YouSaid · the spoken record

Farouk AL-SHARA’

lines on the record: 209
first: 1994-09-24
most recent: 2004-09-24
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

“We are convinced of the possibility of building a world in which all coexist in peace and security, a world free of occupation and hegemony, a world in which all peoples equally share the resources of our globe and the fruits of science and technology in order to achieve prosperity for all.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It is to be regretted that the voices of those who call for war rise above the voices of those who call for peace and that those who usurp the rights of people and encroach on their dignity are drowning out the voices of those who defend the rights of people regarding their territory and freedom. But despite this grim picture, right will, in the final analysis, triumph over injustice. That is the correct reading of the history of nations and civilizations; there is no going back. Arab Syria's belief in its rights and the rights of other nations cannot be shaken or undermined by hegemony and the arrogance of power.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Syria supports the efforts of the Government of the Sudan to preserve the unity and territorial integrity of the Sudanese people and calls for a ceasefire in the 14 south of Sudan as a prelude to the resumption of dialogue. Syria supports the Artah agreement reached by the Somalis and deems it the most viable solution for achieving national reconciliation in Somalia. The world's peoples are passing through a difficult test at this critical juncture; the choices of even big and influential countries, are getting narrower rather than broader due to the absence of a just world order.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“In that regard, we look forward with true hope to the implementation of agreements recently signed by the parties concerned to end the fighting in Angola, Congo and the Great Lakes region. Syria also expresses its satisfaction at the increasing international support to end the embargo against Cuba. Syria further welcomes the high-level talks between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea and expresses the hope that this rapprochement between the two Koreas will help achieve the aspirations of the people of the Korean peninsula by peaceful means. The Syrian Arab Republic hopes that peace and stability will prevail in Afghanistan in the interest of the Afghan people, who have long suffered the scourges of war and internal strife.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It is the duty of all Members of our Organization to commit themselves to the implementation of United Nations resolutions. In keeping with that commitment, Syria supports the resumption of dialogue between Iraq and the Secretary- General with the objective of reaching a political solution that meets the requirements of the Security Council and that grants Iraq hope of peace, security and the lifting of the sanctions imposed on it, especially as Iraq has officially recognized the State of Kuwait and its international borders. Syria has expressed its satisfaction at positive developments in the African continent. We are confident that the establishment of the African Union will have a positive impact on the present and future of that continent and on solving the urgent problems it faces.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We agree with the Secretary-General about the necessity of avoiding unilateral measures and resorting instead to working within the framework of the United Nations, which represents international legitimacy. In that light, we see no justification for igniting a new war in the Middle East. We strongly believe that striking Iraq, which no longer occupies the land of others, while keeping silent about the Israeli occupation of the Arab territories occupied since 1967, represents blind bias and a distorted vision of the real situation in the Middle East. The international community is committed to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq. We cannot recall anyone doubting that commitment. We also stress that it is the right of the Iraqi people alone to decide their future without any interference in their internal affairs.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We declare from this rostrum that all the Arab countries are prepared to establish such a zone, provided that Israel will agree to establish such a zone and to submit all its nuclear facilities to the safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as have the other Middle East, Arab and Muslim countries of the region. The majority vote that Syria won upon submitting its candidacy for membership to the Security Council highlights the appreciation of these countries for Syria's constructive role in supporting the United Nations. It is well known that Syria has always been in the forefront of countries whose respect for international legitimacy constitutes a principled position in their foreign policy.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“As is well known, that danger is not limited to one region. Rather, it exists in many regions of the world. It is regrettable that certain parties focus only on some Arab and Muslim countries, and not on others, ignoring in the meantime Israel's nuclear arsenal. All the countries of the region have expressed, year after year, their readiness to make the Middle East region a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction — nuclear, chemical and biological. Today more than ever before, we call for urgent and serious efforts to make our region free of all weapons of mass destruction, under the supervision of the United Nations.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It is indeed odd that the United States considers Israel to be acting in self-defence in occupied territories, which is not in keeping with Security Council resolutions in whose drafting and adoption the United States itself has participated since the founding of the United Nations. 13 Just and comprehensive peace in our region can be achieved only through the implementation of resolutions of international legitimacy that stress the need for Israel to withdraw from all the Arab territories occupied since June 1967 and to safeguard the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to establish their independent State with Jerusalem as its capital. Much has been said recently about the danger of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the possibility that international terrorists might acquire such weapons.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Without going into details of the Israeli attacks and violations in which American weapons were used, the only way out of the crisis faced by the peoples of the region is by making Israel abide by relevant Security Council resolutions, which thus far are 28 in number. Is it reasonable for the world to request Iraq to implement Security Council resolutions, while some help Israel remain above international law? It is indeed legitimate for us to ask the United States to distance itself from the aggressive Israeli practices and to apply to Israel the American law that prohibits the use of American weapons against a third party.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Israel's defiance of international legitimacy assumed proportions that have been condemned by international public opinion, particularly when the Israeli Government refused to receive the fact-finding mission to investigate the details of the massacre at the Jenin refugee camp. Israel has claimed that the crimes it has carried against the Palestinian people under occupation have been carried out in self-defence and in the war against terrorism. We see how Israel has manipulated the war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. In that context, it is important to stress that silence in the face of such manipulation amounts to total disregard for human values, as much as it is disregard for defenceless Palestinian souls.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Since the end of the Second World War, our region has witnessed a series of wars and destruction as a result of an Israeli approach based on occupation, settlement building and the uprooting of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homeland. The United Nations has made efforts to find a just solution for the Arab-Israeli conflict. To that end, the United Nations has adopted hundreds of resolutions that Israel has refused to implement, in a stark challenge to the will of the international community. Israel continues to occupy the Golan, the West Bank and Gaza and parts of Lebanese territory. When the Arab countries unanimously launched their peace initiative at the Beirut summit in March 2002, Israel responded by launching a widescale military attack against Palestinian cities, villages and camps in the West Bank.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Nonetheless, a year after the event that was officially linked to the Al Qaeda organization and the Taliban movement, the world wonders how those accusations were re-channelled so as to be levelled against the Arab countries to such a degree that some of them are being threatened, while none of them had anything to do with the attacks. The irony is starker since justification for the accusation is usually linked to the presence of some Al Qaeda elements in those countries or to the fact that such elements are nationals of those countries, while it is public knowledge that elements of the Al Qaeda organization are present in more than 60 countries around the world, including the United States of America, according to official American statements.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“This results from a tendency on the part of some to use practices that can be best characterized as unilateral, expressing an appetite for hegemony and monopoly over the wealth of others. The Middle East region is a case in point. After decades of struggle waged by the people of the region to liberate themselves from colonialism and foreign domination and to try to eliminate injustices resulting from the redrawing of maps and the enforcement of artificial borders between them, the people of the region are facing a more vicious attack today than they faced during earlier colonial periods. The Arab countries have condemned the attacks against the United States of America. They have expressed sympathy for the families of the victims.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“I would also like wholeheartedly to welcome Switzerland as the long-awaited newest Member of the Organization. We look forward to cooperating with it in promoting the principles of the United Nations and safeguarding its Charter. This session of the General Assembly has been convened one year after the 11 September attacks, which had an impact on the current international situation. In the aftermath of the attacks, many grave issues remained unresolved, awaiting effective solutions, and many questions went unanswered. The state of confusion, incertitude and tension on the international scene results from the feeling of the majority of the world's people that they have lost their orientation.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It gives me great pleasure to congratulate Mr. Jan Kavan on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session. I am confident that the many posts he has occupied will facilitate his task in leading the deliberations of the General Assembly to their desired objectives. I also express our appreciation to his predecessor for the efforts he made to bring the deliberations of the fifty- sixth session to a successful conclusion. I would be remiss if I failed to express our appreciation to Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his efforts to preserve the principles and purposes of the 12 United Nations Charter. I wish him success as he strives to contribute successfully to the just solution of the problems that the international community faces.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We find in this agenda a horizon that responds to the aspirations of people towards enriching the awareness of common human values among all peoples and deepening the spirit of understanding among them. In conclusion, allow me to convey to you the gratitude of my country, Syria, and its President, Government and people for the precious trust and the great support that so many countries in the world expressed when they elected the Syrian Arab Republic to the Security Council. I would like to assure you that Syria shall remain, as it has always been, in the forefront of those who defend international legitimacy and the Charter of the United Nations and will make every possible effort during its membership on the Security Council to contribute to preserving international peace and security.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Syria, which is the cradle of early civilizations and a source of scientific and intellectual enlightenment, recognizes the importance of this dialogue and the necessity of pursuing it in the service of humanity and future generations. Our region, at its pinnacle, was a lively example of dialogue and interaction among civilizations. Within its broad horizons, the civilizations of East and West met. Intellectuals, men of letters, scientists and philosophers from different parts of the world contributed to the formation of these civilizations. In this context we hope that the Global Agenda for Dialogue among Civilizations, recently adopted by the General Assembly, will be implemented.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“There is talk now about an opportunity for the resumption of the peace process according to the terms 25 of reference of the Madrid Conference. We believe that unless the two sponsors of the peace process, the European Union and the United Nations, make a serious effort to implement the relevant United Nations resolutions, this opportunity will be wasted again, with all the dangerous repercussions that will hold for this important and sensitive region of the world. The dialogue among civilizations has gained increasing importance in the aftermath of the escalation of hostile attacks on certain cultures, religions and nationalities.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The serious and purposeful negotiations that Syria has engaged in during recent years have shown two things to the international community: first, that Israel neither desires nor is serious about achieving a just and comprehensive peace in accordance with United Nations resolutions; secondly, that Syria has the right to recover its territory in the Golan to the border of 4 June 1967, without compromise. However, we were always faced with Israel’s intransigence, denial of rights, evasion of the real issues and of the requirements of peace. Indeed, Israel has done what its Prime Minister promised at the time: to make negotiations go in circles for 10 years, with all the dangerous repercussions and tragic results that would produce.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“There is no alternative but to address the root causes of this terrorism once and for all and uproot it from our modern life through the implementation of international legitimacy in order to restore rights, end injustice and occupation and grant the Palestinian people the right to self-determination freely and wholly. These days mark the tenth anniversary of the convening of the Madrid Peace Conference, for which we made sincere efforts so it would create an opening for a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“No one in the world should forget that the battles of the Lebanese resistance were fought on the occupied territories of Lebanon against occupying Israeli soldiers and that this resistance did not act beyond Lebanese borders and did not hurt Israeli civilians during the 20 years of occupation, whereas the occupying Israeli forces killed thousands of Lebanese civilians, not to mention their repeated destruction of hundreds of houses and much of the Lebanese infrastructure. After all this, how could anyone fail to distinguish between terrorism and resistance? Anyone wishing to target terrorism in our region must target Israeli terrorism first and foremost, because what Israel does is the utmost form of terrorism; it is absolutely bereft of human compassion.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Faced with Israeli arrogance, the failure of the international community to stop Israel from perpetrating its crimes, and the provision of Israel with the latest American warplanes and the most destructive and sophisticated weapons, the Lebanese people had no choice but to stand fast and resist occupation. This resistance continued until it achieved its most important victory in May 2000, when it forced the Israeli occupying forces to abandon most Lebanese territories.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Although the rulers of Israel claim that the Palestinians have no place in their towns and villages and that the return of Palestinians threatens the existence of Israel, the truth is that the return of Palestinian refugees will alleviate racism in Israel and will not threaten its existence. During its invasion of Lebanon in 1982 Israel perpetrated the ugliest of crimes when it shelled and besieged Beirut for over 80 days, during which time thousands of innocent Lebanese civilians were killed, the infrastructure of Lebanon was destroyed and many horrific massacres were perpetrated. Those massacres included the atrocities at Sabra and Shatila, which the entire world witnessed and is aware of.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“But in any case the request on the part of Israel and those who support it to have these Palestinian refugees and their organizations expelled from Syria raises the very important question of where those refugees should go. The natural and human answer says that they should go back to their country, Palestine. They are more entitled to go back to their homes than the million Russian Jews who were brought in by Israel during the last 10 years. They are also more entitled than another 1 million Jews that the head of the Israeli Government plans to bring into Israel, although they live well and securely in their countries.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“It ignores the fact that Israel was completely responsible for uprooting those Palestinians from their homes, expelling them from their homeland and denying them, up until this very moment, their right of return in accordance with General Assembly resolution 194 (III). Regrettably, there are some countries and certain media outlets that believe those claims and describe those Palestinian organizations as terrorist. They do not stop there, but extend that allegation to Syria as well, instead of condemning Israel and expressing appreciation to Syria for hosting about 500,000 Palestinian refugees and offering them work, security and a dignified life.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The Palestinian people have, therefore, had no alternative in their struggle to rid themselves of their state of frustration, despair and international disregard for their plight but to start one uprising after another as 24 a way to liberate their lands from occupation and to restore their dignity like any other people in the world. What is both odd and surprising is that whenever Palestinian refugees and their organizations residing in Syria are mentioned, the United States describes them as terrorist organizations and considers the country that hosts them as one that sponsors terrorism.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Our region had never known the phenomenon of terrorism until after Israel was created on the basis of religion, in 1948, supported by the efforts of such well-known terrorist organizations as the Irgun, Tzioni, the Stern gang, the Lehy and the Haganah, which were responsible for sowing the seeds of terrorism and fear in Palestine and outside it. Israel has invented new types of terrorist practices in order to continue its occupation of Arab territories. It expelled Palestinians from their homes and lands and perpetrated numerous massacres, beginning with the massacre of Deir Yassin in 1948, to that of Beit Reima just a few weeks ago. But despite that, it has not been held accountable for these crimes.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We would also like to indicate that, since 1952, the Syrian Arab Republic has been one of the first countries to adopt firm national laws and legislation to combat terrorism. International terrorism is not a new phenomenon. Syria and other Arab countries have also been victims of terrorism. For years we have called upon the international community to condemn all types of terrorism, especially the State terrorism practised by Israel. In this context, I would like to refer to the values of tolerance that have distinguished our region throughout history.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Syria was the first country to call, in 1985, for the convening of an international conference under the auspices of the United Nations to define terrorism and to differentiate it from the struggle of peoples for national liberation. In response to a request by Syria, an item was listed on the agenda of the General Assembly, stressing the importance of determining the root causes of terrorism and taking appropriate measures to prevent it, combat it and address its root causes. Syria has also called upon all countries to take the necessary measures at the national, regional and international levels to combat terrorism and implement the provisions of international law and relevant international resolutions, with the aim of preventing the perpetration of terrorist acts or their financing and inciting.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Senior officials at the highest level in the American Administration and in European countries have warned against linking terrorism to Arabs and Muslims and have issued positive statements. But, regrettably, those statements, though important, cannot erase the long history of defamation in books and films that have distorted the image of Arabs and remain in circulation. Moreover, we have recently heard that new films are being made, and books being prepared for publication, that incite feelings of hatred and link terrorism to Arabs and Muslims, thereby manipulating the tragic events of September. Syria has always stressed the need to work on all levels to combat international terrorism in all its forms and in a way that is consistent with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Suffice it to mention, for example, a number of infamous terrorist organizations such as Bader- Meinhoff gang, in Germany, the Red Brigades, in Italy and Japan, and what has been taking place in Northern Ireland and in Spain, not to mention the various extremist organizations in the United States of America. Those who link terrorist acts to Islam ignore the fact that Islam respects all monotheistic religions, calls for tolerance among their followers and prohibits the killing of innocents or acts of aggression against their properties. But the pressing question now is how to eliminate from the minds of American citizens the feeling of hatred against Arabs and Muslims, feelings promoted by tens of thousands of publications, articles and films for the last 50 years.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We in Syria and in the Arab world did not hesitate to denounce those attacks and to condemn them in the strongest possible terms. In the aftermath of those attacks, we also called for international cooperation under the auspices of the United Nations to uproot terrorism in all its forms. Likewise, we called for an agreement on measures to define terrorism in an effort to guarantee effectiveness in combating it and in addressing its root causes. The phenomenon of terrorism is not confined to a particular society, culture or religion. It has appeared, and is still appearing, in many countries made up of numerous groups with different demands, beliefs and objectives. That is why it is a gross injustice and is totally unrealistic to link terrorism to Arabs and Muslims.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The international and regional circumstances prevailing since the events of last September have cast a dark shadow on our work. The new world order, whose emergence was announced after the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the Gulf war, soon faltered, due to the failure or lack of desire to adopt the language of dialogue in order to eliminate hostile climates and the refusal to apply equal standards in international relations to resolve regional conflicts, and due to the adoption of the method of daily crisis management, which consists of addressing only surface issues, instead of delving deep into the root causes and addressing them according to the 23 criteria of justice, international legitimacy and human solidarity. The world watched in disbelief the horrifying attacks on Washington, D.C., and New York.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“It gives me great pleasure to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of this session. We are confident that the posts you held in your country and the respect you enjoy will facilitate your task in leading the deliberations of this session of the General Assembly to their desired objectives. I would also like to express our appreciation to your predecessor, Mr. Harri Holkeri, for the efforts he made last year to lead the work of the previous session to a successful conclusion. Let me also congratulate Mr. Kofi Annan on his re-election to a second term as Secretary-General of our international Organization and on winning the Nobel Peace Prize, together with the United Nations. I would like to assure him that our cooperation with him will continue in order to consolidate the role of the United Nations in various domains.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Although these requests seem far- fetched now, they will in the final analysis serve all parties and States, whether they be rich or poor, in the North or in the South. We had fervently hoped that a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East would have been achieved by the beginning of the twenty-first century and with the ushering in of this new millennium. Nonetheless, we remain optimistic. Peace will remain our strategic choice and that of all peoples who aspire to a bright future in which peace, security and prosperity prevail for human beings everywhere.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The Summit stressed the commitment of Member States to basic human rights, as well as to the right of every country to development. We think this will require developing a new economic international order that is just, fair and democratic. It will also require finding a multilateral commercial and financial system characterized by transparency, equality and non-discrimination. We must also find the best mechanism possible to solve developmental problems, especially on the African continent. Such a system should also give preferential treatment to developing countries in order to facilitate investment and the transfer of technology and know-how. That would allow for full, effective and equal participation by the South in the process of decision-making at the international level.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Many Arab and Islamic countries fear that continued and senseless fighting in Afghanistan may lead to undermining the concept of the State in that country and to destroying its heritage and whatever is left of its historic traditions. Syria welcomes the discussions convened at the highest level in Pyongyang in June 2000. We express the hope that this rapprochement between the two Koreas will contribute to achieving the aspirations of the Korean people in reunifying the peninsula through peaceful means. There was a consensus in the statements delivered at the Millennium Summit and in the Summit Declaration about the need to exert all possible efforts to rid humanity of the humiliating and inhumane conditions of extreme poverty, in which more than a billion people live.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We consider these achievements as major pillars for the restoration of Somali State institutions. We call upon the international community to redouble its efforts to help Somalis carry out the tasks of reconstruction and rehabilitation. The continued tragic situation in Afghanistan is a source of great concern to us. We are convinced that the problem of Afghanistan can only be solved by stopping the fighting and beginning negotiations aimed at achieving national reconciliation. It must also be solved by finding an acceptable and permanent political settlement that brings about security and stability for the Afghan people.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In view of the strong, brotherly relations between Syria, the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran, we call upon the two neighbouring countries to pursue negotiations to resolve peacefully the dispute over the three islands on the basis of the principles of good neighbourliness and mutual respect. Syria believes that the establishment of a trilateral committee to pave the way for direct negotiations between Iran and the United Arab Emirates through the creation of favourable conditions is a practical initiative. We hope that it will allow the two parties to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. We would like to welcome the achievements of the representatives of Somalia in forming a temporary Somali parliament and electing Mr. AbdiKassim Salad Hassan as President of democratic Somalia.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We also stand against any measures taken against Iraq outside the context of United Nations resolutions so that those resolutions will retain the necessary credibility to bring about their implementation. We also deem it necessary to find a just and humane solution to the question of Kuwaiti and other prisoners of war, within a practical framework agreed upon between the Kuwaiti and Iraqi sides. We do not want the issue of prisoners of war and missing persons to remain outside the human and political framework that will allow us to arrive at a solution. Syria also calls upon the Security Council to quickly and permanently lift the sanctions it imposed against Libya. Libya has delivered on all its commitments under Security Council resolutions. We fully support Libya's demands.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Syria stood by Lebanon firmly in order to ensure the full implementation of resolution 425 (1978). Syria will always stand by Lebanon and support all its national issues, especially the ones concerning the return of all its territory and the return of its hostages held in Israeli jails. In this regard, we urge the donor countries to fulfil their commitments to help Lebanon rebuild what Israel has destroyed, particularly the 19 damage it caused during its occupation of southern Lebanon. From this international forum, Syria would like once again to stress the great importance it attaches to maintaining the territorial integrity of Iraq. We call for relieving the suffering of the Iraqi people by lifting the economic sanctions that only affect the people.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“At the Millennium Summit, the countries of the world expressed their belief that we live today in an age of international law and under the United Nations Charter, international legitimacy and human rights, and not in an age of the law of the jungle and futile religious claims to justify the usurpation of other peoples' land by force. This requires from the international community and the United Nations a more firm and non-selective stand in defending the Charter and international law and in prompting Israel to respect international legitimacy and international conventions and to implement the resolutions of the United Nations. The brotherly Lebanese people have achieved a historic milestone, thanks to their solidarity and that of their State, in strongly resisting Israeli occupation.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“As a matter of principle, Syria has been, and continues to be, committed to the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to return to their lands, to self-determination, and to establish their independent State on their national soil. On that basis, Syria presented its position clearly and firmly at the meeting of the Jerusalem Committee that was convened in Morocco at the end of last month in support of the rights of Muslims and Arabs to full and uncompromised Palestinian sovereignty over Al-Quds Al-Sharif. The Arabs are an ancient and time-honoured nation known for its religious tolerance. But tolerance is one thing and conceding one's rights is something else. Territory and sovereignty are matters of national dignity that can never be forfeited or compromised.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“At any rate, the serious and carefully considered negotiations that Syria has conducted have proven to the international community at large, and to Arabs in particular, two main things: first, that Israel is neither desirous of, nor serious about, pursuing a just and comprehensive peace in accordance with United Nations resolutions; and, secondly, that Syria has the right to a full return of the entire Golan, to the 4 June 1967 line, without concessions or compromises. We would like to mention another fact known to our foes and friends alike. That fact is that Syria has unreservedly supported every Arab and Palestinian right during every stage of the peace talks. It did not take those positions to embarrass anyone or to negotiate on their behalf.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It has become quite obvious to all those involved in the peace process, both inside and outside our region, that continued Israeli occupation of Arab territories which is sometimes explained by Israel's psychological need for security and at other times by superstitious myths is the major obstacle on the road to peace. Those futile claims, which have no foundation in reality whatsoever, have caused the peace process to become an endless negotiating process with neither end nor resolution in sight.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“But peacekeeping operations must be confined to enforcing United Nations resolutions and those of international legitimacy. The Security Council has therefore to enforce its resolutions so that peacekeeping operations will not simply become operations to impose the status quo, which makes the achievement of true peace a very elusive objective. The peace process launched in Madrid has been losing its momentum, incentive and compass, day after day and year after year. The Security Council, which has the authority and international legitimacy to enforce its own resolutions, has been kept out of the Middle East peace process. It has become a silent witness to the fact that the peace process in the Middle East has reached a dead end.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“This reform process should be accomplished by expanding the Security Council membership, the granting of equitable and fair geographical representation and the gradual phasing out of the use of the right of veto, which contradicts the concept of democracy, particularly when its aim is nothing short of undermining the democratic process. United Nations peacekeeping operations have contributed to creating conditions conducive to ending the deterioration of security conditions in many countries of the world. Throughout the past years, the Syrian Arab Republic has done everything it could to preserve the security and safety of United Nations peacekeeping personnel and to ensure that they successfully carry out their missions and mandates.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“This explains the lack of any reference to the new world order, either in the Millennium Summit Declaration or in any other official text. Regrettably, however, this becomes evident in reality, whereby hegemony seems to have the upper hand in the international arena. Strengthening the role of the United Nations was the main topic on the Summit's agenda. This role would also become clear in reforming the Security 18 Council and expanding its membership. The United Nations membership considers the Council the Organization's primary organ.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It would be wrong to underestimate the significance of this conclusion for the history of the United Nations. The end of the cold war did not prevent the peoples and nations of the world from denouncing and condemning crimes of aggression, ethnic-cleansing, foreign occupation, oppression, extremism, injustice, corruption, racism and double standards. Nor did this make us hesitate to glorify many noble objectives, such as freedom, peace, equality, solidarity, tolerance, human rights and social justice. It is fortunate that third world countries and poor countries host large populations with bountiful resources and great heritage. This constitutes a safety net for those countries that were able to contribute to maintaining the principles and purposes of the United Nations when drafting the Millennium Declaration.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)