YouSaid · the spoken record

Abdus Samad Azad

lines on the record: 78
first: 1996-09-24
most recent: 1998-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
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

“The United Nations has had its share of failures, which so often seem much more glaring than its quiet successes. There can be no doubt that it remains the sole universal platform for humanity to chart its future in the new millennium.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“This Assembly session should be our outreach into the future. The end of all political efforts, as a former United Nations Secretary-General once observed, must be the well- being of the individual in a life of safety and freedom. This is a goal to which no one is averse. It is also something that no nation can achieve on its own in a world that is increasingly interdependent. Peace and security and development in a real sense are indivisible. Despite the increasing complexities it faces every day, the United Nations is functioning today more effectively and efficiently than before. In recent times it has played a far more constructive and positive role. The United Nations, of course, has its critics and, indeed, may even benefit from constructive criticism. There is always scope for change and improvement.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Despite shortcomings, the Court is a milestone in United Nations history. Bangladesh attaches great importance to the coordinated and integrated follow-up to the decisions taken at the major United Nations conferences of the 1990s, as an area which contributes effectively to the reform process. We believe that the outcomes of these conferences provide the international community with the 30 most important opportunity to ensure a better life for the peoples of the world at the outset of the twenty-first century. In particular, we call for concerted efforts to ensure the success of the special session of the General Assembly next June for the follow-up to the Cairo population conference. We also welcome the proposed millennium Assembly session and hope that it will look into the issues that will challenge us in the coming decades.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“For the past five years we have been discussing the issue of Security Council reform and expansion. We have articulated our particular concerns in different working groups and forums. At the recent Non-Aligned Movement summit in Durban, the Movementâs collective position was reaffirmed. I would also stress that it is the weaker and more vulnerable group of countries that has the most vital stake in a dynamic and effective United Nations and its Security Council. These countries constitute a clear majority among the 185 Member States, and their concerns should not be overlooked or glossed over in any reform or restructuring exercise. While stalemate continues in this area, we are pleased that an International Criminal Court has seen the light of the day after so many years of efforts.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“It was a pity to observe that consensus could not be reached in the Conference on Disarmament to set up an ad hoc committee for nuclear disarmament. Last year, our Secretary-General submitted to the General Assembly a package of reform proposals to make the United Nations more streamlined and attuned to present-day problems and realities. Some major decisions were, in fact, adopted by the fifty-second session on the basis of these proposals. This session of the Assembly, we believe, will continue the reform process, resolving in particular the issues relating to the development account, results-based budgeting and the so-called sunset clause. Reforms have, by definition, to be a continual process. The United Nations has to be adapted to new conditions and problems. On this there can be no two opinions.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In this connection, the initiative of Bangladeshâs Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed to minimize tensions in the region through personal visits and by urging all concerned to contribute towards strengthening peace in South Asia and the world has been widely appreciated. We attach great importance and priority to our relations with our neighbouring countries. We are happy at the announcement of moratoriums on further nuclear testing, and we remain committed to the goal of a nuclear- weapons-free world. We believe that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), to which Bangladesh is a party, provide useful frameworks for establishing a nuclear-weapons-free world.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The problem of Afghanistan can only be resolved by the Afghan people themselves, without outside interference. In such cases, we believe in the significant role that the United Nations can play as a peace-builder. In the area of arms control and disarmament, some noteworthy progress has been made. The Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel landmines will soon come into force. We welcome the decision of the Conference on Disarmament to set up committees on security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States and also on fissile materials. For Bangladesh, the pursuit of general and complete disarmament is a constitutional commitment, and we are ready to support any and every move that contributes to this objective. The nuclear tests in South Asia have been the subject of much debate, discussion and concern.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Bangladesh strongly believes that nothing should be allowed to thwart the peace process. We would urge that every moral pressure and persuasion be brought to bear upon the Israeli authorities so that the peace process can progress to its logical culmination. We look forward to the early establishment of an independent, sovereign State of Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital, and to its full membership of the United Nations. The cause of the sufferings of our brothers and sisters in many African countries, particularly in the Great Lakes region, needs to be addressed more comprehensively. The recent plight of the people of Kosovo is a stark reminder of the not-so-distant events of Bosnia. Peace initiatives in Afghanistan have yet to make any headway. Peace in that country has to be built from within.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The Secretary- General has been requested to submit a draft declaration and programme of action on the culture of peace to this session. We hope it will be possible for the General Assembly to adopt these documents at the earliest opportunity. We are particularly concerned that hopes for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East are yet to be fulfilled. The framework for such a peace exists in the relevant Security Council resolutions, the principles of the Madrid Conference and the Oslo accords. The principle of land for peace has been accepted by all, and yet our Palestinian brethren continue to be frustrated in their hopes and aspirations. New settlements, expansion of the Jerusalem municipal area and large-scale internment of Palestinians without fair trial cannot promote the cause of peace.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“As the Secretary-General has noted in his annual report, the world has been free from large-scale regional conflict over the past year. Peace on a global scale and in a meaningful sense, however, still remains a distant goal. The post-cold-war reality underscores that we need to build a culture of peace based on the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and on respect for human rights, democracy, tolerance and wider and equal participation of people in all spheres of human activity. We welcome the proclamation of the year 2000 as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the 29 proposed proclamation of the period 2001 to 2010 as the international decade for the culture of peace and non- violence for the children of the world.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The situation in the least developed countries in particular makes it clear that the eradication of poverty continues to be our overriding concern. It is essential to ensure long-term global security, as well as to achieve sustainable, economic and social development. We believe that the goal of the Microcredit Summit held last year, to reach 100 million of the worldâs poorest families, especially the women of those families, will become a reality by the year 2005. Effective microcredit programmes provide access to small capital to people living in poverty in many countries of the world. In addition to the eradication of poverty, the microcredit programmes have also been contributing to the social and human development process, particularly the empowerment of women.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The ministerial communiquÃ© issued after the 1998 substantive session of the Economic and Social Council underscored certain timely issues. In particular, I would mention the call for working together for enhanced market access for the least developed countries and to support their efforts at capacity-building. We also welcome the call for further progress towards zero tariff on exports from least developed countries. Preferential treatment accorded to least developed countries should not be time-bound. The restrictive trade regimes of labour and environmental standards should be made flexible. We need to adequately prepare to address these and other relevant issues in the forthcoming Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, to be held in 2001.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“An integral component of the globalization process is unfettered movement of the factors of production, including capital and labour. We need to encourage migration of labour in order to ensure balance in globalization. Official development assistance in real terms has declined by more than 15 per cent from 1992 to 1996. This decline must be halted and reversed. For the poorest and more vulnerable economies, official development assistance remains indispensable. We call on all developed countries to reach the agreed target of 0.7 per cent for the developing countries and 0.15 to 0.2 per cent for the least developed countries as soon as possible, preferably by 2000. The least developed countries represent the most vulnerable economies and peoples of the world.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The process of globalization and liberalization brings risks, grave challenges and opportunities, but in unequal ways. The external economic shocks associated with this process are too powerful for the vulnerable economies to absorb. This is now being recognized even by the beneficiaries of globalization. As has been said, the globalization process must reflect a more inclusive vision of shared interests and shared values. We would support the views of the Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that a global economy should mean that no one will be left behind. We need to ensure that the process of globalization and liberalization meets our development needs. We need to formulate a positive and workable agenda for ensuring that globalization promotes equity and benefit for all.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We are therefore very pleased that at the recent summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Durban, the heads of State and Government endorsed our Prime Minsterâs proposal that consideration be given to the preparation of a convention on the right to development. At home we have also embarked on a comprehensive programme of reform and deregulation. Social development has remained the main focus of our development strategy. Education, health care, employment generation and womenâs empowerment within the broad framework of human development continue to receive priority attention. We are focusing on the rights of women and children. The role and involvement of civil society in our development efforts, particularly in the social sector, have been remarkable.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We are in the process of setting up an independent national 28 human rights commission. Our objective is to take the human rights issue to the grass-roots level, to increase awareness among our people of their rights that have been guaranteed by our Constitution and to make the process of justice accessible and affordable to all. A lot remains to be done, and we have made a good beginning. Bangladesh believes in the centrality of the right to development within the human rights regime. The implementation of the right to development will be further enhanced through a binding international treaty on this right.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Since assuming office following elections in June 1996, our Government has been trying to put in place and strengthen institutions and laws that will reinforce democracy and promote good governance. In December last year, we negotiated an end to the long-standing problem in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Chittagong Hill Tracts Agreement was concluded within the framework of our Constitution, and it fully meets the legitimate concerns of the tribal population. We are now putting into place the necessary laws and institutional machinery pertaining to the Agreement and widening developmental activities in the area. My Government welcomes cooperation in this effort from all our development partners. Our commitment to democracy and the rule of law has prompted us to accord priority to human rights.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The report cautions that the human consequences of global warming can be devastating for many poor countries like Bangladesh, which could see its land area shrunk by as much as 17 per cent with a one metre rise in sea level. Elements and factors that affect the global ecosystem and the environment are interlinked. They transcend national frontiers and can be addressed meaningfully only by nations acting in concert. It is a matter of survival for many peoples, and the highest priority should be given to this issue. We have come a long way since Rio, and yet, very few tangible benefits have been achieved in the absence of promised new and additional resources.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“I reiterate here the appeal made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the generous and continuing support of the international community to Bangladesh in the coming days. Floods are not unknown in Bangladesh. Flooding as we have been experiencing this year is unprecedented both in magnitude and duration. The Secretary-General in his annual report has referred to threats to human security, including natural disasters. Indeed, of all natural disasters floods cause the most widespread havoc and misery. Bangladesh, of course, is not the only country to have suffered severe flooding this monsoon season. The cause of this yearâs floods may well be complex. We cannot help but be perturbed, however, by the observation in the Human Development Report of this year that global warming could permanently flood large areas and play havoc with harvests.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The enormous scale of damage challenges us with a task of colossal magnitude. The cost of relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction has been estimated at approximately $900 million. The United Nations system, I am happy to say, has responded to our needs and requirements, as have our development partners and many friendly countries. On behalf of the Government and the people of Bangladesh, we would like to express our sincere thanks to Secretary- General Kofi Annan for his support for and solidarity with Bangladesh at this hour of need. We are also thankful to the diplomatic missions stationed in Dhaka, the international organizations, non-governmental organizations and Bangladesh nationals abroad for their continued support, understanding and sympathy towards Bangladesh and its efforts to face the challenges.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We are particularly grateful that, at the concluding meeting of the fifty-second session, he appealed to the international community for solidarity with the people of Bangladesh at a time when our country was inundated by the worst floods in our history. In this yearâs unprecedented floods, two thirds of our country was completely inundated and nearly 31 million people were affected. Over 20 million were rendered homeless. Immense damage was done to crops, roads, bridges, clinics, schools and industrial plants. With the receding of the flood waters, we are bracing ourselves for the even greater problems of water-borne diseases and scarcity of food and safe drinking water, compounded by homelessness and unemployment. Under the direct supervision of Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina, we are reaching out to the affected people with assistance.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“May I convey to you, Sir, on behalf of my delegation and on my own behalf, our felicitations on your unanimous election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session. With a person of your eminence and experience in the Chair, our session is assured of a successful outcome. To your predecessor, Hennadiy Udovenko, I express our deep appreciation for a job well done. We truly had a reform Assembly. It was a matter of great satisfaction for Bangladesh to support his brilliant work on United Nations reform, especially through our role as the Chairman of the Administrative and Budgetary Committee.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The peoples and nations of the world will have to work in concert if stability, prosperity and a meaningful peace are to be achieved on a global scale. Bangladesh, of course, will be at the forefront of this endeavour.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“As we approach the next century, it will have to be our collective endeavour to strengthen and to reinforce institutions at the global level that can effectively address the problems of the post-cold-war world. The United Nations in essence represents the entire human race in microcosm, with its wisdom and follies, its successes and shortcomings. It is an experiment, as was once said, in living together as a single human family. To be sure, the United Nations is an Organization of Governments — the apex of intergovernmental organs. And yet it is also true that its foundations rest on the yearnings of the peoples of the world for a lasting peace. The opening words of the Charter read: “We the peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“West Asia, the Palestinian issue, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan and the Great Lakes region all present problems that impinge on international peace and security. The United Nations, of course, is playing a pivotal role in seeking peaceful and equitable resolutions of these problems. We sincerely hope that the peace process in the Middle East will move forward and that the years of negotiations, investment and effort will bear fruit. Our views on this particular issue are well known. Relevant Security Council resolutions exist, as do agreements negotiated outside the ambit of the United Nations, on the basis of which a meaningful peace can be achieved in the Middle East and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to an independent homeland, restored.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“6 The Constitution of Bangladesh specifically provides for our international relations to be based, inter alia, on the principles of the United Nations Charter. It is thus for us a matter of singular pride and gratification that Bangladesh should be playing such an active role in United Nations peacekeeping operations. This is a role that we consider to be a solemn duty and an earnest of our commitment to the United Nations and the principles and purposes of the Charter. We still have a long way to go in the area of disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament. The entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention is a major step forward. It is a truism that our world is becoming increasingly interdependent. The uncomfortable fact remains, though, that it is still a far more dangerous place than that it should be.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We are also working towards the establishment of grameen, or rural, courts, which will take justice to the people at the grass-roots level. This concept of participatory justice is still a novel one. Its purpose is to ensure speedy, effective and inexpensive justice to the humblest of citizens. While on the subject of human rights, I should like to express our pleasure that an individual of the eminence and distinction of Mrs. Mary Robinson has been appointed United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. We would like to assure her of the wholehearted cooperation of our Government. We look forward to working with her in close concert in the promotion of human rights, a goal that all of us share and cherish, with special focus on the right to development and the rights of women and children.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“At the United Nations, the “Friends of Microcredit” ambassadors have taken the initiative to follow up the implementation process throughout the United Nations system. In Bangladesh, we have accorded priority to and placed special emphasis on social sector development in such areas as health care, education, family planning, women in development and the preservation and promotion of human rights. The initiatives and efforts of our Prime Minister in this regard have been widely appreciated. I would particularly mention here that the Government, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the illustrious daughter of the Father of the Nation, has announced the decision to set up a National Human Rights Commission. Our Parliament is expected to pass the required legislative mandate for this Commission next year.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Government is making every effort to combat the blighting scourges of widespread poverty and deprivation, so that we may realize the dream — to which the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, dedicated his entire political career and life — of a country free, progressive and prosperous, at peace with the world and with itself. Ours has also been a pioneering role in the field of microcredit. Initiated by the Grameen Bank and considered a most innovative approach to the eradication of poverty and empowerment of women, it has been recognized and emulated in a good number of developing and developed countries. The Microcredit Summit held in Washington earlier this year was a success: a target was set there to free 100 million families from the stranglehold of poverty by the year 2005.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Last year, while addressing the General Assembly, I referred to the negotiations that were being held with India on sharing the waters of the Ganges River. This had proved to be an intractable problem for over two decades and it is a matter of great satisfaction to us all that, in December last year, we signed a 30-year treaty at the highest political level with India on sharing arrangements. The signing of this treaty, within months of the present Government’s assumption of office, demonstrated that, given goodwill and political will, the most difficult problems can be resolved. At the national level, we are affording every facility and cooperation to our private sector and providing liberal incentives to foreign entrepreneurs to invest in our country. The Government’s role will be to oversee and to provide safety nets where necessary.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In our own region, through the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), we are striving to accelerate progress in core areas of cooperation, such as poverty eradication, expansion of regional trade and investment. We have also, within the ambit of SAARC, launched a “growth quadrangle” involving four member States — Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan — in order to explore areas of joint economic activity and take advantage of the factor of contiguity. Moreover, outside of SAARC, Bangladesh has entered the Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation (BIST-EC) in order to boost cooperation in the economic and commercial fields among its four member countries. A consensus decision has now been taken to allow Myanmar to join this subregional group as a full member.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We would also urge that, at the forthcoming high-level meeting in Geneva next month, all major issues of concern to the least developed countries, including duty-free access of their products to foreign markets, be given most favourable consideration. The end of cold war perhaps naturally raised our hopes for a new and exciting world order in which nations would share the responsibility for freedom and justice and the strong would respect the rights of the weak — a world of open borders, open trade and open minds. Such a vision can and should surely be our goal and inspiration. To achieve it, in particular at the regional level, cooperation in carefully identified core areas of activity, including trade and investment, is a valuable tool of development.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Two major international conferences on the least developed countries have been held in the 1980s and 1990s and important decisions and programmes of action adopted. The implementation of these, however, has been disappointing. We hope that the third United Nations Conference on the least developed countries can be held in the year 2000 to chart the course of global support for these weakest members at the start of next millennium. 5 We would urge special consideration and concessions for the least developed countries in order to enable them to meet World Trade Organization deadlines. Indeed, if the situation so warrants, deadlines may even be made flexible for that group of countries.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It is a matter of some concern to us that global official development assistance flows continue to slump. We sincerely hope, though, that this trend will be reversed. The development of the South is not only an investment in peace and security, but would clearly also rebound to the advantage of the countries of the North in the long and not so long run, since this would mean bigger markets for their exports, with all their concomitant benefits. Development has been most aptly described as a partnership. The plight of the least developed countries, in particular, calls for very careful consideration and has in the past merited a special place and focus in the international agenda.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It is now widely accepted that free enterprise, the market economy, international trade and competition, as well as broad-based public participation in economic expansion, are the keys to economic growth and human development. To this mix must be added the components of democracy, good governance and the rule of law. This, however, in no way diminishes, particularly in the case of the least developed countries, the imperative of a supportive external environment. Improved access to world markets, greater inflow of foreign private investment, transfer of technology and managerial know- how and larger external assistance all have very important roles to play in ensuring development. Economic liberalization should invariably be combined, in our view, with adequate social safety nets to safeguard the most vulnerable segments of society.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Agenda is the result of tortuous and painstaking negotiations carried out over a period of four years. It is a matter of gratification to have achieved a development consensus that was so badly needed and clearly warranted. It is, of course, most vital that, along with the Agenda for Development, follow-up and implementation should match the outcome of these conferences. Bangladesh believes that without the full involvement of civil society this process will remain incomplete. Recognizing the key role of civil society in promoting global partnership, we welcome the Secretary- General’s proposal for a people’s millennium Assembly in the year 2000.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Bangladesh’s concern, which we have already articulated, is that, in any enlargement exercise, the concerns of the smaller and more vulnerable States that have the most vital stake in an effective and dynamic United Nations should not be lost sight of. In the decade of the 1990s we have had a series of high-profile global conferences. These mega-conferences have addressed some of the major challenges that are confronting us today and, with the United Nations playing a central role, reached important political consensus. Those gatherings underscored in particular the primacy of human development in achieving sustained and sustainable development. The Agenda for Development adopted in June this year is in a sense the culmination of this series, representing a synthesis of the plans and programmes of action that had been adopted.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The United Nations can be, as the President of the General Assembly put it last year, the main development catalyst, one that can strongly influence coordination at the macro level with other bodies that have more access to resources but that are less democratically set up. We have been discussing for the past few years the question of Security Council expansion and reform. There is a clear logic and rationale for an expansion of the overall size of the Council to make it more representative in character. On this aspect of the question a general consensus seems to have emerged, although there exist differences as to the exact size of any new Council. Where a convergence of view — let alone consensus — continues to elude us is on the question of the expansion of the number of permanent seats.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The cold-war era of adversarial alliances, power blocs and ideological divides is happily a thing of the past. However, another war, one in which the United 4 Nations will have to be in the vanguard, remains to be fought and won before a meaningful peace and international security can be achieved. That is the war against poverty, ignorance and prejudice. Peace does not simply happen or come about fortuitously. It must be sedulously built and nurtured and underpinned by a host of interrelated actions that are inextricably linked to development and human security. A culture of peace is essential to make it sustainable and all embracing. Over the years, the concept of security has evolved, as has the concept of development.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“According to Article 101 of the Charter, the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity should be the basic determinants in making appointments to the Secretariat, with due regard to geographical distribution. We therefore welcome the Secretary General’s proposal to submit a code of conduct for international civil servants. No endeavour at United Nations reform will be successful without the necessary financial resources. The continuation of the current financial crisis of the United Nations has seriously impaired the functioning of the Organization. For a financially sick United Nations, the much needed shot in the arm can come only from the full and unconditional payment of outstanding contributions by those Member States that have not yet done so.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Member States have the right and even the duty to insist that optimal use be made of the resources that they have entrusted to the Organization for the promotion of the Charter objectives. Bangladesh assures its unstinted cooperation and support to eliminate duplication and overlap and to effect better coordination and prioritization. However, reform cannot be an acceptable surrogate for political will, and those two aspects must be mutually supportive and reinforcing. In the context of the reform exercise, Bangladesh would like to stress that the exclusively international character of the responsibilities of the Secretary-General and his staff should in no way be compromised.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We expect that the reform process will preserve and promote the centrality and sanctity of the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter. My delegation also wants the process of reform to be carried out with the primary objective of strengthening the capacity of the Organization to address issues of development. Bangladesh would favour negotiating the reform package in informal plenary meetings with the full participation of all countries. The United Nations Charter is of enduring validity. By definition, reform has to be a dynamic and periodic process as times, problems and priorities change. My delegation would fully support any endeavour to improve the administration and management of the United Nations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In the discharge of his very onerous responsibilities he brings to bear unmatched expertise with regard to the United Nations system. Indeed, he is the archetypical insider of that system. His appointment to the highest Secretariat position is recognition of his manifest competence. The priority that he has attached to the task of making the United Nations system more streamlined and attuned to present-day realities and requirements is indeed commendable. While on the subject of reform, let me say that my delegation lends its full support to the initiative of the Secretary-General in submitting his reform proposal, which the Assembly will be examining later in the course of its business. There is no denying that the proposal is timely and that it has been put forward to make the United Nations more efficient and effective.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It affords me great pleasure and honour to convey to you, Mr. President, on behalf of my delegation, as well as on my own behalf, our heartiest congratulations on your unanimous election. It is a fitting tribute not only to your outstanding diplomatic skills and long involvement with the United Nations, but also to your country, with which we enjoy friendly relations. To your predecessor, Ambassador Razali Ismail of Malaysia, I should like to express our sincere appreciation for the remarkable job that he did. His was an extraordinarily proactive presidency. Indeed, he has given new stature to the office of President of the General Assembly. This is the first regular session of the General Assembly for our Secretary-General Kofi Annan since his appointment to that high office.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Over 50 years ago, a great world leader — one of the architects of the Atlantic Charter and one of the first persons to use the term “United Nations” — made an impassioned plea for peace when he wrote: “We are faced with the pre-eminent fact that if civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationship — the ability of peoples of all kinds to live together and work together in the same world at peace.” President Roosevelt did not live to speak those words, which he wrote for what would have been his last address. His words are surely relevant even today.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“In a very real sense, the United Nations belongs to the entire human family. Over the years, it has been a potent moral force and an influence for the good. It remains the only credible vehicle that can move the world towards the goal of international peace and prosperity. The institution of the United Nations itself, comprised of Member States large and small, attests to mankind’s wisdom and desire for peace. We have every confidence and hope that, in the crucial years ahead, a revitalized United Nations will continue to play an effective role in deciding the transcendent policy issues of the day. Differences between peoples, countries and nations can and do exist, and yet all share a common vision, hopes and aspirations. Good men and women all over the globe must surely dream the same dreams of lasting peace and happiness.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Bangladesh will continue to support all efforts towards this objective through regional as well as multilateral forums. Recent developments in the Middle East have been of concern to us all. Bangladesh expressed its grave concern and outrage at the recent violence and killings that took place in the West Bank and Gaza and the disrespect shown to the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque. We call upon all concerned to honour their commitments under the peace accord with a view to finding a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, which Bangladesh believes will enable the emergence of a Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital. The Government and the people of Bangladesh stand by President Yasser Arafat and our Palestinian brethren. We also reaffirm our commitment and support to the Arab and Palestinian cause.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The need to move speedily towards a third START treaty and beyond is very obvious. Peacekeeping continues to be a most significant area of United Nations activity. The United Nations has indeed achieved some notable successes in peacekeeping missions in recent times, examples of which include those in El Salvador, Cambodia, Haiti, Mozambique and Angola. Bangladesh is proud to play an active role in United Nations peacekeeping activities. Our peacekeepers have shed their blood and sacrificed their lives in the cause of peace throughout the world. There is room for cautious optimism on the issue of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We sincerely hope that the Dayton Agreement will be implemented in its entirety and 9 that a genuine peace will return to that beleaguered region.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“For Bangladesh, the pursuit of general and complete disarmament is a fundamental principle of State policy. As a new member of the Conference on Disarmament, we are fully prepared to play a constructive role towards this goal. Bangladesh, together with most members of the G-21, has submitted a proposal in the Conference on Disarmament on the elimination of nuclear weapons. This has been circulated as a Conference on Disarmament document. We accept that substantial reductions are being made under START I and START II in the nuclear arsenals of the two major nuclear Powers. The uncomfortable fact remains, however, that even after START II is completed by the year 2003 at the latest, there will still be more nuclear warheads in existence than in 1970, when the NPT came into force.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The indefinite extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) last year and the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty by an overwhelming majority in the General Assembly are welcome steps towards the ultimate goal of nuclear disarmament. The International Court of Justice, in its recent Advisory Opinion on the issue of nuclear weapons, stressed the obligation “to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control”. (A/51/4, para. 182 (f)) Like chemical and biological weapons, nuclear weapons must be outlawed. In the post-cold-war world, they have became an anachronism. They do not enhance international security and can only imperil world peace.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)