YouSaid · the spoken record

VAN DEN BROEK

lines on the record: 306
first: 1983-09-24
most recent: 1992-09-24
sittings or episodes: 10
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

“It is a source of the greatest satisfaction to me to see Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali in this august position. His profound international experience, his keen intelligence and the determination which he has already shown in tackling a number of issues make him very much the right man in the right place. I wish to assure Mr. Boutros-Ghali of the co-operation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the discharge of his arduous task.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“I hope that in this area, too, the United Nations can at some stage become closely involved. My friend and colleague Douglas Hurd, speaking on behalf of the European Community and its member States, rightly observed that the challenge facing us in this turbulent time is to reinforce the system of collective security based on the United Nations. As I said earlier, the United Nations cannot be everything to everybody. Nevertheless it is clear that, because of the success our Organization has achieved over the last few years, enormous expectations have been raised. It is our duty to see to it that the United Nations is equipped in terms both of personnel and financing to face the tasks with which it will of necessity be confronted. That brings me, logically and finally, to the Secretary-General.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“It would be an illusion to think that the current stopgaps, creative as they may be, will eventually suffice. As I have already stated, the opportunities for the United Nations to carry out its mandate are unprecedented. This is true for a number of conflicts which until recently seemed intractable. Cambodia is the clearest case where a United Nations peace plan is being implemented. Angola is another example of what the United Nations can do. The continuing dialogue by South African parties provide us with a spark hope for the establishment of a non-racial democracy. There is an initial involvement on the part of the United Nations. Negotiations within the framework of the Madrid Conference have carried the Middle East peace process further after a long period of standstill.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“We believe it is essential for the proper functioning of the United Nations that all Member States, not just 5 per cent, meet the condition of full and timely payment. The United Nations will not be able to fulfil its task unless everyone picks up his share of the bill. Financial discipline on the part of Member States is as important as it is on the part of the Organization. With regard to peace-keeping especially, if regional responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security is to acquire real meaning, we would strongly favour Member States looking at the concept of burden-sharing on a regional basis. In any case, the present short-term solutions of ad hoc financing are neither satisfactory nor equitable. If we want a healthy United Nations to deal with tomorrow's problems, this issue needs to be addressed today.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“We welcome the progress made recently to strengthen the non-proliferation regime by both further accessions to the NPT and modifications of the Tlatelolco Treaty, opening the way for the entry into force of that Treaty for all Latin American and Caribbean States. We are are placing ever-increasing demands upon the United Nations. Cambodia, Yugoslavia and Somalia are only a few examples of its increasing involvement. This is not without severe financial consequences for the Organization. Quite frankly, I find it hard to believe that, at a time when we expect the United Nations to play its demanding role, an important number of Member States is not paying its contributions on time and in full.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“The Netherlands, as host country for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), has a special role to play, and we shall endeavour to live up to expectations. With the chemical weapons convention achieved, it becomes all the more important to reflect upon ways and means to strengthen the biological weapons Convention, in particular in matters of verification. Securing compliance with the Convention could involve more than just voluntary measures, important though these may be. As to the third category of weapons of mass destruction, we have to bear in mind that the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is up for extension in 1995. My country strongly advocates such an extension for an indefinite period.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“So have export control regimes. The Netherlands attaches particular value to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, and it is heartening to see before the Assembly the concrete elaboration of technical procedures for this Register, agreed to by consensus by a representative panel of governmental experts. The time has come to render the Register fully operational starting next spring, in 1993, and we look forward to a universal implementation of its provisions. A convention on the prohibition of chemical weapons will be put before this session of the Assembly. It is a magnificent achievement for all the members of the Geneva Conference on Disarmament. My country hopes that many countries will be amongst the original signatories of the chemical weapons convention, so that it can be strictly implemented.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“The Preamble to the Charter clearly states the United Nations determination to promote social progress and better standards of living. Many countries are confronted with a lack of social stability, mass migration, rapid urbanization and other problems which affect the fabric of society. The world summit for social development, in principle to be held in 1995, will allow us to address these issues at the highest levels of government. This will help the United Nations to carry out the tasks inherent in its important social mandate. The Security Council has rightly qualified the proliferation of all weapons of mass destruction as a threat to international peace and security. This underlines the importance of combating their proliferation. Arms control and regional, political and security arrangements have their role to play.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Although it is clear that the establishment of such a court will not come about overnight, it is certainly worthy of careful consideration by the 'Assembly. The Assembly might give the International Law Commission the task of developing this idea further. The United Nations involvement in conflict settlement has led to a wide array of peace-keeping operations. The number of Blue-Beret military has reached an all-time record. The Netherlands contributes sizeably to United Nations operations worldwide and will continue to do so: taking into account other obligations and practical limitations, all units of the Netherlands armed forces can in principle be assigned for peace-keeping. We support the concept of making available contingents to the United Nations at short notice and have included this in our standing offer to the Organization.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Personal accountability under international law and the appropriate machinery to deal with the individuals responsible are still lacking, but Security Council resolution 771 (1992) paves the way for follow-up action by Member States. My country favours the establishment of machinery for the systematic gathering of data concerning criminal acts committed by individuals with regard to the Geneva conventions and the human rights conventions. I believe that such an approach can be expected to have a deterrent effect. For the longer term. Member States could consider the establishment of an international criminal court, taking into account work already undertaken by, among others, the United Nations International Law Commission.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“In view of this sharp contrast, one cannot but wonder what causes the World Conference process to be so polarized and, subsequently, what positive contribution the Conference can make in these circumstances to the United Nations work in the field of human rights. Meanwhile, human rights are still, in practice, being violated in numerous countries. I have already mentioned former Yugoslavia, where outrage at the massive violation of human rights and international humanitarian law in Bosnia-Herzegovina, confirmed by the report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur, Mr. Mazowiecki, has increased the calls for measures against the perpetrators of such acts.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“However, the preparatory process has thus far failed to produce an agenda for the Conference. The Chairperson of the preparatory process rightly concluded that most States will be disappointed at the lack of results. The Netherlands shares this feeling of disappointment. Curiously enough, the results thus far have lagged behind the constructive and relatively harmonious results achieved in other United Nations forums such as the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The perfect example of this was the recent unanimity displayed by this Commission when it met for its first emergency session, which was devoted to the human rights situation in former Yugoslavia.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“The basis of this discussion should be in the agreement that any change envisaged should first and foremost seek to ensure the continued effectiveness of the Council for the United Nations as a whole. In recent years we have seen some very encouraging developments all over the world in the field of human rights. Many nations have taken the difficult but promising road to democracy. Their success will undoubtedly contribute to a further spread of respect for fundamental human rights. It was our hope that the United Nations World Conference on Human Rights, to be held next year in Vienna, would contribute to this positive trend. The Netherlands welcomed the process from the start. We are, for instance, a major donor to the fund that allows delegations from the least privileged countries to participate.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“This membership would apply to a certain category of important States for a period of, say, five to seven years, possibly without the right of veto. To determine which countries would be eligible for this type of membership, it seems that two criteria are relevant: both the political weight of the country concerned and the degree to which its membership would contribute to a more equitable geographical distribution of the Council's composition. In view of the Council's responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, it would appear to me that those two elements should be carefully balanced against each other. Clearly, the creation of semi-permanent membership is only one of a number of options that can be considered. A broad international discussion on this issue has already begun.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Were the Council to become an exclusive club disconnected from the United Nations membership as a whole, this might tend to undermine its authority and diminish its effectiveness. So what are we to do when faced with the question of the Council's effectiveness on the one hand and its representativeness on the other? A possible solution to this question might be found in severing the automatic link between permanent membership of the Council and the right of veto. A number of concrete options can be considered in this respect. One would be to consider the adoption of a double veto: two negative votes by permanent members being required to hold up a decision instead of one. Another suggestion put forward is the creation of semi-permanent membership of the Security Council.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Supporters of the maintenance of its current composition can hence, with some justification, argue that there is no need to change a winning team, or, to use a colloquial expression of our host country, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The critics of the status quo argue that the Council's present composition is a reflection of the balance of power of days gone by. This leaves us with a dilemma because both sides have a point. Important changes have taken place in international relations. The number of Member States has increased enormously since the enlargement of the Council in 1963. The Charter specifies in Article 24 that the Council acts on behalf of all Members. This implies that the Council should be, to a certain degree, representative of the international community.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“The Security Council is rightly the focus of world attention nowadays. This new interest has provided the discussion on the Council's membership with a fresh impetus. In the last chapter of "An Agenda for Peace", the Secretary-General observes that agreement among the permanent members of the Security Council must have the deeper support of the other members of the Council. It should also have the wider support of the membership of the Assembly if the Council's decisions are to be effective and are to endure. This raises the question of the relationship between members and non-members of the Council and of the Council's composition. The achievements of the Council in terms of effective leadership and decision-making, particularly during the last two years, need not be elaborated upon.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“So are others, such as the Organization of American States and the Organization of African Unity. The process of delegation and cooperation between the United Nations and the various regional organizations does not have to stop at this level. Organizations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Western European Union have specific operational contributions to make as well. Both organizations recently announced at the CSCE Summit in Helsinki their decision to make resources available to support the CSCE or the United Nations in carrying out peace-keeping activities. The CSCE can also call on others, such as the Commonwealth of Independent States, to contribute to peace-keeping activities. This development is a concrete example of an evolving network of organizations which we refer to as 'interlocking institutions'.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“The recognition of territorial and ethnical faits accomplis would be an insult to the Charter. To my mind, the Yugoslav crisis is a compelling case for action. More could be done, and I hope that more will be done soon. The Netherlands fully supports the Secretary-General's view that: "regional arrangements or agencies in many cases possess a potential that should be utilized in serving... preventive diplomacy, peace-keeping, peacemaking and post-conflict peace-building". (A/47/277, para. 64) Indeed, I am convinced that regional organizations increasingly have to take up responsibilities with regard to regional peace and security. The role of the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) in the Yugoslav crisis is a clear example of this trend.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Effective delegation and cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations is crucial. Joint United Nations-European Community efforts to help solve the Yugoslav crisis are a clear example. Interaction between the United Nations and the European Community, in their co-chairmanship of the London Conference, has underlined the potential for coordination between the United Nations and regional organizations in the field of preventive diplomacy, peace-keeping and peacemaking. It is not only Chapter VIII that is being put into practice here. Even more important is the linkage between the quest for a diplomatic solution on the one hand and the possibility of enforcement action by the United Nations on the other hand, in the event of non-compliance by the parties concerned.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Perhaps somewhat belatedly, this has been recognized in the case of Somalia. The international community could not afford to condone the intolerable situation in that country any longer. The short-term task consists of assuring the survival of the people. In the somewhat longer term, the whole country will have to be reconstructed. The United Nations has a major role to play on both counts. The United Nations has also become involved in former Yugoslavia. Here we see massive aggression, destruction, impending starvation and even the establishment of concentration camps, all with a view to making large areas "ethnically clean", as the ugly saying goes. Nationalism and irredentism have run wild and are threatening neighbouring States as well. Everyone knows who is mainly responsible. Concerted action can and should be taken.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“With the end of the cold war, regional conflicts have proliferated, but at the same time the possibility of doing something about them has increased. This is both because the Security Council is not paralyzed by vetoes any more and because the risk of a conflict's degenerating into global war has subsided. This makes it possible to contemplate international action where it would have been impossible or unfeasible before. With the possibility of action comes the notion that lack of action is a form of action as well, requiring a decision, just as a decision is necessary to act. A decision not to act in the case of flagrant violations of human rights or the rights of minorities, or in the case of large-scale human suffering, will now set a precedent, just as planned intervention does. It is no longer possible just to look the other way.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“Where and when should the United Nations intervene? Clearly, it cannot be everything to everyone. In order not to overstretch, it inevitably has to apply a certain degree of self-restraint. Moreover, the membership of our Organization consists of sovereign States, and respect for their sovereignty is one of its principles. Nevertheless, it would be too easy to make non-intervention and deference to domestic jurisdiction the leading guideline. Moreover, it would not work. Frontiers have become porous and information world-wide. Atrocities and aggression committed within a country cannot pass unnoticed, and once noticed will not be tolerated by world opinion. For the United Nations to stand idly by would be detrimental to its new-found status, which we all have an interest in protecting.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“We are still thankful for the end of the cold war, with its menace of massive nuclear destruction, but in its stead a plethora of conflicts and potential conflicts has sprung up with a vehemence which nobody had foreseen. Each of these conflicts has its own characteristics, and each has to be dealt with in a particular fashion. The United Nations is, on the whole, the right organization to deal with these emergencies, whether directly or indirectly. In order to carry out that task it will need to possess all the means necessary for what I would call a flexible response, ranging from preventive diplomacy to repressive action. A number of these requirements have been set out by the Secretary-General in his impressive report "An Agenda for Peace" (A/47/277). This Agenda will form the basis for our discussions on the subject.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“It is a threat that will be with us for years to come, and it will grow more and more acute if there is a lack of appropriate action. One course of action is for the United Nations to put its house in order in these areas through a restructuring of its economic and social sectors and through a meaningful follow-up to the Rio Summit. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development has put sustainable development high on our agenda, and there it should remain. The establishment of solid machinery, including a high-level commission on sustainable development, will, we hope, be one of the major achievements of this session of the General Assembly. But in the political field, on which I will concentrate today, there has been a qualitative change.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“It is a great pleasure to see you, Sir, a youthful symbol of a profoundly changed Bulgaria, in the Chair. I know and trust that you will steer us skilfully through this session of the General Assembly. The cold war is over. The world has heaved a sigh of relief. The United Nations now has an unprecedented opportunity to carry out the mandate contained in the Charter, even though politically the world has grown much more complex and complicated. Of course, no change has occurred in the underlying problems of a long-term nature. The threat to the very survival of the human race posed by the deterioration of the environment, overpopulation and poverty was there already, even though awareness of the threat has increased quite dramatically in recent years.”
1992-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 47 (1992)
“On behalf of the Twelve of the European Community, I pay tribute to Javier Peres de Cueliar, whose high moral stature, diplomatic skills and political leadership have guided the Organisation through 10 difficult years. We also owe it to him that the United Nations has come to play a crucial role on the world scene, as the founding fathers foresaw when the Organisation was conceived 6 years ago. We wish him well and we salute him as an eminent partisan of peace.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The Twelve stress the importance of free elections as the centrepiece of that plan, which was unanimously approved by the Security Council and the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session. I also reaffirm our willingness to contribute to the reconstruction and development of Cambodia upon the achievement of a political settlement. Let me conclude by expressing our heartfelt appreciation to the Secretary-General for his untiring efforts to further the cause of international peace and justice. With the end of his period of tenure in this high office in sight, it must be gratifying for him to see some formerly intractable conflicts edging towards resolution. Many could be mentioned Cyprus, El Salvador, the Western Sahara and others.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“In order to encourage constructive change it should be willing to gradually revoke restrictive measures vis-à-vis South Africa to the degree that reforms have been put into effect. As to Cambodia, the past year has brought substantial progress towards the achievement of a comprehensive political settlement. We welcome the delegation of the Cambodian Supreme National Council, under the leadership of Prince Sihanouk. We rejoice in the newly established cooperation between the Cambodian parties and call upon them to conclude without delay the peace process at the next resumed session of the Cambodian Conference on the basis of the plan of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The legal foundations of apartheid have been removed, notably by the repeal of the Group Areas Act, the Population Registration Act and the Land Acts. That is, however, not enough to create A united, non-racial and democratic South Africa. It is indispensable that negotiations begin soon on a new constitutional order with the broadest possible participation from all segments of South African society. All parties, and not least the South African Government, have to help to create a climate conducive to the success of such negotiations. The international community, which is committed to the complete dismantling of apartheid, should monitor these developments in an appropriate manner.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Equally, the Palestinians' right to self-determination must be given proper expression. The international community should do its utmost to encourage all parties concerned to negotiate in good faith and make compromises in order to bring a just, lasting and comprehensive peace to this tormented region. The negotiations would be greatly facilitated by regional security arrangements and confidence-building measures by the countries in the region. In this context, the Twelve would welcome the repeal of the resolution equating Zionism with racism, which was referred to yesterday by President Bush in his statement to the Assembly. South Africa is an area of conflict which gives reason for some optimism. The reform process led by President De Klerk has undeniably moved the country into a qualitatively new phase.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“In particular this is true of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Palestinian question. The Twelve have from the outset supported the initiative of the United States to set in motion a process of parallel negotiations between Israel and its Arab neighbours and between Israel and the Palestinians. We welcome the untiring efforts of Secretary of State Baker and we urge all parties not to miss this historic opportunity to have a peace conference convened for next month. The European Community and its Member States will actively contribute to the success of this conference. As to their substance, these negotiations will have to be based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and their implied principle of "land for peace". Israel must be able to enjoy its right to live within secure and recognised borders.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Last but certainly not least, reform of the Secretariat seems essential if the United Nations is to acquire the capacity and flexibility to cope with present and future tasks. The incoming Secretary-General should be in a position to act upon broad outlines for increased operational efficiency that are widely supported in this Assembly. For the United Nations to be effective, restructuring will, however, not be enough. A sound financial base is of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, not all Member States fulfil their financial obligations. We therefore urge all Members to live up to their responsibility and pay their assessed contributions on time. In a number of regional conflicts we can discern certain rays of hope. Bringing about peace in the Middle East is now an urgent task.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“In this way the Security Council could further improve its decision-making ability. Strengthening the political functions of the United Nations should, however, go hand in hand with a continued and resolute restructuring of the United Nations system in all its aspects. This is rightly pointed out by the Secretary-General in its latest report on the Organisation. The Economic and Social Council should be revitalised: the resumed forty-fifth session produced encouraging signs of progress in this direction. Also, the General Assembly needs to seriously rethink its own procedures and methods, in order to make itself more able to provide guidance to the international community.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Why should it not also dispatch fact-finding missions to troubled areas? In fact, the whole concept of peace-keeping - which has evolved rapidly in recent years - could be given another boost by exploring the possibilities in this direction, too. In this way United Nations Involvement could help prevent conflicts frost actually breaking out or contain them at an early stage. Similarly, the increased political relevance of the Security Council also points to new opportunities for the Secretary-General to make fuller use of his competence under Article 99 of the Charter. The Secretary-General could benefit from the changes in the international climate by initiating at an early stage discussions within the Security Council on matters which, in his opinion, threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“the maintenance of international peace and security. Increasingly, the United Nations has risen to the occasion and played a crucial role in helping to resolve burning issues. We should capitalise on this fortunate development and try to strengthen the political functions of the United Nations. One of the opportunities resulting from the increased political efficacy of the Security Council and its ability to act in concert lies in the area of preventive diplomacy. We should not just wait until conflicts get out of hand and become actual threats to international peace and security. Why could the Security Council not formulate political statements aimed at defusing tensions in a particular situation at an early stage, rather as the Twelve have increasingly done in the context of our European political cooperation?”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“These interventions may not have been perfect - they could not prevent all loss of innocent life - but they were certainly salutary considering the human suffering they were able to stop. It is to be hoped that in the future these developments will have a discouraging effect on Governments in comparable situations; and if we want the world to become a safer place, we will need more than a ban on aggression. International law and order should be founded equally on democracy and on respect for fundamental rights and freedoms. Above all, this is clearly a major challenge for the United Nations. A common responsibility from which none of us can hide concerns the functioning of the United Nations. In recent years the world political climate has clearly improved for the United Nations, particularly in relation to its core function!”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“History shows that such acts, apart from being criminal, can endanger international peace and security if nothing is done about them. Recently we have witnessed intervention by our world Organisation for the sake of protecting human rights. In the aftermath of the liberation of Kuwait a number of countries belonging to the international coalition provided a safe haven to Iraqi Kurds fleeing from repression and attempts at genocide by their own Government. This action, which implemented the relevant Security Council resolutions, has meanwhile been followed up by the stationing of a corps of United Nations civil guards, this time with the consent of the Government concerned. In a regional context we have also seen the peace-keeping operation by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) during the bloody civil war in Liberia.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“At a time when existing States are coming under pressure from demands for autonomy and self-determination from segments of their populations, which thereby challenge the principle of territorial integrity from within, creative and innovative thinking is clearly in demand. In order to prevent unilateralism and even the use of force from prevailing, the world needs to develop principles and mechanisms for the promotion of negotiated and peaceful solutions to these issues which are satisfactory to all concerned. We think the United Nations should intensify this discussion. Naturally, human rights are primarily the responsibility of national governments. But the world cannot sit idly by when one of the Member States of the United Nations terrorises its own people.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The Twelve stress the need for changing budgetary priorities in order to alleviate the financial and staffing difficulties in which the United Nations Centre for Human Rights finds itself. Given the close relationship between human rights and democracy the Community and its member States are also very much in favour of the United Nations exploring ways to promote democratic processes around the world. This could range from the monitoring of free elections to assistance in building democratic institutions. Another field in which the United Nations could play an important role concerns the protection of minority rights.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The days when countries could credibly claim that their human rights record was a strictly internal affair are definitely over. The history of the United Nations has confirmed the legitimacy of the contrary view. The United Nations World Conference on Human Rights, to be held in Berlin in 1993, could greatly enhance international respect for human rights by notably concentrating on improving the implementation of existing norms and standards and on extending the scope of mechanisms for reviewing compliance. We believe, for instance, that the Special Rapporteur constitutes a supervisory mechanism which deserves application on a much wider scale. Meanwhile, the United Nations would also become a more credible human rights propagator itself if it allocated more of its existing financial resources to that goal.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“To this end the Community and its member States wish to cooperate with others in launching an initiative during this session of the Assembly calling among other things for the appointment of a high-level United Nations coordinator, the creation of an inter-agency coordination mechanism and the establishment of an emergency fund. In this context we look forward to the report of the Secretary-General on this matter. Another area which requires greatly enhanced responsibility concerns relations within States, particularly respect for human rights. Despite progress, flagrant violations persist in many countries, thereby not just endangering precious human dignity in itself, but also undermining chances for development and for internal and external peace.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“With only one session remaining, there are many seemingly insurmountable obstacles, especially relating to additional funding and technology transfer. In order to maintain momentum and commitment, we need to give this process further impetus at the political level. In our joint statement to the Second Committee we will go more deeply into this matter. Calamities in various parts of the world, both natural and man-made, continue to confront us with loss of lives, devastation and uprooting. While the international community makes some effort to help, it can certainly do better. In order to ensure proper coordination between United Nations institutions, donor and recipient countries and non-governmental organizations we need to strengthen the emergency response capacity of the United Nations.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Its discussion about the reform of its common agricultural policy gives a clear indication of this. Economic growth which fails to take into account the ecological balance becomes self-defeating. Development must be sustainable. Environmental concerns should be fully integrated into the economic process. Next year's United Nations Conference on Environment and Development presents a unique opportunity to make concrete progress in this field, both in tackling environmental problems which impede development and in addressing global environmental issues such as climate change and biological diversity. Much work remains to be done in the Preparatory Committee of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development if a meaningful bargain is to be struck in Rio de Janeiro.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“At the same time, it makes it clear that African Governments should fulfil their side of the development contract by improving their own performance, liberalising their economies, allowing for popular participation and political pluralism and giving due attention to all other aspects of good governance. Developing countries, including the poorest, need trade as well as aid. This is not the least important reason why the Uruguay Round of negotiations in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) must not fail. We must open the world for expanding exchanges of goods and services and resist the protectionist temptation. This is without any doubt not always easy, but with reasonable compromises from all sides we shall be able to succeed. The European Community will certainly do its bit.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“In order to solve an increasing number of global problems or even threats to mankind we have to assume greater responsibility, notably in the fields of development and environment. Lack of economic development, leading to staggering poverty, is not just a curse for the hundreds of millions of people who suffer from it. It is a moral shame, it constitutes a burden on the whole world's development and it is a potential threat to global stability. The situation of many African countries is particularly worrying. The new United Nations agenda for Africa rightly focuses on debt relief, resource flows and better market access.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“As for the important question of nuclear disarmament, we welcome the recent conclusion of the START agreement on long-range strategic nuclear arms between the United States and the Soviet Union. It sets the stage for even further reductions in the field of nuclear weapons. The universality of the norm of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the effectiveness of its regime have been reconfirmed by the announced accessions to it of such key countries as France and China. We also welcome South Africa as a new party. We note with satisfaction that the Soviet Union has given assurances that it will institute safeguards against nuclear proliferation while restructuring the relations between its central Government and the Union republics.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Squally importantly, existing treaties such as the 1972 Convention on biological and toxic weapons must be store effectively implemented. The Review Conference convening at present should lay a solid foundation for this. Events in the Gulf region have once again made it unmistakably clear that more responsibility is needed in arms transfers. The European Council has identified common criteria on which national policies on arms exports are based. In the perspective of political union, we hope for a further harmonization of our national policies. As action on a more global scale is needed, we shall - together with others, including Japan - submit a draft resolution in this Assembly seeking the international registration of arms transfers, with a view to promoting restraint by increasing transparency.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Breaches of it can leave no State indifferent, as was fortunately exemplified by the international community's response to the Gulf crisis. Yet, both national and international security require more than just refraining from aggression. Security is enhanced by the breaking down of barriers of distrust, by the promotion of trade, contacts and communication, by the free flow of people, values and ideas - in brief, by opening up our societies. Security is further enhanced by taking the concerns of others to heart. In the military field we have to show responsibility by engaging in processes of arms control, arms reduction and confidence-building. Regional arrangements must be supplemented by world-wide agreements, as is shown by the pressing need for a convention on banning chemical weapons, for which the year 1992 really is the deadline.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Strengthening CSCE, in not only its normative aspects but also its mechanism for crisis management, is high on the agenda of the Twelve. In this way we hope to serve regional security and well-being, complementary to our obligations under the United Nations Charter. Common responsibility in today's world requires more than improving upon old structures, institutions and habits. Necessary as that may be, it would be insufficient if we did not also try to develop new ways of thinking. Allow me to share a few thoughts with you in this respect. We need more responsible behaviour between States. Its first rule is the ban on the threat or use of force, as contained in Article 2 of the United Nations Charter. This is certainly no superfluous rule.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)