YouSaid · the spoken record

Abdul Ilah El-Khatib

lines on the record: 71
first: 1999-09-24
most recent: 2001-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
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

“To the contrary, Jordan is now poised to embark on a new, integrated enterprise that seeks more economic growth in order to improve the living conditions of its population and to open up new vistas of hope and promise for our future generations. Indeed, the dignity and welfare of the individual must always remain the noblest goal of our national and international endeavours.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“At this juncture in human history, when we are seeing a surge in global challenges, it becomes even more imperative to rally around the United Nations and to comply more faithfully with the purposes and principles of its Charter, especially those relating to the peaceful resolution of disputes on the basis of international law. It is also important not to abandon our collective goals in terms of promoting peace, economic development and respect for human rights. This trilateral platform of action represents Jordan’s domestic and foreign agenda. Our relentless pursuit of a just peace in our region has not disrupted our determined efforts to seek economic, social and political development.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Jordan also emphasizes the importance of completing the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions, including those relating to Kuwaiti prisoners and other missing persons. We hope to see an end soon to the plight of the people of Afghanistan so that that nation and its political forces can agree on a form of government to represent it. We also hope that the world community will mount a genuine effort to assist the people of Afghanistan in facing the tragic economic conditions that have been afflicting them for many years.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“It is our hope that the United States efforts will continue with support from the countries of the European Union, the Russian Federation and the international community as a whole in order to reach that goal. A comprehensive peace must include Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Syrian territories to the border of 4 June 1967 and the completion of its withdrawal from the remaining occupied Lebanese territories on the basis of relevant Security Council resolutions. The suffering of Iraq and its people, due to the international sanctions imposed against them for more than 11 years, is yet another source of frustration and tension in the region. Jordan once again stresses the need to lift those sanctions and the importance of creating conditions that will allow Iraq to reclaim its active regional and international role.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Let me emphasize that Jordan will accept only a solution to the question of refugees that takes fully into account its rights and interests as a State, as well as the rights and interests of its citizens, on the basis of international law and all relevant United Nations resolutions. Lack of trust between the two sides precludes their ability to achieve any progress without an active involvement by a third party. Jordan welcomes President George W. Bush’s announcement endorsing a solution that ensures the existence of two States, 28 including the establishment of a Palestinian State on the Palestinian territory currently occupied by Israel, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions. This announcement completes the international consensus on the fundamental requirement for achieving peace in the region.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“In addition, an appropriate formula will have to be worked out to ensure that the entire city of Jerusalem will be open, freedom of worship for all will be safeguarded and the city will be a factor of unity and reconciliation among all believers in God. The issue of refugees represents the worst form of injustice and frustration in the conflict. Justice must be secured for the Palestinian refugees in order to eliminate the greatest source of frustration and suffering in the region. Jordan, time and again, has made clear its firm position in relation to the question of refugees here in the Assembly.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) remain the basis of the peace process. Their implementation requires putting in place the true components of peace: primarily, the renunciation of the settlement policy which contradicts the “land for peace” principle and which is in itself a flagrant breach of international law. Peace and settlements are mutually exclusive. Holy Jerusalem is key to peace. It is an occupied Palestinian territory subject to the application of resolution 242 (1967), which aims at achieving Israeli withdrawal therefrom and from the rest of the Palestinian territories — occupied in 1967 — so that Jerusalem will become the capital of the State of Palestine.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“This demonstrates that phased and interim agreements are inadequate and ineffective to address the status quo. Therefore, starting the final status negotiations has become now a pressing priority in order to achieve the principal objective of the peace process, namely, the fulfilment of the national rights of the Palestinian people and the establishment of their viable independent State in their homeland, as well as the guaranteeing of the security of Israel. Peace that can be acceptable to the peoples of the region must be comprehensive in terms of resolving, on the one hand, the whole array of major issues: the occupied territories, Jerusalem, the refugees, security and weapons of mass destruction, and economic cooperation; and including on the other, all tracks and the States concerned.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Implementing those steps would set out an appropriate entry to start the implementation of the recommendations of the Mitchell Commission, the thrust of which is to create favourable conditions that allow return to the negotiating table. Ten years after the Madrid Peace Conference, the region is seething with frustration over the failure to reach the long-awaited peace. People there are no longer satisfied by the mere existence of a peace process. Therefore, the revival of the peace process in itself is no longer tenable in the absence of a genuinely meaningful effort that translates into concrete progress on the road to peace. Prolonged confrontations have resulted not only in the failure to carry out several obligations agreed upon, but also in retreating from undertakings that were already in place.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“His Majesty King Abdullah II has been engaged in enormous efforts to help the region break out of the vicious circle engulfing it because of the ongoing confrontations between the two sides. King Abdullah has contributed positively to the intense international contacts and efforts to achieve that goal. Those endeavours have indeed led to the building of a full international consensus on the requirements needed to break the current deadlock. Those requirements include, in the first place, ending the use of the Israeli military machine against the Palestinian people, lifting the blockade imposed on them and abandoning the policy of assassinations and incursions into areas under the control of the Palestinian National Authority.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The current situation of constant killings and destruction as a result of Israel’s practices of using 27 force against the Palestinian people and the siege of their towns and communities constitute a constant incitement that feeds escalation in a way that endangers security and stability throughout the whole region. Jordan firmly believes that the resolution of this conflict will not be possible by the use of force or by security and coercive measures. There is really no alternative before the two sides but to return to the negotiating table as equal partners and to seek a settlement that ensures their legitimate rights and their future. This option will remain elusive until parallel mutual steps are adopted on the basis of the accords and obligations agreed upon by both the Palestinian and Israeli sides.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Muslims and Christians live side by side in national unity, where religious pluralism is an enriching factor, making Jordanian society a good example of social harmony and interaction. Terrorism will exploit political, economic and social imbalances and the absence of justice to advance its goals. Therefore, addressing the main causes of despair, frustration and sense of injustice in a serious manner is perhaps the most effective way to confront terrorism and pre-empt its potential appeal and support. We recognize that a truly effective international effort to eradicate terrorism primarily requires, as far as the Middle East region is concerned, a just and acceptable resolution of the question of Palestine, whose long-running implications on the ground remain the chief source of pain and suffering across the region.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The world is perhaps pressed now more than ever to launch a meaningful dialogue among civilizations that highlights common denominators with a view to promoting tolerance and reinforcing our ability to coexist and interact in peace and harmony. The United Nations system remains the appropriate framework and venue for such a dialogue. Islam and Muslims throughout history have enriched human civilization. The contributions of Muslim scholars in science, literature and culture in general reached the heights they did due to a climate of open-mindedness, tolerance and pluralism established by Islam. We in Jordan take pride in the true coexistence and integration of our community life, which has been fashioned over the past 14 centuries.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“In the same vein, His Majesty expressed resolve to safeguard the sanctity of the Islamic faith from any abuse or distortion caused by terrorism or terrorists, insisting that terrorists must be deprived of any opportunity to hijack religion and to misuse it to serve their purposes or advance their agenda. In particular, terrorists must be barred from provoking a confrontation between Islam and the rest of the world. The suppression and defeat of those pernicious schemes require, among other things, the enhancement of understanding among peoples and cultures. They also demand a genuine respect for cultural diversity. Human pluralism should, ideally, be a force of enrichment and inspiration for the community of nations.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Indeed, our war against terrorism is neither a religious war nor a clash between one civilization and another — or even between one nation and another. Last 11 September, Jordan reaffirmed its long- standing and clear position, which is anchored in its firm policy of rejecting the use of terrorism in international relations, irrespective of any argument advanced, pretext invoked or label given. Thus, His Majesty King Abdullah II declared Jordan’s categorical condemnation of the terrorist attacks perpetrated against the United States and Jordan’s support for the international effort against terrorism.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Their aim was to undermine and shatter our sense of common confidence and the bonds that unite us by stripping us of our own sense of security and driving us to deal with each other in an atmosphere of mistrust, fear and hatred. One of the many painful impacts of those terrorist attacks is the demonstration of the depth of interdependence in our modern life. The repercussions went beyond the United States. The victims belonged to dozens of nations, including Jordan, and all of us almost instantly felt the negative economic effects. Thus the fight against terrorism should be comprehensive. This means forging a unity of purpose and determination to win this war on all fronts. It also means exercising care and caution so that we do not fall into the trap set by the terrorists.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Annan’s remarkable track record in serving the purposes and principles of the Charter and a symbolic token of recognition of the centrality and relevance of the vital role of the United Nations in the world community. This great city which hosts our world Organization and the United States of America and its people have been struck by a cowardly terrorist attack that targeted innocent civilians. In truth, this act of aggression was committed not just against the United States but, in fact, against the entire international community and humanity. For it seems that the larger objective of the evil and dark forces that planned and executed those atrocities was the terrorization and intimidation of all of us and the precipitation of a worldwide cultural and religious confrontation.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Let me express our deep sadness at the human loss resulting from the crash this morning of an American aircraft in a Queens neighbourhood and our condolences to the families of the victims. I wish to congratulate Mr. Han Seung-soo and his friendly country on his election as President of the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly. Let me also pay tribute to his predecessor for his able stewardship of the last session. Furthermore, I extend warm congratulations to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, on his re- 26 election for a second term of office, as well as on his well-deserved award, jointly with the United Nations, of the Nobel Peace Prize. That was an acknowledgement of Mr.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The international community's willingness to encourage and support the will to change will certainly reinforce the capacity to deal with such change with minimum losses and convince those taking such a risk that today's world is not based on a zero-sum option and that the challenge that we all face is: How can man, regardless of ethnic background, economic situation or religious belief be the primary beneficiary of the 32 development achieved by humanity in modern times? This is the acid test we all face today. Will we succeed?”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“With the onset of the third millennium the world is entering a new epoch that necessitates the formation of a new pattern of relations in the international arena based on our collective responsibility to develop and safeguard what has been achieved so far. Our world needs to establish a new paradigm of international relations based not on confrontation and exclusion, but on new foundations of openness and real partnership. Integration, which encompasses the overlapping and interdependence of interests, presupposes partnership and solidarity among nations to help them manage change and ease the lack of confidence and hesitation associated with the fear of failure.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The ongoing dialogue on the need to establish complementarity and balance between State sovereignty and human rights only reflects the importance of this issue. Sovereignty should not provide a cover for violating human rights. Hence, greater emphasis should be placed on the importance of objectivity, non-selectivity and impartiality when dealing with human rights issues. It is illogical to continue to keep silent about the suffering of whole nations whose dignity is being undermined and whose human rights are being violated, while prominence is almost always given to other partial issues for purely political considerations.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Brahimi's Panel on United Nations peace operations, Jordan wishes to reiterate the need for the provision of adequate means and resources to enable peacekeepers to achieve their noble objectives. We call for a constructive and thorough discussion of the report in order to produce the best possible means to attain that goal. In this spirit, we underscore the importance of conducting consultations with States that contribute to peacekeeping operations, before the adoption of major decisions concerning and affecting the status of their forces. On another note, we feel that the startling developments witnessed by our world today, at various levels, make it increasingly necessary to rely on the United Nations to develop and establish norms in all matters pertaining to human security.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Large segments of Jordan's economy have, as a result, sustained huge losses. It is, therefore, imperative to put an end to the negative effects of the sanctions on Jordan by showing better understanding of its situation, reviewing the policies and methods used in dealing with the sanctions regime and giving a more just interpretation to the relevant resolutions. Because of our strong belief in the role of the United Nations, Jordanian armed forces participate effectively in its peacekeeping operations in several areas around the world. As a result, Jordan today is the second largest troop contributor to peacekeeping operations. While commending the report (A/55/305) of Mr.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“They have instead led to results that, in the long run, will give rise to dangers threatening the region as a whole. The need to implement and comply with Security Council resolutions does not conflict with the maintenance of Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor with refraining from action that violates those resolutions. Iraq is an integral part of the region and its continued subjugation affects security and stability in the region as a whole. Jordan calls for the settlement of all matters related to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on the basis of full implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions, including those dealing with Kuwaiti and other prisoners of war, and missing persons. Jordan continues to suffer severe economic hardships as a result of compliance with relevant Security Council resolutions.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It should lead to ending the arms race and to using the resources for the development of the region and making it free from weapons of mass destruction. Ten years have passed since the beginning of the Gulf crisis caused by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. As a result, the region as a whole continues to suffer. Iraq continues to pay a heavy price as a result of continued comprehensive sanctions imposed on it, which caused and continue to cause unprecedented mass suffering for the Iraqi people. Jordan calls for launching a new thinking and a new look at the situation in Iraq in order to put an end to the suffering of the Iraqi people, especially since the collective sanctions, which are the severest of their kind in United Nations history, have not achieved their goal of consolidating peace and security.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“This makes the establishment of peace on the Syrian track essential and a sine qua non for peace in the region as a whole. Negotiations on this track must, therefore, resume in order to reach an agreement ensuring the return to Syria of the occupied Golan Heights to the line of 4 June 1967 in implementation of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon on the basis of Security Council resolution 425 (1978) is a positive development that will hopefully serve as a foundation for the implementation of other Security Council resolutions, leading to the achievement of a comprehensive peace in the region, which has suffered for many decades from the depletion of its resources 31 and the energies of its peoples. Only peace will provide security for all.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The position of the refugees in Jordan is vital to the success of any settlement to be reached. Also on the question of refugees, Jordan once again emphasizes the importance of supporting UNRWA to enable it to carry out its mandate, which must continue until a solution to this question is fully implemented. Jordan, as host to the largest number of refugees and the largest donor to UNWRA, expresses its appreciation of the Agency's role and calls upon the international community to provide it with the needed financial resources to carry out its humanitarian tasks, particularly at this sensitive phase of the peace process. It also expresses appreciation to the donor States for their contributions. Peace in the Middle East cannot last unless it is comprehensive.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It is worth mentioning that the Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty stipulates that the solution of the refugee problem must be based on international law and that it should be dealt with bilaterally and in parallel with the permanent status negotiations. It also established a mechanism to deal with all financial claims between the two parties. The rights of refugees and displaced persons to return and to compensation, and the rights of Jordan under international law and the resolutions of international legitimacy, take precedence over other considerations. Jordan, therefore, will only accept a settlement that will preserve its legitimate rights and ensure a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region. Otherwise, the conflict will remain open and volatile, perpetuating the seeds of instability in the region.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Jordan must safeguard and preserve the rights of its citizens, which is its responsibility under national and international laws. Any solution that does not satisfy the rights of Jordan and its citizens will not lead to the establishment of a just and lasting peace. Since the question of the refugees and their continued suffering has caused grave damage to Jordan and placed heavy burdens on it, Jordan demands rectification of the damage and losses that it has incurred. This rectification needs to include suitable and adequate compensation. Jordan will endeavour, by all possible means, to ensure that its legitimate claims with regard to this issue are considered.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Jordan will be subject to pressures that will threaten its stability and that of the region if the settlement does not satisfy its legitimate vital interests. Refugees and displaced persons in Jordan will only accept a settlement that recognizes their fundamental rights to return and to compensation. It is well known that the vast majority of these refugees have Jordanian citizenship as a result of the unity that was established between the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the West Bank in 1950. The declaration of unity at the time provided for the preservation of all Arab rights in Palestine and for the inalienability of the rights of the refugees. Upholding the right of return will, therefore, enable every refugee to exercise freely his or her personal choice.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The status of Jerusalem and its spiritual and religious importance make it imperative that the city be an open city where freedom of worship and access to the holy places is guaranteed for all believers in God. Jordan has suffered immensely during the past five decades as a result of the situation arising from the Palestine question, particularly the refugee problem. There are more than 1.5 million refugees living in Jordan. This amounts to 41 per cent of all refugees registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This is in addition to the people displaced as a result of the June 1967 war. As a result of the refugee situation, Jordan has shouldered heavy financial, economic and social burdens.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Persons who were displaced as a result of the June 1967 war must be able to return to their homes in implementation of Security Council resolution 237 (1967). The issue of Jerusalem is the key to peace in the region, and it must be solved on the premise that East Jerusalem is Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 to which resolution 242 (1967) applies. East Jerusalem should be under Palestinian sovereignty so that it may 30 become the capital of the independent State of Palestine. Arab and Muslim rights to the Islamic and Christian holy places in Jerusalem must be preserved. In no way can Israeli sovereignty over these holy places be accepted.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“This means reaching implementable and sustainable solutions to the main issues, which are the subject of the permanent-status negotiations. Regarding the issue of territory, Israeli forces must withdraw from the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, in accordance with Security Council resolution 242 (1967), so that a Palestinian state may be established on those territories, with internationally recognized borders. Any security arrangements that may be agreed upon must not be based on any claim of sovereignty as a result of occupation. The solution of the refugee problem must also be based on rules of international law and the various international conventions and on the basis of General Assembly resolution 194 (III), which emphasizes the right of return and compensation to the refugees.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Therefore, there is no alternative to establishing peace on the basis of law, international legitimacy, justice and equality. Despite the failure of the recent Camp David summit to produce an agreement between the Palestinians and the Israelis, it has enabled the parties to narrow the gap dividing their positions and made the requirements for reaching a settlement clearer. This confirms the need to continue the efforts by the United States in particular and the international community in general to build on what has been achieved so far. The achievement of lasting peace in the region requires the realization of the national rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to independence and the establishment of their State on their national territory, with the Holy City of Jerusalem as its capital.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Furthermore, the experience of mankind has proved that poverty and huge economic and social disparities have always been the root causes of instability and confrontation. The Middle East peace process is going through an extremely sensitive phase. During the past few weeks and months, major, commendable efforts have been made to make Palestinian-Israeli negotiations bear fruit — arriving at a lasting settlement between the two parties. Jordan has made an essential contribution in all phases of the peace process. This contribution was motivated by Jordan's conviction that peace is the only real option for all States and peoples of the region. Indeed, geographic and demographic realities make it impossible for any party to settle the conflict by imposing its will or consecrating the status quo in its favour.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“While they were striving to provide basic services, like infrastructure, health care, social welfare and education, they witnessed the frightening acceleration of technological and economic changes — a phenomenon that thwarted their hopes of catching up with developed countries. While globalization, openness and economic integration make the world a unified economic environment, widening differences and deepening inequalities will inescapably cause damage to all in the long run. This situation makes it imperative to reformulate economic relations on the basis of cooperation and partnership. It also requires action to reduce differences, rectify economic imbalances and help developing countries adjust their economies to meet the requirements of globalization and integration.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Although globalization facilitates the flow of goods and services as well as of ideas, it has presented the developing world with challenges related to deepening the gap between it and the developed world, particularly in view of differences in their respective levels of scientific and technological development. Globalization has also put the identity and sovereignty of developing States and peoples to a painful test. Additionally, it has shown how difficult it is for developing countries to meet the requirements of integration into the world economy. While a majority of developing countries were struggling to enter the industrial era, they witnessed the entry of the developed world into an era of information technology.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The power of the Security Council, the executive arm of the Assembly for peace and security issues, should not be increased at the expense of the role of the General Assembly and its various other organs, which are supposed to provide balance and collective representation of the international will. Clearly, there is international consensus that the present composition of the Security Council does not provide equitable representation of the international community and that there is a need to correct this 29 situation. Since all States have expressed their positions through extended debates, the actions required have become clearer and more specific. All Member States, both developed and developing, agree that globalization and the abolition of borders and obstacles to economic exchanges present opportunities and pose risks.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Since the establishment of the United Nations the world has witnessed developments that require a review of the methods and policies adopted so far. First, calls for democracy and efforts to establish it and make it a way of life within States should be consistent with the establishment of democracy in international relations and within the United Nations itself. It is not logical to continue urging and calling for the establishment of democracy on one level while rejecting it on the international arena, where in fact there is a dire need for democracy in order to achieve equality among the Members of this organization — rich and poor, strong and weak. During the past few years the United Nations has witnessed some changes in its methods of work. First and foremost we must emphasize the need to preserve the role of the General Assembly.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The General Assembly holds its fifty-fifth session in the wake of the Millennium Summit, which witnessed a historic meeting of world leaders held under the auspices of the United Nations. The significance and meaning of the Summit affirm the commitment of the international community to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. This should lead to the enhancement of its role as the best framework for providing Member States with suitable mechanisms to organize and regulate international relations on the basis of cooperative partnership, particularly after the end of the cold war era and its concepts of polarization and balance of power, which had in the past instituted division and confrontation, depleted huge resources and caused widespread suffering in vast areas of the world.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“At the outset, I would like to extend my congratulations to His Excellency on his election as President of the current session of the General Assembly, wishing him all success in conducting its deliberations and in arriving at conclusions beneficial to the international community. I would like also to express our deep thanks to his predecessor, Mr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, on his successful efforts in conducting the business of the fifty-fourth session. Furthermore, I would like to express my appreciation to Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of our Organization, for his report and his incessant efforts in the service of the purposes and principles of the Organization, with a view to enhancing its role and increasing its effectiveness in the international arena.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“While expressing sympathy to our friends in Turkey and Greece, which have been hit by earthquakes recently, and our admiration for the positive sentiments they have expressed to each other in their suffering, we realize that confronting natural dangers and disasters, like confronting other challenges, requires a sincere political will to take collective action in order to preserve the planet, to which we all belong equally.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Islam is being subjected to a severe and unjustified attack, which attempts, intentionally or unintentionally, to establish a linkage between Islam and those extremist and terrorist movements that hurt Islam and Muslims by using religion as a tool. Discrimination and arbitrary practices against Muslim populations in various countries are only a result of extremist thinking, far removed from the principles of civilized behaviour and humanity. The international community must consider how to confront this phenomenon of Islamophobia in order to prevent its proliferation. Natural disasters, which have afflicted many countries recently, remind us of a basic fact, which is that we all face phenomena and challenges that do not discriminate between us on the basis of race, religion, wealth or geographical location.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Jordan attaches special importance to maintaining a dialogue between religions and civilizations, in order to bring closer together the views of the various beliefs, religions and civilizations. This will also create a common base for developing humanitarian thought, which calls for peace and cooperation rather than confrontation. These efforts have resulted in creating a greater awareness at the domestic and international levels of the goals of this dialogue. We hope that the United Nations will promote, through its specialized agencies, programmes of dialogue in the various fields of human activity and at all national, regional and international levels. The international community is called upon to use dialogue to combat dangerous discriminatory practices, which we see today, such as Islamophobia.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“On the matter of regional crises, we appeal to our friends in Pakistan and India to resort to peaceful means to resolve their conflict and to refrain from any escalation that would seriously endanger the peace of the Indian subcontinent and the whole world. As for the dispute between the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan calls for, as it always has, the resolution of this dispute through dialogue based upon mutual respect. It also hopes that Iran will heed the United Arab Emirates’ request to enter into dialogue with a specific timetable and agenda, in order to reach a solution that conforms to international legitimacy, which denies the admissibility of occupation of territory by force.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“They also provide examples of the potential for activating international cooperation in many areas, including the promotion of international commitment to condemning and prohibiting terrorism. In a different context, Jordan welcomes the agreement reached by Libya and the United Nations on the Lockerbie issue. It also commends the strenuous efforts made by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which contributed to the reaching of an agreement. It calls for the complete lifting of sanctions against Libya, after the removal of the reasons for such sanctions and following the extradition of the two suspects for trial.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Despite the magnitude of the challenges that continue to confront us as we begin the proceedings of this last session of the General Assembly in this century, we should not overlook the many positive steps that have been made recently. The adoption of the Statute of the International Criminal Court was a particularly important measure taken towards confronting and preventing the perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity from escaping punishment. I must also mention the successful conclusion of the first Conference of States Parties on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and On Their Destruction. Such accomplishments contribute to strengthening human security and consolidating the commitment to 33 human rights.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Furthermore, the challenges of globalization pose new kinds of global problems, which require harmonious global solutions to the challenges facing developed societies, such as terrorism, drug-trafficking and pollution of the environment, and to the challenges that threaten the developing countries, such as debt, unemployment and economic recession. Such solutions must also strengthen the ability of the developing countries to benefit from the opportunities provided by globalization and to avoid its negative effects by preventing a broadening of the inequalities that lie between them and the developed countries. The persistence of these inequalities will cause the developing countries to remain on the periphery of globalization.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Since the United Nations is the backbone of the world system, it must evolve in such a way that reflects the new realities in the international arena. Our international community has an urgent need to pause for a real review of the international situation in all its dimensions: political, security, economic, environmental and human rights. We hope that the world summit to be held next year will provide an opportunity for such a review. While we see that many issues and crises considered by the United Nations remain to be resolved, this does not necessarily mean failure on the part of the United Nations as much as it demonstrates the importance of an existing political will to resolve them.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“On the other hand, as Members of this international Organization, we must look into finding mechanisms that ensure the enhancement of the United Nations and its ability to be the framework that expresses the determination of the international community to prevent such crimes, and to be the umbrella for the coordination and organization of collective international action to achieve that goal. That situation has demonstrated the need for formulating a new international order for the twenty-first century, in which all peoples can enjoy respect for their diversity and can participate in the formation of a world conscience that ensures their coexistence. Continued progress by peoples in adopting democracy as a way of life makes it urgent to strengthen democracy within the international system.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)