GA/11695 Seventieth Session, 19th, 20th &
21st Meetings (AM, PM & Night)
As the Palestinian flag was raised outside United
Nations Headquarters in New York for the first time, President Mahmoud Abbas
appealed to the General Assembly for support to see an independent State of
Palestine take its rightful place among the community of nations.
“We will not accept temporary solutions or a fragmented
State. We seek to form a national unity government that functions according to
the programme of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and we seek to
hold presidential and legislative elections,” Mr. Abbas told Member States
gathered for the third day of the Assembly’s annual general debate.
He thanked nations that had voted in favour of an
Assembly resolution less than three weeks ago to raise the flags of non-member
observer States at the United Nations. He added: “The day is not far when we
will raise the flag of Palestine in East Jerusalem, the capital of the State of
Palestine.”
At the same time, the Palestinian President
extended a sincere call to the Israeli people for peace based on justice,
security and stability and he called on the Security Council and Assembly to
uphold their responsibilities before it was too late for peace to be achieved.
Several Member States recognized the State of
Palestine’s achievement in raising its flag as they highlighted the growing
number of global and regional conflicts around the world and the accompanying
surge in refugees and migrants. Pakistani President Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said
he looked forward to welcoming Palestine as a full member of the United Nations
as he laid out a new peace initiative that aimed to end the Kashmir dispute
with India that began in 1947.
Detailing his country’s efforts to protect more
than 2 million Syrians and 200,000 Iraqis, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet
Davutoğlu said his country would keep giving the Palestinians the political and
economic support they needed to live a dignified life. The President of
Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, said migration was nothing new. Yet 60
million people were on the move worldwide and there was a lack of clear
guidelines and comprehensive policies. Nearly 80,000 people had entered Croatia
since mid-September and Croatia had joined a line of European Union and
South-Eastern European countries that had been heavily burdened by the crisis.
At the crossroads of the Middle East, Europe and
Africa, Malta was the only country in Europe, perhaps around the world, to
dedicate 100 per cent of its limited military resources to saving people at
sea, said Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. This year had broken all records for
people desperately trying to escape persecution and hopelessness. He urged the
global community to make a committed response to fight smugglers.
Norway’s Prime Minister, Erna Solberg, said the
massive refugee crisis with 60 million people fleeing their home countries was
the result of the violation of international law, universal norms and human
rights by States and non-State actors alike. The world’s foremost serious
humanitarian crises were, in fact, political crises as power-hungry
politicians, armed groups and military leaders had ignored the plight of their
people in South Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Iraq.
José Manuel García Margallo, Minister for Foreign
Affairs and Cooperation of Spain, said there must be a solution that protected
the dignity and rights of refugees and migrants, and proposed the creation of
an international covenant on migration.
Also figuring prominently in today’s debate was
the link between development and peace, with leaders from some countries in
conflict and post-conflict situations describing how violent extremism
threatened development in their respective nations.
Haider Al Abadi, Iraq’s Prime Minister, said that
his country’s development level had dropped after a series of wars and due to
the policies of Saddam Hussein’s dictatorial regime, as well as the embargo and
deprivation that accompanied international sanctions. After a change in the
political regime and creation of a democratic environment, development
conditions improved and remarkable progress ensued in reducing mortality,
increasing children’s enrolment in school, reducing the gender equality gap,
and improving living standards.
He warned, however, that the “evil will” carried
out by terrorist groups such as Al-Qaida and Da’esh and those that followed
from the Ba’ath regime had thwarted development and spread murder and
destruction. Today the people of north and west Iraq were either displaced or
suffering in their cities and villages.
Agila Saleh Essa Gwaider, Acting Head of State of
Libya, said that over the past year, his country had witnessed the emergence of
Da’esh, which asserted control over several Libyan towns and was aiming to
stretch its influence from Mauritania to Bangladesh. Most Libyans were looking
for any possible means to end the unjustified fighting and to restore stability
to the country. But they had fallen hostage to armed groups, and hundreds of
thousands of Libyans had become internally displaced persons or refugees. They
could return home only if a strong Government enjoying the confidence of all
Libyans existed.
Also today, several representatives of small
island developing States took the floor, calling for a binding agreement at the
twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Paris in December, to
limit global temperature rise to well below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
They also welcomed the establishment of Sustainable Development Goal 13 on
urgent climate action and Goal 14 on the conservation and sustainable
management of oceans.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of
Samoa, said climate change could not be wished away, and had significant
security implications. Its impacts threatened the very existence and viability
of some small island nations.
Christopher J. Loeak, President of the Marshall
Islands, refused to accept the attitude that “if the water comes, it comes” and
the notion that his country would willingly relocate to another nation,
stressing that the future of his country was more in the hands of his fellow
world leaders than in his.
Also speaking today were Heads of State and
Government, as well as other high-ranking Government officials, from Bulgaria,
Panama, Sri Lanka, Costa Rica, Ghana, Togo, Brunei Darussalam, Bangladesh,
Sweden, Fiji, Belgium, Lebanon, Latvia, Serbia, Djibouti, Lao People’s
Democratic Republic, Nauru, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Slovenia, Vanuatu,
Republic of Moldova, Morocco, Benin, Monaco, Azerbaijan, and the Central
African Republic.
Speaking in exercise of the right of reply were
representatives of India, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Assembly will meet again at 9 a.m. on
Thursday, 1 October, to continue its general debate.
Statements
ROSEN PLEVNELIEV, President of Bulgaria, said the
rising extremism could not be contained by borders and hundreds of thousands of
people were at the doorsteps of Europe reaching out for a helping hand. As a
result, nationalistic parties that fed on people’s fears were seizing the
momentum. “We should not wait for the crises to appear on our television screen
before we act,” he said, noting that every crisis could be traced back to an
initial phase of human rights violations. Turning to climate change, he added
that in 2015, the international community had an opportunity to end two decades
of intense climate negotiations and begin a new era. His country would
contribute to the successful finalization of that process.
As long as there was conflict in Syria, he
continued, the refugee crisis would not go away. Europe was currently focused
on the establishment of a solidarity scheme that would allow the fair
relocation and resettlement of refugees among all member States. Apart from the
fear of infiltration of extremists on European soil, the issue of illegal human
trafficking had also been raised. The European Union needed to not just address
the crisis but to solve it because the region represented “the largest area of
human rights, peace and democracy in the world”.
Condemning the deliberate destruction of world
cultural heritage sites in Syria and Iraq by terrorists as a severe blow to all
human civilization, he underscored the role of United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in protecting those areas during
armed conflicts. He welcomed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. He also
said that just across from his office, in the very heart of the Bulgarian
capital, Sofia, there were temples of different religions — an orthodox church,
mosque, synagogue and Catholic cathedral — which was a testament to his
country’s tolerance, wisdom and respect for diversity.
JUAN CARLOS VARELA RODRÍGUEZ, President of
Panama, said he represented a peaceful, robust and noble people. His Government
believed in dialogue and consensus as demonstrated at the Conference of the
Americas, held in Panama earlier in 2015. It had served as the backdrop to the
rapprochement between Cuba and the United States and he hope it would lead to
the end of the embargo. He further noted progress made towards resolving the
dispute between Venezuela and Colombia through dialogue and Colombia’s progress
towards peace within its borders. He called on the great powers to join forces,
as they had to end the Second World War, to work together to forge a roadmap to
defeat terrorism and ensure that peace would prevail. He then called on Palestine
and Israel to agree on a solution that would allow for the Jewish State of
Israel and the State of Palestine to live side by side in peace.
In an era of social networks, the exchange of
information between Governments and security agencies was key in
differentiating between a tourist, a business traveller and those travelling to
engage in organized crime. Also facing irregular migration flows, Panama had
pledged to treat migrants with dignity, he said, adding that the joint fight to
resolve the problems that had led “our brothers” to leave their countries must
continue. It was unjustifiable, in a world with so much wealth, for so many to
live in poverty. He reminded States that politics was meant to serve society.
Women suffered most from poverty, displacement and inequality of opportunities.
Their rights and freedoms must be defended and promoted. He called on countries
to combat femicide, trafficking and all violence against women. Further, the
upcoming Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change must reach a definitive, universal agreement. The Coalition
of Tropical Forests, chaired by Panama, had worked on measures to mitigate and
prevent the impacts of climate change on forests, including procuring resources
to that end.
Turning to the importance of housing and
education in eliminating poverty, he said Panama had social and infrastructure
plans, which, along with its robust financial system, would improve lives. That
financial system was being protected from misuse through cooperation with other
Governments. Panama was increasing its financial transparency and making
progress on sharing information on tax matters at the bilateral level. However,
such measures should not harm the competitiveness of other States and those
issues should be added to the United Nations agenda. He encouraged Security
Council reform and was seeking to bring about a rapprochement in country
positions in that regard, he said, pledging his country’s commitment to serving
the United Nations so that peace and dialogue could prevail.
MAITHRIPALA SIRISENA, President of Sri Lanka,
said “a new era of democracy” had dawned in his country on 8 January 2015,
ushering in justice, freedom and equality. In two consecutive elections during
the last eight months, Sri Lankans had elected a new President and a new
Government. The Government had already introduced amendments to the
Constitution, reinforcing good governance, pluralism and democracy, and had
included in its new vision the objectives of sustainable development and
reconciliation. Although his country had suffered from conflict, it had
succeeded in eliminating terrorism, which continued to throttle other
developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, and could share its
experiences in that regard.
Sri Lanka, one of the oldest representative
democracies in South Asia, had preserved its democratic ethos despite prolonged
conflict, he said. It had succeeded in sustaining State social welfare policies
despite factors that had hindered a high economic growth rate. Those policies,
including universal free education and free health care, had never been
compromised. Even during the years of conflict, Sri Lanka had achieved high
levels in the Human Development Index. Noting the importance of the empowerment
of youth and women, he stressed the need for a fresh universal approach to
sustainable and inclusive development.
The Buddhist ethos prevalent in Sri Lanka, he
said, recognized three kinds of human conflicts: between the human being and
nature, human to human and within the human being. The latter was the root
cause of all conflicts, as the first two occurred when the battle was lost
within the human being. Extremism, overconsumption and exploitation of the environment
were among the results of man’s inability to overcome his craving. Sustainable
development, therefore, should be built upon self-discipline and equity.
Practice of those values on personal, community, national and global levels
would mark a giant leap forward for human kind, he said.
KOLINDA GRABAR-KITAROVIĆ, President of Croatia,
said that while the challenge of migration was nothing new, now 60 million
people were on the move worldwide and there was a lack of clear guidelines and
comprehensive policies. “We need sound legal, social, economic, humanitarian
and logistical solutions,” she said. The current migrant crisis was a
multidimensional problem that required multilateral solutions. Nearly 80,000
people had entered Croatia since mid-September and it had joined a line of
European Union and South-Eastern European countries that had been heavily
burdened by the crisis. The most difficult task had been finding the right
balance between national, regional and global perspectives. Croatia asked for consensus
within the European Union and a global response. “I ask that we focus on the
rule of law, the conventions that we signed” at the end of the Second World
War, she added.
It was important to educate children, the future
generations, to work harder at achieving global citizenship and to build on the
United Nations idea of a global classroom, such as the Global Education
Initiative, in which Croatia was proud to be a champion country. Legislation
was not enough. “We need a change in mindset and behaviour that is only
possible through education,” she added. Croatia welcomed the work of the
High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations and their review of United
Nations peacekeeping operations. Croatia hoped the delivered report would
provide guidance for increasing the effectiveness of the United Nations
peacekeeping operations as a key mechanism for ensuring global peace and
stability.
The uncontrolled spread of conventional weapons
was another significant threat and Croatia had been proud to preside over the
First Review Conference to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which continued
to pose threats long after a conflict ended, in Dubrovnik, a city that had
suffered attacks from those weapons. Pleased to note the results of the Iranian
nuclear programme negotiations, she expected the global community would learn
to what extent it would contribute to the stabilization of the Middle East and
beyond. The world needed to stand together to mobilize its efforts to fight the
Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant/Sham (ISIL/ISIS), or Da’esh, and all forms
of intolerance and discrimination. There was no development without security
and no real security without justice and human rights, rule of law and good
governance. On the European continent, peace had to be implemented in the
Ukraine, with respect of the ceasefire and the Minsk peace plan. Croatia
remained committed to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial
integrity, she said, stressing the importance of the stability of South-East
Europe.
LUIS GUILLERMO SOLÍS RIVERA, President of Costa
Rica, said the General Assembly should translate words into deeds to show that
the community of nations was “much more than the sum of our individual
interests” and to consolidate its leadership as the centre of global
governance. As such, the Secretary-General should be elected in a more
democratic manner. Along with Estonia, Costa Rica was leading efforts to
establish a process that would be transparent, democratic, equitable, inclusive
and consistent with the United Nations Charter. The time had come for a woman
to become Secretary-General.
The Security Council must assume its
responsibility to maintain peace, he said, noting that its actions often came
too late. He confirmed support for the Secretary-General’s Rights Up Front
initiative as well as France’s proposal to restrict the veto in the case of
mass atrocities. While all agreed on the importance of strengthening the rule
of law, he said permanent Council members had committed violations and were the
largest conventional arms producers and exporters that had continued
transferring weapons to conflict areas despite Arms Trade Treaty prohibitions.
States that had signed that Treaty should ratify it and signatories must
implement it effectively. He also called for States, beyond the 115 who had
already done so, to endorse the Humanitarian Pledge calling for nuclear weapons
to be on equal footing with other weapons of mass destruction subject to
prohibition.
The General Assembly and the Organization as a
whole must be strengthened. Gender equality and women’s empowerment must be
consistent with commitments in the Declaration, with national policies that
brought closer the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The
challenge was to act as a single, effective and coherent organization to
protect and promote the rights of people, including the right to development,
as demonstrated in the negotiating process leading to the new Agenda’s adoption
and that would again be shown in agreement at the twenty-first session of the
Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change. He called on all States to adhere to the Geneva Pledge for Human Rights
in Climate Action. With regard to security, he said transnational threats must be
addressed collectively and condemned terrorism in all its forms, adding that he
was distressed at the growing use of armed drones outside conflict zones and
the reinterpretation by some Governments of human rights and humanitarian
principles.
JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA, President of Ghana, said
that his country had not been among the 51 nations who had convened in San
Francisco in April 1945 because it had taken another 22 years for the then-Gold
Coast colony to gain independence. Like Ghana, many countries represented today
were not in existence as sovereign nations then. Calling for greater
inclusivity at the United Nations, he noted the tragedies of Sandra Bland, who
had died in police custody in Texas, and Aylan Kurdi, who had washed up on the
shore of a beach in Turkey. The list of names was long, with thousands dead in
Syria, Pakistan, Nigeria, Mexico, Afghanistan, Somalia and thousands more dead
in the Mediterranean Sea while attempting to flee poverty and political strife.
Some of the very institutions that had been set in place to protect peace were
the very ones violating their mandates.
Most of the poorest people in the world were
women, he said, and women’s empowerment programmes and policies had not
addressed how many traditions inculcated a vast inequality between men and
women. Ghana’s Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty programme provided cash
grants and entitled recipients to free health care. The country had also made
tremendous progress in the basic education target of the Millennium Development
Goals. But, what had happened beyond the primary level was another matter
altogether, with young girls often taken out of school and married off. Ghana
had launched a campaign, under the auspices of United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF), to keep young girls in school until they had completed their
education.
Watching the Pope being driven through the city
in a tiny Fiat 500, he continued, was a powerful lesson about the changes that
must be made to confront the future. The Pontiff’s small vehicle, surrounded
and dwarfed by humongous sports utility vehicles, had also reminded him of the
relationship between so-called developing nations and the wealthier, larger
nations of the world. In recent years, many African nations had embraced
democracy and fair elections had become a regular occurrence on the continent’s
calendar. His own country was considered one of the “bright lights of Africa”.
But, with the current uncertainty in international markets, strong cooperation
with bilateral and multilateral partners was necessary to achieve fiscal
consolidation. Africa also faced a shortage of power and the road ahead
demanded that the international community achieve energy sufficiency in a
sustainable manner.
FAURE ESSOZIMNA GNASSINGBÉ, President of Togo,
said his country, since becoming a member in 1960, had done its utmost to
contribute to the Organization’s noble ideals and, in turn, had received much
from the “great United Nations family”, with support, including from the United
Nations Office for West Africa and the United Nations System in Lomé. Following
successful elections in April, Togo expected to prioritize social and economic
inclusion to strengthen its citizens’ well-being and enable their participation
in the development agenda. With regard to the fight against Ebola, he expressed
gratitude to all parties that had mobilized significant resources, saluted the
heroism of healthcare personnel and expressed condolences for lost lives. While
the virus had been weakened, but not completely conquered, he urged the world
community to remain vigilant.
Despite the great economic growth in Africa in
recent years, actions and financing that went beyond classic financial
structures were needed. Following the Addis Ababa Conference, he hoped the
donor community would spare no effort to assist African countries more
constructively and with fewer restrictions. It was regrettable if cultural
values, which formed the bedrock of African societies, were sacrificed in the
search for more appropriate mechanisms for financing development. Pressure
should no longer be brought to bear on their States to adopt initiatives that
would lead to cultural shocks, he urged, underscoring that certain Goals, such
as those connected to sexual and reproductive health, not be conditions for the
granting of resources.
His country’s fight against Boko Haram, terrorism
and racism must continue along with the international community, he said.
Today’s realities also included the impact of climate change, poverty and
threats to human rights. The Togolese already experienced every day the effects
of climate change, including coastal erosion that was threatening coastal
populations. Their survival required more urgent responses and significant
investments. In that regard, climate change financing was critical and should
not come by way of a reduction in traditional official development assistance.
Togo, with the support of the African Union, would host a special summit in
2016 on maritime security, given the economic security and environmental
challenges connected with seas and oceans. Noting the recent closure of the
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Togo, he said the eight
years of cooperation had enabled his country to make significant progress in
defending human rights and expected to continue unswervingly efforts in the
same regard.
HASSANAL BOLKIAH MU’IZZADDIN WADDAULAH, Sultan
and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, said that while the United Nations
was not a panacea, that had not hindered its overall success. Among its
achievements he noted its ability to contain pandemic diseases and the efforts
of humanitarian workers and peacekeepers. With a membership of 193, there were
high expectations of what the Organization could do to address an
ever-increasing range of issues that affected the daily lives of people. He was
pleased that the new Agenda had encapsulated most if not all of those concerns.
Its inclusiveness signified the trust and faith placed in the Organization.
Therefore it was important to fulfil national and collective responsibilities
to see that the Agenda would be realized.
The United Nations had provided his country with
a platform to enhance its bilateral and multilateral relationships since it had
become a Member State in 1984 and its values had been the foundation of the
country’s stability and prosperity, he said. The region, through the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), shared principles of
territorial integrity, non-interference, consensus, rule of law and good
governance as guidance towards closer cooperation. He envisioned the creation
of a close-knit global community with similar values and principles that could
be created through cultural exchanges. Ultimately, that could prevent new
conflicts and allow resources to be used for socio-economic development.
Thus he agreed with the Secretary-General on the
need to strengthen partnerships between the United Nations, regional and
sub-regional organizations. In that context, he noted the work plan on
preventive diplomacy adopted by ASEAN members two years ago. In addition, he
joined others in condemning terrorism and reiterated support for all
international efforts to prevent and eliminate all its forms. It was crucial to
address the root causes of terrorism and extremism in a comprehensive manner. One
way to approach that was to resolve the plight of the Palestinian people, which
remained at the core of the Middle East conflict. He looked forward to
improvements that would make the United Nations more effective in responding to
the ever-increasing demands of its Members. “The success of our Organization
lies in our hands,” he said, calling “our collective efforts and strength” its
best attribute.
MAHMOUD ABBAS, President of the State of
Palestine, said the question of Palestine was one of the first issues brought
before the United Nations, yet it remained unresolved as the Organization and
its Member States remained unable to end the injustice inflicted upon its
people and help them exercise their right to self-determination and freedom in
their independent and sovereign State. Continuation of the status quo was
completely unacceptable because it meant surrender to the brute force of the
Israeli Government as it continued its illegal settlement expansion in the West
Bank, especially in Occupied East Jerusalem, and continued its blockage of the
Gaza Strip, in defiance of United Nations resolutions and the agreements signed
between the two sides under international auspices.
Despite the obstacles imposed by occupation, the
Palestinian National Authority had worked to build the foundation of its State,
its infrastructure and sovereign national institutions, he said. It had made
progress as affirmed by several international bodies, including the United
Nations, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). Its accession to
membership in international organizations, conventions and treaties was not
directed against any one, but aimed to safeguard its rights, protect its people
and strengthen its international legal status and identity. “We will not accept
temporary solutions or a fragmented State. We seek to form a national unity
government that functions according to the programme of the Palestine
Liberation Organization (PLO) and we seek to hold presidential and legislative
elections,” President Abbas said.
The Palestinian people aspired to see the
independent State of Palestine take its rightful place among the community of
nations, he said. He was very grateful to the countries that voted in favour of
the resolution enabling the flag of the State of Palestine to be raised at
United Nations Headquarters. “The day is not far when we will raise the flag of
Palestine in East Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Palestine,” President
Abbas said. He recognized the European countries and parliaments that had reaffirmed
Palestine’s natural right to independence and appealed to those countries that
had not yet recognized the State of Palestine to do so. He extended a sincere
call to the people of Israel for peace based on justice, security and stability
for all. He also called on the Security Council and the General Assembly to
uphold their responsibilities before it was too late to achieve peace.
Palestine welcomed global and European efforts,
including the French initiative calling for the formation of an international
support group to achieve peace, he said. It was no longer useful to waste time
in negotiations for the sake of negotiations. What was required was to mobilize
international efforts to oversee an end to the occupation in line with the
resolutions of international legitimacy. Until then, he asked the United
Nations to provide international protection for the Palestinian people in
accordance with international humanitarian law.
Referring to various agreements, including the
transitional Oslo Agreement and its annexes and economic agreements, he said
that as long as Israel refused to commit to these agreements and violated them,
Palestine could not continue to be bound by the agreements. “We therefore
declare that we cannot continue to be bound by these agreements and that Israel
must assume all of its responsibilities as an occupying power, because the
status quo cannot continue…” he said. He reiterated that the current situation
was unsustainable. “Our people need genuine hope and need to see credible efforts
for ending this conflict, ending their misery and achieving their rights,” he
said.
AHMET DAVUTOGLU, Prime Minister of Turkey,
recalling the story of three-year old Aylan Kurdi whose body washed ashore
earlier this month in the Aegean Sea in an attempt to escape the barrel bombs
in his native Syria, urged the world community to unite its efforts “no later
than today” to effectively deal with the complexities and tragedies facing
humanity. Assuming more than its fair share of the burden, his country had
provided protection to more than two million Syrians and 200,000 Iraqis, and
now sheltered the largest number of refugees in the world. Embracing those
fleeing war and persecution, it had invested to date almost $8 billion, while
international contributions remained at a “mere” $417 million.
To date in Turkey, he said 66,000 Syrian babies
had been born, and 9 million medical consultations and 280,000 surgical
operations performed. Also, 230,000 school-aged Syrian children received formal
education, while another 460,000 would be integrated in the education system by
year’s end. Further recounting significant numbers of Syrians who had drowned,
fled the country or had been displaced, he cautioned that the tragedy would not
end before the Syrian people had a legitimate government that truly represented
their will and enjoyed their full consent. Until then the world community must
act swiftly to provide them safety in their homeland. As a promised voice for
the Syrians, he proposed the inclusion of the item “Global awareness of the
tragedies of irregular migrants…with a specific emphasis on Syrian
asylum-seekers” in the agenda of the Assembly’s current session, which had been
accepted this month.
Also suffering were Palestinians, he said, for
whom peace must be achieved based on an independent, sovereign and contiguous
Palestinian State. Underscoring the importance of their right to live together
as one, he said his country would continue to provide Palestinians the
political and economic support to enable them to lead a dignified life.
Also of utmost concern was the issue of foreign
terrorist fighters, which required enhanced international cooperation,
especially in the area of information exchange, he said. Such cooperation was
also needed to address other global challenges relating to security, poverty
and inequality. Those were priorities for his country evidenced by the
leadership roles it had undertaken in certain initiatives. He expressed hope
for a political solution to the situation in Ukraine and the recognition of the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Georgia, adding that cooperation with
Africa was also an important pillar in his country’s foreign policy. He said
his country remained committed to a just, comprehensive and lasting solution in
Cyprus based on the political equality of two peoples and equal ownership of
the island.
SHEIKH HASINA, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, said
that terrorism remained a major impediment to global peace. She was a victim of
terrorism herself, with the brutal assassination of her family in 1975, and her
Government maintained a zero-tolerance policy to all forms for violent
extremism. The other formidable development challenge was climate change and
regional cooperation was critical to fostering sustainable development as well
as achieving peaceful societies. Bangladesh had taken a leading role in
building regional cooperation processes and was working to develop
infrastructures to enhance trade and people-to-people contact among Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India and Nepal.
Over the years, she continued, peacekeeping and
peacebuilding had emerged as flagship activities of the United Nations and her
country was proud to be associated with those endeavours as a leading troop
contributor. In its development efforts and in engagement in global affairs,
Bangladesh was guided by the vision of a global order based on peaceful
coexistence, social justice and freedom from poverty and aggression. Today,
Bangladesh was widely recognized as a role model for the developing world. With
one of the fastest poverty reduction rates in the world despite a modest
resource base, the country was on track to meet six Millennium Development
Goals.
As with the Millennium Development Goals, she
added, Bangladesh wished to lead by example with the implementation of the
Sustainable Development Goals. The country was currently developing the next
five-year development plan, for 2016-2020, and her Government was determined to
ensure that no one was left behind. Committed to upholding the rule of law and
ending a culture of impunity, Bangladesh was pursuing the culprits of war
crimes, crimes against humanity, rape and genocide committed during the 1971
Liberation War. The country had also recently settled the maritime and land
boundary demarcation-related issues with neighbours, India and Myanmar, she
said, urging the nations of the world to renew the collective resolve to free
the world from oppression and injustice.
STEFAN LÖFVEN, Prime Minister of Sweden, stated
that the current global crisis was a global crisis of responsibility. The
international community should dramatically increase the number of resettlement
places, expand legal venues of migration, and base all efforts on the
principles of non-refoulement and the right to seek asylum. It was also extremely
urgent that all countries of the European Union treated the people seeking
refuge in the Union in a spirit of humanity and solidarity. “Sweden will do its
share,” he said, noting that his country was the largest per capita receiver of
asylum seekers in Europe and was increasing its funding to the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Further, the Security
Council and its major powers must shoulder the responsibility and end this
bloodbath.
Meanwhile, other conflicts should not be
forgotten, he cautioned. A seven-year-old child in Gaza had already lived
through three wars. Peace talks needed to be resumed so that Israel could live
alongside a democratic and viable Palestinian State. Sweden would also step up
efforts for peacekeeping and crisis management and was contributing civilian
personnel to missions in South Sudan, Afghanistan, Liberia, Democratic Republic
of the Congo and the Middle East. Working to keep the peace also meant
following through on the promises of disarmament, including by pursuing legal,
practical and technical solutions to fully rid the world of the remaining
16,000 nuclear weapons. Further, he added, creating a low-carbon and
climate-resilient world economy while protecting land and ocean ecosystems was
not a choice, but a necessity for survival.
To fully grasp the potential of the new world
economy, he added, the international community must remove old colonial
prejudice and false conceptions of large and small, North and South, East and
West. Sweden wanted to make the United Nations more effective, transparent and
fit for purpose. In 2017, Sweden would seek non-permanent membership of the
Council and would strive tirelessly for a Council that could respond swiftly to
the security challenges of the time. A reformed Council must reflect the
realities of today, with adequate representation of Africa, Asia and Latin
America. Sweden also supported efforts to limit the use of the veto, he said,
and fully believed that international solidarity was the best foundation of
shared peace and security.
MUHAMMAD NAWAZ SHARIF, Prime Minister of
Pakistan, said peacekeeping had been one of the key responsibilities of the
United Nations and Pakistan was proud of its historic and current role as a
major troop contributor. It viewed its participation as its obligation to
uphold international peace and security. Pakistan was a primary victim of
terrorism and its operation, Zarb-e-Azb, was the largest anti-terrorism
campaign against terrorists anywhere. It involved more than 180,000 security
forces and was complemented by an all-inclusive National Action Plan. Terrorism
could not be defeated unless its underlying causes, including poverty and
ignorance, were addressed. The spread of terrorism across the Middle East was
an unprecedented security challenge. The tragedy of Palestine had intensified
and the accepted avenue for peace between Palestine and Israel, a two-State
solution, appeared further away today because of the intransigent stance of the
occupying Power. Yet the Palestinian flag was being raised just outside this
hall and Pakistan hoped it was just the first step. He looked forward to
welcoming Palestine as a full member of the United Nations.
Pakistan welcomed the comprehensive nuclear agreement
reached between Iran and the P5+1 (China, France, Russian Federation, United
Kingdom, United States and Germany), he said. Pakistan-Afghan relations had
undergone a positive transformation after the advent of the National Unity
Government in Kabul. Pakistan would continue to help resume the stalled
dialogue process but could do so only if it received the required cooperation
from the Afghan Government. Pakistan was encouraged that the international
community, including the major powers, desired the continuation of the peace
process in Afghanistan. It welcomed China’s proactive role in promoting peace
and prosperity in Afghanistan and the region and its vision of “One Belt, One
Road.”
Development was the Pakistan Government’s key
priority, he said. When the Composite Dialogue was launched with India in 1997,
the two countries agreed it would encompass two principal issues: Kashmir and
peace and security. The urgency of addressing these two issues was even more
compelling today. Since 1947, the Kashmir dispute had remained resolved and
Security Council resolutions were not implemented. “Three generations of
Kashmiris have only seen broken promises and brutal oppression. Over 100,000
have died in their struggle for self-determination,” he said. “This is the most
persistent failure of the United Nations.”
He said that President Sharif had said one of his
first priorities after assuming office for the third time in June 2013 was to
normalize relations with India. He had reached out to the Indian leadership to
emphasize that their common enemy was poverty and underdevelopment. Yet
ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary were
intensifying. He wanted to use this day to propose a new peace initiative with
India. Its first element was that Pakistan and India would formalize and
respect the 2003 understanding for a complete ceasefire on the Line of Control
in Kashmir. Secondly, Pakistan and India would reaffirm they would not use, or
threaten to use, force under any circumstances. Thirdly, steps would be taken
to demilitarize Kashmir. Lastly, Pakistan and India would agree to an
unconditional mutual withdrawal from Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest
battleground.
ERNA SOLBERG, Prime Minister of Norway, said the
Charter had served humanity well for 70 years despite many challenges. Yet as
the Organization’s seventieth anniversary was celebrated this year, the forces
of disorder, discrimination, violence and disruption were increasing.
International law, universal norms and human rights were being violated by
States and non-state actors alike. One consequence was the massive refugee
crisis with 60 million refugees and displaced persons. Respect for
internationally recognised borders — one of the important rules of the new
world order created in 1945 — had been blatantly violated in Europe over the
last several years. The international community had to return to a situation
where all States abided by their obligations under international law. The
world’s four most serious humanitarian crises were, in fact, political crises.
Power hungry politicians, armed groups and military leaders had ignored the
plight of their people in the countries concerned: South Sudan, Yemen, Syria
and Iraq.
The United Nation was carrying out three
important reviews in 2015: peace operations, the peacebuilding architecture and
Security Council resolution 1325, she said. The permanent Security Council
members had a particular responsibility and Norway urged all States to join the
proposed code of conduct to let the Council act decisively against mass
atrocities. Norway supported the French initiative to suspend the use of the
veto in such situations. Norway saw progress in Iraq and had hope for South
Sudan. It was committed to supporting the transitional arrangements to help
South Sudan out if its self-destructive conflict.
The crisis in Syria, which had started with
peaceful protests calling for freedom, had allowed extreme terror groups like
ISIL to gain a foothold, she said. Norway would follow global norms as it responded
to the crisis and would receive refugees at its borders, in line with the 1951
United Nations Convention on Refugees and its international human rights
obligations. It had agreed to take in a high number of refugees from Syria’s
neighbouring countries for resettlement under United Nations quotas. Norway
would be hosting a donor conference in cooperation with Germany and the United
Nations.
The fight against extremism, which was increasing
in different shapes and forms, had to be maintained, she said. International
cooperation at all levels was essential. In June, Norway had hosted the
European Conference on Countering Violent Extremism, where a European Youth
Network was launched. The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy
would remain a cornerstone of global efforts and Norway welcomed the
Secretary-General’s initiative to develop a United Nations action plan The
Prime Minister stressed the importance of including girls and women in the
planning and implementation of efforts to counter violent extremism.
JOSAIA VOREQE BAINIMARAMA, Prime Minister of
Fiji, noting its growing economy and strengthened democracy, said his country
was undergoing a real revolutionary change. It had engaged in social reform,
introduced free schooling at the primary and secondary levels, and made efforts
to bring governmental programmes to the country’s remote and underserved areas.
The increase in domestic investments, construction, tourism, and jobs indicated
confidence in the country’s future.
Noting that human rights were the foundation of
democracy, he said his country now enjoyed an unprecedented level of human
rights protection. He had invited a number of mandate holders under the Human
Rights Council to visit Fiji and looked forward to ratifying core human rights
instruments in the not-so-distant future. Underscoring that Pacific small
island developing States had “trouble being heard”, he said their unique
perspective called attention to the detrimental effects of climate change.
Developed as well as developing nations must do more to address them.
Earlier this month, Pacific leaders had met in
preparation for the Climate Change Conference in Paris, calling for a legally
binding agreement, which recognized loss and damage as a stand-alone element,
as well as climate change measures that were 100 per cent grant-financed. He
welcomed the Goals on the sustainable conservation of oceans and seas, adding
that his country would host the 2017 Triennial Oceans and Seas Global
Conferences. In pursuit of environmental protection, it had begun a green
growth framework based on inclusive and sustainable development.
JOSEPH MUSCAT, Prime Minister of Malta, said that
while the United Nations had obviously been a force for good, it was still a
work in progress, in a vastly uneven world, plagued by conflict and with the
Mediterranean, the cradle of civilization, turned into a graveyard. His
country, which found itself at the crossroads between the Middle East, Europe
and Africa, was the only one in Europe, and probably around the world, that
dedicated 100 per cent of its limited military resources to saving people at
sea. The current year had broken all records in terms of desperate people
attempting to flee from persecution and hopelessness. That was not a
Mediterranean or European problem but a global phenomenon that needed a global
response.
Saving lives, he continued, must remain the
priority, and Europe had intensified its search and rescue operations. But the
problem also required a committed response to taking on the smugglers. Further,
while it was crucial to give shelter to those fleeing from war, it must also be
clear that a free-for-all policy was not on the table. People who did not
qualify for asylum should be returned and safe countries of origin which did
not help in return should face sanctions. The war in Syria had to be tackled,
but it was a delusion to think that solving Syria would solve the migration
phenomenon. From the whole list of forgotten conflicts in Somalia and Eritrea
and other places to climate change, mass displacement of people was a key
feature of the current world. “It is not only desperation that moves people,
but also aspiration,” he said.
While the European Union had been very much in
the news for failing to agree unanimously on a mandatory distribution system
for refugees, he added, no other group of nations had gone as far as Europe
had. “We now need a Bretton Woods of migration,” he said, with rules and
institutions that saw all the members of the international community, and not
just a few, share the phenomenon of mass migration, with legal channels and
instruments to deal with crises. Instead of a European quota, there should be a
global quota system for migrants, not only for this but all crises. Turning to
the Climate Conference in Paris, he added that climate change was a global
challenge that called for an ambitious, fair, balanced and legally binding
agreement. Malta, which was the first country to alert the international
community to the need to address climate change, aspired to securing an
equitable deal at that Conference.
CHARLES MICHEL, Prime Minister of Belgium, said
that since 1945 the world had changed. There had been progress, but the
challenges of the current generation were numerous, and interrelated. The new
Agenda must give new impetus to the work of the United Nations. Noting that the
destiny of Europe and Africa was interlinked, he said it was important to learn
from past errors. Although he had been born after the colonial period, he still
felt a sense of responsibility. He sought a free, equal partnership, in mutual
respect with African States. With 1 billion talented and energetic inhabitants,
Africa would have an increasingly important role in the world.
The first condition for development was
respecting the rule of law and partnerships, he said. There was no democracy
without legitimacy and there was no legitimacy without constitutional respect.
Singling out several African countries that were following that path, he
condemned the recent coup in Burkina Faso and called for political dialogue in
Burundi between the opposition and the Government and adherence to law in the
Democratic Republic of Congo. Asserting commitment to both security and
development in the Sahel, he also noted Belgium’s support for other
peacekeeping operations in Africa, among them the United Nations
Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). In
addition, he said that development must create jobs and lead to greater income
for States, which must fight corruption to allow for good investments.
While all were increasingly faced with the rise
of terrorism, he said, it was important to fight the “fanatics” while
respecting the rule of law. Da’esh must be eliminated, but elections should be
established that would lead to a legitimate government at the same time. He
supported the relaunch of dialogue among the parties in Syria. He noted that 60
million people had been displaced in the world and said that countries such as
Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, hosting refugees from Syria, required assistance.
He was pleased at measures taken by Europe in that regard. Noting the slowdown
of the peace process in the Middle East, he asserted that raising the
Palestinian flag at the United Nations was a good symbol, but insufficient.
While Israel’s security must be assured, its settlement activity would not
help. The territorial integrity of all countries must be protected. In that
context he called for implementation of the Minsk Agreement by all parties.
Peace and security were constant goals. There would always be disputes, but
their resolution must always lie in dialogue.
TAMMAM SALAM, President of the Council of
Ministers of Lebanon, said that the tragic picture of Aylan Kurdi, the drowned
Syrian boy, had described the story of a tormented people, drifting into the
seas to nowhere, jam-packed on sidewalks and train stations, waiting for visas
or just a meal. Lebanon believed that the best solution to the problem and the
least expensive for Syria and its neighbours was to tackle the tragedy directly
at its roots. Urging the prominent powers of the world to rise above
reluctance, he added that only a political solution would safeguard Syria’s
unity, independence and territorial integrity while fulfilling the Syrian’
people’s aspirations for a free and dignified life. This call stemmed not only
from the kinship links between Lebanon and Syria, but also from his country’s
firm interest in ending the crisis due to the heavy burden of the massive waves
of displacement.
If Europe, he continued, with its sizable
capacities and generous humanity, had been confused at the sight of thousands
of displaced erupting suddenly in its cities, Lebanon, with its scarce
capacities had been crawling for the past four years under the burden of 1.5
million displaced Syrians. The public infrastructure and hosting communities of
his country had been exhausted to the maximum at a time of steadily declining
international aid. Lebanon reiterated its appeal to donor countries to increase
their financial contribution. Further, terrorism was the most daunting
consequence of the conflict. A group of Lebanese military forces were still
being held by terrorist groups. Lebanon was not an incubator of terrorists and
military and security apparatuses had assumed increasing responsibilities in
the fight against terrorism.
Turning to the Iran nuclear deal, he added that
his country hoped this development would open a new page in international
relations and would mark the beginning of an improvement in the regional
environment. He also reiterated his call to the international community to
compel Israel to cease its violations of Lebanese sovereignty and cooperate
with United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The repeated attacks on
Al-Aqsa mosque would have serious repercussions as Israel would be held
responsible for the failure in reaching a peaceful settlement to the conflict.
The East was the cradle of heavenly messages and the source of the alphabet, he
said, calling on all countries to extend their hands to stop the death toll in
Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and the State of Palestine.
RAIMONDS VĒJONIS, President of Latvia, recalled
that, in July, the world had marked the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Welles
Declaration on the non-recognition of the Soviet annexation of the Baltic States.
The United Nations firm stance had been a great support in that regard. Today,
far too often, international norms and principles continued to be violated and
the United Nations had been unable to intervene. The Organization, and in
particular, the Security Council, must be able to fulfil its mission with a
renewed sense of responsibility. Latvia supported expanding the Council in both
membership categories, in particular the addition of at least one non-permanent
seat to the Eastern European Group of States. Latvia also backed the proposal
to restrain the use of the veto in situations involving mass atrocity crimes.
The Council had recently been blocked by the use of a veto in two cases, the
search for justice in the downing of Malaysian flight MH17, and the attempt to
block the Russian Federation’s aggression in Ukraine. In that regard, the
Russian Federation must end its support to separatists and use its influence to
make them adhere to the Minsk Agreement.
The horrific conflict in Syria which had destabilized
the whole region had entered its fifth year. “The people of the international
community must not abandon the people of Syria,” he said, adding that concerted
action was needed to defeat the evil of terrorism and for achieving lasting
peace in the region. Increased migration from Middle Eastern and African
countries to Europe had become one of the greatest humanitarian challenges of
our time. Migration also persisted in the Asia-Pacific region and the Americas.
Beyond immediate humanitarian responses, those trends required long-term,
comprehensive solutions. Emphasis must be put on the root causes of increased
illegal migration, including by strengthening the prevention of conflict.
The European Union was an important partner of
the United Nations, as demonstrated in the Central African Republic, Mali and
other places, he said. His country would continue to support United Nations
peacekeeping. This year, the Organization would conclude “two of the most
important international processes of our time”. The world had just adopted the
Sustainable Development Goals, which must “make real changes” to end poverty
and build action-oriented policies. Most importantly, the involvement and
accountability of all stakeholders at all levels would be critical to the
success of the Goals. Those targets would be greatly reinforced by the approval
at the Climate Conference in Paris of a new universal agreement to address
climate change. “Failure to undertake ambitious mitigation actions cannot be
accepted; any further postponement will make adaptation extremely costly or
even unfeasible,” he said, adding that his country supported the reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions.
The United Nations would continue to play an
important role in the search for solutions to future challenges through global
discussion, raising awareness, creating expertise and building trust, he said.
At the forefront of those issues was the fast evolution of technology, which
was a source of progress and growth. Finally, he said, next year the United
Nations would choose a new Secretary-General; it was important that the
selection process be transparent and inclusive. It was high time for an Eastern
European candidate to be chosen for the position, as it was the only regional
group that had never been represented as Secretary-General.
TOMISLAV NIKOLIĆ, President of Serbia, said the
world had been tragically divided into the enormously rich and a majority
living below the threshold of human dignity. The United Nations continued to
talk about climate change non-committally, as if Member States did not see that
it intensified frictions caused by the inequality that already existed in the
world. Most of the developing countries were responsible for just a fraction of
global warming. They must have the opportunity to grow their economies under
the same conditions by which others had already become prosperous, even though
harmful gas emissions could amount to more than the rich might tolerate.
Wealthy countries could not use the concern over global warming as a pretext
for the industrial stagnation of developing ones.
Moreover, Serbia had been the only country that
had withstood attempts made by other states against its cultural heritage under
the protection of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), he said. In an attempt to falsify history — with the
support of certain countries — Albania had submitted a request to UNESCO that
Serbian heritage be declared Kosovan. Should UNESCO accept that request, it
would set a precedent for the legalization of violence over national, cultural
and religious identity of any peoples. He therefore called on the United
Nations to not allow the monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija — the “spiritual
backbone” of the Serbian people — be declared the cultural heritage of the
Albanian people.
Finally, the problem of mass migration from the
Middle East posed the greatest challenge of today, he said. Despite its
difficult economic situation, Serbia was making every effort to provide a
decent stay and accommodation for refugees. However, if the international
community, especially the European Union, failed to make concrete efforts to
solve the problem, a humanitarian catastrophe of an even larger scale
threatened Southeast Europe. The “ghettoizing” of the asylum-seekers by some
Governments, which erected wire and razor fences to keep out refugees, ran
counter to the 1951 Refugee Convention. The United Nations, therefore, needed a
comprehensive plan implemented within the shortest possible time, lest countries
altogether leave migrants to the mercy of human smugglers.
ISMAËL OMAR GUELLEH, President of Djibouti, first
paid tribute to Roble Olhaye, the late Permanent Representative of his country
to the United Nations, commending his contribution to diplomacy. He noted that
this year marked the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations founding, the
twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, and the fifteenth anniversary
of the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals. Despite progress, there
was still a long way to go, with poverty, hunger, and unemployment prevailing.
More recently, the world witnessed a rise in violent extremism and the health
system of several countries overwhelmed by the outbreak of Ebola.
He noted that many developing countries,
including his, were still suffering the consequences of the 2008 financial
crisis. Establishing a credible multilateral trade system that catered to the
specific needs of Africa and the least developed countries was important. The
current deadlock in the World Trade Organization (WTO), particularly the Doha
Round of negotiations, was a cause for concern. As for climate action, African
States stood ready to do their part in reducing emissions based on the
principle of common but differentiated responsibility. Despite its marginal
contribution to emissions, his country bore the brunt of climate change,
especially drought and flooding. Based on climate impact models developed by
Yale University, his country had embarked on a policy of renewable energy
towards 2020, which included use of hydro, wind and solar energy.
Africa was the first region to have fallen victim
to terrorism and violent extremism, he said. The continent’s experience of
fighting terrorist groups, including Al-Shabaab, must be shared. Welcoming a
high-level meeting on countering violent extremism chaired by the United States
President on Tuesday, he stressed no country alone could combat terrorism,
which knew no borders. All stakeholders must unite in analysis of root causes
and take action. To that end, his Government aimed to establish a centre of
excellence for combating extremism. Turning to tension in the northern part of
his country occupied by Eritrea, he urged the neighbouring nation to abide by a
mediation agreement reached five years ago. He called for resumption of a
peaceful political transition in Yemen, while stressing the importance of a
stable security environment in Somalia. He also reiterated Africa’s call for a
permanent seat in the Security Council.
CHOUMMALY SAYASONE, President of the Lao People’s
Democratic Republic, said that the international community must undertake
comprehensive reform of the Organization so that it could respond to emerging
challenges more effectively. He welcomed the adoption of the new Development
Agenda, and noted that to realize its goals and targets States must honour the
political commitment to strengthening global partnership and cooperation at all
levels. Praising the parties that had reached agreement on Iran’s nuclear
programme, he said the issue of Palestine should be resolved peacefully with
two independent States, Palestine and Israel living side by side in peace based
on the Arab Peace Initiative and the borders recognized in relevant
resolutions. He welcomed the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between
the United States and Cuba and hoped it would lead to an end to the embargo.
Turning to the huge impact of climate change,
especially on the least developed countries, he said it was incumbent upon the
international community to help them build long-term capacity. He hoped the
upcoming Climate Conference in Paris would adopt measures to address climate
change in the coming years. On regional matters he noted that ASEAN aimed to build
an integrated economic community by the end of 2015. His country would assume
ASEAN chairmanship in 2016, the first year of that community.
This year was also his country’s fortieth
anniversary, he said. It had gone through a period of healing the wounds of war
and advancing national development. However, challenges remained from the
impact of regional and global economic and financial crises and natural
disasters. He called on development partners to continue their support for
sustainable development. Another obstacle to development was the legacy of war
on agriculture and people’s livelihood, development of infrastructure and
investment programmes in areas contaminated by unexploded ordnance. Their
clearance required huge resources. He called upon those countries not yet party
to the Convention on Cluster Munitions to accede to it. Party to seven
international human rights instruments, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
had put forth its candidacy for membership in the Human Rights Council for the
period 2016-2018. He looked forward to support for that candidacy.
BARON DIVAVESI WAQA, President of Nauru, said
only with United Nations legitimacy could the international community expect
the real-world implementation of the agreements reached in New York. However,
legitimacy was a fragile thing, and therefore, the United Nations must put the
principles of universality, adaptability and accountability at the centre of
its work to remain a power force of progressive change around the world. All
partnerships — multilateral, bilateral or public-private — required a respect
that recognized genuine development allies. “Taiwan” was a democracy that could
contribute meaningfully towards prosperity in the world, he said, calling for
the inclusion of the region in the development agencies of the United Nations.
Furthermore, in the implementation of the 2030
Agenda, the United Nations needed to go beyond capacity-building and engage in
institution building, he said. International and regional agencies should back
in-country engagement, thus leaving behind durable domestic institutions run by
a skilled national workforce. Additionally, the Security Council must reflect
the geopolitical realities of the world today and therefore, expand the
permanent and non-permanent members. Nauru supported the inclusion of Germany,
India, Japan and Brazil in the permanent category. He added his backing to the
Secretary-General’s appointment of a Special Representative on Climate and
Security.
Climate change would prove the largest test of
international and domestic institutions — climate impacts even the most
powerful countries. A strong, legally binding agreement on climate in the
Climate Conference in Paris was absolutely crucial, with ambitious mitigation
contributions from all countries. Many of the major economic powers had already
come forward with meaningful solutions, yet the intense lobbying to accept an
unsatisfactory outcome had already begun. In the international process, that
had often meant the presentation of a take-it-or-leave-it deal, which would
neither solve the climate problem ahead, nor keep the United Nations legitimate
as a unifying force for all.
AGILA SALEH ESSA GWAIDER, Acting Head of State of
Libya, said the goal of the Charter to save future generations from the scourge
of war remained elusive. His country — a “fledgling democracy seeking to find
its way” and to transform itself into a transparent, democratic country with
effective and stable institutions — was threatened by the spread of weapons and
armed groups, some of which turned intro criminals and terrorists. Over the
past year, Libya had witnessed the emergence of Da’esh, which asserted control
over several Libyan towns. That entity aimed at stretching its influence from
Mauritania to Bangladesh and making the whole region subject to the “rule of
the jungle”, while claiming it as the “rule of Islam”. That ideology was
totally rejected and resisted by the Libyan people.
Those groups were an essential part of the
militia alliance of Fajr Libya, which had seized the capital, Tripoli, and
repeatedly announced that it would continue to support Ansar al-Sharia while
describing them as “revolutionaries”. “All these terrorist and extremist groups
are nothing but tools to implement the policies of foreign countries,” he said,
adding that those countries provided them with arms and ammunition. The Libyan
authorities’ efforts to fight terrorism were hampered by external support for
terror, in addition to the continuation of the arms embargo and the Security
Council’s insistence to not approve requests for an exemption from the arms
embargo in order to arm the Libyan army.
The majority of the Libyan people were looking
for any possible means to end the unjustified fighting and to restore stability
to the country, he said. Nonetheless, they had fallen hostage to armed groups.
Hundreds of thousands of Libyans had become internally displaced persons or
refugees, but hoped to return to their homes as soon as possible. That could
only be fulfilled by agreeing on a strong Government enjoying the confidence of
all Libyans. The House of Representatives, as the legitimate authority elected
by all Libyans, had been supportive of dialogue as a strategic option to
resolve the political and security crisis in Libya. However, there was intransigence
in positions and misinterpretations of the flexibility shown by the House of
Representatives. That had even been misunderstood by Bernardino León, the
Special Representative of the Secretary-General, who “tried to bring us back to
square one”.
Against that backdrop, he stressed several
points. First, the Council of Representatives was committed to dialogue as an
approach to resolving the security and institutional crisis in Libya, but it
would not agree to any regression with regard to what had been approved by the
majority so far. Second, no agreement should be imposed on any future
Government to take any steps in favour of terrorist organizations. And third,
the House of Representatives hoped to receive a final draft of an agreement
that did not reward those who had committed crimes, destroyed State property
and seized the capital by force of arms. Turning finally to the migrant crisis
in the Mediterranean, he supported all international efforts to reduce the
risks to illegal migrants, provided they fell within the framework of respect
for the principles of sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs
of other States. Using force against smuggling boats off Libya’s coastline
could increase the complexity of the country’s crisis, and would not help
reduce smuggling of migrants.
CHRISTOPHER J. LOEAK, President of the Marshall
Islands, welcomed the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, but noted that his country
could not afford a “set it and forget it” mentality, which had too often marked
past international efforts. His Government had a powerful window to merge
recent national planning improvements and set up architecture to measure
progress and pinpoint gaps. “These gaps are not only our own, but also those of
our partners,” he said, stressing the need for accountability for collective
performance. He also welcomed the establishment of a comprehensive assistance
programme with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) aiming at building
national capacity to monitor and evaluate nuclear contamination and address
health strategies and other key sustainable development goals benchmarks.
As a low-lying island nation, with no higher
ground, climate change posed a severe threat to its very security, he said. The
future of his nation was perhaps more in the hands of his fellow world leaders
than it was his own. He refused the very notion that his country would
willingly relocate to another nation, and the notion that “if the water comes,
it comes”. Recalling that the Pacific islands region served as a horrific
theatre for a global power struggle in an earlier age, he said that decades
later, the region was facing again the complex push and pull of larger
international politics while expressing support for New Zealand’s initiative
during its Security Council presidency in holding a meeting on small island
developing States and threats to international peace and security. That meeting
revealed issues that slipped under the global radar. The Council should
establish a regular agenda on security issues in those small island nations.
His country, like many others, believed that the
awareness of the catastrophic impacts and humanitarian consequences of nuclear
weapons must underpin efforts toward nuclear disarmament. As a former United
Nations trust territory, his country had a unique legacy shared by a few other
nations — 67 nuclear tests were conducted in his nation by its former
administrator, the United States. He urged the Secretary-General not to omit
the powerful example of his nation when encouraging progress on nuclear
disarmament and test-bans. It was essential for the survival of humanity that
nuclear weapons were never used again, under any circumstances.
IKILILOU DHOININE, President of the Comoros, said
that he was speaking for the last time after five years in office and wished to
convey a message of solidarity from his people and his Government. Today, as in
yesteryear, nothing prevented the international community from combatting
pollution and poverty, and so the world must act. The leaders of the world had
a responsibility in the face of an impending disaster, and must work rationally
to save humanity. Leaders must take advantage of the unprecedented framework to
make the planet sustainable and equitable before 2030. His country endorsed the
new 2030 Agenda that built on the achievements of the Millennium Development
Goals and opened up new goals for the next 15 years. It was the duty of the
international community to work towards equality for all, including women’s
empowerment.
One could not imagine that man would thrive on
this Earth unless urgent action was taken to combat climate change, he said.
Forests must be managed sustainably and ocean ecosystems must be preserved. It
was also necessary to put an end to biodiversity loss. The goal was to build a
new and sustainable world through a new road map. The survival of the world
depended on such bold goals.
For decades, Africa had been beset with
colonialism, he said. Now, the world felt the consequences of wars that forced
many men, women and children to leave their homes, board makeshift boats, and
live in inhumane conditions or remain vagrants. The barbarous acts perpetrated
by terrorist movements needed to be combatted by the international community
through the use of one voice to say “never again”. In a world of complete
deprivation, how could a small country be engaged in such a fight? he asked.
Against the will of the Comoros people, France had used its veto and continued
to exert power over the territory. This was not acceptable, and he demanded
that international law be applied. He asked the community of nations to ensure
the application of international law so that a lasting solution to that dispute
could be achieved.
He welcomed the fact that the State of Palestine
had finally been able to raise its flag at the United Nations, and that the
United States and Cuba had renewed relations. It was heartening that States
could overcome deadlocks and foresee a peaceful future for their peoples. He
also welcomed the new Iran deal, which boded well for international
cooperation. As his country stood ready after 40 years of independence to begin
the second phase in its history, he remained confident that the next president
of the Comoros, speaking from the rostrum of free countries, would be able to say
that his country had achieved its own territorial integrity. He was also
confident that his successor would be able to thank the United Nations for
acting on the Charter on behalf of the Comoros. The time had come for all to
work together to build a free, open and prosperous country that was confident
both in its future and in its people’s destiny.
TEODORO NGUEMA OBIANG MANGUE, Vice President of
Equatorial Guinea, said that his country always trusted the United Nations
despite some attempts to monopolize the Organization. While renewing faith and
trust in the world body, which promoted peace, security and stability among our
nations, his country was also concerned about some weaknesses it had shown in
preventing and eliminating conflicts. Member States must act in solidarity to
address the proliferation of conflict in Africa, the Middle East and Europe,
which were in turn causing massive migrations. The United Nations was not a
police force. Member States must submit themselves to international law and norms.
The success of the Organization depended on neither the skills of the General
Assembly Presidents nor the intelligence of the Secretaries-General.
Equatorial Guinea was a small African country
rich in oil, he said. Due to preventive measures, the country succeeded in
staving off external attempts to take over its oil. His country was successful
in achieving social development. Based on its Horizon 2020 national development
plan, the country was seeking to build infrastructure, improve productivity,
build human capital, and diversify the economy with energy, mining, agriculture
and service sectors as pillars. He reiterated Africa’s call for two permanent
seats and five non-permanent seats in the Security Council. Turning to the
upcoming Climate Conference in Paris, he said the Amazon and Congo Basin should
draw special attention as they were the two “lungs” of the earth.
MIRO CERAR, Prime Minister of Slovenia, welcomed
the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the new Sustainable
Development Agenda, noting that his country remained strongly committed to
environmental protection, ensuring its sustainability in national and
international contexts. Based on its experience with beekeeping, and in view of
multiple threats to bee populations, Slovenia believed bees were critically
important for sustainable food production and biodiversity. His Government was
proposing the “World Bee Day” and seeking a United Nations endorsement.
He said that without respect for human rights,
there could be no security or economic and social development, and vice versa.
When his country gained independence, respect for human rights was a pivotal
founding principle of the newly formed State. Since then, commitment to
promoting human rights, especially the protection of the most vulnerable,
including children and elderly, had further strengthened and represented a core
element of his country’s foreign policy. Slovenia could contribute to the goal
of promoting respect for human rights by serving as a Human Rights Council
member for the 2016-2018 term.
War and conflicts had caused dramatic growth in
mass displacement, reaching unprecedented levels, he said. Massive waves of
refugees and migrants were fleeing their homes, with hundreds of people dying
in their search for a better life. While the international community should
increase assistance to those in need and the countries hosting large numbers of
refugees, there was a need to act more decisively to reach sustainable
political solutions in the countries of origin.
He said his country was committed to conflict
prevention and peaceful conflict resolution. Wherever possible and applicable,
States should opt for diplomacy, mediation and conflict prevention. In that
regard, he welcomed the recent historic agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue
as proof that even the most complex issues could be resolved peacefully.
Slovenia would continue with activities aimed at bringing the global community
closer to universal human rights standards and a decent life for all, and would
remain a strong supporter of the environment in which every human being felt
safe.
MELTEK SATO KILMAN LIVTUVANU, Prime Minister of
Vanuatu, said that the impact of climate change could not be understated, and
pointed to a bleak future for humanity. Despite significant achievements of the
United Nations over the past seven decades, many challenges remained. The world
was split into “haves” and “have nots”. In that regard, he called on developed
countries to contribute to United Nations humanitarian appeals and to address
the world’s growing inequality.
The 2030 Agenda promised to be transformative
particularly for those at the margins of society. Vanuatu welcomed the
establishment of Goal 14 on the conservation and sustainable management of
oceans and recognized the need for a framework within which the implementation
of that Goal would be progressively assessed, benchmarked and driven forward.
“For too long, we have witnessed the decline of our oceans and seas”, he
stressed, reaffirming his country’s support for the proposed triennial United
Nations Oceans and Seas Conference to perform the role of driving progress on
that Goal. Vanuatu also welcomed the focus on gender in the 2030 Agenda. While
his country had made notable progress in women’s access to basic education and
health services, “I want to see more tangible progress in women and girls’
advancement and their active participation in national leadership,” he said.
The recently concluded Addis Ababa Action Agenda,
he continued, had dealt with issues relating to financial resources, accessing
appropriate technology and improving national capacity. Calling for all
developed countries to meet their official development assistance (ODA)
commitments, he thanked China for its recent announcement of assistance and
welcomed the least developed country initiative of establishing a technology
bank in Istanbul. In the area of information and communications technology
(ICT) development, his country had made great strides and had recently been
presented with the United Nations ICT for Development Award. ICT would remain
one of the key tools for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in
Vanuatu. He urged the United Nations to assist developing countries —
especially small island developing States and least developed countries — in
developing their technological capacity.
However, he went on, none of that work would mean
anything if a strong agreement was not reached at the Climate Conference in
Paris. “Without addressing climate change, sustainable development for small island
developing States cannot be achieved,” he stressed. Pacific island leaders
continued to voice their concerns about the issue, calling for an agreement to
keep temperatures well below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. They also
called for Annex 1 countries to contribute significantly to their collective
adaptation needs. Finally, he called on the United Nations not to lose sight of
the issue of decolonization, a “long overdue” challenge that should become one
of the past.
TUILAEPA SAILELE MALIELEGAOI, Prime Minister of
Samoa, said that his statement would be devoted to Sustainable Development Goal
13, which was to “take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”.
Climate change would continue to be the major occupation and priority policy
determinant for Samoa well into the future. The same was likely to be true for
other Pacific island States and the wider small island developing States.
Climate change was the single most urgent challenge confronting mankind. It was
facilitated largely through human-induced activities driven for the most part
by profit motives with some degree of insensitivity to the consequences of such
action on others, particularly those most vulnerable to climate change. In most
cases those peoples had barely contributed to the causes of climate change in
the first place.
Climate change was not a future phenomenon, he
said. It was real, irreversible and already happening with far more frequency.
It was no longer a question of when, but rather the severity of the magnitude
of the impacts and the full cost society must bear. Even now in Samoa, his
people were suffering drought conditions. That would give way to the onset of
the cyclone season predicted to have a high likelihood of severe cyclones in
the Pacific region. As a cross-cutting issue, ambitious actions or solutions at
the national and international levels to try to address root causes of climate
change would inevitably end up either being compromised, watered down or
put-aside due to political, social and economic considerations taking
precedence over basic climate logic.
Climate change was not a small island developing
State concern only, he said. It impacted every country, but some more
extensively than others, because their capacity to respond quickly and effectively
was constrained. Climate Change could not be wished away, and had significant
security implications. Its impacts threatened the continued existence and
viability of some small island developing States. Even those countries which
had been in self-denial to date of the phenomenon must surely now accept the
weight of scientific evidence.
Against the backdrop of the existential threat
that climate change posed, especially to atolls and low lying islands, he said
that small island developing States had long been advocating for ambitious
mitigation efforts by Member States with the capacity to do so, and for a
global goal of limiting the rise in average global temperature to well below
1.5°C to prevent some of Samoa’s low-lying islands from being submerged by sea
level rise. Those pleas over the years had largely gone unnoticed. However,
developed countries were no longer insulated from the reach and destructive
force of such climate-related events as cyclones, bushfires, flooding,
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and droughts.
Climate change was a societal problem that
required a decisive response from the global community, he said. It was a
challenge that should unite the world, not divide it. No country could deal
with that problem alone. Rather, people must work cooperatively in a
partnership of common but differentiated responsibilities. True partnerships
should be underpinned by trust. Appointing blame for past wrongs would not
restore the environment to its pre-industrial state. There was hope, and Samoa’s
whole focus was now on the Climate Change Conference in Paris.
HAIDER AL ABADI, Prime Minister of Iraq, said
that, in his country, the development level had dropped after a series of wars
and due to the policies of Saddam Hussein’s dictatorial regime, the embargo and
deprivation that accompanied international sanctions. After changing the
political regime and creating a democratic environment throughout the country,
and with the support of the United Nations and other international
organizations, the development conditions had seen a relative improvement. The
country had made remarkable progress in reducing mortality rates, raising the
percentages of children in school, reducing the gender equality gap, and
improving living standards. However, the “evil will” carried out by terrorist
groups such as Al-Qaida and Da’esh and those that followed from the Ba’ath
regime had hindered the development movement and spread murder and destruction.
Today the people of north and west Iraq were either displaced or suffering in
their cities and villages.
While his country highly appreciated the support
of the United Nations and the international community in its war — including
the hard efforts to stabilize the liberated areas by Iraqi security forces — he
looked forward to an active contribution by countries and organizations to help
repair Iraq’s infrastructure and help aid its reconstruction. The country had
produced a political, economic, administrative and financial package of reforms
and had started to work on activating the private sector. It was also
supporting small and medium-sized enterprises despite difficult financial
conditions.
Welcoming the adoption of the Sustainable
Development Goals, he said the importance of that declaration was not limited
to attaining further development for humankind. It would also promote a clean
and safe environment, protect the rights of the next generation, spread peace
and security, eliminate poverty and discrimination and improve health and
educational standards. That agenda required the people of all countries to work
hard, but also to provide the United Nations enough space for “constructive
movement” to speed up the achievement of those targets. He expected all
countries to adhere to and implement Security Council resolutions 2170 (2014),
2178 (2014), and 2199 (2015) on the prohibition of support, finance and arms
for terrorist groups, in addition to the General Assembly resolution related to
saving Iraqi heritage.
VALERIU STRELET, Prime Minster of Republic of
Moldova, said that the Sustainable Development Goals marked an important
chapter in his country’s clean energy programme for the coming years. The
nation was on track to ratify the low-emissions development strategy and during
the upcoming Climate Conference in Paris it would support the European Union’s
mechanisms to have renewable energy account for 20 per cent of all energy
consumption by 2020. The gradual implementation of the European Union-Moldova
Association Agreement adopted last year and the creation of the Deep and Comprehensive
Free Trade Area brought the Republic of Moldova politically and economically
closer to the European Union and helped it to advance the country’s development
and modernization.
The world was becoming increasingly turbulent and
unsafe, he said. The illegal use of military force and other forms of violence
were widely practiced by States and non-State actors as a means to promote
their interests. Gross violations of international law and a dramatic decline
in trust among States had already undermined the central pillars of the
international system. Regretfully, after a period of relative stability,
Europe’s security and cooperation system had been seriously shaken. The
annexation of the Crimean peninsula by the Russian Federation, in flagrant violation
of international law, and the outbreak of the armed conflict in the eastern
regions of Ukraine had directly challenged international peace and security.
Those major negative developments brought back to the world’s agenda the
fundamental question of what should be done to restore order and ensure respect
for the norms and principles of international law.
For over two decades his country had been divided
as a result of the Transnistrian conflict, he said. However despite external
and domestic challenges, it would firmly follow the way of a peaceful
settlement. He reiterated his country’s firm stance that the Russian Federation
must withdraw its military forces and ammunition from the Republic of Moldova
in accordance with constitutional provisions and international commitments. The
existing peacekeeping operation had fulfilled its mandate and must be
transformed into a civilian mission with a relevant international mandate.
The Republic of Moldova had implemented the
United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, and during
the last three years it had destroyed all stocks of cluster munitions and
anti-personnel mines, he said. He shared the international community’s concerns
about the emergence of new terrorist threats to democratic values, human rights
and world peace. The Republic of Moldova had also contributed to peacekeeping
efforts, and was transitioning from being a beneficiary of peacekeeping to an
active contributor. On United Nations reform, he said one non-permanent seat on
the Security Council should be allocated for the Eastern European Group of
States and a Secretary-General should be chosen from the region, in keeping
with the principle of equitable geographic rotation.
MOULAY RACHID, Prince of Morocco, said a review
of the achievements made under the Millennium Development Goals indicated gaps
between regions around the world and inside certain countries. That occurrence,
which tarnished the image of collective action within the United Nations,
should induce stakeholders to address “malfunctions affecting international
cooperation”. The international community must not only accept global facts on
the ground, but also avoid geopolitical calculations that imposed
near-impossible conditions to access aid. Regardless of the usual expressions
of solidarity and the level of mobilization, he said the Ebola crisis
demonstrated that international aid to affected countries remained insufficient
and inaccessible.
Furthermore, he added, bureaucratic decisions and
ready-made, non-credible technical reports would not help in achieving
development that was sustainable. Rather, to fulfil people’s aspirations and
address their concerns, it was necessary to make an objective assessment of
their living conditions and carry out work on the ground. As a case in point,
he said, the reality of Africa was much bleaker and far bitterer than reported
by several governmental and non-governmental organizations. Accordingly, the
United Nations must place Africa at the heart of international development to
unlock its potential. He called on regional and international financial
institutions to create an action plan for economic transformation in Africa and
provide steady resources to fund it. Without tangible international support,
his continent would continue to experience glaring disparities between
countries.
Finally, he said that his country’s commitment to
address global issues had been reflected in its fight against climate change.
Since its participation in the 1992 Conference on Environment and Development
Summit, Morocco had developed a national environmental policy that put in place
solar and wind energy to cover 42 per cent of the country’s energy needs by
2020. Additionally, his State had established an intended nationally determined
contribution towards an equitable and solidary international environmental
system. As such, he proposed that Marrakech host the twenty-second Conference
of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. He
viewed the Paris and Marrakech Conferences as two complementary milestones in
attempts to achieve a qualitative transition in climate change resistance, as
well as avoid failures that resulted from poor stakeholder coordination and
cooperation.
LIONEL ZINSOU, Prime Minister of Benin, said the
Organization was faced with a globalized world in a turbulent time — a
multipolar world. People had aspirations for a prosperous, lasting future, and
while considerable progress had been made, it was still possible to go further.
Terrorism, financial instability, food insecurity, mass youth unemployment and
pandemics — clearly all countries had their challenges. However, the problem of
good governance, which prevented responses to these threats, needed addressing
above all. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda provided some solutions to fight
corruption, but it required coordinated judicial assistance to deny the
perpetrators of economic and financial crimes the ability to take refuge in
lawless areas. The United Nations had participated with the African Union to combat
corruption, but it also needed to help countries attack impunity at a domestic
level.
Additionally, the United Nations must look at
conflict resolution more broadly, he said. No State could alone prevent or
resolve strife, and in Africa, the security issue was ever present — a
reflection of hostilities that were, in reality, trans-border, and rooted in
religious fundamentalism. Africa was getting organized and required help from
the rest of the world. Not only was the continent a beneficiary of conflict
prevention, but also a key actor in the resolution against conflict. Benin had
contributed to peacekeeping operations in Cameroon, Nigeria and Chad, among
others, to fight Boko Haram. To prevent future disputes, Benin called on the
United Nations to support inter-religious dialogue, as well as the plight of
the least developed countries to improve the conditions of their people.
In terms of the evolution of the United Nations,
Benin attached significance to the reform of the Security Council and correction
of the injustice done to Africa by not considering it for membership, he said.
It was hard to remain committed to a Council that reflected privileges dating
back to 1945; the United Nations, in its seventy-first year, must modernize the
Council given the problems before it. He supported the creation of an
independent Palestinian State, as well as the implementation of the nuclear
deal between Iran and the P5+1, which would ease tensions in the Middle East
and encourage the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
GILLES TONELLI, Minister for External Affairs and
Cooperation of Monaco, said the dramatic situation which continued to unfold in
Syria, and the “barbaric” means used by extremist groups, were horrifying. The
international community could not remain indifferent to that suffering or to
the destruction of common human heritage in places such as the temples of
Palmyra. His Principality strongly supported the Secretary-General’s initiative
“Human Rights for All” and his endeavour to establish an action plan on
preventing violent extremism. Monaco had also co-sponsored Security Council
resolution 2178 (2014) on foreign terrorist fighters and violent extremism. In
addition, the Principality supported a peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis.
The primary responsibility bestowed by the
Charter to the Council to maintain international peace and security led him to
commend France’s “courageous” initiative to call for suspending the right of
veto by its five permanent members when dealing with situations of mass atrocities.
He officially announced Monaco’s support to that initiative, as well as to the
Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group’s proposal to develop a “code
of conduct” which would apply to all Member States. In one month’s time, the
world would commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of Council
resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security. It would be an opportunity
to unveil the results of the implementation of the global study on that issue.
Unfortunately, he continued, the world was far
too familiar with the devastating effects of conflicts on women. Along with
children, they represented the majority of refugees and displaced persons
worldwide. Convinced of the importance of women’s active and full participation
on an equal footing to conflict prevention and the peaceful resolution of
conflicts, as well as to peacebuilding and peacekeeping, he called for the
implementation of concrete measures on that issue. He turned next to the issues
to be tackled by the first Humanitarian Summit proposed by the
Secretary-General, which were of utmost importance as they took into account
the emerging crises of climate change, natural disasters and health crises. The
international community must refine a new humanitarian deployment framework to
meet those growing and complex needs, ensure its predictable financing and have
a long-term development planning strategy in place to fully complete its
objective.
The Addis Ababa Action Agenda was adopted to
enable the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The launch of the Technology
Facilitation Mechanism during that summit had translated the spirit of
collaboration between all development actors working for developing countries,
and bore witness to the will of the international community to concretely strengthen
their capacity. However, those efforts would not be successful without a
universal, legally-binding agreement to combat climate change and to push the
world towards resilient, low-carbon societies and economies. To that end,
Prince Albert II of Monaco had committed the Principality to halve its carbon
footprint by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and had renewed his commitment to
make the Principality carbon neutral by 2050. Monaco also supported the
International Oceanographic Commission’s “2015 Ocean and Climate Platform”, as
it was the personal commitment of Prince Albert II to take action for healthy
and productive oceans and seas.
ELMAR MAMMADYAROV, Minister for Foreign Affairs
of Azerbaijan, condemned terrorism, violent extremism and separatism in all
their forms and manifestations. In situations of armed conflict or political
crisis involving inter-State relations, no solution could be reached which was
inconsistent with international law and legal order, particularly where
fundamental norms — such as the obligation to respect sovereignty, territorial
integrity and the inviolability of the internationally recognized borders of
States — were concerned. He expressed deep concern over the unfolding refugee
crisis fuelled by armed conflicts in the Middle East and Africa; he was equally
alarmed by increased cases of religious intolerance, particularly Islamophobia,
and attempts to associate religions with terrorism.
Describing his country’s concrete contributions
to the United Nations, in particular its peacekeeping operations, as well as
his country’s “impressive” results on many Millennium Development Goal targets,
he went on to say that Azerbaijan was adapting its national strategies to the
new Sustainable Development Goals. On Tuesday, the President of Armenia had
delivered a statement before the Assembly, which was “full of usual
falsifications, distortions and misinterpretations”. That President had
attempted to lecture others about principles and values which in reality his
Government disregarded and opposed. The international community could recall
the brutal massacres by invading Armenian troops of Azerbaijani citizens, as
well as the establishment of the military dictatorship in Armenia after
murdering the entire political elite of the country.
He said it was well known that Armenia had
unleashed the war and used force against Azerbaijan, occupied almost one fifth
of its territory, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region, carried out ethnic
cleansing and seized areas by expelling some one million Azerbaijanis from
their homes. Recalling Security Council resolutions that had condemned that
occupation, he said the Council had also, in those documents, confirmed that
the Nagorno-Karabakh region was part of Azerbaijan. Other international
organizations had adopted similar positions. While Armenia even boasted that
his country was one of the most militarized in the world, that country’s
speculations on confidence-building measures were “curious”, to say the least.
In fact, the real reasons for the lack of confidence were Armenia’s overt
territorial claims to neighbouring countries and aggression against Azerbaijan.
In order to effectively build confidence, it was
critical to implement without further delay the plan of withdrawal of the armed
forces of Armenia from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, he said. His
country would never be reconciled with the seizure of its territories. The
conflict could only be resolved on the basis of the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders. If
negotiations failed to bring as an outcome the complete and unconditional
withdrawal, Azerbaijan would be compelled to use its inherent right of
self-defence guaranteed under Article 51 of the Charter.
JOSÉ MANUEL GARCÍA MARGALLO, Minister for Foreign
Affairs and Cooperation of Spain, said 70 years ago, humanity had awoken from
the nightmare of unchecked power. “Law is the reason of States,” he said in
that regard; when the reason of law was flouted, nightmares followed. Respect
for sovereignty and the territorial integrity of States were integral to the
maintenance of international peace and security. There were those that thought
the United Nations was weak and unable to respond to the challenges of our
times; however, he disagreed. There were encouraging signs, including the
recent agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme and the reinstatement of
negotiations between the United States and Cuba. On the issue of Gibraltar, the
last colony on the European continent, he hoped to engage in dialogue through
the United Nations based on the 1984 Brussels Agreement.
On climate change, he stressed that “time was
running out”. However, there were well-founded hopes that the Climate
Conference in Paris could “turn things around”. The world needed a sustainable
growth model. Hopes had already turned into reality thanks to the recent
adoption of the 2030 Agenda, and commitment had already turned into action
through the creation of the Sustainable Development Goal Fund, initiated by
Spain but open to all stakeholders. The twenty-first century would be the
century of the woman, but equality would not happen by itself. That was why
Spain had been promoting equal opportunities for women in all spheres of life.
During its presidency of the Security Council in October, Spain would hold an
open debate on women, peace and security, and invited all delegations to take
part.
In its history, Spain had been hit by both
internal and international terrorism, he said. Terrorism was born from hatred
and disdain for life, and was a crime against humanity. Such evil was
manifested in different forms. Today, groups such as Da’esh sought to launch
attacks and destroy the present model of civilization. “We must open a common front
against Da’esh,” he said, adding that States should not negotiate with
terrorists. That was why Spain had joined the coalition of States fighting
armed terrorists in the Middle East. Stressing the need to respect the dignity
and memories of the victims of terrorism, he said that Spain and Romania had
decided to propose the establishment of an International Criminal Court against
Terrorism, an international jurisdictional mechanism that would complement the
actions of the International Criminal Court and would intervene when a State
was not in a position to carry out investigations itself.
The images of today’s immense migrant tragedy
moved hearts, but the world needed to respond to the issue with reason. A
solution was needed that took into account the dignity and rights of migrants.
In that regard, he proposed an international covenant on migration. The origin
of the migrant crisis was the festering conflicts in places such as Syria,
which had a staggering 7.6 million internally displaced persons. Four million
Syrian refugees had left the country. The world needed to work on two fronts:
provide immediate humanitarian aid and support the inclusive political process
presented by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. On Libya, he
called for all parties to come together. The partition of Libya would be the
worst possible solution. Finally, on Israel and Palestine, Spain was always
willing to support the parties in their return to the negotiating table, and
was a proponent of the two-State solution.
SAMUEL RANGBA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of
the Central African Republic, said he must “spare addressing international
issues”, and instead call world leaders to recent fighting that had taken place
in his country. In 2014, the Central African Republic’s interim President had
outlined the dramatic situation in her State, while appealing to the
international community to come to the country’s aid. Due to the blind and
savage violence of non-regulated armed troops, the international community
unanimously committed their support to the transitional Government, and the
United Nations deployed the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission
in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). Supported by that commitment, the
head of State worked to establish dialogue with the groups to find social
cohesion and stabilization. The transitional Government drew up a road map to
re-establish State authority, assist in the recovery of the economy and
organize elections. Progress had been made: armed groups renounced violence;
the economy began to recover; the State set a deadline for elections; refugees
exercised their right of return; and Bangui had begun to, once again, “find its
charming way of life”.
Alas, just as the Central African Republic had
started its gradual recovery and had come to the United Nations to take its
place and share the news, the enemies of peace dealt a harsh blow on 25
September with savage killings and other crimes, he said. It demonstrated that
peace and reconciliation were still tenuous, and that the country required
supportive action so that it was not drawn once more into a cycle of terrorism.
He asked the international community and the Organization for a stronger
presence in his State to “staunch the crime and the violence”. The development
of his country’s people had been dependent on the security situation, but
because a handful of individuals needed to satisfy their hunger for power, the
outbreak of crises had multiplied on many fronts, and the State, once more,
faced diminished resources.
Right of Reply
Taking the floor in exercise of the right of
reply, the representative of India said that it was regrettable that the
representative of Pakistan had chosen to misuse the high-level segment of the
General Assembly to distort reality. Pakistan claimed to be the primary victim
of terrorism, but it was really the victim of its own policies of training
terrorists. It was stated that Jamu and Kashmir were under foreign occupation —
they were, but the occupier was Pakistan. That State apparently regretted that
the dispute remained unresolved; if that was so, it was because that country
had chosen to disregard its commitments under various agreements. It was always
India that had extended the hand of friendship, and that offer remained open even
today. Reference was made to ceasefire violations along the border line; the
world knew that firing weapons was used to cover terrorists crossing the
border. Pakistan was shifting its responsibility onto others. Terrorism was a
“home-grown problem that had begun to bite the hand that fed it”. The heart of
the matter was that Pakistan felt the use of terrorism was legitimate. All
States stood by to help if only Pakistan would “wake up to the reality” of what
it had done to itself.
Also taking the floor in exercise of the right of
reply was the representative of Armenia, who said he had felt “déjà vu” today
as he heard the same allegations from the representative of Azerbaijan. The
statement delivered by that country was from a fairy tale; everything was upside
down. Azerbaijan had a problem with short memory, but the Minister himself was
old enough to remember what had really happened. Any journalists or bloggers
that were willing to write the truth were imprisoned in Azerbaijan. That State
had also refused to have a meeting with the Committee of Missing Persons for
the past 10 years. “Don’t threaten us with the possibility of war,” he said,
stressing the need for peaceful dialogue. Hundreds of Azerbaijani citizens were
fighting as ISIL fighters. They did not allow international observers along the
border to see who was responsible for violations of the ceasefire.
Nagorno-Karabakh would never be part of Azerbaijan. To the representative of
Turkey, he asked about the people’s right to self-determination and said that
no one could determine their status without taking that principle into account.
Also exercising the right of reply, the
representative of Azerbaijan said of Armenia that the country was not one to
speak on human rights considering half of its population had none. He said the
United Nations and other organizations had recognized the legitimate right of
Azerbaijan to its territories. Armenia was one of the only countries in the
world that venerated terrorists. Azerbaijan had long pressed for an investigation
into crimes against humanity and other violations of international law. It
would be in the best interest of Armenia’s people if its Government put an end
to aggression and worked towards the prosperity of its own population and
region.
Taking the floor a second time, the
representative of Armenia said it was difficult to argue against words that
made no sense. He called upon the presidency of the Assembly to interrupt
meetings where States were levelling baseless allegations. He represented a country
that was home to 12 national minorities who lived happily and had all the
rights and privileges of all citizens. With the collapse of the Soviet Union,
Nagorno-Karabakh had been able to declare its independence. The only
international organization that had the right to mediate among the parties was
the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group,
which was working hard to find a resolution to the conflict.
Also taking the floor again, the
representative of Azerbaijan said the second statement by Armenia was full of
outright lies. Armenia’s population could not be called “multi-ethnic”; in
fact, its “monoethnicity” had been achieved through ethnic cleansing. It would
be more appropriate if the representative of Armenia did not misinterpret the
peace process. Further, it would be in the best interest of Armenia and the
international community if it stopped the illegal use of force against
Azerbaijan and resumed good neighbourly relations. Report from
UN General Assembly
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