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

“We welcome the determination of the President of the United States to fight this cancer of mankind and fully support his recent proposals. As a visible symbol of our commitment to this noble cause I shall today sign the 1988 Vienna Convention on Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Any society will command as much cohesion and stability as its constituent Parts, social changes and transformations have affected, and in some cases even threatened, the basic unit of society.- the family. While family structures greatly vary in different national cultures, there is a general need to strengthen national programmes and international cooperation regarding protection of and support for the family.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The international development strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade must respond to these issues, which are at the centre of our development efforts. While the interrelationship between economic and social development has to be adequately taken into account, a more thorough look at the world social condition, particularly in developing countries, has become necessary. Drug abuse is not only a social problem. It also affects the political and economic stability of nations. This is corroborated by the fact that the annual turn-over of illicit drug trafficking has reached the staggering amount of $US 220 billion. Recent tragic events in several countries constitute a proof of the global character of this problem.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Austria is committed to far-reaching trade liberalization because it believes that this will contribute to stable growth and prosperity among nations. We consider that the successful conclusion of the Uruguay Round could mark the beginning of a new era of global cooperation with increased awareness of mutual interest and shared responsibilities among all nations. The problems connected with the debt burden figure prominently on the international agenda. Their repercussions on the political and social stability of many debtor countries have now become even more visible. Extreme poverty and hunger remain rampant in many countries and regions, in the long term they have to be considered as a serious threat to peace and security.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“In line with our traditional commitment to the principle of universality, Austria has always welcomed the admission of sovereign countries to the world organisation. It is only logical, therefore, that we also support the aspirations of Korea to become a UN member. We are impressed by the efforts of the Central American nations to cope with their regional difficulties. In particular, we welcome the results of the Tela summit, which constitute a concrete step. The linkage between the effective employment of regional responsibilities and of the authority of the UN may become an exemplary case of regional peace-making. The continued imbalances in the world economy remain a source of world-wide Preoccupation.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We regret that the endeavours towards reaching a negotiated solution, including the most recent Paris Conference, so far remain without concrete results. Having recently been entrusted with the presidency of the International Conference on Kampuchea, I shall spare no effort to contribute to the peace process in the region. I look forward to the moment when all Cambodians, in full sovereignty and independence, can open a new chapter in their nation's history. As in Cambodia, in Afghanistan the ongoing hostilities have brought immense suffering upon the population. We strongly support the endeavours of the Secretary-General to initiate a peaceful settlement and the necessary international co-operation for the recovery of that war-torn country.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The recent elections in South Africa without the participation of the black majority have shown one more that the inhumane system of apartheid must be abolished, we hope that the new South African President will undertake the necessary steps without further delay, it is to be emphasized, however, that all steps taken by South Africa must lead to the complete eradication of apartheid, avoiding bloodshed and confrontation. Austria's position with regard to Cambodia has remained unchanged over the years. We have always condemned the abhorrent violation of the most fundamental human rights, but we have also repeatedly stressed that military interventions cannot resolve conflicts. The withdrawal of the Vietnamese troops, which is presently under way, will significantly enhance the chances for a settlement.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Special care and vigilance will be necessary to assure that elections in November can take place in an atmosphere and under conditions which will allow for a plebiscite free from intimidation., Austria has provided a contingent of police officers to participate in the work of the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG). UNTAG deserves our full appreciation of its accomplishes under most difficult conditions. We look forward to welcoming Namibia as an independent nation at next year's session of the General Assembly.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We welcome the recent peace proposal of President Mubarak of Egypt and firmly hope his initiative will be successful. The process towards Namibia's independence for which the UN has accepted special responsibility, together with the UN peace-keeping efforts in areas which have been prey to conflict and bloodshed, exemplify the major role of the UN in settlement of highly sensitive international issues. This process could be a source of inspiration in the search for solution to the Middle east problem. Independence for Namibia in on its way.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“We support the peace plan of the Tripartite High Arab Committee and welcome the results so far achieved. Let me express the hope that this agreement will pave the way at last for a final peaceful settlement. With regard to the Arab-Israeli conflict, we continue to support the idea of an international peace conference under the auspices of the United Nations with the participation of all parties to the conflict, including the Palestinian people. That conference would be the most appropriate instrument for a comprehensive settlement of the conflict. We regret any escalation of violence. The excessive use of force and the continued violations of human rights in the occupied territories have become increasingly intolerable for the international community, which strives more and more for universal respect of human rights.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Nevertheless, we believe that the progress achieved in confidence- and security-building measures within the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) may also be of interest to other regions. Austria is prepared to organize, in co-operation with the United Nations, an international seminar on this subject for which it will also draw on the experience of experts from participating States of the CSCE process. Such a seminar could be held in Austria in 1991. The crisis in Lebanon. with its tragic consequences of continuing bloodshed and victimization of innocent individuals and the civilian population, is a matter of outmost concern to us. We firmly believe that a lasting solution can only he found on the basis of respect for the national unity, territorial integrity and full independence of Lebanon.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“At the same time, international peace-building efforts through programmes of reconstruction, humanitarian aid and decent cooperation are rightly considered a elementary element to the settles of conflicts, such as "operation Life-line" in Sudan. Austria has a long tradition of actively supporting the United Nations in its peace-keeping efforts. More than 28,000 Austrians, roughly every eighth Austrian soldier, have served with United Nations peace-keeping forces during the past30 years. Austria currently participates in seven of the ten United Nations peace-keeping operations. On the basis of our long-term experience in peace-keeping and peacemaking efforts we know that every issue has to be settled on the specific merits and conditions of each region.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“As the economic use of transnational environmental system becomes more competitive, appropriate procedures for dispute settlement will become indispensable. Just as we have become accustomed to Blue Helmets, which have become so useful in peace-keeping, we may express the firm hope that, in the foreseeable future, United Nations "Green Helmets" may engage in the protection of the environment. Solving regional conflict, is a priority task for the community of nations. We are very pleased to see how the United Nations has effectively contributed to peace-making and peacekeeping over the years. In this context, we pay special tribute to the Secretary-General and to the members of the Security Council, where timely decisions on appropriate measures have been taken. They have greatly facilitated the progress made during the past year.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The Basel Convention adopted earlier this year will be an important instrument for protecting human health and environment. There can be little doubt that the current International institutional framework for environment decision-making and enforcement mechanisms requires strengthening. Austria therefore strongly supports all efforts aimed at reinforcing such existing UN structures as the UN environment programme. We believe that the Hague declaration will give strong impetus to internal endeavours in this direction. New legal instruments with regional and global scope may be required. We should review the possibility of drawing up an international environment charter that would set clear guidelines for action.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Austria is faced with the problems of a precarious Alpine environment. Austrians have therefore developed a relatively high degree of environmental awareness reflected in the high standard of Austria's environmental legislation. Hence it is only natural that Austria actively participates in international co-operation on environment, hosting international conferences on such important issues as climatic changes, the use of tropical forests and the protection of the ozone layer. The latter Conference has led to the respective Vienna Convention. We are prepared to play a similarly active role in the elaboration of an international convention on climatic change. We also fully share the concerns of many with regard to the control of trans-boundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“A new and significant field of international law relates to regional and global environmental resource systems, such as international river basins, the oceans, outer space, the polar regions and the atmosphere. Regulating the use and preservation of the global commons has widened the scope of international law in an unprecedented way. Our generation becomes accountable to future generations for this common heritage. The report of the World Commission on Environment and Development provides us with an excellent conceptual framework in this regard both for national policies and for future work on the international level. We are convinced that the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development to be held in 1992 must be based on the concept of sustainable development that has been elaborated in the report.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“I also wish to appeal to the Government of Romania fully to apply the mechanism in the field of human rights provided by the Vienna Concluding Document. The Paris meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE in May of this year offered a welcome opportunity to review progress regarding the implementation by the participating States of their human rights commitments. On that occasion I made reference, inter alia, to the question of the Islamic community in Bulgaria. Let me express the hope that a negotiated solution of that problem can be found in the near future. We wholeheartedly welcome the emphasis placed on human rights and fundamental freedoms by the members of the Non-Aligned Movement at their recent summit conference in Belgrade.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The adoption of the so-called mechanism of the human dimension of the C5CS might be regarded as the starting point for an all-European system for the promotion of human rights. However, the deteriorating situation of ethnic and religious minorities in certain European States since the adoption of the Vienna Concluding document clearly shows the wide gap between commitments and realities in this field, as history has amply demonstrated, citizens will identify with their Governments only to the extent that basic rights and freedoms are guaranteed. May I suggest that the competent United Nations bodies study the relevant CSCE procedures with a view to their possible application on a universal level.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Wherever basic human rights and fundamental freedoms are denied to the individual human being, peace is in danger. All endeavours to strengthen the role of international law with regard to human rights rely on the recognition of the principle that human rights are obligations under international law, a principle that can now be considered as universally recognized. Today, therefore, no State can any longer claim that international concern regarding its human rights situation is an interference in internal affairs. On the basis of that principle an important step has been taken within the European framework by including further humanitarian commitments in the Vienna Concluding Document of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE).”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The fundamentally positive changes in East-West relations, as reflected in the recent talks between President Bush, Secretary of State Baker and Foreign Minister Shevardnadze, give rise to expectations that disarmament diplomacy has entered a new phase, a phase in which further concrete results are within reach. Accepting the supremacy of law in international relations must lead also to the strengthening of international judiciary bodies. The attention of the members of the international community must therefore be focused on the possibilities for dispute settlement offered by the International Court of Justice and the need for States to accept its compulsory jurisdiction. International peace and security, the most noble aim of the Charter, cannot be achieved if internal peace in Member States is in jeopardy.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The adoption of conventions against terrorism by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, and the international Maritime Organization (IMO) as well as the various general assembly and Security Council resolutions, are steps in the right direction. International law has reacted to the steadily advancing weapons technology, for instance by outlawing certain categories of weapons or by reducing the availability of particularly harmful arms. We fully support initiatives related to the limitation or prohibition of nuclear, chemical and bacteriological weapons.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“Originally limited to regulating how and when to use force for Pursuing a country's legitimate claims, it has increasingly introduced other and more peaceful means of settling international conflicts. Three and a half centuries after Hugo Grotius, the famous Dutch philosopher, founded the modern concept of international law, the United Nations Charter now outlaws the use of military force in international relations. However, the use of force has not remained the exclusive domain of States. Today, the international community must therefore strengthen its efforts to combat new forms of violence such as terrorism.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“The progress achieved towards peaceful solutions to many of the regional issues testifies to the manifold efforts and accomplishments of the Secretary-General and his dedicated staff. This is once more an age of profound changes. Never before in history has our civilization faced such challenges. During the past 100 years the society of nations has moved from international relations to international cooperation, to ever more international administration and management. A system originally based on the use of force has become increasingly characterized by the use of diplomacy, with an ever-more-important role for international law. In fact, the changes in the role of law in international relations have been impressive.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“It is with great pleasure, Sir, that I congratulate you on your election to the presidency of this General Assembly. This is an expression of esteem for you as well as for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a country which has assumed a significant role in regional and international affairs. May I wish you every success in carrying out your important task. I also wish to convey our sincere appreciation to your predecessor, Mr. Dante Caputo, former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Argentina, for the skilful leadership of our deliberations during the forty-third session of the General Assembly. Permit me to pay a special tribute to the Secretary-General for his sacrificing and tireless service to the community of nations.”
1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)
“It is our primary task to perform pragmatic and efficient day-to-day work. This should not, however, preclude our having a vision of the future. We must combine our forces in order jointly to master the challenges of the future. Therefore I should like to end my statement with some appropriate lines by Alfred Lord Tennyson: "We dip into the future, far as human eyes can see. See the vision of the world and all the wonder that shall be. Hear the war-drum throb no longer, see the battle flags all furled in the parliament of man, the federation of the world."”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“I am pleased to recall at this point Austria's active contribution to the elaboration of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, which we have ratified, and of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer, which we have signed recently. Austria has also hosted several high-ranking scientific meetings under the auspices of the United Nations Environmental Programme, the World Meteorological Organization and the International Council for Scientific Unions on carbon dioxide emissions, which reflects our grave concern about the climatic changes. We hope that the elaboration of a protocol on the control and redaction of nitrogen oxide emissions will take us another important step forward in the implementation of the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“We welcome in this context the initiative of the Norwegian Government concerning the holding in 1990, in co-operatic with the Economic Commission for Europe, of a regional conference at the ministerial level to review the process of the ongoing work in this field. Dramatic changes in our environment - such as the depletion of the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect, to mention only two of the most serious environmental problems of global dimension - may seriously threaten mankind's very existence. Concerted action is called for if we want to maintain or restore the ecological balance of our globe.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The environment has been a top-ranking issue on our agenda for many years. The rapid deterioration of our environment has created a new sense of responsibility for the environmental consequences of our activities. In the past year the report of the Brundtland Commission has been instrumental in raising the level of global consciousness of the interrelation of environment and development and the imperative need for making the transition towards sustainable development. Austria strongly supports an effective follow-up of this report within the global and regional framework of the United Nations system.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Austria attaches great importance to the success of the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development, 1986-1990, which is based on a new and realistic policy consensus. However, as the Secretary-General pointed out in his valuable report for the recent session of the Ad Hoc Committee which undertook a mid-term review of the Programme, the continuing gravity of the economic situation in Africa requires further urgent: measures. The successful outcome of this session should provide an important impetus for the future. Its assessment and recommendations reflect the urgent need as well as the willingness of its participants to undertake further efforts to implement the Programme and to assist African States, many of which have instituted commendable and courageous reform measures.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The recommendations of the Toronto summit meeting in favour of the poorest debtor countries constitute an important act of solidarity. Austria will fully support them. The necessary adjustment in a changing world economy aggravated by the debt burden requires adequate financing. The international financial institutions are to be given credit for their pace-making role in this context. The capital increase of the World Bank and the African Development Bank, the establishment of the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility and, roost recently, the Compensatory and Contingency Financing Facility of the International Monetary Fund, provide the needed financial basis for the most urgent remedies. In addition, they ate of utmost importance as a signal to private capital markets, encouraging them to join the common efforts.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Protectionism is nothing less than the unjustifiable refusal to make necessary adjustments in current changes in the world economy, such as technical development, structural imbalances of demand and supply and, last but not least, the appearance of new prospects. The raid-term review of the Uruguay-Round will, we hope, enable ministers to spur on negotiations in this spirit. As concerns the continuing debt problem of a large number of countries, Austria commends and further encourages measures such as improved debt rescheduling with official creditors, innovative debt arrangements with private creditors, and national policies vigorously mobilizing national and international resources by enhancing confidence, creditworthiness, market access and new investment.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Although much of the work of implementing the principles still remains to be done, the common acceptance of these principles in itself constitutes important progress. A tangible expression of economic Interdependence is international trade. A large part of world trade has been liberalized in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The changing realities and the Impressive gain of importance of new trade flows and sectors, however, continue to pose considerable challenges. The ambitious goal of the Uruguay Round of opening up markets in a series of new fields and of effectively combating all forms of protectionism is highly valued by Austria.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The situation in Central America has been on our agenda for a number of years. The problems of the area ate still far from any agreed comprehensive solution. We all know that only pluralistic democratic societies closely co-operating in the spirit of good-neighbourliness can successfully address the underlying social and economic problems of the region. The United Nations remains the only comprehensive international forum for co-operation on economic and interrelated matters. The effective potential of international economic co-operation has clearly been demonstrated by the success of the seventh session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, where a comprehensive and far-reaching political consensus on guiding economic principles has been achieved.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“We are convinced that only the eradication of apartheid can lead to a peaceful solution. As far as the situation in Kampuchea is concerned, 1988 brought some progress in the search for a political solution. The Jakarta informal meeting provided for the first time a framework for informal discussions among the parties directly involved and other concerned countries. There seems to be a sincere willingness on all sides to identify areas of common ground, and agreement to solve the Kampuchean problem through negotiations. Notwithstanding the progress made, there is however still a long way to go. Therefore, the International Conference on Kampuchea, chaired by Leopold Gratz, President of the Austrian Parliament, could be a useful forum for activities designed to assist the parties involved.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Ten years after the adoption of Security Council resolution 435 (1978), the people of Namibia may well enter a new phase of their history, joining the community of sovereign nations. The independence of Namibia, for which the United Nations has accepted special responsibility, would be a prime achievement. As far as the United Nations Transition Assistance Group is concerned, Austria is prepared to participate with a police contingent and would consider making additional personnel available for other tasks related to the transition of Namibia to independence. In this connection, it is not necessary to reiterate that Austria remains fully committed to the cause of freedom and dignity for the people of southern Africa. Austria strongly rejects and firmly condemns apartheid.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“In the view of my Government, the only way to arrive at a just and lasting solution is by convening an international peace conference on the Middle East under the auspices of the United Nations, taking into account the necessity of withdrawal from occupied territories and the respect for the right of all States to exist within secure and internationally recognized boundaries. The recent developments in the area should bring new momentum into the search for peace and allow the Palestinian people, as represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization, finally to play its legitimate role in this endeavour. Forty years after the establishment of the State of Israel provided for in resolution 181 (II), we might finally witness the Palestinian Arab people create their own State.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“On the contrary, the events in the occupied territories in recent months and the deplorable behaviour of the occupying Power have once again focused world attention on the urgent need to achieve a just and lasting settlement. The situation remains volatile. Stability in the region is further threatened by the continuous build-up and increasing sophistication of armaments. In order to decrease mutual fear and suspicion, all States in the area should accede to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and should submit all their nuclear facilities to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards regime.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“The fact that the respective measures are being carried out in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 1497 (XV) and 1661 (XVI) underlines the importance of the United Nations as a peace-generating force. This is a year of hope. We have witnessed a number of major and quite unexpected breakthroughs as regards the resolution of regional conflicts. I have already mentioned them. The United Nations has thus shown the world that it is not altogether unrealistic to hope for peaceful solutions to international conflicts. While there is promising progress in certain areas, the situation in the Middle East has unfortunately not improved since the last session of the General Assembly.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“On 13 May 1988 the Italian Government approved certain measures to implement the package, including the granting of equal status for the use of the German language before court and police authorities, which is of fundamental importance for the protection of the German-speaking minority. Austria assumes that the relevant decree, and two other regulations that still require the approval of the Italian Parliament, will soon come into force. If we succeed in solving the outstanding questions, with a view to completing and safeguarding the autonomy of South Tyrol, we will also further enhance the ability of all ethnic groups to live together in a small but sensitive part of Europe, which has suffered many conflicts throughout its history.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Our bilateral relations also have been deepening continuously during the last year, and their present state can be described as excellent. Following the tradition of past years, I would like, however, to state that the political importance of the South-Tyrol question in Austro-Italian relations remains unchanged. On the basis of the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly adopted in I960 and 1961, Austria and Italy agreed, in 1969, on a new arrangement for South Tyrol's autonomy. Whereas, in past years, Austria was compelled to express its concern about the delays in the realization of the so-called "package" of 1969, I am now in a position to report important and substantial progress, which brings this long-lasting dispute closer to solution.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“In this respect a rapid conclusion of the Vienna meeting would also be of great importance. Given its specific geopolitical position and its deeply rooted commitment to democracy and to the observance of human rights, Austria's European policy is guided by two priorities. On the one hand we pursue our traditional policy of good-neighbourliness towards our Eastern European friends, with whom we maintain close and friendly relations. On the other hand, Austria is traditionally deeply involved in the ongoing European integration process. Therefore we are striving for full participation in the emerging unified internal market of the European Communities. Moreover, we do not exclude the option of future membership, while maintaining our status of permanent neutrality. Now I would like to say some words on our relations with Italy.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“We hope that this opportunity will be seized. It would reinforce the credibility and dynamism of the Conference by contributing to fuller implementation of past commitments and by providing for a programme of new reforms and areas of co-operation. Concrete new provisions should make possible the removal of more of the barriers between the peoples of East and West. The enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the ability to meet and communicate freely with one another, continue to be vital to the attainment of the Europe we are aiming for. Negotiations on confidence- and security-building measures, as well as on conventional forces, are to be part of the outcome of the Vienna meeting. We are conscious of an increasing awareness of the urgent need to address the existing imbalances in conventional forces in Europe.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Austria is actively following those efforts and is co-operating in the work of the Conference. I remind the Assembly that Austria is a candidate for membership of that important body, which, in disarmament matters, acts as the trustee of the international community. Finally, as a signatory to the Geneva Protocol of 1925, my country notes with interest the United States proposal to convene a meeting of all the signatories to that document. The third follow-up meeting of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, currently taking place in Vienna, has entered its final phase. By now, there is a realistic chance of consensus. In the coming weeks, among the 35 participating States on a substantial concluding document - consensus based on the important proposals offered by the neutral and non-aligned countries.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Vienna already hosts the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has at its disposal highly qualified experts in the field of monitoring and verification. We should take advantage of that. In this context, I wish to refer to the statement I made on 14 April at the Conference on Disarmament. I referred to the need for all States to provide, at the earliest possible date, detailed Information on their actual arsenals, their chemical-weapons production facilities, and all other chemical-industry facilities that might fall under the future chemical weapons convention. The Austrian delegation, in consultation with other delegations, intends to pursue an initiative in that respect. The Conference on Disarmament, in Geneva, has done essential work in drafting such a convention.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“I shall therefore, restrict myself to one particularly urgent question: the conclusion of a chemical weapons convention. The co-operation of the chemical industries in all countries and the readiness of all States possessing chemical weapons to destroy their stocks under appropriate international verification and renounce their future production or acquisition, are essential elements in that endeavour. Austria attaches the highest priority to the comprehensive and verifiable elimination of chemical weapons. With a view to contributing to the realisation of that aim, I recall that Austria is ready and would be pleased to be the host to a new mechanism to be established by the chemical weapons convention.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Similar considerations are valid in respect of the crime prevention and social research areas of the Secretariat. We witness a growing awareness of global social dimensions, especially with regard to the interrelationship of economic and social progress. Social policies and social development must be at the heart of our concerns in the years to come. The capacity of the United Nations to respond to the increasingly important challenges of social concerns, the advancement of women, youth-related questions and questions of the elderly or disabled, must be further consolidated and strengthened. A further important topic at each session of the General Assembly is disarmament and arms control, issues which I addressed quite recently in my statement on 2 June this year at the third special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Related to the issue of human rights is the struggle against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking. In June of last year a World Conference on the issue was convened in Vienna. The participating States decided upon a comprehensive strategy document and issued a declaration. Work is at present under way on drafting a new convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The convention will be finalized at a conference of plenipotentiaries to be held in Vienna in December. Thus, important signals are being given that the international community considers the fight against drugs a priority area of international co-operation. At the same time, however, we must take care that the United Nations bodies dealing with drug abuse control which have to take on additional responsibilities are adequately staffed.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“To our most sincere regret there are cases - unfortunately, in Europe, too - where policies are put into effect which are designed to stifle the economic, social and, in particular, cultural development of persons belonging to minorities, leaving many of them no other choice than to seek refuge in foreign countries. Austria deplores such developments, which in fact are leading to the destruction of centuries-old cultures. Uprooting minorities, apart from the human suffering it entails, will further diminish our common cultural heritage. I wish to express the sincere hope of the Austrian Government that such policies will be reconsidered by those responsible for them, in the spirit of good-neighbourliness. We believe that the Third Committee ought to address this issue.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“In order to facilitate concerted action by the international community in this field, the 1981 Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination based on Religion or Belief should be supplemented by a binding international instrument. The freedom of minorities of all kinds - ethnic, religious or linguistic - to preserve their specific heritage is another important human rights issue. Such minorities should be regarded not as elements for friction within a State or between States, but, on the contrary, as an enrichment of the States in which they live, as bridges between nations.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“Since we believe in the universality of human rights, I should like to suggest that such a system of preventive visits be created on a global basis. Regrettably, intolerance, discrimination and even persecution on the grounds of religion or belief, continue in today's world on a large scale. Freedom of religion and belief is, however, a central element in the freedom of the human being. Where this freedom is denied all other fundamental freedoms are in danger. In this context, we place a high value on and consider important the inter-confessional dialogue, based as it is on recognition of the inherent dignity of the human person, as a means further to strengthen human rights.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)
“It is precisely when a person is totally in the power of others that the worst human rights abuses occur: flagrant denial of all human values, ranging from disrespect for the individual's personal dignity through different stages of degrading, inhuman and cruel treatment to the most atrocious and sophisticated means of physical and mental abuse, and finally to the deliberate action of human life. The entry into force of the Convention against torture, to which Austria has become a party, is certainly a major step forward in combating that particularly serious and, regrettably, widespread violation of human dignity. A convention against torture has been elaborated within the Council of Europe providing for a system of periodic visits by independent experts to places of detention or imprisonment.”
1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)