YouSaid · the spoken record

Klaus Kinkel

lines on the record: 150
first: 1994-09-24
most recent: 1998-09-24
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

“My country will devote every possible effort to this task.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Specifically, it is now a question of establishing effective global early-warning systems for environmental crises and natural disasters, and developing emergency management arrangements for the coordination of international relief measures. We must now get down to this task, and the United Nations is the right place to do so. Four hundred and sixty three days from now the twentieth century comes to an end â€” a century of unprecedented violence and destruction. The coming century must be a century with a humane countenance. What a wonderful vision. But talking about it is not enough. Only if we act together will we survive together. The United Nations is indispensable to this task. Strengthening it to secure a peaceful and more equitable world â€” that is our responsibility. This we owe to coming generations.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Two billion people have insufficient access or none at all to clean drinking water. Finding joint solutions for the peaceful use and conservation of water, the source of life, is one of the great tasks of the twenty-first century. The pursuit of this scarce commodity must not be allowed to spark fresh conflicts. Germany intends to remain in the vanguard of the international campaign to protect the environment. I am gratified to note that our commitment has been acknowledged by the appointment of Klaus Töpfer as Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. But we are not going to rest on our laurels. A few days ago I opened an international conference in Potsdam on early-warning mechanisms for natural disasters. The conference has shown that progress can be achieved if we want it.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We must also radically rethink our attitude to nature. The victims of the floods in China and Bangladesh are a warning. We must swing the wheel round now. This we owe to our children and grandchildren. We can save our blue planet and its ecosystem together or not at all. Take the world climate. The Kyoto Protocol launched a global effort to protect it. That was a big step forward. But time is getting short. We have just had the warmest half year this century. At the fourth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, scheduled for Buenos Aires in November, we shall have to agree on the instruments with which to achieve the objectives of Kyoto. Take water. Water is irreplaceable. Water is more important than oil. Yet in more than 80 countries it is in short supply.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In Geneva, India and Pakistan have agreed to negotiations on a cut-off. That's a good sign, but not nearly enough. It must be followed by their accession to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. And all nations should now sign the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. This also applies to the conventions banning chemical and biological weapons. The adoption of a verification protocol to the Biological Weapons Convention is now urgent. Next March the Ottawa Convention imposing a worldwide ban on anti-personnel landmines enters into force â€” a great success. Only if all countries now sign the Convention will these diabolical devices soon be wiped from the face of the earth. It is our common task to get rid of the 100 million mines still remaining, using state-of-the-art technology.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“I therefore propose that the United Nations set up a contact point to coordinate worldwide efforts to eradicate sexual abuse of children. The optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child designed to afford better protection against sexual exploitation should be quickly adopted and quickly put into effect. Children are small people who need big rights. Protection for children during armed conflicts must be improved, including by outlawing their use as soldiers. We all hoped that with the ending of the East-West confrontation the danger of a nuclear conflagration would be gone forever. This has proved to be an illusion. The threat of proliferation of means of mass destruction hovers over the human race. We can safeguard world peace in the twenty-first century only if we keep such terrible weapons under control.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Violations of human rights are no longer an internal matter of States. They concern us all. Any group which, like the regime in Kabul, denies women their basic human rights places itself outside the international community of common values. The world of tomorrow will be judged by how we treat our children today. They are our most valuable asset. Yet the rights of many children are still being trampled underfoot. Millions of children have no chance to live a life in dignity. Millions of children are forced to work. Particularly appalling is the fact that every year some two million children all over the world are sexually abused. Only through joint action can we stop child prostitution, traffic in children and child pornography, including that proliferated via the Internet.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Those who plant bombs and murder people must be brought to justice. Drying up the sources of terrorism â€” poverty, ethnic conflict and fundamentalism â€” is our common responsibility. But to fight terrorism is not to fight Islam. Islam is one of the great world religions. Nothing could be further from the truth than the cliche that Islam is synonymous with fundamentalism and violations of human rights. We want a dialogue of cultures and religions, especially with Islam. There exists an ethic of humanity that unites us all. This ethic is based on the inalienable dignity of every individual, as expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the human rights covenants of the United Nations. These are the benchmarks for our joint action in the twenty-first century.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We Europeans will continue to support this process with our American friends. We back Israel's legitimate claim to security for its State and citizens. The Palestinians have recognized that claim; now words must be followed by deeds. They must see to it that terrorism has no chance. But Israel, too, must show compromise as regards a further partial withdrawal. Neither side should put any new obstacles in the way of a deal â€” and that includes allowing new settlements in the occupied territories. Particularly in the Middle East, we have time and again seen that terrorism leads to a dead end, destruction and suffering. We must pit all our strength against the cynics who advocate violence, the fanatics and ideologues; the dead of Omagh, Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam serve as a warning.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Africa shows what can be achieved when the international community and the countries concerned pull together. Today, democratic elections are held in more than half of the African countries. In 20 African countries economic growth is between 4 and 6 per cent, and in 11 it is higher still. We want the Africans to know that we will not abandon that vast continent and its 800 million people, despite the heavy burdens it still has to bear. Poverty and refugee problems are also exacerbating the situation in the Middle East. The people in Israel and in the Palestinian territories long for peace more than anything else on earth. The peace process requires fresh impetus. The Israelis and Palestinians must move towards each other again and rediscover the lost mutual trust.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Striking at the root of mass flight and migration also means eliminating the economic, ecological and social causes. The gap between rich and poor grows wider. The wealthiest 20 per cent of the world population consume 86 per cent of all goods, the poorest 20 per cent only 1.3 per cent. This equity gap must be closed. Every individual has a right to live in dignity, free from hunger and want. All nations must be given a fair chance in global competition, the poorest ones in particular. Hence, it is up to the rich countries to help the poor make the most of their opportunities for development. Our aim is a social world market economy. This is why in 1997 Germany spent 10.25 billion deutsche marks on bilateral and multilateral assistance measures as an investment in peace and stability.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The United Nations, too, has to do something about it. Specifically, this means, first, a more equitable distribution of the refugees, as I recommended here in the General Assembly in 1993. We cannot leave the poorest countries to their own devices in trying to cope with the refugee problem. Secondly, greater efforts will have to be made to remove the causes of flight and expulsion. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has declared the twenty-first century a century of prevention, and with good reason. To wait until a situation gets so bad that people have to take flight is to make oneself partly responsible. Trouble must therefore be nipped in the bud. This is the task of preventive diplomacy, of human rights observers and peacekeeping forces.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“I appeal to all countries to sign and ratify the Court's Statute. No one stands more at the mercy of those who wield power than refugees. At present more than 20 million people worldwide are in flight: despairing elderly people, women, children; people who are sick, homeless and destitute and have absolutely no idea what is going to happen to them. Over the last several years I have been to many refugee camps, in Albania, Africa and the Middle East. Every refugee's case is a story of immeasurable human suffering. Germany is now the country with the second largest number of refugees. From Kosovo alone, 150,000 refugees have found refuge in Germany. The suffering of the refugees is a humanitarian and political challenge to the international community as a whole. What is now needed, therefore, is a global refugee policy.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Nonetheless, the peace process must continue to be buttressed by NATO and the Stabilization Force (SFOR), for the process is not self-sustaining. Regardless of the result of the elections, the international community will not tolerate any reversal of the implementation of the peace agreement. Furthermore, genuine peace will not return until the presumed war criminals and enemies of peace - Mr. Karadzic and his lot- have been brought to trial in The Hague. Only when those guilty of crimes against humanity, torturers and terrorists all over the world, have been brought to justice will we all be able to sleep peacefully. Thus, the establishment of the International Criminal Court on 17 July as a major step towards a world order in which the force of law, not the law of force, prevails. Germany was the driving force.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“However, this cannot be achieved without Belgrade and Pristina. So the weapons must now be silenced. We condemn the use of force by the Yugoslav security forces and the Kosovo Liberation Army. The recent reports we have received from Kosovo are very disappointing, troubling and worrisome. I hope they are not true. NATO is prepared to provide the backing for a political solution. Yugoslavia and Kosovo are a part of Europe. Their future can only be a European one. The history of Europe in this century shows that we can overcome hatred and mistrust. But we have to have the willingness to do so. In Bosnia, too, we have seen animosity slowly being replaced by trust and cooperation. Recently I paid my twelfth visit to Sarajevo. That tormented city is slowly beginning to blossom again, and the country's reconstruction is progressing.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The crisis in Russia affects us all. We will not abandon Russia. It can count on us. The Kosovo conflict remains a thorn in Europeâs side. A humanitarian disaster in the true sense of the word is looming. The situation of the refugees, more than 250,000 of them, is desperate. International organizations, the European Union, the United States and Russia are coordinating their efforts to enable those who have been driven out to return to their villages. Time is getting short; winter is just around the corner. Most of the responsibility for this drama lies with Belgrade, with President Milosevic. He must realize that the international community will react with military force if necessary. We still seek a political solution for Kosovo â€” self-administration within the Yugoslav Federation.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In the year of its fiftieth anniversary it will admit Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Together with Russia, Ukraine and the other Commonwealth of Independent States members, we are developing a comprehensive security partnership. True, the Russians are having a rough time at present, but the world needs a democratic and stable Russia, a Russia which will play the role commensurate with its size, its status and its potential. Russia faces a Herculean task of consolidating the economy and maintaining social stability. All those responsible must face up to the challenge: the President, the Government, the parties and business. Of course, the regions too are called upon. I know from my talks with Prime Minister Primakov last week in Moscow that Russia intends neither to change course nor to go into reverse.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The European Union's partnerships with regional organizations like the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) prove we are on the right course: We want an open, not a confrontational, kind of regionalism. I am confident that the European Union will be an anchor of stability in the twenty-first century. By introducing a single currency on 1 January 1999, it is focusing its energies. Its global role will increase. It is about to begin further negotiations on accession with associated partners. What Willy Brandt said about Germany in 1989 applies today to the whole of Europe: "What belongs together is now growing together". The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) too is also gradually opening its doors to the new democracies.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“What is needed now is a global public-private partnership between Governments, international financial organizations and corporations. We therefore support the American initiative for a dialogue between the G-8 and the newly emerging economies on a new international financial architecture. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank should not always have to serve as the stopgap when the opportunity for structural reforms has been missed. Managing globalization also means weaving a network of partnerships between the big regional groupings and the big countries. The regional groupings are the components of a new global order under the roof of the United Nations.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“If they succeed in settling conflicts locally, the Security Council will not need to deal with them. I think that would be very well-advised, because it would free capacities for all of us. New avenues of joint action are therefore called for. To pretend globalization is not happening would be absurd. Only those who face up to the challenge can exploit the opportunities and cushion the risks. The impact of the crises in Russia and Asia shows that the world economy needs a reliable framework. That is not to say we need a global financial authority or fixed exchange rates, least of all a new wave of protectionism. But we do need better early-warning mechanisms, more transparency and more efficient banking systems, especially in the newly emerging economies. This is not a task for Governments alone.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Security Council reform cannot be delayed any longer; otherwise, the momentum will be lost and that would be bad indeed. Since the ending of the cold war the United Nations has had more burdens to shoulder than ever. It therefore needs effective institutions, and for this reason it has a right to expect members to pay their dues on time. All, and especially the big members, must help according to their ability to ensure that the world Organization can accomplish its tasks. Germany, the third largest contributor, will continue to meet its obligations. We know from recent experience that we should not add to but rather ease the burden of the United Nations. This is a task especially for regional organizations like the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Organization of African Unity (OAU).”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Only here can we find joint solutions to the global challenges of today and tomorrow. This is why we Germans want to help get the United Nations in shape for the twenty-first century. We are facing up to this responsibility - as the second largest export nation and the third largest economy in the world, and as the country with the largest population in the European Union. We owe Secretary-General Kofi Annan our gratitude and support for his reform proposals. Now it is up to the Member States. The Security Council still mirrors the world as it was at the end of the Second World War, but not the enhanced status of Asia, Africa and Latin America with the Caribbean. The same is true of the greater weight of Japan and united Germany. I wish to thank all Member States that advocate a permanent seat for Germany on the Security Council.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We therefore need global action and global management for the global challenges of the twenty-first century; not tomorrow or the day after, but today. This is a test not only for Governments but also for the other global players: the non-governmental organizations and the multinational corporations. Never were the non-governmental organizations so important as they are today. Without them the Ottawa Convention banning landmines could not have been signed in December 1997. And, let us not forget, 51 of the world's hundred largest economic entities are now companies, and only 49 of them States. All this shows that the time has come for new alliances for peace, freedom and prosperity throughout the world. The age of globalization is the age of the United Nations. Only here do all nations of the world come together.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“But it is also becoming increasingly clear that the human race has never been so bound up together in its common destiny, united by common challenges, as it is today. The crises in Russia and Asia have shaken the world economy. The global scourges of drugs, organized crime and terrorism spread their tentacles around the globe. The year 1998 is the year of climate disasters. Two thirds of Bangladesh is under water and the Yangtze floods in China have claimed thousands of lives. No State, whether super-Power or small island State, can master these global challenges alone. And no one can escape them, least of all the suffering people: the homeless in Bangladesh, the drug addict in Europe, the victim of civil war in Africa. We can shape our future only through joint efforts.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“He said that what it is all about is the beginning and the objective of any rational policy â€” people. That description of our role in the United Nations remains valid. United Germany too feels committed to a world free from fear and want, protected by the rule of law, a world in which every individual has his opportunity and which preserves the integrity of Creation for future generations. It is the vision enshrined in the International Bill of Human Rights. We have come a lot closer to that vision over the past 25 years. The division of Germany, Europe and the world has been healed. The world is developing ever more into the "one world" on the foundations of democracy and human rights.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“I congratulate you, Mr. President, on your election. I wish you good fortune and all of us a successful session. I should also like to thank Ambassador Udovenko for the dedicated way he conducted the business of the fifty- second session. He advanced the reform process at the United Nations and kept it on the agenda. We can and must follow up these efforts. This session of the General Assembly has a special significance for my country. It was 25 years ago, almost to the day, on 19 September 1973, that Walter Scheel became the first Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany to address the United Nations. When he described our perception of the United Nations, he said that it meant more than the mere security of States, more than the mere regulation of their diplomatic relations.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights reads, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed 15 with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” This vision must be sustained: the vision of a world in which it is not the law of the strongest, but the strength of the law which prevails; a world in which both the strong and the weak feel at home; a world fit to live in which we can safely leave to our children and to our grandchildren.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It is gratifying to note that a large number of States regard the reunited Germany as a suitable candidate for a permanent seat on the Security Council. If elected, we will be able to make a good contribution, one that is in keeping with the spirit of the Charter. Two years ago, on the Organization’s fiftieth birthday, we solemnly pledged to hand on to the next millennium a United Nations equipped and funded for its task. That promise has to be kept, and it has to be kept by all. This means, first and foremost, paying our contributions in full and on time, because without finances this Organization is a powerless one. The European Union has submitted its proposal for changing the scale of assessments, the purpose of which is to ensure a fair distribution of burdens.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I appeal to all Member States: let us not talk it to shreds, but make quick decisions so that the necessary measures can be put into effect. The United Nations has to be streamlined in order to increase its efficiency. Whatever savings are made through reform should be used for developments- assistance purposes. The Security Council must reflect today’s political realities, one of which is the greater status of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. The debate on this matter should not be artificially prolonged. This the most important body of the United Nations, and it cannot credibly and effectively perform its role as the guardian of peace in the twenty-first century if its composition remains basically as it was in 1945.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Since the secretariat of the Framework Convention on Climate Change already has its headquarters there, it makes sense to combine the two. The General Assembly is at a crossroads. Either we solve our reform problems now and come out of our introspective shell, or the United Nations will lose political standing — that is what would happen. All regional organizations, industrial, developing and non-aligned countries have a joint responsibility for implementing the reforms we have been talking about for so long. This applies to all areas of United Nations activity: economic and social, Security Council and finance. The Secretary-General has submitted a bold package of reforms. Even though we do not agree with every detail, we support the package as a whole.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We and our partners in the European Union are asking the other industrial countries to cut theirs by at least 15 per cent. That would go part of the way towards meeting our responsibility towards posterity. When we look at the air pollution in southern Asia, we cannot fail to admit that we urgently need to agree on a forest convention. We must put an end to the ruthless burning of forests to clear vast areas of land. Those who deplete and destroy their own natural resources will make us all lose out in the end. The eleventh hour is approaching. Two weeks from now the decision on where to locate the secretariat of the Convention to Combat Desertification will be taken in Rome. We ask members to vote for Bonn.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The terrible genocides in Rwanda and Srbrenica are warning signs. Such cardinal crimes should not go unpunished. Our responsibility towards future generations is particularly acute where protection of the natural sources of life is concerned. That is why it is crucial to maintain the spirit engendered by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the Rio Summit. That is the purpose of the environment initiative put forward by Chancellor Kohl together with Brazil, South Africa and Singapore. The climate conference to be held in Kyoto in December will be a major test of the industrial world’s commitment to the environment. Germany intends to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions by 25 per cent by the year 2010, based on 1990 levels.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Any society that fails to respect human 14 rights, which include the right of development, is blocking its own progress. Our policy on this matter is based on dialogue and respect for different cultures. But we also agree with Pope John Paul II, who has said that if we want peace we must respect the conscience of the people. No civilization or religion denies people their rights or approves of murder and torture. Nor can any such action be justified on political grounds. We need an international criminal court of justice. The statute of such a court is to be drawn up in Rome next summer. The court must be empowered to act of its own accord where genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and wars of aggression are concerned, and to do so wherever national courts either do not exist or cannot or are unwilling to prosecute such crimes.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“To my mind, this is the only way to reopen the door to peace talks. As for Iran, the new Government has changed its tone. It remains to be seen whether this will lead to a new, constructive policy, especially with regard to the Middle East peace process, human rights and international law. Germany has always maintained close and friendly relations with the Iranian people, and in spite of all that has happened, in spite of the Mykonos affair, we are ready for talks. It is up to the Iranian Government to provide the basis on which these can take place. We are pleased that Mrs. Robinson has taken up her post as the new High Commissioner for Human Rights. Nowhere is the need for a new culture of dialogue so great, we believe, as in the process of protecting such rights. This is crucial to world peace and global development.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Those who have seen the wretched conditions in the camps know that these people must be given a chance to improve their lives. They need to be able to hope again that the peace process is something from which they will benefit, that the violence will stop, that they can find work and have enough to eat, and that their children can go to school. For these hopes to materialize, both sides must show a large measure of good will. President Arafat must do everything in his power to stop the terrorism. And the Israeli Government must desist from any measures which cause the Palestinians to doubt Israel’s commitment to peace. The settlements issue remains the crucial test here; at least, that is what I believe. Continuing to build in Har Homa only makes matters worse, so a moratorium is essential.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I call upon the General Assembly to complete by the end of this session the negotiations on a convention against terrorist bomb attacks, as proposed by the Group of Eight. Extradition or suitable punishment remains the principle underlying our efforts to combat terrorism. No one should give refuge to terrorists. We need a united global front against terrorism. To combat fanatical killers we can only consistently apply the law as well as police and judicial measures. The source of sympathy for terrorist objectives must be withered by political means. In other words, we must get to the roots, which in most cases are social problems. On my last visit to the Middle East I spoke with many citizens in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hebron, and in the refugee camps in Gaza. I sensed their fears and concerns.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“But we must be very clear that there cannot and should not be dialogue with terrorists. Terrorism has again raised its ugly head in Mostar, Jerusalem and Cairo. The vileness of the latest carnage in Algeria would be difficult to exceed: it really does take your breath away. How long can the international community look away? I know how difficult it is to help from the outside, but the world community cannot accept the cruel killing of utterly innocent people in the dark of night without standing up and reacting. We are not powerless in the face of such evil slaughter of mostly uninvolved persons. In Denver, the Group of Eight called upon all nations to sign the international conventions on terrorism. We must resolutely combat terrorism all over the world, using all democratic means at our disposal.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Here too, the question now is: are we going to try and safeguard the future for posterity, or are we going to allow new enemy stereotypes to divide us once again? There must be no clash of civilizations. Hence, the dialogue of civilizations and world religions must be raised to a new level. To me this is the spiritual challenge as we approach the twenty-first century, for only thus can we bring different standpoints closer together and mobilize the energies needed for the joint resolution of humanity’s colossal problems. I suggest that we hold a forum here at the United Nations to consider how we can generate new momentum for this dialogue worldwide. The matter is important enough. Considerable cultural energy and potential for innovation lie unused, and the United Nations is the proper catalyst for their development.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I wish to thank the Secretary-General for his personal efforts on this issue. Anyone who, like me, has seen the poor, crippled victims in Cambodia, Mozambique or Bosnia knows that these treacherous killing devices are wholly — I repeat, wholly — immoral. I therefore appeal to all countries still on the outside to join the Ottawa process and help us ban these infernal devices from the face of the Earth. The world, galvanized by the spirit of freedom, has been totally transformed. But this new freedom and its by- products constitute a major test for us all, not only as regards competitiveness but also as regards our solidarity, our ability to show tolerance and to work together, and the opening of markets. The East-West conflict has been consigned to the past.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Southern Africa is a good example. At the 1994 Berlin conference, cooperation between the SADC and the European Union was raised to a new level. At our meeting in June we and our African colleagues redefined the framework for the dialogue between the European Union and the OAU. Europe will stay on Africa’s side. Part of this support is that we are helping countries like Angola and Mozambique to rid themselves of the scourge of mines. So far mine clearance by hand has been, at least to me, like trying to remove a sand-dune with a thimble. We cannot accept that. What we need for this task is safe, large-capacity machinery. 13 The Oslo Conference gave rise to a sign of hope. Eighty countries have put their names to a comprehensive and verifiable ban on anti-personnel mines.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“My country, the Federal Republic of Germany, has played a humanitarian and political role in all these conflicts, and we recognize that the African States themselves — in the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and in the subregional organizations — are making significant efforts to settle these conflicts. We must keep on supporting them. But Africa’s real problems lie deeper, in the social and economic sphere, and in the lack of cohesion among the different population groups. In my view, Europe’s vast and important neighbouring continent, which has a population of about 800 million covers about 23 per cent of the world’s land surface, has little chance of achieving stability and economic progress unless it follows the path of regional cooperation. Such cooperation brings stability where nations are too weak to achieve it individually.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“A beginning was made at the Denver summit in June, focusing particularly on the sub-Saharan nations of Africa. Since 1978 Germany has cancelled debts incurred by the least developed countries and other land-locked developing countries in Africa amounting to more than 9 billion marks. These countries will continue to be the focal point of our development cooperation. Between 1991 and 1995 Germany made available 16.3 billion marks for Africa’s sub-Saharan nations, and we are proud of that. I am glad that the Security Council is holding a special meeting tomorrow on the situation in Africa. Many positive developments have taken place there in recent years, a fact that is often overlooked. But light and shadow are still very close together. I need only mention Congo Brazzaville, Sierra Leone, Somalia and especially the Great Lakes region.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“One the one hand, the Information Age with undreamed-of possibilities, and, on the other, exclusive communities and citizens without rights — this does not add up. Yes, globalization is a great leveller. Basically, it confronts industrial and developing countries alike with the same question: are we going to accept the challenge of being part of a “single world market”, or are we going to mark time? A good number of newly industrialized and developing countries have chosen the way forward, and it has proved to be the right one. They have received the bulk of global direct investment, which in 1996 increased by 8 per cent to almost $350 billion. Nor have the others been forgotten. Within the framework of the G-8 process, the new global partnership for development was established on their behalf.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In the Agenda for Development we have adopted the right course for the fight against poverty: good governance, market economy, the rule of law, security for the citizen, regional cooperation and international integration. Following the lead of the Association of South-East Asian Nations countries (ASEAN), the Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR) and the now-expanding Southern African Development Community (SADC), the nations of Central America too are forming closer ties. It is becoming more and more apparent that this is the path of progress. The worldwide trend towards closer multilateral cooperation is increasing, and will lead to progress, security and prosperity; it is the path of the future.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Nothing is like it used to be, yet the hopes and wishes of citizens everywhere have remained the same. They want peace and work. They want a roof over their heads, protection from crime, and schools for their children. Thus the aims and ideals enshrined in the Charter are just as valid as they were in 1945: peace, sustainable economic and social development, protection of human rights and democracy. These aims form a whole, and there is no order of preference. Eighty per cent of United Nations activities focus on world poverty, and rightly so, because this is the big problem that has remained unsolved since the ending of the East-West confrontation. Nearly a quarter of the world’s population — 1.3 billion people — live in poverty, while 840 million suffer from chronic undernourishment.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization are gradually opening up to Europe’s new democracies, while Russia and Ukraine are forming a new, close partnership with both organizations. And let the world be prepared. In 1999 we Europeans, right on schedule and in conformity with binding stability criteria, will introduce the Euro, the common European currency. The enlargement of the European Union and the introduction of the Euro are historic steps to safeguard the future for coming generations, steps that hardly anyone would have thought possible only 10 years ago. And mark my words: there will be no going back in Europe. 12 At the same time, we are aware that Europe constitutes only a small section of the much larger global construction site. Everywhere the harbingers of the new era are knocking on the door.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I appeal to all political factions in the region to use what time remains to launch a new and serious attempt to settle their differences and to see to it that Karadzic and other alleged war criminals and enemies of peace are brought before the Hague Tribunal. These people must not be allowed to sleep peacefully. But this demand must be made by the international community, not just Germany: these people must not be allowed to sleep peacefully. We Europeans have done quite a lot this year to improve the situation on our continent in order to secure a peaceful future for coming generations. Nations that belong together are now growing together, and that in a region that for centuries was divided and at war with itself.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“So far more than 300 troops have sacrificed their lives for the cause of peace in Bosnia. My country alone — Germany — has spent more than 17 billion marks on the peace process and on the more than 350,000 asylum-seekers in Germany coming from Kosovo. That is a lot of money, and those on whom we spend it will have to react in some way and have to give us a clear sign of their willingness to implement the agreements. But outside help, including military support, cannot be provided indefinitely. And on no account — I want to be unequivocal about this — will it be given to those who thwart peace and reconciliation. Attempts to undermine peace, to incite the people and to torpedo the implementation of the Dayton Agreement, especially in Republika Srpska — must stop.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“As before, the main obstacles to lasting peace in the region are hatred and fear among the various ethnic groups. On the other hand, most Bosnians, in spite of the terrible events of recent years, realize there is no future for them and their children if the hatred and fear are not overcome, despite all the terrible things that have been done, despite the rapes and the “ethnic cleansing”. That is why I am speaking out here today — to appeal to all political leaders in Bosnia to change their attitude and to mount a reconciliation campaign. The international community has provided assistance, making millions of dollars available. We have done a lot. We are very committed on the ground, and we want to see the results of what we have done. We believe that those who live in security and peace have an obligation to help others.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“At this moment about 25,000 soldiers, civilians and members of non-governmental organizations are serving the cause of peace around the globe. All of them deserve our thanks and appreciation. A week ago today five Germans, including the Deputy of the High Representative, Ambassador Gerd Wagner, five Americans, a Briton and a Pole lost their lives in a tragic accident. We mourn their loss and share the grief of their families. Their deaths are an admonition to redouble our efforts for peace. They wanted to help people in need and in doing so brought a ray of hope to Bosnia and to the people working on the ground. That hope must not be extinguished. Last Saturday I attended the memorial service in Sarajevo. I have visited the region more than once, and the inner conflict among the people was again obvious.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)