YouSaid · the spoken record

Brahimi

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS BRAHIMI

lines on the record: 53
first: 1991-09-24
most recent: 1992-09-24
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

“The international community must seize the opportunity to develop at this world forum an integrated approach to the promotion of peace, security, and stability in economic and social development and international cooperation. In so doing, it would contribute to the optimum utilization of our Organization's great potential.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“The implementation of "Agenda 21" and the commitments that arise therefrom, especially with regard to financial support and transfer of technology, represent a major test both of the political will of the developed countries and of the capacity of our Organization, through the Commission on Sustainable Development, to ensure the implementation, follow-up and coordination of a programme which aims at bringing about real and creative changes in the concept of development and international cooperation. There are new and vast horizons before the United Nations. Those horizons give the work of this session of the Assembly particular importance and substance.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“One of the basic objectives that we must strive to attain in this particularly difficult situation in the third world is the need to ensure a bigger share in world trade for the developing countries, the formulation of a comprehensive strategy that addresses the issue of indebtedness and the reactivation of the flow of funds and investments from the developed to the developing countries. In general, the creation of favourable external conditions is a vital requirement in the case of the developing countries which are trying to carry out wide-ranging fundamental reforms at a very high social and political cost. This is a basic requirement on which the United Nations system should mobilize the international community.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“In fact, at a time when a great deal of thinking is taking place on the concept and the instruments of preventive diplomacy, the success of renewed growth and development in the countries of the South affect the credibility and the effectiveness of any attempt to strengthen the role of the United Nations in the areas of international peace and security. The results of the Eighth United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) held at Cartagena in February of 1992, the results of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held at Rio de Janeiro last June, and the General Assembly's adoption of a new United Nations agreement for the development of Africa in the 1990s, all constitute new milestones in our awareness of international interdependence and the need for renewed international cooperation.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Given the new opportunities and the new challenges to be met in this period of profound change, the revitalization of international cooperation for development and strengthening the role of the United Nations system in this undertaking should be the high-priority task of the day. This requires first and foremost the existence of real political will. Some progress has been achieved in this direction. The declaration by the Security Council at its summit meeting last January recognized the close relationship that exists between peace and development. This recognition should be translated into increased agreement on the need to move the economic and social dimension from the secondary position it now occupies to the forefront and to make it a principal and permanent concern of the United Nations.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“One of the most disturbing aspects of the current world situation is the constant exacerbation of the economic situation of the developing countries and negative developments that continue to rock the world's economy. The sharp slow-down in the growth of world trade, which declined from 8 per cent in 1988 to barely 3 per cent in 1991, the increasing deterioration in the prices of raw materials at an average 15 per cent pace in real terms in 1990, the persistence of the foreign debt problem of the developing countries with the attendant acceleration of the slow-down of growth in the developed countries, and the magnitude of the financial needs of the former USSR and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, show how great are the challenges to be met.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“In the face of the terrible plight of the peoples of former Yugoslavia, the major imperative on which all efforts should focus is to ensure the immediate return of peace to all of the territory of the former Yugoslavia, with respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all the republics that have emerged therefrom. In this respect, the situation which persists in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a source of grave concern because of the increasingly terrible crimes that are being committed there. The international community, and in particular the United Nations, must take every measure necessary in order to put an end to the plight of the entire Bosnian people and to the threats to peace and security in the region.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“It is our hope that respect for international legality will lead to reconciliation between the States of that region which continues to suffer the horrific consequences of the devastating war that followed Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. In the same region, there has been another development whose gravity cannot be underestimated. It is Iran's illegal occupation of the island of Abu Mousa thus reneging on its commitments and agreements concluded with the United Arab Emirates. We support the demand of the Government of the United Arab Emirates that the unilateral measures taken by Iran be nullified and that a solution to the problem be found through negotiation in observance of legality and international law.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“In other words, and peace can be established in the region only if it is peace for all the parties concerned, including the Palestinians. Algeria wishes to reaffirm here its commitment to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders. It condemns the continued Israeli occupation of part of southern Lebanon as well as Israel's repeated attacks against Lebanon's territory and its people. We demand the total and unconditional withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon in accordance with Security Council resolution 425 (1978). We also reaffirm the need to preserve Iraq's unity and territorial integrity. It must be clear to all that any negative development in this respect will create grave problems for all the countries of the region.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Thirdly, the continuity of the different stages of the peace process must be guaranteed until a comprehensive solution is found that would guarantee to the Palestinian people the exercise of its full national rights, including its right to self-determination and to the establishment of its own State on its territory with Al-Quds as its capital. My country is convinced that participation by the United Nations in every stage of this peace process in the Middle East can contribute to the attainment of the objective that would guarantee a just comprehensive peace in the region. We emphasize once again that the Palestinian problem and the Middle East conflict are one and the same thing. They are indivisible. Consequently, the solution which must be found cannot be partial or limited to certain parties involved in the conflict.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“The question of Palestine continues to be the crux of the Middle East conflict. Given our firm commitment to Palestine's freedom of choice, has accepted the option chosen by the Palestinian leadership that has made it possible to negotiate with a view to reaching a solution to the Middle East crisis. We in Algeria remain convinced that the success of the negotiations, begun within the framework of the process initiated in Madrid, depends on readiness by Israel to comply with international legality, especially in regard to the following: First, United Nations resolutions must be adhered to and implemented. Secondly, the operations of settlement in the occupied Arab territories must be halted and existing Israeli settlements must be dismantled.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“While we welcome such positive developments and the encouraging prospects that pave the road toward the desired solution, we must stress that the experience of recent months makes it necessary to closely monitor developments in South Africa with a great deal of watchfulness and to lend full support to our brethren in that country. The horrific plight of the Somali people is a glaring example of the deteriorating situation in many parts of Africa, a continent that has been increasingly marginalized and whose role has been greatly diminished. It is essential to learn a lesson from this tragedy, which underscores the need for urgent humanitarian assistance for the Somali people side by side with the intensification of United Nations efforts to reach a political settlement to this crisis.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“The inter-community talks on Cyprus, under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, have reached a crucial stage. We hope that the remaining differences will be ironed out during the next round of talks, in a context of respect for the sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and the non-aligned nature of the island. The recent news that has reached us from South Africa revives hope that there will be a resumption of the process that began with the release of Nelson Mandela, President of the African National Congress and was endangered in recent months by the return of violence encouraged by the complacent attitude of the Government.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“In an increasingly interdependent world, peace and security should not be dissociated from their corollaries, namely economic development and the upholding of human rights. While we express satisfaction at the progress achieved in the settlement of certain regional disputes, we note with concern the emergence of new crises in the wake of the cold war, at a time when many of the old crises and issues continue to await just and lasting solutions. Cambodia has embarked upon a process of peaceful settlement thanks to the will of the Cambodian people to build for themselves a future of peace and harmony, to the determination of the international community and the efforts of the United Nations which now supervises the implementation of a peace plan with the participation of Algeria.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“In spite of the significant progress achieved in the field of disarmament, it remains true that to address the issue of security in a manner that focuses on one specific region and shows concern for the security of the few without taking into account the interests and concerns of the many is to fall short of the objectives and ideals enshrined in the United Nations Charter. That is why the Non-Aligned Movement has just reaffirmed the unshakeable conviction of all its members that there is no peace or security other than peace and security for all, and that in order for peace and security to be lasting they must be addressed in all their dimensions and not only in the military aspects.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Only if earnest efforts are made in this direction and significant progress is achieved will that Convention - the conclusion of which is an accomplishment that we commend - respond to the concerns and expectations of all the parties concerned. Only then will it be possible to implement the Convention on a just non-discriminatory basis will and, thereby, ensure the universal acceptance necessary to this undertaking of genuine disarmament. These were the observations and legitimate concerns expressed by the Arab countries through a resolution adopted a few days ago, which they expect the international community to take into account.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Algeria also hopes that the international community, through the United Nations and its Secretary-General, will redouble its efforts to implement the plan in order to reach the desired solution. Of late, there have been positive developments in the disarmament issue. However, we look forward to a great deal of additional effort on the part of the nuclear States, which, we must state not the major Powers alone. In this context, we note with satisfaction the conclusion of negotiations on the issue of a chemical weapons Convention in Geneva. However, this development will have limited effects so long as it is not accompanied by concrete measures in the field of nuclear disarmament, especially in a region as sensitive as the Middle East, where a real nuclear threat persists.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“The international community should respond to the flexibility that characterizes the Libyan posture and to the initiatives and proposals that have been put forth. On the other hand, the delays in the implementing the United Nations settlement plan for the organization of a self-determination referendum for the people of the Western Sahara continue to be the source of grave concern for us and for the international community as a whole. Algeria hopes that the two parties to the conflict will refrain from any action that could hamper or delay the implementation of the peace plan prepared jointly by the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity with the full agreement of both parties.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“The united Maghreb process which is rallying the energies of the member countries of the Arab Maghreb Union and which constitutes a fundamental aspiration of their peoples cannot but contribute to serving the cause of peace, relations of good-neighbourliness and cooperation between its different members and in the Mediterranean basin, the Arab world, and Africa. There are two issues that are of special importance to my country. Participation by the international community is required in dealing with both. For the first of these, we wholeheartedly call for a peaceful solution, in consonance with international legality, to the situation of tension that exists between Libya and the major Western Powers. It is a situation that stands in the way of the building of the Arab Maghreb and threatens the stability of the whole region.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“This means that we expect our partners to cooperate readily in order to reduce the negative impact of an unfavorable external environment, or at least that they not hamper the efforts of our people. Algeria pursues a non-aligned policy aimed at promoting stability, peace, justice and cooperation in the region to which it belongs and in the world at large. In the Mediterranean, Algeria works for a new era of solidarity that responds to the aspirations of the peoples on both coasts of this great shared interior sea. Mechanisms for regular consultation and dialogue have been set up in order to promote the establishment of a comprehensive framework for peace, security, good-neighbourliness, solidarity and mutually advantageous cooperation.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“This crisis threatens the achievements made by our people through effort and sacrifice over three long decades. While analyzing without any self-indulgence the causes of this crisis, and while in no way trying to deny our own mistakes or the responsibilities of the State in this situation, we affirm confidently and with determination that our people has the means, capacity and will to overcome this crisis and to embark again on global development and the building of a society based on social justice and real democracy. This is the substance of the message behind the program of government approved recently by the High Committee of State. This responsible posture in the face of those challenges permits us to recall as well the external constraints that have worsened the difficulties we face.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“The United Nations constitutes a natural and privileged space for the action of the Non-Aligned, who intend in this way to participate fully in the current process of restructuring and strengthening the United Nations. In this respect, restructuring initiatives should first of all aim at achieving a correct balance of prerogatives between the General Assembly and the Security Council. This undertaking should also meet the need to allow access to the Council for all major cultural, political and geographic groupings. Algeria, which, since its independence, has undergone major transformations in all areas and which has taken significant steps towards progress and development, today faces a crisis which we do not underestimate and whose seriousness we in no way conceal.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“It is hoped that this session of the General Assembly will be a new starting-point for the United Nations that will place it resolutely on the path of greater democratization and enhance its effectiveness in promoting peace, cooperation and development. This is exactly what has been called for in the Jakarta Message, which was presented right here by the current President of the Non-Aligned Movement, His Excellency President Suharto of Indonesia. The Movement of Non-Aligned Countries has more than ever a positive role to play in the establishment, through dialogue and the harmonization of views, of a just, well-balanced world order which ensures international peace and security, the right to development, and the promotion of more equitable economic relations.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Whether the United Nations initiatives and plans are met by acceptance and praise as is often the case, or criticized, as sometimes happens, it is a fact that this more assertive presence of the United Nations is one of the most positive results of the major changes that have taken place on the international arena in recent years. The Security Council summit held last January, the proposals submitted by the Secretary-General, the debates in the Economic and Social Council last July on the role of the United Nations system in the strengthening of international cooperation for development, and the results of the 10th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement held at the beginning of this month in Jakarta are all contributions to the joint thinking and action aimed at strengthening the United Nations and promoting its effectiveness.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“In fact, the so-called world order remains a concept without substance for the overwhelming majority of mankind, whose economic and social situation is steadily deteriorating and who also have reason to fear that this new order is being established outside the bounds of the basic principles of the United Nations charter and without meeting the need to democratize international relations. It is time to embark upon a genuine dialogue in order to shape the international relations of the future. This is a vital task of the United Nations, and the Organization's current prestige makes us believe that the time is ripe to embark upon such an enterprise. Never before has the United Nations seen so many hopes crystallized around it; never has it undertaken so many initiatives or put so many plans on the drawing board.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“I cannot fail to reiterate here our congratulations to all the new Members of the United Nations and to welcome them to this forum. Bearing as it does so much hope and promise, the end of the cold war and of the bipolar division of the world has not yet realized any of the hopes it has given rise to with regard to the promotion of peace and international cooperation. The spectre of war, the horror of famine and privation, the trampling of human dignity, and the denial of the right of peoples to self-determination still constitute the realities of the plight of many peoples.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Another source of legitimate pride for us is the work accomplished by the Secretary-General of our Organization, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Only a few months have gone by since he began his term of office, and already the record is impressive. There can be no doubt that Mr. Boutros-Ghali has brought to the United Nations a spirit of initiative, determination, and lucid leadership which it needs so much to face the challenges posed by the fast pace of history at this century's end. The Agenda for Peace, his first annual report, along with his major statements and his remarks before the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and at the Jakarta summit of non-aligned countries, bespeak his vision and courage, which command our full support and esteem.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Your election to the presidency of the General Assembly, Sir, is a tribute to you and to your country, friendly Bulgaria, which has risen to the challenges of the times with a combination of determination and wisdom. Your qualities as a statesman, which you have amply demonstrated, and your skills as a seasoned diplomat are solid assets which ensure the success of our work. I wish to congratulate you most warmly on your election to this post and to assure you of our complete support and cooperation. I also wish to pay tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Samir Shihabi, Ambassador of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who guided the forty-sixth session of our Assembly with a competence, distinction, and effectiveness that I wish to emphasize today with pride.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Despite the difficulties involved in such an experiment, Algeria is determined to continue along this path and work for the consolidation of democracy. He hope that these efforts will lead to the achievement of human aspirations with the consolidation of the legitimate rights of individuals and society as a whole, and that this will be accompanied by proper international action breaking new ground to produce effective global cooperation. In conclusion, we reiterate our commitment to real cooperation with all Member States to establish the new international order to which all peoples aspire, a new order based on consultation and dialogue, democratic practices and cooperation, and not on conditions imposed by the strong on the weak or the rich on the poor.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“That is why those efforts in no way lessen the international community's responsibility to work for the development of the entire international community. The domestic changes that we have seen in Algeria are primarily a response to what we hope will be the reflection of the aspirations of our society: a democratic, responsible life. The thrust of those changes can have some effect, which we hope will be positive, on peace, stability and cooperation throughout the region. The establishment of political associations, the independence of juridical power and the strict observance of human rights are all factors which affect all strata of society. They are factors that help further consolidate real democracy, which we are establishing in Algeria.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“On that basis, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 have adopted the principle of collective and individual self-reliance for developing countries. For that reason, we have adopted agreements on establishing African economic union and on economic complementarity among the Maghreb countries, free-trade agreements with countries of Latin America as well as the dynamism of the economic groupings in Asia represent efforts to consolidate South-South cooperation, despite the many types of obstacles and difficulties we are facing. In fact, those efforts do not reflect a tendency on the part of countries of the South towards isolation. Neither are they an alternative to the fabric of international economic relations or to cooperation between all States.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“A genuine recovery of international cooperation through commitments undertaken at the eighteenth special session of the General Assembly, on international economic cooperation, and through implementation of the goals and policies set out in the International Development Strategy, depends first and foremost on the political will of all Member States. Restructuring the economic and social sectors of the United Nations, revitalizing the Economic and Social Council and efforts to bolster the practical work carried out by the United Nations can all lend credibility and effectiveness to international action. That in turn can stimulate greater political collective will to meet these challenges. Developing countries know full well that development must depend above all on their own efforts.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Take for example the deteriorating situation in Africa, which is in stark contrast to international commitments undertaken in the context of the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development in Africa. The renaissance of the United Nations can achieve its goals completely only if the demands of developing countries are placed at the top of international agendas. In that connection, the Secretary-General's proposed international conference for development financing deserves support as it would provide the appropriate forum for concerted efforts to solve the basic problems facing us. We attach particular importance to the decision of the Economic and Social Council that work should be done to ensure that capital is not directed to Eastern Europe to the detriment of the countries of the South.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The major transformations we have been witnessing in international relations have not produced similar positive changes in economic relations or international economic cooperation. The heavy burden of external debt and the restrictions imposed on the access to the markets of the developed countries by the commodities of developing countries; inflation; rising interest rates; deteriorating terms of trade; the drop in official development assistance; and meagre flows of foreign investment to developing countries: all these constitute heavy burdens that hamper the work of reform undertaken by developing countries. The deteriorating climate of international economic relations is widening the gap between the North and the South.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“This is of great importance to our efforts to achieve national reconciliation in Cambodia. Turning to Cyprus, we hope that the Secretary-General's efforts will enable that country to recover its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. In Lebanon the fighting has stopped and peace has been restored. The Lebanese authorities continue the work of national reconciliation and rebuilding national unity through implementation of the Taif agreements. The international community must shoulder its responsibilities vis-à-vis the Lebanese people by ensuring that Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon, pursuant to Security Council resolution 425 (1978), and by establishing an international fund for the reconstruction of Lebanon.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Algeria reaffirms once more its resolve with regard to the implementation of the settlement plan for Western Sahara and its confidence in the Secretary-General, who has earned the appreciation of the international community through his constant efforts and his patience. There are conflicts in other regions as well, so we must make every effort to find solutions thereto. In Afghanistan there is new hope that, between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the situation can be resolved peacefully, in cooperation with neighbouring countries and with the support of the United Nations. Likewise, everyone views the presence here of a delegation from Cambodia's Supreme National Council, the representative of the sovereign authority in that country, as proof of the confidence felt by the parties to the conflict.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Due to the adoption by the Security Council resolution 690 (1991) which established the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara to monitor the Sahraoui people's referendum for self-determination, we are moving, at last, towards a final solution to that dispute. It is necessary that the settlement process be carried out within the timeframe established by the United Nations, and the parameters envisaged, that is to say without the exertion of any pressure by any party. Indeed, the entry into force of a cease-fire on the date established by the Secretary-General and the deployment of the United Nations Mission in the Western Sahara have restored trust in the international community and have revived the hope that peace can be achieved.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“This is the first stage of Algeria's contribution to the collective effort that is needed if the aspirations of the United Nations and those of the peoples of the world in the various fields of disarmament are to be realized. For three years now, the countries of the Arab Maghreb have been implementing a constructive project that is of great interest to all countries of the region. It is now passing through a new stage, which seeks to consolidate the basis of the union and its institutional infrastructure, as well as its consultative and executive bodies. The plan for Maghreb unity seeks to consolidate peace in the region, and its goals are influenced objectively by every effort to consolidate peace, stability and cooperation in the Arab world - in Africa and in the Mediterranean basin.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Algeria expresses its appreciation of these positive developments and takes this opportunity to announce its accession to four treaties: the Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare; the Treaty on the Prohibition of the Emplacement of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction on the Sea-Bed and the Ocean Floor and in the Subsoil Thereof; the Convention on the Prohibition of Military and any other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques; and the Treaty on the Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We are fully prepared to shoulder our responsibilities by participating in the peace conference on the Middle East if we are firmly convinced that our participation would really contribute to the attainment of a just peace for all and, in particular, for the Palestinian people. The negotiations on disarmament have led to achievements which we welcome. We sincerely hope that the efforts that are being made in various fields will continue with a view to achieving the goals that are set down in the many General Assembly resolutions concerning disarmament. It is with satisfaction that we draw particular attention to the major progress that has been made in the Geneva Conference on Chemical Weapons.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We recognize the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, just as we recognize the African National Congress, which has raised high the standard of struggle against the apartheid regime in South Africa. He still give assistance to the PLO, just as we continue to support the liberation movement in South Africa. We support the efforts to arrive at a just and lasting solution to the Middle East crisis. At the same time, we support the work that is being done to lay the foundations for real democracy, under which an end will be put to the domination of the white minority regime in South Africa.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“But, despite all these efforts, the Palestinian people does not find therein even the minimum of its aspirations. We fear that the tolerant attitude that the international community adopts towards Israel may prevent those initiatives from having any positive results. Today, the legitimate representatives of the Palestinian people are meeting in the capital of my country. They are doing all they can to shoulder their responsibility to facilitate the emergence of the solution for which we all hope. Everyone knows that my country supports the Palestinian people. We have always supported all peoples that have been victims of repression and have fought for their independence and dignity.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Thousands of Jewish immigrants are coming in from the Soviet Union and other regions. Settlements are being erected in all the occupied Arab territories, and every time the Palestinian and Arab sides make concessions, Israel, for its part, imposes conditions and makes new demands. Today, we are told that, in the context of the new international order, and in the wake of the Gulf crisis, the question of Palestine in particular and the Middle East conflict in general will find some solution in total respect for international law and in keeping with the Charter and the resolutions of the United Nations. From our point of view, the current efforts to achieve dynamic action leading to a comprehensive and just solution of the Arab-Israeli conflict are very important, and we appreciate the efforts of all the participants.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Thus, on the one hand, the international pressures that were brought to bear on the white minority in South Africa have led to the independence of Namibia, the release of Nelson Mandela, the abolition of the basic laws of the apartheid regime, the closing down of the infamous Robben Island prison, and the emergence, as a result of all this, of a political climate that justifies optimism with regard to the future of that country, even if the skies there are not completely cloudless. On the other hand, Israel persists in its extremist intransigent policies. Its repressive practices are being escalated daily. Some time ago, Arab Jerusalem, as well as the Golan Heights, were annexed, and southern Lebanon is still under occupation. The Geneva Conventions are still being flouted. Palestinian lands are being confiscated every day.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Personally, I believe that the main cause of this disparity stems from the fact that the firm position of collective solidarity adopted by the international community vis-à-vis the minority in South Africa was the reason that made the Pretoria regime bow to the will of the international community, change its policies and move towards a position that is more compatible with the requirements of the age and international legality. As for Palestine, the policy of tolerance and connivance adopted by the major States - States that have influence on Israel and its daily excesses - has encouraged the Israeli leaders to persist in this well-known intransigence and to disregard all resolutions and international conventions.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We have known for a long time now that the question of Palestine and the question of South Africa are two problems which have a colonialist character. The consideration of this question is more difficult than the examination of any other similar questions. The two crises have seen parallel developments over the years, but now we are witnessing positive changes, which are very encouraging, in the case of South Africa, whereas the situation remains critical and complicated in the case of Palestine. I call upon this Assembly to consider this disparity. I also call upon the Assembly to analyse the causes of this disparity and to draw the necessary conclusions.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The United Nations is now working to deal with the causes which led to the eruption of that crisis in the Gulf, so as to avoid the repetition of a similar tragedy, to safeguard the sovereignty of all States of the region and their independence, to repair the damage that has been done and to restore rights. However, the credibility of the Organisation requires urgently that actions that are undertaken within the framework of the Organization do not lead to the punishment of a people which has been the primary victim of this tragedy whose consequences the international community is trying to eradicate. To be clear, we appeal to this Organisation and all States working in this context to see to it that the suffering of the people of Iraq is alleviated and that the sanctions that have been imposed on it are lifted as soon as possible.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We believe that the United Nations is at the same time the proper framework and indeed the only means that we can use if we wish to attain the goals and realize the aspirations of all and defend everyone's interests in an atmosphere of trust and equality between all countries, whether rich or poor, strong or weak, preserving absolute respect for the principles on which this Organization was built, and the goals it has set for itself. Turning to the Gulf crisis, this was a sore trial for the United Nations, because it led to an upheaval in the Arab world and has left an aftermath in the region which will be felt by the region and its peoples for a long time, because this aftermath is not confined to the bloodshed and the destruction of tremendous material resources.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“However, while there are now peoples that are masters of their own fate, peoples that are able to chart their own future and ensure their security and prosperity, we must admit that there are vast regions of the world whose peoples are at the mercy of crises and problems and even wars. Those peoples, which wonder what the future holds for them, constitute the overwhelming majority of humanity. So far, they have not seen positive changes in their material or moral situation as a result of the historic changes that have taken place. Therefore, the question that is being asked insistently is: how can we move forward from the cold-war era, which has ended, to the new international order of which there is so much talk nowadays?”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Indeed the collapse of the Berlin wall, the disappearance of an enormous military bloc overnight and the intensive endeavours to reconstruct the European home in an atmosphere that is charged with hope and danger at one and the same time - all these and many other events as well have brought to an end an historic phase that was based on bipolarity in international relations. Thus change has become the decisive word in all that is written or said in assessing the world situation. The terminology and ideas of the cold war era are no longer valid in describing that situation.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)