PERMANENT MISSION OF THE PRINCIPALITY OF LIECHTENSTEIN

Mr. President,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Allow me to start my remarks by congratulating you on your election to the presidency of this 55th session of the General Assembly. I wish you much success in guiding this Assembly to fruitful outcomes and I pledge to you the full support of the Liechtenstein delegation. I would also like to congratulate the newest member, Tuvalu, on its admission to the United Nations and to welcome Tuvalu in particular amidst the group of small countries.

I have had the honour to participate in the General Debate before, but this year is very special. It marks the 10^th anniversary of Liechtenstein's membership in the United Nations. I would therefore like to include in my remarks some of the issues to which Liechtenstein attaches particular importance in its UN-engagement. For Liechtenstein, as for many other countries, the United Nations stands for the protection of human rights and human dignity and for the promotion of common values.

Mr. President,

The United Nations has been particularly challenged during the last 12 months in playing its rightful role in the pursuit of peace and security. Although remarkable efforts have been made, some conflict situations still do not allow for effective peace-keeping to take place. When the Secretary-General called last year for a "Culture of Prevention", my delegation fully supported his ideas and we still believe that the prevention of conflicts must be the key concept in the maintenance of peace. We all know that preventing conflicts can save hundreds of thousands of lives. Political energy and enormous financial resources can be used for other purposes. The term "Culture of Prevention" entails a comprehensive approach to different kinds of problems. However, preventive approaches can be perceived as a threat to the sovereignty of a State. The classic notion of the term obviously no longer enables us to cope with the changed realities of the world. The sovereignty of States remains a cornerstone of the United Nations. Creating a "Culture of Prevention" is therefore a process that requires a concerted effort by the UN membership as a whole. Addressing the root causes of so many of today's internal conflicts will constitute a further step in meeting this humanitarian, political and economic necessity. Liechtenstein has for several years promoted ideas and suggestions on a preventive approach with regard to problems arising from the application of the right of self-determination. It is time to free ourselves of biased and obsolete thinking and to recognize that the effective application and exercise of the right of self-determination is the basis to prevent internal conflicts and the violent disintegration of States.

Mr. President,

The adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in 1998 was a historic step. The conclusion of the work on the elements of crimes and the rules of procedure by the Preparatory Commission this summer was a further step forward, and the ratification process is promising. We hope to be able to contribute to the entry into force of the statute soon. It is of crucial importance that the integrity of the Rome Statute be maintained throughout the remaining work to be done by the Preparatory Commission. The qualities of the ICC have often been praised. The ICC's potential for prevention is certainly one of its outstanding characteristics. An effective Criminal Court will make an important contribution to terminate the practice of impunity which has prevailed for so long without being seriously challenged. Liechtenstein has always supported an enhanced cooperation of the United Nations with regional organisations, inter alia the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as well as the Council of Europe, in particular in the areas of human rights, conflict prevention and post conflict rehabilitation.

Mr. President,

The promotion and protection of human rights can also contribute to the prevention of conflicts. This is more than a legitimate concern for all of us, it is our duty. Ever since Liechtenstein became a member of the United Nations 10 years ago, this issue has been a top priority. In recent years, human rights have become more important in foreign policy and in the world economy. There is increased awareness that human rights issues cannot be considered in an isolated manner, since there is a clear connection between human rights and economic prosperity, social welfare and also peace and security.

The full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by women must be the basis for full equality in a stable society and we must continue to take further action in order to achieve the full advancement and empowerment of women. Together with twelve women Foreign Ministers, I signed last night a letter addressed to the Secretary-General in which we note the special needs of women in HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment and call upon the UN membership to take into account the need for an enhanced availability of education, testing, counseling, care and treatment designed to address the specific needs of women and girls.

Mr. President,

Liechtenstein fully supports the fight against transnational organized crime, in particular trafficking in persons and offences against children as well as the fight against money laundering. Financial crime is increasingly a key concern in today's open and global financial world, which is characterized by the high mobility of funds and the rapid development of new payment tools. In our view, international cooperation in the global fight against money laundering can only be enhanced if all international financial services centres work towards full implementation of internationally agreed standards, and my Government therefore fully supports the objectives of the United Nations Global Programme Against Money Laundering (GPML) Forum. The approach, however, must be transparent, inclusive and nondiscriminatory, and the positive action already taken or being taken by individual countries must be properly recognized. Any punitive approach, including the establishment of lists and the imposition of sanctions on individual jurisdictions, as well as the failure to distinguish between the fight against money laundering and tax issues, run counter to the spirit of international cooperation. We therefore regret in particular recent proceedings by some international and regional bodies directed against certain financial centres - including Liechtenstein. The lack of transparency and the manner in which this was done are not in conformity with the established principles and procedures of international cooperation.

Mr. President,

These principles and procedures must guide the cooperation between States and the resolution of difficulties they may have. International cooperation must therefore be handled in the same way when large States are dealing with small States and when small States are dealing with large States. No organization should be allowed to depart from established practice in international relations. Cooperation cannot mean capitulation of small States; cooperation must mean consideration of the rights and interests of all.

Thank you, Mr. President