Mr. President,
On behalf of His Majesty's Government, I would like to offer my warmest congratulations on your election and our appreciation to your predecessor, His Excellency Harri Holkeri of Finland.

I would also like to congratulate our Secretary-General on his re-election.

We are extremely pleased that he is continuing to serve the United Nations.

The award of this year's Nobel peace prize is a fine tribute to his work and to the United Nations' agencies and workers in the field who have served us all with such dedication to the principles of our Charter.

Sadly, of course, Mr. President, it comes at a time when the demands on their work is perhaps more crucial than ever before.
The atrocities committed in the United States on September 11th have rightly received the absolute condemnation of all civilized people.

There is no justification for terrorism.

That scourge must be eliminated.

As we have stated both individually and in our regional association, Brunei Darussalam will continue to do all it can to work closely with the United States and all members of the Security Council to play its part in overcoming the direct challenge terrorism poses to the proper conduct of international affairs.
 

Mr. President,

The existence of terrorism is, however, a grim reminder that the United Nations agenda set over the last half of the twentieth century has yet to be completed.

There are many unwelcome legacies from the past fifty years.

Though none justify acts of terror, many do offer justification for deep resentment and profound despair.

Perhaps the most apparent of all at this time is the situation in Palestine, where the justice implicit in the Security Council's resolutions on Palestine is still denied what is now a third generation of Palestinians.

In this respect, we welcome the recognition given by many world leaders, including the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, to the principle of a Palestinian state.

Brunei Darussalam hopes that all concerned and interested parties involved in the Middle East Peace Process will act with urgency in order to bring this about.
 

 Mr. President,

As we all know, dispelling feelings of past injustice is an extremely difficult task.

In essence, we believe it must involve new approaches to security.

We believe all members and all regional associations have a crucial role in this.

Brunei Darussalam is trying to do this through the ASEAN Regional Forum in an approach that has been taking shape over nearly a decade now.

This involves all the nations of South East Asia and our partners in North America, East Asia, Europe and Oceania.

We seek common understandings through consultation and various confidence-building measures.

Members have recognized the complex nature of modern conflict.

They have accepted that its roots are often deep and intricately entwined.

As elsewhere in the world, it can be the result of longstanding territorial claims, centuries-old animosities, and instinctive suspicions or conflicting ideologies.

Or it can be as basic as local land disputes or simple lack of basic resources.

Whatever the cause, however, the members believe the forum is seeing signs of success.

This year, for example, it has been able move things another stage forward and is now looking into the very challenging area of preventive diplomacy.

In short, the members see dialogue and consultation not as a series of meetings but as a process.

As such, it may never end.

In fact, in the long run, the process itself may indeed become the solution.

This, we think, is the framework within which the ideas expressed at the Millennium Summit can be pursued successfully.

In short, we believe that the key to security today is the capacity to think locally, regionally and globally at the same time.

To us, this means that a positive, forward-looking United Nations is crucial.

It is here that all these thoughts can truly come together.

It is here that all nations can renew and strengthen the tolerance and friendship that are the real building blocks of security.

Thank you, Mr. President.