YouSaid · the spoken record

Lloyd Axworthy

lines on the record: 125
first: 1996-09-24
most recent: 2000-09-24
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

“The number of people whose basic human needs are not being met remains unacceptably and dangerously high. A quarter of the world?s people live in severe poverty; more than 800 million face malnutrition; 180 million children under the age of 14 work as child labourers. As the United Nations human development index makes clear this year, the gap between the haves and the have-nots continues to grow. Countries overburdened by debt are less likely to be developed and more likely to succumb to conflict. Reducing the debt of the least developed nations allows them to devote more resources to basic human needs. That is why at the summit of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Ouagadougou I announced a $20 million contribution to the African Development Bank to support the most heavily indebted African countries.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We need to move forward urgently in making the Court a reality. We should begin during this session of the General Assembly to bring the Court into operation. We who have supported the Court should ratify the Statute as soon as possible. We must also work to understand and address the concerns of those States that remain hesitant about the Court — without diluting its effectiveness. Ultimately, we must ensure that we have an institution that will be credible, responsible and effective. Respect for civil and political rights is necessary, but in itself is not sufficient to create the conditions for stable societies. Stability also requires economic and social well- being. Regrettably, statistics show that countries with the lowest income are much more likely to fall victim to violent conflict than others.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The ground-breaking efforts of Graça Machel and the work of the Secretary-General?s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, merit special and ongoing support. Enhancing human security also requires establishing legal instruments. The agreement in Rome to establish the International Criminal Court is a major fundamental step towards that goal. This Court will help to deter some of the most serious violations of international humanitarian law. It will help give new meaning and global reach to protecting the vulnerable and the innocent. By isolating and stigmatizing those who commit war crimes or genocide and removing them from the community, it will help end cycles of impunity and retribution. Without justice there is no reconciliation, and without reconciliation there can be no peace.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“(spoke in English) The growth of intra-State conflicts caused by differences of religion, language, race or ethnicity has reinforced the need to protect marginalized groups. To do so, both Governments and civil society must have ready access to information about human rights situations around the world. To this end, Canada has launched for the record an annual report drawn from United Nations sources, which we are making available on the Internet to provide constant updated information concerning human rights around the globe. Certainly, of those at risk from conflict, none are more at risk than children. The targeting of children in warfare — both as fighters and as victims — is intolerable.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“(spoke in French) The growing integration of human rights, including women?s rights, into all other aspects of United Nations activity is a recent and important breakthrough. On the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the conditions exist to achieve progress in attaining the goals set out by its drafters. This is good news. However, a review of the human rights situation around the globe makes it painfully clear that we remain far short of these goals. We need to take advantage of the momentum that this anniversary presents. The United Nations human rights system must be assured of both the political support of the membership and increased regular budget financing if it is to do the job we have entrusted to it.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“As the title suggests, Canada intends to carry on with its partners in empowering those working to build peaceful and stable societies in their own countries. It has been a half-century since a distinguished Canadian international civil servant, John Humphrey, wrote the first draft of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Since then over 60 international human rights instruments have been adopted. Countries have shown a new and welcome willingness to cooperate with the international human rights system. But we must build on that progress, and one of the most important ways that the Assembly can make its contribution this year is to support a strong United Nations declaration on human rights defenders to protect 24 those who are protecting those whose human rights are being abused.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“They must be built. Two years ago, we launched the Canadian Peace-building Initiative. Its objective is to address the unique challenges of societies recovering from conflict. Through this initiative, projects have been undertaken in Guatemala to assist civil society to implement the peace agreements, in Bosnia to promote awareness of the peace accords, in Mozambique to support a programme to exchange weapons for farming tools, and in West Africa to support the initiative led by Mali to promote a West African arms moratorium. These are small steps, certainly, but constructive ones in working locally to build peace. Today, I am pleased to release a report entitled “Peace in Progress”, which documents the results obtained to date and the wide range of partners with whom we have worked.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“These and other emerging threats to our security, including terrorism, crime and environmental degradation, affect every one of us but are beyond the reach of any of us alone. They demand global, integrated solutions, which the United Nations is best suited to provide. The International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, concluded last year, ongoing work in developing a convention on transnational organized crime and the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change — all show that we are capable of working together to enhance our human security. Moving the human security agenda forward also requires that we redouble efforts to address the root causes of conflict and risk. Peace and stability are indispensable to security, but they are not, regrettably, humanity?s birthright.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In Canada we pursue a three-pronged approach, dealing with the legal trade, illicit trafficking and peace-building challenges of small-arms proliferation. We hope, by working with others in the United Nations, to see the use of this terrible weapon come to an end. Illegal drug-trafficking also threatens our peoples? security. The drug trade affects governance, undermines human rights and promotes cross-border conflicts. That is why Canada has proposed a Foreign Ministers? dialogue group in the Americas. We hope that this will be a forum which can provide guidance and generate ideas to help us curtail the collateral impact of the drug trade on Governments and on society.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We have already put the money to work in some of the most severely affected States, with projects in Mozambique, Cambodia, Bosnia and Central America. Now we must put everyone?s resources to work. Landmines are not the only weapons that take a tragic, disproportionate toll on civilian populations. Small arms and light military weapons — cheap and easy to transport, smuggle or hide — have become the tools of choice for smugglers, terrorists and criminals. The challenges arising from the proliferation and widespread abuse of small arms and light weapons are complex. But the impact on all of us, especially the most vulnerable, is direct and devastating. Eighty per cent of the victims are women and children. There are no easy solutions and no shortcuts. We cannot, however, afford to shrink from facing such a pervasive threat to our security.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We continue to urge those who have not done so to sign and ratify the Convention and join in this international endeavour. But entry into force is just the first important step in bringing the treaty to life. Now we have to meet the treaty?s goals. An effective coalition for action must work together in this next phase to take the mines out of the ground and to help the victims. The United Nations, through its mine action service, will mobilize and coordinate the efforts of the international community. At the signing of the treaty on landmines in Ottawa last December, countries pledged $0.5 billion for mine action. My own Government has allocated $100 million as Canada?s contribution to rid the world of these very cruel weapons.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Perhaps this new reality can best be seen in the common effort to eliminate anti-personnel landmines. The Secretary-General has hailed the adoption of the Ottawa Convention as an unprecedented achievement — one accomplished through a unique partnership of non- governmental organizations, Member States and international groups working together to eliminate a weapons system that victimizes the innocent. 23 Last week, Burkina Faso deposited the fortieth ratification of the treaty, thereby crossing the threshold needed to bring the treaty into force. This treaty, which has already attracted 130 signatories and 41 ratifications, will become part of the international legal framework as of 1 March next year. We welcome the offer by Mozambique to host the first meeting of the States parties to the Convention.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“It is essential for us to work together to confront these challenges. This means working through a vibrant United Nations. For Canada, the universal values set out in the Charter have acted as our moral compass in setting our global agenda. The United Nations system serves as the instrument in achieving our goals. (spoke in English) At the same time we recognize that the United Nations faces its own worries, and it, too, must change. But a strong, reinvigorated United Nations is still the best foundation for the future. As the contours of that future emerge, there is reason for hope. While old realities of power persist, a new system based on humanitarian standards, practices and law based upon needs and human security is beginning to show through.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Allow me to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly. With your experience and dedication to the goals of this Organization, you will guide us wisely and effectively in our work this year. And important work it is, for as the century draws to a close, our security is more precarious than ever. The spectrum of threats is wide and growing. Traditional dangers persist, including the proliferation of weapons. But new threats — terrorism, crime and drugs — arise from a world in which the face of conflict has changed. Economic and social insecurity for the majority of our global population is on the rise. Increasingly, it is the well-being of individuals that is directly at stake. (spoke in French) There is an urgent need for solutions. The interdependence of all of our lives is unprecedented.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“It is not a conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.” Our hope lies in the certainty that the United Nations, as the standard-bearer of international values, of a sense of multilateralism and of a sense of cooperation and partnership, makes sense for all of us. This must spur us on in this Assembly for the challenges that lie ahead.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The international context in which the United Nations functions has changed profoundly. Around the world, people are reshaping the way they live — be it by seeking more food, better air or greater democracy. Crucial to this massive transformation is the search for security, through both the reduction of conflict and the building of a better life in times of peace. The United Nations has long symbolized these dual hopes, for escape from “the scourge of war” and for “better standards of life in larger freedom”. I close my remarks today on a note of hope, quoting President Václav Havel of the Czech Republic, who said, “Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Effective leadership and moral authority are rooted in respect for undertakings and obligations freely entered into by Member States. It is the responsibility of each and every Member to pay its dues. These obligations apply in full, on time and without conditions. Looking ahead, there may be a time when we will choose to reconsider aspects of the current financial underpinnings of the United Nations. Indeed, we may 23 collectively decide that in order to broaden responsibilities and share power in ways that better reflect current international realities, some adjustments to the scale of assessments are warranted. Such decisions, however, can be neither prejudged nor presumed, and would no doubt be influenced by the commitment of those advocating such changes to the broader purposes of this Organization.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The long-term implications must be fully debated and carefully weighed, and the process must be fair and open. It must attract a broad consensus and cannot be rushed to accommodate other goals — including a short-term solution to the United Nations financial crisis. Canada wants to see a Security Council that is effective, transparent, broadly representative and, above all, less elitist and more democratic. The primary criteria for membership should be commitment to the ideals and undertakings of the United Nations and a willingness to remain always accountable to the full membership of this Assembly. Broader United Nations reform must necessarily fail so long as Member States continue to demand more of a system to which they contribute less.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“If the United Nations is to be effective — and I believe that the need for effective multilateralism has never been greater — the United Nations must adapt to this changing face of war. At the same time, the United Nations must also recognize that it, too, has changed at its very foundation. Both its membership and its mandate have expanded, and the growing importance of United Nations development and humanitarian activities have made their mark. Clearly, it is time for concerted reflection on the purpose and functioning of this body that we have built together — including on the difficult issues of financing and reform of the Security Council. The reform and expansion of the Security Council is a major undertaking of direct concern to all Member States.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In addition to rapid military and humanitarian reaction, a key element of the United Nations response to conflict is the application of justice and the international rule of law. Canada strongly supports the timely establishment of an independent, effective international criminal court. In order to be effective, the court must have inherent jurisdiction over the core crimes of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. In order to be independent, the court must not be precluded from dealing with matters on the Security Council agenda. In conclusion, let me say that, as we all recognize, the United Nations was originally established as an instrument of international peace. Since that time, war has put on a new face. More and more, it has targeted primarily civilian populations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“This is why Canada has been so active in efforts to develop a United Nations rapid- response and deployment capability, in particular a rapidly deployable mission headquarters here in New York. This would not only permit the timely insertion of military forces, but also integrate civilian and humanitarian organizations into mission planning and deployment. Canada hopes to see measurable progress on the rapidly deployable headquarters and on the Danish-led Standby Forces High-Readiness Brigade initiative. These improvements to the United Nations rapid-response capability are complementary, feasible and should be implemented without delay. Let us learn our lesson, and not ignore it once again.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“By protecting the basic rights of the world’s children, we are nurturing a future generation of citizens with both the means and the desire to live in peace. The final overall priority for action is crisis response. And despite our best efforts, there will be times when conflict looms, or when it cannot be prevented. These situations call for rapid, decisive action, whether to forestall conflict or contain it when it breaks out. These actions include not only peacekeeping and other military measures, but also humanitarian and judicial responses. To date, the international community appears to have identified the lessons that the missions to Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Zaire have taught us, but not to have learned from them. In crisis situations, speed is the key to effective response.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Too often we have seen children recruited as soldiers or women subjected to sexual assault as a deliberate weapon of terror. Canada continues to make the rights of the child and of women, both in conflict and in peace, a top 22 human rights priority, which we pursue actively in the United Nations and elsewhere. We welcome the appointment of Mr. Olara Otunnu as Special Representative to study the impact of armed conflict on children. We will shortly host a preparatory meeting for the main donor countries invited to the Oslo child labour conference. And domestically we have launched a Child Labour Challenge Fund to support the efforts of our private sector to address the problem of exploitative child labour. Nowhere is the link between human rights and human security clearer than in the issue of children’s rights.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Our aim is to work with our counterparts in other countries to establish discussions between governments to foster exchanges between institutions devoted to the protection of human rights and civil-society initiatives and projects for the development of free media. We also fully support the Secretary-General’s proposals for reform measures to enhance United Nations work in human rights. And we welcome the appointment of Mary Robinson as High Commissioner for Human Rights, and offer her our support. As we move towards the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the challenges facing the international community, if anything, have increased. The trend towards targeting civilians in warfare has resulted in severe infringements of the basic rights of women and children.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“And we will hold a conference reviewing the impact of the 1993 Vienna Declaration, to be held by Canadian non-governmental organizations. Abuse of human rights is sometimes excused as necessary in the interests of stability and national security, but the facts show otherwise. Countries with democratic governments which respect the fundamental rights of their citizens are less likely to wage war on one another. They are also more likely over time to achieve high levels of economic development. Recognizing this, Canada has recently undertaken a series of new bilateral human rights initiatives.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“This is an opportunity for all of us to reaffirm strongly the fundamental importance of this document and our commitment to the common standards it sets out. In recognition of the importance of this anniversary, Canada will be sponsoring a broad programme of activities, including a major world conference on human rights and the Internet, to draw together work being done in many international forums, with a focus on strategies for using the new international telecommunications technology to increase respect for human rights. We are working on the development and publication of an annual report on the state of human rights worldwide, based on the findings of the United Nations independent human rights mechanisms.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“A third area of attention is work on conflict that comes from threats to environmental sustainability. Environmental problems have the capacity to imperil living standards and to endanger the well-being of future generations. For these reasons, Canada strongly supports new agreements on hazardous chemicals, including persistent organic pollutants, and will work to ensure the success of the new intergovernmental forum on forests. Combating desertification also remains a priority for us, and we have offered to host the Desertification Convention secretariat. The fourth and final promising area in addressing the root causes of conflict is human rights and good governance. Next year we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Last year Canada sponsored, together with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) a symposium on military expenditures in developing countries which brought together a wide range of experts who identified areas for further action: small- arms proliferation, about which I have just spoken, regional security, good governance and the rule of law. The United Nations has established important tools to build the confidence necessary for reductions in military spending, in the form of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and the United Nations standardized reports on national military expenditures. Much more work is needed, particularly at the regional level, to identify ways to reduce military spending and to redirect scarce national resources to the economic and social development goals.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I urge other members to join us in supporting this foundation. Finally, I am pleased to announce a Canadian contribution of $500,000 from the peace-building fund to the new United Nations Trust Fund for Preventive Action, created by the Secretary-General in response to a proposal from the Norwegian Government. A second promising area of work on the root causes of conflict lies in exploring the links between security and development, and particularly in reducing levels of military expenditures relative to economic and social spending.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Over the last six months, we have used this peace- building fund for the following purposes: to provide critical start-up funding for the historical clarification Commission in Guatemala; to assist the preparatory commission for the establishment of an international criminal court by underwriting the participation of delegates from developing countries; and to provide financial assistance for the work of the joint United Nations/Organization of African Unity (OAU) Special Representative for the Great Lakes region of Africa, Mr. Mohamed Sahnoun. In addition, Canada is prepared to contribute up to $500,000 from this fund for the establishment in Bosnia and Herzegovina of a non-governmental organization foundation to develop civil society on the basis of 21 multi-ethnic cooperation.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“To give further impetus to this approach, last October I announced the Canadian peace-building initiative. Its aim is to coordinate Canadian programmes and policies in support of conflict prevention and resolution, peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction. A peace-building mechanism or fund has provided a rapid response mechanism in areas of conflict.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“To do this requires solutions that are built from the inside, not imposed from the outside. Sustainable peace can be built only through the active cooperation and participation of Governments, peoples, and groups caught in the conflict itself. At the same time, a parallel effort is required to reform the United Nations development funds and programmes. Canada strongly supports the Secretary- General's reform proposals in this area. We place priority on improving coordination within the United Nations system at the country level, including among the specialized agencies and the Bretton Woods institutions, in order to maximize development impact. Canada, through diplomacy and development assistance, has supported peace-building activities in certain regions for many years.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Organization of American States (OAS) is currently working towards an Inter-American convention on illicit trafficking in firearms. Canada hopes that the OAS negotiations will result in an effective convention and will also inspire other regional bodies to take action. (spoke in English) Ridding the world of anti-personnel landmines and banning or limiting other forms of weapons directly reduce the human suffering caused by conflict. The other side of the same coin is building and enhancing human security. By building peace, reducing unsustainable military expenditures, promoting equitable and sustainable development and encouraging stable, democratic societies which respect human rights, we not only limit human suffering, but we also address the root causes of conflict itself.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In the hands of terrorists, criminals, the irregular militia and armed bands typical of internal conflict, these are the true weapons of mass terror. As with landmines, their victims are all too often civilians. We welcome the recent report of the United Nations Panel of Governmental Experts on Small Arms and discussions within the United Nations Disarmament Commission on disarming combatants as a step towards more lasting peace. These should serve as the launching pad from which to develop practical measures, in consultation with regional bodies. (spoke in French) To tackle this problem, the first steps must be to combat illicit trafficking in firearms and to bring greater transparency to the legal exportation of small arms.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It is urgent that we take action to prevent or reduce the incidence of conflict, to restore societies in the aftermath of conflict and to increase human security around the world. The priorities for action can, in my view, be grouped under three main headings: addressing issues which cut across traditional boundaries between areas of concern, such as we have in the landmines campaign; identifying and addressing the root causes of conflict; and improving our ability to respond to crises when we cannot prevent them. Let me talk about that first priority. Landmines are not the only complex, cross-cutting problem to be addressed if we are to reduce the impact of conflict. All too often it is small arms, rather than the major weapons systems targeted by our disarmament efforts, that cause the greatest bloodshed.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In the light of these changes, the concept of human security, which I highlighted when I addressed the Assembly last year, takes on growing relevance. It is based on the premise that it is not enough to spare people from the “scourge of war” narrowly defined. Ensuring true, sustainable human security means tackling other severe threats: the unmet needs of more than a billion people living in poverty; attacks on human rights of individuals and groups within society; 20 transnational threats, such as crime and terrorism; and threats to health and livelihood through depletion or pollution of our resources. The problems of these new global issues will not wait for long-term solutions.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“These are wars fought within, not between, States; wars that tend to be long and bitter; and wars, above all, in which civilians suffer the most and children and women are often deliberately targeted. These are wars in which, in the words of Saint-Exupéry “the firing line passes through the hearts of people”. As this type of war increasingly accounts for the great majority of all conflicts, the distinctions that once informed the work of international diplomacy — between military security concerns and humanitarian or civil concerns — break down. This blurring of the lines, along with heightened media presence, has strongly affected international opinion. Fewer and fewer people are willing to view war as an acceptable instrument of state policy.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The generosity of private citizens such as Ted Turner, or of the Auto Workers' Union of Canada, and the commitment of those like Princess Diana must be matched, indeed surpassed, by the Governments of this world. It is important to ask what is behind this willingness to tackle these old problems in a new way? What has brought us to the intersection of high hopes and new strategies, and the real ability to effect change in the world, as exemplified by the landmines campaign? To my mind, these developments and, above all the recognition of the need to adopt new approaches, are in part a response to the changing face of war. In the second half of the twentieth century, we have seen one type of conflict become prevalent.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Following the signing of the treaty, the international community will have an obligation to develop policies for an enhanced and coordinated approach to humanitarian demining, and to victim assistance and rehabilitation. This is, as much as anything else, a development issue. Heavily mined areas of the world cannot pursue economic development until they have been demined; and demining is a hopeless task if there is no treaty to prevent the laying of new mines. At Ottawa in December, we will invite nations to engage in a second phase of the campaign: a broad mobilization of groups and countries to tackle the aftermath of the landmines crisis. It is a monumental task, to be met only through the combined action of all States. We invite all present to join us.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“For those who are still on the sidelines, we ask them to think hard and deep on this issue. Their engagement is crucial. By joining us, already a majority of United Nations Member States, they can help rid the world of this most inhumane weapon. (spoke in French) Canada recently announced its intention to destroy its remaining stocks of anti-personnel mines before signature of the treaty. We will also shortly ratify the amended Protocol II of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. (spoke in English) This treaty constitutes a promise to future generations. But it does not resolve the equally grave problems posed by mines already in the ground, nor does it address the plight of those who have experienced directly their dreadful impact.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I should say that this is not the only example of the new grass-roots activism which points to the emergence of a global commons as a powerful positive force of globalization. For example, Canadian women, appalled at the treatment of their sisters in Afghanistan, have started a letter-writing campaign. I will be delivering some 5,000 letters today to the Secretary-General, which call on him to take the lead in exposing the gross human rights violations of women in Afghanistan as unacceptable in the eyes of the world's citizens. The effectiveness of these new forces can be clearly measured. Nations from every region of the world have pledged to sign on to a complete ban on the stockpiling, production, export and use of anti-personnel landmines. We hope to see more join our ranks between now and December.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The treaty will be signed this coming December, just 14 months after it was first conceived. (spoke in English) While visiting the treaty discussions in Oslo, I was forcibly struck by how what has become known as the Ottawa process demonstrates the changed character of world affairs. Above all, it shows how the breakdown of the old bipolar world affords new opportunities for civil society, private individuals, to influence multilateral diplomacy. The focus of the Ottawa process 19 is a weapon that slaughters countless civilians, a weapon that has lost much of its military utility, whatever some may say. This illustrates the growing feeling, coming from the grass roots of the world community, that the engines of war designed for the twentieth century have no place in the twenty-first.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Solutions cannot be imposed by one country or one group, but rather must be inspired by a sense of openness and innovation. In other words, we must establish a new compact amongst United Nations Members to set this Organization on a sound financial footing. As Mr. Udovenko has said, we are at a watershed, a defining moment for the Organization that can either provide new momentum or stall our advance. The direction we take is ours collectively to decide and the outcome in all our hands. We must not waste this opportunity. (spoke in French) Another defining moment, I believe, took place just over a week ago in Oslo. Ninety nations, spurred on by the efforts of the non-governmental organizations, agreed on the text of a treaty banning anti-personnel landmines.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“As we have seen, in fact, in recent days, one person's vision and generosity can make a difference and stand as an inspiration to us all. This new spirit needs to be manifest and inspire the work of the United Nations. The Secretary-General has proposed a serious and far-sighted set of reforms. Canada strongly supports these proposals and accepts them as a package. They promise not simply greater efficiency, but, we hope, greater effectiveness. Based on our experiences in Canada, I can say with some authority that budget-cutting by itself is not the answer. There must be serious structural change to modernize existing institutions, both national and international, that were formed over 50 years ago. To undertake these reforms, solutions must be based on agreement and cooperation.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Around the world, we see countless examples of the basic principles and overall vision of the United Nations Charter being put into practice. The people of the world are laying the foundations of a new international system for the new millennium. Of course, I recognize that no part of the world is without its burdens of conflict, grief and personal suffering. Nor are there any great signs of relief from the growing burden of global economic inequities. What has changed, however, is the new international willingness to face the issues, to mobilize political will and to launch reforms. There is a sense, not of helplessness, but of hope. The old realities of power have not disappeared, but alongside them have appeared new forces, new coalitions and new ways of doing business — and these forces are impatient.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“May I first take this opportunity to congratulate my very good friend, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, on his election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-second session and to convey to him the best wishes of Canada for a successful and productive association in this session. I know from our long personal contacts that the course of this important debate is in the best possible hands. Let me also take the opportunity to thank and congratulate Ambassador Razali for his tireless and effective leadership of the General Assembly at the fifty- first session. I come to the Assembly today with a sense of urgency and an abiding faith and belief that we are now emerging, not only from the shadows of the cold war, but also from the uncertainties of its aftermath.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We in 1996 must show ourselves capable of restoring the spirit of 1956 when, in the deepest freeze of the cold- war climate, the United Nations gave birth to peacekeeping and changed international relations forever. We need to find within ourselves the ability and the will to innovate and the persistence to implement our innovations. It is in the interest of each one of us, as much as it is in the interests of all of us, to do so.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“(spoke in English) I have outlined today some of the steps that Canada has taken to advance thinking, to improve existing practices and to develop new ones. And I know that other Member States have been working towards the very same end. We now have many options to consider and discuss. 16 But plans, proposals and studies are not enough. As the poet Yeats said, “In dreams begins responsibility.” It is easy to dream; it is much harder to act. We have a renewed vision of multilateralism, and a renewed mandate not just for the prevention of conflict, but for the nurturing of peace. We have started work on making that vision a reality. We all recognize how daunting this task is as we embark upon it; but we must persist, for the task is as vital as it is difficult.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Membership has its privileges, but more importantly, it must bring with it a special responsibility and commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter and to sustainable human security. (spoke in French) Equally important is the revitalization of the General Assembly. The United Nations General Assembly is the one body that brings together all nations of the world in their full diversity. It represents on a global scale both the essence and the challenge of democracy. The General Assembly must achieve consensus and take decisions on the new human security agenda. It must promote sustainable human security, a concept that combines the need to husband natural resources, to generate growth and to ensure peace and security.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“On the former, if the Council is to come to terms with the more complex nature of international peace and security, it must be prepared to assume a greater role in conflict prevention. This will require cooperation among the Security Council, the Secretary- General and other Governments and non-governmental actors in identifying and addressing emergency crises. On the latter issue, the Council can address criticisms of it as a closed body whose membership does not fully reflect changes in the world since 1945 by increasing the number of seats. The distribution of those seats should take into account in the first instance the contribution of Members to the broader purposes of the United Nations Charter, and also the need for equitable geographic representation.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)