YouSaid · the spoken record

Surin Pitsuwan

lines on the record: 66
first: 1998-09-24
most recent: 2000-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“If we cannot adequately promote and protect the interests of the peoples of the United Nations, then it is time to consider other ways in which the peoples of the United Nations — indeed, our own peoples — can interact directly with the United Nations. Now is the time. Let us rededicate ourselves to the task that we set out to accomplish 55 years ago. Let us strive to become what we were always meant to be — a truly representative body of “We the Peoples of the United Nations”, acting in defence of their welfare and the advancement of their interests above all else. Let us resolve and pledge to each other that we shall be even more united, better prepared and more resilient to meet the challenges of the new millennium together.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It is our fervent hope that at this first General Assembly of the twenty-first century, 55 years after the United Nations held its first meeting, we, the Government representatives of Member States, can move forward in fulfilling our promise made in the United Nations Charter to serve the interests of “We the peoples of the United Nations”. More than ever before, we need to remind ourselves that it is the peoples of our nations who are at the core of all our efforts, whether these be to pursue social and economic 7 development, maintain international peace and security or promote human rights and fundamental freedoms. For if we do not fulfil our task in advancing the cause of protecting the welfare of our peoples, who will?”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In this connection, we are proud of the seventh meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) recently concluded in Bangkok in July, which saw the admission of the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) into our forum. We warmly welcome the Democratic Republic of Korea's participation in the ARF, the only regional forum that brings together all the key countries in the Asia-Pacific region. We are confident that this will strengthen the momentum for regional peace and security in the Asia and Pacific region.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“I should also add that peace operations should be prompt and non-selective as well as being comprehensive in nature. Thailand is therefore honoured to play an important part in United Nations peacekeeping efforts under the United Nations International Force, East Timor (INTERFET) and now under the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), through the contribution of over 1,500 Thai peacekeepers and the role of Lieutenant-General Boonsrang Niumpradit, Force Commander of UNTAET. At the same time, Thailand has always been conscious of the value of regional cooperation in fostering peace and stability and strongly supports regional efforts aimed at confidence-building and promoting preventive diplomacy.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In line with the increased membership of and mounting challenges to this world Organization, Thailand, for one, supports the expansion of both the permanent and non-permanent membership of the Security Council, based on the principle of equitable geographical representation, efficiency and readiness to share responsibilities. Furthermore, Thailand fully supports the reform of United Nations peace operations to ensure their effective conduct and thus the credibility of the United Nations itself. As I mentioned during the Millennium Summit, we strongly support the Brahimi report on United Nations peace operations, for we believe that its recommendations are right on target and constitute achievable and practical steps towards the strengthening of United Nations peace operations worldwide.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“As host to over 100,000 displaced persons and over a million illegal economic migrants, Thailand attaches great importance to this issue and hopes that it will be resolved comprehensively and as soon as possible. While we seek to promote international peace and security from within by building support for the adoption of the human security paradigm among nations, we should also redouble our efforts internationally. We should engage in prompt and effective collective action at the regional and multilateral levels to create conditions of peace and stability. At the Millennium Summit, many leaders spoke of the need and urgency of Security Council reform.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Thailand therefore calls upon the international community to renew its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, in order to ensure that people's interests and welfare are indeed at the centre of our policies and programmes. It is with this conviction that Thailand commits itself to playing an active and responsible role within the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. Drawing strength and inspiration from one of the most democratic constitutions anywhere, we will continue to give our full support to the efforts of the United Nations aimed at the protection and promotion of basic human rights, freedoms and dignity. In this connection, Thailand also calls upon the international community to redouble its efforts to assist displaced persons wherever they may be.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We cannot support human security and effectively pursue people-centred development if we are unable to ensure that people are protected from the worst forms of abuse, suffering and deprivation. We cannot claim to put people at the centre of development efforts if we are unwilling to create political conditions whereby people are able to pursue their lives free from threats to their dignity and personal safety. We cannot expect to develop human potential to the fullest or make people effective contributors to economic development if they cannot have the intellectual freedom to pursue their hopes and dreams for their own future.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“How can we begin to talk about human security, let alone international peace and international security, when 1.2 billion people in the world live on less than 1 US dollar a day, about 90 million children are out of school at the primary level and about 1.2 million women and children under 18 are trafficked for prostitution each year? We therefore advocate freeing people from want by effectively and collectively meeting the challenges posed by poverty, illiteracy, infectious disease, famine, natural disaster, social unrest and disintegration. These are in fact the very same goals that we need to achieve in promoting people-centred development. 6 The achievement of human security also requires the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Human security and people-centred development are two sides of the same coin: they each promote the welfare of peoples in different ways and reinforce one another at the same time. It is gratifying to note that the concept of human security is gaining ground, even though the debates on what constitutes human security are by no means over. Thailand believes that human security can only take firm root if the basic needs of peoples are fulfilled and peoples are free from social and economic threats to their well-being.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Our efforts are not confined to the national level but extend to a wider, regional scale. We have been at the forefront in promoting HRD in the Mekong subregion, for we sincerely believe that the upgrading of human potential is the best way to fight poverty and ensure closer regional cooperation and sustainable development. International peace and security begin at home. If we are able to pursue an all-encompassing notion of security that places the security of peoples at the apex of our considerations, if we can secure for people freedom from want as well as freedom from fear, then the likelihood of threats to international peace and security will be drastically reduced.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Thailand therefore also supports the convening of an international intergovernmental event on financing for development next year at the highest possible level and hopes that feasible and effective measures can be agreed upon to generate greater international financial assistance to support sustainable development and to address poverty. In this connection, we see great value in securing the active participation of the international financial and trade institutions and the private sector, as well as all the NGOs concerned. The most effective way to ensure poverty reduction and promote sustainable development is to empower peoples with the capacity to help themselves. And there is no better way to achieve this than through education and training. Thailand thus attaches great importance to human resources development (HRD).”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We also welcome the contributions of the private sector, such as those of the Global Digital Divide Initiative of the World Economic Forum and the Global Business Dialogue on Electronic Commerce. We hope that more, similar initiatives will be forthcoming so that we, especially the developing part of the world, can overcome the digital divide. Debt problems are also recognized as a serious obstacle to the pursuit of economic and social development, and all countries should be assisted in managing their debt obligations, including through a debt standstill.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“I was astounded to learn that fewer than 2 per cent of the world's population is connected to the Internet, despite all the hype, and that a large portion of mankind have never heard a dial tone. If such discrepancies in information (IT) and/or digital divides are not reversed soon, the developing world will be left far behind the rest of the world. Thailand believes that we should act in concert to maximize the benefits of IT and to ensure that the greatest possible percentage of the world's population is guaranteed IT access. To this end, Thailand fully supports and appreciates the G-8 Okinawa Charter on the Global Information Society to bridge the so-called digital divide.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“UNCTAD is endeavouring to build a new consensus on how to have greater equity and participation by all in the international economy in this era of globalization. In line with the “Spirit of Bangkok” emerging from UNCTAD X, Thailand, as current President of UNCTAD, greatly appreciates the initiative by Japan during the Group of Eight (G-8) Summit in Okinawa and the G-8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Miyazaki in July this year to invite representatives from developing countries as well as regional and international organizations to meet with the G-8 leaders as a means to strengthen North-South cooperation. We are also very appreciative of China's initiative to hold a Sino-African dialogue on development cooperation soon. We are convinced that these initiatives are a step in the right direction.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We also support the proposal for a special session of the General Assembly in 2001 to address this problem. Uplifting peoples from abject poverty and endowing them with appropriate means to lead productive lives are the best guarantees of long-term social stability, and provide a secure foundation for future prosperity and international peace. Poverty reduction is thus at the core of people-centred development and the first step in promoting a more just and equitable global order. The tenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD X), which Thailand had the honour of hosting from 12 to 19 February this year, drew particular attention to the risks of marginalization of the poorest countries in the global economy and of the 5 most vulnerable groups within both developing and developed countries.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We are honoured that Thailand has been cited as one of the success stories in tackling the HIV/AIDS problem in the developing world. Nevertheless, the sustainability of successful national efforts requires strong support and cooperation at the regional and multilateral levels and effective partnerships with non-governmental organizations, including the private sector. In this connection, we hope that regional and international cooperation in preventing and alleviating the HIV/AIDS problem will emphasize the exchange of AIDS-related technologies and state-of-the-art techniques for the prevention and alleviation of this disease, as well as the sharing of knowledge on affordable HIV/AIDS-related drugs. We call on the Secretary-General to enhance his efforts in coordinating international action against HIV/AIDS.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“I am pleased to announce that Thailand and UNDCP will be hosting an International Congress, “In pursuit of a drug free ASEAN 2015: Sharing the vision, leading the change”, in Bangkok from 11 to 13 October this year. We hope to establish an effective coordinating mechanism to tackle the drugs and narcotics problem along all fronts and at all levels, and we hope that the international community will support us in these endeavours. We are gratified that the global problem of HIV/AIDS, which is affecting an increasing number of people in our societies, was given due attention at the Millennium Summit. But international efforts will have to be strengthened and sustained if the international community is to make a dent in a problem that has already affected more than 36 million people worldwide and is reaching epidemic proportions.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It is a global social problem that affects people directly, both users and non-users. While all types of drugs and narcotics are a threat to society, we hope that the international community will give as much attention to the growing threat of methamphethamines as it did to heroin and other drugs in the past. The small size and low cost of producing methamphethamines make them readily accessible to all sectors of society and therefore difficult to suppress. Thailand has spared no effort in tackling the drug and narcotics problem at the national level, and is at the forefront of regional and international cooperation to meet this challenge, with the Association of South- East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP).”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“As part and parcel of the efforts to pursue people- centre development, we must put a premium on tackling those issues, national and transnational, that have a direct impact on people's welfare. I should therefore like to highlight three issues in particular that affect the very essence of the welfare of our peoples: drugs and narcotics-trafficking, HIV/AIDS and poverty alleviation through sustainable development. One of the most unfortunate consequences of globalization is the globalization of the drugs and narcotics problem. Illicit trafficking in and production of narcotics erode an economy's resources, generate a host of social problems and undermine our human potential. These effects are widespread, from the most rural and remote of villages to the most modern of metropolises.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The idea of putting people at the centre of development efforts is not new. But its application has been far from widespread. As various countries slowly recover from the economic and financial crisis in Asia, the value of pursuing people-centred development has become ever greater. This development paradigm considers development as a means to promote people's welfare and interests rather than as an end in itself. It looks beyond quantitative indicators of growth and focuses more on how to nurture the capabilities of people in society so that they are empowered and are able to make positive contributions to a country's development efforts. And it needs to be forward- looking, taking into account the interests and welfare of future, unborn generations.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We need to work collectively to translate commitments made at the Millennium Summit and in other forums into concrete results that reach people directly. Although the recent economic and financial crisis has brought devastating consequences to millions of people across the Asia-Pacific region, it has helped refocus the attention of Governments on the need to protect the most important of any economy's assets, namely, its people. The crisis, by exposing the inadequacies of national social safety nets in protecting the welfare of vulnerable peoples, has raised many difficult questions. In essence, how can one pursue 4 sustainable development and even attempt to attain economic prosperity when the basic needs of people cannot be fulfilled and the potentials of people not fully developed?”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“And we are gratified that many countries have highlighted issues of direct interest to peoples at the Millennium Summit, from reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases to combating the scourge of drugs, from rolling back poverty to closing the educational gaps within and between countries. These are all important steps in the right direction. But we need to do more. We need to adopt a fresh mindset that places the interests and welfare of the peoples — the peoples of our own countries and those of other nations — at the centre of our policies in socio-economic development and in maintaining international peace and security. We need to keep in mind that promoting the interests and welfare of peoples requires that we also promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It is the peoples who should be the primary beneficiaries of every resolution that we adopt and every programme that we launch. As we proceed with the first General Assembly session of this millennium, we should ask ourselves the questions, “Have we indeed put the peoples at the centre of all our deliberations and activities? Have we done enough to ensure that ordinary people, both men and women, young and old, benefit from all our initiatives and actions, collective as well as individual?” We are encouraged that the Secretary-General, in his report to the Millennium Assembly, has highlighted the “peoples' concerns” as one of the primary agenda items for the international community to take up.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“On this occasion, may I, on behalf of the people and the Government of Thailand, extend a warm welcome to Tuvalu on its admission as the newest Member of the United Nations family. The dawn of the new millennium is a time for both justified celebration of and sombre reflection on the achievements and shortcomings of the United Nations during the past 55 years. As we review the United Nations track record, I cannot but recall the very first words written in the United Nations Charter: “We the peoples of the United Nations”. These few simple words convey an idea of overwhelming significance — that it is the peoples of our respective nations who represent the core raison d'être of this foremost assembly of humankind.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“On behalf of the people and the Government of Thailand, I would like to extend my warm congratulations to you, Sir, upon your election to the presidency of the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly. I am confident that under your able guidance, we shall be able to build upon the momentum generated by the Millennium Summit and enjoy a successful and result-oriented General Assembly session. I should also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Mr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, Foreign Minister of Namibia, the President of the fifty-fourth session, for his leadership and tireless efforts throughout the past year. His wisdom and dedication to the tasks of our Assembly enabled him to serve as an effective bridge between the last session and the Millennium Summit, thus laying a firm foundation for our work this year.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The United Nations is already playing a leadership role in realizing this goal at the global level. But the United Nations cannot do it alone. It needs to forge a partnership with the non-governmental sector, especially the private sector and civil society, and with other international organizations. In a sense, our endeavour to define and, indeed, to promote human security has philosophical and practical implications — both positive and negative — for us as sovereign States and for the United Nations as the leading global multilateral Organization. We are embarking on an effort to define what the key role of the United Nations will be in the next millennium. I urge all of us to contribute to this important mission together.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We will consider all these challenges together. We hope to be able to tame the tsunami of globalization and turn it into a benevolent force of reconstruction and equitable distribution of wealth and opportunities, and not the menacing force of destruction and destabilization it has thus far been. I am pleased to report that our preparations for UNCTAD X are going well. I wish to take this opportunity to convey the Thai Government's assurance to all of you in the Assembly that Bangkok will be fully prepared for UNCTAD X in February 2000. Thailand, as the host country, strongly encourages all Member States to consider sending to Bangkok delegations at the highest level possible. Joining hands to promote globalization with a human face is a distinct contribution to promoting human security.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We need to ensure that globalization leads us to, among other things, greater equity among peoples and nations; the easing of social tensions and the strengthening of communities; the inclusion of a greater number of economies as stakeholders and co-partners in the building of the global economy; declining poverty and the reduction of the income gap between the very rich and the very poor; enhanced protection and preservation of our environment; greater protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms; and, perhaps most importantly and very simply, a better life for all peoples. The holding of the tenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development — UNCTAD X — in Thailand in February 2000 will be an important, defining moment in our quest to promote globalization with a human face.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We have emerged from the crisis more competitive, more resilient and better prepared, economically and socially. At the global level, I firmly believe that to meet the challenges of globalization and take the most advantages from its benefits, we must join hands to promote globalization with a human face. This is not a new idea. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has spoken of it. The United Nations, particularly the United Nations Development Programme, has long been a proponent of this concept. Unfortunately, when it was introduced some years ago, it was still considered an idea far beyond its time. If we still find such a concept revolutionary, we are indeed behind the times.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“But, if anything, the crisis has made us even more determined to meet this challenge, which, though primarily financial in nature, has had immense social consequences. We have learned that the multifaceted nature of the challenge of globalization requires a multifaceted response. In our case, besides the traditional economic reforms and adjustments undertaken, we also sought to focus our efforts on addressing the short-term and long-term threats to the viability and welfare both of individuals and of our society. We therefore give strong priority to promoting the establishment of adequate social safety nets and the development of human resources. This strategy puts people at the centre of our national efforts to bring about our economic revival. I can proudly say that our efforts have finally borne fruit.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“But I ask the question: has globalization helped eradicate poverty in the marginalized subregions of the world, or eliminated social and economic inequities even in the developed world? We cannot deny that uncontrolled market forces and unfettered short-term capital flows, to take but a few examples of globalization, have had devastating consequences on our economies, social cohesion, political stability and cultural identity — in many cases for the worse rather than for the better. The events of the recent financial crisis in Asia have brought us face-to-face with the worst consequences of globalization. Millions of adults were unemployed and a large number of children were forced to leave school.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We believe that human beings will begin to enjoy genuine security only if they have a chance to make a living, to be able to stand on their own two feet, to have equal opportunities to develop their livelihoods and to make their own decisions about their own futures. This will not happen so long as people are threatened by socio-economic ills such as poverty, disease, environmental degradation and social vices, including drugs. The need to pursue human security in such a broader and more comprehensive definition is made even more urgent by the multifaceted challenges that we face from unbridled globalization. Granted, globalization has created many important opportunities and benefits, such as the creation of more competitive world markets, which has led to greater efficiencies in production and faster economic growth.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Can we afford to continue to attach less importance to addressing the social and economic dimensions of human security? Can we honestly enjoy genuine security amidst l.3 billion people who live on less than $1 a day, or another 840 million who remain malnourished? Can we fully enjoy freedom from fear without having freedom from want, which emanates from living in an environment free from infectious disease, illiteracy, poverty, natural disaster and social unrest? If we are to give importance to protecting children from harmful effects during times of war, should we not give equal importance to providing children with basic benefits during times of peace? We cannot turn a blind eye to the need to secure for people their freedom from want.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“10 One interpretation of human security in vogue includes upholding human dignity, protecting and promoting human rights and use of humanitarian law, shielding women, children and non-combatants from the effects of armed conflicts, and combating terrorism. We have also seen concerted action to meet these objectives through joint efforts to eradicate anti-personnel landmines, prevent the proliferation of small arms and struggle against organized crime. This somewhat limited interpretation of human security emphasizes physical protection of the human person, and strives to provide human beings with freedom from fear. This is a step in the right direction. But it is not sufficient. We think human security should be more comprehensive.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“But let us not forget that before we can protect and promote those common interests, save rights beyond borders and think about intervention on the ground of humanitarian concerns, we have to make sure that we are in agreement about what it is that we must, that we want to, protect and promote. I propose that we should begin to change our traditional, exclusive preoccupation with the security and sovereignty of States to serious consideration on the emerging concept of human security. It is a concept which attempts to take us beyond the traditional meaning of security, by addressing new issues. The scope of what falls within the realm of human security is still not yet well defined, except to place people at the centre of our definition of security. Security is now people-related more than State-related.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Unless and until we, as the foremost Assembly of mankind, come up with criteria, objective and consensual, the international community will not be able to address the many lurking internal conflicts effectively. The period between now and the millennium summit next September is an opportune time for our collective deliberation on this issue. And I commend the Secretary-General for his leadership role in launching the process of consultation at the beginning of the session. My delegation pledges its full cooperation with him and with all representatives in the Assembly for the successful outcome of this historic search.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“This fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly is being conducted under the menacing shadows of the conflicts in Kosovo and East Timor. All of us are preoccupied with the implications and consequences of the ways in which we choose to handle these conflicts. More and more, we in the international community are being faced with conflicts within States, not between or among States, as in the past. Rather than State rights, State interests, State sovereignty, we now have to grapple with the defence of the common good, the protection of rights beyond borders and intervention to promote and safeguard humanitarian ideals and objectives. Our Organization is now being challenged to provide clear guidelines for the collective pursuit of these new lofty goals and this complex agenda.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Invariably, the traditional security paradigm predominates in the discussions and ensuing actions regarding international peace and security. A decade after the end of the cold war, global and regional organizations tend to focus their efforts primarily on traditional security concepts and related tools for solving security problems. In South-East Asia, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF), which deals with some aspects of security issues in this traditional sense. But the traditional concepts of security are woefully inadequate to meet the new challenges faced by mankind. The very narrow scope of its definition serves as an intellectual strait-jacket which limits our ability to conceptualize and respond to new threats of our time.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“May I on behalf of the Government and people of Thailand congratulate the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru and the Kingdom of Tonga on their admission as new Members of the United Nations, which further reinforces the universal character of the Organization. As we gather on the threshold of the new millennium, we find the United Nations and the international community are still preoccupied with maintaining international peace and security. Yet this is only one of the many purposes of our Organization; to achieving international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all is no less an important goal in our Charter.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“On behalf of the Government and people of Thailand, I extend my warm congratulations to you, Sir, upon your unanimous election to the presidency of the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly. I am confident that with your leadership and experience this session will complete its work successfully and set the stage for the Millennium Assembly and the millennium summit next year. I should also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Mr. Didier Opertti, President of the Assembly at its fifty-third session. My delegation truly appreciates his leadership and his tireless dedication to the heavy responsibilities entrusted to him during the past year.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The fulfilment of our common hopes and aspirations rests not only with the United Nations Organization, but with the united nations of the world. It is up to all of us to make the right choices, to make the difference as humanity prepares to enter the new century with resolve and hope for a better world.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Much uncertainty exists in the way international financial markets work, in the appropriate measures and strategies the international community will need to evolve in response to new economic and political challenges, and, of course, in the age-old problems of war and peace. The United Nations, as always, will have a central role to play in resolving the differences among nations and regions, in ensuring the promotion of international codes of conduct and norms, in strengthening preventive diplomacy and peacekeeping, in bridging the gap between the rich and poor nations, in fighting the scourge of international crime, and in promoting and protecting human rights. The United Nations alone cannot achieve these objectives.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“As the forces of technology, globalization and complex interdependence exert ever greater influence on international relations, the coming epoch will be one of great peril but also of great promise. The past year has shown us that our accomplishments rest on fragile foundations. The world now faces a crossroads. One path offers the choice of working harder to forge ever stronger international cooperation, spurred on by the prospect of continued peace and prosperity. Or we can choose the other path and remain apathetic and complacent, lulled by a sense of our own infallibility. The choice is clear enough. But the challenge will be to translate all the good intentions into effective action.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“As food for thought, I would like to reiterate my delegation?s view that, for the next decade, international drug-control efforts should focus on the problem of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) as well as on ways and means to prevent the diversion of precursors used for illicit drug production. This idea was recently agreed upon by members of the Non-Aligned Movement at the summit in South Africa. We urge all States to cooperate in eliminating the supply of ATS and precursors, the illicit market for which is now much larger than that for drugs derived from narcotic crops, the natural sources. As we approach the new century, it is becoming clear that we are also entering a new epoch in human history, unlike any that has gone before.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“On the occasion of the twentieth special session of the General Assembly in June, Thailand joined with other signatory countries of the 1993 memorandum of understanding on drug control to issue a joint Declaration reaffirming our strong determination to fight the narcotics problem. The following month, in July 1998, Thailand and its fellow ASEAN members issued a joint declaration stating our intention to achieve a drug-free ASEAN by the year 2020. Thailand?s success in opium-supply reduction is a matter of record. But effective drug control also requires demand reduction, towards which the Thai Government is also undertaking various national measures. Accordingly, we welcome the Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction adopted at the special session earlier this year.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“My delegation has learned with great pleasure of the rapid process of ratification by signatory States, which would result in the Ottawa Convention entering into force less than six months from now. As a signatory State, Thailand looks forward to ratifying the Convention in the near future. A more insidious but no less destructive threat to humanity is the scourge of narcotics. We all know the corrosive effects that drugs have on the fabric of society, the lives and dreams they shatter on a daily basis. Yet for all our efforts, the problem has never been completely eradicated. My Government has therefore made the fight against narcotics a high national priority.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Thailand thus joined with nine other South-East Asian nations in signing the South-East Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, which has already come into force. We are hopeful that the nuclear-weapon States will support our endeavours in this regard by acceding to the Protocol of that Treaty. Thailand also hopes for South-East Asia and the world to be free of anti-personnel landmines. Multilateral attempts to address the problem should not be confined merely to the banning and destruction of landmines. The international community must also tackle other equally important related issues, including the provision of financial and technical assistance on demining to mine-affected countries as well as humanitarian assistance to victims of landmines.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We will also continue to support, financially and materially, the activities of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, in spite of financial difficulties at home. Even as we continue our efforts to dismantle and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, we must continue to work towards reducing the conditions that would prompt their use in the first place. Confidence-building 26 through closer dialogue and interaction must be a core component of any effort to build lasting peace. For nuclear weapons, the task of disarmament cannot be left to only the nuclear Powers. The global community must also bring pressure to bear to emphasize that nuclear arms have no place in confidence-building efforts.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“One statistic I saw in this year?s Human Development Report was at once startling and disheartening. It indicated that just last year the nations of the world spent a total of $6 billion on basic education for their people, $9 billion dollars on water and sanitation, $13 billion on basic health and nutrition, and a staggering $780 billion on military expenditures. Of the potentially most devastating threats to humanity, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction remains particularly worrisome. Thailand is fully committed to the multilateral effort towards disarmament. We welcome the establishment of the Department for Disarmament Affairs, under the leadership of Under-Secretary-General Jayantha Dhanapala, as part of the Secretary-General?s reform measures approved by the General Assembly last year.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)