YouSaid · the spoken record

Hjelm-Wallén

lines on the record: 42
first: 1994-09-24
most recent: 1995-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
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

“As an expression of our strong commitment to the United Nations and to international peace and security, Sweden is a candidate for a seat on the Security Council in 1997-98. Our candidacy is a matter of highest priority for the Swedish Government and the Swedish people. It has been launched with the full support of the other four Nordic countries. As a member of the Council, we will make a constructive contribution to its work. Our dedication will be consistent with our record as a United Nations Member. Our support for United Nations ideals and activities is concrete, substantial and unwavering.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The major United Nations conferences on environment and development, human rights, population, social issues, women and human settlement all involved crucial questions of survival. We welcome the outcome of these conferences, the most recent of which was the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing. We 11 need to address both the root causes and the consequences of social injustice. Sustainable social and economic development can be achieved only with the full participation of women. To Sweden, multilateral cooperation is the most important instrument for mastering the crucial issues of survival. For this reason, we will continue to be an active Member of the United Nations. For this reason, we believe wholeheartedly that multilateralism is not only a matter of solidarity, but, indeed, a question of enlightened self- interest.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“This is a fundamental, moral and humanitarian imperative, and it is one step on the road to a total international ban on the use of anti-personnel mines. Moreover, substantial resources need to be invested in efficient mine clearance. Sweden is ready to contribute expertise and assist in the development of more advanced technology in this field. Furthermore, at the Vienna Conference, Sweden has proposed an additional protocol on blinding weapons. For more than a decade we have worked for explicit prohibition of blinding as a method of warfare. We now hope that it will be universally accepted. Security is a broad concept in today’s world. We know that poverty, social injustice, environmental degradation, rapid population growth and massive refugee flows create fear, disruption and conflicts.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“International bans on chemical and biological weapons are already in place. It should be possible, if there is political will, to achieve within 10 to 15 years an agreement prohibiting nuclear weapons, thus making this threat to human existence a brief interlude in our history. A comprehensive test-ban treaty must be achieved in 1996, banning all nuclear tests for all time. In the meantime, we urge the nuclear-weapon States to refrain from all nuclear testing in order to ensure that faith in a future free from fear of a nuclear holocaust can be sustained. Every day, every hour, around the world, anti-personnel mines indiscriminately maim innocent civilians, many of them children. The ongoing Conference in Vienna to review the 1980 weapons Convention should result in a strongly and concretely reinforced regime against anti-personnel mines.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We expect other donor countries to assume their responsibilities to the same degree. As regards total development assistance, it must be possible for most donor countries to reach the United Nations target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product. The United Nations is contemporary with the atomic bomb. Today we no longer accept living under a nuclear threat. The indefinite extension of the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was an important step in the right direction. We urge those few States which have not yet acceded to the NPT to do so without further delay, thus making it clear to the world community that they renounce the nuclear-weapon option. In May of this year the 180 States which have acceded to the NPT confirmed that the ultimate goal is to abolish nuclear weapons.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The United Nations must be given a stronger and better-defined role in the economic and social fields. A clearer division of work is called for in development assistance. Better coordination, more distinct priorities and more effective management by the United Nations development agencies are required. The governing boards of these agencies must be in a better position to play their leading role in the implementation of development assistance. Furthermore, we need improved forms of financing, with a higher proportion of assistance levied and negotiated in advance. More long-term planning of assistance is required, and the flow of funds must become more predictable. Sweden continues to be one of the largest voluntary contributors to United Nations economic and social activities.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“It is humiliating to see the Secretary-General spend time and energy begging for funds when the world community is demanding that the United Nations concentrate fully on the tasks which it was designed for. The United Nations needs revised scales of assessment to better reflect Member States’ ability to pay. Together with the United Kingdom, my Government has presented concrete proposals to address this problem. In the longer term, the resource base of the United Nations must be strengthened. The possibility of additional sources of funding needs also to be considered. Poverty and social misery are the greatest long-term threats to international peace and security. Some of the poorest countries have been caught in vicious circles of debt management.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Last Monday the Nordic Foreign Ministers, in a joint statement, highlighted the threat to multilateralism caused by the present financial crisis. Nowhere is the crisis in multilateralism seen more clearly than in the unwillingness of some Member States to pay their assessed contributions to the United Nations in full, without conditions and on time. It is unacceptable that so far only one third of the Member States have paid 10 their regular-budget contributions for this year. Countries constantly demand more from the Organization, yet some of them are not willing to pay their membership fees. They apparently want others to foot the bill. Unilateral withholding of payment cannot be justified. Unilateral measures undermine multilateralism, particularly when taken by the single most important contributor.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The Commission’s report is a valuable contribution and a source of inspiration for United Nations reform. In order to be effective and more representative, the Security Council requires enlargement. We would welcome Germany and Japan as permanent members. At the same time, the need for geographical balance must be met. We want a more transparent Security Council. We want a composition and a decision-making process which prevent the division of the world into spheres of interest. The reform of the Security Council should be reviewed after 15 to 20 years with a view to maintaining its legitimacy and to achieving optimum flexibility. We meet at a time when the financial situation of the United Nations is critical.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Sweden welcomes the reform process now under way in the United Nations. To embrace multilateralism we must all rise above short-sighted interests and focus on what is best for global cooperation. We need political leadership from Governments if we are to make progress. Adapting the United Nations to the demands of the new era will involve hard work and difficult negotiations. We must not miss the opportunity provided by this anniversary. We need speedy progress. A clear timetable and a comprehensive framework are required for necessary change. The Commission on Global Governance, under the chairmanship of Sir Shridath Ramphal and the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ingvar Carlsson, offers several proposals for a stronger, more efficient and more democratic United Nations.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is already playing a prominent role in conflict management in Europe. In other parts of the world — in Africa, Asia and the Americas — regional and subregional organizations are in a position to fulfil similar tasks, if necessary with the support of the United Nations. Military operations should be based on decisions taken by the United Nations, the OSCE or corresponding organizations in other regions. Other regional arrangements may have a role in organizing and executing such operations, but the bodies I have just mentioned should assume overall political and strategic responsibility. As we approach the twenty-first century, the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations offers an opportunity to establish a solid basis for improved global cooperation.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“In this context, I would like to underline the importance of the United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs. Further, we have learned the need to involve non-governmental organizations in such humanitarian operations. We have learned the value of comprehensive United Nations efforts in which humanitarian assistance, peacemaking, peace-keeping and long-term peace-building are carried out simultaneously, thus mutually reinforcing each other. We have learned that monitoring respect for human rights can build confidence, thus allaying fears and preventing the use of force. We have learned the vital importance of regional organizations for peace and security, as foreseen in Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We welcome the reinforcements of the Secretariat that have taken place. Confusion occurs when troop-contributing countries intervene in the field through direct contacts with their own contingents. An effective forum for consultations with troop contributors could add to more effective management of peace operations. Such a forum should be established under the Security Council, preferably in accordance with Article 29 of the United Nations Charter. We have also learned that coordination of diplomatic, humanitarian and military efforts must be improved. Those who are to do the work in the field — humanitarian organizations and potential troop-contributing countries — should participate at an early stage in discussions on the implementation of mandates for complex United Nations peace operations.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The lack of well-trained and well-equipped peace-keeping forces, ready to be deployed at short notice, may preclude successful action. Failure to achieve the proper execution of Security Council decisions due to lack of troops undermines respect for the United Nations. We welcome the efforts made — by Canada and Denmark for example — to improve the United Nations 9 stand-by capacity. Sweden will contribute an international force to achieve this objective. We have also learned that the Security Council mandates for United Nations peace operations must be more precisely formulated. Clear messages to the parties concerned are necessary. Unclear mandates may lead to ambiguous perceptions of the United Nations role in a conflict. We have learned the need to strengthen the United Nations ability to command and control peace operations.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We support the international criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and the Rwanda tribunal. We have learned that a democratic culture provides greater potential for prevention and conflict resolution. Continued democratization within individual countries must be encouraged, underpinning a democratic international community. Sweden is honoured to be the host country of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), which supports democratization processes throughout the world. The work of IDEA will be a valuable complement to the efforts of the United Nations and non-governmental organizations in this area. We have learned that troops must be made available for rapid-reaction operations when non-military measures have failed. As a conflict begins to escalate, every hour is precious.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Our goal must always be human coexistence, irrespective of cultural, religious or ethnic differences. We must never confine ourselves to drawing up maps that reflect the realities of power politics. We must never accept the evil of “ethnic cleansing”. If we do, we will ultimately threaten ourselves and our future. We have also learned the importance of the principles of international law and respect for human rights. Humanitarian law must be defended and reinforced and war crimes investigated. For example, we must find out what happened to those who disappeared in Srebrenica and Zepa. By bringing war criminals to trial we will enhance respect for humanitarian law. Perpetrators of cruelty, rape and torture must be made to understand that they cannot act out their perversions with impunity.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Action must be undertaken with the consent of the States concerned and their sovereignty must be respected. We appeal to Governments: in an internal conflict accept the assistance offered by the United Nations or by a regional organization. Prevention is seldom glamorous. It does not make headlines. Long-term, often tedious, work, with the focus on the fundamental causes of conflicts, must be backed up by deliberate political support. More resources must be earmarked for preventive measures. This is an investment that is needed if we are to avoid new tragedies. The Swedish Government is currently studying how to improve the United Nations capacity for early-warning and preventive action. We have learned to focus on the security and needs of human beings.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“It is not the United Nations that has not lived up to us; it is we who have not lived up to the ideals of the United Nations. It is by improving ourselves and our policies that we can improve the United Nations.” (Official Records of the General Assembly, Fortieth Session, Plenary Meetings, 43rd meeting, p. 64) Let us not curse the dark but instead shed light. Let us draw lessons both from the more difficult United Nations operations of recent years, and the more successful ones — El Salvador, Namibia, Mozambique and Cambodia. We have learned that we must take action at an early stage, before the catastrophe is a fact, before the genie of violence has escaped from the bottle. The United Nations Charter offers plenty of scope for preventive efforts.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Appalling pictures of human suffering in Somalia, Rwanda and former Yugoslavia force their way into our homes. We see the United Nations humiliated. The apparent shortcomings of the world Organization have sown doubts about the feasibility of multilateral global cooperation. But the problems of the United Nations are in fact those of its Member States. They result from a combination of growing needs and expectations, on the one hand, and insufficient resources and a lack of political will, on the other. Sweden’s former Prime Minister, Olof Palme, developed this theme in a speech he gave from this rostrum 10 years ago at the special commemorative session to mark the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations. He said: “Let us not make the United Nations the scapegoat for problems that reflect our own shortcomings.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Thus, we must revitalize the United Nations system, and adapt the Organization to the new reality. We need an effective instrument for global cooperation — for peace and security, for sustainable development, for justice and for a life in dignity for all. We are more convinced than ever that, with 50 years of experience, the United Nations is an indispensable tool 8 for achieving these goals. Fifty years of experience have strengthened our support for the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. In pursuit of these goals, United Nations personnel all over the world are making major contributions. They merit our deep gratitude. We pay special tribute to those who have lost their lives in the service of the world community and we extend our sympathy to their families.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Security also implies building confidence, justice and equal opportunities to achieve lasting and sustainable peace, both within countries and through closer cooperation between countries and peoples. Such cooperation is needed at the regional and global levels. Further enlargement of the European Union would be a step towards a pan-European community for peace and security. We have a historic opportunity to create a united Europe, ultimately developing integration and cooperation to a point where war becomes inconceivable anywhere on our continent. In my vision, the European Union must be a genuine peace project, opening itself towards the rest of Europe and the rest of the world. At the same time, major threats to human security are global. They must be met by global action.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“First of all I should like to welcome the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement being signed today in Washington by Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin. This show of reconciliation should be an example to parties in various conflicts the world over. As the United Nations celebrates its fiftieth anniversary, it is time to look to the future. The world is different. The end of the cold war, the spread of democracy, economic globalization, and the explosive growth of communications have led to far-reaching changes. Distances between people are shorter, national boundaries are more open and global interdependence is increasingly apparent. Security is no longer primarily a military matter.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Sweden’s support for the United Nations is a fundamental national interest and a cornerstone in our foreign policy, for reasons of peace, freedom, security, democracy and justice. For these reasons, Sweden will strongly promote the United Nations — a United Nations based on democratic principles, giving us all a voice in our common future.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“It is by looking outwards, by forging links and extending its cooperation to other regions, that the European Union makes its contribution to global stability and solidarity. Let me emphasize that there is no contradiction between European and global cooperation. Sweden will be an active member of the United Nations and defend openness and international cooperation. Sweden has presented its candidature for a seat on the Security Council for the period 1997 to 1998. The Swedish candidature is based on our commitment to global security, on our will to promote international law, and on our conviction that conflicts can and must be solved by addressing their root causes before they lead to war.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Sweden will actively contribute to the new security partnership in Europe by responding rapidly to requests from the United Nations, and by contributing substantially to activities of the Council of Europe, the CSCE and the Partnership for Peace arrangement. We want to strengthen cooperation with all our neighbours around the Baltic Sea and in the Barents Sea region. We look forward to cooperation in all areas with the new, democratic Russia. Sweden has applied for membership in the European Union. In one month the people of Sweden will decide on this important question in a referendum. As a member of the Union, Sweden would whole-heartedly support the Union’s efforts to promote security and economic and social development, not only in Europe but on a global scale.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) is a central and indispensable institution for conflict prevention and management. The endeavours of the CSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities have effectively contributed to building security in Europe, as have the CSCE missions in the field. The Swedish experience of cooperation between the CSCE and the United Nations tells us that global and regional efforts are not in contradiction but are mutually reinforcing. Sweden’s non-participation in military alliances remains unchanged. This policy contributes to the maintenance of stability in the north of Europe, and improves our possibilities of working for common security in Europe and in the world at large.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“We urge all States to take the necessary steps for ratification, so that the Convention can enter into force without delay. Some 100 million land-mines all over the world represent both an acute and an impending humanitarian disaster as well as a threat to economic development, even years and decades after hostilities have ceased. The long-term solution is an international agreement to ban anti-personnel land-mines. Sweden has proposed such a ban. Regional instruments for preventing and dealing with conflicts are being developed. This should not deprive the regions involved of support from the international community through the United Nations. The responsibility of the United Nations, including the Security Council, remains universal.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The Treaty is the only multilateral agreement in which nuclear-weapon States have committed themselves to nuclear disarmament. As long as nuclear weapons exist, we must insist that these commitments be honoured. It is not least with this in mind that the extension of the Treaty should be pursued. Our common goal must be a world free of nuclear arms. 3 On several occasions, Sweden has presented proposals for a comprehensive test-ban treaty. We are gratified that all States, including the nuclear-weapon States, are now prepared to negotiate such a treaty. It is essential that these negotiations be concluded in the very near future. Sweden was one of the first countries to ratify the chemical weapons Convention. So far, almost 160 States have signed the Convention, but only 16 have ratified it.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are central to the goals of preventing conflicts, promoting peace and fostering economic and social development. In recent years important progress has been made. Agreements that were inconceivable only a few years ago have been concluded. But signatures are not enough. Agreements must also be ratified and implemented if they are to contribute to peace and security. Furthermore, the present momentum should be used to strengthen and further develop well-established disarmament regimes. The need to establish a verification system for the Convention on biological weapons is a case in point. The non-proliferation Treaty is a key to both nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The Cairo Conference established that questions of population and development must be treated together. The starting-point must be the human being and the rights and security of the individual. Agenda 21, adopted at the Rio Conference, facilitates joint action to achieve sustainable development at both the local and the global level. All over Sweden local versions of Agenda 21 are now being actively pursued. It is imperative to stop wasting resources and thereby depriving future generations of their means of livelihood. Patterns of consumption and production must be sustainable. In this regard, the developed countries have a particular responsibility. Ecological balance must be established also while we combat poverty.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The quality and effectiveness of United Nations activities in the economic and social field have to be improved, while at the same a stable and predictable flow of resources is secured. Priorities and the allocation of responsibilities within the international community need to be discussed further. "An Agenda for Development" (A/48/935) is a key instrument in this endeavour. We must use it to draw up a clear and strategic programme of action for the United Nations system in the development area. The International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, the World Summit for Social Development to be held in Copenhagen, and the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing are all linked. They contribute to the achievement of human security in a broader sense.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Solidarity is fundamental in our efforts to overcome global economic and social challenges, and, thus, fundamental to prospects for peace and solidarity. The United Nations has a unique and central role in this endeavour. Sweden’s development cooperation will focus on support for the long-term, sustainable development of poor countries, with special emphasis on democracy, popular participation and the rights of women and children. Sweden will continue to allocate a substantial amount of its assistance to operational activities in the United Nations. We will also continue our efforts to strengthen the United Nations function as a forum for normative discussion and action and as a channel for development cooperation.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Human rights is another area of priority for the Swedish Government. Fortunately, there is a growing and widening awareness among Member States of the role of human rights and democracy for the development of modern societies. Binding norms protecting human rights exist, yet violations continue. This is unacceptable. Governments must show the will and commitment to fully implement human rights norms. The Convention on the Rights of the Child was a great achievement. It is indeed a great challenge to assure all children of care, protection, education and freedom from hunger and from physical or mental violence, as provided for in the Convention and reaffirmed at the World Summit for Children. Governments which have ratified the Convention must live up to their commitments to the children of the world.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“With this in mind, Sweden is prepared to contribute to improved training of peace-keepers. Sweden would like to see closer interaction between humanitarian programmes and peace-keeping operations. There is great potential for humanitarian action as a tool of preventive diplomacy, as well as for promoting a political climate that can facilitate the peaceful settlement of disputes at an early stage. The reluctance of Member States to pay their dues in full and on time is frustrating and must cease immediately. When this lack of discipline affects the financing of peace-keeping operations, it puts an additional burden on the troop contributors. 2 Sweden welcomes measures by the Department of Humanitarian Affairs to coordinate the activities of humanitarian agencies and many non-governmental organizations.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Substantive consultations between troop contributors, the Secretariat and Security Council members on a formal and regular basis are necessary. There must be a particular focus on early warning and early action in conflict resolution. Preventive diplomacy should be further strengthened. Thousands of lives can be saved and costly relief efforts avoided if action is taken in time. The new Swedish Government is ready to establish a United Nations peace-keeping brigade. We do this in response to the Secretary-General’s proposal for stand-by forces set up by Member States, ready to be deployed in crisis areas without delay. The need for better and more uniform training of peace-keepers is urgent. Particular attention should be paid to improved coordination between the military aspects of peace-keeping and civilian and humanitarian efforts.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The United Nations must be able to operate more efficiently and according to modern principles of management, and new priorities have to be set. We need an enlarged and more effective Security Council, one that is both legitimate and representative. There is a need for increased transparency in the work of the Council. Countries in all regions must feel that they are partners in its actions. The Council has to maintain political control over the actions it authorizes. It must not become an instrument for dividing the world into spheres of interest, one in which the collective nature of United Nations action is not sufficiently safeguarded. Sweden has drawn experience from its participation in the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR).”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Now is the time to work out plans for reconstruction and reconciliation. The Swedish Government is concerned about information on Iraqi military activity close to the border with Kuwait. We fully support the statement on the situation made by the Security Council three days ago. In facing the challenges of the post-cold-war international system, Member States must give their full support to the United Nations, but they must also actively promote necessary reforms of the Organization. The Commission on Global Governance, headed by the Swedish Prime Minister and by Mr. Ramphal, will present proposals for reform early next year. Let me mention a few areas where, in my view, reform is urgently needed.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The inconceivable suffering in Rwanda points to the need for preventive diplomacy, early action and the coordination of United Nations efforts. In Somalia, the break-up of organized society and the ensuing large-scale violence and starvation underline the need for the careful coordination of peace-keeping, peacemaking and peace-building endeavours. While taking a forceful attitude to gain respect, the United Nations should avoid military enforcement other than as a very last resort and with a clear Security Council mandate. In Bosnia and Herzegovina and in other parts of the former Yugoslavia, efforts to end the conflict must be intensified and accepted by all parties. Pressure on Bosnian Serbs has to be further increased. Only in peace can the tragic consequences of "ethnic cleansing" be reversed.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Peace and security, democracy, human rights and sustainable economic and social development constitute a cohesive entity. If we neglect any of these values, we endanger the others. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are here among us in this Assembly as democratic and sovereign countries from which Russian troops have at long last been withdrawn. Diplomatic breakthroughs in the Middle East offer hopes for a comprehensive and lasting peace. In El Salvador the United Nations has made a significant contribution to ending the civil war. In South Africa, the apartheid has been dismantled. Yet we are confronted with new conflicts and dangers. We must all learn from tragic events such as those in Rwanda and Somalia.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Sweden wants a United Nations that not only is a forum for the interests of States but that places the well-being of the individual at the centre. Solidarity does not recognize borders. Let me quote from the statement of the President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, in this Assembly a week ago: "The millions across our globe who stand expectant at the gates of hope look to this Organization to bring them peace, to bring them life, to bring them a life worth living." (Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-ninth Session, Plenary Meetings, 14th meeting, p. 10) These expectations and hopes are threatened by war and violence, by the suppression of human rights, and by racism and xenophobia. They are threatened by starvation, poverty, disasters and environmental degradation.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“It is perhaps the most important political document in the hands of humanity today. Its strength and potential are immense and must be brought to fruition. In the spirit of the Charter, world leaders should mobilize a global civic spirit of solidarity to extend the scope of and respect for international law and to strengthen global governance. The United Nations gives us an international system of law to avoid anarchy and the rule of the strongest. The United Nations enables us to work together to thwart ruthless assertion of self-interest and spheres of influence. Sweden wants a United Nations which reacts effectively against atrocities and mitigates human suffering and through which we can tackle the major questions of global survival, together and in solidarity.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“May I at the outset express my sincere congratulations to you, Sir, on your election to the important post of President of the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session. The loss of the ferry Estonia in the Baltic Sea, where more than 900 people perished, brought disaster close to our shores. The shock still lingers in the hearts and minds of all people around the Baltic. I am certain that this tragic event will in the end bring the stricken peoples even closer together. Let me convey our sincere gratitude for the sympathy and condolences that have been expressed in this Assembly. Sweden’s commitment to the United Nations and its principles and ideals is longstanding, firm and deep. To the new Swedish Government this commitment is crucial. The fiftieth anniversary of the Charter of the United Nations is approaching.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)