YouSaid · the spoken record

Mompati S. Merafhe

lines on the record: 91
first: 1996-09-24
most recent: 2011-09-24
sittings or episodes: 5
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

“I should also like to pay tribute to his predecessor, Mr. Harri Holkeri of Finland. The skilful manner in which he guided our deliberations during the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly speaks for his wealth of diplomatic experience and diligence in his work. To our Secretary-General, may I express the full support and confidence of my delegation as he begins a second term of office. We congratulate him for the highly esteemed Nobel Peace Prize for 2001, bestowed jointly on him and the United Nations system. This special award is not only to the Secretary-General, personally, but also to the many dedicated men and women who continue to work tirelessly for the United Nations system.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Before I deliver my statement, please allow me to express the heartfelt condolences of my delegation to the Governments of the United States of America and the Dominican Republic and to the families of the victims of the tragic air traffic accident in New York on Monday. During this time of grief and sadness, our sympathies are with those who lost their loved ones. It is with great pleasure that I extend to the President and his country, the Republic of Korea, the warmest congratulations of my delegation on his election to the presidency of the United Nations General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session. We are confident that under his able leadership, we will have a very productive session. The President can rest assured of the full cooperation of the delegation of Botswana in the discharge of the noble task entrusted to him.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Obviously, there will be an absolute need for a turnaround in the political and economic orientation of the developed countries in favour of global prosperity if these objectives are to be realized. It is such enlightened thinking, which promises economic and political rewards to the greatest number of the Member States of the United Nations, which is absent in the development bureaucracies of many developed countries. As always, our faith in the United Nations as a repository of the hopes and aspirations of humankind is genuine, deep-rooted and unassailable. We are a young and developing country in a troubled world — a world caught between the extremes of rampant globalization and resurgent isolationism. Our survival rests with this global Organization and its Charter, to which we pledge our unstinting commitment and loyalty.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“For meaningful development to take root in the developing countries, an enabling international environment should be established which can address such issues as macroeconomic stability, more open trade regimes in developed countries, stable financial systems, reasonable debt initiatives, such as those proposed under the World Bank’s Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt Initiative, and greater financial flows from developed countries to the developing countries. The international community must also make concerted efforts to support the development programmes of the developing countries in capacity-building, infrastructure and manpower development.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Only a handful of developed countries meet the agreed goal of 0.7 per cent of gross national product to official development assistance. At the same time, private capital flows have been directed to only a few countries. The United Nations funds and programmes are also unable to implement their respective mandates due to lack of resources. It is important that this trend be not only arrested but reversed through strengthened international cooperation for development.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Anti-personnel mines are diabolical and cowardly instruments of warfare which indiscriminately kill and maim their unsuspecting victims. They should have been banned a long time ago, before they claimed more lives and maimed many people. It is our fervent desire that the Convention will soon enjoy the support of all Member States. It is hoped that the experience gained in the campaign for the elaboration and conclusion of this Convention will be extended to all weapons of mass destruction. Several developing countries are still wrestling with daunting economic and social problems. The number of countries whose people still live in abject poverty and lack basic nourishment is on the rise, especially in Africa. Regrettably, multilateral assistance is declining rapidly in relation to the rising poverty in the developing countries.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“No effort should be spared to put the Middle East peace process back on track so that the hopes and aspirations of the ordinary peoples of that region to live together in peace as good neighbours may be realized. We welcome the ongoing talks between the two Koreas, in which China and the United States are also participants. It is our ardent hope that the talks will lead to a decrease in political tensions in the Korean peninsula, and that the two Koreas will henceforth establish some common ground which will assist in the eventual reunification of their divided country. I wish to welcome the recent conclusion of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction. I wish the Convention enjoyed the support of all nations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We salute the Secretary-General for his recent initiative which brought together the leaders of the two sides in the Cyprus conflict in New York for talks. We encourage him to continue his good offices until the parties reach a final solution to this decades old conflict. Botswana supports the Middle East peace process. Experience has shown that peace in that complex cauldron of conflict cannot be achieved through war and bloodshed. Only painstaking and rigorous negotiations conducted in an atmosphere of give and take can lead to the desired result: the peace that everyone is yearning for in the Middle East. We hope that the State of Israel will realize the insensitivity of the construction of new settlements on Palestinian lands. This has contributed in no small measure to the current crisis in the Middle East peace process.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“While the situation in the Balkans remains generally tense, there is a light at the end of the tunnel signalling the arrival of a new era of national reconciliation in the constituent States of the former Yugoslavia. The time has come for the various ethnic groups in the former Yugoslavia to realize that none of their countries can exist as an ethnically pure State without causing political tensions and reawakening centuries-old hatreds. Their future and destinies are, fortunately or unfortunately, inextricably intertwined by reason of geography and history. They should accept their fate for what it is. Conflict and war have failed to resolve the ethnic 10 composition of these States in the past, and are unlikely to resolve them in the future.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“James Baker, will achieve a breakthrough which will lead to the final settlement of the Western Sahara conflict in the very near future. The situation in Sierra Leone is troubling. The overthrow of a democratically elected Government in Sierra Leone five months ago was a most unfortunate reversal of the political gains that had been achieved in that country. The international community has taken the correct line in making it clear that it will no longer tolerate any military dictatorships. The rejection and isolation of the military junta in Sierra Leone should serve as a warning to military leaders with similar designs that military rule is unacceptable, whatever the justification. The ballot, and not the bullet, should be the only way through which political leadership can change hands.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Progress is painfully slow, due to the failure by UNITA to honour its obligations under the Lusaka Protocol, and especially its refusal to disarm and demobilize its forces. The United Nations should monitor the situation in Angola very closely to ensure that the present slow progress does not assume a state of permanence or lead to a reversal of the gains made so far under the Lusaka process. The international community should continue to pay closer attention to the situation in Somalia and help the Somali parties hold a peace conference through which they can settle, once and for all, their long-running fratricidal conflict. There is a renewed sense of expectation that the efforts deployed to resolve the conflict in Western Sahara will bear fruit. It is our hope and wish that the Secretary- General, through his Personal Envoy, Mr.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In spite of these positive developments, the reality is that Africa is still bedeviled by deadly conflicts. However, we are happy to acknowledge that fighting has ceased in Liberia. The Liberian people have at long last freely chosen their leaders, and their verdict was respected. The long-suffering and economically plundered Democratic Republic of the Congo today enjoys relative peace and security after a short but devastating crisis that ended with the overthrow of a 32-year dictatorship. The people of the Democratic Republic of Congo need the understanding and sympathy of the international community as they grapple with the reconstruction of their country. The final settlement of the conflict in Angola continues to elude the international community, but, thank God, there has been no resumption of hostilities so far.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In other words, the United Nations cannot operate on the basis of a shoestring budget and be expected to carry out the heavy responsibilities imposed on it every day by Member States. It is therefore imperative that each and every Member State should meet its financial obligations to this Organization on time, in full and without any conditionalities, and clear all its arrears as a matter of urgency. The international community has made considerable progress in the struggle for democracy around the world since the end of the cold war. Today, peoples and nations across the spectrum of the African continent live in relative peace and tranquillity and are engaged in the reconstruction of their national economies, thanks to the emergence of a democratic culture.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Botswana was a member of the Security Council until the end of last year, and we are convinced more than ever before that the composition of the membership of the Security Council, as well as its working methods and procedures, needs reform. It is time for the debate on Security Council reform to be brought to a successful conclusion, so that all geographical regions can be equitably represented in the Council. We should not allow the debate to become sterile or degenerate into a dialogue between the deaf and the dumb. The financial health of the Organization is another issue which remains a source of deep concern and anguish to my delegation. The United Nations cannot be expected to deliver the goods without the necessary financial lifeblood.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Secretary-General’s reform package is not the only momentous issue in the United Nations reform process. Close to four years have elapsed, and the debate on Security Council reform continues without an end in sight. It is obvious that, unless we can suddenly acquire Solomonic wisdom, we are unlikely to come to a successful conclusion of this debate in another four years 9 or even much longer. Yet there has emerged a body of thought which favours an increase in the membership of the Security Council, in both the permanent and non-permanent member categories, to reflect the configuration of today’s international political realities.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I believe we are all very serious about reform of the United Nations; now is the time to approve and implement those reform proposals on which there is general consensus. Our commitment, seriousness and sincerity about United Nations reform would increasingly be called into doubt if by the beginning of the fifty-third session of the Assembly we had not implemented any of the reform proposals contained in the Secretary-General’s reform package. No one country, region or group of countries can arrogate to itself the right to dictate the reform agenda. What should be established is a balanced, equitable and non-discriminatory reform agenda in which the common wishes and interests of every Member State can find expression. This is the guiding principle my delegation will follow in its contribution to the ongoing reform process.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It cannot and must not become synonymous with the downsizing of the Organization to the extent that it would deprive it of the requisite human and material resources to render services to Member States, especially the developing countries. Such reform would be inimical to the efficacy of the United Nations. Reform should lead to a more efficient, more effective and more relevant United Nations, that is a United Nations with a capacity to foresee and respond adequately and expeditiously to imminent disaster situations around the world and to other needs and concerns of humankind today. The Secretary-General’s reform proposals have signalled the direction to take in the reform process; it is the collaborative response of the Member States which is awaited.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The reform package is the broadest and most extensive in the history of the United Nations and, in my view, is an appropriate response to the magnitude of the clamour for reform which has echoed through the halls of this Organization and which for some time now has even threatened its very existence. It would have been the height of absurdity for my delegation to have expected the whole reform package to be agreeable or acceptable to every delegation in this Hall, but I find the arguments and complaints from some quarters that the package does not go far enough preposterous to say the least. Reform, as the Secretary- General rightly reminds us, is not an event but a process. Reform should not and must not be apocalyptic.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“At this juncture, I can only observe that Botswana is disposed to a holistic consideration of the package by the General Assembly. The reform proposals constitute a single unit, and its constituent parts should be discussed with that understanding in mind. This means, therefore, that those elements of the package — the greatest number, we would hope — which are acceptable to the majority of delegations, or on which general consensus is attained, should be implemented forthwith. True, many of the proposals are indeed revolutionary, as the Secretary-General himself concedes, and, if approved, they would in a positive sense change permanently the way the Organization operates.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The heavy responsibilities reposed in the world body by present-day international realities demand that the United Nations system should undergo substantial reform if it is to respond more efficiently and effectively to the needs and concerns of its Member States and their peoples, now and in the future. The United Nations system needs to be streamlined to remove administrative bottlenecks, weed out corruption and other malpractices and eliminate duplication in the activities of its organs, agencies, programmes, funds and offices. It is in that spirit that Botswana welcomes the recent reform initiatives of the Secretary-General as the basis for further discussion and debate on the reform process. My delegation will have occasion to pronounce itself on the various elements of the reform package in due course.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“8 In short, in the present-day reality, no one country, big or small, rich or poor, weak or powerful, can exist in isolation or act unilaterally without suffering the consequences of its actions. Terrorism, drug trafficking, cross-border crime, the depletion of the ozone layer, acid rain, receding rain forests, advancing deserts, diminishing fresh-water reserves, poverty, disease and many more recognize no national boundaries; only collective action by the States Members of the Organization can arrest and reverse their advance. The United Nations is the mother of genuine multilateralism, and it should occupy centre stage in our thinking about international relations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The United Nations has also built international consensus through a series of conferences and meetings on areas and issues as diverse as women and development, youth, the environment, human rights, ageing, population, social development and human settlements, education and health, the outcome of which will guide the thinking and actions of the international community into the next millennium. Furthermore, the United Nations has proved its capability to deal effectively with the serious threats posed by nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, a capability which is often frustrated by a lack of political will and commitment on the part of Member States.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“These complex changes in the world outlook call for an enhanced role for the United Nations in international affairs lest change become brutal, especially for the developing countries. The United Nations has gained new international stature in recent years, thanks to the extirpation of the politics of paralysis of the cold-war era. “Blue Helmets” are today being deployed in situations formerly considered to be outside the range of the responsibility of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“His reports on the work of the Organization and on the wide-ranging reform of the United Nations system renew the confidence and trust we reposed in him when we elected him only nine months ago. We live in a rapidly changing world. The past few years have witnessed an unprecedented expansion of world trade and commerce, and the trend continues unabated. National boundaries are being transcended with ease in the interaction of national economies through a process which has been christened globalization. In the international political arena, there is increasing unanimity amongst the community of nations and other global actors that narrow national interests should be superseded by universal interests.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Allow me, Sir, to express to you and to your delegation our sincere congratulations on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-second session. As you are an experienced United Nations diplomat, we entertain great expectations of your tenure of office as President of the Assembly. We wish also to pay tribute to the outgoing President, His Excellency Ambassador Razali Ismail of Malaysia, whose stewardship of the fifty-first session will forever be remembered for its creativity and dynamism. We wish him well and thank him and his country, Malaysia, for a job well done. The Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, deserves in ample measure our gratitude for the professionalism he has demonstrated thus far in his leadership of the United Nations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The socio- economic consequences of the disease are a matter of grave concern, and the international community should make concerted efforts to address this human tragedy — which affects the young and the productive sectors of our societies in particular — before it is too late. To conclude, my delegation reaffirms its total confidence in the stewardship of the President of the General Assembly and pledges its loyalty and cooperation. We reaffirm our commitment to work with other delegations towards the strengthening of the United Nations. We reaffirm our confidence in the manner in which the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, manages the affairs of our Organization. We salute him for his visionary leadership and untiring commitment to duty.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“25 Botswana and other countries in southern Africa have not been spared the scourge of illicit drug trafficking and consumption. The Heads of State or Government of the Southern African Development Community recently signed, among other instruments, a protocol on illicit drug trafficking. The aim is to pool our resources — such as police forces, customs authorities and drug enforcement agencies — to fight drug trafficking and other cross-border crimes effectively. We look forward to continued international cooperation in this regard. We are hopeful that these efforts will be crowned with success and will receive the full support and cooperation of the international community. The human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome pandemic is another scourge of our time and a serious threat to humanity.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“What the world needs is a United Nations that has the capacity to implement its programmes and projects effectively and efficiently, a United Nations that can put to better use the human and material resources at its disposal and one that can better guarantee international peace and security and promote international understanding. It should be noted that the responsibility for the reform process, to a large extent, lies squarely with Member States and not with the Secretary-General, although he has a contribution to make in the whole process. Member States should therefore take full responsibility for their inability to reach agreement on various aspects of the reform process and desist from seeking scapegoats for their failure to reach consensus on a multifaceted international and structural reform of the Organization.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We have no doubt that the international community will complement our efforts so that we can launch our region on a firm road to regional integration and economic development. Botswana is a strong proponent of the reform and restructuring of the United Nations. My President, who is a member of the Secretary-General’s United Nations Panel of High-level Personalities on African Development, firmly believes in a more action-oriented and streamlined United Nations system that is able to deliver. But we do not agree with those who advocate a “cut-cut” approach. There could be areas where additional staff could be the catalyst to enhanced effectiveness and efficiency.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The Initiative envisages an expenditure of some $25 billion over a 10-year period to address identified sectoral development priorities. This is a laudable Initiative which should afford Africa the opportunity to address effectively the critical nexus of food security, population and the environment. For their part, most African countries have met their obligations as spelled out in national structural adjustment programmes, in addition to the efforts made in the fields of democracy, human rights and good governance. Although southern Africa today enjoys relative peace and stability, it will continue to need special assistance in order to address the problems of reconstruction and development of the economic, physical and social infrastructures which were destroyed or adversely affected by many years of war and racial injustice.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We thus call upon the Conference on Disarmament to address speedily the question of its expansion to the satisfaction of the general membership of the United Nations. Five years have passed since the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s was adopted by the General Assembly. While we all applauded the adoption of the New Agenda, it has to be accepted that the necessary operational framework was never put in place to ensure effective mobilization and disbursement of the target resources. Concerned about the poor performance of the United Nations New Agenda, in March this year the Secretary- General launched the United Nations System-wide Special Initiative for Africa, which has the backing of the World Bank, among others.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Unfortunately, the nuclear-weapon States are resolutely opposed to the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Not only are these States resistant to this noble ideal, but they continue to develop new types of weapons. What conclusions are we expected to draw from this state of affairs? It is difficult for nuclear-weapon States to claim the moral high ground to dissuade any State from acquiring the same weapons for the defence of its supreme national interests, while they themselves consider such weapons a reliable means of self-defence. Nuclear-weapon States should accept their responsibility to enter into and conclude negotiations for the elimination of these weapons. The General Assembly has repeatedly called upon the Conference on Disarmament to accelerate consideration of the question of the expansion of its membership.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Unilateral statements on security assurances, which have been transmitted through a Security Council resolution, do not meet the demands of the overwhelming majority of the membership of this Organization. The security of non-nuclear-weapon States from the threat or use of these dangerous weapons can only be guaranteed by the institution of a legally binding international instrument. Botswana is committed to the early conclusion of such an instrument, and we hope that the nuclear-weapon States will demonstrate the necessary commitment to meet the concerns of non-nuclear-weapon States. Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons commits parties, inter alia, to reach agreement “on a Treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control”.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Botswana strongly believes that the solution to the menace of anti-personnel land-mines lies in a total ban on production, stockpiling, export and use. Existing protocols have provided only a partial solution to this problem. There is a glaring need for a binding international legal instrument for the progressive and ultimate elimination of these weapons. The production, stockpiling and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, of which nuclear weapons are the most lethal, is also a matter of deep concern to my delegation. For far too long, non-nuclear-weapon States have been calling for an international legal instrument to safeguard them against the threat or use of 24 these weapons. The response of the nuclear Powers has been less than reassuring, to say the least.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Recent events in the occupied Arab territories are a stark indicator of what can happen to the peace process if things are allowed to drag on and on. We appeal to the Government of Israel to fulfil its obligations under the agreements it signed with the Palestinians. Developments on the Korean peninsula have also been a matter of grave concern. Botswana is committed to the peaceful reunification of Korea. Botswana follows developments in Cyprus with keen interest. The continued division of Cyprus is a serious violation of the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of a Member State of the United Nations. Land-mines, particularly anti-personnel land-mines, are a major threat to humanity.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The situation in that country is a tragic demonstration of how a disparate assortment of gunmen can hijack and destroy a nation. The United Nations should not consider Somalia a lost cause. We should therefore persevere in the search for a comprehensive settlement to the political crisis in that country. Recent developments in the Middle East are a matter of profound concern to Botswana. Starting in September 1993 we were pleased to witness the dramatic unfolding of a promising peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, on the one hand, and between Israel and Jordan, on the other. We looked forward to the resumption of negotiations between Israel and its Arab neighbours, Syria and Lebanon, which, hopefully, would have ushered in a lasting solution to the conflict in the Middle East.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Key among the necessary measures to be undertaken is the safe return of refugees to their homeland. Despite all efforts by the international community, and by West Africa in particular, the political crisis in Liberia has so far eluded solution. We call upon all the parties concerned to ensure that elections are held in May 1997 as scheduled. In our view, and in reality, Western Sahara poses a major political and moral problem. Botswana is committed to the holding of a free, fair and impartial referendum for the people of Western Sahara, in accordance with the Settlement Plan. We are deeply concerned that the identification process has been in a state of paralysis for several months now. Somalia continues to haunt the conscience of the world.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“No amount of reasoning and persuasion has thus far succeeded in drawing the political leaders in Burundi away from a path of mutual annihilation and to the path of accommodation and reconciliation. We salute the efforts of the regional leaders and of the international community aimed at ensuring the restoration of democracy and constitutional order in Burundi. That sister country deserves some reprieve from the traumatic experience it has recently gone through. Burundi needs peace and stability now, not tomorrow. While the situation in Rwanda remains tense, there are some encouraging signs that the country is making steady progress towards normalcy. Preparations for next year’s general elections seem to be well under way. We urge the international community to spare no effort in encouraging that country towards national reconciliation.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Not only has Africa embraced political pluralism, accountability and good governance, it has also demonstrated its readiness to defend these principles. A year ago we expected that the people of Angola would by now have started a new chapter of peace in the history of their country. It is regrettable that to date the way forward remains unclear. We strongly call upon those who have contributed to the current stalemate in Angola to see reason and show more commitment to the peace process. Two days ago the Heads of State and Government of southern Africa met in Luanda, Angola, in an effort to persuade all concerned to ensure the speedy implementation of the Lusaka Protocol. We are deeply concerned about the situation in Burundi. The country is wallowing in a quagmire of self- destruction.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Boutros Boutros- Ghali, and the Secretariat have carried out with a deep sense of commitment and dedication. We assure them that they continue to enjoy the confidence and full support of Botswana in the execution of their duties. The African continent continues to make commendable progress in the consolidation of freedom and democracy. This year the continent witnessed the successful holding of multi-party elections in Benin, Sierra Leone and the United Republic of Tanzania. The right of citizens to organize themselves and participate freely in the political processes of their countries, and respect for human rights, form the basis for stability, democracy and development. 23 Indeed, the continent has increasingly embraced these universal values, which are an integral part of a democratic culture.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“I am delighted to extend to the President and his country, Malaysia, the sincere congratulations of the Government and the people of Botswana on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-first session. His record as an accomplished diplomat has the admiration of my delegation. He can therefore count on the full support and cooperation of the delegation of Botswana in the discharge of his demanding responsibilities. We salute his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Diogo Freitas do Amaral, for his successful stewardship of the fiftieth session and the Special Commemorative Meeting. The last five years have been the most momentous in the history of the United Nations, imposing on the world body enormous responsibilities, which the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)