Egypt

I am pleased to congratulate the brotherly State of Qatar and Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser personally on his election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-six session. I am confident that Mr. Al-Nasser’s wise leadership of the Assembly’s proceedings will help us fulfil our ambitions and aspirations. I also congratulate Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on his re-election to his second term as he continues to strive to realize the purposes and principles of the Charter. 53 11-51360 I proudly stand before the Assembly today representing Egypt in a new era and with a new face as it leaves behind a fading era for one whose features are just emerging, and as it embarks on a new phase regarded by all Egyptians as auspicious and full of promise. The Egyptian people came out en masse on 25 January calling for democratic reforms and strengthened respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and social justice. The Egyptian people wanted to plant the seeds of a brighter future deep in the land of reality, for their sake and for the benefit of their future generations. The people obtained what they sought. They were able to impose their word and enforce their will. They were backed by the understanding and support of the Egyptian armed forces, which truly exemplify genuine patriotism and unity with the people of our nation. The stance of our armed forces will be remembered by history. It is consistent with their doctrine that they are guardians of the nation, not of a specific political regime, and with an institution that is first and foremost loyal to the people, who for their part rallied around their armed forces and expressed their appreciation. That ideal situation was made possible by circumstances that can rarely be repeated and that enabled the Egyptians to alter the face of their country in a historic and wonderful way. Egyptians wanted to rapidly catch up with other countries that had made great strides in achieving political pluralism and the alternation of power, in upholding and applying the rule of law, in relentlessly fighting corruption in its various forms, and in providing equal opportunities to their youth to fulfil their ambitions and aspirations to decent lives. I am addressing the Assembly today as Egypt moves forward, determined to complete the transitional phase that arose from that remarkable transformative change. Over the past few months, and indeed since the revolution took place, Egypt has witnessed a new internal dynamic and a wide national debate involving all segments of society and covering all issues on the national agenda. Foremost on that agenda are the drafting of a new constitution and the organization of the upcoming legislative and presidential elections. Those steps will increase the prospects of success of the transitional phase and launch a sound political process commensurate with the aspirations of the people and Egypt’s unique standing in the region and worldwide. It is a process that will culminate in the handing of power to an elected civilian authority. Egypt is honoured to have held the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement since July 2009. The start of this session of the General Assembly coincides with the commemoration of the fiftieth year since the first summit of the Movement took place, and to celebrate its significant contributions to enhancing our international efforts to preserve international peace and security and achieve development for the peoples of the world in a changing international environment and in the face of multiple challenges. The commemoration comes after a series of important events organized by the Movement to promote the greater involvement of developing countries in the governance of international institutions and to ensure fair participation in the process of international norms-setting and decision- making in the political, economic and social fields. On that basis and to that end, the Egyptian chairmanship of the Movement has undertaken numerous activities to strengthen the Movement’s capacity to respond effectively to new and ongoing international changes. The Movement has also played a vital role in coordinating the positions of its member States on various issues on the international agenda, including those related to disarmament, collective security, the reform of the United Nations, and the promotion of international ideals and values of democracy and respect for human rights. During its chairmanship of the Movement, Egypt has sought to reinforce the Joint Coordinating Committee of the Group of 77 and China. In the light of an international work agenda loaded with issues, ideas and initiatives, we resolved to restore the issue of development in its various dimensions as the top priority of the United Nations, and together we adopted a number of important initiatives in the fields of food security, the empowerment of women and the fight against human trafficking. We will pursue those efforts until we hand over the chairmanship of the Movement in the summer of 2012 to the country chairing it next. I reiterate here today the support of the Non-Aligned Movement for the historic struggle of the brotherly Palestinian people to regain their legitimate rights, for the efforts made towards declaring the establishment of the independent State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and for its admission as a full Member of the United Nations. I also call on 11-51360 54 the countries that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to do so as a contribution to the pursuit of a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement of the Middle East conflict based on the two-State solution. The Non-Aligned Movement believes that there is a pressing need for a comprehensive and substantial reform of the United Nations in order to strengthen its ability to respond positively to international challenges, to meet to the aspirations of peoples, and to address the radical changes that have altered the shape and composition of the international community so that the United Nations may become a true reflection of the realities of today’s world. Such reform will not be achieved unless the Security Council is reformed and becomes more representative, more transparent and more reflective of the democratic nature of global action. Inevitably, major steps must be taken to end the monopoly of permanent members over the decision-making process in the Council and to put an end to the historical injustice inflicted on Africa as a result of its non-representation in the permanent membership category, as well as its inadequate representation in the non-permanent membership category, despite Member States’ growing support for the African position. In the same context, States members of the Non-Aligned Movement demand that efforts be continued to revitalize the role of the General Assembly and to strengthen the role of the Economic and Social Council. The States members of the Non-Aligned Movement also reaffirm the need for the international community to support the work of developing countries to implement their development plans aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals, through an enabling international climate that bolsters efforts to realize comprehensive economic and social development, and the fulfilment by all developed countries of their financing for development commitments. It must also support their efforts to achieve more balanced international economic relations and to establish a fairer international trade system that takes into account the development needs of developing countries. We feel nothing but deep sorrow every time we realize that, for decades, grave historic injustice has been inflicted on a people while, to date, the entire world has failed to end it. The just question of Palestine endures after two entire decades of fruitless negotiations without the desired settlement. To this day, the Palestinian people remain deprived of their legitimate fundamental rights, including their rights to freedom, independence and to establish their own sovereign State on the basis of the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. That is the very State for which the Palestinian President yesterday submitted a request for membership of the United Nations (A/66/371, annex), after serious and just efforts towards a final settlement had stalled and any chance of achieving significant progress in the negotiating process had dwindled, in particular since the other party insists on keeping the negotiating process open forever. Yesterday, we saw the Quartet fail yet again to come up with a balanced vision to achieve the goal that we all know and approve of, yet differ on how to realize. It is utterly absurd to carry on talking about a peace process, while Israel continues, in all comfort and complete disregard for the objections of the countries of the world, to construct settlements on the Palestinian territories in the West Bank, altering the features of occupied East Jerusalem, using violence against civilians and continuing its blockade of Gaza, in violation of the provisions of international law. Regrettably, anyone with a sense of justice following the situation will see in Israel’s actions the embodiment of its continuing refusal to admit that the only way to achieve its security is by reaching a just settlement with the Palestinians through serious negotiations based on clear parameters and terms of reference and a specific time frame. What is urgently needed now is to intensify all our efforts in order to put an end to the conflict. Egypt has been and will remain committed to the goal of achieving the just and comprehensive peace that it initiated in the Middle East, and will continue to actively support it. Egypt will continue its efforts to end the Israeli occupation of the occupied Palestinian territories and to resolve all final-status issues within a specific, agreed and internationally guaranteed time frame. Egypt will also maintain its efforts to capitalize on the successes achieved in Cairo through the signing of the Palestinian reconciliation agreement, thereby strengthening Palestinian unity and efforts to achieve peace. 55 11-51360 Egypt welcomes the presence of the Republic of South Sudan among us today as a State Member of the United Nations. We hope that that nascent State will play a tangible role in regional stability, and that it will make steady progress on the road to development and institution-building. At the same time, we commend the Sudan for its commitment to implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and to respecting the will of the people of the South for an independent State. However, even though last year witnessed significant cooperation between the two sides, outstanding issues remain unsettled. They should be resolved within a framework of cooperation and goodwill, which requires the formation of a genuine partnership to examine how to address such issues. It is no secret that the Sudan and South Sudan still look forward to the support of the international community for their development and reconstruction efforts so that the Sudan can achieve stability and development throughout its territory, within the context of its unity and territorial integrity, and so that South Sudan can build its State and institutions. On that basis, I reiterate Egypt’s resolve to continue supporting both countries at all levels. On behalf of Egypt, I would also like to pay a deserved tribute to the revolution of the sisterly State of Tunisia, which expedited dawn of the Arab Spring. I also express our solidarity with the brotherly people of Libya, and congratulate the National Transitional Council on its assumption of the seat of Libya at the United Nations. I salute its efforts to restore stability and internal peace. I would also like to express Egypt’s readiness to provide any support that may contribute to the country’s reconstruction efforts and help it to get through this critical period. As for the brotherly State of Yemen, Egypt supports all ongoing efforts to achieve stability and to meet the expectations of its people, in accordance with mechanisms to be agreed by the people of Yemen themselves. If the status quo remains unchanged, that will undoubtedly have grave and negative implications for the security and stability of the region. Many Egyptians are following with great concern the serious developments in the brotherly State of Syria and the resulting loss of lives and the suffering endured by our brothers and sisters there. Today, I would like to reiterate the position previously expressed by Egypt that the only solution to the crisis in Syria lies in ending the violence and engaging in a serious dialogue among all parties in a climate of political openness. Meanwhile, I cannot fail to mention the Arab Gulf region today and must emphasize that the security and stability of the brotherly Arab States of the Gulf are of particular strategic importance to Egypt. Given the deep historical, societal, cultural, political and security ties that bond us with our brothers and sisters in those countries, they are granted very high priority and attention in Egypt’s foreign policy. Egypt will always strive to achieve the stability of that vital region of the world. The issues of disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation remain of great importance to Egypt. In cooperation with our international partners, we will continue to urge nuclear States to undertake their responsibilities, as stipulated in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), in order to safeguard the credibility of that legal instrument and its ensuing indivisible principles. Furthermore, Egypt will spare no effort in pursuing the goal of realizing the universality of the NPT, especially in the Middle East, where all countries have acceded to the Treaty, with the exception of Israel, which is thus delaying the creation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region. That is why Egypt attaches great importance to the implementation of the four action plans adopted at the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT, and especially the plan relating to the Middle East and endorsing the holding of a conference on the Middle East next year. In reality, we are concerned that a facilitator has not yet been appointed or a host country selected, even though more than 16 months have elapsed since the Review Conference ended. In that context, I reiterate Egypt’s firm position that the right to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy must be linked to full compliance with international commitments under the Treaty, which entails the full cooperation of all Member States with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and avoiding any escalation in order to promote non-proliferation efforts in the region. Africa has always held a privileged position and unique priority status on the Egyptian foreign policy agenda. Egypt was a consistent and effective partner of the peoples of the continent in their struggle to gain independence in the 1950s and 1960s. This partnership continued during the reconstruction period that 11-51360 56 followed independence. Egypt will increasingly work to activate and deepen its various cooperation mechanisms and frameworks with other African countries and strive to propel them towards a new dawn, thereby contributing to the realization of the hopes and aspirations of our peoples for more development and increased prosperity. Egypt expects the United Nations to maintain its efforts to support the various components of the African peace and security architecture and to build the institutional capacity of the continent in conflict resolution, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and reconstruction. Those efforts should complement its support for the development aspirations and attempts of the African countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, in the light of the interlinkages between peace, security and development challenges in Africa. Egypt is following with concern the ever- deteriorating situation in Somalia and calls for concerted regional and international efforts to put an end to the sufferings of the brotherly people of that country and to enable them to achieve peace and success in their capacity-building process. Egypt once again invites external parties to refrain from negatively interfering in the internal affairs of Somalia and to contribute instead to efforts to improve the humanitarian situation and achieve stability. In this regard, Egypt has effectively contributed to international efforts to address the problem of drought in the Horn of Africa, eradicate hunger and provide food to the affected populations. Egypt also contributes to the fight to exterminate piracy along the coast of Somalia, given the strategic importance of the waters south of the Red and Arabian Seas, especially in relation to Egypt’s national security and to the safety of navigation in the Suez Canal. The ability of the United Nations to assume its responsibilities depends on our collective will. What is required is resolve based on a robust determination to strengthen our joint international efforts to enable the Organization to deal more effectively with the various international and regional issues and problems that we face. That requires collective hard work to reinforce the principles of democracy within multilateralism and to promote dialogue and understanding as the sole means for achieving our goals, thereby advancing the ideals of humanity and achieving the ambitions of our peoples for freedom, justice, peace and security.