STATEMENT
By
In the name of
God, The Merciful, The Compassionate
Mr. President,
It is my great pleasure to
congratulate you on your election as President of the Fifty-fifth
Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. In wishing you every
success in your task, may I to assure you of my delegation's co‑operation
in achieving the objectives that we all desire.
It is also my pleasure to
thank your predecessor, H.E. Mr. Theo Ben Gurirab, President of the Fifty-fourth
session, for the efforts he exerted in conducting the proceedings of that
session, as well as the proceedings of the special sessions that were held
during the same period.
I would like to avail myself
of this opportunity to express deep appreciation for the valuable and unceasing
efforts of H.E. Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations,
to enable the Organisation to deliver its message and to enhance its role in
the maintenance of peace and security throughout the world.
May I also extend my
delegation's congratulations to the government and people of Tuvalu on the
occasion of its admission to the membership of the United Nations, a
further demonstration of the universality of the Organisation.
Mr. President,
This Fifty-fifth
session is distinguished by its embracing the work of the Millennium Summit,
attended by a number of leaders of member states who, by their presence and by
way of their discussions and meetings, have given emphasis to the importance
attached to, and the role and responsibilities of, the United Nations in the
new century and vis-a-vis the changes d challenges requiring joint
international cooperation on a basis of the lofty and noble principles and objectives
enshrined in the Organisation's Charter.
What we are witnessing
today, more than a half century after the establishment of the Organisation,
with the political, economic, social and cultural changes it is experiencing,
including in particular the continuing and accelerating revolution in the
fields of communications, modern technology and economic globalisation, makes
it incumbent upon the United Nations to deal effectively with such changes and
to take advantage of the positive aspects.
It is also my pleasure, in
this respect, to commend the Secretary-General's report submitted to the
Millennium Summit entitled, "We the Peoples : The Role of the United
Nations in the Twenty First Century", which has shed light on global
issues in the years to come, including both their positive aspects, and the
misgivings and apprehensions they give rise to.
The State of Bahrain
welcomes the United Nations Millennium Declaration, and the re-affirmation
of member states' faith in the Charter's principles and strengthening the role
of the organisation. We are confident that if we could implement these
principles the organisation will be able to fulfil its political, economic,
social, and human responsibilities, foremost among which are the preservation
of international peace and security, the combating of disease, poverty,
ignorance, drugs, violence, terrorism and crime, and the preservation of the
environment and natural resources.
Mr. President,
While the cold war era
threatened the world with the dangers and risks of war, the ultimate challenge
that the world has to face up to in the future lies in border disputes, racial
and ethnic conflicts, the globalisation of the international economy and
development issues, well as other political, social and environmental
challenges and other issues related to weapons of mass destruction and
terrorism.
The State of Bahrain, whose
full integration and close association with the international community has
been emphasised in the address of His Highness the Amir, Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa
Al-Khalifa, to the Millennium Summit, is determined to continue to
shoulder its national, regional and international responsibilities with a view
to meeting the requirements of the new century. Given its ancient civilisation,
and being fully committed to the obligations entailed by its membership of the
United Nations and the international community, it will deal positively, within
the framework of regional and international cooperation, with the
changes dictated by the new era in such a manner as to ensure justice,
security, peace and prosperity for all.
Since attaining its political independence and exercising its full sovereignty over all its islands, territory and territorial waters in 1971, under the late Amir, His Highness Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa, may God bestow His mercy on him, the State of Bahrain has unceasingly sought to build a modern state and a developed civil society by developing preparing and qualifying the Bahraini individual in order to be able to deal with the requirements of the modern age and to undertake a positive role in the changes taking place both now and in the future.
Today, during its new era, the State of Bahrain
continues to exert strenuous efforts in its modernisation and progress, through
domestic openness and by taking progressive and measured steps in various
fields, including guarantees of freedoms and the :rule oaf law and women's
participation in all aspects of national life, notably through membership of
the (Shura) Consultative Council.
In the field of human rights, Bahrain has continued
to take considerable steps by signing a number of international conventions in
recognition of importance thereof, while making absolutely clear the resulting
legal rights and obligations and firmly opposing the use of human rights as a
pretext for interfering in internal affairs, or for undermining the religious beliefs, human
values and the cultural and social characteristics of other states.
Despite its
continuous and unceasing efforts in the field of human development and the
admirable standing it has achieved in this respect, the State of Bahrain, like
other developing island states, faces a number of challenges stemming from its
limited size, high population density and limited natural resources. As a
result, it has undertaken ambitious development projects with a view to
diversifying the sources of its national income, such as, inter alia, adopting an open economic policy that has made it an advanced regional
and global commercial and financial centre.
Mr. President,
In the area of foreign
relations and the fulfilment of national and international obligations, the
State of Bahrain's contributions to the maintenance of international peace and
security are evidenced by the close relations it
maintains with brotherly and friendly states, on the basis of cooperation,
mutual interest and respect and non-interference in the internal affairs
of other states.
Driven by its firm belief in
the importance of regional and international security, the maintenance of which
is a joint responsibility, and in light of the serious and dangerous events
witnessed by the Gulf region over the last twenty years, whose effects and
ramifications continue to pose a threat to the security and stability therein,
the State of Bahrain will continue to call for the adherence by all to the
principles that contribute to the maintenance of security and peace and the
prevalence of stability, progress and prosperity. Among the most important of
those principles are:
· Respect for the status quo
and sanctity of existing borders;
·
Establishment
of relations among states on the basis of the principles of good
neighbourliness, mutual respect and non-interference in the internal
affairs of other states;
·
Recognition
of the national sovereignty of each state;
·
Settlement
of disputes by peaceful. means and in accordance with the
principles of international law accepted by the parties to the dispute.
On the basis of the above,
and given its commitment to the maintenance of international peace and
security, especially in the strategically important Gulf region, in which many
states have vital interests, the State of Bahrain reaffirms its principled and
consistent positions toward current regional and international issues.
Accordingly, it renews its invitation to Iraq to cooperate with the
United Nations, to fully implement relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly those relating to weapons of mass
destruction, and to release prisoners d detainees of
Kuwaiti and other nationalities, as a mean leading
to the lifting of sanctions and an end to the suffering of the brotherly Iraqi
people. Meanwhile, it declares anew its calls for the preservation of Iraq's
independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and its objection to any
interference in Iraq's internal affairs.
With its deep interest and
concern for a continued spirit of cooperation and good neighbourly
relations among the Gulf states, the State of Bahrain hopes that positive
developments in relations between the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) and the Islamic Republic of Iran will lead to a peaceful resolution to
the dispute over the three islands, Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb,
which all belong to the United Arab Emirates.
It also reaffirms its
support for all efforts to achieve such an outcome, and hopes that the work of
the tripartite committee, established by the Gulf Cooperation Council to
find a solution that will ensure the preservation of the region's security and
stability in an atmosphere of amicable and natural relations among all of its
states and peoples, will be a success.
Mr. President,
The Middle East peace
process has witnessed, and continues to witness, developments both politically
and on the ground, as evidenced by the contacts and negotiations between the
Palestinian Authority and Israel including, most importantly, the Camp David
Summit, held recently under the auspices of the United States of America, and
the talks that took place therein with a view to reaching a final agreement
between the two parties.
Further, the contacts that
have taken place in Washington in search of a possible resumption of
negotiations on the Syrian-Israeli track are among the most significant
developments in the peace process this year, despite the failure of such
efforts due to Israel's refusal to withdraw completely from the Syrian Arab
Golan to the borders of June 4th , 1967
Insofar as the situation on
the ground is concerned, the withdrawal from South Lebanon, which Israel was
forced to carry out as a result of the steadfast opposition and heroic
resistance put up by the brotherly Lebanese people against the occupation,
constitutes a significant turning point in the peace process and demonstrates
that occupation can in no way ensure security.
The developments through
which the peace process has gone on all tracks and in all stages have shown,
that the success of the process and the achievement of the desired just,
comprehensive and durable peace are contingent upon the implementation of
Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and all relevant resolutions of international
legality which call for the withdrawal of Israel from all occupied Arab territories since 1967 and acknowledge the
legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to establish their own
independent State, with Jerusalem as its capital.
In accepting peace, with all the steps it entails,
as a strategic option, the Arab side had hoped that Israel would implement all
these resolutions and fulfil the terms of all agreements and commitments, as
well as the principles of the Madrid conference of 1991, notably the principle
of land for peace.
We believe that a fully comprehensive solution is a
fundamental prerequisite for the achievement of a just, durable and
comprehensive peace in a region whose peoples have been beset by conflicts and
instability that have drained their resources and abilities in a heated and
futile arms race that has deprived all parties of security. Ire order to save
the peace process from total collapse and :fail. e, we call upon the co-sponsors of the peace process
d the international community to redouble their efforts d pressure Israel into meeting the requirements of
peace by way of full implementation of all resolutions of international
legality.
Mr. President,
Despite the easing of global
tendon with respect to certain regional and international issues, there remain
issues in a number of different regions that give rise to concern for the
international community and threaten security and stability both within those
regions and beyond.
It is unfortunate that
internal strife persists in Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo,
and in other areas. We therefore call again for the intensification of efforts
to find solutions for such conflicts and to encourage the parties to direct their efforts and potentials toward the
settlement of their disputes and the development of their countries and
societies. We are pleased, in this connection, to welcome the positive
developments that have recently taken place in Somalia and that have led to the
election of a
president in that country.
We appreciate all the efforts that have been exerted toward that outcome which,
we hope, will bring about security and stability, for Somalia and its brotherly
people
.
Furthermore, it is our
pleasure to express our satisfaction with
the agreement reached in Algeria this year between the two neighbours, Ethiopia
and Eritrea, and our appreciation for the
efforts exerted in this direction by the Organisation of African Unity and the
constructive role played by H.E.
President Abdulaziz Bouteflika of the brotherly the Peoples Democratic Republic
of Algeria.
Mr. President,e
It is perhaps true to say that the globalisation of the economy, and the stunning development in the
field of information, communications and scientific innovation that have torn
down the barriers to the flow of international trade,facilitated the transfer of
capital across borders, made interaction among various cultures inevitable and
made every state in the world a neighbour to all other states, have both pros
and cons, and therefore constitute a great challenge for the future.
The misgivings with regard
to globalisation have been amply discussed and identified. Foremost among these
is the fear that it will weaken states' national authority and their ability to
act freely in determining the levels of their own economic development, which
would have a serious effect on the standard of living of the peoples of those
states. The situation therefore requires that a reform of the international
economic order be initiated so as to make it better able to deal with and
absorb the financial, economic and social ramifications and consequent
difficulties of globalisation whose first victims are likely to be developing
and poor societies.
The process of economic
globalisation and development has given rise to many challenges to the world economy
and to the international community. The positive aspects of globalisation, as
perceived by some, such as the smooth transfer of production, goods and
services across borders and the immense advancement in information technology should be coupled with a balance
between global and national economic
policies.
Despite the benefits of globalisation in the fields of information technology, electronic commerce,
education, health, social development,
access to markets and consumer benefits
through the ability to compete, there is the fear that globalisation's adverse
aspects might affect numerous segments in developing societies that might not
have the ability to benefit from the
opportunities provided by globalisation, given their inability to compete, thereby
increasing
poverty and the marginalisation of vast sectors of the population.
It is in the interest of the
international community that the progress that accompanies globalisation be
utilised to achieve economic growth and integration, to assist in the
eradication of poverty and to attain social equality and development by"
way of directing the process of globalisation in a humane manner in order to
mitigate its adverse effects. We must deal with this phenomenon in a manner
that is conducive to the establishment of a world where a balance of interests
is struck and where equality, mutual interest and honourable living are
available to all, without exception. It is our pleasure to express, in this
context, our support for the decisions and recommendations of the South Summit
held in Havana and the Summit of the Group of Fifteen held in Cairo in June
2000, and the contents of the final document of the Twenty Fourth Special
Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations to follow up the
implementation of the Copenhagen Conference on Social Development held in Geneva last
June in respect of the human dimension of development.
Mr. President,
Among the challenges that mankind and our international system must address during the new century is the
conservation of the environment and the mitigation of the adverse effects of economic, industrial and
technological developments in the world. Such a task undoubtedly requires that a global effort be exerted within the
framework of the continuing
implementation of the world programme for the protection of the environment set
out in. Agenda 21 adopted by the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development, through linking the
interests of the developed he countries
with those eveloping countries while using all of means and machinery to fight pollution for the sake of
liberating our children and grandchildren from the dangers of a planet spoiled by human activities.
Another challenge is a
military one. It is the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and
nuclear capabilities,
and the means of transfer thereof, that have increased in numerous regions of
the world in the last few years. Given the threat to the world's future,
security and safety that such weapons pose, it is a welcome sign for mankind as
a whole that the member states of the United Nations have welcomed the Review
Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons held in New York in April-May 2000, and that nuclear
powers have agreed on the elimination of nuclear weapons.
Aware of the dangers of the
proliferation of nuclear weapons, especially in light of the wars and conflicts
that our region has witnessed over the last decades, we in the Middle East,
including the Gulf region, have supported all initiatives that aim at freeing
the region from all weapons of mass destruction, and in particular nuclear
weapons.
The gravity of the
phenomenon of terrorism, which has intensified in recent years, and which
constitutes a challenge to the international community and poses a threat to the security and
stability of states and peoples, is a cause of concern for us all. In
reaffirming our condemnation of terrorism irrespective of its form, cause or
origin, we call for further measures to combat it and o punish its
perpetrators, to deny them shelter and to practice their terrorist activities.
Mr. President,
In view of the aforementioned challenges, it is incumbent‑ upon us to reaffirm and reactivate the role of theUnited
Nations so that it may be able to face up to and contribute to the elimination of such challenges, within the framework
of the collective partnership provided for in the Charter, one of the most important objectives of which is the ass use of dialogue and co‑operation in place
of war and confrontation. We are
convinced, though, that the momentum
generated by the Millennium Summit and the emphasis in its declaration on
supporting the role of the United Nations in effecting the orchestration of
harmony in international relations and
in maintaining world peace and security, can only be realised through
implementing the essential reforms of the United Nations organs and bodies,
especially the Security Council, by way of adherence to the principle of
equitable geographic representation and 'transparency, these being among the
most important elements that enhance its role in the maintenance of
international peace and security.
Mr. President,
The
advent of the third millennium with all the hopes that it brings, requires that
we should think and contemplate together what action we should take to correct
the concepts and adjust the machinery through which we hope to achieve peace,
security, prosperity and well-being for all in a framework of close
international solidarity on the basis of the oneness of the human race and its
mutual interests. The unique characteristics of the cultures, civilisations,
religious beliefs and social traditions of the various societies and peoples should
be used as factors for coming together, rapprochement and interaction among all
states and peoples in a world of tranquility, justice, security and peace.
The millennium to
which we look forward is one in which we
hope relations among the peoples will be enhanced of and dialogue and co‑operation will replace wars and conflicts, which bring nothing but devastation and destruction.
Thank you.