YouSaid · the spoken record

Norman José CALDERA CARDENAL

lines on the record: 48
first: 2002-09-24
most recent: 2006-09-24
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

“The States Members of the United Nations have a duty, both individually and collectively, to protect the world population against any action that seeks to harm the life or dignity of any human being, from the time of conception to the time of death, or to undermine his or her aspiration to live in a democratic environment and to take advantage of opportunities for development. We should devote our best efforts to giving effect to this mandate.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“In early 2006, President Bolaños established a preserve for 10 years, banning the export of six forest species in danger of extinction. Nicaragua also restates from this podium its support for the cause of the Republic of China in Taiwan, which should achieve the legitimate representation of its 23 million inhabitants. It also calls for renewed and proactive efforts by the United Nations to maintain peace in East Asia. We launch a humanitarian appeal for the freeing of the kidnapped persons in the Far and Middle East, and worldwide.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“This expansion should serve to enhance multilateralism, strengthening the capacity to respond to world threats and challenges with a Council that has more authority, representativity and effectiveness. In 2003, the Government of Nicaragua arranged the nomination and recognition of the Río San Juan — Nicaragua Biosphere Reserve in the Programme on Man and the Biosphere of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) — recognition which was approved on 15 September of that year, when it became part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. This reserve was added to the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, which, at 2 million hectares, covers 14 per cent of our national territory and is the largest continuous forested area in 45 06-53323 Central America.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“The United Nations must be reformed to provide a ready, efficient and effective response to the immense threats to world peace that also extend to the environment and health. Nicaragua maintains the position that these reforms should be comprehensive in nature since that is the only way of overcoming bureaucratic problems that stand in the way of prompt implementation of the resolutions of the General Assembly. The reform process should cover the Secretariat, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, as well as the Security Council. The membership of the Security Council should better reflect current geopolitical realities, allowing for a more equitable and democratic representation of developing countries in both permanent and non- permanent categories.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“The current world situation is testing the response capacity of our international system as a whole. The problems faced by mankind are increasingly complex and tragic and call for our involvement to ensure that they are promptly and effectively dealt with. The recent crisis in the Middle East, the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the tensions in Iran, the problems arising in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the social and political conflicts being experienced in Haiti, the situation in Darfur and the threats of international terrorism demonstrate that neither the appeals of Secretary-General Kofi Annan nor the proposals to reform the United Nations system can be put off.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Nicaragua was the first independent country in the history of the United Nations to benefit from the presence of electoral observers. This time, too, Nicaragua will comply with the sacred duty of holding free and transparent elections which reflect the sovereign will of the people. On 5 November, the Nicaraguan people will have to decide between the caudillismo of the past and a future devoted to development, between corruption and transparency. We are sure that the international community will help us through this process by extending to us unwavering support at this critical moment of reaffirmation of democracy by a nation which has defended its right to freedom with its life. The fate of our individual States is closely linked with that of our international system.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Very soon, we shall start talks on an association agreement between the European Union and Central America, which will include a free trade agreement. It is an initiative that embodies the vision of two regions which, from different continents, view the future with similar values and institutions and common aspirations. The Nicaraguan proposal to limit arms at the regional level has made substantial progress in matters relating to the submission of inventories of weapons, armed forces and public security personnel and in the generation of confidence-building measures. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, per capita expenditure by Nicaragua on defence is $5.2 per year. In the list of 132 countries studied, Nicaragua is third among the countries which spent least on defence.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“At the beginning of this month, the United States Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs brought to the attention of the international community the efforts made by Nicaragua through its diplomatic establishment to protect, assist and repatriate Nicaraguans who are the victims of human trafficking. We have built the material, human and technological infrastructure that will gradually generate a new political culture strengthened by the values of democracy. Nicaragua does not see its future as being separate from that of Central America. This is why we are endeavouring to form a customs union and to further the integration process in all directions and at all levels, because this is the best way for a region which deserves prosperity and development to move forward.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Leonel Fernández Reyna, once observed that in a globalized world where there is free movement of capital, goods and services, it is the human beings who do not enjoy freedom of movement of labour. Thanks to the special law on migratory incentives for Nicaraguans living abroad, nationals who have lived for at least five years outside the country can come home with their household effects, their car and their work tools. The results we have achieved in protecting our nationals abroad are substantial and have been 06-53323 44 recognized by the international community.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We are developing a State policy for our emigrants, with a view to guaranteeing that they have full enjoyment of their political, social and civil rights, providing them with legal advice and with the protection to which the Constitution entitles them. We are doing all we can to defend their rights in any country where they may be found. That is the least we can do to repay the sacrifice they make in sending back remittances to improve the economic situation of their families. These remittances are equivalent to almost 50 per cent of our goods exports. The Assembly will recall that President Reagan, when addressing the Soviet Premier on the subject of the Berlin Wall, said: “Tear down that wall”. The President of the Dominican Republic, Mr.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We are one of the safest countries in the hemisphere. Our murder rate is less than half the world average. I am proud to say that we are now experiencing a new political, economic and social reality. Keeping his campaign promise, President Bolaños has virtually doubled the salary of primary and secondary school teachers and has doubled in absolute terms the budget allocated to post-secondary education. In the area of health, the infant mortality rate fell from 35 per 1,000 live births in 2001 to 31 in 2006. The mortality rate for children under the age of 5 fell from 45 in 2001 to 40 in 2006, and the maternal mortality rate fell from 96.6 per 100,000 in 2003 to 83 in 2006. Immunization coverage increased between 2004 and 2006 by over 10 per cent.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We have succeeded in turning tourism into a new engine of the economy on account of the revenues it generates, and for the first time it has become the greatest source of foreign currency earnings in our trade balance. Nicaragua is ranked third among the 10 must-visit destinations, according to the prestigious Lonely Planet travel guide. Similarly, Nicaragua has been classified by the World Tourism Organization as one of the best emerging markets at the world level and the best kept secret for retirees and for real estate development. We are considered to be the country that has made the greatest progress on the economic freedom front. For its part, the World Bank report, “Doing Business”, places Nicaragua in 67th place worldwide and states that it has the best business climate in Central America and one of the best in the hemisphere.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“It was President Bolaños Geyer who, in December 2001, spoke of the need for a trade agreement, what turned into the Central American Free Trade Agreement, between the countries of Central America, the Dominican Republic and the United States. This Agreement came into force in March 2006, opening up a new era of opportunity for our region. As a result of this treaty, the volume of exports from Nicaragua to the United States has increased by 20 per cent during the eight months it has been in existence. We have achieved three consecutive years of economic growth on the basis of private investment. Since President Bolaños took office, direct foreign investment has led to the opening of a new company every month in the tax-free zones, and total exports have increased by 100 per cent in less than five years.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Through transparency and good governance, the completion point of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative was reached. A year ago, we were selected to receive the support of the Group of Eight, as well as forgiveness of the multilateral debt owed to the IMF, the World Bank and, very shortly, the Inter-American Development Bank, amounting to a reduction of approximately $800 million in our foreign debt. These two initiatives mean that over 85 per cent of our foreign debt has been forgiven. Nicaragua can now concentrate on reducing its domestic debt, which resulted from the fraudulent collapse of banks that occurred five and a half years ago.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Between 2002 and 2005, a period of barely four years, tax revenues increased more than three-fold, which clearly demonstrates the confidence of our citizens in their Government and also reflects the transparency of our public administration. This increase is continuing at the same pace in 2006. At their annual meeting concluded the day before yesterday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank stated that tax earnings in Nicaragua 43 06-53323 had been strong, with an increase in revenues that bore witness to the success of the fiscal policy and reforms implemented by the Government. On the economic front, we have achieved radical change: there is an economic upturn, and we are regaining the confidence of the international community.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Our first words of thanks go to all those Governments and organizations that, through their support, helped to protect in Nicaragua the principles of freedom and democracy that have today emerged as the new basic values of a renewed international society. We thank our brother countries of the region and the Secretary-General of the Central American Integration System, the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS) and his Special Envoy in Nicaragua, the Member States of OAS, the Rio Group, the Andean Community of Nations, the Ibero-American Summit, the Caribbean Community and Common Market, Japan, the United States of America and the European Union. But the time devoted to defending democracy has not prevented us from working to achieve the goals of development, law and order, security and stability.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“A new collective spirit has been present which has assisted its efforts, making it possible to overcome and punish corruption. Thanks to this same collective solidarity it was also possible to counter the partisan division of the State and the still-latent attempts to break with the cardinal rule of separation and independence of the public authorities. I must mention here that whenever anti-democratic forces sought to break with the constitutional order, they encountered the joint response of the people of Nicaragua, the private business sector, organized civil society and the international community.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Allow me to begin by congratulating the 192nd Member State, Montenegro, upon its accession to membership of the United Nations. On 5 November, elections will be held in Nicaragua to elect its new Government. This session is therefore occurring at an appropriate moment for taking stock, before our own people and before the peoples of the United Nations, of the Nicaragua that could be achieved if the work carried out during the five-year term of the current President Enrique Bolaños Geyer is continued. It has been our lot to fight tirelessly for a value which was recently consolidated in its universal dimension: the defence of democracy, which includes as essential components the rule of law, the balance of powers, the strengthening of State institutions and combating corruption. Nicaragua has not travelled this difficult road alone.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“At a time of reform of the Organization, Nicaragua is also grateful for the significant support it has received thus far and affirms its resolve to continue seeking the support of all Member States. We hope to be elected and to share our experience in areas such as peacekeeping and peacebuilding and to support the just aspiration of developing countries to participate fully in decisions concerning security, with all the responsibility, benefits and consequences that that implies.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We reaffirm our priority commitment to promoting respect for the dignity of all our migrants, who, with their work and their efforts, contribute to socio-economic development, that of their host country and that of their home country. A duty of justice and solidarity moves Nicaragua to raise its voice in support of the just and legitimate aspiration of the Republic of China on Taiwan to become a member of the universal forum of the United Nations. The more than 20 million nationals of that country deserve to be regarded as an integral part of the peoples of the United Nations. Nicaragua is grateful to the Central American Integration System for endorsing our candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the 2006-2007 term, reflecting the right of countries with small economies to be represented on an equal footing.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Poverty is a multi-dimensional phenomenon associated with economic and structural problems. The reduction of unemployment and social inequality and the expansion of social investment are determining factors for human development: in other words, sustainable economic growth within a democratic framework based on social and gender equality. The Government of Nicaragua is carrying out social programmes to protect the rights and satisfy the basic needs of the most vulnerable sectors of Nicaraguan society — women, children, young people, the elderly and persons with disabilities. This protection extends to Nicaraguans abroad.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We welcomed with hope the words of President Bush in his statement to this Assembly: “A successful Doha Round will reduce and eliminate tariffs and other barriers on farm and industrial goods. It will end unfair agricultural subsidies ... Under Doha, every nation will gain — and the developing world stands to gain the most.” (A/60/PV.2, p. 8) May that be the case. I am pleased to announce that in accordance with the request made by the heads of State and Government of the Central American Integration System to President Vicente Fox of Mexico on 12 September, we are today sending his Government the information that will make it possible to explore innovative finance mechanisms to help our countries deal with the crisis caused by the international price of oil.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“35 The latest gauge of President Bolaños’s success in enabling more and more Nicaraguans to lead a decent life can be found in the Human Development Report 2005, which states that we have progressed from the 118th to the 112th position. The best medium- term strategy for sustainable poverty reduction is to gain access to new markets and make international trade the driving force of growth, combining economic growth with social development in order to develop our human capital. The Government of Nicaragua is promoting ratification of the Central American Free Trade Agreement between Central America, the Dominican Republic and the United States of America, which seeks to strengthen our economy, integrate us into the world and raise our population’s standard of living, particularly that of the poorest sectors.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“As a result, we have asked the Secretary-General for technical assistance from the United Nations specialized agencies to help us hold elections and strengthen our democracy, complementing the work being carried out by the Organization of American States with assistance of the European Union. Despite the energy, resources and efforts diverted from development in order to preserve democracy, Nicaragua has made major strides towards fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals. Destabilizing actions have not stopped the Nicaraguan people from beginning to enjoy the first fruits of the war against corruption and to benefit from an honest and transparent civil service that has succeeded in attracting foreign investment and winning the confidence of the international community.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Those forces are well aware that freedom of expression is the voice of democracy. Freedom of expression protects all the other fundamental rights; without it, freedom loses its sustenance and democracy is orphaned. We will continue doing our utmost to punish the guilty and break up all networks of terror and intimidation. We are aware of the importance of the upcoming electoral processes for democracy in Nicaragua. Under the present circumstances, we must guarantee the Nicaraguan people that every vote will be duly registered, counted and respected, and that their sacred right to elect their authorities in conditions of absolute freedom will not be violated.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“On the contrary, as the Organization of American States itself has said in its resolutions, it is a dialogue aimed at seeking democratic solutions, free from pressure, threats and coercion, and aimed at the cessation of any actions that could exacerbate the crisis and prevent the restoration of the balance of power. We deplore the murder of journalists in any part of the world. In particular, we are concerned by the murders of three Nicaraguan journalists that took place over the past three years. We are concerned not only because the criminals cut short precious human lives, but also because the murders came at the height of the electoral campaign and constituted an attempt to terrorize our journalists and suppress freedom of expression in our young democracy. By attacking freedom of expression, they are harming the democratic processes.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“This does not mean, however — as the forces attempting to destroy our institutions have claimed — a dialogue aimed at surrendering democracy. Nor should it be a dialogue in which a gun is held to the President’s head to force him to make concessions that would lead to a new type of dictatorship in Nicaragua — one never before seen in the history of Latin America — one that would bring back the trials and tribulations of earlier years and put an end to freedom and dash the democratic hopes of the Nicaraguan people and all nations.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“In the light of those threats to democracy, we have harnessed all our available resources under national legislation and international law. The Central American Court of Justice, the judicial arm of the Central American Integration System and rooted in democratic values, handed down a far-reaching decision on 29 March 2005 recognizing the separation of powers as a democratic principle. Under the Inter- American Democratic Charter, we also turned to the Organization of American States, which affirmed that the disturbing turn of events in Nicaragua was compromising the balance of power and the Government’s legitimate exercise of power. To overcome that situation, President Enrique Bolaños has expressed his continuing willingness to launch a broad national dialogue with all sectors.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The forces conniving to oppose democracy responded by escalating the breakdown in the constitutional order and the legitimate exercise of power. They then attempted to upset the balance of power, an essential principal of representative democracy in the inter-American system. The opposition attempted to execute a new type of coup d’état, corrupting State institutions by using them as instruments of political coercion. Instead of accepting the separation of powers, they appropriated the distribution of power, attempting to modify the powers of the President retroactively without consulting the Nicaraguan people. Only the Nicaraguan people can confer national sovereignty and presidential power, as they did at the polls in November 2001.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“To carry out that Herculean task, we needed to overcome the errors of the past. That is why, with support from the rest of our continent, we have engaged in a frontal attack on corruption and impunity. We have also attempted to restore independence and integrity to our institutions, held hostage by private and partisan interests. Those efforts include the legal 34 sphere, where the absolute impartiality and objectivity of judges and magistrates, as well as an inclusive electoral system capable of ensuring respect for a popular vote cast in freedom, are imperative. It also requires that institutions act in the service of the higher interests of the nation and do not become weapons in political vendettas, used in campaigns to intimidate public officials in the executive branch.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We come to the sixtieth session of the General Assembly at a turning point for our future, for we are in the throes of a struggle for democracy, a struggle to keep us from returning to our dark days and make them a thing of the past. Like the peoples of other United Nations Members who have fought for their freedom, thousands of Nicaraguans have died for it, victims of a perverse pendulum that swung from authoritarianism to totalitarianism. The lessons learned in those years left us a legacy that acknowledges the supreme value of freedom, democracy and, above all, peace. Over the past four years, we have been striving for national revitalization and institutional overhaul based on transparency, freedom, the rule of law, social equality and individual initiative.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The struggle for democracy being waged by Nicaragua has transcended our borders, arousing feelings of solidarity and support in different parts of the world. The Nicaraguan people raised their voice and they were heard by Central America. From there, with the added strength of the seven fraternal countries that joined it, that voice resounded throughout the Andean Community, Mexico, the United States of America, Canada, the Rio Group, the Organization of American States (OAS), the European Union and Japan, to mention only the most recent cases. Indeed, the echo of that voice has reverberated at the United Nations in various reports and resolutions. From this rostrum in the General Assembly Hall, I would like to convey to Member States the deep gratitude of the Nicaraguan people for the solidarity they have shown to us.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“I believe that when we speak of strengthening democracy, reforming the Organization, fighting corruption, terrorism and drug trafficking, halting the arms race or providing joint, timely and effective responses to the dangers which threaten us, we are really speaking of one and the same thing: belonging jointly to an Organization that holds and safeguards our trust and collective action based on the principles that united our peoples on that historic day to create the United Nations.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“In this same connection, my country, aware of the principle of universality and equality that inspired the United Nations, considers it a priority to permit the 23 million inhabitants of the Republic of China on Taiwan to enjoy the universal right to participate in international affairs through its own delegation to the 29 United Nations, parallel to and with the same rights of participation as the People's Republic of China, whose Government has never exercised hegemony over Taiwan. Nicaragua, as a founding State of this Organization, reaffirms its commitment to the Charter and its aspiration to become a non-permanent member of the Security Council during the elections to be held during the sixtieth session of the General Assembly. I spoke earlier of a new era of moral renewal in Nicaragua rooted in the values of the United Nations.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“This critical situation, which is generating unemployment and hunger in the productive areas of Nicaragua and other producer countries, seems to be caused by a cartel of coffee-roasters, a situation that must be remedied as soon as possible through measures to promote competition in consumer markets and on the international market. Nicaragua congratulates Switzerland on recently joining the United Nations as a new Member and Timor-Leste, which is about to join. Their presence among us will contribute new ideas and approaches to strengthening efforts for a better world, and — paraphrasing the representative of Switzerland's statement to this General Assembly — will enhance the universality of the United Nations in the best interest of humankind.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It will promote smooth interregional trade, reduce the costs of transport owing to border delays, facilitate the movement of persons and vehicles, and, at the same time, attract international business and investment to the region. Nonetheless, the prolonged halt in the international economic recovery was exacerbated in Nicaragua by uncharacteristic problems in the external sector, owing to the high price of imported oil and the lowest coffee prices in history. According to data provided by Gabriel Silva, President of the Colombian Coffee Growers' Federation, five years ago, coffee consumers paid 30 billion dollars while producers received 12 billion dollars, or 40 per cent. Today, consumers pay 65 billion dollars but producers receive only 5.5 billion dollars or less than 8.5 per cent.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Development efforts have also been given direct expression in Central America, where we have reached important agreements and taken decisions that today enable us to say that our region is embarking on a new era in its history. On 21 June last, in the city of Granada, Nicaragua, we held the Twenty-First Ordinary Meeting of Heads of State and Government of Central America. This provided the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to moving towards the consolidation of a Central American Customs Union, which will become a reality on 31 December 2003. The Customs Union was conceived as a means of contributing to the economic and social development of our countries.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We cannot achieve this without the support of the developed countries, which must help pay the price of the benefits they reap from our efforts. Therefore, I wish to recall the Monterrey consensus, where we urged those developed countries that have not yet done so to adopt specific measures to allocate 0.7 per cent of their gross domestic product for official development assistance (ODA) to the developing countries. Nicaragua is aware that violence, civil and international wars, the scourge of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), drought and poverty are the main problems afflicting the African continent in recent years. However, we note with concern that international cooperation and assistance to Africa are diminishing. The efforts of African Governments to achieve economic growth and alleviate poverty must be matched.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Nicaragua shares the interest of Member States in strengthening the Organization, with a view to optimizing its efforts to maintain international peace and security, prevent conflicts, promote sustainable development and eradicate poverty. The recent World Summit on Sustainable Development filled us with hope and, at the same time, uneasiness. On the one hand, we saw the degree of attention being focused on the problem of environmental degradation. But, on the other hand, the path to achieving the balance between development and environment is still long and arduous, particularly for the least developed countries. Before us lies the challenge of generating greater wealth and more jobs without harming our environment.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Reform basically revolves around new organizational and administrative structures, which, without a doubt, have gradually enabled the United Nations to act with greater unity of purpose, coherence and flexibility. Nicaragua, like the 28 Secretary-General, believes that there is still great potential for progress, and we must all ensure that the Organization's work programme includes the priorities set out in the Millennium Declaration. No reform of the United Nations would be complete without the long-awaited expansion of the Security Council in order to enable it to respond fully and effectively to current and future needs. Similarly, we must pursue efforts to revitalize the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council in order to empower the Organization fully to assume its responsibilities, as enshrined in the Charter.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We wish to see a system capable of reacting with specific, timely and effective measures to dangers that threaten international peace and security, a system that does not find itself overtaken by circumstances. Nicaragua takes the view that the immediate and unconditional return of United Nations weapons inspectors to Iraq, in a climate of complete cooperation, can only be regarded as an important part of a greater effort aimed at the elimination of all kinds of weapons of mass destruction, within the context of the global interests of the international community and in compliance with all pertinent Security Council resolutions. The reform of the United Nations is also part of the desire to respond effectively.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“In Nicaragua, we have already set in place a National Plan against Terrorism and Related Crimes, designed to strengthen cooperation among institutions, and with the aim of preventing, combating and eliminating this scourge, and complying with Security Council resolutions. The case of Iraq is a challenge and a test for the entire multilateral system that we have been constructing. It is up to us to either help strengthen it or help to weaken and fracture it. While it is true that we are all in favour of multilateral action, it is also undeniable that inertia and inaction undermine confidence in our collective will. The multilateral system must demonstrate the dynamism which is its very raison d'être by taking joint, concerted and timely action to resolve conflicts.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“This month we remember with anguish the tragedy of 11 September, when thousands of innocent people perished, many of them heroically. This tragedy, like all terrorist acts, must never be forgotten. At the same time, international cooperation to deal with such crimes must remain permanently on our agenda. It is essential that we coordinate activities to prevent and punish such terrorist activities, which cause so much pain and suffering, with the full force of the law. Nicaragua wishes to reaffirm once again its unconditional support for United Nations activities to combat international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“And we understand equity as the result of doing things right in the social sphere — namely, in education, health, housing and gender equality. Progress in bringing together these three elements that comprise human development will not be possible until corruption is rooted out. By its very nature, the scourge of corruption has an impact that transcends national borders. In this regard, we offer our full support to the work being carried out by the special committee responsible for negotiating a United Nations convention against corruption. From this forum, we appeal to the international community to commit itself to the broadest possible mutual assistance and cooperation in investigating or prosecuting acts of corruption. Terrorism is just as abhorrent as corruption.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“In order to ensure that the changes we have made are irreversible, we will need sustained and adequate support. In this way, we will preserve the great moral heritage of humankind — democracy exercised with honesty and accountability. As a part of this great heritage, we are today discussing human development, conceived as the State's ultimate purpose, to be attained through democratic governance, economic growth and social equity. We understand governance to be the result of doing things correctly in the political sphere — transparency, human rights and sovereignty. We see growth as the result of doing the right things in the economic and financial spheres, foreign exchange, fiscal and monetary policies and competition.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Not only must we punish corrupt officials and recover for our country Government money that was diverted and laundered, but also the results of our efforts will be crucial to the struggle waged by other peoples of our region and of the world against this scourge. Nicaragua's success will be an incentive for the entire international community. The failure of transparency in Nicaragua would set a bad precedent for humankind. We have not fought this battle alone. The support of more than 84 per cent of our population has been coupled with the moral and economic support of many countries, embodying the democratic values shared by us, the peoples of the United Nations. To them, to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and to the international organizations that have supported us, we extend our sincere gratitude.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“President Bolaños went on to say: “With a view to continuing my policy of zero tolerance of corruption, I must return to my country as soon as possible to contribute, with justice and transparency, to the historic landmark constituted by this bold decision.” A few days ago, in a similar case, another courageous Nicaraguan judge sentenced members of the former President's immediate family to jail. Today, I have come before this General Assembly on behalf of an entire people to reaffirm, in deed, Nicaragua's commitment to governance, transparency, accountability and to the principles of the rule of law. 27 There is much at stake today in Nicaragua.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“I should like first of all to congratulate Mr. Kavan on his election to the presidency. On 21 March at Monterrey, Mexico, the President of Nicaragua, Enrique Bolaños Geyer, announced that “a process of moral renewal has been launched in Nicaragua, with a crusade against public and private corruption”. On that same day, the President also announced that, in the spirit of the new era of moral renewal, “a Nicaraguan judge has just found three former officials of the previous Government and three other people guilty of acts of corruption that impoverished our people. The judge left pending the case against former President Alemán and eight other officials of the previous Government”.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)