CHILE
STATEMENT BY
MRS. MARIA SOLEDAD ALVEAR
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF CHILE
UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 57TH SESSION
13 SEPTEMBER 2002, NEW
YORK
Mr. President,
On behalf of my country, I wish to congratulate you and the other members
of the Bureau on your election. You can of course count on the full cooperation
of the delegation of Chile for the success of your stewardship.
The Government of Chile takes this opportunity to welcome the accession
to membership of the United Nations of the Swiss Confederation and of
Timor Leste. The presence of Switzerland strengthens its historical identification
with the founding principles of this Organization. The upcoming presence
of Timor Leste symbolizes the collaboration of the United Nations in the
creation of a viable and democratic State. We are proud to have contributed
to that mission.
One year ago, this city suffered a reprehensible terrorist attack that
left an indelible stain on the conscience of mankind.
September 11, 2001 marks a turning point in our contemporary history.
This episode brought us face to face with new dimensions of our human
vulnerability, with a fragility that globalizes insecurity. The attack
perpetrated a few miles from this place showed us with frightful cruelty
that human coexistence in this world urgently requires new approaches
and new instruments.
It is now necessary for Governments and societies to forge positive responses
and to work together in order to resolutely confront the problem of terrorism.
The re-evaluation of multilateralism in a globalized world is an imperative.
Chile wishes to renew its commitment to this goal.
The Secretary-General noted during the Millennium Assembly that human
aspirations fall into broad categories, universal values, which are the
fundamental purposes of the United Nations and which are yet to be realized.
He referred to the need to overcome poverty and fear. In other words,
the challenge is for our peoples to be able to live in a safer world.
We firmly believe that at this period of history, we have to exert all
efforts to seek a safer world, a challenge that should unite societies
and cultures. United Nations, as Secretary-General has indicated yesterday,
provides a unique legitimacy to contribute to an effective security system.
The compliance with the resolutions of the Security Council is an inevitable
responsibility for world peace and the future of this organization.
New Dimensions of Security
Mr. President,
The attacks of 11 September last year gave rise to a debate on the new
threats to security that has been marked by such important concepts as
globalization, the State and society.
We realized that the only way in which the international community can
combat terrorism is by building consensus on the social virtues inherent
in democracy, namely, diversity and tolerance. This approach will certainly
contribute to the security of our societies and also make it possible
to reflect on the causes of violence from a comprehensive perspective.
The changes that we have undergone in recent years have created new challenges
and responsibilities for the world, which we must assume and confront
as a global society. Indeed, risks have now become global and know no
frontiers. Both States and ordinary men and women in every part of the
world now exist in a new environment of uncertainty.
In this environment, traditional notions of security - formulated around
threats to State actors - have been overtaken.
A safer world requires that we build consensus and develop new approaches
that take account of the multi-dimensional nature of the threats and place
people at the center of its concerns.
With this new attitude towards security, we must promote throughout the
world a comprehensive approach to dealing with these new threats so that
we can achieve a world free from fear and poverty.
Against this backdrop of change, the concept of human security has emerged.
We would like people to be the focus of all multilateral deliberations.
This was the priority that Chile advocated a decade ago with its initiative
for the convening of a Summit on Social Development. And this same concern
today inspires our participation in the Human Security Network, which
Chile has coordinated this year.
Human security is associated firstly with the maintenance of international
peace and security as well as with public order at the State level, which
in turn requires strict respect for the rule of law. Human security not
only takes the form of the absence of traditional conflicts but is also
reflected in integration, cooperation and understanding between the different
actors in a society. It is this social environment that must be strengthened
through innovative and effective strategies.
Chile's candidacy for a seat on the Security Council for the period 2003
-2004, which has the support of our regional group of Latin American and
the Caribbean, and we wish once again to express our appreciation for
that support, seeks to strengthen the multilateral approach to crisis
that threaten international peace and security, and also to place human
security at the center of the concerns of this principal organ of the
United Nations.
Democracy and Human Rights
Mr. President,
Respect for human rights is a fundamental requirement in the search for
a world free from fear, a safer world, a world of hope.
Human rights are a source of political and social legitimacy in the contemporary
international system and provide guidelines for its actions. The promotion
and protection of these rights are premised on the individual being subject
to rights, whose enjoyment must be guaranteed by the State.
Chile, as a member of the Commission on Human Rights, will participate
in initiatives to strengthen the fundamental and unique role of this organ
in considering the various dimensions of respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms.
Democracy is recognized as having universal value. This is expressed mainly
through free elections and alternation in power and the strengthening
of democracy requires integrity, transparency and good governance. This
is the proper path towards a democracy that better integrates, protects
and gives meaning to a society.
Chile constructively supports and promotes the spread of the values of
democracy and democratic thinking throughout the world. In our region,
democracy is a fundamental value. The adoption of the Inter-American Democratic
Charter represents a step forward in the continuing effort to further
refine and strengthen democracy. In this connection, we welcome the establishment
of the Community of Democracies as a concerted attempt to make universal
the values inherent in democracy.
The cultural dimension, as an expression of a modern vision, must be part
of our efforts to build a safer world.
Inter-cultural dialogue and respect for diversity are fundamental elements
of civilized relations between nations.
Chile has a positive approach to cultural diversity as a means of enriching
our human horizons.
We firmly believe that inter-cultural dialogue contributes to the strengthening
of the universal values of human dignity.
Terrorism
Mr. President,
International terrorism is
a negation of the values that make possible civilized co-existence and
living together, in which there must be space for our global diversity.
As the Heads of State and Government noted in the Summit of the Americas,
terrorism is a violation of the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals
and an attack on democracy itself.
Terrorism is the greatest risk facing the global community in building
a safer world, and political commitment is needed for joint and effective
action to eradicate it, within the framework of international law. Inter-cultural
dialogue is essential for developing a global strategy to combat terrorism.
The United Nations plays a key role as a leading organization in the fight
against terrorism. The work of the Security Council and of its Counter-Terrorism
Committee, established pursuant to Council resolution 1373 (2001), and
the elaboration of a general convention on international terrorism are
efforts that we support and to which we will continue to contribute.
Last May, we submitted an initial report to the Committee, which is an
indication of our commitment in this area.
With regard to the drafting of a global convention on international terrorism,
we believe that the inevitable difficulties being encountered at the conceptual
level should not distract us from our key objective, namely, the eradication
of terrorism. This is why we are in favor of the early completion of the
work of the Committee of the General Assembly that is working on this
matter. At the regional level, a Convention on Terrorism has been adopted
and we will continue to intensify our cooperation through the Inter-American
Committee on Terrorism (CICTE) as well as within Mercosur.
The elaboration of domestic laws, through implementation of the plan of
action of the CounterTerrorism Committee, and accession to the relevant
conventions and their effective implementation by States parties are steps
that countries must take internally, in parallel with and complementary
to international efforts.
Globalization
Mr. President,
The risks and threats to
global security, which are beyond the effective control of States, highlight
the nature of globalization in our world today.
Indeed, the characteristics of globalization can be seen in such phenomena
as the globalization of markets, the intensification of social relations
and the broadening of cultural exchanges and communications. At the same
time, however, risks have also become global and the imbalances resulting
from the unequal distribution of wealth have increased, thereby accentuating
the trend towards the marginalization and exclusion of communities, countries
and regions.
We believe in the benefits of economic and political globalization. But
we also believe that globalization requires good governance, a systematic
and shared effort by the international community to establish the rules
of the new international system. We believe that there should be greater
participation in this effort and ongoing consultations with our citizens
and our civil societies.
The United Nation system
is an indispensable forum for addressing these problems. Our Organization
is faced with the task of rising to the challenges of this new era of
our history. The Charter of the United Nations, the rich practice of the
Organization, United Nations resolutions, and the work of its Secretary-General
provide us with the ethical and humanistic bases for carrying forward
this task.
Trade Liberalization
Mr. President,
Just as we argued that the process of globalization in which we are now
engaged requires clear rules in order for its benefits to reach all of
mankind, we also believe that the economic growth and prosperity of countries
require freedom, democracy and security in this global world.
Chile had adopted a model that assigns to the market and to the private
sector a key role in its development project, within a framework of democracy
and solidarity. We are convinced that active participation in international
trade is a positive means of achieving growth, increasing employment,
innovating in technology and being effective in the allocation of resources.
Based on our commitment to development with equity, we have opened up
our economy, our communications, and our culture and we are satisfied
with the results achieved.
Based on our experience, we believe that globalization can be a source
of opportunities for all nations, particularly for small and remote countries
such as ours, which are far from the major consumer centers and international
flows.
But, in order for the efforts of nations such as ours to be rewarded,
international trade must be fair, with clear and predictable rules of
the game, and without measures that distort trade. Subsidies and lax implementation
of anti-dumping measures are obstacles to the achievement of this aspiration.
In this connection, I wish to place special emphasis on the urgent need
for liberalization of the trade in agricultural products. Many developing
countries, Chile included, are highly competitive in this sector, but
their benefits are lost because of protectionism in the developed countries.
We made the following argument forcefully in Doha and in Monterrey: in
order for there to be growth, there must be access to markets.
President Ricardo Lagos stated in Monterrey: "If trade barriers are
eliminated, the developing countries have the potential to earn 130 billion
dollars ... more than twice the 50 billion that we proposed as a target
for the Millennium Summit".
Also, on the subject of financing, I cannot but draw attention to the
Monterrey Consensus: establishment of a new framework for dealing with
the difficult task of devising fair and balanced mechanisms for refinancing
the development of the poorest countries, promoting indispensable internal
reforms, administering finances, and participating in trade under better
conditions of access. We hope that we will see concrete results in the
near future.
This is why we urge the United Nations to continue its efforts to promote
the integrated activities of the various political, economic and financial
multilateral agencies that are helping to achieve more development, equity
and safety in our world.
We reiterate that, in order to achieve these objectives, our priority
should be to design a framework for free trade that is fair and equitable.
Chile will continue to support all initiatives aimed at achieving this
objective.
Social Equity
Mr. President,
As the multilateral system continues to develop culturally, socially and
politically, Chile will continue to promote the mainstreaming of the gender
perspective into the various activities of the international system and
its sub-systems. We also support the creation of opportunities for participation
in the organizations of civil society.
This more developed, more equitable and safer world to which we aspire
also requires that we establish international standards for the protection
of the rights of vulnerable groups. Chile will continue to promote the
conclusion of agreements that contribute to the elaboration and refining
of public policies in this field.
I wish to underscore our political commitment to achieving a comprehensive
convention that protects and promotes the rights and dignity of persons
with disabilities.
The road of integration, the recognition of dignity and equality of opportunities
are also basic precepts of a safer society.
Sustainable Development
Mr. President,
We are convinced of the need to commit ourselves as an international community
to more active policies for the protection of the environment. Few issues
on the international agenda affect all of us as much as this one and,
paradoxically, few generate as many disputes.
The Johannesburg Summit confirms my belief that we must work towards consensus
on basic concepts.
In this regard, we cannot distinguish between priority commitments to
the current generation and secondary commitments to the generation of
our children or to the generations not yet born, but which have the same
right as we do to enjoy a quality of life that is similar to or better
than ours.
The right to live in a socially tolerant environment is an ethical imperative
of the present. Consequently, we must give priority to a global environmental
agenda that focuses on developing legal rules and which provides better
quality protection for the oceans, the climate, the atmosphere and the
ozone layer. I am sure that we have before us an environmental agenda
that is full of pending issues, many of them legitimate, no doubt. But
we cannot ignore the deficiencies that persist in our protection of the
seas or in the development of a system of accountability that covers this
and other major global commons, and, lastly, in the need to erect bridges
of dialogue between a model of development that is increasingly globalized
and an environment that is increasingly vulnerable.
Given the direct impact this issue has over development, UNIDO and the
Government of Chile will sponsor the World Biotechnology Forum that will
take place in the city of Concepcion on December 2003.
Mr. President,
With regard to the political dimension that emphasizes security, human
rights, democracy and the fight against terrorism, I wish to refer to
some areas of the world that are of most concern to the international
community.
Latin America
Latin America is a region in which democracy is the norm, even though
it is true that in some cases it is fragile. The nations of our continent
have learnt how difficult it is to build and sustain democratic institutions
based on universal principles and values. We have various regional and
sub regional mechanisms that compel us to fulfill this obligation. The
Rio Group is without doubt the most important of these. However, the political
stability that we have achieved with so much effort and which we hope
to consolidate may now be threatened.
The world is aware of the economic crisis currently being experienced
by our region. It is a paradoxical situation. Latin America responded
adequately to the challenge and adopted many of the structural economic
reforms that were asked of it, which led to a degree of liberalization
without precedent in its entire history. However, the developed world
is sending contradictory signals that test the faith of those of us who
view globalization and the system of free trade as the basis for the development
of our peoples.
Thus, those of us who believe that globalization must be based on the
principles of competitiveness without exclusions see our products regularly
facing restrictions that are very difficult to explain, which casts doubts
on the desire to move towards a globalization without compartmentalization.
Evidently, a part of the Latin-American crisis is our own responsibility.
But another important part of the instability being experienced in our
region is attributable to the developed world. The developed world has
transmitted to us, through various actions, its owns crises of belief
in an economic model in which we put all of our faith and energies, but
with respect to which there is still mistrust and fear on the part of
the principal actors of the economic system.
Middle East
Because of its gravity, I must refer to a conflict that affects the entire
international community. Chile, Mr. President, wishes to express its deep
concern at the grave situation that exists in the region of the Middle-East,
following the impasse in the peace negotiations aimed at finding a solution
to the crisis between Palestinians and Israelis. The continuing escalation
in violence that began in the region on 28 September 2001 continues to
cause numerous victims and very heavy material damage and threatens to
spread throughout the region, thereby posing a serious danger to international
peace and security.
The Government of Chile wishes to reiterate the need for the strict implementation
of the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and recourse to constructive
negotiation, with a view to achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting
peace for all the parties involved in the conflict. My country considers
that it is essential to find a balanced formula in the search for political
solutions that will lead to the creation of a viable Palestinian State
and to coexistence with the State of Israel within secure and internationally
recognized borders.
A world in which Palestinians and Israelis can live together will be symbolic
of a safer world.
We share the sense of urgency on the part of the international community
for the Government of Iraq to abide by the resolutions of the Security
Council, so as to contribute to regional and global security.
We are convinced that in this globalized world it is essential for us
to act in accordance with the principles and values promoted by the United
Nations.
Africa
In Africa we now see signs of hope. Chile wishes to express its firm support
for the African continent on its decision to create modern instruments
of regional organization, such the African Union and the New Partnership
for Development of Africa. We hope that these initiatives, which Africans
themselves have referred to, as the "African renaissance" will
generate in the international community a response commensurate with these
efforts. This is a challenge for the twenty-first century, in which the
United Nations must be present.
Mr. President,
Chile, a small nation that looks out unto the world from the south, has
developed important links of international solidarity in the most diverse
localities. In Latin America, as part of the Inter-American system; in
its association with the European Union; and as a member of the Asia -
Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). In the choice of open multilateralism,
we join in facing the challenge of today, which is to work towards a safer
world, towards a world free from fear and poverty. We will encounter obstacles
which we must confront with a shared political will. This is the responsibility
of all the countries represented here today in this General Assembly.
Let us advance towards global human security. Let us combat terrorism,
poverty and misery in the search for a more democratic and more tolerant
society. In this challenge, Mr. President, Chile is convinced that multilateralism
can and must contribute to overcoming the insecurities currently being
experienced in the world. The United Nations provides such a forum to
the international community. It is a forum that can and must seek consensual
solutions to the inescapable problems now plaguing mankind.
Thank you Mr. President.
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