YouSaid · the spoken record

Soledad Alvear Valenzuela

lines on the record: 35
first: 2000-09-24
most recent: 2003-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
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

“Its core values must inspire efforts for a renewal that will permit the Organization, in the building of our common destiny, to rise to the challenges of the century upon which we have just embarked.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“This will require the streamlining of its agenda, methods of work and membership, and the strengthening of its relationship with the Security Council, as provided for in Article 65 of the Charter, through its assumption of a role in the prevention and containment of threats originating in social problems. We must seek to ensure that the search for consensus does not prevent this forum from reaching the necessary substantive agreements required for the achievement of the purposes and principles of the United Nations. Chile, from the southern part of the world, will continue to shoulder its responsibility to make a contribution to the international community. The United Nations is a unique and indispensable forum for building a world of peace and development for all.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The Assembly has a multiplicity of items on its agenda and has adopted many resolutions, most of which remain unimplemented, thereby affecting the effectiveness and credibility of the system as a whole. We must have the political will to implement our decisions. In short, we must strengthen the capacity of the Assembly to assume political leadership. We must also promote the establishment of regional agendas that facilitate agreements and global consensus. The United Nations must play a key role in the promotion of equitable development by increasing the Organization’s capacity to influence the design and implementation of national and international public policies in the economic and social spheres. The process of revitalization of the Economic and Social Council must be aimed at repositioning that organ.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“This must be done in a coordinated manner through the effective application of the Charter, as provided for in Article 15 thereof. It is necessary, too, more actively to involve regional organizations and arrangements in efforts to maintain peace and security by applying Chapter VIII of the Charter. The region of the Americas has an institutional structure and various coordination mechanisms that can be used to contribute to the fulfilment of the purposes of the United Nations. The experience of the Organization of American States is pertinent in this regard. The General Assembly must undertake a process of revitalization in order to be able to play its role effectively as the principal deliberative, normative and representative organ of the United Nations.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The Security Council has recently gone through a critical period. We have witnessed the difficulty it has had in discharging the responsibilities entrusted by the Charter to this vital organ for the maintenance of international peace and security. We are in favour of its revitalization, in order that an appropriate balance can be achieved between representativity and effectiveness. Reform must give consideration to the addition of new members, both permanent and non-permanent, and include a review of the veto. This process can be complemented by mechanisms that will allow, within the framework of the Charter, more active participation by countries that are not members of the Council. It is also necessary more effectively to involve the principal organs in the consideration of issues affecting international peace and security.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“It is therefore necessary to explore new alternatives. We warmly welcome the initiative of the Secretary-General to establish a group of eminent personalities to elaborate a proposal for submission to the Organization. It is essential to address the weaknesses of the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council. We must also reflect on what new functions could be entrusted to the Trusteeship Council. We must strengthen the dialogue between these organs and extend it to other international organizations, including the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and regional organizations. In order to go forward in this process of renewal, we must be able to utilize the full potential of the Charter, which has not been fully exploited.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Progress must be aimed at ensuring that technological development is placed at the service of integration and collective prosperity. In this spirit, we look forward to broad participation in the Global Biotechnology Forum, to be held in the Chilean city of Concepci n in March 2004, and to an outcome that will help to further strengthen international cooperation in one of the most dynamic fields of science and technology. Our political and economic multilateral institutions were created in a different historical period. We must now 32 demonstrate our capacity to adapt them to better respond to the challenges of the twenty-first century. Our main concern today must be how to overcome our immobility and embark upon a process of renewal. The method used thus far has not yielded the desired results.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Security must guarantee people a life free from threats. Human security thus emerges as a distinctive feature and a prerequisite for a world without fear. We share the ideas of the Secretary-General for the elaboration of a programme of common security that will permit us to overcome the differences that have arisen in dealing with the increasing fears of our global community. Globalization has created new opportunities for the peoples of the world, but it has also created imbalances as a result of unequal access to the advantages that it offers. The equity perspective must therefore be a key component of this programme of security. Development in the globalized world can no longer be sustained only in terms of technological innovation and economic growth.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We hope to work in the United Nations in pursuit of these objectives. International peace and security continue to be key concerns of our Organization. The sacrifice of the Brazilian and Latin American Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Baghdad, and of his colleagues reaffirms our commitment to working on behalf of peace. The United Nations must play a more substantive role in the future of Iraq. We must work to ensure the rapid restoration of sovereignty to the Iraqi people so that they can freely build their future. Chile stands ready to continue to work in the Security Council with an approach that will permit progress to be made towards the consensus that is needed to improve the conditions of security and to establish a clear timetable for political transition in that country.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The historic Santiago Commitment to Democracy of 1991 culminated in the adoption of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and has been complemented by the Declaration of Santiago on Democracy and Public Trust: A New Commitment to Good Governance for the Americas, which was adopted at the thirty-third General Assembly of the Organization of American States, held in Chile in June this year. In that instrument, we reaffirmed the vital role of multilateral cooperation in promoting democratic governance. This effort is an example of how international cooperation can help to strengthen the universal value of democracy. Chile’s commitment to democracy goes beyond our region. We and other countries are part of the Community of Democracies, an initiative aimed at promoting and strengthening this system of coexistence throughout the world.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“According to our Charter, faith in human rights is a core value of every society and culture. It is essential for us vigorously to promote its universality. We note with concern how the progress made by mankind in promoting these values is accompanied by reversals that frustrate the sense of ethics that we wish to impart to the global community. The work of the United Nations must continue to be a guarantee for the promotion and protection of human rights and for the strengthening of a culture that guides the conscience of each individual, each people and each nation. Democracy is consistent with the purposes and principles of this Organization. In our region, we have made progress towards the inculcation of these values.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The Secretary-General has expressed his concern at the differing perceptions of the new and old threats and the urgent need to develop a programme of security aimed at building a common destiny. The United Nations will be what its Member States wish it to be. The success of the Organization will be the success of its Members and its failure will be the responsibility of none other than its Member States. The United Nations can and must play a central role in building a common destiny based on universally shared principles and values. The renewal of the United Nations is therefore an urgent task that must be approached from a lofty political and ethical perspective and not from the bureaucratic standpoint that has led to stagnation, empty rhetoric and frustration of the desire for change.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“I congratulate Mr. Hunte on his election as President of this Assembly. As the Foreign Minister of St. Lucia, a member of the Latin American and Caribbean community, he can be especially assured of the full cooperation of the delegation of Chile. The events of 11 September 2001, the crisis in Iraq, the conflict in the Middle East and the attack on the United Nations in Baghdad all pose enormous challenges for the international community. Tensions 31 have arisen over the way in which we have responded to some of these crises, but opportunities have also been created for joint action in new areas. We must confront these challenges with seriousness of purpose and a collective approach.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We are strengthening our multilateral policies, based on open regionalism and on cooperation with countries with similar criteria throughout the world. We are confident that this General Assembly session, dedicated to the millennium, will be recorded as the one in which we began to address the great challenge of our time: to give order to the forces of globalization and promote the extension of its benefits to an ever-increasing number of the inhabitants of our planet. You can rest assured, Mr. President, that Chile's delegation will lend its full support to meeting this challenge.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In the same spirit, international assistance must be provided to relieve the distressing conditions of many countries burdened with unsustainable debt, so that they can meet the challenges of development. This year Chile began a new six-year political term, under fully democratic conditions. Our country is in complete harmony with the international community. We possess a vibrant civil society, which made its own contributions to our preparation for the Millennium Summit. Human rights and the rule of law are respected in Chile. Our courts impart justice with rigour and a sense of responsibility. We enjoy a vigorous and open economy, and we have resolved to continue reducing inequalities in our country. We reach out to the world from a firm foundation in our own region, Latin America.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The decision to hold a High-level International and Intergovernmental Event on Financing for Development in 2001 was of groundbreaking significance, and we must resolve to carry forward the commitments expressed at the Millennium Summit to ensure the success of that event. That would lead to a new phase in North-South relations, since the political legitimacy arising from a broad multilateral consensus will allow us to design a new financial architecture and a system of international trade and exchange that reflect the legitimate interests of all the world's peoples. My country believes that official development assistance is still necessary to promote the development of many countries and regions. A globalized world cannot neglect the principle of solidarity, which is an idea so central to the United Nations tradition.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“But let us be frank: that failure was not brought about by civil-society demonstrations, but by the lack of agreement among the world's leading commercial Powers. Chile continues to believe in the urgent necessity of initiating a new round of multilateral trade negotiations. The United Nations must play a key role in bringing about substantive improvements in the management of commercial, monetary and financial systems, so that their operations will take into account the needs of all countries. The Economic and Social Council has done commendable work to coordinate United Nations activities with those of the Bretton Woods institutions. But the General Assembly too has a critical role to play in this area.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It is a great injustice that countries that have been prudent and responsible in the management of their domestic economies can be affected by problems with which they had nothing to do. It is urgent for us to find ways to impose order and standards of good management on the international world. This does not mean obstructing international capital flows, but rather establishing an appropriate international framework to address the problems they may cause. Chile has enthusiastically supported the international community's progress towards free trade through deregulation and the elimination of protectionist measures and barriers. The failure of the 1999 Seattle World Trade Organization (WTO) conference was unfortunate.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It is very important that we fulfil and gradually expand those commitments with new agreements and protocols ensuring the management, protection and conservation of our planet's resources. This session, as well as the Rio + 10 event which will take place in 2002, must continue to spur commitment to a new ethic of environmental conservation. We are witnessing the globalization of financial markets, which significantly affect capital, currency and credit flows, as well as the economies of all of nations. As recent experience demonstrates, a financial crisis in one corner of the world can rapidly trigger a domino effect, spreading the crisis even to faraway nations with no responsibility for or control over the causes of the original disturbance.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Chile has volunteered to host the regional preparatory meeting for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. We aim to contribute to the regional consensus in that area, confirming our very firm commitment to tolerance and respect for diversity. Environmental protection is an issue that crosses national borders and has become a global concern, driven in part by an emerging international civil society. Here, international cooperation, under the auspices of the United Nations, continues to be an urgent necessity. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held at Rio de Janeiro, 17 laid the foundations for agreements on climate change, forest conservation and biodiversity.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Chile has worked together with our regional neighbours in Latin America and the Caribbean to reaffirm the principles and proposals of the Fourth World Conference on Women. We have renewed our commitment to the advancement of women, and have developed a new plan to equalize opportunities for men and for women. A concrete demonstration of that commitment is the fact that about one third of President Lagos Escobar's cabinet members are women. We reiterate Chile's strong support for preparations for the General Assembly's 2001 special session to follow up the World Summit for Children. We also attribute special significance to the concern of the United Nations for the rights and welfare of indigenous populations and of the elderly.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“At the World Summit for Social Development, held at Copenhagen in 1995, heads of State or Government met for the first time in the history of the United Nations to declare with force and clarity that the chief responsibility of our societies is to improve the quality of life of our populations, particularly for their most marginalized and dispossessed members. This year, in a special session, the Assembly reviewed the progress made towards fulfilling the Summit's commitments and launched new initiatives on their genuine implementation. That was an important step in the quest to better humanize the process of globalization. We must continue to incorporate the objectives of the social Summit into our national and multilateral policies. In the social sphere, the United Nations has recognized the vital need to promote gender equality.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“More than 100 United Nations Member nations participated in that gathering and endorsed its final declaration. We are convinced that, as time passes, the community of democracies will be an increasingly potent moral force within the United Nations, provided that it maintains its high standards and requirements. Democracy is based on justice, both national and universal. Chile enthusiastically supports the establishment of an International Criminal Court, and hopes that all countries will ratify its statute. Establishing a permanent body to exercise criminal jurisdiction over those accused of crimes that fall within its purview will discourage the irregular domestic proceedings which have allowed such individuals to enjoy impunity, as well as limiting jurisdictional disputes among countries.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Globalization is not limited to the economic sphere. It also involves the universalization of values and principles of our common humanity, and the strengthening of the rights of the individual, which have increasingly become subjects addressed by international law. The absence of democracy and good governance, and the people's lack of a voice and participation in public affairs in States Members of the Organization are of concern to us all. The United Nations exists for individuals, not for those who govern. Under the imperative of putting people at the centre of all our efforts, we must support and promote human rights and democratic processes. Chile was among the countries that worked to convene the Towards a Community of Democracies conference held at Warsaw, Poland, last June.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“16 We cannot fail to mention the process of Security Council reform. While some progress has been noted in discussions of the Council's methods of work and of the degree of transparency required by this body, we note that there have been few, if any, advances toward the expansion of its membership. Chile feels a certain dismay and fatigue at the lack of progress, which is the result of positions that appear irreconcilable. The issue of the veto further complicates this sensitive subject. Until we seriously address the question of limiting the veto with a view to its ultimate abolishment, we doubt that the discussions undertaken by the Assembly's Open-ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council and Other Matters related to the Security Council will bear fruit.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Chile is also an enthusiastic participant in the Human Security Network, in response to an initiative put forward by Canada and Norway. Chile considers it an ethical and political imperative of the greatest urgency to expand its participation in the United Nations peacekeeping forces. Since 1999, we have developed an internal legal framework that is in closer harmony with international requirements for participation in these operations. Those legal modifications have enabled us to participate in the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor, beginning in February of this year. My country is also willing to discuss a new payment scale for the financing of United Nations peacekeeping operations. We believe that this scale must be adjusted to reflect the current financial situation of Member States.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“No state can shirk its the responsibility to promote peaceful coexistence within and among nations. From the ethical standpoint of our common humanity, we have viewed with interest the development of the concept of humanitarian intervention. Chile continues to abide by the principles of non-intervention and the self-determination of peoples. But these principles must be linked to other principles of equal or higher priority, which have emerged prominently since the end of the cold war. We cannot remain impassive in the face of the humanitarian catastrophes caused by great conflicts. Thus, we propose that in specific cases, and in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, concerted multilateral action be taken to provide rapid assistance to those who are suffering.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Chile would like to see the elections take place as soon as possible, on the basis of a free and secret ballot and adequate voter information. We are concerned about the obstacles that are hindering this undertaking. Although post-cold-war hopes for a world free of nuclear weapons in the near future have been tempered, that goal remains fully valid. I have the honour to report than on 12 July, Chile deposited its instrument of ratification for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty the sixteenth country to do so. We call upon all nations to ratify this Treaty as soon as possible in order to reach the quorum of 44 countries necessary for its entry into force. In our information-based society, the problems experienced by any one country affect the world community as a whole.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We are hopeful as to the significant mediating role played by regional entities such as the Organization for African Unity, especially in the Ethiopia-Eritrea dispute, and the Southern African Development Community. We hope that these efforts, along with those of the United Nations, can bring about peace, allowing the continent to fully develop its enormous potential. We are pleased to note that the Security Council has directly addressed the scourge of HIV/AIDS in Africa, designating it as an international security issue requiring urgent action. We hope that initiatives will be adopted to effectively combat this problem, which casts an even greater shadow over the future of the continent than the current armed conflicts. We view with concern the difficulties surrounding the upcoming referendum in the Western Sahara.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We support the Security Council's decisions establishing a massive humanitarian programme for Iraq under the 'oil-for-food' formula, and we favour an ongoing evaluation of that programme. We urge the Iraqi Government to cooperate effectively with the new inspection agency the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission whose work we deem particularly important. We have followed closely developments in the Balkans. The seeds of intolerance and 'ethnic cleansing' are still present in the region. Chile views with fear the possibility of a new Balkan conflict. Only full respect for democracy and human rights can bring about peace in the region. We are concerned by the conflicts in Africa.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Chile followed with particular interest the historic talks held between the leaders of North and South Korea, from 13 15 to 15 June of this year. We congratulate the leaders and the peoples of both countries on the progress made at this groundbreaking summit. The conflict in the Middle East has entered what seems to be a decisive stage. We are heartened by the advances made this year and encourage the parties to continue their negotiations in accordance with the established timetables and relevant Security Council resolutions. We are confident that Israel and the Palestinian National Authority will find satisfactory solutions to the remaining issues, particularly those related to Jerusalem. We are also encouraged by Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The challenge confronting the United Nations today is to lend a certain degree of order to globalization; to establish effective institutions and rules, so that globalization will serve to advance the development of our peoples; and to ensure that the fruits of scientific and technological advances benefit all peoples. At the Rio Group's most recent Summit of Heads of State or Government, held in Cartagena, Colombia, the countries that make up this regional political coordination body prepared a joint contribution to the Millennium Summit, reaffirming the central role of the United Nations in this new era on which we are embarking. The past year has given rise to a mixture of hope and concern with regard to peace and security.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The United Nations can help to ensure that globalization does not result in exclusion, with the benefits of modernization limited to a lucky few. We must make a firm commitment to developing a new form of international cooperation, focused in particular on broadening access to the knowledge-based economy. The flows of goods, services, capital, information and technology characteristic of globalization tend to bypass domestic regulations and escape the control of Governments. This lack of regulation is generally not counterbalanced by other standards or authorities. It is up to us to fill this vacuum by using all available multilateral forums. As never before in the history of humanity, resolving the daily problems faced by people worldwide depends on collective international decision-making.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Globalization is without a doubt the name of our era. Today it is pointless to ask ourselves whether we want to participate in globalization. Isolation is not a realistic option. Chile views globalization as an unquestionable reality and as a font of opportunity that has brought us very valuable benefits. The opening of our economy has enabled us to double the size of our gross domestic product within 10 years, compared with the almost 50 years it took to accomplish the previous doubling. Technological advances have helped to bring us closer to major world centres. Globalization gives rise to opportunities, but it can also deepen the inequities which have always characterized the international system.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“First of all, Mr. President, permit me to congratulate you on your election to preside over the Assembly's fifty-fifth session, the first of the new millennium. I wish you every success in your presidency, and promise you Chile's full cooperation as you carry out your important duties. I would like to express our admiration and affection for the country you represent, Finland. My appreciation also goes to the praiseworthy efforts of Foreign Minister Gurirab of Namibia during the work of the session that has just come to an end. Likewise, we congratulate the Secretary-General on the leadership he has demonstrated since taking office. We recognize and value his commitment to the vision of a new United Nations for the twenty-first century. We encourage him to continue his efforts to reform the Organization.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)