YouSaid · the spoken record

Allen

lines on the record: 38
first: 1994-09-24
most recent: 1995-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

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

“We face more tensions in more places: increasing degradation of the quality of human life and even more complex issues 15 of international laws and ethics, management and practical cooperation. It is therefore clear that the United Nations system is in greater demand than ever before. As we commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of this great Organization, let us work in harmony and ensure that the United Nations is adequately prepared to face the challenges of an even more complex world. We must never forget that the United Nations is a reflection of the real world. If an ugly image appears, one should not blame the mirror.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“At the same time, the thawing of the cold war triggered long-suppressed tensions and conflicts in many parts of the world. Serious global economic and social problems, ranging from poverty, over-population, refugees and migration, to unemployment, drug-trafficking and environmental decline, have affected many societies on an unprecedented scale. Despite the dramatically diminished threat of a nuclear war, the world of the 1990s turns out to be a far more unstable place than many had hoped. The reality of global interdependence, while promising new opportunities for cooperation and exchange, reminds us all too often of our shared and persistent problems.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We are firmly convinced that only integrated regional and international efforts can effectively address the drug problem, and accordingly stress the need for increased local, regional and international cooperation. Greater emphasis should be placed on programmes that generate employment and income for persons attracted to drug production and trafficking as a means of livelihood. With the end of the cold war, the international community, freed of the ideological and other constraints of the East-West struggle, saw new opportunities to respond more effectively to longstanding problems that had defied resolution because of super-Power rivalries. There was optimistic talk of the “peace-dividend”, and the Security Council acted with unprecedented consensus and momentum on many issues.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Comprising some 200 million ethnically and culturally diverse peoples, the ACS will serve as a vehicle to promote the implementation of policies and programmes designed to harness, utilize and develop the potential of the Caribbean Sea, promote and enhance economic space for trade and investment opportunities, and establish and augment, as appropriate, institutional structures and cooperative arrangements responsive to the various cultural identities within the region. My Government totally condemns the illicit production, trafficking and consumption of drugs. These harbingers of violent crimes and corruption create a serious menace to the health and well-being of our economies and our people, threaten our democratic institutions, and endanger national and regional security.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has already seen its active involvement and participation at the regional level in the Caribbean as an indispensable dimension of its role as a member of the international community. We have consistently defined our objective to become members of our various institutional bodies as a logical and natural culmination of our international vocation. This definition is rooted in our country’s political, social and economic realities, as they have been shaped by our historical and cultural heritage. As a member of the recently established Association of Caribbean States (ACS), we are indeed delighted to be given a greater opportunity to strengthen relations with our Latin American neighbours.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The powerful multinational companies which are seeking to reverse the special arrangements under the Lomé Convention already control over 80 per cent of the world market. More profits for multinational companies must not be to the detriment of the small islands striving to maintain democracy. The destruction of the Caribbean banana industry will create economic and social havoc nationally and regionally, and will undoubtedly have severe repercussions at the international level. We recognize the momentum for free trade, but see no reason why, as obtains with issues related to other agricultural regions, of various countries, we cannot be given the time to adjust and restructure our economies.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We also wish to express our sympathy to the Government and the people of the United States of America, and more specifically the families of those who lost their lives in the senseless bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma earlier this year. Our small and fragile States are now being threatened by another type of disaster — an economic disaster, with mounting pressures being exerted by very powerful forces which appear not to understand the importance of the banana industry to our very survival. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the other banana producing countries of the Windward Islands are limited to a mere three per cent of the world market trade in the commodity.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The Prime Minister, Sir James Mitchell, in his capacity as current Chairman of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), along with Prime Minister Compton of Saint Lucia and Prime Minister Arthur of Barbados, immediately embarked on a tour of the islands which were severely hit. 14 A national effort was mobilized in my own country for relief supplies. My delegation takes this opportunity to call for further external assistance, which remains crucial. On behalf of the Government and people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, I wish to convey our profound sympathy to the Governments and the peoples of the islands affected, particularly to the families of those who lost their lives as a result of Hurricanes Luis and Marilyn.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“My delegation fully supports a peaceful resolution of the conflict that has plagued that region of the world for so many years. The Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States was of great importance to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The vulnerability of small island States such as ours is of grave concern and we eagerly look forward to the implementation of the Programme of Action agreed to in Barbados in 1994. Less than one month ago, the Caribbean region felt the impact of several storms and hurricanes which severely ravaged our sister islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Saint Maarten, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. In the spirit of Caribbean brotherhood, the entire rest of the region came to the support of those affected.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“In January 1995, the Secretary-General issued a Supplement to his “Agenda for Peace” of 1992, which highlighted new kinds of United Nations operations to deal with the outbreak of ethnic and religious wars within newly independent States. It is the fervent hope of my delegation that a lasting peace will come to the troubled regions of the world, particularly to Bosnia and Herzegovina. One can recall when the despicable system of apartheid was demolished in South Africa, just over a year ago. It therefore behoves us to eradicate such evil thoughts as “ethnic cleansing” from the minds of men in other parts of the world. Let me take this opportunity to applaud the efforts of the Israeli Government and the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to pursue peace talks despite the efforts of terrorists to derail the process.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Not only has the Republic of China on Taiwan achieved economic success but, in a few years, its political system has evolved from one characterized by authoritarian rule into one based on democratic principles. We cannot preach about the universality of the United Nations while at the same time ignoring the aspirations of over 21 million people. It is more than time for the Republic of China on Taiwan to be given the opportunity to make a tangible contribution to the work of the United Nations. My delegation reiterates its strong commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes among States. The Gulf War is now behind us, but the international community must continue to recognize the potential for conflict that still exists in that part of the world.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“It is the view of the delegation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which we also expressed at the last session, that the time has come for serious consideration to be given to the eligibility of the Republic of China on Taiwan to become a Member of the United Nations. Our position is based on the principle of universality and in accordance with the established model of parallel representation of divided countries. We have recognized the several parts of the former Yugoslavia, and this model should continue to guide our policy. My delegation believes that the Republic of China on Taiwan is fully equipped to play an expanded role in the world economic arena. Its successful development experience can indeed serve as a reference for developing countries.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“Women also have equal access to the political process and enjoy equal pay for equal work. Moreover, my Government amended the constitution to give women citizenship rights equal to those previously accorded only to men. Adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter and the right to self-determination of the world’s peoples remain among the fundamental principles of the Charter. This is reflected in the growing membership of the Organization. The Republic of China on Taiwan, which was once a Member of this body, still finds itself on the outside, knocking persistently at the doors of our chambers.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“To preserve the credibility of all United Nations peace operations, personnel must be protected as they 13 carry out the duties that the international community has sent them to accomplish. The recently concluded Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, has certainly served to raise the level of consciousness worldwide on the many problems that women still encounter in many countries of the United Nations. It is now evident that, even in those countries where legislation has opened the road to equality and equity, traditional attitudes continue to impede this process. I am happy to report that in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, women have been given the opportunity to lead. Over 40 per cent of the top administrative posts in our civil service are held by women.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“We are cognizant of the urgent need to address the deteriorating finances of this great Organization. Since the end of the cold war, funds for development in poorer countries have been drastically reduced, and peace-keeping demands now compete for the limited funds available. In his recent report on the work of the Organization, the Secretary-General revealed that Member States owed the Organization approximately $3.6 billion. Let us all work together to address this issue of arrears, which seriously impairs the effectiveness of the United Nations. The role of peace-keeping forces will have to be redefined. My delegation is concerned when lightly armed peace-keepers or unarmed aid workers on a humanitarian mission are threatened, taken hostage, harmed, or even killed.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“My delegation is supportive of United Nations reform initiatives. We must redouble our efforts to ensure a more efficient United Nations system that will respond effectively to security and humanitarian needs, promote human rights, and build the capacity for sustainable development. Central to our concerns is the importance of ensuring democracy in the United Nations. If this Organization’s moral authority is to be preserved in an increasingly democratized world, it is inescapable that its own processes must be made more democratic. It is therefore imperative, as we consider the enlargement of the Security Council, that the existing geographic imbalance be noted, and that the five regions of the world be adequately represented. My delegation calls for a more effective and efficient United Nations.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“I wish, on behalf of my country, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, to congratulate Mr. Diogo Freitas do Amaral on his election as President of the General Assembly. He assumes the presidency on the historic occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations. Commendation is in order too for His Excellency Mr. Amara Essy of Côte d’Ivoire, for the competence and sensitivity he displayed as he presided over the last session. Let us also take this opportunity to express to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Boutros Boutros- Ghali, our profound gratitude for the efforts which he has made so far to achieve greater flexibility, and for the enhancement of the capability of this world body to meet the new challenges posed by the seismic upheavals taking place in the international arena.”
1995-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 50 (1995)
“The cost of such operations is beginning to prove quite burdensome for both the Organization and its Member States, especially those, like Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with a limited resource base. We look forward to efforts to alleviate the financial burden placed on small developing States by the frequent deployment of such operations. Today, as we prepare to mark an important milestone in the history of the United Nations, and as we approach the beginning of the twenty-first century, we look forward to a world where democracy, peace, sustainable development and human welfare are be available to all. Mankind has spent almost half a century in pursuit of these goals. Let us continue the struggle and never tire in its pursuit.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“My country has viewed with great interest the measures taken by the Secretary-General to revitalize the United Nations so that it is better prepared to attain the objectives of the Charter. In particular, I wish to emphasize the active peace-keeping role of the Organization in the resolution of conflicts that originated before the end of the cold war and of new tensions emerging in hot spots around the world. The peace-keeping forces operating under the United Nations flag perform a fundamental role by paving the way to dialogue and negotiation, thus preventing prolonged confrontations. We wholeheartedly support this major peace-keeping, peacemaking and peace-enforcing thrust of the United Nations. However, we feel that the criteria used in financing the forces involved must be re-examined.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“These very features, however, operate against us in our war against the illicit production of drugs and their distribution by drug barons and their associates. Due to our limited resources, we are unable to police and control our borders and coastlines effectively. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines supports every single measure taken by the United Nations to cope with this serious problem, and calls for continued efforts to eliminate this global scourge. At the local level, we have been taking forceful steps to confront this evil — pursuing a dynamic drug-abuse- prevention drive and at the same time launching major administrative, legislative and judicial initiatives against the marketing and trafficking of drugs.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“There are already enough institutions. What we need are better terms and a speedier reaction to established needs. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines continues to be plagued by the modern-day problem of the illicit production, trafficking and consumption of drugs and psychotropic substances. This scourge poses a serious 3 threat to the well-being of our people and threatens to destroy the social and moral fabric of our communities. The archipelagic nature of our State, its many bays and cays and the mountainous terrain and rich alluvial soil of mainland Saint Vincent are characteristics that attract many visitors to our shores and provide scarce foreign exchange to assist us in the development of our country.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Saint Vincent and the Grenadines hopes that the Secretary-General’s Agenda for Development, together with the conclusions of, and the follow-up to, the Rio Conference and the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, which was held in Barbados, as well as summits and conferences such as the International Conference on Population and Development, the World Summit for Social Development, the Fourth World Conference on Women and the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, will all contribute to better understanding of the problems faced by developing countries and assist the evolution of a global consensus and the mobilization of adequate resources to address these problems effectively. We do not, however, support the creation of new bureaucracies.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“We share the view that the United Nations should be encouraged to develop its full potential in the area of international economic cooperation and should be endowed with the necessary resources to enable it to contribute to solving the serious economic and social problems facing developing countries in their efforts to achieve sustained economic growth and development.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The changing world environment dictates the need for the revitalization and restructuring of the various organs of the United Nations. At the last session of the General Assembly Saint Vincent and the Grenadines called for enlargement of the membership of the Security Council to reflect the current global reality. Today we repeat that call. My Government attaches very high priority to revitalizing and strengthening the role of the United Nations in the promotion of international cooperation for economic and social development.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“If countries like Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are to survive in this harsh world environment, careful and urgent consideration must be given by the international community to the following measures: first, revitalizing growth in developed countries; secondly, liberalizing trade, especially to give market access to the products of developing countries; thirdly, reducing debt and the debt- service burden; fourthly, reversing the deteriorating marketing situation for the primary products of developing countries; fifthly, increasing official development assistance and humanitarian aid; and sixthly, creating a sensitivity to the reduction in net capital flows from bilateral and multilateral sources, as well as to the negative consequences of the graduation of some countries, such as ours, from concessionary funding arrangements of a number of multilateral institutions.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“With the end of the cold war and the relative success of the United Nations in its peace- keeping, peacemaking and peace-enforcement roles, the international community must now attempt to grapple more seriously with the developmental problems faced by third- world countries.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will continue to be an active participant in all arrangements aimed at ensuring the safe return of President Aristide and in the eventual rebuilding process. Among the goals that the founding fathers of the United Nations set for the Organization were promoting “social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom” and recognizing development as an inalienable right of mankind. Regrettably, third-world countries like Saint Vincent and the Grenadines feel very strongly that this goal has so far been very elusive.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The further strengthening of the inter-American system remains a major objective of the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. My delegation is very pleased that the use of force was averted in Haiti and that, at long last, democracy and constitutional legitimacy will be returned to that land. We are equally delighted to learn that General Cedras has decided to relinquish power, thus paving the way for the return of exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. My delegation wishes to commend President Clinton for the leadership and determination he has shown in support of the international community’s effort to restore democracy to Haiti and hope and dignity to the Haitian people.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“We call upon the United Nations to continue its struggle to establish peace in these areas. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines places a high value on its relations with the Americas since we are part of the same hemisphere. We share the same burning desire for meaningful economic, political and social development. Over the past decade there has been a noticeable and commendable trend towards democratic rule. The Convention establishing the Association of Caribbean States, which was signed at Cartagena on 24 July 1994, represents an achievement in the areas of 2 economic cooperation and regional integration, with the ultimate objective of launching new opportunities for the pursuit of collective initiatives by 40 Latin American and Caribbean States, comprising some 200 million people and united by the waters of the Caribbean.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“That rejection carries with it the danger of the continuation and even grave escalation of the conflict. We urge the Bosnian Serbs to accept the proposals of the Contact Group and to resolve their remaining differences in the spirit of peaceful negotiation and reconciliation, thus taking irreversible steps towards a just and durable peace in Bosnia. As a country blessed with freedom and the absence of racial and religious bigotry, we will always raise our voice against any form of “ethnic cleansing”. We also look forward to the reunification of Cyprus and to the departure of foreign occupation troops from all countries. The vicious cycle of starvation, violence, the breakdown of central authority, and endless conflicts continues to bedevil in varying ways the situation in Somalia, Zaire, Angola, Liberia, Mozambique, Burundi and Rwanda.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Certain present-day international political trends, as I mentioned earlier, give us renewed encouragement and hope of relations being conducted between and within States in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. This, however, does not mean that the world is now free from tension and international disputes. The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a persistent crisis which continues to shock us all. Efforts made to date by the international community to halt the aggression by Serbia and Montenegro and to settle the crisis by peaceful means have been in vain. The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines regrets that the recent proposals for a political settlement of the conflict have been rejected by the Bosnian Serbs.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“That is why my Government, in association with other like-minded countries, requested the Secretary-General to include an item on the agenda of the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly entitled “Consideration of the exceptional situation of the Republic of China in Taiwan in the international context, based on the principle of universality and in accordance with the established model of parallel representation of divided countries at the United Nations.” We trust that this item will soon secure a place on the agenda of the General Assembly and that when it does every Member State of this noble institution will give its full support to this initiative. We cannot preach about the universality of the United Nations while at the same time we ignore the aspirations of over 20 million people in the Republic of China on Taiwan.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“The recent peace overtures in the Middle East are yet another demonstration of the dramatic changes in international relations that have taken place since the collapse of communism and the end of the cold war. In this context my Government is optimistic that the still- unresolved major international political issues will be similarly settled. I refer in particular to the problem of North and South Korea and that of the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China in Taiwan. It is the view of the delegation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines that the time has come when serious consideration should be given the eligibility of the Republic of China in Taiwan to become a Member of the United Nations.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“We also welcomed the historic breakthrough that gave impetus to an overall Arab-lsraeli settlement when Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin and Jordan’s King Hussein met in Washington last July and laid the foundation for the establishment of a peace treaty between the two countries. The international community must also be heartened by the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Morocco and by an apparent thaw in relations between Israel and Syria. We are all looking forward with great anticipation to the commencement of negotiations between the two Governments. It is our hope that these initiatives signal the beginning of the end of one of the longest standing and most intractable conflicts of our time and that they herald an era of peace, security and political stability in the Middle East.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Nelson Mandela and salute his determined march from prison to President. He symbolizes the aspirations of the South African people and the values of non-racialism, democracy and peace. Indeed, this is a lesson in perseverance and faith in the human spirit. The voice of the international community was clearly heard as it worked to mobilize public opinion against the injustice of apartheid, and we are now greatly relieved that the question of its elimination will finally be removed from the agenda of succeeding session of the General Assembly. My delegation hailed the historic Agreement on mutual recognition between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, which was signed on 13 September 1993 in Washington, D.C.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“Boutros Boutros-Ghali, a person eminently suited by training and disposition to guide the membership of this body towards a new era of peace and prosperity that we hope will emerge from the debris of the cold war. My delegation takes this opportunity to welcome the new South Africa into our midst as an equal Member of the Organization, ready to participate in all its activities in accordance with the purposes and the principles of the United Nations Charter. We now join the courageous people of South Africa as they celebrate with happiness and pride their victory over the struggle of the century: the fight against apartheid. At long last they have rid themselves of the shackles of that abominable crime and have finally removed the greatest blemish from the continent of Africa. We congratulate Mr.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“It is against this backdrop, Sir, that we welcome someone with your wide diplomatic experience and wisdom as President of the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session. I am confident that you will make an important contribution to the further success of our deliberations on the vital and major issues of our time. Your predecessor, our Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and West Indian brother Ambassador Samuel R. Insanally, has established a superb record of achievements, on which I would like to congratulate him warmly. At this juncture in the history of the United Nations, our Organization is fortunate to have a Secretary-General like Mr.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)
“As we prepare to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, the memory of the cold war is fading rapidly from our minds. We recall the nostalgia with which we heralded the end of the era and the concomitant universal aspirations to a world of peace and prosperity. The world has witnessed the triumph of democracy in several areas and the resolution of conflicts that had originated in a war maintained by the earlier East-West confrontation. However, the images of violence, famine and destruction that flicker daily on our television screens suggest some urgency for the world community to attempt to put an end to the violence and the senseless destruction of human lives.”
1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)