I should like to
begin by offering to Mr. Ganev my heartfelt congratulations on his assumption
of the high office of President of the General Assembly. He takes up the
presidency at a time when the world is looking with renewed confidence towards
the United Nations. As a politician from an area with a proud tradition of
representative democracy, he has played a commendable role in the vanguard of
the democratization process in his own country and in Eastern Europe. His
unanimous election as President of the General Assembly for the current
session highlights the continuing efforts of his region in its transformation
to market-driven, democratic societies and the global prerogatives of the
post-cold-war era. I am sure that his experience, training and diplomatic
skill will do much to ensure that the forty-seventh session of the General
Assembly is fruitful and constructive.
Let me also take this opportunity to extend to his predecessor,
Mr. Samir S. Shihabi of Saudi Arabia, our best wishes and our appreciation of
the highly competent manner in which he presided at the last session of the
General Assembly.
I take this opportunity also to express to our esteemed
Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, our profound understanding and
appreciation of the efforts he has so far made to achieve for the world body
greater flexibility and enhanced ability to meet the new challenges posed by
the dramatic developments taking place in international relations and, at the
same, to fulfil long-standing mandates.
On behalf of the Government and the people of Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, I pay tribute to Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, whose term of office
expired at the end of 1991. Under his guidance over a 10-year period, the
United Nations shrugged off the negative image of a useless talking-shop and
emerged as an institution whose growing reputation as an effective
peace-keeper has resulted in calls upon it to take on numerous new
responsibilities. Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar did indeed ease the transition
of the United Nations through the changing climate and brought it to the
centre of new-world-order politics. He brought the Organization, with its new
peace-keeping and peacemaking roles, back to its founding mission. We join
the international community in saluting him for his service to the United
Nations and to world peace.
This year the General Assembly has so far admitted 13 States to
membership of the United Nations by acclamation. My delegation wishes to take
this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of
Moldova, San Marino, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The
admission of this significant number of new Members in the Organization is
another major step towards the goal of universality.
My delegation wishes to express its deepest sympathy to the Governments
and the peoples of the United States of America, the Bahamas, the Philippines,
Nicaragua, India and Pakistan, which suffered tragic loss of life and
extensive material damage as a result of the recent spate of natural
disasters. We pray that our own Caribbean region will be spared any more
destruction during this hurricane season. It is our hope that the
rehabilitation process in the affected communities will be swift and will
receive the generous support of the international community.
In the last few years we have witnessed momentous changes in the
international arena. The end of the cold war has raised hopes for a better
and more secure future. The world now faces novel challenges in the quest for
justice, equity and prosperity. In many regions of the world significant
progress has been made towards democracy, as well as towards achieving the
purposes set out in the United Nations Charter. Completion of the process of
dismantling apartheid would make a major contribution to these trends.
However, while there has been positive movement towards the establishment of a
united, non-racial and democratic South Africa, we are perturbed by some
serious differences that have emerged in recent negotiations.
My delegation wishes to express its full support for the call by the
African National Congress for an international investigation of the Boipatong
massacre. We urge all concerned to make every effort to maintain the momentum
of the negotiating process of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa in
order to finalize agreement on the outstanding issues. If negative trends in
South Africa are not reversed my Government stands ready to join in
remobilizing the international community, through all appropriate means, in
the struggle against apartheid. We wish to encourage President De Klerk to
continue the courageous leadership that he has so far given his Government and
urge him not to undermine the historic image that both he and Nelson Mandela
have established.
My delegation has been following the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
which has shocked the conscience of every human being, irrespective of
national origin, ethnic background, religion or political persuasion. We
condemn the existence of detention centres, especially in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, where civilians are being detained against their will and
subjected to ill-treatment. The odious practice of "ethnic cleansing" must be
firmly rejected and a strong signal sent that the international community will
not passively witness the attempt at the total annihilation of a Member State
by a powerful neighbour.
My delegation welcomes the adoption of Security Council resolutions
770 (1992) and 771 (1992), which are designed to ensure that humanitarian
assistance reaches all parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and that international
organizations, in particular the International Committee of the Red Cross,
have unimpeded access to concentration camps and detention centres.
My delegation has been following with keen interest the negotiations on
the issue conducted under the auspices of the European Community. We believe
that this process must be accompanied by international efforts to put an
immediate end to the violence and that increased pressure should be brought to
bear on all parties concerned to work wholeheartedly for a political
settlement. The cease-fire agreement which European and United Nations
negotiators reached with warring factions in Bosnia is a step in the right
direction.
We are heartened by increased efforts to aid the long-suffering people of
Somalia in the Horn of Africa. We continue to be concerned about the famine
and the condition of human life in sub-Saharan Africa. My delegation implores
the international community to pay the necessary attention to the plight of
these people. We wish to draw attention to, and emphasize, the urgent need
for policy reform that would make it possible to reduce drought through
reforestation, and avoid famine created by wasteful military expenditure.
My delegation welcomes the current peace efforts and prays for a just,
comprehensive and lasting solution to the Middle East crisis, the core of
which, in our opinion, is the question of Palestine. My delegation reiterates
the importance of this issue and calls for the same consistency on the part of
the United Nations that was so evident when the resolutions dealing with the
invasion of Kuwait were before us. It is our hope that the ongoing peace
process will result in a resolution of the conflict based on United Nations
Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). My country firmly
believes that the only durable solution to the historical conflict lies in the
full recognition and establishment of the right of the Palestinians to
self-determination and the corresponding right of the State of Israel to exist
within secure and guaranteed borders. The definition and maintenance of
secure borders at this time in world history has the benefit of modern
technology, as the Gulf war has decisively shown.
After a decade of mediation by the United Nations in the war over
Cambodia, the historic signing of the Paris Peace Agreements by the warring
factions on 23 October 1991 offers real hope for ending hostilities in that
troubled country. We are, however, deeply concerned about the difficulties
which are being encountered by the United Nations Transitional Authority in
Cambodia (UNTAC) in the implementation of the Agreements. My delegation joins
the call for all concerned parties to permit the deployment of all components
of UNTAC in the areas under its control so that it can carry out its full
function in implementing the provisions of the Paris Agreements.
The situation in Haiti remains one of extreme concern to my country. We
have already condemned, in no uncertain terms, the attempted illegal
replacement of the constitutional President, the widespread use of violence,
the coercion by the military, and the violation of human rights in that
country. We feel that because of its critical involvement in the Haitian
elections and its generic role as guarantor of international human rights, the
United Nations has a special responsibility to the people of Haiti, who have
never had the good fortune to enjoy the basic human rights and freedoms that
the international community has agreed are fundamental to human dignity. The
present situation calls for serious attention by the world body, working in
tandem with the Organization of American States. Expressions of concern
should be matched by concrete action. We share the anguish of
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the forces of democracy, and join him in
his impassioned call for action now.
With regard to the political situation in Central America, my delegation
welcomes the Peace Agreement on El Salvador, signed in January 1992 at
Chapultepec. We wish to congratulate Colombia, Spain, Mexico and Venezuela on
the very important role they played in the negotiating process. A profound
debt of gratitude is also owed to Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar for his efforts
in the service of peace in Central America, which are being continued by the
new Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
My delegation is particularly pleased by recent developments in relations
between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the countries of Central
America. The momentum generated by the convening and successful conclusion in
January 1992 of the First Ministerial Conference between CARICOM and the
countries of the Central American isthmus at San Pedro Sula in Honduras must
be maintained.
Guatemala's recognition of the independence of Belize and the
establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries are positive
and welcomed developments, facilitating the deepening of relations between
member States of the Caribbean Community and the countries of Central America.
The Caribbean region, and especially the countries of the Windward
Islands, of which Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a part, have firmly
committed themselves to structural adjustment and other economic reforms
designed to increase their export earnings and competitiveness in the global
economy. In the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, we established free
trade in 1988. In the wider CARICOM grouping, the 1984 Nassau Agreement on
Structural Adjustment and the 1989 Grand Anse Declaration expressed the
urgency which the regional leadership attaches to the transformation process.
Even as we welcome recent hemispheric trade and investment initiatives
aimed at enhancing the mobility of goods and services and creating greater
opportunity for people, my country, as well as others in the Windward Islands
grouping, is concerned that the vital economic interests of small States like
ours are very marginal as the powerful developed countries of the world move
to consolidate their markets in extensive trading blocs.
In this regard the Governments and people of the four Windward Islands
will redouble their efforts to ensure that powerful forces working in their
own interest do not destroy our economies by prematurely reversing the
marketing regime under which we sell our bananas to the countries of the
European Economic Community. We expect the international community to
understand that, with the best will and intention in the world, small,
resource-impoverished islands like ours constitute a special case in economic
development. Nothing has changed these circumstances.
As the international order moves in the direction of free trade, my
delegation expresses the strong conviction that special attention should be
paid to traditional trading arrangements which have sustained economic growth
and democracy in many parts of the world. In this regard we shall continue to
work towards the maintenance of our traditional relationship with the European
Community even as we make the transition towards eventual free trade.
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which
brought together the largest gathering of world leaders ever in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 3 to 14 June is now history. We must now
translate 12 days of debates into positive action, or posterity will remember
us for wasting a great opportunity to set the agenda for the preservation of
our environment. As Chairman of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean
Countries during the month of July 1992, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
initiated action within the Group to coordinate the activities of member
countries in follow-up action at the multilateral organizations as well as in
the wider international community.
My Government regards the agreement reached at the Rio Summit as an
important start of a process that could eventually change the way the world
approaches the challenge of fostering economic growth. We are particularly
pleased that issues such as the sustainability of islands, the alleviation of
poverty, the sustainable development of all types of forests, and the
environmentally sound management of solid waste were addressed.
My delegation urges the early ratification of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological
Diversity, which, it is felt, if honestly implemented could mitigate some
of the hazards which small, island States like Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines and other low-lying coastal developing States face.
My delegation takes note of the renewed commitment made by developed
countries to achieve the United Nations target of 0.7 per cent of their gross
national product for development assistance to developing countries and, where
this target has not yet been achieved, to augment their aid programmes in
order to reach that target as soon as possible or by the year 2000.
It is our hope that the recommended high-level commission on sustainable
development will be established soon so that it can be convened as early as
possible to ensure that follow-up action on the Rio Summit meets the hopes and
aspirations of us all.
Continuing progress towards democracy in many regions of the world, the
obsolescence of the bipolar politics of the cold war, the overall reduction in
military expenditure and the emergence of new States have elicited a positive
response from the world community. The United Nations peacemaking and
peace-keeping roles have increased and broadened considerably in the
post-cold-war era. The world body is providing leadership in these and other
vital areas. Unfortunately, demands for the same leadership in the field of
social development have not been given the same degree of political
importance. The Organization must address this issue as a matter of
priority. It is true that significant efforts are being made at the national
and international levels to improve the standards of living of the world's
peoples but, globally, statistics show that there are today more poor people,
more unemployed and greater social insecurity, especially among the
populations of developing countries.
Social development problems are global in scope and require global
responses. To this end my Government supports the convening of a world summit
for social development at the level of Heads of State or Government in early
1995 on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations.
As man's inhumanity to man continues to manifest itself daily throughout
the world, my Government remains mindful of its pledge to promote universal
respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms in
conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations. In
furtherance of these goals, my Government will support the establishment of an
effective international system for the protection of the fundamental rights
and freedoms of all peoples, irrespective of race, sex, language or religion.
We hope that this can be achieved at the World Conference on Human Rights
scheduled for Vienna in June 1993.
My delegation is deeply concerned that our region has become a
transshipment point for illicit drugs targeted at the North American and
European markets. We recognize that drug trafficking is an international
problem which affects the institutions and populations of different
countries. My delegation wishes to reaffirm its commitment to increasing
cooperation in fighting the global problem of drugs in all its aspects, be it
illegal production, trafficking or consumption. This epidemic cannot be
allowed to undermine our precious human resources. Accordingly, my Government
will sign the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
The world is poised on the threshold of a bold new experience in human
history. The possibilities are tremendous but the challenges great. We in
the English-speaking Caribbean, where democracy and constitutional order have
long been institutionalized, are anxious to play our legitimate part, with
full recognition of our condition and the requirements for global
integration. We have been reliable allies in times of struggle and
turbulence. We now look forward to sharing fairly in the dividends of a
durable peace to which we have contributed by our stability and resolute
commitment to liberty and democracy.