YouSaid · the spoken record

Roberto Rojas López

lines on the record: 43
first: 2000-09-24
most recent: 2001-09-24
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

“We hope that all differences will soon be put aside so that it will be possible to achieve agreements and both branches of the Chinese people will be able to participate jointly in international forums. Just a couple of months ago we witnessed the bloody and abominable impact of international terrorism. Those despicable acts shook the conscience of humanity as a whole. In these circumstances, the world awaits the guidance of the United Nations. Our peoples demand the decisive and firm action of the international community. Humanity as a whole calls on us to fulfil the lofty goals that we undertook when we established this Organization.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The lack of financial resources imposes a harsh limit on the poorest nations’ capacity to prevent humanitarian emergencies. Therefore, we advocate an increase in international cooperation with developing nations to enable them to design and implement programmes to reduce their vulnerability. In this context, I would like to mention the bilateral assistance that the Republic of China in 32 Taiwan has given our region to face these emergencies. Costa Rica understands and supports the repeated efforts of the Republic of China in Taiwan, with 23 million inhabitants and a firm process of democratic development and strengthening, to obtain representation within this Organization. That country also constitutes one of the main industrial centres of the Asian basin, with which most Member States have strong commercial and technical exchange ties.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The production of environmental goods and the provision of environmental services have become an engine of national development. For these reasons, my country will be honoured to be the host country of the first ministerial meeting of the United Nations Forum on Forests, which will be held in March 2002. We look forward to the active and constructive participation of all Member States in that meeting. My delegation notes with concern the growing inequality in the area of vulnerability. The States with the most fragile economies and whose inhabitants have fewer resources for prevention and reconstruction are the ones that suffer most from the effects of natural disasters. In our region, Central America, we have been the victims of several disasters that, in the course of the past decade, have caused very serious human and material losses.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Only an educated population can live in freedom, only a healthy population can work for development and only a cultured population can integrate itself in the globalized contemporary world. Similarly, it is necessary to ensure the sustainable use and management of natural resources. Without a healthy environment it is impossible to attain decent living conditions, both for the present and for the future. We cannot ignore the damage caused to future generations by the destruction of thousands of square kilometres of the earth’s forests. Costa Rica has developed a national system of payments for environmental services with a view to alleviating the impact of greenhouse gases and preserving our forests for mankind. My country has devoted one quarter of its national territory to the protection of its forests.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“However, we cannot fail to express our deep concern about the existence and emergence of new reservations on the voluntary acceptance of the Court’s jurisdiction. Good faith in international relations demands the withdrawal of those reservations. True and sustainable peace can be achieved only when decent living conditions are guaranteed to all people; when there is a level of economic development sufficiently advanced so that everyone can satisfy his or her basic needs; when basic human rights are respected; and when social and political differences are resolved through democratic means, dialogue and negotiation. Therefore, it is essential to invest intensively and systematically in our human resources, devoting all necessary resources to education and health.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The transfer of weapons to Governments that commit systematic human rights violations, do not respect democratic principles or have not ratified the main instruments of international humanitarian law should also be forbidden. We believe that it is essential to regulate the possession of light weapons by civilians. My country condemns the unilateral and disproportionate use of force and countermeasures, while it supports the mechanisms and principles enshrined in international law. We must embrace negotiation, dialogue, mediation and the judicial resolution of disputes. For this reason, Costa Rica fully endorses and has full confidence in the excellent work of the International Court of Justice. We believe that the voluntary acceptance of its obligatory jurisdiction, through optional declarations, is clear proof of good faith.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We have denounced it when it has been unable to act because of an irresponsible use of the veto or the defence of national interests of certain of its members. Today, the adoption of resolution 1373 (2001) gives us new hope. We are confident that, in the future, the Security Council will confront other emergency situations with the same decisiveness, promptness and effectiveness. Weapons are a catalyst for armed conflicts. Their proliferation fans the flames of violence; exacerbates fighting and hatred; aggravates crime and terrorism; and fosters political and social instability. Military arsenals prolong armed conflicts and impede peace processes, while the armies consume insatiably the meagre national resources. To attain peace, it is necessary to forbid the transfer of arms to rebel, extremist or terrorist groups.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“It is also necessary to protect the human rights of refugees and displaced persons. Furthermore, at the end of an armed conflict, greater international cooperation is required to rebuild the national economy and lost infrastructure and to return life to normal. 31 For several years, my delegation has advocated the strengthening of the Security Council. We have said that it is the only mechanism that humanity has to confront the threats that beset it. Costa Rica has questioned the Council when it has ignored its duties and has been reduced to irrelevance. We have criticized it when it has confined itself to giving weak and inadequate answers to the gravest political and humanitarian emergencies.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“In this regard, my country recently enacted a special law on responsible parenthood that ensures, through unprecedented and resolute judicial means, that all biological fathers will be responsible for the education and care of any offspring born out of wedlock. The efforts to maintain international peace and security must also be seen from the point of view of human rights. Armed conflicts produce continuous humanitarian crises and atrocities. As long as war exists, it will be impossible to ensure respect for the basic human rights. In situations of armed conflict, all necessary measures must be taken to protect the security of innocent civilians. It is crucial to provide them with immediate assistance, in order to prevent greater loss of life and destruction.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We are concerned by the recent developments in the area of cloning and biotechnology. For this reason, we welcome the proposal by France and Germany to negotiate an international agreement to prohibit the reproductive cloning of human beings. We believe that such an instrument should also forbid other forms of experimentation in biotechnology that are contrary to both human life and dignity. We must strengthen the family as the basic building block of society. The family is indispensable for the formation of healthy, productive and responsible citizens. We must also make additional efforts to support parents in the education of their children.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“In particular, it is necessary to rationalize and coordinate the work of the monitoring organs, including the Commission on Human Rights, in order to make them more effective. Costa Rica considers it necessary to review the national reports system in order to make it more transparent and expeditious. We believe that Member States must open their borders in a candid and forthright manner to the human rights rapporteurs that are appointed by the Commission. This obligation flows directly from the commitments undertaken under Articles 55 and 56 of the Charter. Simultaneously, we must respond positively to the request for additional resources made by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Moreover, the United Nations must remain vigilant so as to deal with the new challenges that threaten the enjoyment of human rights.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We condemn extrajudicial executions, the death penalty, abortion, forced displacement, torture, rape and hostage-taking. We categorically condemn all restrictions on freedom of speech and thought. The ethical values of the Costa Rican identity make us proclaim a more just and humane society and demand greater solidarity. This Organization’s work in the area of human rights is outstanding. The codification efforts and the periodic conferences have provided the international community with clear guidelines of conduct. Now, we must concentrate our efforts in the implementation of those norms at all levels of society, placing special emphasis on the fulfilment of economic, social and cultural rights.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“This institution must be a beacon that lights the way and points towards the final goal. To this end, the respect of human rights and promotion of human dignity, in all spheres, must be the crux of the activities of the United Nations. The protection of human beings is the only justification for peacekeeping activities. The promotion of human dignity is the only legitimate reason for pursuing sustainable development. The protection of human life is the only justification for the protection of the environment or search for economic development. The philosophy of this Organization must therefore be deeply humane. The protection of human rights is the cornerstone of Costa Rica’s foreign policy. Costa Ricans loathe every violation of fundamental rights. We reject intolerance, hatred, inequality and war.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The struggle against terrorism must lead us to build a true culture of peace and life. Right now, we have the duty to plant the seeds of peace in order to substitute the vices of destruction and conflict with the 30 virtues of fraternity, tolerance and cooperation among all men and women. Currently, thanks to scientific and technological progress, we can defeat disease, poverty, famine, hatred and war. We now posses the necessary economic, technological and philosophical means to guarantee to each and every person the highest standards of life and the necessary conditions for their fullest physical, intellectual and spiritual development. In this context, the United Nations could and should play a central role in building a future of peace and freedom. This Organization must be a bastion against war, hatred and poverty.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Faced with new treats to international security, the community of nations must create effective and precise mechanisms to ensure peace and development for all peoples. In this context, we welcome the adoption of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). It constitutes a firm, proportionate and necessary answer to the despicable acts of 11 September. Furthermore, we welcome the progress achieved in the negotiation of a comprehensive convention to proscribe and punish terrorism in all its forms. My delegation has taken active part in the recent negotiations to solve the outstanding issues, and we are grateful to the Secretary-General for his personal involvement in obtaining a consensus solution. We call upon all delegations to be flexible and to agree to the consensus formula proposed by the coordinator of the contact group on this issue.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“For this reason, we condemn terrorism categorically in all its forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomever committed, while we proclaim that there is no political, philosophical, racial, ethnic or religious justification that legitimizes the commission of this crime. The recent terrorist attacks force us to rethink the concept of international security and to renew our commitment to mankind’s basic values. When faced with cruel fear and hatred, we must raise the flag of civilization, tolerance and brotherhood. In the face of irrational violence, we must take up the arms of reason, law and order. Against terrorism, we must resort to the rule of law, justice and due process through international cooperation in the judicial and law enforcement fields.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Only two moths ago, this city fell victim to the most dreadful and despicable terrorist attack in world history. Even today, just a few kilometres from this Hall, we can contemplate, bewildered, the column of smoke that marks the remains of the twin towers. The rubble reminds us of the destruction, pain and death caused by violence and irrational hatred. Therefore, I cannot let pass this opportunity without reiterating the deepest condolences of the people and Government of Costa Rica to the people and Government of the United States. On 11 September, the terrorists targeted not only New York, but the whole of humankind. Today, we all are victims of terrorism. Costa Rica realizes that terrorism is an extremely grave crime against humanity that victimizes the innocent civil population and endangers the international community as a whole.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Allow me at the outset to congratulate you, Sir, on your well-deserved election to preside over the work of this General Assembly. We are familiar with your valuable personal qualities and appreciate the leadership of your country, the Republic of Korea, in the concert of nations. I would also like to express my gratitude to the outgoing President, Mr. Harri Holkeri, for his excellent work. I should like to express the deepest condolences of the people and Government of Costa Rica to the Government of the Dominican Republic and to the relatives and friends of the more than 200 Dominican nationals who lost their lives in the tragic aeroplane accident that occurred here yesterday. This year, the General Assembly is meeting in extraordinary circumstances.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The true goal of our action centres on the human being; it is to guarantee greater happiness for all persons, the greatest respect for their dignity and the necessary conditions for their full physical, intellectual and spiritual development.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In today's world, marked by new technological frontiers, our endeavours should also be directed towards narrowing the digital divide. We should seek to provide more just and equitable access to the opportunities open to us in order to transform economic and social activities. In accordance with this thesis, Costa Rica recently initiated the programme “Communications without frontiers”, becoming the first nation to provide free e- mail to all its population. Democracy, sustainable development and human rights constitute the three fundamental elements upon which the United Nations action must be based, as well as that of each of our nations. None is an end in itself; rather they are only a means to secure better living conditions for all people.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“To achieve this goal, it is necessary to modify the international economic order, with a view to making it more just and balanced, so that it can grant to the smaller developing countries greater access to the benefits of the globalization process and the opportunities for development that it creates. Open commercial mechanisms enabling commerce and investment to be engines for economic growth should be established. In a parallel, we should target our developmental policies towards more efficient use of the digital revolution, which provides us with many opportunities to compete in the global market and to increase our production. In short, we must democratize globalization. We believe that knowledge and opportunities to access information and the new technologies are essential today to generate well-being.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We are confident that the University for Peace, in particular, can play a constructive role both in the promotion of sustainable development as in the creation of a culture of peace. Thanks to the work of its new Council and in particular Mr. Maurice Strong, who presides over it, that institution can count on my Government's unwavering support. We take this opportunity to reiterate our pledge to offer our country as the headquarters of the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests. We are confident that this new organ will finally secure the international community's coordinated and comprehensive action with respect to forests. Thirdly, it is necessary to ensure that economic development is sustainable.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We are one of the first nations to have undertaken carbon fixation and the sale of oxygen as an additional source of income for development, on the basis of the sustainable use of our forests and recognition of the economic value of the environmental services that they provide to all humanity. In the same vein, we have incorporated the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol into our domestic legal system. Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go towards fully sustainable development. Similarly, Costa Rica is honoured to be the headquarters of the Earth Council and the University for Peace, which are working jointly to promote a concept of development in greater harmony with the environment.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“For this reason, we must emphasize that families are the schools where the basic values of coexistence and respect for the dignity of all other persons are taught, and that, without them, it is impossible to create a stable society. Secondly, it is necessary to make greater efforts to pursue sustainable development in all areas of human endeavour. In this sense, we are pleased to report that Costa Rica has achieved significant advances in the environmental field regarding the preservation of its rich biodiversity and the promotion of development in harmony with nature.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Therefore, we appreciate the key role played by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and we advocate in particular that States that have not yet done so make the necessary amendments to their domestic legislation in order to guarantee this right to all human beings. There are three main elements in the process of development that we believe require greater attention. First, we should reconstruct society and its values, especially through a renewed effort to acknowledge and protect the value of the family in its role as society's basic cell. Unfortunately, the family is the first victim of political and economic crisis, thus forcing its dissolution by the scattering of its members.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In this regard, the issue of migrations is of the greatest importance to my country. Costa Rica has given emphasis to the need to relocate the nationals of each country peacefully and in an orderly fashion to satisfy their specific immigration and emigration needs; to the movements of qualified human resources to promote economic, social and cultural progress in the receiving countries; and to the orderly reintegration and resettlement of persons who, for one reason or another, have been obliged to abandon their country or place of origin or who have been forced to leave a nation that did not allow them to exercise their right 24 not to emigrate.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Only an educated people can live in freedom; only a healthy people can work for development; only a cultured people can be a part of the contemporary globalized world. For those reasons, we must invest intensively and systematically in our human resources while also striving for economic development, social justice and the institutionalization of democracy. The third step towards the future is to secure respect for human rights and democracy to enable peoples to choose freely their own destinies and to facilitate the coordination of all of society's actors. In my country, we have deeply committed ourselves to those principles, both in the national sphere through constitutional provisions, and in the international arena through various international conventions and treaties.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Reduction of military expenditure is especially valuable for developing States whose resources are limited and cannot be mismanaged. In that context, armies are a heavy burden on national budgets and a constant source of tension and repression. Would it not be better to devote to health the $191 billion that developing countries waste on their armed forces? Would it not be preferable to allocate to education the $22 billion dollars that are spent in arms transfers to the third world? Our historical experience has made us a witness to and an example of the multifaceted and positive relationship between disarmament and development. The second step on the path to peace and development is to devote as many resources as possible to education and health.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Only a democratic system which bestows on all people equal opportunities to enjoy the benefits of economic development and personal accomplishment will make possible sustainable and just development. For that reason, we celebrate the democratic consolidation that, thanks to recent elections after a long period under the same ruling party, is being enjoyed by Mexico and by the Republic of China in Taiwan — which deserves an appropriate place in international forums. Additionally, our own national evolution has taught us that the first step in such a policy is the elimination or reduction of military budgets. Costa Rica abolished its army more than 50 years ago and has since been free from armed conflict with its neighbours and from military oppression of its population.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“To address this situation, each nation has to take into its own hands the task of creating the conditions necessary to attain peace, development and justice. We believe that only if human rights are fully respected will it be possible to create and sustain the conditions necessary for the full development of all men and women. The promotion of democracy and social and economic development are also indispensable instruments to generate the material, social and spiritual conditions required for this comprehensive development. Our experience has taught us that only democracy can provide the necessary framework for the full respect of human rights. Only democracy which grants all citizens equal rights and opportunities to participate in the political process can secure true peace.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“This should actively involve the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Development Programme. We advocate in particular the strengthening of the role of the Economic and Social Council so that it can effectively monitor and coordinate the implementation of the economic, social, cultural and environmental activities of the United Nations and of all its organs. In this regard, international cooperation plays a central role in supporting local initiatives for development, democratization and the promotion of human rights. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a decrease in international assistance in these fields while the demand continues to grow.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“True peace can be attained only when all individuals enjoy proper living conditions, when they possess a sufficiently high level of economic development to meet their basic needs, when their fundamental human rights are respected and when their interests and individual rights are guaranteed by democratic means. 23 True peace requires a culture and a climate that foster mutual respect and that categorically reject violence. In order to achieve peace, we must create a culture of peace. With a view to creating such a culture of peace, the United Nations must promote not only peace but also social justice, democracy and development.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Nor can we accept the dispatch of personnel who lack training or motivation and who become easy victims of conflicts. By no means can we consent to the imposition of sanctions regimes that affect innocent populations. When establishing a peacekeeping mission, the Security Council must define realistic goals, so that mandates and resources will be commensurate with the actual requirements of the crisis it is to face. Armed conflicts and political crises are multifaceted phenomena. Every emergency situation presents a series of political, military and economic problems.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It is imperative that all States strictly adhere to the prohibition of the use of force. For those reasons, one of our tasks is to revitalize the Security Council in order to increase its legitimacy and its capacity for action. That organ should never transfer, abandon or renounce its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. To the contrary, it is essential to ensure that it can perform its functions satisfactorily by providing it with the necessary resources and political support. The Security Council cannot renounce its role simply because it is unable to find a quick or inexpensive solution to a crisis. We cannot accept the establishment of peacekeeping operations that lack personnel and resources to the point of being irrelevant.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The true victims of war are not the fallen soldiers but the displaced or refugee children and elderly, the women who are raped, the young people who are murdered, the mothers who lose their incomes, the innocent workers whose workplaces are destroyed, the students whose schools are bombed, the sick who cannot go to hospital because there are no bridges and no medicines. In the contemporary world, every armed conflict, every civil war, every massive violation of human rights, every humanitarian emergency, caused either by man or by nature, calls for coordinated international action through this Organization. In that context, all States must politically and financially support United Nations activities to eradicate the scourge of war. The Organization must regain leadership in maintaining international peace and security.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“More than 50 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the continuing violation of those rights, through inexcusable killings for political, religious or ethnic motives and through the displacement of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons, is a matter for profound concern. We are distressed also by the fact that thousands perish daily of starvation or easily curable diseases. We are concerned at the fact that thousands of persons are still persecuted or incarcerated because of their political opinions and that for those reasons hundreds are subject to the most degrading torture or are forced to live in extreme poverty. The persistence of war is the cause of inexcusable atrocities and recurrent humanitarian crisis.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Humanity is looking to us to fulfil the lofty goals that we set for ourselves when we founded this Organization. For these reasons, new bases must be established for the actions of the United Nations. The Organization must be provided with a renewed political and philosophical paradigm that will enable it to garner the political and material support it needs from all States in order effectively to achieve its goals. Today the United Nations requires all of our support. Each one of us is obliged, individually and collectively, to provide the best living conditions possible to all our fellow citizens. The primary objective of the United Nations in the twenty-first century must be to promote full respect for human rights.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We cannot overlook the work of the 22 Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees or of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in favour of victims of war and of children, nor can we forget the heroic sacrifice of many Blue Helmets and humanitarian personnel. We must always keep in mind the valuable mediation efforts and good offices provided to defuse armed conflicts. We must learn from those peacekeeping operations that have been crowned with success in spite of all of the difficulties. We must recall and respect the gradual codification of human rights and of the need to provide the highest possible standards of living. But the world expects greater leadership from the United Nations. The world's peoples are calling for firm and decisive action on the part of the international community.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We send military observers who are unable to maintain peace because we do not provide them with the necessary resources or political support. Over and over again we adopt inadequate measures to resolve crises, hoping that they will perform miracles. We send international experts with development programmes that respond neither to the needs nor the desires of their recipients. This Organization has imposed sanctions that affect innocent civilians while at the same time inadvertently strengthening criminal regimes. We recognize, of course, that many of the United Nations activities have been successful and praiseworthy.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“More than 50 years ago, at the founding of this Organization, we committed ourselves to eradicating the scourge of war, and we undertook to promote social progress and better living conditions for all. Unfortunately, though, to date, the United Nations has been unable to respond fully to these pleas. We react to political and military crises with hollow statements to the press. We condemn gross violations of human rights with procedural resolutions, which are then forgotten on our shelves. We create organs, committees and tribunals without any real capacity for action and lacking the necessary resources to fulfil their mandates. We convene summits, conferences and meetings that limit themselves to repeating empty declarations and passing commitments.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The risk of transforming the human being into a commodity and the temptation to seek wealth instead of happiness represent a continuing threat. We must establish a new society whose goal should be the promotion of the well-being of all, as reflected in their full physical, intellectual and spiritual development. We must create a society centred on ideas, creativity and abilities, and not on power or wealth. The United Nations can and should play a central role in the construction of this new society. However, we must note, honestly and courageously, that so far the United Nations and the international community as a whole have been held back by innumerable constraints and restrictions and known many failures.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It is now up to us to elaborate on our leaders' observations and determine what is necessary to build a more prosperous future, a more just society and an increasingly human civilization. At the outset of the new millennium, scientific and technological achievements in all fields are allowing us to glimpse an ever-brighter future. However, a double threat exists to progress towards that goal. On one hand, it is endangered by uneven growth, which threatens to deepen the divide between the wealthiest and the poorest. More effective measures must be adopted to create a more just and equitable society and international community. On the other hand, the future is also threatened by the temptation of absolute materialism, which can be understood as the danger of reducing development to the mere satisfaction of material needs.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Allow me at the outset to congratulate Mr. Harri Holkeri on his well-deserved election to preside over the work of the General Assembly, which attests both to his outstanding personal qualities and to the admiration that the international community has for his country, Finland. Allow me also to express our gratitude to the outgoing President, Mr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Namibia, for his excellent work. Just a week ago, in this same Hall, our heads of State or Government held the Millennium Summit. That historic event served as the framework for an in- depth consideration of the role of the United Nations in the next century and for the reiteration, at the highest political level, of the universal support for this Organization.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)