YouSaid · the spoken record

Ali Alatas

lines on the record: 136
first: 1994-09-24
most recent: 1999-09-24
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

“As to the environment, it is regrettable that the special session of the General Assembly devoted to the review of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and Agenda 21 has revealed that the commitments to the Rio Conference and to the Agenda have not been substantially fulfilled. The international community, particularly the countries that have the technological and financial resources, must summon the political will to bring positive action to support Agenda 21. Vigorous measures should also be taken in defence of our human resources and social values against the thrusts of international crime, drug trafficking and drug abuse. We therefore remain committed to support the mechanisms of the United Nations anti-crime and anti-drug programmes.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Our common aspirations for global economic and social development will never be realized until all forms of discrimination are removed from society and opportunity is afforded equitably to all humanity. The Programme of Action for the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003) should be the vehicle of our endeavours to end all forms of racism and racial discrimination. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women, must be vigorously implemented at all levels. Likewise, implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action is essential for the attainment of a positive environment for enhancing the human condition.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In this era of trade liberalization, and in spite of the presence of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the developing countries are finding their comparative advantage rendered meaningless by an array of non-tariff barriers, preference-erosion and the misuse of anti-dumping measures and countervailing duties. Moreover, the persistent attempts of developed countries to link international trade issues with extraneous issues, such as labour standards, amount to a new form of protectionism. Such insidious obstacles to free and open trade have to be done away with so that the global economy can benefit from an equitable, transparent and rule-based multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization as its embodiment.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“My country has always advocated a once- and-for-all approach that entails a reduction of indebtedness to a level that will allow resumption of development. We therefore support the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, as it would help some of the poorest countries escape the vicious cycle of indebtedness and deprivation and once again take the road to development. In this context, Indonesia has pledged, as a concrete expression of this support, $10 million to the World Bank's Trust Fund for the debt relief of the heavily indebted poor countries. We also urge that these 10 initiatives be implemented expeditiously and with flexibility, and that they cover other heavily indebted countries that are also in dire need of development.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Because many developing countries are unable to attract adequate volumes of foreign direct investment, the constriction of official development assistance has taken an enormous toll on their social and economic development, particularly in their efforts aimed at reducing hunger, illiteracy and child mortality. We therefore support the proposal in the reform package submitted by the Secretary-General for the creation of an Office of Development Financing that will pursue this endeavour full-time in tandem with the proposed “development dividend”. The problem of chronic external indebtedness constitutes another debilitating impediment to development. Despite various debt relief initiatives in the past, many developing countries remain crippled by their debt overhangs.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Agenda provides a comprehensive framework of principles and measures designed to promote development as a vital preoccupation of the international community. It also seeks to restore the centrality of the United Nations in the pursuit of international cooperation for development. Perhaps the greatest constraint to development today is the dearth of financial resources for development. While there is an increased emphasis on foreign direct investment, and this is welcome, the fact remains that official development assistance constitutes the principal source of development financing for the majority of the developing countries. Regrettably, official development assistance is in sharp decline, and has today reached its lowest level since target levels were adopted in 1970.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Even developing economies that have attained some measure of dynamism are not immune to the perils of globalization and liberalization. Given the sharp fluctuations of international financial flows and currency manipulation by speculators, economies built through years of patient, sound and solid fiscal and monetary policies could be crushed overnight in the anarchy of the globalized market place. Globalization should, therefore, be managed so as to soften its impact on vulnerable economies. Indonesia welcomes the adoption by the General Assembly of An Agenda for Development, a major initiative designed to restore the theme of development to the centre of the operations of the United Nations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“And this new growth has had little impact on rates of unemployment and under- employment. In fact, it would take another 10 years of similar growth just to recover the gross domestic product per capita levels of the early 1980s. Globalization has indeed brought about an unprecedented surge in international trade, investments and information flows, but it has also accentuated the inequities and imbalances of international economic relations. Only the developed economies have fully benefited from it. The developing countries as a whole continue to suffer its negative impact while being marginalized from international economic decision-making processes in which they could otherwise seek redress from the inequities weighing down their development efforts.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The unravelling of the Peace Accord would have devastating consequences for Bosnia and Herzegovina and its neighbours. All concerned should therefore join ranks and work together to ensure the irreversibility of the peace process and the full implementation of the Peace Accords. It is encouraging to note from the World Economic and Social Survey and other authoritative sources that the global economy is basically healthy, that growth rates have risen for the third consecutive year and that such progress has been more widespread than before. However, we have no illusions that the global economy has fully recovered from a protracted period of decline during the past decade. The echoes of the recession in the 1980s are still reverberating. Millions in the developing world are still languishing in wrenching poverty.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We believe that a positive outcome to these talks will pave the way for the establishment of a permanent peace mechanism and that 9 the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) will facilitate endeavours towards a lasting solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula. In Bosnia and Herzegovina the implementation of the Peace Agreement has entered a critical phase. Key provisions of the Agreement remain unimplemented. Refugees and displaced persons continue to be denied their right to return to their pre-war homes. Freedom of movement has not been restored fully, and discrimination and harassment are still prevalent. Challenges remain in the functioning of the common State institutions that are so vital to unity and reconciliation.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Indonesia believes that a principled solution can only be reached through dialogue, with the aim of preserving the coalition Government that reflects the power-sharing arrangements resulting from the elections of 1993, held under the auspices of the United Nations. Furthermore, free and fair elections should be held as scheduled next May, with the participation of all Cambodian parties and political forces as an important element of its success. Indonesia welcomes the convening of the four-party talks among the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the United States and the People's Republic of China.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In Cambodia, the recent regrettable turn of events, which resulted in a significant change in the governmental set-up and political situation has threatened to plunge the country back into factional strife and instability. The interests of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Cambodia are inextricably linked, and the stability of Cambodia is essential to the stability of the South-East Asian region. Therefore, while ASEAN reaffirms its commitment to the principle of non- interference in the internal affairs of other States, it stands ready to contribute its efforts to help restore political stability in Cambodia. Accordingly, ASEAN has proposed the immediate cessation of all armed hostilities and acts of violence throughout Cambodia and called on the conflicting parties to resolve their differences amicably.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Israel persists in its illegal construction activities, in blockading Palestinian territory and besieging Palestinian cities and towns and in withholding funds belonging to the Palestinian Authority. The imposition of a harsh regimen of collective punishment contravenes all international legal norms and principles and violates the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people. We must therefore vigorously support all efforts to restore the momentum of the peace process and to bring about the resumption of negotiations based on the provisions of the Declaration of Principles and the principle of land for peace. And we must continue to press for progress on the Syrian-Israeli and Lebanese- Israeli tracks of the peace process, for without such progress a comprehensive settlement of the Middle East question is not possible.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Although these sub-critical tests do not legally violate the CTBT, they make a travesty of the spirit of the Treaty. The nuclear Powers should desist from conducting such tests, as they could lead to the resumption of the nuclear arms race and its attendant risk of global disaster. Meanwhile, in South-East Asia, the South-East Asia Nuclear- Weapon-Free Zone Treaty came into force earlier this year. We hope that the nuclear-weapon States will also contribute to regional security by their timely accession to the relevant Protocol of the Treaty. In the Middle East we are witnessing a continuing escalation in Israeli provocative acts. Israel's encroachments on East Jerusalem, especially in Jabal Abu Ghneim, have plunged the peace process into deeper crisis and triggered unrest and tension on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“But they could become meaningless if, due to insolvency, the United Nations were rendered incapable of fulfilling its mission. Much of the insecurity in the world today stems from the fact that the international community has not been able to abolish nuclear armaments. The Non-Proliferation Treaty has been indefinitely extended, but without any guarantee that the commitment to nuclear disarmament will be honoured. We are also dismayed that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty does not effectively prohibit nuclear testing in all environments and for all time, without loopholes or exceptions. Nevertheless, we signed the Treaty in the hope that the nuclear Powers on their own would refrain from testing through simulation. That hope has been shattered by the sub-critical tests announced recently by a nuclear-weapon State.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Foreign Ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement also stressed that the use of the veto should be curtailed with a view to its eventual elimination, and that the improvement of the working methods of the Council should be given equal importance. While we are deeply engaged in this process of reform we must not lose sight of the fundamental goals that impelled us to undertake it in the first place: to enhance the Organization's ability to foster development and to address the root causes of poverty and conflict. Reform should not become a euphemism for budget slashing or an excuse for certain Member States to renege on their financial obligations to the Organization. When reforms are in place, they could indeed ensure optimum use of resources and generate savings.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The African Member countries have indicated that they would like to have two permanent seats representing their region. By the same token, we believe that it is legitimate that the new composition of the Security Council should have two new permanent members from among the developing countries of the Asian continent. As emphasized by the Ministerial Conference of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, held last April in New Delhi, there should be no partial or selective 8 expansion of the membership of the Security Council to the detriment of the developing countries, and efforts to restructure the Council should not be subject to any imposed time-frame, for although the issue is urgent it should not be decided before there is general agreement.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“On the expansion of membership of the Council, our view is well known: that new permanent members should be chosen not only on the basis of equitable geographic representation, but also on the basis of a set of criteria such as political, economic and demographic weight; their capability and their track record of contributing to the promotion of peace both regionally and globally; and their commitment to assume responsibilities inherent to permanent membership. And we should first discuss and agree on this set of criteria before we determine who represents which region or which group of Member countries. We should not put the cart before the horse. In this regard, predetermined numerical limitations would unduly restrict and possibly distort the representative value of the expansion of the Security Council.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“However, the idea of extending human rights activities by integrating them into all United Nations activities and programmes entails careful study. Hence, Indonesia stands ready to participate constructively in the detailed discussions on the proposed reform package which will take place during this Assembly. Of equally vital concern is the question of the reform and expansion of the Security Council so as to reflect the realities of today and to accommodate the basic interests of the developing countries which comprise the overwhelming majority in the Organization.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Just as crucial is the idea of enhancing the effectiveness of the United Nations in disarmament activities by establishing a new department for disarmament and arms regulation, to be headed by an Under-Secretary-General. That new department, however, should squarely address the question of nuclear disarmament as a priority issue and not only the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We also welcome the efforts to improve the Organization's ability to deploy peacekeeping and other field operations more rapidly, enhance the United Nations capacity for post-conflict peace-building, strengthen international efforts to combat drugs, crime and terrorism, and bolster international response to global humanitarian needs. The reorganization and restructuring of the human rights secretariat is also timely and appropriate.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“My delegation has therefore welcomed the United Nations reform package that the Secretary-General presented to the General Assembly last July. We support the endeavour to transform the leadership and management structure of the Organization so that it can address the challenges of the new millennium with a greater sense of purpose, effectiveness and efficiency. We commend the proposal to promote sustained and sustainable development through, inter alia, the creation of a “development dividend” by shifting resources to development activities, especially those for poverty alleviation. We attach great importance to the proposed measure to overcome the financial crisis of the Organization through the creation of a revolving credit fund pending the attainment of a permanent solution to the crisis.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Poverty and backwardness hold dominion over vast areas of the developing world, while the developing countries are increasingly marginalized in international economic decision-making. We cannot hope to rid the world of these systemic problems unless we can devise an effective system of global governance capable of managing the impact of globalization and interdependence, fulfilling the interlinked demands of peace, security and development, and reconciling the competing interests of a constantly widening range of actors in international affairs. For that system of global governance to be effective and universally accepted, it must have for its central mechanism and source of legitimacy a United Nations revitalized through a process of judicious reform and democratization.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Since we met last year, world developments have continued to show a mixture of bright promise, new 7 challenges and pervasive uncertainty. The post-cold-war era has opened up new possibilities for the solution of persistent problems and conflicts and the pursuit of a global agenda for peace and development. In various parts of the world, protagonists have shown a desire to resolve their differences through dialogue and negotiations. Globalization has raised the hopes of mankind for equitably shared prosperity. Yet, intra-State conflicts continue to rage in many parts of the world even as the international community faces a multitude of new and unpredictable threats and challenges. Despite significant strides in limiting armaments, the destructive power of nuclear weapons continues to pose a threat to all life on Earth.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It gives me great pleasure to offer Foreign Minister Hennadiy Udovenko of Ukraine the felicitations of my delegation on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-second session. I am confident that, under his experienced leadership, we will achieve substantive progress in our work. I should also like to pay tribute to his predecessor, Mr. Razali Ismail, for the skilful manner in which he guided our deliberations during an extraordinarily busy year. His purposeful and decisive stewardship secured the success of the fifty-first session of the General Assembly. I join other members in commending our Secretary- General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his report “Renewing the United Nations: A Programme for Reform”. His initiative deserves our praise and the recommendations in the report merit our serious consideration.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The question has always been whether we have the political will to do it, and whether we are concerned and enlightened enough to form an equitable global partnership for development — for a concerted struggle against poverty that will give a deeper and brighter meaning to globalization and interdependence. The answer, I believe, is largely in the hands of the General Assembly.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“This century that is about to end will perhaps be remembered for both the cruelty of its wars and the tremendous achievements that it has seen in science and technology — although it is not for these achievements that we should be proud of it. To my mind, what makes this century special is the fact that during this time the human race truly began to nurture the idea that poverty is not an inevitable part of the human condition, but that it can be conquered and wiped off the face of the Earth. We have the natural resources and the mental and organizational capacity to succeed at that task.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Indonesia shares that dream and abides by the commitments it assumed at the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen and the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, both of which were held last year. We have indeed dedicated ... We have, indeed, dedicated ourselves to the proposition that people should not only be the 12 beneficiaries of development but should also be given every opportunity to become the authors of their own development. At the same time we should address, through concrete and concerted international action, the problem of the global trade in illicit drugs and other forms of transnational crime. Above all, we must continue to address the problems of poverty and underdevelopment, and we must commit ourselves fully to genuine partnership.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“In this context, we welcome and support the joint proposal of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which offers effective alternatives for reducing the overall debt burdens of heavily indebted poor countries to sustainable levels. While this initiative could be further refined, it is Indonesia’s fervent hope that, at the forthcoming meetings of the World Bank and the IMF, this proposal will finally receive the support that it needs and deserves from the developed countries. In this context, I am encouraged by the developments at the IMF meetings in Washington today. Social development and social justice remain elusive dreams for millions of impoverished people throughout the world.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We cannot accept the imposition of the law of the strong in place of dialogue and negotiation. No one country, no matter how powerful, should be allowed unilaterally to regulate the lives of other sovereign countries. The biggest single deterrent to development in many of the world’s poorest countries is the crushing effect of their debt burdens. Indonesia has long advocated a set of principles for managing the debt problem, calling for a “once-and-for-all” settlement of the debt problems of developing countries, including multilateral debts, as well as the cancellation of the debts of the most severely affected, low-income developing countries.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Such efforts will not only harm the developing countries, but will also ultimately debilitate the WTO itself. We therefore call upon all trading partners to refrain from overloading the agenda of the first Ministerial Meeting of the WTO in Singapore this coming December with issues extraneous to trade. Let us together nurture the WTO as the guardian of a predictable, non-discriminatory multilateral trading system and the guarantor of the rights of the weaker trading partner against unilateral and arbitrary actions by the strong. In this context, we share the concern expressed by the international community at the practice of some countries of promulgating national laws with extraterritorial application that adversely impact on the legitimate interests of other countries.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Since the major problems of development are global in nature, they can only be effectively dealt with through a new global partnership for development involving all countries, of both the developed North and the developing South, on the basis of mutual interest and equitable sharing of benefits and responsibility. It has been more than two years since the successful conclusion of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations, but the promise of an equitable, transparent and rule-based multilateral trading system, as embodied in the World Trade Organization (WTO), has yet to be realized. Moreover, we are alarmed at the tendency of some developed countries to resort to a new form of protectionism in the guise of linking labour standards and other social and environmental concerns to trade.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Bereft of a favourable external environment for their national development efforts, many developing countries continue to languish in poverty, backwardness, stagnation and even negative economic growth. Every year, 13 to 18 million people, mostly children in developing countries, die from hunger and poverty-related causes. Meanwhile, the developing countries remain marginalized from the international decision-making processes that would fashion global solutions to the global economic problems that afflict them. The poignant experience of the past three and a half decades teaches us that these problems cannot be solved through palliatives and piecemeal reforms.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Yet, the apprehensions about globalization are equally justified. In an external environment over which developing countries have very little control, globalization could widen the prosperity gap between the developed and the developing countries. The fact that globalization can also lead to disaster was demonstrated not too long ago when the global operations of financial markets led to instability and volatility that sent shock waves through the monetary systems of developing countries. In their efforts to integrate themselves into the global economy, many developing countries have found it necessary to make structural adjustments that too often entail exorbitant social and human costs. Moreover, globalization has not mitigated and may have, on the contrary, exacerbated the inequities and imbalances in international economic relations.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Since then, global trade and production have been boosted to new heights while goods, people and capital are moving from one country to another more freely than ever. Globalization has thus raised the hopes of humankind with visions of a new world of opportunities and more equitable prosperity. These hopes are not without foundation. In a global economy that is gradually recovering from recession, the developed countries, according to the 1996 Economic and Social Survey, have shown average gross-national-product growth rates of two per cent. The developing countries have registered a significant 6 per cent growth while the economic dynamos of East and South-East Asia have been credited with a stunning 8 per cent growth. These are the trade-driven economies that have benefited most from globalization.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“This positive development, which will bring peace and prosperity to the southern Philippines, also constitutes another important step towards the realization of a politically stable, socially cohesive and economically progressive South-East Asia that is increasingly able to deal with its own problems in its own way. We are now living in an era of globalization and interdependence, an era replete with challenges but also full of promise. How it came about is no mystery. It had been creeping up on us for quite some time, the consequence of rapid advances in science and technology, particularly in communications and transport. The end of the cold war and the dismantling of the barriers of bloc politics and ideological contention unleashed the full force of globalization.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“My delegation wishes to reiterate its firm commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, in this case Iraq. Actions that are inconsistent with these basic norms and principles of inter-State relations, which are enshrined in the United Nations Charter, are clearly unacceptable. I should also like to seize this occasion to urge Iraq to comply fully with all relevant Security Council resolutions. Earlier this month, almost a quarter of a century of conflict in the southern Philippines came to a peaceful end with the signing of a peace agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front, with Indonesia serving as facilitator on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference Ministerial Committee of the Six.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“It is therefore incumbent upon the international community to ensure the unity and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a multicultural, multi-ethnic and multireligious society. For the peace Agreement to be implementable, obstructions to freedom of movement must be removed and refugees allowed freely to return to their homes. Bosnian Serb leaders must yield their illicit control over segments of the population and territory of the country. The parties to the peace Agreement must ensure that those indicted by the International Tribunal are brought to justice. In the Gulf region, we have recently witnessed unilateral military action by extraregional Powers interfering with the internal affairs of a Member State of the United Nations.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Once again, we emphasize that progress on the Israeli-Syrian and Israeli-Lebanese tracks of the negotiations, attended by unconditional withdrawal of Israel from the Syrian Golan Heights and southern Lebanon, constitutes a conditio sine qua non for comprehensive and lasting peace in the region. The recent elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, made possible by the cessation of hostilities as a result of the Dayton and Paris peace Agreements, have brought the country nearer to reconciliation and paved the way for the creation of durable national institutions. However, we are concerned that, especially in the Serb-held areas, the results of the election may lead to the legitimizing of ethnic separation.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Further aggravating the situation is the unprecedented armed clash between the Israeli army and the Palestinian police. These are but the latest manifestations of a rapid deterioration of the situation due to Israel’s reneging on its previous commitments and its blatant backtracking on its obligations under the 1993 Declaration of Principles and subsequent agreements. Israel must be prevailed upon to honour the Declaration of Principles and its subsequent agreements and to resume negotiations in earnest on the remaining issues and the final status of the occupied territories, including Jerusalem.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Having signed the Treaty on that basis, Indonesia fervently hopes that it will eventually be supported by the entire membership and thereby become an effective instrument to enable us to move towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Focal points of conflict still persist in many parts of the globe. In the Middle East, the peace process is on the verge of collapse as a highly volatile and explosive situation in the Israeli-occupied Arab territories threatens once more to engulf the region in all-too-familiar violence and bloodshed, which we had hoped had become part of the past. Israel’s provocative action of opening a new entrance to the tunnel along the Western Wall of the Al-Aqsa Mosque has triggered a violent confrontation, resulting in death and injuries to scores of civilians.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Having become a reality through broad compromises, however, the Treaty is still a far cry from the CTBT long-envisioned by the international community. It still allows the most sophisticated form of nuclear-weapon testing: simulation. In a strict sense, therefore, it is not truly comprehensive, nor does it directly address the issue of nuclear disarmament. But it does limit the nuclear-arms race by making it more difficult for countries to develop or improve their arsenals. Moreover, humankind cannot afford to dispense with the CTBT, imperfect as it may be. Our collective 10 experience in the disarmament endeavour has been that, if we pass over an existing opportunity in favour of a better one that is yet to be, we suffer a costly delay and possibly an irretrievable setback.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Another positive development was the signing a few days ago of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) after two and a half years of arduous negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament. Indeed, for the past three decades, the international community unceasingly stressed the need for such a treaty in an endeavour to stem the horizontal and vertical proliferation of nuclear weapons. The Treaty outlaws nuclear-test explosions by all States in all environments for all time, ensures that the ban is effective and verifiable and provides new ground for the realization of the objectives set by the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“During the historic Bangkok summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the seven ASEAN leaders, together with the leaders of Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, signed the Treaty on the South- East Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. ASEAN is now working for the Treaty’s early entry into force. We hope that the nuclear Powers will soon endorse the Treaty by acceding to its Protocol. Thus, with the conclusion of Treaties for nuclear-weapon-free zones in South-East Asia and Africa, in addition to the Antarctic, Rarotonga and Tlatelolco Treaties, a large segment of the southern hemisphere should become free of the nuclear menace. As for chemical weapons, I am pleased to inform the General Assembly that Indonesia is now at the final stage of the process of ratifying the Chemical Weapons Convention.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“If those vital statistics, too, must be terminated because of the Organization’s insolvency, that would constitute an enormous human tragedy. Nuclear arsenals of enormously destructive power continue to pose a threat to all life on Earth. We believe that the time has come for the Conference on Disarmament to establish a special committee for negotiations on a programme of nuclear disarmament and the ultimate elimination of all nuclear weapons within a definite time-frame. In this regard, it is my hope that the recent Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the illegality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons will serve as a catalyst towards this end. The 10 countries of South-East Asia recently made a substantive contribution to the cause of nuclear disarmament.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“If the current financial plight of the United Nations continues — and it will continue as long as certain major Member States refuse to remit their legally-obligated contributions — there is a real danger that peacekeeping operations will collapse and many endeavours to maintain peace and security will be compromised. The very functioning of the United Nations itself could be severely undermined and the purposes of the reform process seriously jeopardized. No organization can be reformed by starving it. Ironically, the countries that are pressing the hardest for cutbacks and reforms have themselves refused to finance the new austerity budget. For more than five decades the United Nations and related institutions have been engaged in an immense array of activities that touch every aspect of people’s lives all over the world.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The Economic and Social Council is now being revitalized so that it will have a more dynamic relationship with the General Assembly and other United Nations bodies. Yet, regrettably, it is still unable effectively to fulfil its crucial role, notably in helping United Nations Members adjust to the complex demands of globalization. The reforms and adjustments that the Economic and Social Council is undergoing should be further strengthened to enhance its cooperation not only with other United Nations bodies but also with such important international agencies as the Bretton Woods institutions. All these efforts to revitalize, reform and democratize the United Nations, however, will come to naught if in the end the United Nations is paralysed by financial insolvency.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“9 Just as crucial is the reform of the Security Council so as to allow it to reflect contemporary realities and to accommodate the interests and concerns of developing countries, which comprise the overwhelming majority of the Organization. It is an anachronism and a gross anomaly that Europe is overrepresented, Asia underrepresented and Africa and Latin America not represented at all on the Council’s roster of permanent members. In our view, new permanent members should be chosen on the basis not only of equitable geographic representation, but also of such criteria as political, economic and demographic weight, their capability and proven track record of contributing to the promotion of peace, security and development, both regionally and globally, and their commitment to assuming responsibilities inherent to permanent membership.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“World governance, therefore, in order to be effective and acceptable to all, must be fashioned with the United Nations as its principal mechanism and source of legitimacy. The revitalization of this international institution through a comprehensive process of restructuring and democratization of its major organs and functions has therefore become imperative. It is of pivotal importance that the General Assembly, the highest deliberative and decision-making organ within the United Nations system, should function effectively. Indeed, strengthening the role of the General Assembly is a basic premise of the current process of United Nations reform and revitalization.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“In view of all these, it is no wonder that, after a momentary resurgence of hope, we are again being overtaken by a sense of frustration and common vulnerability. The primordial challenge of our time, therefore, is to devise a more effective system of global governance in order to manage the demands and the vicissitudes of globalization and interdependence. As emphasized in a statement recently issued by 16 Heads of State or Government, including the President of Indonesia, nations should rise from their immediate concerns, focus on their common long-term interests and break new ground. Constructive initiatives are needed, and multilateralism has to be reasserted and strengthened. Not even global cooperation, however, can meet the needs and expectations of people without a stronger United Nations to give coherence to such cooperation.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“For, since the demise of the cold war, the world has been in the grip of massive changes that have given rise to new challenges and contradictory trends in international relations. At the same time, new vistas have emerged and a deepening sense of interdependence has prompted nations to devise more realistic and more mutually beneficial patterns of cooperation. Yet, while these developments have revived expectations of a more peaceful and secure world, the acute reality is that our planet is still far from being a peaceful place. Violent conflicts continue to embroil many regions of the globe. Nation States and international institutions are frantically struggling to adjust to drastically changed and changing political and economic circumstances. Weapons of mass destruction still pose a potent threat of worldwide catastrophe.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)