YouSaid · the spoken record

Inder Kumar Gujral

lines on the record: 53
first: 1996-09-24
most recent: 1997-09-24
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

“I do hope and pray that, under your guidance, Sir, and under the spirited leadership of the Secretary- General, these objectives will be achieved.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Addressing the General Assembly at its fifteenth regular session, I recall India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, saying here in 1960: “The main purpose of the United Nations is to build up a world without war, a world based on the cooperation of nations and peoples. It is not merely a world where war is kept in check for a balancing of armed forces. It is much deeper than that. It is a world from which the major causes of war have been removed and social structures built up which further peaceful cooperation within a nation as well as between nations.” (Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifteenth session, Plenary Meetings, 882nd meeting, para. 117) It is in this spirit that we should approach the tasks before us.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In this connection, it is our hope that the spirit of the Convention on Climate Change and the Berlin Mandate will be fully encompassed by the protocol or legal instrument to emerge from the Kyoto Conference to be held in December 1997. What has been touched upon represents huge challenges beyond the capacity of any country to face on its own. This is why it is so vital for the United Nations, now more than ever before, to be a forum where we can pool creative ideas and lessons from our experience and to assist us in understanding and coping with these challenges. This is the ultimate rationale of reform. We will be ready to work with other countries to rebuild the United Nations in the image of our collective aspirations and as our trusted instrument to meet the challenges of the approaching century.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The protection and preservation of the environment is an area to which all of us attach the highest importance. The commitment to global partnership for preventing further degradation of the environment, made at the Rio Summit in 1992, was reiterated and the need for effective implementation of Agenda 21 reaffirmed during the special session of the General Assembly in June this year. All the elements of Agenda 21 have to be implemented in full and we need to accelerate the process of such implementation. Any partial or non-comprehensive implementation will be detrimental not only to international cooperation in this area, but also to the threatened stability of the Earth’s fragile environment.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Its main vehicle is violence; its aim is destruction rather than development; its doctrines are founded on intolerance; and, in the means it uses and the effect it has, it destroys human rights utterly. 9 Incitement to terrorism and complicity and participation in terrorism across borders undermine the international system. And even though very few societies are free from its clutches, we still have not developed a global strategy to defeat this evil. The resolve is absent. It is important that we find it, not least because terrorism has a global web, spanning all countries and continents and quickly building links with the other global menace: drugs. We in India see in our region just how deadly a poison this mix of terrorism and drugs is. The United Nations should take the lead in determined global action to root out these scourges.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Hence, the absolute need for extreme caution to prevent established nation States from being destabilized either through too hasty a push towards globalization or through the pull of sub-national demands. We see this as a challenge which we will have to face collectively as well as individually. A global menace that threatens international peace, and to which open democracies are particularly vulnerable, is terrorism. It takes innocent lives indiscriminately, brings fear into the lives of others and shatters the peaceful existence and the normal growth of entire communities. Terrorism should be anathema to the international community because it is the antithesis of every ideal that the United Nations Charter enshrines.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“While maintaining our traditional relationships with the United States, Russia, the European Union and Japan, we have also been strengthening global trends in regional cooperation by actively promoting cooperation among countries of the Indian Ocean rim and trying to recover the cultural and commercial connectivities that have existed since time immemorial and which were snapped in the colonial era. Global society is seeking to find an equilibrium between the opposing pulls generated by the forces of globalization, nationalism and sub-nationalism. Indeed, it is difficult to see just how they can be balanced, yet they must be or else the potential for international conflagration will be immense.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“As a large and diverse economy, we are developing new partnerships that go beyond the region and revitalize the old cultural and commercial links. Politically, this is expressed in the active interest that we have taken in supporting the Middle East peace process — our ties with the Arab world reaching deep into history — and our strong fraternal ties with developing countries in general and with Africa in particular. In our larger neighbourhood, with which we have a shared history, we have enhanced our engagement with the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a full-dialogue partner and as a participant in the ASEAN Regional Forum.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The core of our foreign policy is our keenness to pursue close ties and build confidence and cooperation with our neighbours, while recognizing fully that we are the largest country in the region, in terms not only of size and population but also of economic capabilities. We extend our hand of friendship not in a spirit of mere reciprocity but in good faith. Where we do expect reciprocity, unrelated to size and capacity, is in mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. We seek to advance cohesion, synergy and mutual goodwill in our neighbourhood so that together we can fully participate in and derive benefits from the dynamic changes the world is currently witnessing. Our approach has contributed to the setting in motion of a trend towards cooperation in our region.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We are the largest democracy in the world, with a civilization replete with ancient values and achievements, as well as a world view based on a universalist inspiration, participatory governance, respect for diversity and pluralism, and a readiness for constructive engagement in the world’s affairs. These strengths, we believe, would be an asset to an expanded Security Council. India’s standing as one of the leading economies of the world will be progressively strengthened, and we are prepared to bear fully the responsibilities of permanent membership. India’s long-standing participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations testifies not only to the dedication and professionalism of Indian soldiers, but also to the political will of the Government to actively contribute to these operations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Therefore, it is imperative — and the time has come — for the Security Council to take on as permanent members developing countries which are equipped to make important contributions through their world views and historical experiences and the values of their civilizations. In this way the decisions of the Council will truly reflect the wider membership of the United Nations. Otherwise, the Council’s actions will be seen as progressively less representative precisely at a time when it is being called upon to act far more frequently than before on behalf of the world community. India has let it be known in the General Assembly since 1994 that it is prepared to accept the responsibilities of permanent membership.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We see the United Nations as the forum in which the international community must continue to demand universal nuclear disarmament, and we therefore expect that the Secretariat's programmes will support this intergovernmental objective. 8 Under the Charter, the Security Council was constituted as a body on which the general membership conferred primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, acting on its behalf. In recent years, the Security Council has been able to play a more active role in discharging its responsibilities. However, there is often a perception that the Council’s actions have not always reflected the sentiments of the general membership.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“No justifications can be proffered, as they were during the cold war. The patience of the world community — as expressed by the International Court of Justice, by the enlightened voices of those who formerly believed in deterrence, by political and general opinion and by weighty voluntary initiatives — is starting to wear thin. Nuclear-weapon Powers owe it to the world to answer the question why they need nuclear weapons. Global opinion wants a nuclear weapons convention — as has already been outlined for the class of biological and chemical weapons — and will not rest until it is achieved. We appeal to nuclear-weapon States to align their policies with what the world wants.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The development of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons has made it possible to destroy whole populations. As the international community, we have decided to outlaw the production, possession and use of chemical and biological weapons. However, with regard to the weapons of mass destruction capable of the total annihilation of human civilization, the global community has lived for too long on a diet of empty promises. The pretexts cited in favour of clinging to nuclear arsenals, while always questionable, have now vanished. Mere non-proliferation treaties promoted as disarmament measures only serve to entrench a nuclear monopoly. No credible steps towards striving to realize a nuclear-weapon-free world are contemplated, much less taken, by those who should be showing the way.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In India, as elsewhere, individuals have wrought miracles by working outside the established systems and going beyond traditional ways of thinking. In recent times, the most moving example has been that of a frail, sari-clad woman: Mother Teresa. Her fathomless compassion and soothing touch will be missed by millions in India. I would like to pay tribute to this apostle of mercy who rendered service and brought hope to millions of poor and suffering people, not only in India but all over the world. While development must be our supreme objective, we also need peace, stability and security in order to achieve it. The dangers that threaten us have become increasingly more frightening during the last 50 years than any that have cast their shadow over mankind in its entire history.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“A strong constitutional framework, mutually reinforcing safeguards, both within and outside this framework; a policy of transparency and responsiveness to civil society; and cooperation with the human rights system of the United Nations — in particular with the treaty bodies — are the main elements of this approach in the areas of civil and political rights. Equally important, if not more so, are the assault on poverty and underdevelopment; the promotion of awareness of rights; and a policy of affirmative action for the uplifting of socially and economically vulnerable sectors of society. This is a complex task, especially in a country of India’s diversity. Many times, when the State has faltered civil society has stepped in.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Declaration calls for the advent of a world order in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want as the highest aspirations of the common people. It recognizes the importance of economic, social and cultural rights as well as their interdependence with civil and political rights. The full realization of all these rights is what will give true meaning to the quest for human dignity embodied in the Universal Declaration. India’s approach to the observance and promotion of human rights is inspired by the holistic vision of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Indian Constitution.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The universality of human rights, to which we all committed ourselves almost five years ago at Vienna, expresses itself at one level in the international norms for the promotion and protection of human rights and our collective efforts to foster respect for these standards. On a higher plane, this universality stems from the search in different civilizations for ways of protecting the human dignity of every individual. Next year, as we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we will reflect on whether the ideals enshrined in the Declaration have become a reality for people in all parts of the world. As we do so, we must build confidence in a process that encourages introspection and self-criticism, dialogue and consultation, rather than confrontation and judgement.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Therefore, the single most important target that the United Nations should set itself is the promotion of sustained economic growth in the developing countries that will lead to the eradication of poverty, and erase the tensions and pressures that have led to the collapse of governance and social order in several States, and to conflicts between others. 7 International peace and stability will be enhanced only when all countries enjoy a minimum standard of economic self-sufficiency and well-being. Therefore, we believe that the thrust of any reform proposals in the United Nations should make the promotion of sustained economic development the principal cross-sectoral issue for the Secretariat’s programmes. We believe that there are enough intergovernmental mandates to permit the Secretariat to tailor programmes towards this end.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The solution lies not in piecemeal reform but in building trust between nations, and in an acceptance that in international relations democratic principles should be the norm, just as they are being increasingly accepted in national governance. In our view, international peace and security and development are inextricably linked. The one is impossible to achieve without the other. Over the last six or seven years, there has been a growing emphasis on the political aspects of the tasks of development, such as democracy and human rights. Unless the underlying causes of underdevelopment, poverty and social alienation are effectively addressed and removed, this emphasis will remain unrealized.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Instead, reforms should contribute towards strengthening the United Nations and its capacity to respond effectively to the priorities identified by the overwhelming majority of its membership. The crisis that confronts the United Nations manifests itself in many ways. A financial crisis has resulted from the inability of some to fulfil their Charter commitments, and from the laying down of pre-conditions to meet them. The United Nations does not have the means to execute programmes that respond to the felt needs and priorities of its membership, precisely at a time when such programmes are sorely necessary. As a result, the United Nations is in danger of being marginalized as the global forum where decisions can be taken that truly respond to the challenges of globalization.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Within the first seven months of his tenure, he has produced a series of proposals of impressive breadth and scope. These are before us, and many have described this session as a reform General Assembly. In this connection, I extend my good wishes to you, Mr. Secretary-General. We judge the agenda for reform by the measures I have described. We are supportive of all proposals that, in our view, will carry forward, or improve, the Secretariat’s ability to respond to the mandates of the international community. We will express our thoughts constructively with the aim of strengthening the process and direction of reform to the collective advantage of the global community and the Organization that represents it. We do not see reform simply as an exercise to trim the budget of the United Nations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“As an organization, the United Nations must also evolve and adapt itself to a rapidly changing environment, the better to serve the core needs of the world community. As a country which sets very great store on the capacity of the United Nations to contribute to international peace and security, and to development — the two crucial priorities before the world community — India, like others, has a vital interest in a United Nations that continually makes itself more responsive to the needs of its Member States and prepares itself to serve them better. This, we believe, is the objective of reform. We are hence very pleased that the Secretary-General, immediately after taking office, made reform one of his priorities and we congratulate him on this commitment.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Since the creation of the Charter of the United Nations, the world should have changed far more than it has in the half century that has elapsed. Decolonization is almost complete, but the scars of colonization are still with us. The present bears a heavy burden of the past. South Africa is free, but racism rears its ugly head amidst us, often laced with xenophobia. Development and growth — and even human dignity — remain for much of the world a distant dream. We must insistently ask ourselves what we can decisively do at the United Nations to make the dreams of the hundreds of millions come true, how we can make the United Nations a more vibrant organization for the world community as a whole, at a time when we need it more than we ever have, a United Nations that is better equipped to fully respond to the challenges of the next century.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Non-Aligned Movement rejected this imposition of rigidity, representing an independent and responsible alternative to the world view. This remains true, and the Non-Aligned Movement retains its validity and relevance, even after the disappearance of bloc rivalries. Non-alignment was not a by-product of the cold war. Then, it expressed the overwhelming need of previously colonized and disempowered nations to a voice, a perspective and an agenda in a politically and economically unequal and inequitable world. Today, it remains a voice of reason and constructive engagement for the times ahead, which demand common purpose and contribution from all sides towards a convergence of intent on vital, even fateful, global concerns.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The constitutional moorings and the democratic forms which the new nation- State has accepted and adopted rest on the vast foundation of civilizational experience and ethos. This explains the stability, coherence and creative unity of the vast Indian society, which is a world in itself. The experience has wrought in us the deep conviction that, while there are universally shared values and striving, there can be no rigid prescriptions. We see the United Nations in this image, as a crucible in which we meld together our individual contributions to a world civilization, yet 6 recognizing the variety of historical and cultural experiences we bring to it. The cold war cast an early shadow on the Organization, creating a situation of ideological polarization.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Mr. President, it is a particular pleasure for me to see you presiding over the General Assembly. As Ambassador to the former Soviet Union for five years, I had a long association with Ukraine, and I retain the fondest memories of my several visits to your beautiful country. You preside over an Assembly that will deliberate on crucial issues before the world community, on which your experience and guidance will be invaluable. I would also like to congratulate your predecessor, Ambassador Razali Ismail, on the engagement with which he acted during his presidency to carry our work forward. I am delighted also to see the Secretary-General here. We are celebrating in India the fiftieth anniversary of our emergence as a free nation.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It is committed to the values of peace, non-violence, coexistence, pluralism, tolerance and constructive cooperation. Culturally, India is a bridge between traditional cultures and emergent trends. Politically, India will remain anchored in a pluralistic, liberal democracy that can provide space for all its constituents and internal interlocutors. Before I conclude, I am reminded of an ancient Rig Vedic hymn which reads: “O citizens of the world! Live in harmony and concord Be organized and cooperative Speak with one voice And make your resolutions with one Mind.” May this invocation to harmony, cooperation, consensus and solidarity continue to guide our deliberations and actions. 16”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The Non-Aligned Movement figures firmly in India’s world view and constitutes an important plank in our foreign policy. We remain firmly committed to the philosophy and values of the Non-Aligned Movement. For us, non-alignment means independence of thought and autonomy of choice. It also means working in cooperation with the largest number of countries. Last year’s non- aligned summit in Colombia reinforced our faith in the ability and resilience of the Movement, its responsiveness to change and its effectiveness in today’s global situation. India will be privileged to host the next ministerial conference of the non-aligned countries in New Delhi in 1997. India is a progressive country charting a balanced course between economic growth and social justice, and science and tradition.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“India urges all parties to intensify their efforts towards realizing the mutually agreed objectives of the Middle East peace process, keeping in view that achieving durable peace and stability in the Middle East requires solving the Palestinian issue. India has ties dating back to early history with Afghanistan, a country with which we also share bonds of kinship, culture and religion. We are deeply saddened by the continued violence and loss of life in that country. India stands for the unity, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan. We urge all Afghan parties to resolve their differences through early peaceful dialogue and negotiations. We support the efforts of the Secretary- General and his special representative to bring about a solution in Afghanistan.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The current situation underlines the need for immediate and effective measures to end the violence and to create a climate that would enable purposeful negotiations based on a recognition of the underlying causes of the conflict. These developments also serve to emphasize the need to build further on the agreements and understandings already reached. In the wave of the recent political changes in the Middle East, India is encouraged by the reiteration by all parties of their continued commitment to the Middle East peace process based on the framework established by the Madrid Conference. However, we are concerned that these reaffirmations do not appear to have manifested themselves in commensurate progress in the peace process.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We appreciate the role played by the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which has striven to find regional solutions to African problems. Its efforts must be supplemented by the United Nations. The scramble for Africa in the nineteenth century was for African land and resources. We hope that the closing years of the present century will see a scramble to redress African problems, the genesis of which largely lies outside the region. The United Nations must lead international efforts to meet Africa’s needs and aspirations. We are deeply concerned at the recent serious incidents of violence in the West Bank and Gaza and by Israeli authorities’ opening of a tunnel beneath Haram Al-Sharif — the Temple Mount — in East Jerusalem, which resulted in the tragic loss of several innocent lives and large-scale injuries following violent clashes.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“15 The economic reforms embarked upon since 1991 have provided India with a new outward orientation that seeks greater integration of India into the global marketplace. Today, India is branching out and adding to the substantive content of its relations with individual countries of the region and beyond, developing and building upon regional cooperation arrangements involving SAARC, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Regional Forum, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (APEC) and the Indian Ocean Rim, to name a few. Convinced of the need and utility of enhanced South- South cooperation, we accord the highest priority to our relations with Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. We are proud to have been associated with Africa and its causes in the United Nations since the inception of the world body.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Let me briefly refer to India’s interaction with the world. We have witnessed some remarkable changes in the last few years. New vistas for greater cooperation are now visible. The challenge lies in effectively seizing the opportunities. We attach the highest importance to developing cordial and friendly relations with our neighbours with a view to promoting peace, stability and mutual confidence in the region. We also seek to develop stronger economic and commercial relations within the region, for all-around prosperity. As current Chairman of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), it will be our endeavour to promote multifaceted cooperation in all spheres.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Our candidature is rooted in the criteria stipulated in the Charter: the principle of equity, our unwavering commitment to the United Nations, and to the cause of multilateralism, and our 50-year-long contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the other purposes and principles of the Organization. India has a unique record of supporting United Nations activities against apartheid and colonialism. We have richly contributed to the debates on development, disarmament and human rights. We seek the onerous responsibility of Council membership convinced of the support of this Assembly. I would like to take this opportunity to pay a warm tribute to the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros- Ghali, for his successful stewardship during a most difficult period. His services are a distinct asset to this world body.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Our participation in United Nations peacekeeping does not stem from considerations of narrow gain. We have participated because we have been wanted and because we have been asked, but most of all because of our solidarity and empathy with the affected countries and with the international community, as well as because of our commitment to the United Nations and to the cause of international peace and security. India has offered its candidature for the non- permanent seat on the Security Council from Asia for 1997 and 1998.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“India has participated in over 25 peacekeeping operations on four continents, including some of the most sensitive and prolonged, starting with Korea in 1953 and 1954, and including the operations in Viet Nam, Congo, the Middle East, Cambodia, Haiti, Somalia, El Salvador, Mozambique and Rwanda. Indian peacekeepers are currently in the field in Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Liberia and Kuwait. Our participation has not been without cost. We have lost 100 peacekeepers for the United Nations cause. We have also offered a fully-equipped brigade to the United Nations standby arrangement. The performance of the Indian troops has won universal recognition. India is one of the few countries which can sustain large-scale troop commitment over prolonged periods.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We are against piecemeal or temporary solutions which discriminate against developing countries. We believe that the same yardstick must be applied to all countries, developed or developing, from all regions or groups, for induction as permanent members. We believe that under any objectively derived criteria for the expansion of permanent members, India would be an obvious candidate. Reform and expansion must be an integral part of a common package. The restructuring of the Security Council must give expression to the impulse for reform. The reforms must address not only the failings of the past, but also the needs of the future. Peacekeeping is a significant area of United Nations activities, very often the most visible symbol of the Organization’s presence on the ground.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“There is an imbalance in the authority and weight of structures and organs, just as there is an imbalance in the weight of different countries or groups. The General Assembly, the sole universal organ of the United Nations, needs to find greater resonance in other bodies of the system. The Security Council must be made more representative in order to enhance its legitimacy and effectiveness. The vast increase in the membership of the United Nations since its founding, especially of the developing countries, must find adequate representation in the categories of permanent and non-permanent membership. A comprehensive proposal by the Non- Aligned Movement for the reform and restructuring of the Security Council is already on the table. India supports the expansion of both the permanent and the non-permanent categories.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“At the recent session of the Conference on Disarmament, India joined 27 non-aligned and neutral countries to present a phased programme for the elimination of nuclear weapons by the year 2020. India asks that all countries join us in propagating and promoting this joint proposal, both at the fifty-first session of the General Assembly and in other forums. 14 India is in favour of a non-discriminatory and universal ban on anti-personnel mines, which cripple or kill a large number of civilians. The continued credibility of the United Nations requires reform of the Organization to reflect present-day realities. While the membership of the United Nations has increased greatly, the voices of the newly sovereign countries in decision-making in the United Nations remain unheard.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“India will work with all like-minded countries in sponsoring draft resolutions on the establishment of an ad hoc committee under the Conference on Disarmament for beginning negotiations on a treaty banning nuclear weapons in a time-bound framework. India expects all countries, including those represented in the Canberra Commission on the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, which support time-bound elimination of nuclear weapons, to join in supporting such draft resolutions. India will once again present the draft convention on the prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons at this session of the General Assembly. India believes that the urgency of negotiating that convention has been greatly enhanced by the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice regarding the illegality of the use of nuclear weapons.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Partial or regional approaches, as are sometimes put forward, do not serve any useful purpose and can distract us from the accepted goal. At the same time, India remains committed to participating fully and actively in any negotiations on a treaty banning nuclear weapons and all types of tests, just as it did in regard to the Chemical Weapons Convention. India signed and deposited its instrument of ratification of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction two weeks ago. India regrets that major chemical weapon producers have been slow to ratify the Convention. We urge all those countries which have still not done so to ratify the Chemical Weapons Convention and to demonstrate their readiness to move towards banning all weapons of mass destruction.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Partial and half-hearted arms control measures, such as the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) or the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), defeat this objective by legitimizing the possession of nuclear weapons and permitting the non-explosive testing of nuclear weapons by nuclear-weapon countries. India, therefore, cannot be a party to such flawed arrangements. Let me also emphasize that any effective disarmament regime needs to be universal in its approach and scope. The total elimination of all existing nuclear weapons, as an indispensable step towards general and complete disarmament under strict and efficient international control, is the demand of the entire Non- Aligned Movement, to which we fully subscribe.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“A number of international declarations have been issued on terrorism such as the Sharm el-Sheikh Declaration, and the G-7 Lyons Declaration of 27 June 1996. We are encouraged that the international community now recognizes terrorism as a major challenge to democracy, human rights and peace. In this context, India will pursue its call to adopt a binding international convention to combat terrorism. Fifty years after the United Nations was established, the threat to humanity posed by nuclear weapons continues unabated. We believe that India’s security, as indeed that of all countries, lies in a nuclear-weapon-free world. The only way to achieve this ultimate security is to ban the production, possession and use of nuclear weapons within an agreed time-frame.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Among the most pernicious of them is terrorism. Terrorism seeks to exploit the openness and freedom offered by democratic societies to pursue narrow ends through the use of violence. It must be combated by firm action at the national and international level. We are dismayed when we hear certain parties voice concern for the so-called rights of terrorists while ignoring their persistent violation of the human rights of their victims, including the right to life, freedom of expression and the freedom to follow religious beliefs of one’s own choice. India took the lead in raising the issue of terrorism as a threat to human rights almost five years ago. We are pleased that despite initial and sometimes vocal opposition by some western countries, terrorism is now accepted to be the major threat to the enjoyment of human rights today.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“All human rights are sacrosanct in India, guaranteed by its Constitution, an independent judiciary, a free press, public opinion vigorously expressed and an independent National Human Rights Commission. To us in India, the human rights of all segments of society are sacrosanct and an article of faith rather than a policy. 13 We believe that international cooperation in the protection and promotion of human rights should proceed within the framework of respect for the sovereignty and integrity of States. We deplore the selective use of human rights issues as a form of political pressure, as an obstacle to trade or as a condition for development assistance. Such actions detract from the moral imperatives of human rights promotion and impede the full realization of the human rights of all people. Human rights violations take many forms.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Indeed, there is no alternative if the financing of long- term global cooperation in economic and social fields is to be assured. We need larger volumes of financial assistance, greater predictability of resources and unfettered access to the markets of developed countries. It is also time that we energize our efforts to complete the Agenda for Development and launch an effective follow- up process, including in the context of the recent major United Nations conferences. India is unreservedly committed to the protection and promotion of human rights. The profoundly humanistic traditions of Indian civilization, with its emphasis on tolerance, harmony, non-violence and the inviolability of the individual, have been consolidated in the Constitution of India, which is indeed a veritable bill of human rights.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“It is necessary to restore to the United Nations, in the coming century, the important role of eradicating poverty and all the ills associated with it, of promoting development and achieving social progress and better living standards, with more freedom for all. For this purpose, the multilateral economic system needs to be reformed and the partnership of the United Nations with other relevant institutions must to be strengthened in order to achieve greater economic growth, integration and sustainable development. The United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions need to develop an effective partnership. While India welcomes the initial, tentative steps towards such a partnership, effective economic leadership requires that we work to ensure a much closer relationship between global economic institutions than has been the case so far.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Beyond the financial crisis of the United Nations itself is the critical issue of financing global cooperation. While the world remains confronted with enormous problems of poverty, malnutrition, disease, ecological degradation and waste, the will to contribute is on the decline. Development assistance is at its lowest level in decades. Negotiated replenishments of multilateral development funds are not being honoured. It is unfortunate that voices continue to be raised questioning the role of the United Nations in the economic growth and social development of developing countries.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The United Nations system, under which sovereign nations have joined together to achieve their common objectives, is the universal framework for international cooperation. The Charter of the United Nations is the real basis for renewing multilateralism. India recently joined 15 other Heads of State or Government in stating that “either nations move forward to strengthen (multilateralism), or we risk having to face more unilateralism and perhaps conflict and overt disregard of international law and common values”. The United Nations is at a crossroads. Its financial crisis is the result of an unwarranted unwillingness on the part of certain countries to pay their dues in full and on time. Such deliberate targeting of the United Nations represents the most acute threat to multilateral cooperation and can do incalculable long-term damage.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)