Micronesia

I take this opportunity to congratulate President Eliasson on his election to lead our deliberations during this very important session of the General Assembly. I would also like to pay tribute to our outgoing President of the fifty-ninth session, His Excellency Mr. Jean 21 Ping, and our Secretary-General for their tireless efforts and very considerable contributions to the successful outcome of the High-level Plenary Meeting that concluded just a week ago. This year, at this historic session, we commemorate a milestone in the rich history of the Organization as we celebrate its sixtieth anniversary. For us in Micronesia, the occasion also marks the fifteenth anniversary of our joining the United Nations. We are proud and motivated to be part of this great Organization. Our celebrations, however, should have a noble purpose beyond honouring the past and the present. This occasion should give focus to the long road ahead of us. Inspired by the accomplishments of the past 60 years, we must forge ahead with strong determination, confidence and vigour to meet the challenges that the future holds for the Organization. The Federated States of Micronesia does not pretend to believe that the problems that we are called upon to tackle are easy; they are not. But while we have differences of opinion as to how they may be effectively addressed, my delegation is encouraged by the broad consensus that was reached during the high- level panel meetings last week that the reform of the United Nations and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) must be addressed one way or another and sooner rather than later. No doubt the consensus was forged in the conviction that the United Nations, with all its shortcomings, still represents the best hope for humankind to solve its problems at the multilateral level. If that is the case, as my country firmly believes it is, the Organization must be reformed to reflect present day realities and to effectively and efficiently achieve its enduring objectives as enshrined in the Charter. For the sake of our Organization’s credibility, for its long-term sustainability, and for the millions of people around the globe that pin their hopes on the United Nations, the Organization must be reformed. My delegation fully supports the call that has been made within the General Assembly Hall for its comprehensive reform. Consequently, let us give full consideration to the reform of the Security Council. The challenges of the twenty-first century demand that we should do so. With the indulgence of members, I do not wish to go into details here, as the position of my Government on the issue has already been made known on several occasions. I would only reiterate our call for the inclusion of Japan and Germany, among the developed countries, as permanent members of the Council, because we believe they will contribute greatly to the maintenance of peace and security. For those aforementioned reasons, we also support the inclusion of India, a developing country, as a permanent member of the Security Council. Moreover, we will support the inclusion of other developing countries from other regions, if that reflects the choice of those regions. We urge Member States to take bold and decisive action on this issue. The time has come for the “enemy State” clauses in the United Nations Charter to be removed. They have long become obsolete. The outcome document rightfully reflects that fact. The sixtieth General Assembly could not have been more timely. It can take up the noble but incomplete task of reinforcing and facilitating the full implementation of the outcome of last week’s summit. We have little choice but to complete that which was left unfinished. Consistent with the broader agenda of the debates, we wish to reiterate the great importance that we attach to the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) to be held in Tunisia in November. For my country, whose population is dispersed on many islands scattered over a vast area of the Pacific, access to affordable and reliable information and communication technologies (ICTs) is critical to the socio-economic advancement of its people. But harnessing the power of ICTs does not benefit only a few. In the end, it is a win-win proposition for us all — for developing and developed countries alike. The responsible use and effective dissemination of meaningful information is the key to emancipation from human ignorance and is therefore essential to socio-economic progress. It follows that the means of collecting, evaluating, and transmitting information must be shared and placed at the service of humankind. It is for that reason that my country continues to add its voice to those of other countries in urging universal cooperation in the WSIS process. It is a step forward along the road to achieving the MDGs. Without it, the MDGs will mean little. It is for the same reason that my Government supports the Community of Democracies and participates in its activities. In our view, 22 democratization of the institutions of governance and transparency in public policymaking — with due regard to local conditions — are inseparable from economic progress and collective security. After all, the work of the Community does not contradict but further reinforces the MDGs and, in a larger sense, the time-honoured objectives incorporated in the Charter of the United Nations. It does not take a great deal of wisdom to realize that, as a small island developing State, my country is vulnerable to the extremely adverse impact of global climate change. For the 15 years we have been a Member of the United Nations, we have been vocal here and elsewhere on the issue of climate change and its adverse impact on small island developing States. For us, it is an issue of security and survival. I reiterate our appeal to those countries that have not yet ratified the Kyoto Protocol to do so immediately and without further delay. A week ago during the High-level Plenary Meeting, President Joseph Urusemal, like other Micronesian Presidents before him, called attention to the daunting challenges facing our country and other small island developing States in pursuing sustainable development and achieving the MDGs. I reaffirm their calls here once again, and stress the urgent need for the international community to fully and effectively implement the Mauritius Strategy for the further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States. The Strategy provides a way forward for these countries and plays a crucial role in our ability to achieve sustainable development and meet the MDGs. As if the plethora of challenges I have spoken of are not daunting enough for my country, the escalating cost of fuel and its negative impact on our efforts to meet development goals and pursue sustainable development is a major cause of concern. That crisis brings to the fore the need identified by small island developing States for accelerated research and development and a sharing of technologies in the areas of renewable and alternative sources of energy. We appeal to the international community to assist us in those areas. I take this opportunity today to reiterate the call made by my President during the High-level Plenary Meeting to further strengthen cooperation and linkages between the United Nations and countries of the Pacific, like mine. The need for the physical presence of the United Nations system and its sustained engagement in our development process is now more compelling than ever. We cannot accept the notion that our country is undeserving of the substantive presence of the United Nations. Over the past few months we have seen encouraging signs in the Middle East. The historic disengagement of Israel from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank is a step in the right direction and should be commended. My Government appreciates the political obstacles faced by the two parties and encourages them to stay the course towards a peaceful settlement of what has been a long, complex and unpleasant experience. We call upon both parties to spare no effort to actively pursue peaceful negotiations. They should not be satisfied until the day comes when Israeli and Palestinian children can play side by side and live in peace, without fear. As a young country that graduated from the trusteeship regime of this Organization, my country places high hopes in the United Nations. At 60, the United Nations should not to be contemplating retirement. Instead, the time has come for this great Organization to strengthen and rededicate itself in order to effectively and efficiently meet the challenges of the new millennium.