Cape Verde

I should like to begin by congratulating Mr. Stoyan Ganev on his election to the presidency of the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly. I am certain that under his guidance this session will prove to be a very fruitful one. To your predecessor, Mr. Samir Shihabi of Saudi Arabia, I would like to express my delegation's appreciation for the manner in which he conducted the work of the forty-sixth session and for his personal efforts to strengthen the role of the General Assembly. The election of the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, is of particular satisfaction to Cape Verde. I am certain that, under his leadership, the Organization will be able to face its responsibilities at a moment when fundamental changes are taking place in the world arena towards a more just order and the aspirations of mankind. I welcome the 13 new Members of the Organization recently admitted and am certain that their admission will enrich our collective dialogue in the search for solutions to the international problems that affect us all. The principle of universality of the United Nations has thus gained more expression. I hope that countries still under foreign occupation will, in the not-too-distant future, also join the community of nations represented here. Among the countries still under colonial occupation is East Timor. Historical and cultural ties link us with the people of that Territory under foreign occupation. My country sincerely hopes the ongoing negotiations between Portugal and Indonesia under the auspices of the Secretary-General, as mandated by the General Assembly, will produce positive results which will make it possible in the near future for the people of East Timor to exercise its inalienable right to self-determination. The Assembly welcomed with enthusiasm the end of the cold war which put an end to the spectre of a nuclear holocaust and the policies of bloc rivalry. Cape Verde, together with many other countries, has great hopes for the new era announced by the end of the cold war. We hope that this new era will be dominated by peace „n the world, cooperation among countries, global respect for human rights and democratic values and by renewed efforts in the field of economic development. If, on the one hand, the end of the cold war has given rise to an international political environment of great optimism concerning our collective future, it has, on the other, allowed conflicts to come into the open, the negative effects of which are of great concern to us all consuming, as they do, energies and resources so necessary to the economic and social development of countries a prerequisite for peoples to attain their aspirations for progress and well-being. The redefinition of the political geography and the newly institutionalized democracies in Eastern Europe are, without doubt, a political event of major magnitude, the positive effects of which on the international scene are already being felt. Nevertheless, the open conflicts which seem to proliferate in that part of the world give rise to serious concern about their negative impact on regional and global stability. Similarly, the political movements towards the creation of democratic governments in many parts of the world, mainly in Africa, while anticipating the emergence of a new order: in the existence of nations based upon democratic Pluralism, the participation of populations in running their countries and the affirmation of and respect for the fundamental rights of the citizenry, are also sometimes accompanied by internal political convulsions and conflicts. Thus present international relations are dominated by the optimism and hopes for a better future for us all brought about by these changes and, at the same time, by the current political realities where armed confrontations seem to take hold. The tragic situation in Somalia is a blatant example of the many national conflicts that are ravaging the world. I believe that national conflicts such as the one in Somalia, deserve our full attention, bearing in mind the dimension of the loss of human lives, the destruction of property they entail and the repercussions they have on regional and international peace and stability. The United Nations should assist those affected countries in the humanitarian field as well as in helping them to regain their internal political harmony and to bring about a normalization of the situation. I hope that in the case of Somalia all political forces will extend their full cooperation to the United Nations in facilitating the distribution of humanitarian assistance to the affected population. My country condemns any resistance or opposition to the deployment of United Nations forces in Somalia, whose presence becomes necessary for the massive provision of humanitarian assistance. I hope that the United Nations will proceed to the early deployment of an additional 3,000 United Nations guards to Somalia in view of the urgency of the situation. What is at stake here is the survival of the population of Somalia. Each day that passes without humanitarian assistance represents the loss of innumerable lives. The United Nations should stand firm in the implementation of its deployment decision, even in the face of the opposition of certain factions. The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is an example of the unfortunate reality that we are witnessing today, in which many conflicts seem to take hold despite attempts at peaceful negotiation. Notwithstanding the enormous efforts already made in various bodies, including the Security Council, to put an end to the conflict that is raging in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, and that has affected in particular the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, no tangible and lasting result has been achieved so far. For reasons having to do with peace and political stability in a region as important for international security as Europe, and also with the respect that the humanitarian situation deserves from all of us, the international community should make renewed efforts to bring about peace and normality in that country. In this context, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) can and should play a positive role. Everyone should strictly abide by the principle of territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The internal conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina requires a solution involving respect for the equal rights of all its citizens. The basis of that solution should be satisfaction of the legitimate aspirations of the country's different communities. Against this background, my country hopes that the ongoing peace conference co-sponsored by the United Nations and the European Economic Community will produce satisfactory results in the very near future. The armed confrontations that today seem to be occurring everywhere call for a strong and more effective United Nations handling of its responsibilities in the maintenance of peace and stability. This important role of the United Nations takes on particular importance as an indispensable guarantee of the preservation of the independence, territorial integrity and security of smaller nations. It is incumbent upon the Security Council to carry out this primary responsibility of the United Nations in a speedy, efficient, coherent, impartial and unequivocal manner, whoever the participants in a conflict might be and wherever it might take place. In this connection, I should like to emphasize the relevance of the proposals put forward by the Secretary-General in his report "An Agenda for Peace" (A/47/277), with a view to strengthening the United Nations intervention capacity in the prevention and management of international crises. These proposals deserve careful consideration. My delegation will make its contribution to their analysis in the appropriate forum. The seriousness of the issues of international peace and security require careful consideration of these proposals, with a view to their early implementation. The Assembly should exert every effort to make the affirmation of and respect for human rights in all their different dimensions a priority issue on its agenda. The repeated violation of fundamental rights in various countries is still a reality that the community of nations cannot tolerate. Every effort should be made to eliminate the abuses that are still being committed in various parts of the world against the dignity of human beings and their basic human rights. While recognizing the multifaceted dimension of human rights, my delegation does not share the functionalist approach to this question. Indeed, fundamental rights and individual liberties are fundamental to the dignity of human beings and should therefore be asserted unconditionally- Jt is in this context that my country has advocated strengthening and improving United Nations mechanisms for the protection of human rights whenever their violation, by its dimension and degree, becomes intolerable. Whenever United Nations action to protect human rights comes into conflict with the principles of sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of States, we should face the issue with the necessary courage and imagination to find a middle-ground approach. I should like in this connection to emphasize my country's concern about the practices of xenophobia and racism in certain countries. Cape Verde takes pride in receiving foreigners in its midst. It is therefore difficult for us to understand the surge of hatred and violence against foreign nationals and migrant workers in certain countries. A large part of my country's population works and resides abroad. Migration is today a universal phenomenon that in a way involves all countries. It is the expression of solidarity among groups and their ability to live in peace with one another, irrespective of their origin or race. Firm measures should be taken in the receiving countries against those engaged in such shameful practices, for they run counter to the basic rules of the civilized world that we all wish to build. The economic situation of the developing countries has not improved, notwithstanding national efforts. The precarious economic situation in which these countries find themselves plays a negative role in the establishment and consolidation of democratic institutions and offers fertile ground for the resurgence of conflict, which not only poisons social harmony, but also disturbs the peace and security of States. In the past, responding to appeals for economic assistance for developing nations could be seen as the expression of a mere act of human solidarity, but today it is clear that the need to engage all countries, developed and developing, in addressing the problems of underdevelopment represents a global interest that we all have in the creation of objective conditions that will facilitate the internal stability of nations and their harmonious relationship. The problem of underdevelopment is thus today a global concern shared by all those interested in the stability and ecological balance of the world. Therefore the solution of this problem should be found by both developed and developing countries, together. This economic situation becomes even more fragile for the developing countries that are affected by drought and desertification. Africa is the continent most affected in this regard. The enormous dimensions that drought and desertification has assumed in the world and the catastrophic effects it has had on many developing countries and the well-being of their population requires a global plan to face this calamity successfully. In this regard, it is to be hoped that the decision of the Rio Conference to establish an inter-governmental committee to negotiate a convention on drought and desertification will be implemented in the course of this session of the General Assembly. As a country that is seriously affected by drought and desertification. Cape Verde expects the negotiation of such a legal instrument to be crowned with success and its early entry into force to be a landmark in the struggle against this serious problem. Similarly, it is hoped that the important decisions taken at the Rio Conference will have positive follow-up. The time has come for us to show with deeds that this Conference represented a break with a past of environmental negligence. Let us hope that it will represent the beginning of a new attitude on the part of Governments and a new spirit of shared responsibilities and international solidarity in the creation of a healthier and ecologically more sound world, a world economically more interdependent and morally more just. The world goes through political, economic and social changes of major magnitude. The United Nations, as a permanent conference where economic, political and social issues are discussed, should reflect such changes in its own structures and procedures so that it may fulfil its potential and strengthen its capacity in dealing with the ever increasing and diversified challenges. In this regard the efforts being made to streamline the work of the United Nations and rationalize its activities are undoubtedly commendable and deserve our support. The "Agenda for peace" presented by the Secretary-General following the Security Council summit held in January of this year is a solid basis for reflection on issues related to United Nations reform. It is to be hoped that the useful ideas contained therein will be further developed in the ongoing dialogue on the adjustment of the United Nations to today's needs. This necessity for adjustment is already felt even at the level of certain United Nations organs. In fact, the activity of the General Assembly has been seen lately as having lost certain importance, and its prestige has been affected. As the most important organ of the United Nations, where the voices of all member countries are heard, it is important that this Assembly, which is the expression of the democratic character of this Organization, find ways to reactivate its activities and restore its lost prestige. In our view there are different means through which to strengthen the role of the General Assembly. The consideration of measures to rationalize the work of the General Assembly is one such means. Rationalization should touch upon redesigning its agenda and reconsideration of its procedures, including restructuring the debate in the plenary and in the different committees, to avoid unnecessary overlapping and repetition. On the other hand, it is important that whenever an item on its agenda assumes global relevance and generates universal interest it should be considered in the General Assembly itself instead of being transferred for consideration as autonomous subject-matter in an international conference. Lately voices have frequently been heard on the need to enlarge the Security Council membership. We believe that this issue should be tackled in the light of the necessity of adapting this organ to the correlation of forces prevalent in the world today. Equally important is the necessity of taking into consideration a relative balance in the representation in the Council of different regions. Whatever the outcome, however, enlargement of the Security Council should in no way take place at the expense of the effectiveness of the decisions that that important body is called upon to take on issues of peace and security. On the other hand, the ongoing efforts to streamline the work of the Economic and Social Council should improve the co-ordination of the activities of different bodies dealing with economic and social issues, due account being taken, obviously, of the necessity of preserving the required decentralization and the specific nature of the functions of those bodies. We welcome the decision of the Secretary-General to proceed to an in-depth study on the modalities for that restructuring. Ours is an era of armed confrontation and profound changes in the international scene. But it is equally an era that offers a unique opportunity and exceptional conditions that nurture great expectations and hope in the shaping of a better and more peaceful relationship between nations aimed at building a collective future of peace and well-being. Tolerance, a spirit of solidarity and the promotion of universal values should guide us in the shaping of this collective future. It is incumbent upon us all, small countries and big as well, developed and developing nations, to understand the sense of our community of interest and to take the necessary steps towards that end.