Deputy Prime Minister

and Minister of Foreign Affairs

1. Mr. President the delegation of St. Kitts and Nevis congratulates you on your election to the Presidency the Fifty-fifth General Assembly. We pledge our full support to assist in the work ahead. Also, allow me to pay tribute to the work of your distinguished predecessor who took us through a challenging Fifty-fourth Session.

2. As the new Foreign Minister, I am honored to address you at this historic moment of increasing expectations at the national level. Indeed, we salute the dawn of this Millennium with equal consternation in the face of the unprecedented challenges that confront us.

3. The United Nations has matured in the last five decades, but we must recognize, however, that this is an institution where maturity cannot be measured in days or decades; the maturity of which I speak should be measured by the quality of our commitment and the depth of our vision.

4. The phenomenon of globalization has been characterized by growth in levels of trade, increased flows of capital, and advanced technology. Although we do not question this reality, we are cognizant of the inherent challenges and inequalities of globalization due to our varied levels of development Small- island developing states like St. Kitts and Nevis are yet to access a significant share of the vaunted benefits that globalization has brought in its wake. We continue to bear a disproportionate share of its cost while experiencing continuous marginalisation due to our small size and the volatility of financial flows.

5. We urge the United Nations to influence developed countries to improve market conditions for exports from smallisland developing states, which are especially vulnerable. We are inclined, Mr. President, to ask the pertinent questionWhy is globalization, with all its inherent benefits, not improving the lot of the poor among us.

6. It is evident that globalization is creating new scenarios on our landscape; as these new situations emerge, we must develop new strategies to remain relevant. What is critical, therefore, Mr. President, is the need for increased cooperation among member states in our efforts to secure our various interests.

7. St. Kitts and Nevis would like to stress the imperative of giving the United Nations the political impetus necessary to address the inequalities characterizing interstate relations. This organization with its tradition of democracy should resolve the anomalies created by globalization. We welcome the recommendations of the Secretary General to make this multi-faceted phenomenon work to the advantage of small island developing states. We intend to persevere in our efforts to adopt the requisite macroeconomic policies. However, effective governance and cooperation at the global level must complement our democratic and political will at the national level.

8. We should commit to strengthen the United Nations as the multilateral institution, which provides the forum for inclusion. We shall also persist in our efforts to ensure the development of mechanisms and modalities to enable equitable results. In particular, we urge the need to use a vulnerability index to be factored into any assessment of smallisland states by the United Nations and international development and financial institutions.

9. Mr. President, as for globalization and governance, St. Kitts and Nevis is concerned by the recent action taken by the Financial Action Task Force of the OECD countries, which has sought to put pressure on already weakened economies of several Caribbean states, including St. Kitts and Nevis. Mr. President, in recent times many of us, in our efforts to diversify our economies, have undertaken to build a strong Financial Service Sector. But sadly, as I speak, my people find themselves, among the collective populations of four other Caribbean neighbors, assaulted through negative advisories.

10. We urge the United Nations through the Secretary General to impress upon OECD countries that unilateral attempts to effect multilateral solutions for their own self- interests undermine the democratic fiber of international relations. We urge, therefore, that any discussion on the development strategies of counties large or small must be raised to the level of inclusive discussions or multilateral forum.

11. We would like to emphasize that there is no harm in a competitive, wellregulated and supervised Financial Service Sector. However, the unilateral challenge to the sovereign rights of states to implement legal tax regimes is an unwarranted attack on the integrity of those states. We believe that the development of the Financial Services Sector holds valuable opportunities for small developing counties. We understand also, the need for due diligence and for executing appropriate checks and balances to frustrate and deter money laundering.

12. The coupling of the Financial Services Sector and money laundering without distinguishing between the two does grave injustice to a legitimate economic enterprise. St. Kitts and Nevis is committed to ensuring that no individual or entity abuses our Financial Services Sector for illicit purposes. To this end, we have enacted legislation and have established a Financial Intelligence Unit. We will be vigilant and continue to take the necessary steps to keep this sector free of abuse. You see, Mr. President, we are aware of the difference and we are committed to ensuring that our jurisdiction complies with international standards.

13. The convening earlier this year of the World Summit for Social Development allowed us to focus attention on the human face of poverty, which is overlooked by globalization. While we as developing countries continue to adopt a proactive approach in our social development agenda, the United Nations through its specialized agencies should continue to support national poverty reduction programs to promote favor- able economic and financial opportunities for our young people.

14. St. Kitts and Nevis, therefore, regards as critical the meeting on Financing for Development scheduled for 2001. We hope that it will provide the appropriate opportunity tic) adopt measures to strengthen the international financial system, which can ensure long-term access to resources and technical assistance.

15. St. Kitts and Nevis welcomes the initiative of the Secretary General for the establishment of a Disaster Relief Fund which would complement the resilience of our people to contribute to effective and timely reconstruction efforts. However, the impact from man made disasters are even mom devastating. The frequent passage through our waters of shipments of toxic and hazardous waste poses a serious threat to our fragile eco- systems. We urge the United Nations to assume a greater role in mobilizing support within the international community to implement this policy. We have to take action to avert the threat of pollution from ship- generated waste as well as accidental release of hazardous and noxious substances.

16. We regard the progress made in promoting women in development as vital to the global agenda of human rights. Hence, St. Kitts and Nevis welcome the convening this year of the Women 2000 Conference, which allowed member states to review and assess the progress, made since the Beijing Declaration and Plan of Action.

17. My Government is currently implementing a new gender management system and has introduced measures to ensure that the national budget and development programs are more gender sensitive. We commit to strengthen and promote the mainstreaming of a gender perspective at all levels.

18. Mr. President, there has been much debate about the critical role of information technology in bridging the global digital divide. We welcome the proposal of the Secretary General through the United Nations Information Technology Service which could go a long way towards our efforts to sustain our future through capacity building.

19. In the Group of 77 Summit convened earlier this year, the developing countries committed to strengthening South-South cooperation through the transfer of knowledge and technology. St. Kitts and Nevis intends to forge ahead on the information super highway. My Government has embarked on a program to make each child in St. Kitts and Nevis computer literate by the year 2005. We encourage developed countries to use the availability of appropriate technologies, not only to generate wealth for themselves but also to advance the economic and social well Wing of the citizens of the world. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, "through our scientific genius we have made the world a neighborhood, now through our moral and spiritual development, we must make it a brotherhood."

20. Mr. President, the plethora of issues on the agenda of the United Nations is complex and involved. Indeed, these challenges sometimes even exceed the capacity of individual states. Therefore, we need to harness the collaborative energies of states and non-state actors to cope with the fundamental changes in the world. This organization should be guided by the foresight of President Truman who, in reference to the Charter, stated, "The Charter Will be expanded and improved as time goes on. Changing world conditions will require readjustments."

21. Change, Mr. President, is the only constant. St. Kitts and Nevis encourages member states to recognize the importance of change as we embrace the true concept of democracy within the Security Council. The undemocratic structure and lack of fairness within the Security Council threaten to undermine member states commitment and trust in the organization.

22. Even as we forge ahead into a new millennium, we still observe some of the most gruesome forms of man's inhumanity. War and other interstate conflict still litter the landscape of many societies throughout the world. We must continue to support peacekeeping operations to ensure that the rhetoric of Violence is silenced. The concept of peacekeeping must also be complemented by the imperatives of development. Once we have established peace, we must also lay the foundation to support lasting peace.

23. Mr. President we welcome and congratulate the state of Tuvalu, admitted at the opening of this 55th Regular Session. As a representative of a vulnerable small island Caribbean developing state, St. Kitts and Nevis is pleased to welcome another vulnerable small state from the Pacific; convinced that it is seized of its obligations to uphold the principles of the Charter.

24. In addition, St. Kitts and Nevis reiterates its call for discussion of the Chinese people on Taiwan. We, again, emphasize that our policy seeks to promote respect for the sovereignty of states. However, as we reflect on the mission of this institution, we deem it appropriate to consider the invaluable contribution of the 23 million Chinese people on Taiwan which can add great substance to international discourse.

25. This Millennium Assembly affords us the opportunity to reflect on the report Of the Secretary General which focuses on the world's people and the role of the United Nations in ensuring their well being.

26. We welcome the importance attributed to peace and security on the agenda of the United Nations and welcome the year 2000 being proclaimed the International Year for Culture and Peace. We further applaud the decision to declare the decade beginning 2001 as the International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non- violence for the Children. Mr. President our children are our future; the new millennium belongs to them. It behooves us to dissipate the ominous clouds on the horizon of their dreams so they can awaken to a word free of fear.

27. Mr. President the experts contend that there is an obvious correlation between the persistence of poverty and poor health. The statistical report on HIV/AIDS paints a sinister picture. St. Kitts and Nevis is disturbed by the rapid increase in the number of persons infected with the HIV/AIDS virus and the economic and social consequences for growth in developing countries.

28. This disease does not recognize national boundaries and it threatens to undermine future economic and social development in many of our nations. We look forward to a United Nations Special Session on HIV/AIDS to intensify and better coordinate approaches at the international level.

29. Mr. President, despite all its shortcomings, the United Nations has a critical role to play in the international system. Without the United Nations, many small states like St. Kitts and Nevis would lose a champion of collective interests. That is unacceptable. One of the most valuable gifts to humanity in the last millennium has been the United Nations. We must commit to preserve it.

I thank you.