YouSaid · the spoken record

Phil Goff

lines on the record: 76
first: 2000-09-24
most recent: 2004-09-24
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

“Regional solutions are being applied by the Pacific Islands Forum through greater collaboration and integration in addressing problems. International cooperation through processes such as the 10-year Review of the Barbados Programme of Action set to take place in Mauritius next year will also help. In conclusion, 59 years from the end of the Second World War and the establishment of the United Nations, the world continues to face major challenges to its security and well-being. The opportunity exists this year for us to consider and improve the ways by which the Assembly can address the problems faced by humanity and make a difference. Success or failure to do so will be the collective responsibility of all of us.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“In Bougainville, that response created peace from a situation where a 10-year civil war had resulted in widespread devastation and the loss of thousands of lives. In the Solomon Islands, the intervention of the Regional Assistance Mission has restored the rule of law by its elected Government in place of the anarchy created by armed militias. More than 3,500 weapons have been collected and destroyed, social services and a credible budgetary progress restored and militiamen and corrupt elements from the police and Government arrested and charged. Much however, remains to be done to meet the wide-ranging challenges which confront the Pacific region, including environmental threats, ethnic conflict, poor law enforcement and governance and the threat of disease.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“In that regard, no action will be more important to the undermining of terrorism today than finding a just and sustainable solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people. The international community must work with those countries to overcome the failure of leadership, the lack of resolve and the cycle of violence and retaliation which stand in the way of solving that conflict. Finally, in the Pacific region, New Zealand's own neighbourhood, we can celebrate the progress which has been made in Bougainville and in the Solomon Islands in ending conflict and re-establishing the rule of law. In both cases, a concerted regional response with the support of the United Nations has been effective.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“The General Assembly this year will consider an integrated security strategy for the United Nations, which will incorporate a system-wide review of the United Nations security apparatus, accountability and resources. The Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel must be strengthened and supported by all States Members of the United Nations. New Zealand condemns all acts of terrorism and will continue to contribute strongly to the campaign against terrorism. In particular, we condemn the inhumanity of terrorists in Beslan who sacrificed children as pawns in pursuit of their political objectives. However, attempts to suppress terrorism by force will not by themselves be enough unless we also address the causes which drive people to support, finance or be recruited into terrorism.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“We call on those responsible for taking the lives of innocent people to end their violence. They now have access to a political process which they should use to promote their views and interests. A credible election process is vital to creating an Iraqi Government which has a popular mandate. The United Nations has a key role to play in that process, but adequate security and a safe environment are first necessary for that to occur. New Zealand will continue 48 to support the interim Iraqi authority and the United Nations in their efforts to restore security, peace and prosperity to the Iraqi people, who have suffered for so long. In Iraq and elsewhere, close attention also needs to be given to the protection of United Nations staff.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“New Zealand has strongly supported efforts to bring security and stability to Afghanistan. As a small country we have contributed more than NZ$80 million in military and development assistance. We welcome progress towards presidential elections next month and the essential democratic mandate that they will provide to the Government. Strong international support, however, will be necessary to meet the challenges which lie ahead. That includes ending the production and trading of drugs. Afghanistan provides about 75 per cent of the world trade in opiates. The money derived funds warlords and organized crime and undermines the ability of the legitimate Government to function. New Zealand deplores the violence in Iraq, which continues to harm or take the lives of so many people, and the circumstances which have contributed to that violence.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“There must be no impunity for such crimes. That is true in Darfur, and is also true of those responsible for the destruction of East Timor and the murder of people there in 1999. The ad hoc tribunals in Indonesia have failed to bring to justice those who are responsible. That failure can only encourage such people to commit further atrocities, believing that they will never be held responsible for their actions. New Zealand welcomes the establishment of the International Criminal Court and the role that it will now play in dealing with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. It urges all countries which have not yet done so to accede to the convention establishing that body and to recognize its jurisdiction. In the area of conflict resolution, we face today two major challenges: in Afghanistan and in Iraq.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“The very young and the elderly are most vulnerable. A few days ago, by its resolution 1564 (2004), the Security Council resolved to support an enlarged African Union monitoring mission, demanded that all parties cease all violence and human rights violations and threatened further steps against the Government of the Sudan if it fails to disarm the militias and protect civilians. Within the General Assembly, countries must work together in a united and determined way to enforce those provisions and prevent the tragedy that is unfolding. History will not forgive those who stand in the way of protecting 1.5 million refugees in that region and allowing them to return safely to their homes. It is also important that those responsible for the mass murders and the abuse of human rights there be held to account for their actions.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“As the Secretary- General has challenged us, 'if humanitarian intervention is, indeed, an unacceptable assault on sovereignty, how should we respond to a Rwanda, to a Srebrenica - to gross and systematic violations of human rights that offend every precept of our common humanity?' (A/54/2000, para. 217) The International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty concluded two and a half years ago that sovereign States have the responsibility to protect their own citizens from avoidable catastrophe: from mass murder and rape, from starvation. When they are unwilling or unable to do so, that responsibility must be borne by the broader community of nations. We are today witnessing a humanitarian and human rights catastrophe in Darfur. The World Health Organization reports that up to 10,000 people a month are dying or being killed.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“New Zealand welcomes the progress made at the World Trade Organization General Council meeting in Geneva in July, which put the Doha Development Agenda back on track. Agriculture is at the heart of the round; the European Union and United States agreement to eliminate all agricultural export subsidies is particularly welcome. The United Nations must also adapt itself to the changing nature of security and humanitarian concerns. The concept of national sovereignty being paramount and standing in the way of international intervention in local conflicts cannot be sustained.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“For hundreds of millions of people, starvation, disease and poverty are more immediate threats than the concerns others of us have about terrorism and security. We are now at a turning point in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Improving the quality and quantity of development assistance is crucial. However, real and lasting progress to meet development challenges is also dependent on building a fairer, more open and equitable global trading system. Countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) spend $360 billion each year on subsidizing agricultural 47 production in a way that excludes opportunities for the developing world to export - not only to OECD countries, but to third markets as well. That sum dwarfs the amount the OECD countries provide in development assistance.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Those changes will strengthen the Councilís mandate and enhance its credibility as the pre-eminent organ of the United Nations. No solution, of course, will satisfy the viewpoint of every Member nation. A willingness to compromise on a package of proposals will be essential. But clearly, enhancing the representation of areas such as Asia, Latin America and Africa must be an objective, and account must be taken of the significant contributions to the United Nations of nations such as Japan. While the High-Level Panel will focus on reform of the United Nations and security considerations, development goals to create a fairer world and promote economic and social progress in the developing world are further vital considerations for the United Nations in the year ahead.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“This year the Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change will put forward proposals for reforming and strengthening the United Nations, aimed at ensuring its relevance and effectiveness in addressing these issues. It is critical that we seize this unique opportunity to institute positive reforms and not squander it by adopting narrow, self-interested and inflexible responses. Nor will a lowest-common-denominator approach achieve what we all require. Reform is long overdue. The composition of the Security Council cannot go on reflecting the world as it was in 1945. An expanded Security Council and reform of outmoded electoral groupings is necessary for the Council to be representative of the international community as it is today.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“International law has been developed and strengthened. As Kofi Annan emphasized this morning (see ), putting the rule of law into effect at home and internationally is essential to achieving a fair, just and civilized world. Cooperation has achieved advances in meeting social, economic and environmental needs. But much more remains to be done. War, more often within than across the boundaries of States, has taken the lives of tens of millions of people since 1945, most of them civilians. Weapons of mass destruction have accumulated and access to them has spread to more countries. New diseases such as HIV/AIDS have emerged, with devastating consequences. The gap between rich and poor countries has widened, not diminished.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Fifty-nine years ago the United Nations was established by nations determined to work collectively to find alternatives to conflict as a means of resolving disputes and to create a stable, secure and more just and prosperous world. Devastated and exhausted by world war for the second time within 25 years, nations put their faith in multilateralism and in this body in order to avoid future wars. The name 'United Nations' evoked the unity of humankind, in which our shared needs and common humanity were more important than our differences. It is obvious as we consider the world today that we have achieved that vision only in part. Yes, world wars have been avoided. International covenants have set out universally agreed human rights standards against which the performance of governments can be measured.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Member States will need to put aside self-interest and 9 differences to reach agreement on the panel’s findings and to translate those into action. Fifty-eight years ago, the United Nations was created in the aftermath of the death and devastation that had resulted from two world wars. The vision of its founders was that of an organization that would establish rules to govern international behaviour, with procedures to enforce them through collective action. The United Nations was bestowed with a unique legitimacy and unique authority to resolve conflict. Whatever its shortcomings, it remains an indispensable organization. The challenge before us is to create the structures and provide the political will that will enable it to deliver the peaceful, just and prosperous world that is the hope and expectation of humanity.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Millions of people around the world have had their lives improved by the actions of the United Nations. East Timor is but one recent example of its effectiveness when it is supported by a common will to act. At the same time, we all recognize the need to reform the Organization. In opening this session, the Secretary-General called on us to consider whether the rules and instruments of this multilateral institution continue to serve us well. We have been discussing the reform of the Security Council for more than a decade now. It is time to make an institution designed in an earlier age, for a smaller number of nations more representative and responsive to the 191 current Members of the United Nations. We welcome the establishment of a panel to address key issues fundamental to the Organization’s future role.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“New Zealand has announced substantial contributions to reconstruction and humanitarian relief work. These include the deployment of a New Zealand Defence Force light engineer group to work on humanitarian and reconstruction tasks alongside a United Kingdom engineer regiment in southern Iraq. We have helped with demining operations and have made contributions through United Nations agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and non- governmental organizations. New Zealand continues to view the United Nations as the best hope we have to collectively pursue the principles enshrined in the Charter. The strength of the United Nation is that it brings all countries of the world together on an equal footing to address common problems.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We regret that differences of view could not be resolved in the Security Council. The reconstruction of Iraq, the restoration of its sovereignty and the rebuilding of political and social structures to guarantee the Iraqi people a better life are now the critical issues. We welcome initiatives to push forward the political and constitutional process. The passage of Security Council resolutions 1483 (2003) and 1500 (2003) recognizes the vital role of the United Nations and the need for the international community to be fully engaged in reconstruction efforts. While responsibility for security must inevitably rest with coalition forces, multilateralism offers the best prospect and the greatest legitimacy for the process of transition back to Iraqi self-rule.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We commend China for facilitating this. Iran, too, must heed the strong message of the international community and take the urgent steps required to restore confidence that its nuclear intentions are peaceful. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is equally about nuclear disarmament. The commitment given by the nuclear-weapon States to give up their nuclear weapons, reaffirmed unequivocally at the NPT Review Conference in 2000, must be honoured. The nuclear Powers have a particular responsibility in this respect. They must lead by example against proliferation. Meaningful steps toward permanent disarmament would add to their moral authority in demanding that others must not develop nuclear weapons capability. The invasion of Iraq has had a profound impact on this Organization.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The possibility of nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorists is a worst-case scenario with horrific implications. We must do everything we can to prevent this from happening. The possible acquisition of nuclear weapons by terrorist groups increases as the numbers and types of these weapons, and the States that possess them, continue to expand. For these and other reasons the elimination of these weapons is vital. New Zealand calls on all countries to commit and to adhere to multilateral disarmament and arms control treaties. North Korea’s proclaimed nuclear weapons programme is a major concern. We urge North Korea to resume its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The current multilateral dialogue process is a positive way forward.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The international community must retain an ongoing commitment to Afghanistan, where President Karzai’s Government continues to face significant challenges. Improving security outside Kabul will be a crucial element in bringing political stability to Afghanistan. 8 It is in the interests of us all to assist in the restoration of Afghanistan — not only for the well- being of the Afghan people, but also so that terrorists cannot operate freely within its borders. Earlier this week, New Zealand assumed leadership of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamian Province. I am pleased that we could demonstrate support for the Afghanistan Transitional Government in this way. The shared nightmare of all States is that weapons of mass destruction or the materials from which they can be constructed will find their way into the terrorist arsenal.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“It is a Pacific solution to a Pacific problem. Cooperation and commitment by Pacific States to respond to regional security needs, under the umbrella of the Pacific Islands Forum, is a model that other regions could adopt. The statements of support from the Secretary- General and the Security Council for this regional action, taken in accordance with the Charter, are welcome. We would urge the United Nations to assist where it can the process of rebuilding the social structure and the economy of that country. New Zealand is working to enhance and complement existing security capabilities within the Pacific region. We are engaged in a number of activities, including establishing border security systems and drafting model legislation to address terrorism and transnational organized crime.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“New Zealand joined with the other members of the Pacific Islands Forum in responding to a request from the Solomon Islands Government for police and military assistance to end the actions of armed criminals responsible for the deterioration in the social and economic conditions in the Solomon Islands. A police-led operation has been working successfully to restore the rule of law and economic stability. In failed or weak States, Governments often lack the capacity or will to exercise territorial control. That can create a power vacuum for terrorist organizations and criminals to exploit and maintain safe havens, training facilities and bases for launching terrorist operations. The Regional Assistance Mission has gone exceptionally well to date and has received strong support from the people of the Solomon Islands.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“I hope that the General Assembly will be able to move forward on this issue and conclude the comprehensive and nuclear terrorism conventions. In combating terrorism, however, we should avoid undermining the very values we are seeking to uphold. The fight against terrorism should not become an excuse to justify actions that do not conform to international standards of humanity. New Zealand is the current Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, which it hosted last month. Leaders strongly endorsed the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands — a concrete example of the region working together to assist one of its members to restore security, stability and progress to its people.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The Pacific Islands Forum is responding collectively to security challenges, including terrorism, transnational crimes and challenges to national integrity and independence. An effective campaign against terrorism requires international collaboration on intelligence, military, social and economic measures. New Zealand is aware that while we focus on the symptoms of terrorism, the international community must work together to tackle the conditions that foster it. We welcome the Norwegian initiative to strengthen analysis of the causes of terrorism. There are simply no ends that can justify the death and the maiming of vulnerable and innocent people. New Zealand has, since 1972, supported the development of a comprehensive international regime to outlaw terrorism.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Over the last year we have witnessed terrorist attacks, including in Casablanca, Riyadh and Jakarta, as well as in Baghdad. Next month is the first anniversary of the terrorist attack in Bali, in which more than 200 people lost their lives. And two years ago this city itself was the victim of the 9/11 attacks, which took 3,000 lives. International terrorism remains the primary threat to the security and well-being of people across the world. If we are to defeat terrorism, regional cooperation is imperative. In the Asia Pacific region, a concerted response to terrorism is now at the centre of the Association of South-east Asian Nations Regional Forum agenda and is becoming increasingly important in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“To do its work effectively, the United Nations must interact with local communities, not operate from behind barbed wire and concrete barriers. Its employees are mainly unarmed civilians. We, the States Members of the United Nations, must do more to protect those whom we employ to work on our behalf. Nine years ago New Zealand was at the forefront in creating the Convention for the Safety of United 7 Nations and Associated Personnel. It was opened for signature in 1995. Regrettably, only one third of the membership has since become a party to it. We urge all countries to do so now. New Zealand believes that the Convention should be widened to cover all situations where United Nations and other associated personnel are engaged in peacekeeping, humanitarian and other assistance- related activities.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The General Assembly is meeting in the shadow of the tragedy last month in which United Nations staff were killed or injured in Baghdad. New Zealand unreservedly condemns such brutal and calculated acts of terror. The United Nations, after all, was in Iraq to improve the conditions of Iraqi people and to assist the restoration of Iraqi sovereignty. We mourn the loss of all those who perished. In particular, I pay tribute to Sergio Vieira de Mello, who worked so effectively in the world’s trouble spots, including Timor-Leste, where New Zealand worked alongside him and developed huge admiration for his ability and determination. This was not the first occasion on which the employees of the international community have been targeted, although it was the worst. History suggests that it will not be the last.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“It is not a case of putting global interests ahead of national interests. Global 15 interests are national interests. The United Nations is our most valuable international organization, but we need to do more to enhance its relevance, value and its unique authority. All of us are stakeholders in its success.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“The international community has not done enough to reduce those risks. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty has not been brought into effect. Progress towards the implementation of undertakings made by nuclear- weapon States at the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference has stalled. Nations have not taken sufficient steps to stop the production of fissile material and to reduce stocks. In this and in many other areas much more needs to be done to address growing problems that affect all of us. The awful toll of HIV/AIDS, slowness in response to global warming and the growth in the smuggling and trafficking of people are but three further examples. It is essential that we renew our commitment to multilateralism as the best way to address global problems. That requires not simply money but, must importantly, political will.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“These reductions, however, are not a substitute for irreversible cuts in, and the total elimination of, those weapons. In some respects even greater danger is posed by short-range tactical nuclear weapons. There is a real risk that these could be launched by accident or in confusion, with no time available for communication between opposing sides. Over the last year, two significant events have made our world a most dangerous place. The first is the emergence of international terrorist groups that have shown their willingness to use weapons of mass destruction — biological, chemical or nuclear — should they gain access to them. The second is the situation in South Asia, where the world recently came close to direct conflict between two countries with nuclear capability.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We were dismayed by the actions of the Security Council in July. At that time, we challenged both the legitimacy and the substance of the Council's action. We do not believe that it was consistent with the Rome Statute or that the Council is able to arrogate to itself the power to change treaty relationships. A further issue on which greater progress must be made is that of disarmament. The fact that humanity survived the nightmare of potential nuclear destruction during the cold war cannot be allowed to make us complacent about ongoing threats from weapons of mass destruction. We welcome the Treaty of Moscow and the agreement between Russia and the United States to cut the number of strategic nuclear weapons each country deploys.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“An important landmark in the last year has been the entry into force of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. As the culmination of longstanding efforts by non-governmental organizations, Governments and the international community as a whole, it offers the prospect of bringing justice to the victims of the most horrific crimes known to humankind and bringing their perpetrators to justice. It will serve as a deterrent where none has existed before. We have listened carefully to those who argue that the Court is not necessary and that it unduly jeopardizes their peacekeepers, but we cannot agree. The status quo, relying on domestic jurisdiction alone, has failed humankind throughout history and has borne witness to appalling crimes. The new regime has carefully built-in safeguards to protect the innocent.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Notwithstanding the small size of our population, New Zealand currently is the twenty-second-largest contributor to the United Nations peacekeeping personnel. The promotion of human rights is another area where multilateral action by the international community is essential. In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the United Nations has set out universal standards for the observance of human rights. There is no justification for any country to deviate from those human rights standards. It is a mark of shame that States Members of this Organization continue to breach basic human rights and a disgrace that other countries too often act as apologists for the offending regimes.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We will soon welcome the world's newest nation, East Timor, into the United Nations, and we should celebrate the success of the United Nations peacekeeping mission and Transitional Administration in that country. I congratulate Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Secretary- General's former Special Representative, on his role, and I thank those countries that contributed so much to 14 giving hope and opportunity to the people of that small country. New Zealand has had a battalion of peacekeepers deployed in East Timor since September 1999, and also has peacekeepers serving in 12 other countries. We are proud that they have performed their role with professionalism and respect for the people in whose countries they operate.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Iraq's non-compliance with Security Council resolutions is a challenge to the entire United Nations membership. The United Nations must meet this challenge. How the situation is resolved matters to us all, not least the countries of the region itself. Those who can exercise influence over Iraq should do so to avoid the need for resort to other actions. The response chosen by the Security Council must, however, take into account the need not to impose further costs on ordinary Iraqi people innocent of any wrongdoing. The response should not involve actions that undermine, rather than strengthen, the war against terrorism. The United Nations has shown that collective action can save lives and help rebuild nations.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We fully endorse the Secretary-General's renewed call for an international peace conference. Progress on this issue is now more vital than ever. The situation in Iraq is also a threat to world peace, but we must look for solutions that will resolve and do not exacerbate that threat. No nation can be exempt from the requirement to comply with the resolutions passed by this Organization. That is necessary if the rule of law is to apply internationally. No nation can be allowed to commit aggression or to use weapons of mass destruction against its own people. The requirement to comply with United Nations resolutions is not the instruction of one country to Iraq; it is collective instruction that should have the unanimous endorsement of all Member countries.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Injustice, lack of opportunity, hopelessness, desperation and the failure of legitimate channels to redress grievances all give rise to resort to terrorist actions. The failure to resolve differences between Israeli and Palestinian people in the Middle East continues to be a catalyst for recruitment into terrorism. The Secretary-General, in opening this session, spelled out the basis for resolving the dispute. He referred to land for peace, an end to terror and to occupation, and to two States, Israel and Palestine, with secure and recognized borders. Both peoples are destined to live side by side. Both will benefit from an end to violence and a negotiated settlement. But agreement requires good faith from each side and a determined effort by the international community.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It was a lesson that should not be forgotten as this Organization tackles other problems confronting humanity. New Zealand has worked wholeheartedly under the mandate provided by the United Nations to defeat terrorism. We have introduced legislation to deny terrorist organizations funding and resources in line with Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). We have sought to assist our neighbours in the Pacific to do the same. We have committed peacekeeping personnel to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and combat forces under Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. But we are also aware that actions to suppress terrorism must be accompanied by measures to tackle the causes of terrorism.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Today, in the second year of a new millennium, the need to act multilaterally is greater than ever before. Terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, environmental degradation, people-smuggling, drug- trafficking, diseases such as HIV/AIDS and the unsustainable depletion of our natural resources are all global matters that require a collective response. We can be proud that a year ago the response by the United Nations to a new and unprecedented level of terrorism was immediate, united and effective. The primary victim of the attack, the United States, sought and secured international cooperation that achieved the incapacitation of the Al Qaeda terrorist organization and the removal of the Taliban regime that had hosted it. It was a model for international unity of purpose and multilateral action.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Mr. President, may I begin by congratulating you on your assumption of the presidency and assure you of New Zealand's cooperation during your term of office. 13 The opening of this, the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly, came just one day after the anniversary of the terrorist attack of 11 September 2001, which shocked this city and the international community. The premeditated and callous mass murder of 3,000 people from 79 different countries was a sharp warning to us of the ongoing threats to peace and stability in our world. It was to protect humanity against such threats that the nations of the world came together in 1945 to establish this Organization in the belief that collective action was necessary to guarantee global peace.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Let this fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly reaffirm our commitment to work collectively to defeat terrorism, conflict, poverty and disease, and set the agenda for peace, development and respect for human rights for all.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“This is consistent with New Zealand's long-standing readiness to contribute to peacekeeping operations and its current involvement in more than 12 such operations, including its commitment since 1999 of a battalion to help ensure the success of the United Nations operation in East Timor. The United Nations was founded after the Second World War to build a world free from poverty, violence and the violation of human rights. Nations committed themselves to a collective response to problems that could not be solved by countries individually. Countries agreed on rules of international behaviour. No one would claim that the United Nations has an unblemished record of success. But without it, the world would be a much less secure place, much less able to confront the difficulties which we face.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“To prevent the General Assembly and the Secretariat from becoming overwhelmed by so many tasks that they fail to be effective in tackling any of them, we need to prioritize our agenda and to be more selective. The Security Council needs reform. Its membership should be expanded to reflect contemporary realities, but without maintaining or extending the veto. Countries contributing to peacekeeping operations should be afforded greater involvement in the Council's decision-making with respect to those operations. Peacekeeping operations must be sufficiently resourced. The capacity of the United Nations for rapid reaction must be strengthened. New Zealand is ready to enter into discussions on a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations on its participation in the standby arrangements system.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We endorse the Secretary-General's recommendations on extending the legal protection for United Nations and other personnel involved in humanitarian operations. It is timely at this General Assembly to stress the importance of the role of the United Nations. The 16 critical wars of the twenty-first century will not be won by single nations, however powerful, or even by coalitions. It is the United Nations acting collectively which will win the wars against terrorism, poverty and disease; threats to the environment; and the threats posed by conflict and weapons of mass destruction. The commitments made by heads of State and Government in the United Nations Millennium Declaration last year take on even greater relevance following the events of 11 September. However, for the United Nations to achieve its potential, it must undergo reform.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“International cooperation and a capable transitional administration by the United Nations have achieved a remarkable transformation in a poor and devastated country. I congratulate the Security Council on its endorsement of the Secretary-General's concept for a post- independence United Nations presence in East Timor to consolidate what has been achieved. In acknowledging the role of United Nations personnel, I would also stress the need to ensure their proper protection in situations which are often dangerous. The murder of United Nations relief workers in Atambua, West Timor, and the failure to bring to account those fully responsible are a reminder that more must be done to protect our United Nations personnel.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“However, removing the causes of people fleeing from their countries remains fundamental. New Zealand's own region of the Pacific has not been immune from violence and instability. In recent years, we have seen conflict in East Timor, violence between Government and separatist movements within Indonesia and in Bougainville, ethnic conflict in the Solomon Islands and a coup that overthrew a legitimate Government in Fiji. Problems remain in the region, but there have been notable areas of improvement. A peace settlement has been signed in Bougainville. Fiji has held democratic elections. Indonesia is seeking to resolve separatist conflict by offering greater autonomy. In East Timor, there have been free elections, and that country will gain independence as the first new nation of the twenty-first century in May 2002.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Resolving the problems that have forced so many millions of people from their homes is fundamental to solving the growing refugee crisis. In Afghanistan and elsewhere, people flee their homelands through fear of death or persecution, or because of poverty and lack of opportunity. In a world made smaller by advances in communication and transport, no State can ignore the plight in other countries or expect not to face consequences from unacceptable discrepancies in wealth, opportunity and human rights standards. Suppression of criminal organizations responsible for people trafficking is a challenge which demands increased international cooperation. Those who profit from people's desperation and who, once paid, are careless as to whether or not their human cargo survives must be stamped out.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Any loss of innocent life in conflict is tragic, and extraordinary measures must be taken to avoid it. But a failure to remove the Taliban regime and a failure to assist the Afghan people to put in place a broad-based, moderate and stable Government to replace the Taliban will mean the ongoing loss of hundreds of thousands of lives and the continued suffering of the Afghan people. Renewed efforts are needed through United Nations agencies to provide emergency relief to people within Afghanistan and in the refugee camps to avoid unnecessary loss of life through the winter and in the months to come. The United Nations must stand ready to assist Afghanistan to rebuild itself once the conflict is over, working with as broad a coalition of Afghan groups as is possible to create a viable political, economic and social infrastructure.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)