EGYPT
Speech of
H.E. Mr. Amre Moussa,
Minister for Foreign
Affairs
President of the Arab
Republic of Egypt
to the Millenium Summit
Mr.
President,
It is my honour to
convey to you the compliments of President Hosni Mubarak and his
apology for not participating
in this unique session, given its significance and purport. Simultaneously, I
wish to express his feelings and thoughts, as President of Egypt, at an instant
where the world is bridging an historic gap between an old era that has
extended over twenty centuries and a new era starting with the twenty first
century. This is done with a comprehensive global outlook and a vast scientific
breakthrough that has neither been contemplated nor speculated by anyone
before. Sound bases are being set for a joint co-existence, built upon
respect of individual and collective rights and representing hope in a future
full of expectations and capable of realizing dreams that have long been sought
by humanity in its literary works, voyages, fantasies and imaginations.
Yes,
the world has reached the threshold of turning dreams into reality and
imagination into a living existence in many walks of life. The world is heading
with confidence towards making the acquaintance of the universe. Yes, horizons
of the future are vast and unconfined. However, challenges are also great and
hazardous. It is incumbent upon us at this historical juncture to lay down
together joint intellectual bases for tackling the inputs of this new era with
its horizons and aspirations .. its hazards and challenges, which are
represented in the wide gaps in the levels of development, and above all in the
absence of any features of modern life in a large number of member states and
individuals.
If Egypt has to
concentrate in the few moments granted to her on points that she deems vital to
the universal dialogue for setting the framework of the future of international
action within the coming decades, I would like to point out to the following:
First:
All aspirations and expectations discussed, as
well as what has been and what is being achieved, should not conceal the fact
that a great portion of the world is still suffering from poverty, ignorance
and ailments. The world is still facing hazards of wars, scars of terrorism and
challenges of other impediments, such as drugs, a lacerated environment, ethnic
discrimination, religious intolerance and intellectual extremism. There are
also new contemporary ailments, the most notable of which is the escalating and
overwhelming desire for hegemony, domination, superciliousness and alienation
from democracy in international life, which creates in turn tensions on a large
scale at the global level.
Second:
The progress of intellect, expansion of the
available information base and opening up of free communicative channels do not
and should not mean the spreading of a culture that challenges or wrestles
other civilizations. A specific culture should not be intolerant towards other
cultures, given their deep-rooted heritage and well-established
traditions, as well as their open-mindedness to react and interact with
contemporary cultures. Or are we facing a choice between either a dominance
imposed on everyone or else a struggle to obliterate such civilizations. There
is room for co-existence and harmony between civilizations. It is
incumbent upon us to ascertain such co-existence in order to concert our
efforts in edifying a new life.
Third:
In order to establish a new and stable
international order, Egypt deems it necessary to build this order on a joint
dialogue and a shared sense of responsibility. Hence, Egypt calls for a general
extensive discussion, within the framework of the United Nations General
Assembly, representing the global parliament, of a new international contract
to be discussed by representatives of legislative bodies and assemblies, as
well as by civil societies. Here, the new international order does not mean
adopting decisions only on matters pertaining to international peace and
security, or matters related to finance, economy and trade, but also on matters
related to women, children, population, social development, health, combat of
diseases, and the above-mentioned impediments. Emphasis should be made on
the importance of narrowing the digital divide and ensuring that everybody
benefits equally from the telecommunication revolution and information
technology. It is in this light, that Egypt will submit to the Millennium
Assembly ideas and suggestions which will reflect its view on how to narrow the
digital divide - from a developmental slant - in order to ensure a
necessary balance in this regard.
Fourth:
Egypt
calls for the enhancement of the role and efficacy of the United Nations in
maintaining international peace and security, as well as confronting new
challenges that have emanated in the past decade. A stable and efficacious
system should be established for collective security and issues related to
disarmament, primarily weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons.
A more effective role should be assumed in making and maintaining peace.
Furthermore, it is important to conclude the ongoing dialogue on the
restructuring of the Security Council, and achieve a fair and equal package
that allows a larger number of permanent and non permanent seats, which would
take into account the overwhelming majority of developing countries, and ensure
the reform its methods of work, in order to achieve further transparency and
democracy in the Council's actions and decisions. The scope of application of
the veto must also be reconsidered. The role of the General Assembly in
tackling issues of maintenance of international peace and stability should also
be emphasized.
Mr. President,
Last but not least, I
would like to congratulate the Secretary-General for his valuable report to
the Millenium Summit. I would like to call for the need to discuss the
suggestions contained in the report in universities, intellectual fora , and
academic centers, notwithstanding the need for the General Assembly to
undertake a thorough discussion of it which would enable us to come up from
this very Hall with a plan enabling us to confront global problems and
challenges. I would like to put on record the importance we attach to the
recommendations contained in the Brahimi report on United Nations peace
operations, and our readiness to discuss them thoroughly in the General
Assembly.
Egypt has also followed closely the work of the
millennium forum of the non governmental organizations, and welcomes its final
report which has set an ambitious plan of action highlighting the need to
respect the national sovereignty of states, the right of people $o self
determination, and calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons, the ending
of economic sanctions, and facing the negative impacts of globalization. It
has become evident that the contributions of civil society in these realms
enable it to become an active partner of the United Nations in the
implementation its policies and the achievement of its goals.
Mr. President,
We are participating in
this high-level gathering, while shouldering the concerns of our Region.
I avail myself of this opportunity to express our desire to achieve peace and
development in Africa, a fair and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, the
establishment of the State of Palestine, in order to crown the peace process,
which has been launched by Egypt twenty years ago. It is high time to reach the
end of our march and embark on horizons of a better future for the region and
the entire world at the outset of the new century and new millenium.
Thank you...