YouSaid · the spoken record

Sheikh AL-SABAH

lines on the record: 139
first: 1983-09-24
most recent: 2002-09-24
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

“We all seek to live in freedom, dignity and safety. We all yearn for a world in which peace, security and justice prevail. Translating that vision and hope into reality requires accelerating the pace of concerted global action to meet the lofty purposes and principles defined in the Charter of the United Nations. In addition, the United Nations Millennium Summit Declaration must be translated into a concrete reality that satisfies the hopes and aspirations of the peoples of the world. We as countries believe that ultimately we all are accountable to Allah, His name be praised and glorified, the Creator of the universe. We are also accountable to our peoples in terms of fulfilling their legitimate aspirations in a world of prevailing security and peace.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Also, in line with its Arab and Islamic heritage and given the imperatives of kinship, Kuwait has never hesitated to reach out to meet its full official and unofficial obligations towards the Palestinian people in the Palestinian territories and towards the people of Afghanistan. It is now our hope that the Afghan people, following the recent developments in their country, will be able to live in security and stability after their long and deep suffering due to war and internal conflict. Let us hope that the country will now channel all its resources into national reconstruction in order to make up for those long years of conflict and hostilities. Inasmuch as the peoples of the world differ in their religion, culture and ethnicity, they are similar in their aspirations, ambitions and hopes.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“The Government of Kuwait will be guided by the report's indicators and, in cooperation with our National Assembly, which is the legislative authority in our country, will maintain its efforts to improve economic and social conditions to the benefit of Kuwaiti citizens and their well-being. I wish to place on record our sense of pride in carrying out all our international obligations. In particular, Kuwait is a robust contributor to the development programmes of many developing nations. Furthermore, we are a vibrant player in ensuring a stable and balanced global oil market with a view to ensuring equitable and universal economic development.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Such steps would prevent the marginalization of the developing countries and least developed countries and would help put them back on the road to development. In this regard, Kuwait draws satisfaction from the fact that it tops the list of Arab States on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Arab human development index for the current year. The Arab Human Development Report was published by the UNDP in cooperation with the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development. The report drew on a whole range of indices including health, education, acquisition of technical knowledge and per capita income.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Perhaps one of the most pressing demands at present to shore up the economic structures of the developing countries is that the developed nations fulfil their obligation to provide meaningful financial and technical aid to the developing world. That includes bilateral arrangements and understandings with international financial institutions and organizations to alleviate the debt burden of developing countries and the cancellation of the debts of the poorest nations. Also, any tariffs or other obstacles to access for the products of those countries to developed countries' markets should be removed. Furthermore, developing countries should have easier access to information and technologies that would help them solve their problems and became integrated into the world economy.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It is our hope that the decisions and plans of action recently adopted at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development, held at Johannesburg in August and September, and at the International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Mexico in February, will help bolster efforts and strengthen bonds of cooperation between the North and the South with a view to laying the underpinnings of a new partnership that contributes to the stabilization and growth of economic relations and to establishing the basis for an equitable world trade system that sets out the responsibilities and obligations of all sides.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Reports issued by numerous specialized international institutions show that many countries, including some developed countries, have begun to suffer from a global economic slowdown. That in turn has led to mounting economic 14 and social burdens on many States due to growing imbalances and disparities between the economies of countries of the North and those of the South. While the countries of the North continue to enjoy economic prosperity and better standards of living for their peoples, countries of the South continue to suffer from poverty, famine, unemployment, environmental degradation, severe shortages of drinking water and widespread pandemics such as those of HIV/AIDS and malaria, in addition to a whole range of other problems that impede their efforts towards sustainable development.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Meanwhile, we demand that Iraq fully and strictly implement all relevant Security Council resolutions in the interest of security and stability in the region and in order to avert the dangers it faces. Because of its keen interest in maintaining and bolstering security and stability in our region, the State of Kuwait emphasizes again its support for all efforts to resolve by peaceful means the disagreement between the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran over the disputed islands. In that context, we welcome the mutual visits by ranking officials of both countries. We hope that such visits and direct contacts will help the parties to create a favourable climate for confidence-building between the two countries. The world economic landscape has been quite turbulent over the past year.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Kuwait thinks that Iraq's strict and scrupulous implementation of all relevant Security Council resolutions and the admission of United Nations weapons inspectors back into Iraq would spare our region the horrors of a war which we do not want. Such a war would only lead to the exacerbation of the suffering of the brotherly people of Iraq and to the escalation of tension and instability in the region. Kuwait also welcomes the prudent approach outlined by President George Bush of the United States in his statement before the General Assembly yesterday, in which he requested the Security Council to fulfil its legal and political responsibilities within the context of relevant Council resolutions regarding Iraq. The Security Council undoubtedly has the power to do so. We call upon the Security Council to perform that legitimate role.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Irrespective of Iraq's motives for returning the archives and other Kuwaiti State documents, it is our hope that this step will be followed by other positive actions leading to the release of our prisoners and those of third countries. Only then can this dossier be closed. I wish to stress here that the humanitarian issue of our prisoners has dominated the national agenda of the Government and the people of Kuwait since liberation. Regarding other relevant issues, Kuwait has welcomed the dialogue between the United Nations and Iraq, and we hope that this exercise will lead to the implementation of the rest of the key obligations, including the elimination of weapons of mass destruction and other outstanding matters.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“There still is a window of opportunity to address humanitarian issues, such as that of missing persons, in good faith. Iraq should use this opportunity to restore its credibility on the outstanding humanitarian issues.' (para. 40) In that context, Kuwait welcomes the efforts and steps undertaken by the United Nations in preparation for the return of Kuwait's State archives from Iraq pursuant to relevant Security Council resolutions. Despite the fact that Iraq has denied over the past 11 years that it had seized the archives, we consider its acknowledgement that it holds the archives and its intention to return them to be an important step towards carrying out Security Council resolutions, particularly resolutions 686 (1991), 687 (1991) and 1284 (1999).”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“That long-running humanitarian question can bear no further delay in view of its traumatic implications for the families of the victims, who do not know the fate of their loved ones. The Iraqi Government continues to refuse to cooperate with the United Nations mechanisms established to deal with the matter. Assessing the approach followed by the Iraqi Government, the Secretary-General concluded in the final paragraph of his most recent report to the Security Council pursuant to paragraph 14 of Council resolution 1284 (1999), contained in document S/2002/931 of 15 August 2002, that Despite the encouraging agreements at the Arab Summit in Beirut, Iraq's words on the fate of the missing persons are yet to be matched by tangible deeds.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Kuwait welcomed with satisfaction the decision adopted by the most recent Arab summit, held in Lebanon in March 2002, on the situation between Iraq 13 and Kuwait. In that decision, the Arab leaders welcomed Iraq's pledges to respect the independence, sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the State of Kuwait and to avert any action that might lead to the recurrence of the events of 1990. Arab leaders also demanded that Iraq cooperate in finding an expeditious and final solution to the question of Kuwaiti prisoners and hostages and the return of stolen Kuwaiti property as set forth in relevant Security Council resolutions. But, to our deep regret, that decision has not been implemented. The Government of Iraq has not as yet carried out its pledges, especially in regard to Kuwaiti and third-country prisoners and detainees.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Kuwait remains committed to supporting the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to the establishment of their independent State on their national territory with Jerusalem as their capital. Kuwait will continue to demand full Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories, including the Syrian Golan and Lebanese territory. World history and experience have amply demonstrated that force alone, regardless of the degree of brutality, will not bring about peace and security. The only viable option is restoring legitimate rights to their rightful owners and implementing peace. Perhaps the best assurance for a secure future requires long- term good-will investments in the present.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Indeed, those acts have become routine stories in radio and television news. We have silently resigned ourselves to that. It seems that the international community has been numbed into accepting that way of life for defenceless Palestinians. But unfortunately all Israeli practices seem to be emanating from an entrenched precept that Israel is immune to all accountability, exempted from all jurisdictions and shielded from all criticism and condemnation by the United Nations or the world's major Powers. Against that background, Kuwait reaffirms its commitment to the pan-Arab position adopted at the recent Beirut Arab Summit, which endorsed the initiative put forward by His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah Bin Abdel Aziz, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and Chief of the Saudi National Guard.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“The escalating confrontations have reached a level that threatens peace and security in the Middle East region as a whole. The brutal practices of the Israeli occupation forces, including the unwarranted excessive use of force against the Palestinian people, the deliberate destruction of the institutions and infrastructure of the Palestinian Authority, in clear violation of United Nations resolutions and the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, have resulted in exacerbating the economic and social crises sustained by the Palestinians for more than five decades. Large-scale round-ups, house demolitions, curfews, bombardment of civilian neighbourhoods, incursions into villages, town and cities and helicopter gunship assaults on civilians have become daily events for the individual Palestinian citizen on the street.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“In this regard, Kuwait condemns the insidious campaign orchestrated against our sister State, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, by certain American and Western media sectors. For our part, however, we pay tribute to the Kingdom for its valuable role and significant contributions to the fight against terrorism and to efforts to achieve peace and security in the region. The success of our global efforts to eradicate terrorism depends in large measure on the ability of the international community to effectively address major issues and challenges that have become a source of despair, misery, frustration, isolation and perceived injustice felt by a number of people in all parts of the world. An elusive challenge that continues to stand out is the constant deterioration of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We have provided to the Committee all the information and notations that clarify our national laws and legislation enacted by the Government to combat terrorist acts and to prosecute their perpetrators. Within the same context and in order to consolidate world efforts in combating terrorism, I wish to reiterate Kuwait's support for the idea of convening an international conference under the auspices of the United Nations aimed at reaching an agreement on a clear and specific definition of terrorism. The primary purpose of that aim is to distinguish between terrorism as a phenomenon that endangers international peace and security and the right of peoples to legitimate struggle in resisting foreign occupation in order to attain their rights to self- determination, as set forth in the Charter and in international law.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“12 Kuwait welcomes Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) within the context of Kuwait's cooperation with the ongoing international efforts to fight terrorism and, pursuant to its provisions, has put a number of important new steps and measures into effect. They include the enactment of a bill to combat money laundering and the adoption of practical measures to regulate fund-raising activities in order to ensure that those activities are not exploited or illegally used for any objective other than their legitimate and declared intent. Furthermore, for its part, Kuwait has answered all the queries of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“In that context, I wish to take this opportunity to express once again our condolences and sympathy to the friendly people and Government of the United States and to the families of all the victims of that heinous act of terrorism. We share with them their anguish and the hope that their fortitude will help them overcome their pain and loss. In the meantime, Kuwait reaffirms its longstanding core position condemning all acts of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We also categorically renounce all acts of violence and extremism, as they contravene not only international norms and treaties but also the tolerant teachings of Islam and its compassionate value system, as well as other religions, humanitarian concepts and civilized values.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“To the contrary, it will deepen political and cultural divides, exacerbate the crisis and transform it into a conflict among civilizations that harms us all and from which we have nothing to gain. Therefore, the United Nations remains the most appropriate and effective mechanism for studying and analysing that phenomenon, so as to identify its causes and parameters and to coordinate efforts with a view to developing guidelines for effective measures to eradicate that plague. The United Nations is also the appropriate body to define our responsibilities and obligations in that regard. The signing, ratification and scrupulous enforcement by all Member States of the 12 United Nations instruments aimed at combating terrorism are perhaps the most viable means for establishing a solid common ground to combat and conquer terrorism.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“The events of 11 September 2001 in the United States, together with their consequences and implications, have changed the global landscape and have created a multitude of new challenges for the entire world, as we are now collectively entrenched in our fight against terrorism, violence and extremism. Experience has shown that combating this pernicious phenomenon is a universal responsibility and that no individual country alone, irrespective of its resources or determination, can eliminate it. Moral and practical reasons make it unacceptable to link that curse to any particular nation, religion or culture. Such an attempt does not serve any of our common goals.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“In the same vein, I wish to reiterate our appreciation for the outstanding performance of Secretary-General Kofi Annan and for his tireless and concrete efforts to enhance the effectiveness of the world Organization in serving global peace, security and development. Kuwait welcomes the admission of the Swiss Confederation to the membership of our Organization. We are confident that Switzerland's membership will enhance the benefits of its already active role in supporting various United Nations programmes and activities and will further consolidate the principles and purposes of the Charter, particularly as that country is host to many United Nations bodies and specialized agencies.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“I am pleased to open my statement by extending warm congratulations to you, Sir, and to your friendly country, the Czech Republic, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session. We wish you success at the helm of this Assembly, which is convened against a backdrop of complex circumstances and daunting global challenges. Let me assure you of my delegation's full commitment to cooperating with you in order to facilitate the fulfilment of your mandate. I wish to extend a word of thanks and tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Han Seung-soo, for his prudent and efficient stewardship of the previous session.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Only through such a common effort can we pool together the resources and energy of all peoples, big and small, to achieve a strategic consensus that would translate into a reality the dreams envisioned 50 years ago when the Charter was signed.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The dreams of the Charter’s authors stood the test of time and transcended the tensions and limitations of the cold war. The era of the cold war was characterized by the stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction to the detriment of construction needs. It represented a hard drive to acquire the means of annihilation at the expense of the means of development. Prestige was put ahead of real meaningful growth. Human ingenuity was put in the service of human exploitation rather than in the service of enhancing human freedoms. That chapter is now over. And we have entered a new epoch in which we have to heed the rational calls for civilized conduct in order to build up an atmosphere of genuine brotherhood and harmony. This can only be achieved by our collective endeavour that emphasizes our universal identity.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“It aggravates their social problems and pushes up unemployment rates to a point where it undermines domestic security and stability and endangers the lives of millions of people. Back in 1988, His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber, Emir of the State of Kuwait, launched from this rostrum an initiative to write off the foreign debt under which many least developed countries were suffering. Those countries have been victims of a complex host of factors that denied them the privilege of a calm life and indeed posed a real threat to their very existence. Kuwait, for its part, cancelled all interest on loans to these countries in a bid to alleviate their debt burdens. It is our hope that this approach would be expanded and that the developed nations would cancel the interest on their loans to the developing countries.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Therefore, in this year which marks the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations, we ring down the curtain on the Rwanda tragedy before a solution is found, nor can we walk away from the catastrophe in Somalia, nor give up hope in the face of enormous odds in Afghanistan. All these remain burning issues despite the feeling by some Powers that they have moved outside the circle of global strategic limelight. We call for scaling up the efforts and showing more determination in addressing these festering wounds within the framework of collective world peace. The burden of debt is a major constraint on the budget resources of many nations, especially the developing ones.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Since our established policy considers negotiations as the only viable means of resolving disputes, we call upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond favourably to the call by the United Arab Emirates to resolve the problem of the islands occupied by Iran by the means suggested by the International Court of Justice. Such an approach would indeed reinforce the principle of understanding and negotiations to which we adhere as a primary component in relations among States. Kuwait is convinced that world peace is indivisible and that it has far-reaching multiple implications on all of us. Accordingly, ethnic disputes, tribal wars and factional conflicts should be addressed as phenomena that can lead to massacres and genocides and to a total collapse of the afflicted communities.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“It is our sincere hope now that the most recent agreement reached several days ago will be honoured by the parties to the conflict. Experience has shown that regional groupings and arrangements can play an effective role in addressing contentious issues that create tension, impact adversely on peace and security and poison the relations amongst the people of a given area. These groups have also demonstrated a great sense of commitment in defusing flash points of tension that might undermine regional security. A case in point is the experience of the Gulf Cooperation Council whose member States are firmly convinced that understanding among them is crucial in steering away from frictions and tensions. To them, dialogue is an essential channel of confidence-building among neighbour States.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“In the wake of large-scale suffering, destruction and displacement, the 15 people of the region now yearn for an overall settlement that satisfies the demands of all parties, especially the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina who insist on maintaining their independent State on their own territory without any interference from outside. My Government values the role played by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Nations Protection Forces (UNPROFOR) in opposing territorial expansion by the Serbs at the expense of other parties, as well as the actions taken to lift the siege on Sarajevo. It is our hope that this joint NATO-UNPROFOR action will persist until the declared objective is attained, that is, the conclusion of a final accord that brings security and stability to the whole region.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Also, we would like to underline the status of occupied Al-Quds, given its special significance to the three heavenly-revealed religions. We emphasize that Al- Quds is Palestinian territory under occupation and should as such be subject to the withdrawal conditions under Security Council resolution 242 (1967). Kuwait welcomes the recent developments aiming at achieving a fair settlement of the situation in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We expect such a settlement should satisfy the behests of international legality and be based on Security Council resolutions.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“In the end, the territorial integrity and independence of Lebanon must be preserved. Furthermore, Kuwait supports the self-rule negotiations between the Palestine National Authority and Israel. In our view, the agreement signed yesterday in Washington, D.C. regarding the expansion of the self-rule arrangements represents an important step in the right direction towards the exercise by the people of Palestine of their right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent State. In this regard, let me recall that Kuwait has pledged $25 million in aid to the development programmes undertaken by international specialized agencies in the self-rule areas. Indeed, Kuwait has started disbursement of funds earmarked for those purposes.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Kuwait did participate in the multilateral negotiations because we believed that our role within the multilaterals would strengthen the position of the Arab parties engaged in the bilateral talks and would eventually give momentum to the process as a whole. We fully appreciate the position of our sister State, Syria, which insists on full Israeli withdrawal from occupied Syrian territory in return for peace. Israel cannot attain full peace without complete withdrawal. In the same vein, international efforts should intensify to ensure full implementation of Security Council resolution 425 (1978) which requires unconditional Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese territory and the exercise by the Lebanese Government of its sovereignty over all Lebanese territory, including the South.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“In view of the hardships faced by the Iraqi people, Kuwait has moved to send, through the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, food and medical supplies to the Iraqi civilian population in areas bordering Iran and in Northern Iraq. We will continue to pursue this policy on humanitarian grounds. In the context of international endeavours to bring about just, durable and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, Kuwait follows closely the ongoing peace negotiations between the immediate parties. We support the negotiations process. In our view, this process should be anchored in the set of principles agreed upon, namely, full withdrawal in return for peace. Also, progress should be made on all tracks of negotiations. And the final peace package should be satisfactory to all sides because this would be the real guarantee of a lasting peace.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We are aware of the difficulties endured by the Iraqi people. However, the responsibility for the suffering of the Iraqis lies squarely on the regime itself which wasted valuable time since April 1991 in pursuing a futile course of prevarication, deception, suppression of data and misinformation in regard to every area of its mandatory obligations. The most recent events came to confirm our suspicions and fears, namely, the disclosure of the possession by Iraq of an arsenal of prohibited weapons of mass destruction, which were being prepared for use against peoples of the region without heed for the potential massive loss of human life. In the meantime, let me take this occasion to set on record that Kuwait affirms the need to maintain the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Indeed, this was the only course of action that forced Iraq in the first place to cooperate with the Special Commission. Iraq must recognize that participation in the meetings of the Tripartite Commission and its sub-committee is not an end in itself. The purpose of these meetings is to secure the freedom of prisoners and to account for the missing persons. The litmus test of Iraq’s cooperation in this area is the number of persons released or accounted for. Mere attendance at those meetings is an exercise in subterfuge, intended by Iraq to mislead world public opinion and to circumvent its obligations. The final objective of Kuwait’s overall policy is to ensure security and stability in our region. This goal will remain elusive unless and until Iraq implements fully and unconditionally all relevant Security Council resolutions.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The tragedy of Kuwaiti and other prisoners held by Iraq remains unresolved four years after the liberation of Kuwait. This is due to the intransigence and procrastination of the Iraqi regime, which continues to sidestep a straightforward and genuine resolution of this human tragedy. This represents a failure on the part of Iraq to fulfil its commitments under paragraph 30 of Security Council resolution 687 (1991), which demands that Iraq should cooperate fully with the International Committee of the Red Cross. Accordingly, Kuwait reiterates its appeal, to the Security Council in particular and to the world 14 community in general, to continue to bring pressure to bear on Iraq, in a bid to bring this painful episode to an end. Iraq’s false claims and lies that it is sincere in its efforts to close this case should be met with a firm stand.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The Chairman and staff of the Special Commission, as well as the Security Council itself, have been harshly and offensively criticized by senior Iraqi officials and the regime-controlled media. In view of the recent dramatic surprises that unfolded in regard to the Iraqi armament programmes, a thoroughly legitimate set of questions arises — namely: Does the Iraqi regime have any more credibility? Who amongst us would be willing to accept Iraq’s statements at face value? Who would believe its claims, echoed at every gathering or forum, that it had met its obligations? What about Kuwaiti property and military hardware looted from Kuwait? Who can go along with Iraq’s assertions regarding Kuwaiti and third-country prisoners and hostages?”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“This would be conducive to peaceful coexistence among nations and would create a favourable atmosphere allowing freedom of choice in a democratic climate, where the stronger cannot dominate the weaker, nor can a big country exploit a small neighbour, nor one party assume a privileged role to the detriment of others. Over a long period — since the end of the Gulf war — the Iraqi regime has continued to claim that it has fulfilled all its obligations under all Security Council resolutions relating to the situation between Iraq and Kuwait, especially resolutions 687 (1991) and 715 (1991), and thus blamed the Security Council and the Special Commission for the delay in lifting the sanctions imposed on Iraq.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Building on the Kuwait experience, it is our hope that the critical role that the United Nations can play will be fully utilized to further consolidate the underpinning of peace and to safeguard security and stability. The United Nations system can indeed provide deterrence in the face of those regimes that harbour schemes of aggression. There is a full range of measures and restrictions that the United Nations can put in place to ensure the isolation and curtailment of those aggressive regimes and, if need be, to strip them of their stockpiles of weapons that can be used in committing aggression. The ultimate goal of the United Nations is to ensure equality, mutual respect amongst Member States and respect for the will of peoples.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We cherish the determination displayed in the series of successive resolutions adopted by the Security Council from the second day of August 1990, when the people of Kuwait, together with the rest of the world, were taken by surprise by the sneak invasion of the State of Kuwait by Iraq. That naked aggression was committed in total violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international treaties. Beyond Kuwait, the invasion totally shattered the security and stability of the entire Gulf region. In facing up to that blatant aggression, the United Nations did indeed live up to its principles and was true to its mission. It did indeed stand firm in upholding justice and in defending the victim.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The change, which would enhance fairness, should be effected in such a way as to ensure balance between the requirements of efficiency and of expansion. We also call for more transparency in the Council’s methods of work, for this, in our view, would reinforce our sense of collective participation and responsibility. We are also in favour of the trend towards better use of the resources of those States that can contribute significantly to peace-keeping operations and development activities. The people of Kuwait participate in the celebrations of the United Nations fiftieth anniversary with a deep sense of gratitude to the Organization for its crucial role in liberating Kuwait from occupation. The people of Kuwait recognize the firm resolve of the world community in rejecting aggression and its commitment to putting an end to occupation.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“In 1945, 50 founding Member States signed the Charter. Ever since, 135 other States 13 have joined the membership. Regardless, the Security Council, which is a major organ of the system, has, for example, retained its original structure — without change to reflect the enormous expansion in the membership of the United Nations. Nor has the Economic and Social Council shown, as yet, significant improvement in programme delivery, as dictated by the requirements of modern development, in the broad sense of such requirements, at the threshold of the twenty-first century. We call for expanding the membership of the Security Council in order to enable the larger membership of the United Nations to participate in the process of decision- making.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The volume of assistance we offered was the highest, in terms of gross national product, because we wanted to live in a world dominated by justice, a world whose hallmark is human compassion, a world in which the privileged will reach out towards the underprivileged without strings attached. Along these lines, Kuwait welcomes the trend towards the consolidation of relations between members of the family of nations on the basis of equality. We are part of a common effort to eliminate tensions. We rely on the collective will of nations to suppress aggression, and on global cooperation to confront underdevelopment. Against this backdrop, we cannot overlook the need for reform and restructuring inside the United Nations itself with a view to bringing the system more into line with these new objectives.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The territorial-gains mentality gave way to a new commitment to intensive human development. Thus the new challenge facing our world now is the fulfilment of the immediate concerns of the human person and his or her right to live in dignity. The world was an arena of rivalry between the super-Powers; now it has become a vast battlefield in the war against poverty and backwardness. The world was a battleground for fighting between various blocs in different regions; now many regions are closing ranks in a common effort to combat illiteracy and want. While the world was the theatre of many a battle, now the world has but one battle, that of trying to break loose from the grip of underdevelopment and backwardness. We in Kuwait were in the forefront of donors for development.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Over the years, the United Nations system has developed an array of effective and credible mechanisms, and gained wide-ranging experience and undoubted credibility that are employed to the common benefit of mankind. Over the past 50 years, since the adoption of its Charter, the United Nations has worked consistently to give real meaning to the dream of peoples all over the world, that of saving “succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which ... has brought untold sorrow to mankind” — as expressed in the opening paragraph of the Charter. In large measure, the United Nations has lived up to its initial commitment. Once the cold-war chapter was closed, the world started to edge towards rapprochement and meaningful dialogue. Once the arms race ended, an intense development-race started.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Notwithstanding, the Organization did manage to demonstrate its effectiveness in many a peace-keeping operation it undertook over the past decades and did manage to pacify many a volatile area. In point of fact, experience has shown, over the past few decades, that the presence of the United Nations in the areas of tension did prevent the eruption of conflict and war in several flash points while its absence increased the chances of war. In all this, the United Nations has been a true reflection of the will of its Member States and, during the cold war, it provided a war-prevention mechanism by creating buffer zones between the belligerents. It was effective in containing tensions and in creating a climate of peaceful negotiation.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The signing ceremony of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco was, in a sense, a universal pledge to renounce the use of force, to embrace peaceful coexistence and to shun the power politics of blackmail and hegemony. Regardless, the world continued to live thereafter in an environment that differed from the vision of the founding fathers of the United Nations. The intense bipolar strife that followed plunged the world in the maelstrom of a cold war that lasted for some five decades and spawned numerous regional conflicts with which the United Nations dealt within the constraints imposed by big Power rivalries. The inability to act was not due to impotence on the part of the United Nations but was the direct result of that bipolar rivalry.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We cherish the wisdom of the founding fathers who established an Organization that embodies mankind’s collective effort and hope in a better world that would differ from the world of war and strife, which wrought enormous destruction in terms of geopolitical entities, property and human life. States were destroyed and entire human populations were annihilated to satisfy the capricious whims of individuals who were driven by greed and hegemony. The scale of sacrifice and devastation, and the toll in human life caused by the development of atomic weapons was too immense to ignore. In the wake of such destruction, the world’s leaders were determined to make the Second World War the last war the world should ever endure.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)