YouSaid · the spoken record

Abel Matutes

lines on the record: 87
first: 1996-09-24
most recent: 1999-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
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, likewise, has announced a special contribution to the fund established by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR) to deal urgently with the acute humanitarian situation and the refugee problems on the island. 40 The Organization’s undertakings are sometimes visible, at other times hidden, but they are always indispensable. The citizens of our countries must value them so that the United Nations may enjoy the backing that it needs in order to perform its important duties effectively. On the threshold of the twenty-first century, Spain reiterates yet again its firm commitment to the Organization and its willingness to put its capacity for external action at the service of the purposes and principles enumerated in the Charter.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The new possibilities in the Middle East after the signing of the Sharm-el Sheikh Memorandum are seen by my country with great hope, and we are firmly committed to continue cooperating with all sides so that the process begun in Madrid continues on track. Other regions of the world have suffered particularly during this past year. Unfortunately, this is especially true of Africa, and therefore I wish to emphasize my country’s support for the integrated approach taken by the Secretary-General in treating the causes of the conflicts and promoting peace on that continent. Finally, the most recent challenge to the United Nations is the situation in East Timor. Spain welcomed the adoption of Security Council resolution 1264 (1999), and is willing to contribute to the multinational force to guarantee security in the Territory.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“My Government will continue both its dialogue with the United Kingdom and cooperation with the decolonization Committee in following up on this issue. From the crises the world has lived through this year, we must learn certain lessons. One is without doubt that the political resolution of the crisis in Kosovo has only been possible thanks to the United Nations, which faced an urgent challenge, and on the success or failure of its response depends to a large extent the public image of our Organization. In the Western Sahara Spain has supported with concrete measures the action of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), and also the Secretary-General’s settlement plan. It is willing to increase this support if asked to do so by the Organization and if the parties directly involved agree.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“General Assembly resolution 2353 (XXII) backed the Spanish views on the decolonization of the Territory, recognizing that Gibraltar’s colonial situation should be settled not through self-determination, but, rather, through the restoration of Spanish territorial integrity. Unfortunately, its terms have been ignored by the colonial Power. Spain and Great Britain began a process of negotiation on all the issues, including sovereignty, based on the 1984 Brussels Declaration, but no significant progress has been made. Spain has made a proposal to the United Kingdom that takes into account the interests of the inhabitants of the colony and would allow for the recovery of sovereignty over the Territory after a lengthy period, so far without reply.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Spain wishes to contribute to the debate on an international strategy on older people based on the existing model in my country. Spain has also submitted its candidacy as the venue for the second World Assembly on Ageing, which could be convened in 2002. Finally, allow me to refer to the problem of decolonization. At the conclusion of this Decade for the Eradication of Colonization, my country continues to endure the presence of a colonial enclave on its territory. Gibraltar was occupied by British troops in 1704, during one of the European wars of succession. The Territory was turned into a military base and the Spanish population was expelled. Until very recently Spanish citizens in Gibraltar suffered grave discrimination in the exercise of their rights.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It is essential that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- Ban Treaty should speedily enter into force, and that difficulties in the preparation of the next review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons be overcome. It is also necessary to conclude negotiations on a verification protocol to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, and to address the issue of fissile materials. There are many other global issues on which the United Nations plays a vital role, such as the fight against terrorism, drugs and organized crime. However, I should like to dwell for a moment on another matter to which my Government attaches great importance: problems of ageing and of older people.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Not many years ago Spain was an aid 39 recipient, while it now stands above the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average in the percentage of its gross domestic product devoted to development. In 1998, official development assistance funds grew by 14 per cent, placing Spain among the three developed countries which had most increased these funds during the year. With regard to disarmament, the United Nations and the Conference on Disarmament will continue to prepare for a conference on small arms to be held in 2001, and will attempt to offset recent reversals in the non-proliferation regime.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Development cooperation is undoubtedly one of the main global issues on the United Nations agenda. The special meeting on development financing planned for 2001 must be properly prepared, and the follow-up of the major conferences must continue. Spain attaches special importance to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt (HIPC) Initiative, whose scope and depth must be enhanced. In the wake of hurricane Mitch, Spain initiated debt-cancellation programmes for the most harshly affected countries of the Central American region. My country has made a substantial effort in recent years in respect of its development cooperation programmes.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Having been elected a member of the Commission on Human Rights for a three-year period, Spain will continue to cooperate with the United Nations in the defence of these rights in line with one of the basic tenets of its foreign policy. Closely related to this issue is the concept of human security. At a previous session of the General Assembly, Spain took the initiative to propose a draft resolution on the safety and security of international humanitarian personnel, which was ultimately adopted as resolution 52/167. The activity of the Special Committee on Children and Armed Conflict is especially important at this time, as is the significant work of the Secretary- General’s Special Representative on this matter, Mr. Olara Otunnu. The recent Security Council resolution 1261 (1999) is a major step forward in the approach to this problem.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“On the eve of the twenty-first century, it is no longer tolerable to mankind’s ethical conscience that atrocities and war crimes should go unpunished. But until recently the international community had not channeled these generalized feelings into a course of concrete action. Yet again, it was the United Nations that did this, by convening the Rome Conference at which the Statute of the International Criminal Court was adopted. Spain signed the Statute, and the ratification process is now at an advanced stage. Moreover, Spain has taken initiatives to promote the signing and ratification of the treaty in order that it may enter into force as soon as possible. The United Nations has made a vital contribution to the universalization of human rights.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“This year Spain has doubled the number of troops that it contributes to these operations; they are currently deployed in United Nations missions in Guatemala, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and East Timor. To this should be added the large number of troops that my country has placed at the service of missions authorized by Security Council resolutions, such as the Stabilization Force (SFOR) and KFOR. Spain participated in the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA) until its recent termination, and is now cooperating with the project to strengthen African capabilities for peacekeeping operations. As a reflection of my country’s commitment, Spain will in the next few weeks sign a memorandum of understanding on placing a rapidly deployable peacekeeping force at the disposal of the United Nations.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“At the same time, globalization also generates opportunities and benefits: economic growth, better communications and greater access to information, as well as possibilities for bringing different peoples and cultures closer together. It is especially here that the unique value of the United Nations is most striking. In the face of all these new global problems, which go far beyond the capacity of States for individual action, only a multilateral response will suffice, the result of dialogue and international cooperation. The United Nations is the most appropriate forum for this. With regard to peacekeeping operations, only the United Nations, in the final analysis, has the legitimacy necessary to authorize them.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“That debate must, in my opinion, focus on two main issues: the elimination of poverty and the consequences of globalization. A policy to eliminate poverty involves, inter alia, a strategy of conflict prevention, sustainable development policies, good governance and the regular provision of funds for development financing. All these mean that efforts must be pooled and responsibilities shared by developed and developing States alike. Globalization is a phenomenon that involves risks, but that also creates opportunities. The risk is that the weakest countries and the most defenceless sectors of the population will be marginalized from its benefits. Clearly, decisive action by Governments is needed, along with international cooperation. Threats to cultural and linguistic plurality likewise require decisive defensive measures.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Spain is the eighth- largest contributor to the Organization’s regular budget, and as such has a very direct interest in matters such as budgetary discipline and the effective use of resources. Moreover, Spain considers that all matters of concern to Member States on this issue can and must be thoroughly discussed. What is not acceptable, however, is for anyone to make payment conditional on the granting of unilateral demands. The coming Millennium Assembly will provide a good opportunity to reflect on all these issues, as well as 38 on the role of the United Nations in the twenty-first century. That Assembly, in the preparation of which civil society will participate, must likewise encourage vigorous debate yielding concrete results.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Spain is in favour of increasing the representation on the Security Council of all regional groups. Delays in the payment of contributions by some States are unjustifiable and endanger the very operation of the Organization at the very time when it is called upon to carry out increasingly complex tasks. It is not possible to tolerate the current level of non-payment and at the same time require the United Nations to set up the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, to organize the transition to independence in East Timor, to establish international criminal courts, to deal with the plight of refugees, to send peacekeeping forces to various parts of the world, and to allocate sufficient resources to its numerous development programmes. I would like my Government’s position on this subject to be properly understood.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“There are instances in which the exercise of this right, or even the more or less veiled threat to exercise it, has blocked the functioning of the Security Council and prevented the adoption of essential decisions that enjoyed a broad consensus within the international community. To a large extent, that has promoted the image of the United Nations as inefficient and impotent in the eyes of some sectors of public opinion. Thirdly, it should be made more democratic, which would mean adapting the Council’s composition to recent developments in the international community. In current circumstances, and given the split between Member States, it seems possible to reach a sufficient consensus only with regard to the idea of increasing the number of non-permanent members.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“I should like to stress that Spain does not think of the reform of the United Nations as an exercise whose sole and essential objective is to save money. Rather, we consider such reform to be a way of enabling it successfully to meet the challenges of the new century. A key aspect of this process is the reform of the Security Council. Spain believes that such reform must pursue three basic goals. First, there must be greater transparency in its working methods, with an increase in the number and the quality of the consultations, both between the countries that make up the Council and between those countries and other Member States. Secondly, it should be more efficient, for which purpose it would be advisable to limit the exercise of the right of veto.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Nevertheless, it has been a key factor in international relations throughout the second half of the twentieth century and it continues to be so on the threshold of the twenty-first. It fulfils an essential function, which will have to be progressively strengthened as the phenomenon of globalization develops. It is indeed a unique instrument for the international relations we are sharing for the twenty-first century. It is obvious that, while acknowledging the unique value of the United Nations, we must revise some aspects of the way in which it operates. That is why the process of reform undertaken by the Secretary-General is so important. We must continue to make further progress in that direction.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Spain offers them its full cooperation in the tasks that await them as new Members of the Organization. This has, indeed, been a difficult year for the Organization. Serious crises have arisen in different parts of the world and, at times, the role played in them by the United Nations has been questioned. We are all aware of the efforts made by the Secretary-General to enable the Organization fully to play the role for which it was founded in 1945. However, in certain sectors of international public opinion the idea has taken hold that the United Nations has been incapable of assuming its central and proper role in such situations. Like any human institution, the United Nations has had its successes and its failures.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“I sincerely congratulate Mr. Gurirab on his election as President of the General Assembly at this session, the last to be held 37 before the start of the new millennium, and I wish him great success in the performance of his duties. At the same time I wish to thank his predecessor, Mr. Didier Opertti, for the effective way in which he presided over the previous Assembly. Spain subscribes fully to the statement made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland on behalf of the States members of the European Union and should like to contribute to this general debate by presenting my delegation’s point of view with regard to the complex problems facing the United Nations at this time. I should also like to welcome the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru and the Kingdom of Tonga.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“In another context, it is confident that the parties will succeed in reaching an agreement to form a Government in Cambodia after the recent elections. I firmly believe that, after a period of excessive and unjustified hopes and consequent disappointments, now is the time for the United Nations to forge determinedly ahead in fostering an international coexistence based on respect for human rights, justice and solidarity. Nonetheless, this will only be possible if it has the full support of all of us. Spain hereby reiterates its fullest commitment to the United Nations. 28”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“As regards the peace process in the Middle East, Spain is deeply concerned about the current standstill and actively backs the different initiatives presented, particularly the European Union proposals, to safeguard this process and implement the commitments already made by the parties. There is an urgent need to put an end to this conflict, which has already lasted too long; it implies a threat to stability, fundamentally in the Mediterranean, but with global repercussions. We must find a solution to achieve a long-lasting reconciliation of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic cultures. Spain is, to a great extent, an example of such reconciliation, and we stand ready to make all necessary efforts to achieve this goal. Lastly, in Asia, Spain is following with great concern the situation in Afghanistan.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The situation in Kosovo is also extremely serious. Spain backs the territorial integrity of Yugoslavia, but President Milosevic´ and his Government must understand that the international community will not remain impassive in the face of an indiscriminate use of force that is creating a very serious humanitarian problem. A sincere negotiation process should be established as soon as possible to enable Kosovo to regain the necessary political autonomy in Yugoslavia. In Latin America, the reconciliation process in Guatemala continues to make good headway, despite some tragic incidents, and is an inspiring example. We are confident that the ongoing talks in Colombia will lead to a process of national reconciliation, an objective to which Spain has been giving its fullest support.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Suffice it to mention the armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the tragic humanitarian crisis in Sudan — in the solution of which Spain is making a special effort to cooperate, the precarious situation of Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, and the extremely serious exacerbation of tension in Angola, where UNITA must respect the Lusaka agreements and where the United Nations must continue to give its most valuable support to the peace process. In Western Sahara, the parties must continue to demonstrate their good will so that the referendum on self- determination envisaged in the Secretary-General?s settlement plan can be held. The coming months will undoubtedly be crucial. Spain will continue to back the Secretary-General, his representatives and the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“For this reason, my country will continue to promote all measures that can help improve the security and safety of personnel providing humanitarian assistance. The ongoing process of globalization does not mean the disappearance of the diversity of civilizations and cultures, which coexist with increasing closeness. To the contrary, this diversity itself constitutes a value which must be used to promote solidarity and cooperation among nations. Indeed, serious crises — some of which I shall mention in this statement — continue to afflict the international community; unfortunately too, our ability to take action is still often limited. The situation in Africa is cause for serious concern, and justifies the special consideration our Organization is giving to African crises.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In this connection, I wish to reaffirm my country?s commitment to the maintenance of international peace and security, in the service of which 2,000 Spaniards are currently serving. Indeed, in addition to participating in SFOR, the International Police Task Force (IPTF) and the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA), Spain this year sent a police contingent to the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA). Furthermore, Spain intends to sign soon a memorandum of understanding with the Secretariat to define the modalities for making stand-by forces available to the Organization. Humanitarian assistance operations have come to play an increasingly important role. Aid workers from many countries, including Spain, have lost their lives in these missions.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Here the United Nations increasingly uses the means that regional organizations or groups of States place at its disposal. As a result, its response to various crises is becoming more flexible and the legitimizing role of the United Nations now carries more weight. Some good examples, in addition to the Stabilization Force (SFOR) and Operation Alba — to cite two cases in which Spain respectively continues to play and played a particularly prominent role — are initiatives such as the Stand-by Forces High-Readiness Brigade (SHIRBRIG), which can 27 speed up United Nations intervention considerably, and in which Spain is also beginning to participate. Moreover, the mediation capacity of the Secretary-General and his representatives has been enhanced even further over the past year.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“It is likewise of the utmost importance that next year we should succeed in concluding negotiations on a protocol on verification of biological weapons. As regards nuclear weapons, I cannot but express once again my concern at the nuclear tests conducted by India and Pakistan, which go against the international community?s efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation. Nevertheless, we are optimistic about the forthcoming commencement of negotiations on a treaty banning the production of fissile materials for the manufacture of nuclear weapons. Finally, we are confident that this progress can be further enhanced by India?s and Pakistan?s accession to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- Ban Treaty. The chief aim of our Organization continues to be the maintenance of international peace and security.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“My Government praises the momentum the Secretary-General is giving to the reform of the environmental and human settlement sectors directly linked to development. My country is participating in studying new financing formulas to provide sufficient resources for development cooperation. In this regard, without losing sight of the unavoidable debate on budgetary matters, Spain will consider a possible gradual increase in its voluntary contributions over the next few years. On the subject of disarmament, Spain will shortly ratify the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti- Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction; it is pleased with the swift pace of ratification of the Convention.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“This was evidenced by the Spanish Prime Minister?s attendance at the special session of the General Assembly in June, which was devoted to this universal problem and which contributed substantially to reaffirming our conviction that it is critical to consolidate international coordination in seeking global solutions based on the principles of shared responsibility, attention to sustainable development and boosting regional and interregional cooperation. Multilateral development cooperation and poverty eradication are crucial to the establishment of peaceful international coexistence based on respect for human rights. Spain is following with attention the implementation of the reform measures proposed by the Secretary-General.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Terrorism constitutes a serious threat to domestic and international security, to the development and functioning of democratic institutions throughout the world and to the exercise of human rights. Spain firmly believes in strengthening the machinery of international cooperation, for which the United Nations is a key forum. Spain, which has ratified all conventions adopted on this issue, has already signed the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings and hopes that, as the next step, a convention for the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism can be adopted. Similarly, Spain gives high priority to the international fight against drugs.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights should provide a powerful incentive to continue to develop international instruments for protecting human rights. The adoption of the statute of the International Criminal Court during the recent Rome Conference marked a very significant step in that direction. Spain firmly supported the adoption of the statute, signed it on the first day, and is prepared to carry out any actions needed to ensure its prompt entry into force. Likewise, I wish to back the important work performed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and to underline the importance that my country attaches to the work of the Commission on Human Rights, to which it has presented its candidature for the period 2000 to 2002.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“During the 1997 negotiating round I submitted a proposal that would allow Spain to regain sovereignty over Gibraltar, while maintaining for the inhabitants of the Territory all their current benefits, granting them, in the framework of the Spanish State, a greater degree of political autonomy than they enjoy today, and agreeing, as an additional guarantee 26 of Spain?s good faith, to share sovereignty with the United Kingdom for a long transition period. I believe that that proposal should be able to form the basis of an agreement that would, once and for all, put an end to an anachronistic situation originating from the dynastic wars of the early eighteenth century. Respect for human rights is essential in guaranteeing the maintenance of international peace and security. Our Organization also plays a prominent role in this field.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“With the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism about to end, I believe it is important to recall that the historic work carried out by the Organization in this field cannot be considered complete as long as there remain colonial situations such as the one which so painfully affects my country. I am referring, of course, to the question of Gibraltar. Every year the General Assembly renews its appeals to Spain and the United Kingdom to continue their negotiations with a view to putting an end to the colonial situation of Gibraltar. The current negotiation process stems from the so-called Brussels declaration of 1984, in which the Governments of our two States undertook to establish a negotiation process, to include sovereignty issues, in order to settle all their differences.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In order for our Organization to be able to perform satisfactorily its indispensable work, it must be endowed with sufficient funds. The Secretary-General is carrying out a major reform designed to ensure, among other aims, better use of the financial means made available to it by States. However, the current financial situation is very worrying, largely owing to the accumulation of arrears. No State should forget that full and timely payment of its contributions is a legally binding international obligation. In 1999, my country will become the eighth largest contributor to the Organization?s budget. We are fully aware of the responsibility this entails and are ready to assume it.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Spain will follow this process very closely so as to support it and ensure that it is brought to a successful conclusion. The debate on enlarging the membership of the Security Council deserves separate consideration. The difficulties posed by enlarging the permanent membership have been confirmed as negotiations have proceeded. We must not attempt to force decisions that might create divisions within certain regional groups. Reform must reflect, as far as possible, general agreement between the Members of the Organization, and in any case it must respect the provisions of Article 108 of the Charter. We must therefore acknowledge that at present there is no realistic alternative to increasing only the number of non- permanent members.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The major reforms undertaken will enable the United Nations to continue to be the main forum for international cooperation. Dialogue, the promotion of respect for human rights and the development of international life will continue under the auspices of the United Nations. Furthermore, the Organization has consolidated its primary function of maintaining international peace and security. An essential element of the strengthening process that the United Nations is currently undergoing is greater recognition of the limits that restrict its action. The process of reforming the Organization, which the Secretary-General has set in motion with decisiveness and determination, has contributed significantly to a sense of getting the Organization under control and of renewed confidence in its possibilities.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Allow me first, Mr. President, to offer you my sincerest congratulations on your appointment, and to express my satisfaction that the work of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session will be led by such a distinguished representative of a country with which Spain has excellent relations. I should also like to thank Minister Udovenko for the efficiency with which he presided over the General Assembly during the previous session. The Foreign Minister of Austria has already set out the main elements of the European Union?s position in the United Nations. For my part, I should like to highlight certain issues of particular interest to Spain. It can generally be said that our Organization is today in a stronger position than in previous years, which were characterized by a predominant feeling of crisis.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The United Nations is the main international forum entrusted with maintaining international peace and security, with promoting development, human rights and fundamental freedoms and with ensuring cooperation between States. The indispensable nature of its role has become clear in recent years. Finally, I would like to restate the Spanish Government’s firm commitment to the purposes contained in the Charter of the United Nations and to reassert our unshakeable determination to continue to participate in the reform process in the firm belief that, together, we will be able to adapt the United Nations to the requirements of the new millennium.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The punctual and full payment of contributions is an international legal obligation that should be recognized by all States that respect the international rule of law. It is unacceptable that any Member State should place conditions on these payments or on the payment of arrears. Such a practice would lead eventually to the bankruptcy of the Organization we defend. As early as 1996, the European Union introduced a proposal designed to encourage States to meet their financial obligations to the Organization and to establish a fairer scale of assessments. Spain hopes that this proposal will be carefully considered at this session.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I very recently and publicly formulated a most generous offer whereby, following the reincorporation of Gibraltar into Spain, the current inhabitants of the colony would be allowed to retain the broad outlines of their present economic and legal situation. We believe that this offer should help us advance in the bilateral negotiations with the United Kingdom. We all agree on to the irreplaceable nature of our Organization and on the need to reform it. However, our Organization cannot prosper, nor can the reforms be put in place, if we Member States do not comply in full with our financial commitments. As the Secretary-General himself has pointed out, the Organization’s present financial crisis is a payments crisis.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In resolution 2353 (XXII), and in accordance with resolution 1514 (XV), the General Assembly acknowledged that the colonial status of Gibraltar violates Spanish territorial integrity and that the principle of self-determination therefore does not apply. The territory of Gibraltar was an integral part of Spain, and the Spaniards who lived there were expelled when a military base was established. Pursuant to the repeated invitations made by the United Nations to Spain and to the United Kingdom to settle this matter by negotiation, my Government is engaged in the search for a solution through the bilateral channel established in the Brussels Declaration of November 1984. The Spanish authorities have given repeated assurances that the legitimate interests of the inhabitants of Gibraltar will be respected.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It may therefore seem anachronistic to refer to this matter in a statement that deals with the reform of the United Nations and that focuses on the present and the most immediate future, rather than on the past. The reality, however, is that unresolved colonial situations unfortunately continue to exist, and our Organization still has to deal with them. With regard to these situations, Spain is affected directly and painfully by the question of Gibraltar. The existence of this colony on our territory — the colony of a State that, like Spain, belongs, to the Atlantic Alliance and to the European Union — is an anomaly and an anachronism that we are trying to resolve within the context of the doctrine established by the United Nations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Spain welcomes the outcome of the Oslo Conference and will be signing the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, while promoting discussion of this question in Geneva at the Conference on Disarmament. The preparation of a protocol to strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention — particularly in the field of verification; the negotiation of a convention to ban fissionable material for the manufacture of nuclear weapons; and the improvement of control and 24 transparency in conventional weapons: these are also matters of importance. The process of decolonization has without any doubt been one of the Organization’s greatest successes.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Algerian Government can count on Spanish backing to continue resolutely the process of political reform, in order to achieve the widest possible base of support among the population, ensure peaceful and lasting coexistence and to eradicate terrorism. The fight against drug trafficking is also a question of the greatest importance to Spain, and it is one that undoubtedly has connections with terrorism and transnational crime. My Government therefore supports the creation in Vienna of an international crime prevention centre designed to reinforce the Organization’s capacity to combat these scourges. Spain is pleased with the decisive role played by the United Nations in disarmament and arms control.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Spanish Government participates actively in the negotiations on the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, aimed at creating an effective tool in the fight against terrorism that is acceptable to the largest possible number of countries. Spain also supports the Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism and the Supplement to that Declaration adopted by the Assembly at its last session. In this connection, I cannot fail to mention the tragic situation in Algeria, a country which is a neighbour and a friend of Spain and which has the solidarity and support of my Government in its battle against the plague of terrorism.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I wish to note in this context that my country is presenting the candidature of Murcia as headquarters of the permanent secretariat of the Convention to Combat Desertification. I am convinced that Murcia would be an excellent headquarters, and I therefore ask Members for their support. The attainment of effective international cooperation in the fight against terrorism is a priority objective for my Government. The phenomenon of terrorism cannot be controlled without complete and active cooperation at all levels. The conceptual advances made in the area of extradition that have taken place within the European Union must be furthered in the United Nations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Spain welcomes the proposals put forward in this area by the Secretary-General. In particular, I should like to stress my support for the Secretary-General’s various initiatives aimed at ensuring the release of more funds for operational programmes. The inclusion in development cooperation activities of other than purely economic factors — such as social and environmental ones — is the expression of a concept to which the United Nations has given primary attention through a number of international conferences held under its auspices. I am referring to the subject of sustainable development. I would like to underline in this respect the importance that the Spanish Government attaches to environmental matters and our special interest in the problem of desertification, which affects Spain so directly.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“This will be an appropriate time to assess the situation and to devise strategies which will allow us to continue to move forward in the advancement of human rights. As pointed out by the Secretary-General in his report, the United Nations human rights programme must be integrated into the whole range of the Organization’s activities. Spain supports the Secretary-General’s proposal to consolidate the Centre for Human Rights and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and stresses the need to increase the human and financial resources devoted to the human rights programme. Spain will maintain an active policy in defence of human rights and will help to ensure general respect for human rights and for democratic principles. Another of the Organization’s major functions is cooperation for development.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Spain considers that additional measures must be adopted to protect those participating in these humanitarian missions, and we intend to introduce a proposal to that end during this session. Recent experience of the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and in Rwanda has highlighted the need to 23 create a judicial body to prevent impunity and to facilitate reconciliation of war-torn societies and consolidate the peace process. The creation of an international criminal court is thus a matter to which the Spanish Government attaches great importance. Concern for the protection and promotion of human rights, which is becoming one of the Organization’s principal functions, underlies all these developments. As of 10 December and throughout 1998 we will be celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)