Ireland

Sixty years ago, our predecessors, having adopted the United Nations Charter, made sure that the United Nations immediately got down to work. We need to act now with the same urgency. In the face of the profound challenges that confront the world — some of long standing, some new — our heads of State and Government last week agreed on a far-reaching agenda for change. Although the summit did not achieve all that we had hoped for, it is still a major step forward. It is now time for follow-up. On Saturday the Secretary-General proposed an accountability pact. He undertook to deliver on his obligations but said that we, the Member States, must deliver on ours. That requires real political leadership all round. I here commit Ireland to playing its part. The United Nations has no Member more loyal than Ireland. But we realize that the United Nations needs to change, just as the world around it has changed. This has to be our focus over the next year. And what we do affects not just us here in this Hall, but billions of our fellow human beings. For the first time in its history, the human race has the capacity to end extreme poverty. The summit has endorsed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the benchmark of progress towards that objective. Ireland will play its full part. Last week, my Prime Minister committed Ireland to reaching the 0.7 target by 2012. By that year we will be spending up to 1.5 billion euros annually. Moreover, our aid will remain completely untied and directed towards the very poorest. Africa is, and will continue to be, the primary focus of Ireland’s aid programme. Over the past year, we have been tragically reminded of human vulnerability in the face of natural disasters. Their causes may be beyond our control, but how we react is in our own hands. Ireland will place an even stronger emphasis on emergency and humanitarian relief. In particular, we are urgently examining how we ourselves can improve our own capacity to deliver effective civilian protection in such cases. Conflict resolution is a vital part of the United Nations mission. It is not enough to end war. We must win the peace. Without coherent peacebuilding strategies, vulnerable countries may not escape the cycle of 17 violence. From the start, my country has been a leading proponent of the Peacebuilding Commission. Now that it has been agreed, let us work hard to get it up and running by the beginning of 2006. At the summit, there was agreement on the vital principle that the international community should take action to prevent genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity when the responsible Governments fail to do so. I hope and pray that such eventualities will never again come to pass. But if they do, we must act in a way which honours that solemn commitment. We have failed grievously in the past and must never do so again. The summit has committed us to strengthening the United Nations human rights machinery. I strongly welcome the decision to double the budget of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. And the decision to establish a Human Rights Council was very positive. Now the General Assembly must move swiftly to flesh out the modalities and the structure. It must be composed and operate in a way which avoids the failings of the past. But the best features of the Commission on Human Rights, such as its engagement with civil society, must be retained. Ireland particularly values the work of human rights defenders in calling Governments to account, and that must continue. Once more, we meet in the shadow of terrorism. So many recent and terrible acts remind us that no country is immune, as Ireland knows from its own long and bitter experiences. We should agree on the comprehensive convention on combating terrorism without delay during this session of the General Assembly. And all existing specific conventions must be fully implemented, and practical cooperation made more effective. The threat of terrorism requires a robust security response. But that response must be intelligent, calibrated and proportionate. It must respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law. And although no cause can ever justify terrorism, the political and social conditions within which it breeds must also be addressed. We cannot ignore the threat posed to our security by weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons. Ireland was deeply disappointed at the failure of the recent Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). We were equally disappointed at the inability of the summit to make any progress on that absolutely vital issue. But we cannot afford to give up hope. The logic in favour of the twin and mutually reinforcing goals of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation remains compelling. I welcome what appear to be positive developments with regard to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and salute the leadership of its neighbours and the United States in the negotiating process. Under the NPT, countries have every right to choose the option of civilian nuclear power. But it is essential that they do so in full accordance with the NPT and under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). International confidence in their exclusively peaceful intent is also vital and, where damaged, must be rebuilt in a clear and fully verifiable way. With our other European Union partners, Ireland fully supports the efforts of the European Union three to achieve that outcome with regard to Iran. We must continue to reform the structures of the United Nations. The need to align the Security Council with today’s realities is widely acknowledged. This remains an important piece of unfinished business. We must fulfil our commitment to revitalize the Assembly. And we need to take a serious look at how the Economic and Social Council can better fulfil its role. The Secretary-General has made clear his commitment to delivering on management reform within the Organization, as was requested by the summit. Very substantial progress on this question must be made during the present session. I would now like to touch on a number of issues of specific concern to Ireland. In relation to the Middle East and Iraq, the achievement of a lasting peace in the Middle East is of great importance to the entire world. Here, too, political will is the crucial ingredient. The initial difficult phase of Israel’s disengagement from settlements in Gaza has taken place peacefully. The courage and the commitment of Prime Minister Sharon and his Government have been commendable. Much, however, remains to be done. I welcome the determination of President Abbas and his colleagues to take full advantage of the 18 opportunity presented by the withdrawal. They must, with our help, maintain their efforts to ensure peace, security and the rule of law. And disengagement will truly be a success only if Gaza becomes economically viable, with free trade and free movement. This is clearly in Israel’s interests, as well as in those of the Palestinians. Disengagement is an important advance. It cannot be the end, but rather a step towards the full implementation of the Quartet’s road map. With the support and the assistance of the international community, both sides must press forward and renew momentum towards a permanent peace. It is also vital that, in particular in relation to the West Bank — as my delegation has spelled out in detail on many occasions — Israel desist completely from further steps which could jeopardize the viability of a two-State solution. With respect to Iraq, the people of Iraq face appalling challenges from terrorism. Despite that, they have courageously taken steps towards the restoration of full democracy and the control of their own destiny. The final decision on the adoption of the draft constitution now rests with the people themselves in next month’s referendum. The international community must do whatever it can to ensure that the vote takes place in a democratic and peaceful way. We have seen elsewhere that, no matter how difficult and imperfect progress may be, with political will and the support of the international community, it is possible to move forward, away from conflict. The elections yesterday in Afghanistan are a further welcome milestone in its transition. I also commend the excellent progress made in Aceh. I am proud that Irish soldiers are among those taking part in the monitoring mission run by the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Sadly, in Burma-Myanmar, human rights and democracy continue to be denied. That is most acutely symbolized by the continued detention of the heroic Aung San Suu Kyi. The cumulative length of her detention now approaches ten years. Her ordeal is not forgotten by the people of Ireland. I urge ASEAN, in particular, to demonstrate effective regional leadership and to heighten pressure on the regime to release her and move along the path of reform. As I said earlier, Ireland is particularly committed to Africa. We contribute substantially to development and conflict resolution, and we will continue to increase that contribution. But external help can do only so much. In the resolution of various political crises affecting the continent, the key requirement is, again, political leadership and vision. We welcome the recent signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in the Sudan, which must now be fully implemented. I am encouraged that, despite the tragic and untimely death of Vice-President Garang, both sides have reaffirmed their commitment to the Agreement. However, the situation in Darfur continues to be deeply worrying. My Government fully supports the African Union’s mission to improve security there. We look forward to early progress in the International Criminal Court investigation into human rights violations. The Government of the Sudan and the parties in Darfur must renew their efforts to conclude a comprehensive peace agreement by December, and the international community must continue to support efforts led by the United Nations to provide humanitarian assistance. I welcome recent progress in the Great Lakes region, in particular in Burundi, where the elected representatives have shown generosity of spirit and courage. I look forward to parallel progress in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ireland will contribute to support for the electoral process there. But I am seriously concerned at the situation in Zimbabwe. The downward spiral, which, above all, hurts the ordinary people of that nation, must be reversed. The Zimbabwean Government should start by accepting the recommendations of the Secretary General’s Special Envoy. Turning to a topic closer to home, in the Northern Ireland peace process it is also time for renewed leadership. There is a real prospect of the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement — which was put together in 1998 and voted by the people of Ireland — and the sustained operation of its institutions. The British and Irish Governments are partners in that endeavour, and we look for others to join us in delivering their promises. The Irish Republican Army took a major and courageous step forward in July. We now expect early 19 movement to deliver fully, in a verified and convincing way, on its commitment to decommissioning. There is no room for fudge and, equally, no room for any continuation of paramilitarism or criminality. Sinn Fein should also show leadership in moving to support the Police Service of Northern Ireland and to take their place in the governance of policing. The Police Service is showing professionalism, courage and even- handedness. The completion of the policing project would represent a profound move towards peace and political stability, and I call upon Sinn Fein, in particular, to take the hard decisions needed. Equally, leadership is needed from within the Unionist community. When the IRA’s commitments are fully delivered and verified, then the way will be clear for renewed political discussions by all parties on the reactivation of the Northern Ireland institutions. The Unionist parties say they are prepared to share power, when it is clear that the threat of violence has been removed once and for all. It should soon be time for them to demonstrate that good faith. I also look to the Unionist community to show determination in condemning and doing all it can to discourage the continuation of the appalling lawlessness, which has in recent times so badly affected both loyalist communities and their vulnerable nationalist neighbours. The need for political leadership is so urgent precisely because the prospect of decisive progress is so real and so alluring. Following the summit, we have a collective responsibility to grasp the opportunity to reinvigorate the United Nations. If we fail, our peoples today and in the future will not judge us kindly. Ireland gives its full backing to the Secretary- General’s proposals for change. I personally was honoured to act as one of his envoys, because, like him, we recognized that the United Nations was at a fork in the road. At the summit, we chose to start down the right track, but there is a long way to travel. I pledge again that over the year ahead Ireland will remain at the forefront of the drive for reform and renewal.