
 In the course of the last two years, the United
Nations has continued to represent a unique platform
for international standard-setting in the field of human
rights by adopting two major documents — namely, the
International Convention for the Protection of All
Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Undoubtedly, adoption of those important instruments
represents a significant step forward in a long
historical process. Already a signatory to the first
Convention, Azerbaijan is currently considering
signing the latter.


The  great challenges and problems, both global and
regional, call for urgent and coherent responses. The
responsibilities and the role of the United Nations in
raising awareness and in providing unity of direction
are now greater and more important. That is exactly
why compliance with United Nations resolutions
should be a top priority for all, including those are
elected to represent the Organization and its agencies.
 I should like to congratulate Her Excellency
Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa   who was only the
third woman in the history of the United Nations to
occupy the post of President of this Assembly   on
her efforts to promote the purpose and principles for
which our Organization was founded.
 I should also like to express our appreciation to
the Secretary-General for his tireless efforts to
safeguard international peace and security and for his
keeping alive the authority and role of the Organization
in this area.
 Greece fully aligns itself with the statement made
by the Prime Minister of Portugal on behalf of the
European Union. However, we would like to add a few
points about the major issues on our agenda for the
coming period.
 The end of the Cold War ushered in a new era in
international relations in which the threat of military
confrontation between the two power blocs dissipated.
However, the world community still faces violent
internal conflicts, civil wars, genocide and other large-
scale atrocities that cause immense destruction and
suffering to millions of people.
 And yet, conflicts within and between States are
not the only threat to international peace and security.
New threats and challenges are emerging. Proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction is a serious challenge.
Organized crime and human trafficking constitute
another threat that can have destabilizing effects and
fuel civil wars. Extreme poverty in many parts of the
world, failing States, large-scale humanitarian
disasters, deadly infectious diseases and environmental
degradation and catastrophes have devastating
consequences.
 We applaud the Secretary-General’s initiative to
hold a high-level event last week to deal with climate
change, environmental issues being potentially the
greatest threat to our societies. I hope that a global,
sustained and comprehensive approach emerges soon
to help save our planet, our future, our children’s
future.
 Controlling and coping with climate change is
one of the greatest environmental and development
challenges. Without swift action to face the problems
arising from these challenges, we all risk paying a high
and bitter price.  We should proceed in a timely manner,
through a step-by-step approach, building on national
as well as international capacities in order to address
the causes, mitigate the effects and create synergies
that will allow for specific and measurable results in
the near future. A clear indication of the importance
Greece attaches to the environment is the fact that the
Greek chairmanship of the Human Security Network
has decided to focus on climate change and human
security.
 This summer my country suffered enormously
from devastating wildfires. May I take this opportunity,
while addressing the international community, to
express our deep gratitude and thanks to all those
countries and friends who have extended to us their
invaluable support, help and assistance.
 Working for peace is not an easy task. The pursuit
of international peace and stability, if it is to be
successful, means that threats have to be addressed in a
comprehensive way and that many conditions have to
be met. Unresolved conflicts have to be energetically
confronted, while, at the same time, we have to deal
with situations of deep-seated injustice, inequality,
ongoing violence, social exclusion, extreme poverty,
famine, illiteracy and cultural misunderstanding.
 In addressing the deep-rooted structural problems
that fuel conflicts, peacebuilding must bridge security
and development. Good governance, the rule of law,
strong democratic institutions, respect for human rights
and development assistance are critical components in
reducing today’s conflicts.
 Terrorism is undeniably one of the most serious
threats to peace and security, menacing the very
foundation  of our democratic societies, and actions to
combat this threat should be in conformity with
international human rights standards and fundamental
freedoms. The adoption of the Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy by the General Assembly was a
major accomplishment, and its full implementation
should be an absolute priority for Member States. In
this respect, I would like to emphasize the importance
that my country attaches to the conclusion of ongoing
negotiations for the elaboration of a comprehensive
convention against international terrorism; it would be
a valuable addition to the counter-terrorism legal
framework.
 In the face of all the threats and challenges that
transcend State borders, we need a more
comprehensive concept of collective security, one
based on respect and justice as requirements for peace
and solidarity as a condition for security, and entailing
a commitment from all to promote sustainable
development. But above all, we need a commitment to
collective political action requiring the strengthening
of the United Nations.
 The early, comprehensive and coherent
prevention of conflicts lies at the heart of the United
Nations mandate for the maintenance of international
peace and security. Integrated and long-term strategies
to address the root causes of conflict are necessary. The
United Nations should therefore be strengthened in its
managing, resolving and preventing conflicts and their
recurrence. International regional organizations should
also be effective in this regard, and international
treaties should be respected.
 The United Nations was created on the basis of
the resolve of all States that collective action was the
only basis for taking measures to address our common
global problems. We only have common values
enshrined in the United Nations Charter that guide our
efforts and give us direction to unite around what is
just and right   freedom, democracy, human rights,
equality, peaceful resolution of conflicts, respect,
multiculturalism, tolerance and open societies, and
dialogue among neighbours, nations, religions and
cultures. Greece’s foreign and security policy is based
precisely on these principles and values. We are
committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes, the
upholding of international law, including international
humanitarian law, and promoting good neighbourly
relations.
 I deeply regret to note that, 33 years after the
Turkish invasion in 1974, the Republic of Cyprus
remains a divided island. Turkey continues to occupy
part of a United Nations and European Union (EU)
Member State with over 40,000 troops, violating
United Nations resolutions and international law. Our
steadfast objective remains the withdrawal of all
occupation troops and the reunification of the island, in
the context of a bizonal, bicommunal federation. To
this end, the relevant United Nations resolutions and
the EU principles and values provide a clear
framework for a comprehensive settlement agreed upon
by the two communities.
 Greece has consistently welcomed the United
Nations initiatives for finding a just and viable solution
to the Cyprus question. In this vein, we strongly
support the rapid implementation of the 8 July 2006
agreement, which was reached under United Nations
auspices. We shall continue to do everything possible
to assist the two communities to find an agreed
solution, not least because it would significantly
enhance the development of friendship and cooperation
between Greece and Turkey. We strongly urge Turkey
to demonstrate the necessary will and flexibility
towards this direction.
 Our foreign policy is based on the principles of
international law and the United Nations Charter. It is
in this spirit that we approach our relations with
neighbouring Turkey. Greece has taken specific steps
and initiatives to continue broadening and
strengthening our cooperation with Turkey in all fields.
Lately, it has grown even further in the economic field,
but also in the energy sector. We believe that a
democratic Turkey with a clear European orientation, a
Turkey that meets the European criteria and
requirements set out in the negotiating framework with
the European Union, can be a factor for stability in our
part of the world. That is why we support Turkey’s
European aspirations. Turkey, however, must
concretely demonstrate its unequivocal commitment to
the principles of good neighbourly relations and
peaceful settlement of disputes with all its neighbours.
In any case, from the outset Greece has repeatedly
stated that Turkey’s full compliance should lead to full
membership.
 Good neighbourly relations are the cornerstone
upon which the countries of South-East Europe must
build a common European future of peace, stability and
prosperity. The European perspective of the countries
of our region has been a strategic choice for Greece.
Our vision is to transform our neighbourhood into a
region that is like the rest of Europe   an area of
peace, democracy and prosperity. As the oldest member
of the EU and NATO in the region, my country works
intensively and constructively to create the necessary
conditions of good neighbourliness, mutual
understanding and stability in the Balkans.
 Enhancing regional cooperation, establishing
good neighbourly relations and finding mutually
acceptable solutions to outstanding issues with
neighbouring countries are fundamental prerequisites
for further integration of the aspirant countries of
South-East Europe into the Euro-Atlantic institutions.
Provocative acts and statements with irredentist
connotations are incompatible with United Nations
principles and common European values. They poison
the necessary climate of understanding between our
peoples, and they are contrary to the European concept.
In this context, Security Council resolutions 817
(1993) and 845 (1993), calling for a mutually
acceptable solution to the name issue of the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, need to be respected
in practice by all.
Our efforts to secure a truly European future for
the Balkans will remain inconclusive if we fail to reach
a viable and sustainable settlement for Kosovo’s future
status. We remain convinced that this goal can be met
only if, first, effective compromises between the two
parties are achieved in the course of the ongoing
negotiations and, secondly, if the settlement is
legitimized through a Security Council resolution. In
any case, this is par excellence a European problem,
and the role of the European Union in this issue is
essential.
 I cannot think of any conflict that has held the
unwavering attention of so many for so long as the one
in the Middle East. We are all aware of the
multifaceted challenges that we face in this part of the
world. And we all agree that the nature of these
challenges is such that they affect not only the peoples
of the region, but the entire international community.
Despite the variances that we observe among us, there
is one crucial element that is common to all, and that is
the need to achieve a just and lasting peace in the
Middle East based on a two-State solution that will
guarantee security, mutual respect and a fair future for
all. This is our common goal, and Greece is deeply
committed to it.
 The progress Africa has been making in recent
years is both substantial and undeniable. It is
characterized by economic growth, crisis management
and a will for conflict prevention. The United Nations,
deeply involved in peacekeeping and providing
developmental assistance, has found in the African
Union and the African regional organizations a vital
partner for the success of this process. Partnership
between the United Nations and the African Union, as
well as the African regional organizations, could well
be the key to successfully overcoming the challenges
facing Africa today. In this context, we welcome the
creation of the joint African Union/United Nations
Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), which, by
combining forces of the United Nations and of the
African Union, shows the way to the future for Darfur
and for the continent as a whole.
 International development cooperation is one of
the priorities of Greek foreign policy. Our national
development agency, Hellenic Aid, implements the
United Nations Millennium Development Goals in the
framework set out by the European Union and the
principles followed by the Development Assistance
Committee of the Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development, while focusing on our
cultural heritage. Our humanitarian and development
projects in 46 countries aim at combating poverty,
disease, malnutrition, lack of access to drinking water,
and dealing with the consequences of natural disasters
and conflict situations, while safeguarding the
protection of human rights. We strive to address the
root causes of illegal immigration, human trafficking
and terrorism, since enforcement measures alone are
not enough to address those problems. In 2005, Greece
allocated $384.22 million to finance actions to the
benefit of our partner countries in the developing
world. In Africa, development assistance, ranging from
humanitarian aid to HIV/AIDS care and refugee
programmes, was offered to almost 20 African States.
 On all the issues I have referred to, my country is
committed to assisting the United Nations and to
cooperating with all individual Member States in order
to achieve peace and prosperity for all peoples of the
world.


First, allow me to
congratulate you, Mr. President, on your election. At
the same time, I should like to pay tribute to the work
of your predecessor, Her Excellency Sheikha Haya
Rashed Al-Khalifa.
 On this occasion I want to say how much my
country has benefited from the existence of the United
Nations. The universal values enshrined in the United
Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights have given a context and perspective to
our sovereignty and self-determination. Iceland’s story
is testimony to the fact that it is through civilized
coexistence within the community of nations that
societies prosper. Within living memory, Iceland
progressed from being one of the poorest countries in
Europe to one of the most prosperous. We have had the
good fortune to be able to build a Nordic welfare
society on the sustainable harvesting of our natural
resources.
 As a small, dynamic State without a military, it is
our natural inclination to look for the peaceful
settlement of disputes within the international
community. Our independence, which we achieved
some 60 years ago, is built on more than our
democratic institutions, fundamentally important
though they are. Our freedom in the widest sense has
been achieved through economic development as well
as the guarantee of human rights and democracy.
 In our experience, freedom is complex and
multifaceted. All human rights are universal,
indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. But it is
evident that poverty, inequality and the lack of
economic and social rights can make the exercise of
political and civil rights difficult.
 We are now about halfway to our deadline for the
Millennium Development Goals. The year 2015 is
around the corner and we will soon need to deliver on
our promises. There has been some good news: it
seems likely that the goal of halving the number of
people living in extreme poverty by 2015 will be
reached. However, progress on many human
development goals, such as on child mortality, has been
disappointing. Regional challenges remain, particularly
in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. It is incumbent
upon those who have the good fortune to be prosperous
to join in solidarity with others to make these rights
available to all. What is more, the security challenges
that we face this century are such that they can only be
addressed together, in solidarity with others. Climate
change is a prime example.
 Indeed, the phenomenon of climate change is
already devastating the lives of millions across a broad
swathe of Africa, among many small island States and
widely in Asia. Every region and most countries can
expect to feel the effects of climate change in the near
future. How we address this issue as an international
community is a test of our commitment to the
fundamental values of the United Nations and our
ability to act together in light of our shared
responsibility. The discussions that took place earlier
this week were an important step in identifying means
and measures in this respect, and I thank the Secretary-
General for his initiative. Although climate change is a
global phenomenon, it tends to be the poorest in
developing countries that are hardest hit   those that
are least responsible for causing climate change.
Climate change is thus a severe threat to poverty
reduction.
 It is important that the international community
treats adaptation to climate change not as a stand-alone
issue but as an integral part of our common efforts to
attain the Millennium Development Goals. A
comprehensive approach is needed if we are to see
results. The Government of Iceland is committed to
showing solidarity with the most vulnerable in
adapting to the effects of climate change.
 Iceland regards women’s empowerment and full
participation at all levels as a fundamental issue for the
new millennium. Whether in relation to peace and
security, health, poverty or climate change, the
empowerment of women is the key to success. Women
and men need to be equally represented and listened to
everywhere. I should like to reiterate Iceland’s support
for the recommendations of the High-level Panel on
United Nations System-wide Coherence regarding
gender equality and women’s empowerment. The
current United Nations structure and approach to
gender issues is too fragmented. The excellent work of
the United Nations Development Fund for Women
(UNIFEM) must be built upon and reinforced within
the new structures. We firmly support the
establishment of a new gender entity to strengthen the
performance of the United Nations in this field of
work. Establishing the post of Under-Secretary-
General for gender equality issues should provide
strong leadership and coordination, and it is my hope
that this post will be quickly filled. Gender
mainstreaming has to be addressed throughout the
whole United Nations system in a more systematic
manner. Let us use the current momentum to bring this
process forward at this session of the General
Assembly.
 Official development assistance (ODA) plays a
vital role in achieving the Millennium Development
Goals. Let me state clearly that Iceland views these
Goals as common goals. We see development as
mutually beneficial co-operation. Freedom for Iceland
has been built through development and it is a vital
element of freedom for all peoples. Donors need to
deliver on their promises and accelerate their efforts in
increasing development assistance. The Government of
Iceland stands ready to shoulder its responsibility. Our
ODA has doubled over the past four years and we aim
to be among the top ODA contributors. Increased aid
effectiveness is central to development results. The
Government of Iceland believes that the United
Nations should be at the forefront of such efforts. We
support the follow-up of the report of the High-level
Panel on System-wide Coherence (A/61/583), which in
our view will make the United Nations more effective
in delivering results on the ground.
 ODA is of course not a panacea. We need to make
progress in international trade negotiations. When I
had the privilege of attending the meeting of the
African Union in Accra this summer, I was made aware
by colleagues of the tremendous potential that African
countries see in closer integration across that continent.
In a globalized world closer regional cooperation and
integration, including trade relations, has, in our
experience, been a step towards a better future, a joint
investment of nation States in their common well-
being.
 Iceland pledges full political support to our
common goal of halting global warming. Bearing in
mind that there is now a window of opportunity, which
may close within a decade, the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendation on
halving emissions should be taken seriously. Iceland
has set itself a long-term aspirational goal of reducing
net greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 75 per cent by
2050. The Kyoto Protocol provides a basis for effective
action by developed nations, which must lead the way
in controlling emissions. But Kyoto is not universal
and it is not enough. Iceland believes that the Bali
meeting should start a process leading to a
comprehensive climate agreement, ideally to be
concluded in 2009, the year of the summit in
Copenhagen. This agreement would cover the
post-2012 period.
 There is no “silver bullet” solution to the problem
of global warming. The issue of deforestation,
especially the rain forests, must be addressed. The role
of new technology is crucial, particularly in regard to
alternative, sustainable and clean sources of energy. In
the field of geothermal energy, where Iceland has
considerable experience, there is wide scope for
development. New technology must not, however,
exacerbate the very serious problems we already face.
It is, for example, a matter of grave concern that
increases in the production of biomass-based energy
sources could be raising food prices. New sources of
renewable energy must also adhere strictly to long-
term environmental demands. This is particularly
relevant to the planned build-up of nuclear energy
reactors. The creativity and research capabilities of
universities, the commitment and inclusiveness of non-
governmental organizations and the drive of business
and industry must be activated in a broad and
consistent effort. Governments cannot do this alone.
 Iceland regards human security, as formulated for
example by the 2005 World Summit, to be of
fundamental political and conceptual importance when
it comes to discussing and deciding on action
concerning peace and security. A key instrument for
ensuring human security is Security Council resolution
1325 (2000), which needs to be thoroughly
implemented. Millions of individuals experience
assaults on their personal security. I am thinking of the
brutality inflicted by some Governments on their own
people and by terrorists or irregular forces on civilians.
 In this context allow me to express deep concern
over events in Myanmar where the democratically
elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been held in
detention for years and where the peaceful expression
of political dissent is at present being brutally
repressed.
 I am thinking of the attacks on the providers of
humanitarian aid in many conflict regions. I am
thinking of the failure of authorities around the world
to ensure the protection of women and children from
violence and trafficking. In this context I should also
like to encourage other Member States to support the
draft resolution on a moratorium on the use of the
death penalty.
 I wish to express appreciation for the efforts of
the United Nations Secretary-General, the African
Union Commission Chairman, and the Security
Council in finding a way forward towards alleviating
the suffering of the people of Darfur. There is however
still much to be done.
 Crucial discussions are currently in progress to
solve the decades-long situation in the Middle East. It
is clear to me that most people in Israel and Palestine
yearn for peace. Indeed, opinion polls bear this out. In
particular, women from both sides voice their distress
at the long-term effects of continued conflict on their
children, who are the future of this region. The talks in
progress at the moment, with the support of the
Quartet, the efforts of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee,
and, most important, the efforts of the Israeli and
Palestinian Governments, give some hope. I encourage
political leaders to ensure that the will for peace among
a great many people on both sides is reflected in the
political process. This requires political courage and
true leadership. It requires restraint when restraint is
most difficult. It requires a determination to outflank
the spoilers on both sides who wish to sacrifice the real
prospects for a peaceful and fulfilling life for millions
to the distant mirage of some unattainable utopia. Final
status issues, which are critical to the Palestinians and
the Israelis, must be on the agenda for the peace
conference that the President of the United States has
proposed. The outcome must give both sides a clear
view of a realistic and acceptable future for their
children. Meanwhile, all who have it in their power,
bear a responsibility to do their utmost to ensure the
humanitarian needs of the civilian population.
 Jordan and Syria, neighbouring States of Iraq,
have made generous provision for hundreds of
thousands of refugees from Iraq. Iceland is determined
to contribute to alleviating the suffering of the Iraqi
people and has pledged funds to the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for
the provision of schooling for Iraqi children in Jordan.
We also stand firmly behind United Nations-mandated
efforts to assist in the stabilization and rebuilding of
the country.
 Clearly a major threat to human security as well
as State security is the proliferation of arms. Iceland
regrets the current situation in the fields of arms
control, disarmament and non-proliferation. Despite
sustained efforts by the majority of Member States
over a number of years, only limited progress has been
made, some of it outside the United Nations
framework. Our failures in this area pose a constant
threat to peace and security. Now is the time to renew
our efforts. The conclusion of an arms trade treaty
would certainly be a significant achievement. A
number of projects launched by the United Nations
Summit of 2005 have made steady progress, including
the establishment of the Human Rights Council and of
the Peacebuilding Commission. The 2005 World
Summit Outcome (resolution 60/1) also gave the
General Assembly the task of reforming the Security
Council. The momentum for completing this work
must be maintained so that the Security Council can be
more representative of our world at the beginning of
the twenty-first century. This would entail an increase
in the number of elected and permanent seats.
 Iceland has been an active and committed
Member of the United Nations since 1946. In the light
of the principle of rotation and the importance of all
Member States sharing in the responsibility of serving
on the Security Council, we announced in 2000 our
first-time candidacy for a seat for the period 2009-2010
with elections to be held next autumn. This
candidature, which is actively supported by the other
Nordic States   Denmark, Finland, Norway and
Sweden   reflects Iceland’s firm commitment to play
an active role in cooperation with others in addressing
the most pressing security threats of the twenty-first
century. As a Nordic country we stand for a long
tradition of active commitment to the United Nations
and to the best interests of the whole. The Nordics have
a reputation for being bridge-builders   trusted
mediators in complex situations. Iceland seeks to
shoulder the responsibility to exercise with fairness
and firmness the role of a Security Council member.


On behalf of  the Government and the people of the Republic of San
Marino, I join the unanimous tribute paid to you,
Mr. Srgjan Kerim, on your election as President of the
General Assembly at its sixty-second session by
expressing my most sincere congratulations on your
election to this high office. I am confident that you will
be able to give new momentum to the process of
renewal and reform of the United Nations.
 In particular, I wish to express my gratitude and
appreciation to the outgoing President, Her Excellency
Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, who has carried out
with determination and commitment an intense activity
aimed at implementing the reform programme
undertaken by the Secretary-General.
 The Republic of San Marino is deeply concerned
about the latest events in Myanmar and expresses its
solidarity to the families of the victims. We hope that
the violence will soon be stopped and a dialogue
immediately re-established.
 The Republic of San Marino firmly believes in
the role and effectiveness of the entire structure of the
United Nations, as well as in the process of progressive
renewal of its main bodies, which is now more than
ever necessary, given time, evolution and the need to
best enhance the participation by the great family of
the Member States in the management of the
Organization.
 A small country like San Marino gains
considerable strength and legitimacy from the major
international organizations in its efforts to make its
voice heard regarding the great issues and main
challenges of our time. We are still determined to play
this role and will continue to fulfil the commitments
undertaken, individually or in partnership with other
countries, to affirm those principles of solidarity and
the protection of rights, in which our history is rooted.
 In this regard, we believe that forms of
cooperation among small countries can prove
undoubtedly useful to major projects and deliver
positive and effective messages of multilateral
cooperation, in a spirit of mutual belonging to an
international community, albeit still characterized by
large gaps.
In this context, an example is the commitment
taken by San Marino, together with a group of small
European countries, in favour of a United Nations
Children’s Fund project against HIV and destined for
children living in Gabon. At the same time, the small
countries are intensifying their contacts within the
United Nations to adopt further joint intervention
programmes, mainly of a humanitarian character.
 The Republic of San Marino promotes and
supports, with the strength of its millenary history of
civilization, peace and respect for human rights, any
call advanced at a national or international level
entailing a moral and civil commitment to the
affirmation of specific ideological and cultural
identities, which, as is the case for San Marino, are
based on the principles of peaceful coexistence and
respect for others.
 It is in this spirit that my country believes in and
actively commits itself to the promotion of
intercultural and interreligious dialogue, as a
fundamental instrument to prevent tensions and
conflicts arising from intolerance and to promote peace
based on the principles of respect for fundamental
human rights, justice and international cooperation.
 During its six-month chairmanship of the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,
which ended last May, the Republic of San Marino
based its activity on the promotion of a culture of
tolerance and mutual understanding by organizing
high-level meetings and debates aimed at fostering
dialogue among cultures and religions. In this context,
the conference organized last April in San Marino on
the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue in
Europe, a priority issue of the San Marino
chairmanship, met with great success. This conference
was attended by the representatives of the Council of
Europe member countries, religious leaders belonging
to the three major European monotheistic religions and
experts from civil society. At the end of its work, the
conference adopted a final document, which testifies to
the wide range of this debate and marks a significant
moment in the process undertaken by the Council of
Europe to promote, stimulate and develop intercultural
dialogue in Europe, with particular reference to its
religious dimension.
 Among the initiatives taken in the last few
months on this issue, it is worth mentioning the
meeting organized by the Permanent Mission of San
Marino in New York on dialogue between religions,
with the presence and participation of the Secretary-
General, the President of the General Assembly and
representatives of more than 70 countries.
 In line with its history of peace, which makes it
an ideal place for meeting and mediation, the Republic
of San Marino will coordinate, starting from next year,
the future meetings of the Council of Europe on the
religious dimension of intercultural dialogue. It is in
this spirit that I will take part next week in the High-
level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural
Understanding and Cooperation for Peace, organized
by the presidency of the General Assembly.
 My country welcomes the adoption of this
initiative, which further stresses the need for us to join
our efforts in support of dialogue among cultures and
religions, as an instrument to strengthen the climate of
confidence indispensable to promote peace, prevent
conflicts and combat the threat of discrimination,
racism, violence and terrorism.
 The Republic of San Marino is particularly
sensitive to the issue of climate change, in the
conviction that addressing this problem is an
imperative for each member of the international
community, called upon to take action and share
common strategies to prevent and face situations of
degradation and extreme emergency, which are
becoming increasingly evident and require joint actions
that can no longer be postponed. We are witnessing
alarming phenomena that are deteriorating every
element of the environment, mainly due to human
activities. It is therefore necessary to develop
alternative strategies, which can protect the climate
from the increasingly serious threat posed to the entire
ecosystem.
 The San Marino Government has expressed its
strong determination to progressively accede to the
major international instruments, adopted in the
framework of the United Nations, on environmental
protection and gas emissions, from the Vienna
Convention and Montreal Protocol thereto, to the
Kyoto Protocol, in the awareness that the consequences
of climate change are a serious obstacle to the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. At
a domestic level, San Marino is preparing legislation
promoting new technologies based on renewable
energy sources that will substantially modify the
energetic and environmental habits of the entire
country.
 Just a few days ago, the Secretary-General
organized a high-level event on climate change, which
gave further momentum to the activity of our
Governments.
 It is worth reiterating that we take a strong stance
against the death penalty on the basis of political and
moral principles. Indeed, the death penalty denies the
right to life, and we deem it a groundless deterrent, as
do an increasing number of countries, which are
progressively abolishing it from their legal systems.
The Republic of San Marino expresses its satisfaction
at the steps taken in this direction at a multilateral level
and supports the new interregional initiative. We are
convinced that by promoting first of all a moratorium,
each and every country can gradually achieve a
moderate attitude and eventually reach the decision to
abolish the death penalty.
 San Marino fully shares the commitment
undertaken on a global scale to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals and is ready to offer its own
contribution and its partnership to eradicate endemic
problems, by fully recognizing the fundamental rights
of the most vulnerable groups of society, such as the
elderly, women, children and disabled people.
 In this regard, I would like to underline in
particular the value of the action carried out by the
United Nations in favour of social policies addressed to
persons with disabilities, which has led to the adoption
of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol. In
this context, the Republic of San Marino was one of
the first States to subscribe to these instruments.
 To achieve these objectives, which were also
among the main issues included in the programme of
the recent chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers
of the Council of Europe, my country has launched
some awareness raising and effective intervention
campaigns, such as the campaign on violence against
women and in favour of children’s rights.
 I wish to refer in particular to the protection of
children’s rights, to which my country pays special
attention, prompted by the conviction that only the
mobilization of Governments and societies can save
children all over the world from today’s sufferings and
from enduring conditions of underdevelopment and
poverty. My country has promoted legislative measures
and solidarity initiatives with the precious contribution
of institutions and civil society, and it commits itself at
a political, moral and social level to providing any
possible instrument of protection and guarantee in
favour of minors.
 It is in this spirit and in full agreement with the
principles contained in the detailed study on violence
against children, drafted by United Nations expert
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, that the Republic of San Marino
will soon sign the Convention on the Protection of
Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual
Abuse, adopted by the Council of Europe and aimed at
involving the States in the drafting and implementation
of an international plan to prevent and counter these
phenomena.
 San Marino is fully aware of the need for the
United Nations to maintain and strengthen its own
structure by revitalizing the main bodies, to attain
improved efficiency and progressive adjustment to a
broader multilateral context.
 In the light of the above and well aware of its
status as a small country, San Marino is however
intensifying its activities within the major international
organizations. It has responsibly taken on the task of
facilitator assigned to it and to Senegal by the
President of the sixty-first session of the General
Assembly in the revitalization process of this organ.
 This task, performed by the San Marino
Permanent Mission in New York, attributes to this tiny
State a delicate and important role at an international
level, which certainly represents a significant
recognition of the work done since 1992 to the present
and of the commitment with which the Republic
participates in the life of the international community,
with its renewed efforts to enhance dialogue and
cooperation.
 The objective of revitalizing the General
Assembly is a priority in the reform and modernization
process of the main bodies of the United Nations, since
the General Assembly is the main representative and
decision-making body of the Organization, where all
States are permanent members and can and must play
an important role by virtue of the principles of
democracy and equal representation enshrined in this
Organization.
 The Republic of San Marino believes it necessary
to strengthen the role of the General Assembly by
enabling it to act efficiently and to cooperate with
other statutory bodies in a more coordinated manner. In
this regard, San Marino expresses the hope that, in
order to fully support the activities of this body, which
is responsible for the whole process of standardization
and codification of international law, the international
community will commit itself to increasingly receiving
and implementing its resolutions.
 At the same time, it reiterates the need to reach
the broadest possible political agreement on the reform
of the Security Council. This agreement should be the
result of a concerted and open vision in view of any
adjustments that may be required in the years to come.
For many years, San Marino has constantly paid great
attention to this issue of topical interest, because of its
strategic and structural implications. In this regard, I
believe that today the presidency of the General
Assembly deserves our unanimous gratitude for its
report, which represents an excellent basis to continue
to consider this item on the agenda of the sixty-second
session.
 On behalf of a State, the Republic of San Marino,
that has always based its peaceful coexistence with
other States and the spirit of its profound national and
international solidarity on aspirations for international
peace and security, I would like to express my
complete confidence in the long-term effectiveness of
the United Nations system. Each and every State must
try to make a political and ideological contribution
through concrete proposals to that system, on which
every State continues to place high expectations
because of the impact of its activities at a national and
international level.
 Allow me to conclude my statement by offering a
brief reflection, by virtue of the fact that I come from a
country without any macroeconomic or military
interests, or any interests regarding the political
balance among the great Powers. I believe that the
space and attention we all devote to the international
commitment and contribution made by every State,
even the smallest, can be a positive investment in the
future of the United Nations, a future characterized by
increased understanding, closer cooperation and the
promotion of dialogue and mutual respect, upon which
the foundations of this Organization rest.
 This renewed momentum will therefore provide
large countries with the opportunity to demonstrate
their full respect for international justice and will show
small countries how useful their activities are in the
community of nations   activities that translate into
continuous efforts aimed at achieving peace, mutual
understanding and better living conditions for all
peoples.
 With those hopes in mind, I express to you, Sir,
my most sincere wishes for a successful presidency of
this greatest of world assemblies, and I assure you that
you can fully rely on our support throughout the sixty-
second session.


Allow me to join previous speakers from this rostrum
in sincerely congratulating Mr. Kerim on his election to
the presidency of the General Assembly.
 I also pay sincere tribute to Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon for his tireless and laudable efforts to
defend and promote the purposes and principles of the
Organization’s Charter. His visit to our country shortly
after he took office reassured us of his commitment
and that of the United Nations to the Congolese people
in its quest for peace, freedom and development.
 The sixty-second session of the General
Assembly is taking place in an international context
marked by persistent violence throughout the world.
The United Nations task is harder than ever; by the
same token, it is more noble and inspiring than ever.
 For the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this
session is unlike previous sessions. It marks our rebirth
as a State based on law. It also marks our return to
international affairs as a credible actor and partner.
Today more than in the past, my country is aware of
the evils of war and of poor governance, as well as of a
promising future of stable institutions, legitimate
authorities and peaceful coexistence among peoples.
My country is thus aware of the irreplaceable value of
the United Nations. We are an example of the
Organization’s successful work.
 I should like to pay tribute to our bilateral and
multilateral partners, and in particular to the United
Nations, for their invaluable assistance. Having
received so much, we believe that it is now our turn to
contribute to peacekeeping operations. We look
forward to playing an increasingly important role; in
the meantime, we have made the modest contribution
of civilian police officers now deployed in two
Member States.
 The path to the irreversible end of the multitude
of crises that have beset my country for so many years
remains strewn with obstacles. From the security
perspective, we still need to finalize the process of
disarmament, demobilization and reintegration,
complete the creation of a national republican police
force and army, and operationalize a credible justice
system. Attaining that three-fold goal is an absolute
priority for us.
 Moreover, while stressing the political and
diplomatic approach, we must do all we can, resolutely
and with a heightened sense of urgency, to resolve the
remaining problems of insecurity in North Kivu.
Nothing can reasonably justify a situation in which
Congolese continue to be the daily targets of every
manner of violence and abuse from national and
foreign armed groups, and in which masses of our
people are displaced by war. Peace and security must
rapidly and at all costs be restored to that part of our
territory, and they will be.
 With regard to foreign armed groups, United
Nations support is crucial to their voluntary or, if need
be, forced disarmament, repatriation and reintegration.
 Despite such difficulties, we have in less than
five years successfully met the challenge of organizing
democratic elections, establishing legitimate
institutions, and relaunching economic growth. Our
current priority is reconstruction and development with
the aim of rolling back poverty, injustice and social
inequalities. It is an immense task; if we are to meet it,
the resolve of our people and its aspirations to a great
future will be critical, though not sufficient. The
unflagging and unreserved involvement of all our
diverse partners remains indispensable.
 Notwithstanding certain deficiencies, the United
Nations remains the conscious of humankind. Its
present and future role must be seen in the context of
the world’s evolution and ever-changing challenges.
The future will be a time of increased competition
among nations, particularly in the areas of trade,
finance and research, as well as of the universal
enjoyment of clean air, drinking water and natural
resources   vital commodities that the ever-growing
population and economies of the world are making
increasingly precious and scarce.
 In the face of those challenges and of the ongoing
threats to international peace and security, the United
Nations credibility will depend on its ability to ensure
that all Member States without exception implement its
decisions and that commitments they have freely
entered into are effectively honoured.
 In that respect, turning to the Middle East, the
credibility of our Organization will always be in
question so long as the Security Council fails to do all
in its power to ensure, pursuant to the provisions of our
Charter and the relevant resolutions, the effective
establishment of two States, living side by side in
peace and security.
 On another subject, climate change is an
undeniable reality today, an eloquent instance of the
constantly changing face of collective security. Its
effects, unfortunately, will be more harmful in the
developing countries, particularly and unfairly in
Africa. Africa contributes the least to greenhouse gas
emissions and does not have the resources to deal with
their terrible consequences.
 Making this point is a stark reminder of the need
for a responsible, equitable and unified approach to the
problems of sustainable development. I therefore
welcome the Secretary-General’s organization on
24 September of the high-level meeting on climate
change. The meeting was an opportunity for us to
devote to that crucial subject the attention it deserves
and to sensitize ourselves to the consequences of the
patterns of consumption that expose our world to the
threat of an irreversible disaster.
 The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the
natural habitat of unparalleled biological diversity. Its
primeval forests make Central Africa the second lung
of the world. We therefore undertake to participate in
the design and implementation of an effective strategy
to preserve optimum conditions of life on Earth. In the
interests of humankind, we are prepared to make the
sacrifices required by collective responsibility. In
return, we call for fair compensation to ensure that we
do not jeopardize our own development.
 In the face of changes on the world scene, our
Organization must adjust and espouse an architecture
that, while preserving universal values, makes it fit to
meet increasingly diverse and growing challenges.
Democracy, which today is universally recognized as
the best form of Government, should not only permeate
our collective action in international affairs, but should
also be reflected within our Organization.
 Accordingly, the Democratic Republic of the
Congo welcomes the process of reforming the United
Nations system to create greater coherence and
effectiveness of action. We wish to stress that increased
representation within the Security Council is a
democratic requirement necessary to the harmonious
functioning of the United Nations. The continent of
Africa must be represented on a permanent basis within
that important organ.
 We also draw the Assembly’s attention to the fact
that Security Council reform must not eclipse the need
to revisit other bodies of this Organization. Their
working methods should be as efficient as possible and
their future interaction better defined. As to the
General Assembly, its authority must be further
reinforced so as to enable its President to play a
pre-eminent role in the search for solutions to
international problems.
 With regard to the new threats and challenges
looming on the horizon, I have recalled the respective
commitments made by Member States under the United
Nations Charter, and I have reaffirmed the commitment
of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to that
founding text of our Organization. I have also drawn
the Assembly’s attention to the various scourges that
characterize the international context and to the threats
relating to climate change. I have thereby stressed the
need for us to combine our efforts if we wish to enable
our peoples to live in a world that enjoys the best
possible living conditions, social progress and
international peace and security.
 Our political resolve to eradicate those scourges
and our decisive, concerted action to do so will be the
proof of how genuine our commitment really is to
improving the state of the world. That is the only way
to bolster the confidence of our peoples in our
Organization. It is the only way, and nothing less will
do, to safeguard the legitimacy of the United Nations
and to consolidate the effectiveness of its action. Let us
meet that challenge together.


It is with a profound sense of anticipation
that I welcome Mr. Kerim’s assumption of the
presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-second
session. In accepting the presidency, he succinctly
outlined an exciting raison d’être for a modern, active
and engaged United Nations, namely, a focus on
multilateral cooperation to combat the challenges of
globalization, climate change, terrorism, immigration
and sustainable development. I have every confidence
that, under his enlightened presidency, the General
Assembly will fashion positive, tangible and creative
solutions to those global challenges.
 Our recent history has taught us that triumphalist,
imperialist unilateralism is a consistent cause, but an
infrequent solution, to the problems confronting
today’s world. But it is at this moment, as the
philosophy of unilateralist misadventure is in its death
throes, that a modern, multilateral United Nations must
seize the day, fill the vacuum and live up to the noble
and immutable principles of its Charter. That modern
and multilateral United Nations, under Mr. Kerim’s
presidency, should never sacrifice principle for an
ignoble practicality, but should instead be suffused
with a fairness that views the world through the eyes
not of imperial tsars, indifferent diplomats or apathetic
agencies   to whom suffering is but a television event
easily erased with the flick of a remote-control
button   but through the eyes of the vast majority of
the world’s citizens, who struggle daily for survival,
who dodge bullets in their backyards, who coax a
meagre living from parched and exhausted soils and
who have been globalized to the brink of extinction. It
is not idealistic or naive to assert that engaged, fair and
genuinely concerned States working together can solve
the seemingly intractable problems besetting our
imperfect planet. Our problems are largely man-made;
so too are the solutions.
The recent focus by the United Nations on the
issue of climate change and global warming is a
welcome development. It is the prayer of humankind
that this belated momentum has not come too late to
reverse the damage already inflicted on our planet.
After all, we are short-term caretakers of the Earth, and
it is our sacred duty to preserve it for future
generations. This is a great cause of our time, and we
must not be timid or doubtful in the face of any great
cause.
 I would like to remind the General Assembly that,
15 years ago, the 1992 United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change recognized that global
warming would have a special impact on small States,
countries with low-lying coastal areas and countries
with areas prone to natural disasters. In Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines, for example, the overwhelming
majority of our hard-won infrastructural developments,
by way of geographic necessity, lie mere inches above
sea level and perilously close to the coastline. Through
absolutely no fault of our own, the physical
manifestations of our emerging post-colonial State can
be obliterated by inexorably rising sea levels.
 The Caribbean’s vital banana industry, already
buffeted by the winds of iniquitous globalization, has
been repeatedly devastated in recent years by
increasingly intense hurricanes, which have placed a
hitherto dominant economic sector on veritable life
support. In any event, the environmental damage
caused in producing quality bananas for the European
Community over the recent decades is ignored by those
whose consumerist demands engender further
environmental damage.
 The solutions to the problem of climate change
are multifaceted, but an indispensable component must
be the adoption by the States parties to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change of
the climate change Adaptation Fund for
environmentally challenged African, Asian, Caribbean,
Latin American and Pacific States. The Fund would put
flesh on the skeletal commitments of the Convention
on Climate Change, which compelled developed
countries to provide additional financial resources to
assist developing countries that are particularly
vulnerable to the adverse effects of global warming.
The Fund should be a source both of disaster relief and
of the technological and infrastructural support needed
to adapt to climate change.
 The developed States Members of the United
Nations can no longer afford to view the increasingly
frequent and intense natural disasters as individual
events, capable of narrow prescriptive solutions and
subject to the vagaries of donor fatigue. They must live
up to their obligations, both legal and moral, to assist
the developing world in dealing with challenges that
were born in the smoke-belching factories and
car-clogged highways of the polluters.
 The quest for energy self-sufficiency and
environmentally friendly energy consumption has led
to a rush towards the production of ethanol in some
countries. This, however, requires careful thought and
sensible implementation. For example, the use of corn
to produce ethanol is driving up the price worldwide of
grain, beef, chicken and milk. The poor will suffer
unless a prudently balanced approach is adopted. The
United Nations has a vital role to play in that regard.
 As a proud citizen of the Republic of Macedonia,
the President is all too familiar with the terrors
wrought by wars born of ethnic conflict. It is my
earnest prayer that his personal experience will lend
urgency to what has been the seemingly heartless
neglect on the part of the United Nations, in practical
terms, of the genocidal campaign being waged in
Darfur. While recent developments   including the
Security Council resolution 1769 (2007), authorizing
the establishment of the African Union-United Nations
Hybrid Operation in Darfur, and the recent
appointments of Rodolphe Adada as the Joint African
Union-United Nations Special Representative for
Darfur and General Martin Luther Agwai as Force
Commander   are somewhat encouraging, let us not
delude ourselves: the force on the ground is still
insufficient, its mandate is ambiguous and its emerging
presence is years too late. For too long we have looked
the other way. We in the United Nations have caused
the world to wonder about the relative worth of a
Sudanese or Rwandan life versus an Israeli, Chinese,
American or European life. What is happening in
Darfur is genocide. Let us call it what it is. The United
Nations must remain committed to alleviating the
suffering of the men, women and children of Darfur.
 In the same vein, the Government and people of
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines stand unequivocally
with the people of Myanmar in their current struggle
for democracy and life without tyranny.
 The drama of war, the fight against global
terrorism, insecurity and poverty, the struggle for
reparation for the descendants of African slaves in the
New World and the insidious impacts of climate
change must continue to hold the collective attention of
the General Assembly. But there are other eminently
avoidable ills afflicting the developing world that also
demand our focus. The Caribbean faces the worst
epidemic of chronic non-communicable disease in the
Americas. In 2004, the six leading causes of death in
the Caribbean were heart disease, cancer, diabetes,
stroke, injuries and hypertensive disease   each of
which claimed more lives in the region than
HIV/AIDS.
 That looming health crisis, although largely self-
inflicted, has an obvious global component.
Globalization has spawned a creeping cultural
hegemony and homogeneity with a distinct mass-
consumption bias. Our home-grown Caribbean culture
and our Caribbean civilization are being challenged
and undermined by a shallow consumer ethic driven by
multinational corporations whose sole interest is to
create a standardized population of global purchasers.
The explosion in media and information technology,
for all its obvious benefits, has been an all-too-willing
handmaiden to that cultural invasion. The
homogenized, vapid and consumerist culture of the
multinationals’ empire is exported worldwide, beamed
directly to our computers, televisions, newspapers and
cinema screens. It is devoid of context, yet rich in
subtext. Its message, in a nutshell, is simple: our
culture, our civilization, is better than yours. It is a
subliminal message that too many of our people have
unfortunately been accepting at a faster rate than the
ability of our health care systems to adapt. Colonialist,
imperialist, mindless and homogenizing globalization
has wrought havoc. Its deleterious contemporary
manifestations must be resolutely resisted.
 The acceptance of a core of universal human
values does not mean a submission to the consumerism
of any empire. A quest by some to establish a global
hegemony in everything will never be able to erase or
subjugate the legitimacy of the particularity of
civilizations, including our Caribbean civilization. In
that context, the call for an alliance of civilizations has
our support. It is likely to be more uplifting and
enduring than a quest for dominance by one over the
other.
 The erosion of trade preferences at the
multilateral level has brought with it new challenges to
the small and vulnerable economies of the Caribbean,
requiring Governments to engage in structural
adjustments and fiscal calisthenics to keep our
economies afloat. At the same time, the development
deliverables that the Doha Round promised to our
countries   which, like the Biblical manna, are
urgently needed for our sustenance   have yet to
materialize, owing to the floundering negotiations of
that Round. Let us recall that the first and last of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) speak,
respectively, to the eradication of poverty and to global
partnership for development. But for small and
vulnerable economies the attainment of those two goals
will be significantly compromised if the multilateral
trade rules and provisions are not sufficiently
accommodating to the special needs of countries like
ours.
 Special and differential treatment for developing
countries is vital to offset the potential losses that are
occasioned by globalization and the liberalization of
markets. That is why aid-for-trade and a mobilization
of resources must be on the agenda of multilateral
organizations, to be used as an instrument for
economic growth and capacity-building in developing
countries. The recent launch of the MDG call to action
by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is an
initiative that my Government supports, and it may
well act as a much-needed spur to get us back on track
to achieving the MDGs by the target date of 2015.
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines yet again pleads
with the United Nations to permit Taiwan to be
accorded its rightful admission to the United Nations
and its specialized agencies. Taiwan, a democratic and
progressive country of 23 million people, remains a
legitimate and vibrant political expression of the
ancient and magnificent Chinese civilization. There is
no adequate justification for the continued exclusion of
Taiwan from participation in the numerous global
exchanges in the United Nations and other
international bodies. We urge Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon to accept and deal with Taiwan’s membership
application in accordance with the Charter. Taiwan
possesses all the attributes and qualifications for
membership of the United Nations. Let it therefore be
done. Furthermore, the United Nations must play its
role in reducing tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
Aggressive conduct must be restrained in a context
where Taiwan is committed to peace and a
comprehensive political dialogue.
 I shall conclude as the Assembly President began,
by urging swift and effective multilateral action to
tackle the challenges of the modern world. As the
Cuban poet and national hero José Martí once said, “It
is a sin not to do what one is capable of doing”. By that
measure, the sins of omission and commission of the
United Nations are manifold and manifest, despite its
successes. Our collective multilateral and principled
penance must be measured even more by our actions
from this day onward. We must therefore now act
together on each of the world’s enduring challenges.
Each nation and each person has a vital role to play. An
arrogance born of triumphalism that seeks to exclude
so many who look askance at an imperial agenda must
cease. The master poet from Martinique, Aime Cesaire,
addresses this issue well in his famous Cahier d’un
retour au pays natal:
 No race has a monopoly on beauty, on
intelligence, on strength ... There is room for
everyone at the convocation of conquests ... We
know now that the sun turns around our Earth,
lighting the parcel designated by our will alone ...
[and that] every star falls from sky to Earth at our
omnipotent command.