YouSaid · the spoken record

des Iles

lines on the record: 49
first: 1993-09-24
most recent: 1995-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

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“have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims.” In a spirit of global partnership, we must renew our resolve, in accordance with the principles and purposes of the Charter, to ensure the realization of the objectives for which the Organization was established: peace, equality, justice and development for all. Trinidad and Tobago pledges to work with others to confront the challenges that face our Organization as we move towards the twenty-first century.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The failure, in particular, of the largest contributor to pay its legally assessed contributions has placed the Organization on the brink of insolvency. There must therefore be a greater commitment on the part of all Member States to meet their obligations, as well as a greater manifestation of will to resolve the overall financial situation of the United Nations. Unless we demonstrate this commitment, the paeans of praise with which we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary will have a very hollow ring. At this fiftieth anniversary of the Organization, let us recall the opening words of the United Nations Charter: “We the peoples of the United Nations ...”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“It is but a means to an end, and it will only be meaningful if we are united in the view that a strengthened and revitalized United Nations is an imperative, given the inescapable reality of today’s global village; that the world of the future will need more, not fewer, effective international collaborative mechanisms to confront common threats; and that the United Nations remains the only available instrument for the necessary global effort required to tackle these challenges. The critical financial situation of the United Nations must be a source of concern to all Member States. The Secretary-General has described with increasing urgency and frustration the difficulties he is facing in carrying out the tasks entrusted to him because of a lack of the necessary resources.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Trinidad and Tobago is of the view that the elements of the reform exercise currently before the Assembly constitute a good basis for a more effective United Nations. Indeed, Member States must use the momentum provided by this fiftieth-anniversary session to reach an agreement to expand the Security Council so as to enhance its legitimacy and effectiveness, to resolve the critical financial situation of the United Nations, to complete an action-oriented and comprehensive Agenda for Development with adequate and predictable resources for its implementation, and to strike a reasonable balance between resources for peace-keeping and for development. Reform, however, cannot be an end in itself.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Trinidad and Tobago therefore wishes to reiterate the particular importance we attach to the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States. In the Caribbean, recent devastating hurricanes have once again dramatically demonstrated the fragility of the ecosystems and the vulnerability of the economies of small islands. We are grateful to those Member States which have joined CARICOM countries in providing emergency assistance, and we appeal to the international community to continue its support for reconstruction efforts in the affected countries. The General Assembly will be called upon at this session to make several critical decisions relating to the future of the United Nations system.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Indeed, to do anything less within the agenda for development would be a denial of the fact that globalization has now placed an even greater responsibility on the major developed countries to ensure that their macroeconomic policies are favourable to growth and development in the rest of the world. Trinidad and Tobago is also of the view that the agenda for development offers an opportunity to develop 11 the global partnership for sustainable development and to promote the implementation of the agreements reached at the Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro in 1992. In this process, the special situation and needs of small island developing States and the recognition of their environmental vulnerability must receive priority attention.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Trinidad and Tobago is committed to free trade and to placing its economy on a development path compatible with the demands of the new global order. However, as the challenges of globalization have demonstrated, national policies are not enough. To achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development we need a supportive and favourable international economic environment as well as a fair, open and non- discriminatory trading system, one which recognizes that small and vulnerable economies like our own are at a particular disadvantage because of our size and the lack of economies of scale. No effort must therefore be spared to ensure that we are provided with the necessary market access so critical to our trade-expansion and development objectives.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The Beijing Conference, along with the other global conferences held at Rio, Barbados, Cairo and Copenhagen, have served to buttress the case for an integrated approach to sustainable development, which must be informed by environmental, social, demographic, gender and human- resource considerations. The agenda for development must therefore seek to implement and fulfil, in an integrated manner, the commitments arising out of these Conferences. Within the agenda for development particular consideration must also be given to assisting developing countries, especially those with small and vulnerable economies in advancing their economic transformation and in facilitating their greater participation in the world economy.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“An agenda which continues to address traditional development problems while simultaneously tackling the questions of protectionism, capital flows, reform of the international economic decision-making processes and management of the global economy must be the focus of our efforts. At the recent Fourth World Conference on Women at Beijing, the international community recognized the crucial role that women play in the development process and acknowledged that effective international cooperation for development will remain an elusive goal unless women can participate fully in the political, economic and social life of their respective societies.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Some of these will continue to require a national approach, but the great majority of them are beyond the limits of national action and thus require a common commitment, a common approach, and a call to global neighbourhood action. The notion of shared responsibilities and the recognition of the need for mechanisms for collective action are the raison d’être of the United Nations system. A coordinated and integrated United Nations system that is focused and adequately funded thus remains the best hope for effectively dealing with these myriad and complex development challenges. I can think of no better way to refocus and recommit the United Nations to the goals of development and global security for all than through the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive action-oriented agenda for development.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“I have already alluded to the need to achieve greater balance in United Nations activities in the fields of peace- keeping and development. The need for such a balance assumes even greater urgency when one recognizes that to an increasing extent the nature, scope and complexity of development challenges today are beyond the limits and control of the nation State. To the traditionally elusive development problems of persistent poverty, debilitating debt, declining levels of official development assistance, unemployment, demographic pressures and the worsening income gap and terms of trade between developed and developing countries, one must add the new and additional challenges of environmental degradation and globalization.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“At the last Conference of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government, held at Georgetown from 4 to 7 July, Trinidad and Tobago was pleased to welcome Suriname as the fourteenth member of the Caribbean Community. The successful inaugural summit meeting of the Association of Caribbean States, which was held at Port of Spain from 17 to 18 August 1995, has also opened a new chapter in the history of cooperation among countries of the wider Caribbean. The adoption of the Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action on Tourism, Trade and Transportation provides a practical blueprint to foster development and enhance economic integration among all countries of the Caribbean. In this context, Trinidad and Tobago reiterates the importance we attach to the full reintegration of Cuba in the Western Hemisphere.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Emphasis has also been placed on the reform of the public sector and the provision of basic infrastructure in order to ensure the efficient delivery of reliable, high- quality services, the progressive restructuring of our educational system so as to put in place a sustainable human-resource development programme which would respond to the new challenges and needs of our development, and the employment of social policies aimed at protecting the most vulnerable in our society. In order to succeed, however, these measures must be complemented by a supportive regional and international environment. For small States, regional integration is an imperative, and, increasingly, regional cooperation systems are seen as providing the essential building blocks on which to construct hemispheric and wider 10 international cooperation.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Our development focus has been on the pursuit of a sound macroeconomic policy based on a number of measures, which include a disciplined fiscal stance and the consistent implementation of an orderly and broad- based divestment programme, the enactment of structural and legislative reforms designed to provide an environment for the growth of a resilient and internationally competitive private sector and one conducive to greater foreign investment, the liberalization of the trade and exchange-rate regimes aimed at enhancing our competitiveness and a comprehensive programme of reform of the domestic financial system.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations will be a time for reflection and re-examination of the activities of the Organization, not only as they relate to conflict situations but, equally, in the field of development as a necessary precondition for peace and as the best guarantee of long-term stability. At the national level, Trinidad and Tobago has undertaken a programme of economic reform and restructuring of the economy, which is almost complete.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“These shipments continue to take place despite the potentially catastrophic effects on small island developing States, whose fragile and vulnerable economies are overwhelmingly dependent on their marine and coastal resources, and who possess neither the resources nor the capability to deal with possible accidents of this nature. My delegation would therefore like to reiterate the priority concern which we attach to this issue, and to urge the shipment countries to respect the wishes of the small island developing States and other en route States, which have called for an end to these shipments through their archipelagic and territorial waters as well as their exclusive economic zones.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The Conference also adopted a number of principles and objectives, one of which called for the completion of a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty no later than the third quarter of 1996. It was also the understanding of the international community that there would be no further nuclear tests, pending the entry into force of that treaty. Trinidad and Tobago has joined other parties to the Tlatelolco and Rarotonga Treaties in rejecting current nuclear testing by some nuclear-weapon States, and appeals to those States to heed the mounting requests to cease nuclear testing. Related to our environmental concerns over nuclear testing is the equally critical issue of the marine transport of irradiated nuclear fuel, plutonium and high-level radioactive wastes.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“It represents another significant advance in the process towards lasting peace in the region. As for the former Yugoslavia, we are encouraged by the efforts on the part of all sides in the conflict to come to the negotiating table, and we express the hope that this development will significantly advance the process towards peace and stability in that war-torn region. On the African continent, the spirit of reconciliation which has prevailed in some areas of conflict gives us hope that some of the seemingly more intractable problems can also be resolved. The international community must fulfil its responsibilities in assisting the process. Earlier this year the States parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons decided to extend the Treaty indefinitely.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“In this regard, we welcome the recently held legislative and local elections in Haiti, which, in spite of difficulties, saw thousands of Haitians assemble peacefully and safely to cast their ballots. We are confident that these developments will serve to enhance Haiti’s efforts to consolidate democracy, and will assist in the process of national reconciliation. The international community must continue to assist the Government and people of Haiti in the post- emergency period and in their long-term efforts to achieve economic and social reconstruction. In the Middle East, Trinidad and Tobago welcomes the interim agreement between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization on the expansion of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank, which was signed in Washington, D.C. on 28 September 1995.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“However, despite the failure to meet growing expectations, the United Nations can be justly proud of many of its achievements in the field of peace-keeping, in the restoration of democracy, and in its response to emergency situations. The successes in Central America, Cambodia, Namibia, Mozambique and South Africa bear ample testimony to the effective role the United Nations can play in the advancement of peace, justice and security. In our region, the cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of American States in the 9 restoration of the democratically elected President of Haiti shows what can be accomplished once the necessary political will exists in support of such actions.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The most dramatic of these changes was the end of the cold war, which engendered a certain optimism that there would be an anticipated peace dividend which would provide impetus to international cooperation for development. Unfortunately this was not to be. The end of the cold war triggered an almost unprecedented surge of ethnic and nationalist conflict, which proceeded to consume much of the attention and resources of the international community. Our Organization has had to adapt quickly to meet these challenges. There was a sudden and meteoric rise in the volume and, indeed, the complexity of United Nations peace-keeping activities. The Organization has had its share of successes and disappointments.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We are also particularly pleased to welcome the small island State of Palau as the one hundred and eighty- fifth Member of the United Nations. Most States represented in this Hall were not present at the historic signing of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco 50 years ago, but on gaining independence they applied for membership in this Organization as an essential part of their quest for a secure and stable international environment and improved standards of living. Trinidad and Tobago, a small democratic State, which gained its independence in 1962, was no exception. Since 1962, when we became a Member of the United Nations, there have been profound changes in international relations and consequent increases in the responsibilities of this Organization.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“It is a great honour for me to extend to you, Sir, warmest congratulations, on behalf of the delegation of Trinidad and Tobago, on your election as President of this session of the General Assembly. The celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations and the urgent need to respond to a number of major questions facing the Organization make this a singularly important year. We are confident that with your vision and leadership you will guide this historic Assembly session to a successful conclusion. My delegation would also like to express its deep appreciation to your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Amara Essy of Côte d’Ivoire, for the able manner in which he presided over the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“As we approach our fiftieth anniversary, we the States Members of the United Nations must remain steadfast in our support for the fundamental purposes and principles which have promoted order and security in the world community. We must also meet the challenges and grasp the opportunities presented by the altered global environment. Forty-eighth session - 12 October l993 5 Let us forge ahead, confident in our ability to work together and to succeed in advancing the cause of peace and development.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“However, while it will be readily agreed that any organization must be provided with the resources it needs to carry out its functions, it must also be admitted that there is a growing imbalance between the demands being made upon the United Nations and the ability of a growing number of States to meet the cost of these demands. This is particularly the case with the peace-keeping budget, which in 1993 is expected to be almost three times the amount of the regular budget. The United Nations is now in a critical period of adjustment and reorientation. Trinidad and Tobago concurs with the view that there must be improvements in the administrative and operational performance of the United Nations in all its activities. Transparency and accountability must be the watchwords of the Organization.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“As is often the case, increased levels of illicit trafficking have led to widespread drug abuse and an accompanying rise in other crimes. We note that this problem continues to plague a growing number of nations and therefore urge that higher priority be given to the United Nations programmes designed to combat this menace. The United Nations has not been provided with the financial resources needed to implement its legislative mandates. We have now exhausted some of the funds from which relief was frequently obtained in past years, resulting in a serious threat to the daily operations of the Organization.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The World Conference on Population and Development in 1994, the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 and the preparations for these Conferences, will also contribute significantly to a strengthened economic and social agenda within the United Nations. In addition, it is our hope that substantive preparations for the 1995 World Summit for Social Development will reinforce the importance of focusing on the ultimate objective of our development policies and programmes: the well-being and advancement of people. Trinidad and Tobago intends to follow closely the high-level plenary discussions to be held on international cooperation in the fight against drug abuse and illicit drug- trafficking. Our country has fallen victim to the increased transit of illegal drugs through its territory.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Positive recognition should instead be given to their greater propensity for attracting a disproportionate share of environmental damage. Trinidad and Tobago hopes that adequate concessional funds will be provided for the sustainable-development activities of the small island developing States, as an important complement to initiatives taken at the national and regional levels. The urgency that developing countries, such as my own, attach to the elaboration of the proposed agenda for development signals the importance we attach to achieving a proper balance in the level of resources devoted to political and security questions and those allocated to economic and social programmes.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The 1994 Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island States presents the next important opportunity for the international community to demonstrate the continued political will to fulfil the commitments undertaken at the Earth Summit in 1992. For small island nations like Trinidad and Tobago, this Global Conference, to be held in Barbados in April of next year, is critical to our efforts to forge, with the assistance of the international community, appropriate strategies for the implementation of Agenda 21, as it pertains to our specific situation. We strongly believe that small States should not be penalized for their limited capacity to inflict major damage on the global environment.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“As regards the latter, Trinidad and Tobago has steered the steady course of trade liberalization but, like many other developing nations, has encountered persistent restrictions in the markets of the industrialized countries. It is hoped that the formation of mega-trading blocs will not compound these difficulties further. We witnessed the application of the principle of global partnership in the convening of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and the adoption of Agenda 21 in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. To date the first important steps have been taken towards the implementation of the comprehensive programme of activities for sustainable development contained in Agenda 21.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“However, Trinidad and Tobago also shares the perspective of the Secretary-General, as stated in his 1993 report on the work of the Organization, that 4 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session "States and their sovereignty are increasingly recognized as indispensable building-blocks of international order and problem-solving." (A/48/1, para. 13) While all credible entities should be allowed to contribute to their greatest potential towards our shared objectives, States must not be deprived of the proper tools of governance and the opportunity to utilize them effectively on the basis of considered national strategies and priorities. The concept of partnership must apply equally to the area of development finance and to trade.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“It should also include recommendations for strengthening the capacity of this Organization to enhance international cooperation in these fields and to promote the advancement of developing countries. At its forty-seventh session the General Assembly reaffirmed that development is a shared responsibility. If our collective war on poverty, disease, unemployment and other challenges to development is to succeed, it must also be undertaken on the basis of a true partnership, a partnership involving individuals, States, regional and international organizations and non-governmental entities, for we must engender a sense of inclusion among all of society’s economic and social actors, while giving due recognition to their respective roles and responsibilities.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“The same spirit of cooperation and activism which now characterizes the United Nations approach to political and security questions must also impel the international community to address economic and social questions with an equal sense of urgency. The United Nations agenda for development, which the Secretary-General has been mandated to prepare, must be given priority attention in the year ahead. In this context, and with the aim of forging a new partnership in the quest for solutions to global economic problems, it may be opportune to consider the convening of a world economic summit. Trinidad and Tobago is of the view that the United Nations agenda for development should not be restricted to providing guidelines for future action by the United Nations in the economic and social sectors.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“This reality, and the structural adjustment policies which have had to be implemented in support of long-term development, have resulted in serious dislocations in the short term. The ranks of the unemployed have grown to approximately 20 per cent and there is an increasing need to provide safety nets for the more vulnerable in this society at a time when government revenue continues to fall. Further, Trinidad and Tobago’s very capacity to provide sufficient social services to those not in a position to make the burdensome sacrifices required of the general population has also been severely hampered by onerous debt-servicing payments. These challenges which we are experiencing in Trinidad and Tobago are widely shared by other developing countries.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Poverty, unemployment and crime are increasingly threatening the very fabric of societies and are clamouring for the concerted attention of the international community. The United Nations must heed this call since, as stated by the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali: "social peace is as important as strategic or political peace". (A/47//277, para. 59) This issue is of utmost importance to Trinidad and Tobago, which has not been spared the ravaging effects of a decline in economic activity. The price of the single product which represents the mainstay of our economy, and which accounts for more than 40 per cent of government revenue and over 80 per cent of foreign exchange earnings, has been in steady decline.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Trinidad and Tobago deplores the vicious attacks on the peace-keeping forces of the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II), which could ultimately derail efforts to restore peace and security to the country and frustrate the attainment by the Somali people of their goals and aspirations. We also support the call for urgent steps to be taken to ensure the safety and security of the tens of thousands of men and women who are engaged in these difficult and dangerous United Nations peace-keeping operations around the world. The extent of human suffering and instability now being experienced as a consequence of general economic stagnation is as disconcerting and disheartening as that visited upon us by war and strife. Many communities are in the midst of economic and social crisis.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“In the early stages of United Nations involvement in the country it was faced with a unique combination of factors, including massive starvation and famine, widespread violence, the ready availability among the populace of weaponry of varying sophistication, and a total absence of any centralized authority. Today, with the assistance of the United Nations and other organizations, Somalis of good will can be proud of the successes achieved in breaking the backbone of the devastating famine and in making significant, though limited, strides towards the restoration of civil government and political reconciliation. It is impossible, however, to be oblivious to the major military engagements in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, which have led to tragic loss of life and have seriously imperilled the United Nations operation in that limited area.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Notwithstanding the efforts of the United Nations Protection Force and the various international and non-governmental humanitarian organizations, thousands continue to starve, are expelled from their homes and regions, or perish at the hands of perpetrators of genocide and "ethnic cleansing". Yet, despite threats of punishment on the part of the Security Council, these and other atrocities are committed with impunity, while violent attempts to dismember the sovereign State of Bosnia and Herzegovina persist. The United Forty-eighth session - 12 October l993 3 Nations can ill afford to fail Bosnia and Herzegovina, for that failure will have serious repercussions in the region and beyond, as well as repercussions for the Organization. We have also witnessed alarming developments in Somalia.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Dante Caputo, as well as the able staff of the international Civilian Mission in Haiti for their invaluable contribution towards resolving the crisis. Developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Somalia are among the more worrisome of those in which the United Nations has been involved, particularly in view of the Organization’s inability to stem the tide of violence and suffering. United Nations interventions in these areas are also increasingly being regarded as test cases for the new United Nations of the post-cold-war era. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the horror and savagery of the persistent attacks on innocent civilians, particularly on the Muslim population, have elicited entirely inadequate responses from the international community.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“It is therefore only fitting that this Organization, with the consent of the legitimate government of Haiti, should provide maximum support to efforts to guarantee a peaceful return to democracy and national reconciliation in that country, without which those dreams would not be realized. Trinidad and Tobago is concerned at the serious deterioration in the situation in Haiti since the welcome signing in July of this year of the Governors Island Agreement and the New York Pact. We deplore the flagrant violations of human rights and the blood-letting, which must be stopped. We express the hope that international efforts to establish a new police force in Haiti and to professionalize its armed forces will lead to greater guarantees of life and liberty in Haiti. My delegation takes this opportunity to commend the Special Envoy for Haiti, Mr.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Trinidad and Tobago therefore joins in celebrating a reinvigorated United Nations, which is seeking to have a more meaningful impact on the lives of the world’s peoples. Trinidad and Tobago applauds the heightened involvement of the United Nations in the effort to restore democracy to Haiti and to secure the safe return of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to the helm of a legitimate constitutional government. The United Nations, with its active involvement in the organization of the 1990 elections in Haiti, facilitated the free expression by the Haitian people of their unfulfilled dreams and yearnings for freedom and a decent standard of life.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We will also rejoice with them in their victory as we anxiously await the dawn of a free, just, non-racial and prosperous society in South Africa. Here at the United Nations let us seek to emulate the courage and statesmanship recently demonstrated by the major political actors in the Middle East and South Africa. We too must seize the opportunities for peace and seek to employ fully the machinery at our disposal in the active pursuit of a better future. Amid the growing anxieties and insecurities pervading many societies, member States have a collective responsibility to the millions around the globe who continue to repose much faith and hope in this Organization and its ability to address successfully the myriad political, economic, environmental and social problems now confronting us all.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We also hope that, in time, the advancement of greater economic and social equity in South Africa will mitigate, and eventually resolve, other problems that are the legacy of apartheid, including the rampant and widespread violence which threatens the process of transformation in the country. Over the years the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago have faithfully monitored the progress of the South African people on their arduous journey to this critical point in their history. We have adhered assiduously to the various sanctions and other restrictive measures adopted against South Africa by the United Nations. Within our limited means we have also extended a helping hand to the victims of apartheid. Trinidad and Tobago has shared in the anguish of South Africans in their long struggle against the racist system of apartheid.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“We therefore join the call for an enhanced United Nations presence in South Africa, a presence that is urgently needed prior to the elections of April 1994. Trinidad and Tobago is taking the necessary steps to implement the decision taken on 8 October by the Assembly to lift economic sanctions against South Africa (resolution 48/1). It is our hope that the international community will respond positively and generously to this historic decision; and that it will quickly lead to the provision of ample financial and technical assistance, as well as to appropriate investments, that will allow a new non-racial Government to begin redressing the grave inequalities in all aspects of life in South Africa.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Given the centrality of the Palestinian question to the conflict in the Middle East, all parties need to work indefatigably to translate this initial success into a comprehensive and durable peace for the region. A similar concerted response on the part of the United Nations and the international community will be imperative in assisting the people of South Africa in their transition to a united, democratic, non-racial South Africa. After more than 45 years of anguished attention to the despair, suffering and injustice in that country, the provision of token measures of assistance would be unacceptable. If the world is to give any credence to the United Nations new thrust towards post-conflict peace-building, a tangible commitment to the success of the transition in South Africa needs to be made.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“Who among us could have anticipated that, in the midst of current growing tensions and conflicts worldwide, such sworn enemies in the perennial theatre of conflict in the Middle East would have conceded so much in the pursuit of a better future? In today’s troubled times, these bold partners in peace have renewed the faith of many the world over in the capacity of diplomacy, political will and enlightened self-interest to overcome decades of hatred, mistrust and fear. We all recognize the tremendous difficulties and challenges ahead. Trinidad and Tobago wishes these leaders well and urges active United Nations involvement in assisting all parties concerned in a smooth transition from a state of belligerence to one of cooperation and peaceful co-existence.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“All States, particularly the more vulnerable among us, can derive much hope and encouragement from the developments of September 1993, which set the course for a new relationship between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization and improved prospects for peace in the Middle East. The historic exchange of letters of recognition between Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Chairman Yasser Arafat, and the subsequent signing of the Palestinian-Israeli agreement, which extends limited interim self-government to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and in Jericho in the West Bank, constitute a momentous development in the turbulent and violent history of the region.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“My delegation joins in welcoming the six newest Members admitted into this family of nations in 1993: Andorra, the Czech Republic, Eritrea, Monaco, the Slovak Republic and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. These new Members, all of which are relatively small, can draw some inspiration from the election to the presidency of the General Assembly of a representative from Guyana, the smallest developing country in terms of population, ever to assume that position. For indeed, small States must continue to be afforded every opportunity to be full and active contributors to the collective search for peace, security and economic and social advancement for all.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)
“It is with immense pride that I congratulate you, Sir, on behalf of the Government and the people of Trinidad and Tobago, on your unanimous election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session. Your election to this important position is a tribute to the active and constructive role played by Guyana in international affairs over the years. It is also a tribute to your own personal integrity and diplomatic acumen. As a fellow representative of a member State of the Caribbean Community, I am confident that you will bring to the deliberations ahead the necessary measure of impartiality and astuteness that will be indispensable in reconciling the differing views on the many complex issues before us.”
1993-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 48 (1993)