Mideast situation – GA general debate – Verbatim record (excerpts)

Official Records

General Assembly

Fifty-seventh session

22nd plenary meeting

Monday, 4 October 2002, 10 a.m.

New York

   The meeting was called to order at 10.15 a.m.

Agenda item 44 and agenda item 10 (continued)

Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit

    Report of the Secretary-General (A/57/270 and A/57/270/Corr.1)

Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization (A/57/1)

/…

 Mr. Wang Yingfan (China): The Chinese delegation wishes to thank the Secretary-General for his reports on the work of the Organization and on the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. The two reports cover the progress made in all major areas of work and deserve serious consideration by Member States. Here, I would like to make the following comments in the light of these reports.

  First, even as mankind has entered into the twenty-first century, we are still faced with severe challenges in safeguarding world peace. In the Middle East, the vicious cycle of violence between Israel and Palestine has not stopped. In Iraq, the danger of war breaking out exists. If it should happen, the already turbulent situation in that region would become more complex. The situation in the South Asia subcontinent is also worrying. In spite of the fact that different degrees of progress have been made in reaching political settlement in some regional conflicts in Africa, peace and stability have not prevailed. While the international struggle against terrorism has reaped first fruits, tasks to eliminate the root causes are onerous and the road is long. 

  The international community should have a sober understanding of the threats that face the current peace situation. It must deal with all kinds of problems, new and old, with renewed thinking and methods in the light of emerging novel situations and problems and prepare to face numerous complicated security challenges with multiple means, such as political, economic, scientific and technological and cultural means. It must also always attach importance to ensuring that the United Nations plays a central role in international peace and security.

/…

 Mr. Aboul Gheit (Egypt) (spoke in Arabic) : …

/…

  We strongly condemn any violations perpetrated against civilians in time of war. We call on the international community to urge all States and parties to a conflict to respect the rights of civilians and not to sacrifice them to political or military ends. We emphasize the need for humanitarian assistance to reach these civilians. My country calls for applying the same standards in all cases, particularly since all the rules of international humanitarian law are binding on all States, whether big or small. In this connection, Egypt calls upon the international community to face up to the humanitarian emergency situation being experienced by the Palestinian people. This matter appeals to the international conscience, and will serve to provide this defenseless people with protection, as well as save the peace process in the Middle East.

 The meeting rose at 11.35 a.m.

This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the interpretation of speeches delivered in the other languages. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room C-154A. Corrections will be issued after the end of the session in a consolidated corrigendum.