YouSaid · the spoken record

Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI

lines on the record: 82
first: 2006-09-24
most recent: 2010-09-24
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

“We must, as soon as possible, implement the agreements and resolutions that we have agreed in order to find peaceful and definitive solutions to all outstanding issues, because any delay in or suspension of our search for such solutions would create additional, similar issues and crises in other countries and spark the flames of extremism and terrorism throughout the world. We hope that we shall find solutions that will lead to the happiness and well-being of all our peoples.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“We also reiterate our strong support for the territorial integrity of the brotherly Kingdom of Morocco and our full backing for the Moroccan autonomy proposal as a definitive political compromise solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara. We also reiterate our unwavering support for the legitimate demands of the People’s Republic of China for the return of Taiwan to China’s fold. It is through peace, stability and security and respect for international law that our nations will be able to attain the development goals they have set themselves to help our peoples. I therefore have full trust that our Organization shall continue to make these ideals its main focus.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“I cannot end my statement without reiterating that the Comoros supports the efforts of the international community, and more specifically the personal efforts of His Excellency President Barack Hussein Obama, to establish a just and lasting peace in the Middle East enabling the Palestinian people to live freely and safely in an independent State and to enjoy fully all their legitimate rights. My country also pays tribute to efforts to bring an end to the fratricidal conflicts that are ripping apart the Sudan, Afghanistan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Ultimately, what is at stake is the honour of our Organization, whose very credibility would be sorely challenged should international law and legality continue to be disregarded and the territorial integrity of the Comoros continue to be violated. The United Nations is the guarantor of respect for international law. It is duty-bound to require that its Members’ legislation complies fully with the relevant resolutions. I can only endorse the statement of the President of the General Assembly, His Excellency Mr. Joseph Deiss, who said at the opening of this session that the United Nations is the guarantor of global governance and enjoys a global legitimacy.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“But France wants to know nothing about this compromise. Faced with such an attitude, we find ourselves obliged to request our dear Organization to require France to respect and comply with international law, implement the various relevant United Nations resolutions on the Comorian island of Mayotte, and to reconsider its position on our offer, which clearly represents a huge sacrifice on the part of my country, which in fact is within its rights. What is at stake is the future of the Comoros, a small sovereign country Member of the United Nations. Also at stake is the honour of France, a great country whose ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity so strongly and profoundly inspired the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the principles underpinning our Charter.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“We are surprised that, despite all the good will demonstrated by the Comorian side — and in particular the innovative proposal on Mayotte known as “one country, two systems” or two administrations, which I myself introduced at an earlier session of this Assembly — there has been no positive response from France to that outstretched hand. The dual system would be a compromise that would finally ensure respect for international law, while enabling France to continue to legally administer the Comorian island of Mayotte during a period to be mutually agreed. It would also enable our Mahorais brothers and sisters, 10-54965 20 whom I love dearly, to preserve their social status and standard of living, and the three other islands to finally take up the many challenges of development in peace and stability.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“I wish to stress that the imposition of a visa requirement in 1994 had truly tragic human consequences. The small slice of the sea of approximately 70 kilometres separating Anjouan from the sister island of Mayotte has now become the largest maritime cemetery in the world. To date, nearly 7,000 people have been killed. Moreover, while we had agreed to establish a high-level working group to relaunch the dialogue in order to consider together equitable and just solutions, on 29 May 2009 France organized another referendum aimed at changing the status of the island of Mayotte into an overseas department.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“In the judgment handed down on 11 September 1992 in a dispute between Honduras and El Salvador, the International Court of Justice in The Hague declared that the principle of the inviolability of colonial borders is a retroactive principle that changes administrative boundaries originally designed for other purposes into international borders. For many years, my country has called the international community to witness and has made known its readiness to seek a fair and just solution bilaterally. The response to our position was crushing. France not only took unilateral steps in 1994 to hinder the free circulation of persons by introducing a visa for all Comorians wishing to visit Mayotte, part of Comorian territory, but also, in 2000, it began the process of making the island a department, which is illegal under international law.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“It must be recalled that the principle of the inviolability of borders became a rule of customary international law, codified under paragraph 6 of resolution 1514 (XV), which stipulates that: “Any attempt aimed at the partial or total disruption of the national unity and the territorial integrity of a country is incompatible with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.” That same resolution recalls in its paragraph 7 that: “All States shall observe faithfully and strictly the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the present Declaration on the basis of equality, non-interference in the internal affairs of all States, and respect for the sovereign rights of all peoples and their territorial integrity.” International jurisprudence fully recognizes that principle of the indivisibility of colonial entities.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“France refuses to comply with all those relevant resolutions adopted by the General Assembly relating to the Comorian island of Mayotte and continues to violate the principle of the inviolability of colonial borders.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Condemns and considers null and void the referendums of 8 February and 11 April 1976 organized in the Comorian island of Mayotte by the Government of France, and rejects: “(a) Any other form of referendum or consultation which may hereafter be organized on Comorian territory in Mayotte by France; “(b) Any foreign legislation purporting to legalize any French colonial presence on Comorian territory in Mayotte; “2. Strongly condemns the presence of France in Mayotte, which constitutes a violation of the national unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the independent Republic of the Comoros;” (resolution 31/4, third and fourth preambular paragraphs and paras. 1 and 2).”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Allow me to read out the provisions of that resolution that is of paramount importance to my country and which will remain forever etched in the memory of my Comorian compatriots. 19 10-54965 “Considering that the occupation by France of the Comorian island of Mayotte constitutes a flagrant encroachment on the national unity of the Comorian State, a Member of the United Nations, “Considering that such an attitude on the part of France constitutes a violation of the principles of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, in particular of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960 concerning the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples, which guarantees the national unity and territorial integrity of such countries, “1.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“These include resolution 1514 (XV), of 14 December 1960, on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples, which guarantees the national unity and territorial integrity of such countries on regaining their sovereignty. Resolution 3291 (XXIX), of 13 December 1974, reaffirms the integrity and unity of the Comoro Archipelago. In addition, resolution 3385 (XXX), of 12 November 1975, adopted a few months after the independence of the Comoros, affirms the admission of the Comoro Archipelago, composed of the islands of Mayotte, Anjouan, Mohéli and Grande-Comore, to the United Nations. Lastly, the historic resolution 31/4, of 21 October 1976, underscores the right of the Comoros and the duties of France with regard to that independent country.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“I also take this opportunity to express the deep gratitude of the Comorian people for the valuable and unwavering support of the African Union, the League of Arab States and the Organization of the Islamic Conference on this issue. I would like to begin by recalling that, pursuant to recommendations of the United Nations, the highest French authorities have themselves affirmed that the Comoros should accede to independence within inviolable borders. Thus, former French President Mr. Valéry Giscard d’Estaing declared, inter alia, that the Comoros are and always have been an entity and that it is natural that they have a common destiny. I also deem it vital and timely to recall today certain resolutions of our Organization confirming the legitimacy of the Comorian claim to the island of Mayotte.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“This year I should like to devote most of my statement once again to the important matter of the Comorian island of Mayotte. This has been a dispute between us and France for more than three decades. It is our hope that there will be greater understanding and more active solidarity on this matter on the part of this Assembly. It is my belief that the future of my country, the Union of the Comoros, depends on peace and stability. But there can be no lasting stability in my country without a final solution to this problem. Accordingly, this year we have once again requested that an item on the Comorian island of Mayotte be included on the agenda of the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Here, I would also like to reiterate the unwavering support of the Union of the Comoros to the People’s Republic of China and to the Kingdom of Morocco in their legitimate efforts to recover their territorial integrity. To conclude, I am greatly honoured to express the warm thanks and deep appreciation of the Comorian delegation to all the American authorities, in particular those of the State of New York, for the good arrangements to ensure us a pleasant stay in this great and beautiful country. (spoke in Arabic) I beseech God that we have a session that serves humanity.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“I will not neglect to mention Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Great Lakes region and Darfur, where fratricidal conflicts only further exacerbate poverty and underdevelopment. We therefore urge the international community to offer its assistance to those brother countries so as to put an end to that unfortunate situation. I cannot close this chapter on crises and conflicts without wishing my Malagasy brothers and sisters complete success in the ongoing negotiations for a peaceful transition that quickly leads to peace and stability being restored in this sister island and to renewed efforts for its economic prosperity.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We should also celebrate the initiative undertaken by President Barack Obama in the Middle East, which offers the hope of seeing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resolved through a solution that is just, equitable and acceptable to the parties involved — notably the solidification of the two-State principle, as stipulated by the various United Nations resolutions on the matter. Moreover, I take this opportunity to applaud the presence among us of His Excellency President Barack Obama, whose charisma, dynamism and sense of justice renew our hope to see the United States of America act with more engagement and pragmatism in the service of peace, justice and development in the world.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“A better definition of the concept of the responsibility to protect should also be sought, with sufficient time allocated to seriously consider its implementation. Peace and security remain essential conditions for the promotion of socio-economic development. Thus the conflict conditions that prevail in numerous regions of the world call out a challenge to us. We must show greater solidarity in regard to the populations of regions that for years on end have known only desolation, despair and humiliation.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Our Organization has a great role to play in the realization of that goal, and for its voice to reach as far as necessary we must all agree on the need to bring to its various branches the necessary reforms. Indeed, only an organization that is more representative, more democratic and more equitable in its various institutions will be in a position to better address the problems all countries face, to understand them and conceive the solutions most likely to produce more peace, stability and development. 3 09-52320 Furthermore, in the framework of respect for human rights and good international governance, the abusive use of universal jurisdiction should be fought by working for a better structure for such jurisdiction, but also to put in place an organ to regulate the principle of jurisdiction itself.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We must take concrete, urgent and concerted action and make a determined stand against the consequences of the economic, financial and food crises that lash all our countries without distinction. I believe now is the time to demonstrate active solidarity and pragmatism if we want our words to translate into concrete actions and if we want to rekindle hope in our peoples, who have suffered more than enough. Obviously our developing nations are not asking for the moon — at least not for now. We merely ask that we join our efforts to satisfy the legitimate demands of our peoples, who only aspire to live better and with dignity, peace and peace of mind.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Finally, many of our countries, particularly small island States like my own, are threatened by multiple natural catastrophes whose consequences only aggravate an already fragile socio-economic situation. Certain of our nations are even at risk of no longer appearing on the map of the world in a few years. That catastrophic situation, which prevails in an era when, paradoxically, every day sees enormous technical and technological advances, must challenge and incite us to redouble our efforts to find appropriate responses. Thus a genuine international mobilization — especially on the part of those countries most equipped to face the challenges confronting us all — is required.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We meet every year in these prestigious surroundings to debate questions of peace, security and development. Unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that our joint efforts do not always lead to conclusive results, since as of today numerous challenges remain, and their consequences for our countries and our peoples are becoming ever more dire. Certainly, some progress can be seen here and there, yet our people continue to suffer hunger, malnutrition and sickness. Our children do not have the benefit of an education of the quality necessary to assure them a better future. Health care remains a luxury for most of our citizens. Some of our villages and even cities suffer a cruel lack of basic social services, indeed even of potable water and electricity.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“I am convinced that with the active participation of the whole of the international community these new proposals, which should become part of the negotiations between France and the Comoros, would lead to a happy outcome. France and the Comoros have nearly two centuries of life together, two centuries of shared history, culture and language. We do not have the right to spoil that patrimony by allowing misunderstandings to persist, by continuing to let play out the tragedies that make of the sea lane between Anjouan and Mayotte one of the greatest maritime cemeteries in the world. For all of these reasons we come here, in the full view of the world, to demonstrate our good will, which we dare to hope will never be obliterated by an attitude of inflexibility or intransigence.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Obviously, both parties must reach agreement on the duration of the French presence on the Comorian island of Mayotte. On the other hand, we request that France actively assist in the economic development of the three other islands to achieve a certain balance throughout the Archipelago — a balance that will necessarily encourage a harmonious rapprochement among them and will enable the Comorian island of Mayotte to finally return to its natural home. This process will enable our brothers and sisters of Mayotte to maintain their social advantages and their standard of living and the other three islands to rise to the many development challenges they face.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“And we are firmly resolved not only to 09-52320 2 continue that special partnership, but also to reaffirm it even more. However, this desire for harmony in no way constitutes a renunciation of our firm attachment to the territorial integrity of our country. That is why I have taken the initiative to come here to solemnly present to France, before the entire international community, a proposal to resolve this dispute. In fact, I propose to France that it recognize that the four islands of the Comoros Archipelago remain an indivisible nation based on the principle of one country, two administrations. By that principle, I mean that France recognizes the full sovereignty of the Union of the Comoros throughout its territory while continuing to administer the Comorian island of Mayotte.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Indeed, despite the dispute arising from the separation of one island from its three sisters — thus handicapping the Comoros Archipelago by changing it into a three- legged cow, as President Ahmed Abdallah Abderemane said — the Comoros, contrary to what one might think, enjoys a special partnership with France. France is present on the Comoros in the sense that, in the international community, it is always associated with major decisions that affect my country’s future. France remains the primary economic partner of the Comoros. It is one of the largest contributors of development assistance to my country. More than 200,000 Comorian citizens live on French soil. Those are just a few examples to demonstrate that no hostility exists between our two peoples or our two countries.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Despite many relevant and final United Nations resolutions and several consultations held on the island, France continues to hold referendums on Mayotte to definitively anchor that Comorian island to the French Republic. Those consultations have made it possible to change the status of the Comorian island of Mayotte several times — only within the framework of internal French law — until, through the most recent consultation, the island became the 101st French department. Moreover, it should be noted that the relations between France and the Comoros are unique.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“I wish to pay tribute to the President of the General Assembly and the Secretary-General for their dedication to their noble missions. For once, I do not wish to conclude my statement with the issue of the Comorian island of Mayotte, as I usually do. I should like to address that sensitive issue first. It affects not only the unity and integrity of the Comoros and its history and international law, but also peace in the region of the Indian Ocean. The General Assembly has condemned the French presence on the Comorian island of Mayotte several times, because the Comoros was admitted to the international community with its colonial borders, which include the islands of Mayotte, Anjouan, Moheli and Grand Comore.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“In conclusion, may I express the sincere thanks of the Comorian delegation to all the American authorities for the particularly warm welcome and the good arrangements made to ensure the success of this sixty- third session of the General Assembly.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Let me take this opportunity to make a solemn appeal to the French Government to strive to preserve a climate conducive to a committed dialogue, which has our support and which, in order to result in a negotiated settlement will need to take into account the concern of the Comoros that its national unity and territorial integrity be respected. Moreover, I urge the international community to help to reconcile the views of the two parties along those lines, because the unity of the four islands of the Comoros, as well as peace and lasting stability for the archipelago, are a prerequisite for its harmonious development.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“However, today the reality is that France is in Mayotte notwithstanding the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and all the other international organizations that have been regularly seized of the matter. Against that background, I have entered into talks with the French President, His Excellency Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy, who has shown a willingness to find a solution to the problem. It may therefore be hoped that that legitimate claim of the Comoros to the island of Mayotte will soon have a happy outcome. I am particularly confident of that, because many outstanding problems throughout the world have been settled and others are on the way to being settled since His Excellency President Nicolas Sarkozy assumed France’s highest office.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Lastly, I would like to remind the Assembly that the Comoros, comprising Mayotte, Anjouan, Mohéli and Grande Comore, was admitted into this prestigious Organization on 12 November 1975, as demarcated by its borders, without France showing its opposition to that admission. Today, there are good grounds for our great concern over France’s official statements regarding the departmentalization of the Comorian island of Mayotte. Those statements are not in keeping with the principles of justice, fairness and respect for international law, for which the great country of France is known. For that reason, my country as of now considers any ballot organized on the question of making the Comorian island Mayotte a department to be null and void. Such are the facts — and the facts speak for themselves.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“08-51845 16 Faced with the unwillingness of the French Parliament at that time to recognize the irrevocable verdict of the Comorian people, the late President Ahmed Abdallah Abdérémane, with the backing of the Comorian people, unilaterally declared the independence of the Comoros on 6 July 1975. Looking beyond such measures, which come under French domestic law, I should like to stress the principle of the inviolability, under international law, of borders inherited from the colonial era and thereby to make it clear that the Comorian demand is indeed in conformity with the law.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“In all the islands, namely, in Anjouan, Mohéli, Mayotte and Grande Comore, on 22 December 1974, overall a positive answer was given to the question posed. The question was put to the Comorian people as a single, indivisible people and over 96 per cent voted in favour of independence, in accordance with the law based on article 53 of the French Constitution. However, at that time the French Parliament, rather than simply ratifying that decision of the people, wanted to draw up another law organizing another referendum on the pretext that in Mayotte about 60 per cent had voted against. But the question had been put to the Comorian people, comprising the population of Mayotte, Anjouan, Mohéli and Grande Comore, and the result translated into overall terms as that did not in any way affect the letter and spirit of the law.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“It is clear then that the French Republic has never called into question the territorial unity of the archipelago of the Comoros, while international public opinion has consistently considered that the four islands of the Comoros form a single territory, subject to the French Republic and administered most recently under the provisions of article 72 and following the French Constitution. It was in that spirit that at the end of 1974 we implemented the procedure provided for by article 53 of the French Constitution, which aimed to gain the support of those affected by the accession to independence of the archipelago of the Comoros. In accordance with the law of 23 November 1974, the people of the archipelago of the Comoros were invited to vote on whether they wished the territory to gain independence.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The first text on that issue was the decree of September 1889. Since then, the political and administrative unity of the Comoros archipelago has never been questioned in any document, despite the plethora of provisions adopted with regard to the Comoros. I would refer, for example, to the law of 9 May 1946, the law of 17 April 1952, the decree of 22 July 1957, the law of 22 December 1961 and the law of 3 January 1968. Thus, each time the French legislature or regulatory authority has acted, it has done so by considering the archipelago of the Comoros to constitute a single territory.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“It will be agreed that such a decision, coming at a moment when discussions are under way between the two parties, will not favour an open and constructive dialogue. Therefore, in order to throw further light on the justification of the Comorian claim to the island of Mayotte, allow me to set out certain important facts that need to be taken into account when we analyse the issue. Throughout the years of French colonization, the Comorian archipelago, comprised of the four islands of Anjouan, Grande Comore, Mayotte and Mohéli, was a single physical, geographical, religious, cultural and linguistic entity. Under French domestic law, and ever since Anjouan, Grande Comore and Mohéli were established as a French protectorate, they were combined with Mayotte to form a single territory.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“On the basis of respect for those values, allow me to inform this Assembly of the great concern of the people and the Government of the Comoros with regard to the issue of the Comorian island of Mayotte. I would like to note that, following talks undertaken with France on that issue since last September following my meeting with President Nicolas Sarkozy, I did not intend to raise the issue at this session. The high-level working group that was set up for that purpose on the initiative of the French President provides, I believe, an ideal bilateral framework to study all aspects of the issue. However, the intention recently declared by the French authorities to organize a referendum in 2009 with a view to transforming Mayotte into a French department forces me to raise the issue here.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“I also take this opportunity to thank the European Union for having agreed to finance a programme of support for the Indian Ocean Commission within the framework of the tenth European Development Fund as the Union’s 15 08-51845 contribution to the implementation of the Mauritius Strategy. I appeal to the United Nations and to the international community to support the efforts of the Indian Ocean Commission to ensure the successful development and integration of its Member States and to pay particular attention to the issue of implementing the Mauritius Strategy. Every individual and every nation aspires to justice, dignity and freedom. Those are the ideals of the United Nations system to which we must remain faithful if peace, security and development are to ensure the progress of humanity.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Initial contacts with the international community have been established to muster the support necessary to convene that national gathering which is required to improve the functioning of our national institutions. Economic difficulties cannot allow us to lose sight of other major challenges, including environmental problems, which particularly affect the small island developing States, of which the Indian Ocean islands are a part. Thus, as head of State of the country currently holding the chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Commission, which has observer status at the United Nations, I would like to reiterate our subregional organization’s desire to contribute to implementing the Mauritius Strategy.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Therefore, I would like to pay heartfelt tribute to the African Union, the League of Arab States and the friendly countries of Tanzania, the Sudan, Libya, Morocco, Senegal, France and the United States of America, which have all supported us morally, materially or financially in our task to complete without bloodshed the delicate operation of freeing the island of Anjouan. Firmly resolved to consolidate the renewed stability and in line with the commitment made to our partners, I have decided to organize as soon as possible an inter-Comorian conference to bring together political movements, local island Governments, civil society and the Comoros’ partners. The conference will focus on the outstanding institutional issues that have long been a source of misunderstanding between the central Government and the federal entities.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Furthermore, we firmly believe in multilateralism. That is why the reform of the major organs of the United Nations is required today to ensure greater firmness and effectiveness. Last March, Operation Democracy in the Comoros put an end to a rebellion that had shaken the island of Anjouan and re-established constitutional legality. As I promised, free, transparent and democratic elections took place on the island last June, enabling us to complete the establishment of local Governments on the islands of the Union of the Comoros.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Those are questions that must be addressed by each one of us, by our collective conscience and, first and foremost, by the United Nations, whose key purpose remains the defence of the ideals of peace, justice, solidarity and development. Today’s reality is quite different. Unfortunately, all those values are far from being solidly established. The most privileged nations must therefore show greater concern for the fate of some parts of the world and, in particular, for developing countries where violence, hunger, disease, injustice of all sorts conflicts and their consequences are facts of daily life. The double crisis of food and energy, to mention but two, requires a new surge of solidarity at the international level. The crisis affects the entire world, but is felt particularly in developing countries.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We are extremely pleased to see Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann presiding over the sixty-third session of the General Assembly. I take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of our Organization, for his commitment and active role in the service of the United Nations and for promoting its ideals of justice and peace. The world today is faced with innumerable challenges. We who govern our respective countries bear a heavy responsibility. We must become increasingly concerned about the fate of our world. Why are we going through all these crises? Why are there so many centres of tension throughout the world? Why is there so much poverty and vulnerability in our universe? Why is terrorism spreading throughout the globe?”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We also hope that the African Union mission and character in Darfur will be respected and that the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Sudan will be fully respected.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“The international community and the United Nations must provide swift humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, open the crossings and dismantle anything that hampers movement. We also state our solidarity with our brothers in Lebanon, and we call for full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), the cessation of Israeli incursions into Lebanon and withdrawal from the Sheba’a Farms. On the subject of Darfur, we give priority to the peace talks to be held in Libya on 24 October this year. We hope that all the parties will attend these talks. The international community must assume its responsibility and urge the parties to participate in those negotiations, which we hope will be final and decisive.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“As we all know, there can be no peace in the Middle East without a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian question effected by the withdrawal of Israel from the Arab territories that it occupied in 1967. Without the establishment of a viable Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem with its capital, and the settlement of the question of refugees on the basis of the General Assembly resolution of 1949, the conflict will not be settled. Construction of settlements must be stopped, the separation wall must be demolished and Palestinians must be compensated for damage caused by its construction. I also invite our Palestinian brothers to renounce division and disintegration and to engage in dialogue.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“In conclusion, I hope that peace reigns in our world, that goodness and good faith win our hearts so that the people of the world can live in happiness and in greater solidarity than ever. I would like to finish with a few words in Arabic. The Israeli-Arab conflict is the source of tensions in the Middle East, and the Palestinians in the occupied Arab territories live in inhuman and tragic economic conditions because of Israeli practices. The international community must deal decisively with this situation by requiring the Israeli authorities to implement relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions and decisions. Additionally, the provisions of international law, international humanitarian law and human rights must be observed.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“I thus appeal to the United Nations to take on this matter by working to achieve a closer rapprochement between the two parties, with a view to a prompt settlement of the question. I truly believe that together with the French authorities we can find the ways and means to move towards a final, just and lawful solution to this problem. In the ongoing quest for peace and freedom, I have a particular thought for those who, throughout the world, are engaged in struggle and are claiming their rights to unity and territorial integrity. Thus, from this rostrum, I would like to renew to our friend the People’s Republic of China, our commitment to a policy of a single China, single and indivisible. To our brother country the Kingdom of Morocco, I would like to reaffirm our support for its legitimate fight to recover its territorial integrity.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)