| PHILIPPINE STATEMENT OF 58TH Session of the United Nations General Assembly 26 September 2003 THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS WERE A MOST DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING PERIOD FOR THE UNITED NATIONS SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT 58 YEARS AGO. A COMMUNITY OF CYNICISM HAS FORMED ON THE ABILITY OF THE UNITED NATIONS TO RISE FROM THE MORASS OF DISUNITY AND DISRUPTIVE COMPETITION AMONG MAJOR POWERS TO FULFILL ITS CATALYTIC ROLE FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY, AND DEVELOPMENT. BUT WHILE IT IS UNDENIABLE THAT THE UNITED NATIONS HAS STRUGGLED OVER THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS, ITS PREDICTED DECLINE IS GREATLY EXAGGERATED. ECONOMIC LINKAGES AMONG NATIONS HAVE WIDENED AND DEEPENED IN MANY SECTORS. THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF THE GLOBAL VILLAGE CONTINUES TO INFRINGE TRADITIONAL POLITICAL BOUNDARIES. FOR INSTANCE, THE TENTACLES OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM ARE INSIDIOUSLY SPREAD ALL OVER. CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS HAVE DISPLAYED THAT WITHOUT THE CENTRIPETAL PULL PROVIDED BY INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIP THROUGH THE UN, THE WORLD WOULD TEND TO DRIFT APART. THE RICH WOULD BECOME RICHER, THE POOR POORER. CONFLICT AND DISHARMONY WOULD ERUPT ALONG POLITICAL, ETHNIC AND EVEN RELIGIOUS FISSURES. WE FACE THE PARADOX OF A CONTRACTING WORLD THROUGH ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY THAT IS AT THE SAME TIME DRIFTING APART IN THE SEAMS OF INEQUALITY. MR. PRESIDENT, THREE YEARS AGO 146 HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT, AND 189 MEMBER STATES IN TOTAL, BLAZED THE TRAIL TO THE FUTURE BY CRAFTING THE MILLENNIUM DECLARATION IN THE THREE YEARS SINCE THE MILLENNIUM SUMMIT, MUCH HAS BEEN DONE BUT MUCH REMAINS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS IT SET. MR. PRESIDENT, I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE VISION OF THE MILLENNIUM SUMMIT AND PURSUIT OF THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN MY COUNTRY HAVE BEGUN TO BEAR FRUIT, AS THEY HAVE BEEN APPLIED IN OUR PEACE PROCESS FOR THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES, IN MINDANAO. BOTH THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT AND THE MILF, THE
MUSLIM SEPARATIST GROUP IN THE THE GOVERNMENT
OF TO COMPLEMENT THESE EFFORTS, THE MR. PRESIDENT,
I WISH TO TAKE THIS WE WISH TO CONTRIBUTE OUR LONG EXPERIENCE IN THE UN SYSTEM, AS AN ORIGINAL FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZATION. WE HAVE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN THE COUNCIL'S INITIATIVES TOWARDS THE PRESERVATION OF GLOBAL PEACE AND SECURITY THROUGHOUT THE PAST SIX DECADES, BOTH AS A PAST NON-PERMANENT MEMBER AND AS A CONTRIBUTOR TO UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS AND OTHER COUNCIL ACTIVITIES. THE OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR OUR COUNCIL PARTICIPATION INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: • THE PRINCIPLE OF COLLECTIVE SECURITY ESTABLISHED UNDER THE UN CHARTER SHOULD BE OBSERVED. • THE SECURITY COUNCIL SHOULD MAINTAIN AND PURSUE A MULTILATERAL APPROACH TOWARDS THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS PRIMARY ROLE OF MAINTAINING INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY. • OBSERVANCE OF THE RULE OF LAW IS OF
I BELIEVE THERE
IS A STRONG ROLE FOR THE UN TO PLAY IN IT IS HEARTENING THAT WE ADOPTED AT THE LAST SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AN IMPORTANT RESOLUTION ON CONFLICT PREVENTION. AS LONG AS CONFLICTS OCCUR, THERE IS A NEED TO STRENGTHEN OUR CAPACITIES FOR PEACEKEEPING, PEACE MAKING, AND PEACEBUILDING. INTERNATIONAL SECURITY-WHICH IN RECENT EXPERIENCE IS MOSTLY THREATENED BY IMPLODING AND FAILED STATES-MUST BE ANIMATED BY THE NEED TO PROTECT INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES FROM VIOLENCE. ITHAS ALSO BEEN AMPLY DEMONSTRATED THAT DEMOCRACY IS THE MOST CONDUCIVE CONDITION FOR THE RULE OF LAW TO FLOURISH. ERECTING MACHINERIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE RULE OF LAW SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS A KEY PART OF ANY "EXIT STRATEGY" OF UN PEACE OPERATIONS. IT IS OUR VIEW THAT THE SECURITY COUNCIL SHOULD PROVIDE THE LEADERSHIP IN MOVING THE UNITED NATIONS TO A STRONGER COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW IN AREAS WHERE THE UN IS CONDUCTING PEACE OPERATIONS. MEANWHILE, THE CHALLENGES POSED BY THE GLOBAL THREAT OF TERRORISM ARE BEING EFFECTIVELY ADDRESSED THROUGH GROWING INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION AND COOPERATION, PARTICULARLY IN THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION, BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED. WE ARE ACTIVELY ASSISTING THE WORK
OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL'S COUNTER-TERRORISM COMMITTEE IN FIGHTING
THE SPECTER OF GLOBAL TERRORISM, AND IS IN
THE PROCESS OF RATIFYING THE IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS ON
TERRORISM. AT THE SAME TIME, I AM WORKING WITH OTHER HEADS OF STATE
TO ENSURE CONTINUED COOPERATION IN OUR MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT IS REQUIRED OF US TODAY IS TO LINK UP ONCE MORE WITH
THE VISION THAT OUR LEADERS CHARTED AT THE MILLENNIUM THE UNITED NATIONS WAS INVENTED 58 YEARS AGO TO SERVE AS THE MULTILATERAL FORUM OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO JOINT HANDS IN CONFRONTING CHALLENGES. IT IS SOBERING TO REMEMBER THAT NO COUNTRY-BIG OR SMALL, RICH OR POOR-CAN FEEL SAFE OR THINK THAT IT CAN REMAIN UNAFFECTED BY VIOLENT CONFLICTS, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION AND HUMAN SUFFERING. THE UN, TO FULFILL ITS ENVISIONED ROLE, MUST CONTINUE TO ADAPT TO CHANGING CONDITIONS. THE UNITED NATIONS IS A SUI GENERIS GLOBAL INSTITUTION THAT CAN PLAY A CATALYTIC ROLE TO CONFRONT THESE CHALLENGES NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. THEREFORE, IT BEHOOVES EVERY MEMBER OF THIS ORGANIZATION TO MAKE THE UNITED NATIONS RELEVANT AND INVIGORATE IT TO BECOME A MODERN NIMBLE AND DETERMINED AGENT FOR CHANGE, WHICH BENEFITS MANKIND'S CONDITION. MR. PRESIDENT, WE SHOULD INSTILL THE CONCEPT OF STRENGTH AND GREATNESS NOT IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY TO ACHIEVE OR MAINTAIN DOMINANCE OVER OTHERS, BUT IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY OF NATIONS TO WORK WITH OTHERS IN THE INTEREST OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. WE ARE FOR THE STRENGTH OF CONSENSUS, IN WHICH LIES THE FUTURE OF WORLD PEACE, SECURITY AND PROSPERITY. THANK YOU. |