YouSaid · the spoken record

Benita Ferrero-Waldner

lines on the record: 123
first: 1999-09-24
most recent: 2004-09-24
sittings or episodes: 6
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Let me begin by welcoming Switzerland, our western neighbour, as a full member of the United Nations and her first participation in the General Assembly after her accession. Without our Swiss friends the United Nations would not be complete. Expanding the global reach of the United Nations can be seen as a positive aspect of globalization. Having supported United Nations efforts to bring about a solution to the East Timor conflict for many years, Austria also looks forward to 27 September and wishes to congratulate East Timor on becoming the 191st Member of the United Nations. Austria fully aligns itself with the statement made by the Prime Minister of Denmark on behalf of the European Union. I should like to add a few observations to that very comprehensive statement.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“This is why human development, human rights and human security are the points from which we have to address both the current crises and our long- term development objectives.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“When coping with the dynamic processes of global change in the economic sector, we have to put the human being back into the centre of our policies. New efforts have to be undertaken to internalize the multiple dimensions and costs of globalization. In this context, let me especially welcome the Secretary- General’s initiative of a new partnership with the global business community, inviting it to share in the responsibility for what is happening in the global public space. All the concerns I am addressing in this statement have a common focus: understanding the human being as an actor, a perpetrator, a victim and a partner, in other words, as the basic paradigm of global development.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Finally, we are still working on implementing our resolve to strengthen the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations for accomplishing its important tasks. The Economic and Social Council reform paper by the Secretariat’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs contains, I think, very valuable contributions to our ongoing debate. As Austria already suggested years ago, coordination and integration of the United Nations system’s reporting in economic and social affairs and the preparation of a comprehensive “state of the world” report by the Secretary-General would not only facilitate but significantly enhance the role of the Economic and Social Council in policy formulation in this field.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Vienna, which hosts four prominent international organizations in the field of global energy policies — the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and IIASA — could offer, with Austria’s support, a framework for developing an innovative platform in this regard. I look forward to exploring this issue further with interested partners. With many developing regions having to cope with the difficult and often precarious management of mountain resources, we should take advantage of the International Year of Mountains, 2002, for new initiatives in exchanging experience and for new programmes of cooperation.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“One specific area where newly shared policies and institutional support may be required, is the integration of energy policies into the global sustainable development agenda. The Commission on Sustainable Development at its ninth session and the third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries recognized the strong connection between energy-policy interventions and poverty reduction. Energy considerations should therefore be fully integrated into the implementation of the Millennium Declaration.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The sustainable use of the local, national, regional and global natural resources with which we are endowed continues to be of foremost importance. The recent study by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) on the projected dramatic reduction of agricultural productivity — between 45 and 55 per cent in Africa, India, southern China and Latin America — over the next 50 years due to climate change reminds us that the processes of long-term global change need as much action as our activities in coping with crises and combating criminal terrorism. The World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg will need not only a technical but also a political focus with an appropriate resolve for our shared global development.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The media bear an increasingly important responsibility in shaping societies’ value structures and capabilities. As Austria’s Federal Chancellor Wolfgang 25 Schüssel said in his statement on the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations at the General Assembly’s 42nd meeting, Austria is taking an initiative, in the context of the partnership between the European Union and the Mediterranean countries, that will focus on the special role and responsibility of the media in this partnership and in the societal development towards accepting and benefiting from the plurality of cultures and identities in this region. In conclusion, I should like to make a few comments on other very important developments with regard to items on our global agenda.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Eighty-five per cent of refugees and internally displaced persons are women and children. In fact, those who are often depicted as the weakest element in society had to bear the brunt of violence and repression. As we design our programmes for reconstructing a post-terrorist Afghanistan, we must conceive of programmes by which women, in particular those now in refugee camps, are enabled to contribute their share in a governance of development, peace and cooperation. This is essential for a society that wishes to overcome the scars of decades of conflict and war. To be concrete, I therefore suggest that education and training programmes aimed at empowering women — in particular, those in refugee camps — to assume public responsibility in the reconstruction of their country be immediately implemented.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“In view of accelerated globalization and worldwide economic, cultural and information relations, we may have to take proactive measures to strengthen our shared basic beliefs and political values through education and learning processes. The current United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education might also offer opportunities for appropriate initiatives in response to the horrifying scenario of global terrorism. In this context, we have to give greater recognition to the role of women in providing human security and human development in all our societies. The recognition is due in particular in crisis areas where women have not only been the victims of most of the intra-societal violence, but have also assured the survival of the neediest. A case in point is Afghanistan and Afghan society.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Long-term strategies of terrorism prevention require a globally shared culture of human rights. Let me mention briefly the growing cooperation between qualified regional institutions for human rights education and learning in Africa, South Asia, the Far East and the Pacific, Europe and Latin America. The proclamation of human rights cities in all of these regions might merit specific attention by the appropriate organs of the United Nations, including the Commission on Human Settlements. We are aware that there is a direct relationship between the internal negation of human rights, on the one hand, and a culture of violence that may eventually project its effects not only internally but also internationally and even globally.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Austria had the pleasure of inviting the Secretary- General’s Group of Eminent Persons for its first meeting in Vienna and was honoured by the Secretary- General’s personal participation in last summer’s Salzburg dialogue among civilizations. Austria’s commitment to dialogue has found its expression in a series of inter-religious encounters, especially between Christianity and Islam, over the past 10 years. These encounters have served to identify common values and to project them into the wider communities. For us, such dialogue has the core objective of developing societies’ capacities in preventing hatred, disintegration and politically motivated violence against fellow citizens. Austria’s efforts have also focused on another element of societal development.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Our rejection of terrorism must be absolute. At the same time, we need to strengthen our networks and skills in dialogue, cross- identification and solidarity. We do need a globally shared political culture that is based on respect for global diversity, which finds its only limits in the right of others to diversity. We must never allow fanaticism, violence and terrorism to undermine the fabric on which peace and security are built. Now more than ever, we have to redouble our efforts in the development of our societies based on plurality and trust among peoples and cultures. In this context, the Secretary-General’s efforts to promote dialogue among civilizations, an initiative of President Khatami, can have enormous significance.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Ratification of the various international legal instruments, as well as the conclusion of negotiations concerning a comprehensive international 24 convention against terrorism, are of fundamental importance. The Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations should also get immediately active in providing, where requested, concrete assistance to Member States in implementing national legislation required by Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), as well as in national capacity-building. Several items on our global agenda have reminded us of the fundamental importance of the individual citizen and of society in economic, social, cultural and institutional development. Increasingly, we have understood the strategic role of the basic principles and values of our societies upon which the future of mankind is based.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“They will play an important role in the system-wide response to international terrorism, including a comprehensive set of recommendations for both national and international action. These recommendations stress once more the existing relationship between terrorism, on the one hand, and crime, including transnational organized crime and illicit drug trafficking, on the other. The United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention and its Terrorism Prevention Branch have received a focused mandate, which should serve as a solid basis for enhancing the capabilities of the United Nations in the prevention of terrorism. To this end, the human and financial resources should be strengthened accordingly. Needless to say, the challenge of terrorism requires the full support of each and every Government.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We have to enable the principal organs of the Organization, including their specialized subsidiary organs, such as the Security Council’s Committee on terrorism, the General Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on Terrorism, the Economic and Social Council’s Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the appropriate Secretariat units to perform the tasks that are now urgently needed. The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice will hold a special meeting on terrorism in the context of the Vienna Declaration on Crime and Justice on 15 November 2001. Just one week prior to the terrorist attacks of 11 September, plans of action for the implementation of the Vienna Declaration were adopted.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Overall, we must address long-term societal development at the local, national and global levels and the capacities required to build a universally shared political culture based on respect for human rights and human dignity, including for the plurality of identities at all levels of society. Let me elaborate now on the United Nations role. The time has certainly come to significantly strengthen the United Nations capabilities and programmes in combating and preventing terrorism. The complexity of the challenge requires intersectoral and inter- institutional cooperation.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Extremists have not yet disarmed. We have to keep up a high profile of international commitment. Combating terrorism is, of course, not a one- dimensional task. It requires cooperation on many fronts. I see the United Nations as playing a key role in this regard. This requires a clarification and coordination of tasks within the United Nations system so as to ensure the necessary synergy. There is also a role for regional cooperation. To provide an example, a so called regional security partnership has been established between Austria and some of its neighbours, candidates for European Union membership, across the boundaries that, for half a century, divided Europe.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Only sincere negotiations and a sincere renunciation of violence can bring a rapprochement of the two parties and, finally, peace. Afghanistan is a reminder of what happens when a conflict is neglected too long. Now, there is a new dimension unfolding. We are forced to act. The humanitarian tragedy is obvious. In this context, Central Asia deserves increased attention, for example, in view of assistance in the maintenance of stability and concertation aiming at the necessary reconstruction of Afghanistan. I should like to say a word as to the Balkans, a neighbouring region to my country. It must not be neglected, although new dangers emerge elsewhere. In the western Balkans, there is progress, especially in Zagreb, in Belgrade, in Tirana and in Sarajevo, but overall stability and economic recovery are not yet assured.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Under the present circumstances, Austria’s priorities outside Europe are the Middle East and Central Asia, not least because these areas have a direct bearing on the fight against terrorism in its present phase. The Middle East conflict has been on our agenda without interruption since the time of the creation of the United Nations. There is no doubt that we have a special obligation to contribute to a just and viable solution. A heightened sense of responsibility is felt when, on the one hand, violence escalates, but when, on the other — as I see it — new opportunities have emerged. Austria is therefore of the opinion that major concerted efforts should be undertaken so that negotiations can resume on the basis of Security Council resolutions without delay.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“It would be irresponsible if we — the international community — did not engage in renewed efforts to find solutions to these regional conflicts, be they in the Middle East, in Afghanistan, in Kashmir, in the Caucasus or in the Balkans, as well as in the area around the Great Lakes, for instance, which has seen so much human suffering. The European Union, on a continent marked by centuries of war, has developed its model of conflict resolution. It is held in three words: cooperation, partnership, integration. The European Union is engaged in a welcome policy of extending this zone of peace. We hope that the enlarged Union, planned to 23 become a Union of 28 and later more, will be able to contribute more effectively to peace and stability in the world.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“There are some positive signs to that effect. These are, first, that during the past weeks, we have witnessed new astonishing political — maybe even geopolitical — alignments that, if followed through, are comparable to other watershed events of historic proportions. Secondly, the menace of an unprecedented, devastating type of terrorism is compelling us to take a fresh look at the root causes of much that is unacceptable in our world, according to our own standards, but which we have been tolerating, or at least living with, quite contrary to our declared principles. I refer to the abject levels of poverty, inequality and injustice. These factors are at the origin of many conflicts around the globe. Some of them are particularly dangerous, providing breeding grounds for global terrorism or serving as pretexts for terrorists.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Harri Holkeri, for the many efforts he undertook not only in conducting day-to-day business, but also in revitalizing the United Nations, in particular the General Assembly. My colleague, the Foreign Minister of Belgium, has already addressed this Assembly on behalf of the European Union. Austria fully endorses his remarks. Two months have passed now since the heinous terrorist attacks of 11 September. Although we are still in shock at the loss of thousands of innocent lives, we have, however, also been encouraged by the resolve expressed in the collective response of the community of nations, here in the General Assembly and in the Security Council. This unanimous strong reaction gives us hope that today our nations are ready to cross over a threshold, leaving behind a world of deadly divisions and entering a genuine global community.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“I should also like to take this opportunity to reiterate my very best wishes to the Secretary-General on his appointment to a second term of office. Furthermore, I would like to congratulate him very warmly on being awarded, jointly with the United Nations, the Nobel Peace Prize, an honour and recognition he truly deserves for his leadership, dedication and courage in the service of our Organization. This award also signals recognition of and encouragement for the United Nations and all those who are committed to its mission, not least United Nations staff members. Allow me to also express here our thanks to the President of the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session, Mr.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“I am speaking here while still in shock over the terrible aeroplane crash in Queens, our immediate neighbourhood, especially since the area of Rockaway, where so many brave New York firefighters live, was already suffering in the aftermath of the earlier catastrophe. I wish to express my deep sympathy to all those families and to the great number of people affected by this tragedy. Let me at the outset congratulate His Excellency Mr. Han Seung-soo on his election to this high office. While assuring him of my delegation’s full cooperation and support, I am confident that under his guidance and leadership — which he has already proven in the first days of his new function — this session of the General Assembly will contribute to strengthening global cooperation and its indispensable platform, the United Nations, in the coming months.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“This is why I appeal to the Assembly to give our efforts in this area a new momentum and new energy and direction. Lately civil society has pleaded for more political leadership in this field. We should be ready to respond and to develop new structures of partnership with civil society and with the institutions already active in the field at national, regional and international levels. The global house of human rights must be built every day. It must be built by everyone and it must be owned by everyone. Only then will it be a house of prosperity, a house of freedom and a house of peace.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“While we affirm the universality of our human rights, human rights education and learning will have to be rooted in the rich cultural plurality of the world. In the diversity of learning processes we will better comprehend the common humanity we all share. Why, it will be asked, do I raise the issue of human rights education and learning at the General Assembly of the United Nations? It is because I am convinced that in this strategic triangle with human security and human development, human rights are of profoundly political significance for the direction we take in our development. As the acquisition of any political culture takes time, our efforts must be long-term and comprehensive. At the same time, there is a sense of urgency.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“They concluded that human rights education should go beyond formal education so as to encompass all forms of learning and different modes of socialization. Innovative human rights education must be participatory and operational, creative and empowering. It must address all levels of society. All citizens, in particular all persons in positions of leadership, must regard human rights standards as a yardstick when making decisions. In this context, I applaud the initiatives taken in Africa, South Asia, Latin America and Europe to have municipalities proclaim themselves “Human Rights Cities”. I am pleased to announce from this rostrum that the city of Graz will be the first “Human Rights City” in Europe.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, spanning the period 1995-2005, was unanimously adopted by this Assembly at its forty- ninth session. We have reached its mid-term and might therefore wish to give it new momentum. We clearly came to understand that human rights education and learning serve as strategies for development on the one hand and as preventive tools for human security on the other. Following an initiative taken by Austria in the framework of the “Human Security Network” of Foreign Ministers, an International Workshop on Human Security and Human Rights Education was convened in Graz, Austria, early this year. Experts from all continents called for human rights education and learning as a common endeavour of governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental institutions.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We jointly launched an appeal to our fellow leaders in order to energize our common fight against the global scourge of HIV/AIDS, a scourge which increasingly affects women and girls. Our efforts to counter the HIV/AIDS pandemic must be multifaceted. They must encompass access to adequate medical care, drugs and social protection; they must encompass information and services available to girls and women to help them understand their sexual and reproductive rights in order to protect themselves from 19 unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. This should be combined with the education of young men to respect women's self-determination and to share responsibility with women in matters of health, sexuality and reproduction.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“If, however, we accept that most challenges to human security have a human rights dimension, we may wish to take a new and more operational look at the promotion and protection of human rights. How can we make our human rights regimes more effective in our societies? The Secretary-General has shown us the path to follow, saying: “it is the poison of ignorance, all too frequently, that lies at the heart of human rights violations, knowledge provides an antidote”. (Press release SG/SM/6829, 10 December 1998) Ultimately, it will be citizens themselves who, through better knowledge, become the owners of their human rights. It is in this context that I would like to point out the initiative taken by all women Ministers for Foreign Affairs present at the opening of the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Thanks to the human development reports of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), our understanding of development has shifted from macro- economic statistics to a more human-centred concept, defining development as a process of broadening the spectrum of choice, both of the individual human being and of society at large. I am pleased that the Human Development Report 2000 underlines the interrelatedness between human development and human rights. In short, the Report concludes that human development is an essential precondition for the realization of human rights. Human rights, in turn, are an essential prerequisite for comprehensive human development.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We are confident that the three additional protocols — on trafficking in and smuggling of persons as well as on trafficking in firearms — will be concluded this fall. Austria, in any case, will strive for a rapid entry into force and implementation of these important legal instruments. We are pleased that the United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention will serve as the secretariat for the Conference of the Parties. I stress that my country is ready to join forces with our partners in the developing world to counter organized crime in all its facets.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“If we analyse the profound changes that have occurred in the recent past, we note that the individual citizen has gained in prominence not only as an actor in our democratic societies, with growing responsibilities in relation to the social, environmental and economic sustainability of our development, but as a victim of new threats to security. It is noteworthy that the United Nations, the Group of Eight and the OSCE have increasingly moved action against terrorism, drug abuse and crime to the top of their agendas. I am pleased to point out that the negotiations on a Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, which were held at United Nations Headquarters in Vienna over the past two years, led to a successful outcome in the course of this summer.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“I cannot but re-emphasize the importance of the human dimension in the work of the OSCE. In the course of this year we have focused our work on a number of abhorrent facets of civil unrest, such as children in armed conflict, the proliferation of small arms and the trafficking in human beings, particularly women and girls. It is in this context that I would like to highlight the recent adoption of a comprehensive Action Plan for Gender Issues, which will guide the OSCE in its commitment to advance equality between women and men and to protect the human rights of women and girls in the region.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In addition to the destabilizing effects of the precarious situation in Afghanistan, the Central Asian region faces manifold transnational threats, such as terrorism, organized crime, illegal arms and drug trafficking and the degradation of the environment, as well as violent extremism and religious fundamentalism. The OSCE is well placed to support the Central Asian States in their common efforts to deal effectively with these multiple challenges to their security. It acts as a political catalyst supporting the efforts of other, specialized international actors. The international conference, jointly prepared by the OSCE Chairmanship and the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, on the issues of drugs, organized crime and terrorism, to be held in Tashkent on 19 and 20 October is only one example.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“A central goal of Austria's chairmanship of the OSCE is to give equal attention to current, and often long-standing, conflicts as well as to potential security risks. In the pursuit of this policy, we support the explicit goal of the OSCE to create a common security space. This implies a strong focus on the Caucasus region and on Central Asia. The OSCE effectively contributes to the alleviation of the suffering of the civilian population in this region, the promotion of political dialogue between warring parties and the monitoring of post-conflict arrangements through observer missions. Conflict prevention is key to the work of the OSCE in Central Asia. During my most recent visit to the region, I obtained a first-hand impression of its 18 security problems.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In Kosovo, the OSCE has been involved in the complex task of civil and voter registration, which resulted in more than 1 million registrations. I note with regret that the Kosovo Serbs did not participate in the registration process and that Belgrade would not allow the registration of Kosovo Serbs in Serbia. The OSCE, however, will continue its efforts to bring about active participation of the Kosovo Serbs in democratic political life. We will not lose sight of our common goal of a pluri-ethnic Kosovo. Kosovo is an excellent example of the new quality of the cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE as a distinct component within the overall framework of the United Nations Interim Administration.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“An important step in enhancing the civilian crisis management capability of the OSCE was set with the establishment of the Rapid Expert Assistance and Cooperation Teams (REACT), a programme which should speed up the deployment of highly trained civilian experts to the field. What are the specific challenges the OSCE is currently facing in the prevention, settlement and management of conflicts? In South-Eastern Europe the work of the Organization focuses in particular on the strengthening of democracy, post-crisis rehabilitation, the rule of law and civil society. The promotion of free and fair elections plays a key role in achieving these goals. The OSCE is tasked with organizing local elections in Kosovo at the end of October this year and, only two weeks thereafter, of general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We can also register some positive developments concerning the political resolution of “frozen conflicts” in Georgia and in Moldova — conflicts which are often outside the spotlight of broader public attention but nevertheless have a highly destabilizing impact on the region and beyond. Through my frequent travels as Chairperson- in-Office, I wish to enhance the political awareness regarding these unresolved or potential conflicts and security risks. The conflict situation in Chechnya remains unresolved and a matter of great concern. Let me mention an achievement in the institutional field.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The OSCE has proved to be a flexible institution, adapting itself to the far-reaching changes in the political landscape of Europe after the fall of the Iron Curtain. Over the past decade, it has evolved into a vibrant organization with a network of as many as 20 field operations. Not only in South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia, on which I will elaborate later, but also in other parts of the OSCE area, we have been able to achieve concrete results in our continuing efforts for peace and stability. As to conflict prevention, I would like to mention the successful observation mission of the OSCE at the border between Georgia and the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“This year we are celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. This truly historic document initiated the Helsinki Process, from which we still draw valid lessons for our common efforts to achieve “freedom from fear”, to use this vivid notion from the report of the Secretary-General (A/54/2000, para. 65). Security and stability through cooperation and the effective protection of human rights within each country have a direct bearing on international peace and security. The fundamental significance of democracy, human rights and strong civil societies has been affirmed in the Charter on European Security adopted by the OSCE participating States last year in Istanbul.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Furthermore, Austria supports the timely initiative of the Secretary-General to mandate a comprehensive review of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects. Since the environment for complex peace operations has become more challenging than ever before, Austria, as a major troop contributor, welcomes the report and the recommendations drawn 17 up by a group of experts under the leadership of Mr. Brahimi. We are ready to support their implementation. As Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), I wish to outline a number of major achievements of the OSCE during this year. The OSCE serves as the primary forum for early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation in my region.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“All too often we have to cope with contradictions when engaging in day-to-day politics and when rapidly responding to crises on the one hand and addressing sustainable societal development on the other. A great number of our decisions taken today have important implications for future policy options. Generations to come will have to bear the cost, and they will enjoy the benefits of our policies. It is in this context that I wish to pay tribute to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his clairvoyance and leadership. His millennium report embraces a balanced analysis of the challenges the international community faces today, and it offers concrete, accomplishable and far-sighted recommendations. Austria welcomes this road map for the future course of United Nations activities and will follow its guidelines.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“This is absolutely crucial in view of the important projects that lie ahead of us: first, the reform of the institutions of the European Union and, secondly, the enlargement of the Union, a matter of great importance and a historic responsibility. An enlarged Union will bolster European stability and prosperity. Its benefits will reach beyond Europe. Austria, as a country in the heart of Europe, will fully support and, in its own interest, accelerate the process of enlargement. Since this fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly coincides with the turn of the millennium, we ought to undertake a broader examination of today's world. We ought to design policies of a long-term nature.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“First of all, let me say how satisfied I am about this week's decision of our 14 European Union (EU) partners to lift the measures implemented on 31 January against Austria. This is a victory for reason, and it is also a victory for Europe. In the last seven and a half months — a very difficult time, I must say — the United Nations has stood by us. Austria treasures this support. The United Nations has had confidence in our firm commitment to universal standards and values. The report of the “three wise men”, Martti Ahtisaari, Marcelino Oreja and Jochen Frowein, comes to the same conclusion. Austria will continue its role as an active, reliable and constructive Member State of the United Nations. Austria expects to resume fully its formal and informal work within the European Union.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We must use the wonderful tool of our Organization as it was meant to be used: to ensure our survival on this planet in peace, freedom and dignity. On spaceship Earth the supplies are limited, so we have to make the best possible use of them. Whatever our differences, we all know what needs to be done. Let us find the political will to do it.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“But that implies also an effective cooperation among the institutions concerned. The OSCE, as a regional arrangement according to Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, is closely cooperating with the United Nations in many fields and regions, such as in Kosovo. In our capacity as the next Chairman-in- Office of the OSCE, we will continue the efforts to strengthen the relationship between the OSCE and the United Nations at both the political and field levels. Let me conclude by confirming Austria's strong commitment to the United Nations. In a little less than one year, our Heads of State or Government will participate in the millennium summit. I hope that this will be the occasion to unlock the potential of the Organization.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Though regional organizations and coalitions of the willing have credibly shown their readiness to take on responsibilities in the maintenance of international peace and security, the United Nations continues to provide the indispensable political, legal and institutional links to ensure the acceptance, legitimacy and accountability of their respective efforts. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) plays a central role in promoting peace, security and stability in the regional context, in particular through its broad range of activities in the area of conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. The broad scope and complex nature of the security challenges in the region requires a pluri- institutional response.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“This attitude is based on historic experience and the conviction that ethnic minorities constitute a true enrichment of our societies. It is of interest for the international community to recall that there are existing successful settlements of important minority issues in Europe. In particular, I think of the Austrian minority in the South Tyrol, which today enjoys a well-balanced autonomy on the basis of the Paris Treaty of 1946 between Austria and Italy. Time and again it has been noted that this formula could be an example for the settlement of minority disputes in other parts of the world.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)