YouSaid · the spoken record

TSERING

lines on the record: 237
first: 1972-09-24
most recent: 1995-09-24
sittings or episodes: 13
sources: un-general-debate

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“Before I conclude, I should like to join preceding speakers in paying tribute to the many organizations and individuals that serve with unfailing dedication and commitment to further the principles and purposes of the United Nations. I should like to pay a special tribute to Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the Secretary-General of the United Nations; to the late James Grant, former Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), who did so much for the world’s children; to the many Blue Helmets who have sacrificed their lives so that others may live in peace and security; and to the host of United Nations personnel and volunteers who have selflessly dedicated their lives to the service of others, sometimes serving under the most trying conditions.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We therefore support the expansion of the Security Council to facilitate more equitable representation of developing countries and deserving candidates that have emerged since the United Nations was established 50 years ago. As a fellow South Asian nation, and as a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, of which India is by far the largest member, we strongly support India’s inclusion in the permanent-member category of the Security Council. India’s candidature merits serious consideration on the grounds of equitable geographic representation, the large size and enormous potential of the Indian economy and the fact that one sixth of mankind lives in India.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“My delegation feels that a proper study should be made and reported to the Assembly at an early date. In our view, the innovative idea of a small levy on international air travel proposed by the Foreign Minister of Australia, Senator Gareth Evans, is sound and practical. We are of the considered view that the Security Council must be expanded to give greater representation to developing countries in order to uphold the principles of equity and justice. Many least-developed countries like Bhutan feel they are being increasingly marginalized by the new agendas and priorities of the United Nations. In our view, the United Nations must represent the interests of all countries equally, and not only those of a privileged few.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We are also grateful to our bilateral donors, particularly India, Switzerland, Japan, Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria, Norway, Kuwait, Germany, Australia, Thailand, and the United Kingdom for their cooperation and support. The Working Group on the Strengthening of the United Nations System will once again look at streamlining the Organization. Reform of several aspects of the United Nations system is vital, especially as we 26 confront the many challenges of the twenty-first century. There must be better distribution of power within the United Nations. The crippling financial situation caused by large arrears by Member States must be overcome. It is also time to examine the new mechanisms for meeting the financial requirements of the United Nations.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Every effort has been made on our part to ensure that all assistance received has been properly utilized and meaningful results achieved. I express the profound gratitude of the people of Bhutan to the donor community, which supports the United Nations development activities. We have particularly benefited from the activities of the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme, the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Capital Development Fund, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the United Nations Volunteer Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. They have contributed much to the welfare of our people.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“It is important that the world continue to keep investing in people, especially women and children, and that it meet their basic needs in education, health and social welfare. The historic United Nations conferences of this decade on children, environment, human rights, population, social development and women embody the irreversible commitment of the international community to chart a new course for the future. My country is firmly committed to the goals set by these conferences. I wish to acknowledge the special contribution of the United Nations to the development of my country. The United Nations has been actively involved in every sphere of development in Bhutan, and has been responsible for helping us set out on the right path of sustainable development.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The situation is worst in the countries that are least able to bear the burden and where there is already an appalling disequilibrium between people and resources. The more advanced countries may delay their confrontation with the environmental crisis but unless these issues are addressed today, we may see the collapse of vital resources and climatic changes in many parts of the world and new security threats resulting from poverty and chaos. This is aggravated by the fact that the most significant developments in the world economy are taking place outside the United Nations, and our Organization is being increasingly marginalized on economic, financial and trade issues.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Such cases raise an important issue. The number of peace-keeping missions has grown exponentially. The past year has seen 18 peace-keeping missions involving 78,000 peace-keepers. The good news is that the United Nations has a vital, ever-growing role to play in keeping the peace and allowing combatants a breathing period in which to come to the negotiating table. The down side is that the peace-keeping missions are a considerable drain on the finances of the United Nations. Expenditures for peace-keeping operation are now more than three times the entire budget for development. Surely development merits high priority as well. The most serious obstacles to sustainable global development are the fast pace of population growth and the increasing degradation of the environment.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“This was followed shortly thereafter by several nuclear tests — in what we believe is a contravention of the spirit of the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the NPT. We are increasingly concerned about the fate of the comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty and our ultimate goal of eliminating all nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. The maintenance of global peace and security still remains the most pressing challenge for the United Nations. It has become the yardstick by which the United Nations is today being judged. Increasingly, concerns are expressed as to whether the United Nations is able to carry out this task. The tragic situations in Somalia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Rwanda demonstrate the inability of the international community to put an end to the immeasurable suffering of the innocent victims.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“A number of development partners have provided increased support to the least-developed countries, for which we are truly grateful. We believe that the least developed countries have the primary responsibility for their own development, and with the support of the international community they hope to alleviate the desperate plight of their peoples. The Least Developed Countries Division of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development deserves praise for the excellent documentation it provided for the recent intergovernmental meeting on the least developed countries. Earlier this year, we supported the indefinite extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The Intergovernmental High-level Meeting on the Mid-term Global Review of the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s was held in New York recently. The least developed countries as a group have not been able to meet many of the objectives of the Programme of Action and their overall socio-economic situation has continued to deteriorate. Some of the factors responsible for this deterioration are, internally, civil strife and natural 25 disasters with their resulting consequences and, externally, the debt problem, low levels of export and an inadequate flow of external finance. These countries have, however, continued to implement wide-ranging reforms and in some countries these efforts have shown positive results.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We also take this opportunity to welcome the Republic of Palau into our family of nations. Its participation will greatly enrich our Organization. This session is of especial significance for all of us as we celebrate the passing of 50 years since the birth of the United Nations. It is heartening to note that the grand and lofty vision which inspired our founding fathers still continues to inspire and guide us. More than ever before, we see today the evidence of the collective human will to unite against threats and obstacles to the survival and continued progress of mankind. The participation of no fewer than 150 Heads of State or Government in the special commemorative meeting later this month is glowing testimony to our abiding faith in this world body.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“I have the honour to convey to the President of the General Assembly, and through him to all representatives, the warm greetings and good wishes of His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, King of Bhutan, for the success of the fiftieth session of the General Assembly. I offer Mr. Freitas do Amaral the felicitations of my delegation on his election as President of this historic session. His election to this high office is a tribute to him personally and to his country, Portugal, which has always played an active role in the United Nations. My delegation wishes also to pay a tribute to His Excellency Mr. Amara Essy of Côte d’Ivoire for his skilful stewardship at the forty-ninth session. His presidency has enhanced the esteem of the international community for him and for Côte d’Ivoire.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We hope that the United Nations will become the centerpiece of a more just and equitable world order and will speak for the whole of humanity rather than just for a privileged few.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“I take this opportunity to express the sincere gratitude of the people and Government of Bhutan to our development partners. This is an age of multilateralism, and the United Nations is the centre around which this new age will revolve. The United Nations is no longer just the Forty-eighth session - 6 October 1993 21 preserver of world order but an active promoter of peace and human advancement. Increasing cooperation among its Members since the end of the cold war has made it possible for the Organization to become more effective in pursuing these objectives. The long-term success of the United Nations, in our view, will depend on how democratic it becomes in its functioning and to what extent it will involve all its Members, large and small, in the decision-making process.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“In our efforts, we have continued to receive generous support from India, Japan, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Kuwait, Austria, Norway, Germany, the United Kingdom and Australia, and from various specialized agencies and bodies of the United Nations, particularly the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Fund for Activites (UNFPA), the United Nations Capital Development Fund, (UNCDF), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“This includes long-term investment in environmental conservation and other measures, including early warning facilities, to protect against natural disasters. Bhutan continues to make considerable progress in the field of social and economic development. We are currently in the process of decentralizing the administration in terms of decision-making and implementation of development projects. We are also giving priority to the development of human resources. In all our nation-building activities, we have sought to protect our rich natural environment and distinctive national identity.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“While expressing our gratitude to donors who have met and even exceeded official development assistance targets, my delegation would like to appeal to the others to follow suit so that the reforms can be sustained and promoted. The sluggish international economic climate in the last two years has been further compounded by a spate of unusually harsh natural disasters that have affected many parts of the world. We would like to express our heartfelt sympathies to all those in the United States of America, Japan, Nepal, and India who have suffered heavy loss of life and property because of recent natural calamities. The capacity to respond to such disasters should be placed high on the international agenda.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“In such conditions, it is hardly surprising that the economic performances of most of the world’s least developed countries have continued to be dismal. Per capita income for the one tenth of the world’s population which lives in these countries has fallen in the past three years despite the adoption of the United Nations Programme of Action in 1990. While the least developed countries have begun to initiate bold and painful structural reforms in their economies, budget constraints on donor nations and competing claims on aid resources have continued to slow down the flow of official development assistance to the least developed countries.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“This year, as agreed to in Agenda 21 of the Earth Summit, the Commission on Sustainable Development has been established. The work of this Commission will provide a new direction for the preservation of the environment and give added impetus to developmental activities. We recognize that while all development must take place at local and national levels, there are clearly regional and international dimensions for which solutions must be found at the global level. Bhutan looks forward to participating in the upcoming global conferences on population and development, the World Summit for Social Development and the Fourth World Conference on Women. The recession that has afflicted much of the world economy in the past year has not shown any signs of improvement.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“There is a saying in my country that one must load the pony according to its ability to carry the burden. Although the United Nations has travelled far in the last three years, it is clear 20 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session now that we cannot keep overloading it without putting the necessary means and resources at its disposal. The Second World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna this year, clearly recognized that social progress and political stability cannot be ensured without respect for human rights. The Conference also recognized that human rights and social progress can be promoted and preserved only in a healthy economic and natural environment. For our part, we are fully committed to advancing the human rights of all our people.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“While it is necessary to preserve the Security Council’s new-found effectiveness, it must always be made accountable for its actions to the General Assembly. The need for reform and restructuring seems in recent months to have been somewhat overshadowed by the Organization’s financial difficulties and questions of effective operations and proper accountability. We fully agree that it is necessary to minimize waste and streamline operations. These issues, however, must be pursued independently of the concerns over the financial health of the United Nations. We urge all Members to pay their assessed contributions promptly. We are of the view that the current level of assessment has fully taken into account both the financial capacity of Member States to contribute and the role they have assumed in the Organization.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“While some progress has been made, the discussion on reforming and restructuring the United Nations continues. We cannot expect the United Nations, formed nearly five decades ago with just 50 members, to remain unchanged and yet be able to fulfil the hopes and expectations of the current 184 Members in a vastly different world. Clearly, the reforms and revitalization cannot be limited to managerial and organizational changes: the roles and responsibilities of all the principal organs of the United Nations must be taken into account. My delegation believes that during our discussion on reforming the United Nations, the time is opportune to enlarge the Security Council. The expansion of its membership must be taken up together with the issue of accountability.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“While the world’s nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction are being dismantled, we are aware that conventional weapons are used in all present-day conflicts. No country which supplies arms can dissociate itself from the moral responsibility for the use of such arms. We fully support the United Nations Register on Conventional Arms and urge the reduction of the international arms trade. Over the past two years, considerable emphasis has been put on streamlining the United Nations Secretariat and making it more efficient. At the last two sessions the General Assembly has directed its attention not only towards reforming and revitalizing the United Nations but also towards making the General Assembly a more effective and responsive forum.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“As the need for peace-keeping in other parts of the world grows, it is clear that in future the terms of every intervention must be carefully defined. My delegation welcomes the reduction in the international arsenal of nuclear and other weapons and we support the continuation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty beyond 1995. With regard to the nuclear situation on the Korean peninsula, we urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to comply fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards Agreement in order to avoid any suspicion and speculation. In an age focused on reducing the world’s nuclear arsenal, further testing is unnecessary and inconsistent. We urge all nuclear States not to carry out further tests and to continue negotiations towards a comprehensive test ban.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“It is our view that for the full recognition of Kuwait’s sovereignty, the boundary as demarcated by the United Nations must be internationally respected. My delegation is happy with the progressive dismantling of apartheid and the process towards universal franchise in South Africa. We have recently heard in this forum Mr. Mandela’s historic call to end all sanctions against South Africa, a call which must be speedily honoured. We applaud the positive results of United Nations involvement in Cambodia, El Salvador and Haiti. These successes, however, have not yet been replicated in Somalia and Bosnia. My delegation strongly condemns violence against United Nations peace-keeping and humanitarian workers.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“When President Clinton called the agreement the "peace of the brave", he paid just tribute to their courage. Deep-seated emotions will continue to blur reason and not all groups will take to the road of healing at the same pace. We join those calling on extremist factions on both sides to desist from the use of force. My delegation hopes that the agreement will lead to a comprehensive and durable peace on the basis of relevant Security Council resolutions. We appeal to the international community to give even stronger support to the implementation of the agreement in all its aspects. With regard to the situation in the Persian Gulf, we urge all parties to abide by Security Council resolution 833 (1993).”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We are confident that their membership will add to the strength and vitality of the Organization. We would like to pay a special tribute to our Secretary- General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, for his dynamic leadership. His initiatives have already started to steer the course of the United Nations into new and bold directions. His report to the Assembly is clear and concise and provides a good basis for the work of this session. Forty-eighth session - 6 October 1993 19 The momentous events taking place around us in this new decade continue to pose challenges and offer opportunities of an unprecedented scale. The handshake on the White House lawn between Prime Minister Rabin and Chairman Arafat opened a window for peace and tolerance in the Middle East after a century of hatred and suspicion.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“I have the honour to convey to all members of the Assembly the warm greetings and good wishes of His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, King of Bhutan, for the success of the forty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. I begin by congratulating you, Mr. President, on your unanimous election. We are confident that with your wide knowledge and experience you will provide proper direction to our discussions. We would also like to pay a tribute to our outgoing President, Mr. Stoyan Ganev, for the exemplary manner in which he led the Assembly at the last session. We extend a warm welcome to the peoples and Governments of Andorra, the Czech Republic, Eritrea, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Monaco and the Republic of Slovakia on their joining the family of nations.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The United Nations, revived and strengthened and the repository of more of the world's hopes and dreams than at any time since its founding, is proof that we believe in the future, that we invest in it. As we stand on the threshold of the twenty-first century, we have much to celebrate - as well as many challenges to meet. The post-cold-war era presents us with myriad opportunities. Let us seize the day and fulfil the promise of the new age.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Through their assistance we are working steadily towards self-reliance. I might add that we in Bhutan are hopeful about the Programme of Action adopted during the Second United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, in Paris last September. After only a year it is perhaps too early to assess its impact. Yet we are optimistic that the implementation of the Programme of Action will accelerate economic growth and alleviate the sufferings of the people in the least developed countries. After two world wars and innumerable conflicts that have taken an appalling toll, the darker side of humanity might seem to have eclipsed the exuberant hopes of an earlier age. Yet this is not so.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Here I should like to acknowledge the valuable contributions of our development partners, particularly India, Japan, Kuwait, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, Norway, the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany, and the various specialised agencies and bodies of the United Nations, particularly the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICBF), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), the United Nations Department of Technical Cooperation for Development (UNDTCD), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), in helping us to reach our development goals.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“He hope the opportunity provided by this Conference will be fully utilised to deal with the question of environment and development on an integrated basis. In my own country, Bhutan, our development goes hand in hand with unfailing concern for and sensitivity to the environment. He take pride in the fact that environmental concerns have been merged in economic decision-making. At the same time, our economic infrastructure remains inadequate and the country's communications and transportation systems are still nascent. In addition to sharing the problems of many other least developed countries, Bhutan is handicapped by being land-locked. Outside assistance is therefore crucial to our development.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Air and water pollution, soil degradation, desertification and deforestation threaten the world's food supplies and living conditions. Overpopulation puts further strains and pressures on the environment. The picture would be unbelievably bleak but for some eleventh-hour attempts at our salvation. The Montreal Protocol on ozone depletion represents a serious effort to restore our planet to ecological health. Clearly, however, we need to go much further. The environment is our primary source of life and as such requires our urgent consideration. We have expectations that the Conference on Environment and Development, to be held in Bio de Janeiro in June next year, will adopt a concerted and comprehensive programme to tackle all of the major environmental problems and issues.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We are building the foundation of what we hope will embrace a world-wide network of creative partnerships and associations of mutual advantage. We are working towards dynamic relationships making optimal use of the world's resources, skills and technology. This is we believe our best hope for global peace and stability. Above all it is workable and practical, a demonstrable application of enlightened self-interest. A necessary corollary is the responsible stewardship of the world's resources. We are far from this goal. Indeed, every day brings alarming evidence of the diminishing capacity of the planet to sustain life. Ominous signs of the greenhouse effect and the depletion of the ozone layer include climatic changes and an increase in certain health problems.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“In this context we fully support the excellent recommendations of the resumed forty-fifth session of the General Assembly, on the restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields. The resulting restructuring and revitalization of the Economic and Social Council will we believe enhance its impact and effectiveness. The North-South dialogue must be increased and must continue, with the ultimate goal of bridging the gap between rich and poor nations. South-South cooperation, most recently affirmed and strengthened at the ministerial meeting of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries held in Accra, has been of immeasurable assistance to the developing countries.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The reasons for this are hydra-headed and complex, but include, among other factors, depressed commodity prices, an increasing debt-servicing burden, and under-funded structural adjustment programmes, on the one hand, and unfair terms of trade, restricted access of goods and an increase in taxes and higher interest rates, on the other. The ongoing Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations must address these problems. The further liberalisation of trade by the removal of protectionist barriers and the institution of more remunerative commodity prices would be a good start. So too would the emplacement of a more stable exchange rate system. The Economic and Social Council has an invaluable part to play.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“A burgeoning arms trade continues unhindered, distorting priorities and gobbling up a staggering one fifth of the national budgets in many countries. Thus a vicious cycle of poverty, instability and cruel social conditions is perpetuated. The old, rusty machinery powered by the unjust system of economic relations lumbers on, but with a difference - the status quo is not maintained; rather, we see a steady drop in living standards for the vast majority of mankind. Overall, there has been a dramatic increase in poverty, disease, and deprivation. the past 10 years especially have taken their toll. For many of the developing countries, growth and development have been replaced by stagnation and decline.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Furthermore, we believe that priority must be given to a truly comprehensive test-ban treaty. The non-proliferation of nuclear weapons therefore deserves a high place on the agenda as well. Nuclear weapons are not the only danger. Chemical and bacteriological weapons pose serious threats. We call for a fourth special session on disarmament to address these issues and to forge concrete steps for the creation of a nuclear-free world. A psychology of peace must replace the psychology of war. In so doing we opt for a saner and more secure world. Sadly, the expected peace dividend has not translated into greater benefits for the developing nations nor a more equitable international economic order.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Now at last the parties appear to be working toward the ultimate goal - the restoration of the country's independence and territorial integrity under a truly representative government. We welcome these developments and we wish the people of Cambodia well in their efforts to build a new future for themselves. Overarching such regional problems and uncertainties are those issues that are global in scope. Disarmament is our greatest challenge today. The signing of the strategic arms reduction Treaty in July this year marked another important step on the road to disarmament. Yet large stockpiles of weapons remain. We must press for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. In this context, we welcome the recent proposal of President George Bush for the elimination of all tactical nuclear weapons on land and at sea in Europe and Asia.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The process began with the five permanent members of the Security Council working for a comprehensive solution and the invaluable work of the Association of South-East Asian Rations (ASEAN) to get the parties to the conflict to negotiate. The situation is now entering a decisive stage with the Pattaya agreement, under which the Cambodian Government and rebel groups will disband 70 per cent of their military forces and put the rest under the supervision of the United Nations. This marks a turning-point. The formation of the Cambodian Supreme National Council was another major breakthrough. The initiatives resulting from the Paris Conference of last December kept dialogue going and laid the groundwork for the current agreement.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“It is a harbinger of things to come within South Africa itself. Sadly, peace is still not a reality in Afghanistan. War, fuelled and maintained by outside interests, continues to ravage the country. Refugees have left by the hundreds of thousands. The country remains desperately poor. We call for an end to outside interference, for an end to the fighting, and for the establishment of a political process that will enable the Afghan people to exercise their right of self-determination and form a broad-based Government enjoying the confidence of the majority. A lasting solution to the Cambodian problem may be at hand.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We applaud the latest peace efforts of the United States to convene an international conference, which alone can bring about the resolution of this complex problem. We support the security and the right to exist in safety of all States in the area, including Israel. My delegation is also encouraged by the events in Lebanon. At long last, after a brutal civil war that for 16 years tore the country apart, a fledgling peace is in place. We ardently hope that the suffering of the people is finally at an end, that the peace holds, and that the sovereignty and viability of the nation are firmly anchored. Looking to southern Africa, the independence of Namibia in March 1990 marked the successful culmination of long years of patient United Nations effort. The result has been a happy one, not only for Namibia but for much of the region as well.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Oil slicks poison the Persian Gulf. The social and economic infrastructures have been destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people suffered at the hands of the aggressor. The war threw into stark relief the problems of the Middle East as a whole, and set off warning bells that a comprehensive solution must be found. The plight of the Palestinians remains the crux of the problem. Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) must be implemented, and the legitimate rights of the Palestinians granted, foremost among them being the right to self-determination, including the right to national self-determination in their homeland. A new momentum for peace is now under way. The region is poised on the threshold of a historic breakthrough for peace.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Meanwhile, however, some regional conflicts drag on, old wounds fester, and new conflicts arise. Any one of these could turn into a general conflagration. Even in some areas where cease-fires have been arranged the peace remains precarious. Clearly, much remains to be done. On the one hand, the liberation of Kuwait was a just victory for the rule of law and for the United Nations system. The country's sovereignty was restored under its rightful ruler. His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, a statesman of great wisdom and vision. This demonstrated that the sovereignty of all countries, large or small, is to be respected. Yet the war also left many problems in its wake. Hundreds of oil wells continue to burn out of control in Kuwait, spewing pollution into the atmosphere and blanketing much of that country in darkness.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Such willingness made possible a swift, concerted response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and helped effect the liberation of the Emirate. As our Secretary-General has aptly pointed out, "The United Nations, therefore, enters the post-cold-war era as a central point of constancy in the midst of flux." (A/45/1, p. 2) In the process, renewed respect for the rule of law has been established. This opens opportunities for the resolution of conflicts and paves the way for a new international order of peace and stability. The totality of the Charter thereby comes into full force. A world upholding the primacy of the rule of law turns its back on barbarism and self-destruction. We believe this marks an important step in the evolution of the political consciousness of mankind.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Old conflicts are ended; new opportunities and fresh thinking are evolving. What was once unthinkable has become a reality. Happily, Germany has become one nation again. And more changes occur daily, The transformation of the Soviet Onion is nothing less than amazing. After centuries of autocratic rule, the people are now arbiters of their own destiny. There is much uncertainty, and there are many variables, as at any turning-point in history; yet we cannot but see these changes as a happy augury for the whole world. As ideological conflicts are shelved, convergence of views becomes possible on critical points. The work of the United Nations is enhanced, strengthened and revitalised. There is greater willingness to work through the United Nations system.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The dawning of the new era also sees the admission of the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania to the United Nations. Following so rapidly in the wake of their independence, their membership is eloquent testimony to the love of freedom of their peoples and to the advancement of a more fully representative world body. We also extend a cordial welcome to the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands on their admission to the United Nations. The world community can only benefit from this greater diversity. We are living in extraordinary times. So much has happened so quickly that it is difficult to keep up with world events. With the end of the cold war, understanding, cooperation and an irreversible trend towards reconciliation between nations have prevailed.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“His recommendations deserve our utmost attention. I wish to extend a warm welcome to the Government and peoples of the Republic of Korea and of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on their long-overdue admission to the United Nations. Another vestige of the cold war has been shed. The admission of these countries, we believe, will give further momentum to the process of reunification that both countries desire. In this context, we fully support the three measures proposed by President Roh Tae Woo of the Republic of Korea, in his recent address to the General Assembly, for the building of a positive relationship on the foundation of the new phase of coexistence between the two Koreas.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“For 10 years all of us have been the beneficiaries of his inspired leadership and masterful diplomacy. His record is a long and unblemished list of brilliant achievements. Oftentimes his personal intervention has made the crucial difference towards creating favourable conditions for negotiation and effecting a breakthrough in a conflict. Most important, he has presided over an enhanced, reinvigorated United Nations, to which the world has in recent years increasingly looked for the solution of its problems. His sense of mission has indeed been unfailing. Our sincere appreciation and gratitude go to him for such remarkable dedication and service. The Secretary-General's annual report is an illustration of this dedication. It is not merely a reprise of recent events but a blueprint for the present and future and a call to action.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)