YouSaid · the spoken record

MOCK

lines on the record: 246
first: 1987-09-24
most recent: 1994-09-24
sittings or episodes: 8
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

“A huge majority - 66.58 per cent - of the Austrian people came out firmly in support of joining the European Union, a community of States that holds the same values as, and plays an increasingly important role in, the United Nations. This was the largest support in a European State for the idea of European integration. With that democratic force we will continue to support this goal, and - as of 1 January I hope - as a member of this community we will contribute in a spirit of solidarity and openness to the attainment of the objectives of the United Nations as we have done in the past.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“At the same time we must draw strength and optimism from some positive developments, historic in their significance. I may mention, for example, free and democratic elections in South Africa, an end to the policy of apartheid, autonomy in Gaza and Jericho, and an end to the state of war between Jordan and Israel. In South Africa and in the Middle East age-old objectives of the United Nations have finally been attained or are about to be attained. Austria, in so far as it can, actively supports these peaceful processes, not only in the interests of the peoples concerned but also in the interests of greater hope of resolving other similar problems. The year 1994 is of historic significance to Austria.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The collective security system of the United Nations which is part of the post-war order, has not really been applied by the international community in the case of the conflict in former Yugoslavia. The hope that the collective security system would be used as an 15 instrument of peace following its successful use after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait has proved disappointing. Unfortunately, Bosnia and Herzegovina is not an isolated case. It would be a serious mistake not to mention, at least, some other tragedies - Rwanda, Angola, Afghanistan, Haiti, Tajikistan, and so on. There is too long a list of hotbeds of crisis and violence, where the law of the strongest tramples underfoot the principles of the Charter of San Francisco.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Observer missions sent by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) which were expelled in 1993 have not been authorized to return despite intensive international efforts to that end. In that region, which is almost 90 per cent inhabited by Albanians and has been fully autonomous during the past couple of decades, we are witnessing the exercise of a kind of power that is tantamount to that of an occupying regime. The situation in former Yugoslavia shows that what the great French philosopher, Blaise Pascal, said in his Pensées remains as true as ever. He said that justice without force was powerless and that force without justice was tyrannical.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“But we should not measure Croatia by different and harsher criteria than the criteria we use for other countries in central and south-eastern Europe because we have greater access to Croatia and because there are more transparent structures there, and there is no other country in Europe, apart from Bosnia and Herzegovina, that has been subjected for years to a violent military attack with which it has to cope under extremely difficult conditions. The situation in Kosovo, which has been too neglected because of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is continuing to deteriorate. The Belgrade authorities have pursued their systematic action against the Albanian majority of the population. There is still a danger that mass violence may erupt.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Recent protests show to what extent the situation has become untenable for displaced persons within Croatia. Against the backdrop of the extremely harsh judgements often pronounced on Croatia one must not forget the very clear terms of the legal opinions of the Badinter Commission in January 1992. From these texts it is clear that, in principle, Croatia met all the conditions set forth by the European Union for recognition of new States in Eastern Europe. I realize that in some areas, such as administration, practices vis-à-vis the minorities and the media, improvements are still much to be desired.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The observer Mission now being established along the Serbo-Bosnian border is, as Austria sees it, a step in the right direction but, and I stress the point, it remains to be seen how effectively the Mission will be able to carry out its task and whether credible consequences will in fact be drawn from the conclusions arrived at by the observers. In Croatia also the situation remains largely unchanged: contrary to the provisions of the 1992 Vance plan which was approved by the Security Council, more than one quarter of the country remains in the hands of the rebel Serbs. So far there has been neither demilitarization of these regions under the supervision of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) troops nor has it yet been possible for the civilian population to return.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“On the other hand, we do not see any attempt on the Serbian side to abandon the idea of a Greater Serbia based on the illegal conquest of territories by force. This can be seen from the fact that the peace plans prepared by the European Union and the contact group have still not been accepted by the Serbian side, although on many points they do respond to their aspirations. In its resolution 943 (1994) of 23 September the Security Council set forth the conditions for a suspension of sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). The Belgrade Government must allow international observers to control the blockade against the Bosnian Serbs.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“All international initiatives and efforts for the repatriation of refugees have been made a mockery by "ethnic cleansing", which continues to be practised and, in the final analysis, continues to be tolerated at the international level. The arms embargo imposed by the Security Council in September 1991 has a unilateral impact, to the detriment of those countries that have taken over from the former Yugoslavia and that are threatened by Serbian ambitions. And so we have arrived at a situation where the legitimate Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina is unable fully to exercise its right to legitimate self-defence, while at the same time that State cannot even benefit from adequate protection under the system of collective security.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The aggressor has gone so far as to attack or lay siege to cities that have been declared United Nations protected areas. Despite repeated international condemnation, the Serbian side has continued its practice of "ethnic cleansing". Austria strongly condemns these crimes, wherever and by whomever they may be perpetrated, and we shall never stop calling for an end to such practices. Basic principles of the international order continue to be trampled underfoot and lose their credibility. Specific resolutions such as those on military guarantees for protected areas or return of refugees to their home, have not yet been implemented.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“A year ago, the Austrian Federal Government decided to offer Vienna as headquarters for the future organization to be established under the nuclear-test-ban treaty, and I would wish to extend this invitation again today before the General Assembly. This year once again, our hopes of seeing an end to the fighting in the territory of the former Yugoslavia have been dashed. Despite international initiatives and peace plans, the actual prospects for an equitable and lasting solution are not very good. The reconciliation between the Bosnian Croats and the Bosnians, which stemmed from the Washington Agreements, should not make us forget that the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina continues 14 to leave innumerable victims in its wake. The toll of dead and displaced persons grows daily more terrible.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The 1995 Review Conference will take a decision on extending the non-proliferation Treaty. Our common goal must be the unconditional and unrestricted extension of the Treaty. Austria also has good reason to hope that the substantive negotiations currently under way in the Conference on Disarmament with a view to the conclusion of a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty will lead to nuclear disarmament. As the host country of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Austria is aware of the importance of this control mechanism for the application of the Non- Proliferation Treaty. The success of any future agreement on a nuclear-test ban will, in the final analysis, depend on the effectiveness of the work done by organizations responsible for its implementation and verification.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Austria is in favour of strengthening civilian peace- keeping operations and of stepping up United Nations activities in preventive diplomacy. Thus, the Austrian Federal Government has established, in the city of Schlaining, a centre for civilian peace-keeping operations. This year, we held our second seminar on the re- establishment of peace and on preventive diplomacy, a seminar in which high officials of the United Nations participated. Also in Schlaining, we have a regular training programme, with international participation, for civilian international operations relating to peace-keeping and peace-building. For a quarter of a century, the non-proliferation Treaty has successfully prevented the proliferation of nuclear weapons and has also successfully prevented the abuse of nuclear power for military purposes.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“More than three times the regular budget is being devoted to those operations. Austria, which has been involved for decades in such operations, is aware of the enormous challenge that this poses to the United Nations and its Member States in terms of funds, personnel and organization. One of the most important events to take place within the framework of the activities organized in Austria in connection with the fiftieth anniversary will be the very high-level conference set for early March 1995 in Vienna. This conference will be devoted to the discussion, analysis and preparation of recommendations on how best to take up the challenge of measures to preserve peace on the eve of the new millennium. I am particularly pleased and grateful that the Secretary-General has been kind enough to agree to deliver the opening address in Austria.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“These include protection from drug abuse, the struggle against crime, questions on the use and control of nuclear power and on the preservation of the system for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons - all of these are major activities of the United Nations at Vienna, as is international cooperation on outer space and on the promotion of international industrial development. Following recent political changes, important new areas for United Nations activities have emerged in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Vienna sees itself as an important point for coordinating activities to support and assist those States as they move towards democracy, a state of law and a market economy. On the eve of its fiftieth anniversary, the United Nations currently has more than 70,000 people in 17 different peace-keeping operations.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The unanimous statements made by Prime Minister Berlusconi, Foreign Minister Martino and Interior Minister Maroni that they would not touch the autonomy of southern Tyrol seem to us to be a guarantee that we shall continue on the same road. Austria is proud, as one of the headquarters countries of the United Nations, to host a number of important programmes that meet the immediate interests of the individual and also have a decisive impact on international relations.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The solution that was agreed to by both sides was to establish relatively comprehensive autonomy in southern Tyrol. This seemed on the whole to be an adequate basis for ensuring the continued existence of the German- speaking and Ladino minorities. 13 Given the constant changes in the atmosphere - particularly the economic and financial atmosphere - there has to be a dynamic autonomy if its objective is to be attained. This will require ongoing flexibility and understanding on the part of the relevant authorities. A solution to the minorities problem on the basis of territorial autonomy must, over the long term, aim at ensuring that all those who live together under the same roof view such autonomy as a positive thing that protects their respective interests.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“I would also hail President Izetbegovic´ of Bosnia and Herzegovina who, with great self-discipline and in a very constructive spirit, has accepted to speak with those who are committing a kind of genocide against his people. This is remarkable conduct from an extraordinary individual. The effective protection of minorities involves great difficulties in many countries. I am pleased to be able to inform the Assembly that, in 1992, Austria and Italy were able to resolve their dispute over the Southern Tyrol. The dispute related to the implementation of the 1946 Treaty of Paris on the situation of the German-speaking and Ladino-speaking populations in Southern Tyrol. It was also dealt with in General Assembly resolutions 1497 (XV) and 1661 (XVI), adopted at the fifteenth and sixteenth sessions respectively.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“History teaches us that we must resolutely oppose all flagrant violations of human rights, such as genocide in the Nazi concentration camps or by the Khmer Rouge, as soon as they are brought to light. This makes it all the more difficult to understand that the resolution adopted by the United Nations Conference on Human Rights relating to Bosnia and Herzegovina has remained a dead letter, thereby jeopardizing the credibility of our world Organization. In this connection, I wish to pay a particular tribute to Mr. Tadeusz Mazowiecki, former Prime Minister of Poland and Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights, for his excellent work, of which the world community should be proud.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“It seems to us a matter of priority to promote coordination of international protection of human rights within the United Nations system, and in this the High Commissioner will, of course, have a determining role to play. We should also strengthen the various mechanisms for protecting human rights, as well as the role of the Special Rapporteurs. This should make it possible to react more quickly to violations of human rights and to prevent them more effectively. The resources needed for the High Commissioner’s work should be provided as soon as possible. Effective protection of human rights is not only a duty towards each individual; it is also an essential contribution to ensuring stability, development and security.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“While we can be pleased with the outcome of the World Conference on Human Rights, the lasting impact of the final document of Vienna will none the less be measured by the continuing will of the community of nations to give effect to its provisions more rapidly and to guarantee them more effectively than in the past. A crucial role is to be played in this connection by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Austria welcomes the swift implementation of this central provision of the Vienna document. In the few months that he has occupied his post, Mr. José Ayala Lasso has fully lived up to the expectations arising out of his difficult and important mandate. His official visit to Vienna began a dialogue with all Governments.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The task of the United Nations is to draw the necessary conclusions from the results of these conferences and to define the outlines of sustainable human development at the world level. The Secretary- General’s reports, "An Agenda for Peace" and "Agenda for Development", are essential elements in a discussion that has already led to a broader understanding of the idea of security. The protection and promotion of human rights is one of the central tasks of the United Nations. The accomplishment of this task has benefited from the vital impetus provided by the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“As one of the 20 countries that, in 1994, paid their full contribution in a timely fashion to the regular budget of the United Nations, and as a regular participant in peace-keeping operations, Austria will, along with the Secretariat and other interested delegations, seek a solution to this difficult problem. On the eve of its fiftieth anniversary the United Nations faces new challenges at the world level. Sustainable development, the monitoring of world population growth, the elimination of poverty, the creation of opportunities for productive employment, social integration, equality for women, better protection of human rights, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons - all are major themes of our era and have been or will be the subject of international conferences.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“A solid financial basis is absolutely vital to the effective discharge of the United Nations mission. Non- payment or late payment of mandatory contributions by Member States is a violation of the Charter and of the duty of international solidarity. The burden thus created falls, above all, on those Members that are called good 12 payers and those that provide troops, expenditures that are reimbursed by the United Nations only after considerable delay. This chronic problem, which is getting worse, can be resolved only by timely and full payment of mandatory contributions by all Member States.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Every Member of the United Nations must be able to see and understand how views develop within that body. They must all be able to feel sure that discussions in the Council take account of the views of interested countries, for example, countries contributing troops for peace-keeping operations. The importance of the United Nations must be preserved and developed, not only as a system for the maintenance of international peace and security, but also as a forum for discussion and an instrument for coordination at the global level. On the first point, much remains to be done. In the social and economic sphere and in the field of development, important progress has been made, notably with the reform of the Economic and Social Council, which has permitted better guidance of operational activities for development.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“I believe it must be a priority to strengthen the world Organization in the spirit of Article 1 of the Charter, so that it can effectively carry out its mission of maintaining international peace and security. Let us also recall here the words of the great philosopher, Sir Karl Popper, recently deceased, who wrote: "Our primary objective must be peace. But we must not hesitate to wage war for peace." We have given the United Nations the responsibility of deciding when to use force to preserve peace. This weighty responsibility has to be exercised when necessary. The Security Council is of paramount importance in preserving peace in the world. In order to maintain and strengthen the legitimacy and effectiveness of the Security Council, Austria advocates a slight increase in its membership.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Allow me to congratulate the President sincerely on his election to preside over the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly. I am particularly pleased to see a representative of a French-speaking African country occupy this important position. We trust that the forty-ninth session will, under his enlightened leadership, pay special attention to the political, economic and social problems facing his continent, so sorely tried over these last few years. Next year the United Nations will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary with a series of activities throughout the world. The image of the United Nations in the eyes of world public opinion will depend largely on its status, on the extent to which it has remained faithful, 50 years after its founding, to the principles of the San Francisco Charter, which are still valid.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“In his declaration of principle before this year’s session of the Economic and Social Council, the Secretary-General underscored the historic opportunity which the simultaneous structural reform and redefinition of United Nations policy offer for the United Nations Member States. The crucial test for the new United Nations will be the implementation of this "Agenda for the People".”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“After all, the United Nations mandate covers the full range of human experience: political, economic, social and cultural. The "Agenda for the People", as Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali so fittingly called it, is in fact the true challenge facing the United Nations as the twentieth century draws to a close. Large conferences such as those in Rio, Vienna, Cairo, Beijing and Copenhagen should give global answers to global issues. And no matter what the event - be it the Earth Summit, the Conference on Human Rights, the Conference on Population and Development, the Conference on Women or the World Social Conference - the focus should always be on the individual human being and his or her development and membership in the community.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Special emphasis will be placed on the following tasks: sustainable development, the protection of human rights and the rights of national and ethnic minorities, humanitarian relief and the development of democracy. In this age of interdependence, our efforts to secure peace globally and collectively cannot be limited to peace-keeping operations; they must also include economic and social developments. Hunger, underdevelopment, pollution, crime, drug abuse and refugee flows all pose equally serious threats to global stability and thus to world peace. The increasingly global nature of these dangers requires concerted international cooperation. The United Nations is the ideal forum to engage in the quest for sustainable development, that is, development which is compatible with ecological and social concerns.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“To this end, a training centre for civilian peace-keeping and peace-building has been set up in Schlaining, Burgenland, with the support of the Federal Government. In September of this year the first fellowship programme devoted to "peace-making and preventive diplomacy" was held there, a programme organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR); it was impressive in the quality of both its speakers and its participants. The successful International Peace Academy seminars on conflict resolution should also be mentioned in this regard. In cooperation with the United Nations, national and international experts will be trained in Schlaining in the civilian responsibilities of the United Nations peace operations.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“In keeping with the Secretary-General’s "Agenda for Peace", the Austrian Federal Government decided on 25 May of this year to lay the necessary groundwork on a national level to put Austrian participation in United Nations peace operations on a new legal footing. We will now be able to comply more quickly and efficiently with future requests by the United Nations and regional organizations and with the military, police and civilian requirements they entail. To be more specific, there will be an initial phase for the setting up of a disaster relief service, a mechanism for seconding staff to the United Nations Secretariat, a staff course for high-level officers, police actions and humanitarian and disaster relief. Austria is especially interested in the civilian components of peace-keeping operations.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The purpose of the large-scale international manoeuvres called "Exercise 93", recently conducted by the United Nations in Austria with great success, was to achieve the optimum management and coordination of military and civilian organizations in responding to disasters. As things stand now, election assistance and monitoring, the protection of human rights, disaster assistance, reconstruction aid, humanitarian relief and tasks of a similar nature are already considered integral parts of the new United Nations peace operations, to be put into effect as soon as hostilities cease. Austria heartily welcomes this new development, having itself sent troops, military observers, police or Forty-eighth session - 1 October l993 11 civilian experts to 12 of the 21 new United Nations operations since 1988.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“It is now up to the Member States to give the Secretary-General the resources he needs to carry out his ambitious plans. It is obvious that more security requires greater solidarity and increased contributions, whether in the form of troops or of higher membership payments. Given the current back payments still due, the first priority must be to motivate late payers to send in their contributions on time. Austria takes its obligations very seriously and is proud of having always fulfilled them on time. The increasing consensus within the Security Council and its new decision-making capability have contributed to the quantitative and qualitative expansion of peace-keeping operations and to an increasing variety of needs by the community of nations for troops, officers, civilian police and civilian experts.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“In 1992 the costs for these United Nations missions soared to $2.1 billion - twice the regular United Nations budget - pushing the Organization to its limits under the current financing arrangement. New approaches must be found to finance these United Nations actions. The Volcker-Ogata report, "Financing an Effective United Nations", points to financing options which could serve as a valuable basis for the work of the Fifth Committee. The most urgent challenges facing the United Nations today are to develop global collective peace-keeping efforts and to overcome the financial crisis. In his "Agenda for Peace: Preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peace-keeping", the Secretary-General outlines possible approaches to active peace management by the United Nations.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Even with this dispute settled, Austria would like to express its direct interest in helping solve new problems related to matters involving South Tyrol. Given the new spirit in Austrian-Italian relations since the settlement of this dispute, I am confident we will be able to solve any matters relating to autonomy in a manner agreeable to all parties involved. The East-West confrontation has now been replaced by an array of regional armed conflicts. There is an increasing need for United Nations peace-keeping operations and increasing demands are being placed on them. This trend has accelerated in the past 12 months: almost 80,000 soldiers, police, military observers and civilian experts from 75 countries are now involved in the 17 United Nations peace missions around the world.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Last year I was pleased to announce in the General Assembly the official end to the dispute between Austria and Italy regarding the treatment of the German-speaking and Ladin population of South Tyrol, a topic which was the subject of United Nations resolutions 1497 (XV) and 1661 (XVI) and which had been pending before this international body since 1960. A year later I can say that the autonomy established for the German-speaking and Ladin population of South Tyrol appears to be effective in safeguarding the ethnic identity and the economic, social and cultural development of these ethnic groups, though certain problems remain unresolved and new problems have arisen from the dynamics of evolution. The settlement of this dispute in June last year has helped to reduce tensions between the various ethnic groups.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“From this standpoint, the agreement between Israel and Jordan on a framework agreement for peace is an encouraging sign, portending further progress, we hope, in the bilateral negotiations between Israel and Syria and Israel and Lebanon in the very near future. We very much welcome the remarkable success of the United Nations operation in Cambodia. The two co-Presidents of the Conference - France and Indonesia - Japan and Australia, as well as the permanent members of the Security Council, have made an invaluable contribution to the peace process. We also particularly congratulate the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Akashi, and his colleagues, who have assured the success of the operation in the transitional phase.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Austria, which has always been committed to a peaceful settlement in the Middle East, will maintain its support for this cause by actively participating in the international 10 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session assistance measures now being planned. As part of the multilateral negotiations, Austria will seek further ways to make significant contributions in the areas of water and energy resources. Nevertheless, a lasting peace in the region will only be achieved when Israel and the Arab countries conclude treaties based on the principles of land for peace, security and regional cooperation.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“After a period of stagnation, the peace process begun in Madrid in 1991 has been given a vital new impetus with the recent agreement, on 13 September, between Israel and the PLO in Washington. However, the limited powers of self-government for the partitioned areas now agreed to are only an initial step. The ultimate goal must be to achieve full rights of self-determination for the Palestinians as part of a final settlement based on the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and other bodies of the Organization. The pressing task now is to improve the difficult living conditions in the occupied territories through generous economic and financial aid from the world community.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Since the outbreak of the conflict, this relief has been handled primarily by the large-scale private charity appeal "Neighbours in Need", which provides on-site aid for the needy. Several other European countries are also involved in its activities. The Secretary-General’s recent words of praise for its services are sure to inspire its organizers to even greater efforts. Austria, with a population of just 7 million, is also caring for the needs of over 70,000 refugees on its own territory. Though the recent course of events in the former Yugoslavia gives us little cause for optimism, the latest developments in the Middle East fill us with renewed hope.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The expulsion of the long-term missions of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) in July of this year could well lay the groundwork for even more brutal actions by Serbia against the Albanian population. All in all, we are confronted with a situation in which Serbia appears increasingly to be exercising the power of an occupier in a region whose population is almost 90 per cent Albanian and which for decades has enjoyed complete autonomy. Austria stands fully behind the efforts of the international community to bring the Kosovo crisis under control. In the end, a lasting peaceful solution to the Balkans problem is inconceivable without a just and equitable solution for Kosovo and for minorities in other regions. Austria is focusing its efforts on providing humanitarian relief.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Over a fourth of the country remains in the hands of the aggressor, contrary to the Cyrus Vance plan of January 1992, which was endorsed by the Security Council. Neither the demilitarization of these areas to be monitored by United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) troops, nor the return of the civilian populations that have been expelled, has yet been realized. Just a few weeks ago the capital of Croatia was shelled by ground-to-ground missiles fired from areas ostensibly under UNPROFOR protection. Currently overshadowed by the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the situation in Kosovo remains tense. A rational solution is nowhere in sight. If anything, the likelihood of an outbreak of violence has increased in recent days.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“This would lend formal legitimacy to advantages gained by force. The most recently proposed partition plan for the country would seriously undercut its sovereignty by eliminating any effective central authority, in flagrant contradiction of the Security Council’s renewed expression of support for the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 24 August this year. This continuing violation of international law, human rights and humanitarian law puts fundamental principles of international conduct in jeopardy while seriously undermining the reputation of the international organizations involved. The failure of the system of collective security is especially alarming in this regard. The same can be said for the situation in Croatia.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“As a result, the legitimate Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina is in effect being hindered from fully exercising its right to self-defence, under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, without being afforded adequate protection within the framework of a collective security system. Against this backdrop, the proposed peace plans under discussion at the negotiations in Geneva raise a number of fundamental issues. In tenor, they all call for recognizing a status quo established by the use of violence and against all principles and declarations. This fact makes the spread or prolongation of the conflict likely. There is even the danger that Bosnia and Herzegovina, a State Member of the United Nations, will be divided up in a move sanctioned - even encouraged - by the international community.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“In the meantime, there is already evidence Forty-eighth session - 1 October l993 9 that the cruel methods used by the aggressor have been emulated by the victims. Austria has condemned this criminal behaviour in the strongest terms and will tirelessly continue to demand that it cease, no matter where it takes place or who its victims are. Fundamental principles of international order, as they were precisely defined and affirmed at the London Conference in August last year, continue to be grossly disregarded. Specific resolutions, such as the monitoring of frontiers between Bosnia and Serbia or the return of refugees, have still not been implemented. The arms embargo decreed by the Security Council in September 1991 has done nothing but hurt the victims of aggression.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Thus far over 200,000 people have been killed, and another 2 million have been driven from their homes or forced to flee. Entire towns and districts lie in ruins. Several cities have been declared safe areas by the United Nations, but life within them has still not returned to normal. Although the violation of the independence and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and of human rights by the Serbian side, was condemned by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) as early as April of last year, and "ethnic cleansing" has come under the harshest criticism in the world community, there has still been no progress in halting that abominable practice. The most serious violations of human rights continue to be the order of the day.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We have here goals that will have a global impact on the evolution of humanity, even if their implementation is only in the incipient stage. In the past 12 months the situation in the Balkans has deteriorated dramatically. The tireless efforts of the Secretary-General and the peace mediators in Geneva have not yet been able to end the fighting or bring about concrete prospects for a just and peaceful solution in keeping with the values enshrined in the United Nations Charter and in the November 1990 Paris Charter. Despite tremendous achievements by the High Commissioner for Refugees and other humanitarian organizations, and the many thousands of troops in the service of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to claim thousands of lives.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“As a major media event, the Conference also contributed greatly to sensitizing the public around the world to the issue of human rights. In Vienna the human dimension - or, as the United Nations Secretary-General so fittingly called it, the "irreducible human element" - found a firm place on the international political agenda. This has given rise to great expectation among our citizenry and in all of us. It is incumbent upon the members of the international community to keep the promises made in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, for, in the end, the success of the Vienna Human Rights Conference will be measured by whether it was able to reverse the general trend and build communities which provide the individual with a decent human existence complete with civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Without underemphasizing other elements of the Conference’s outcome, I note that the recommendation to create an office of High Commissioner for Human Rights has been highlighted by some eminent speakers, among them United States President Clinton, the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Mr. Kozyrev, and the Norwegian Prime Minister, Mrs. Brundtland. Around the world, we are coming to realize that active protection of minorities is an elementary part of the political and social stability of the countries in which they live, an insurance against regional conflicts. In this spirit, the States meeting at Vienna reaffirmed their commitment to the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, adopted at the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)