Algeria

The current session of the United Nations General Assembly is taking place at a complex international time, marked by worrisome developments that exacerbate the feelings of anxiety and precariousness that plague the majority of humanity. These developments result from the profound historic changes that have occurred in recent years, which at one time had given us hope for a new and improved system of international relations that would be more open to the concerns of all in matters of security and more receptive to development needs. The transformation of the international economy and accelerated trends towards globalization have, to be sure, resulted in new, more complex relations, but have also, due to certain harmful side effects, aggravated the imbalances and the dependency of many developing countries, whose courageous economic reforms, achieved at the highest of costs, still confront a hostile environment. In this new era of heightened interdependence, a lack of solidarity still characterizes international relations, and self-interest is persistent in terms of both security and development, emphasizing the lack of a mechanism that can effectively narrow the growing gap between developed countries — ever more prosperous and stable — and a developing world faced with poverty and disorder of every sort. Such observations emphasize that a real awareness on the part of the international community as a whole, and of the developed countries in particular, is slow in coming. They also confirm that piecemeal measures, taken on an urgent basis, are not enough to compensate for the lack of an overall approach to the global problems of our times. 22 Also quite clear in this regard is the marginalization of the mechanisms established to foster, channel and develop cooperation, solidarity and joint efforts among nations. It is significant to note that on the heels of an anniversary session at which the commitment of States to strengthen the authority of the United Nations was forcefully reaffirmed, the Organization is experiencing one of its greatest crises, notably due to restrictions on the resources it needs to accomplish its missions — and this at a time when the demands on it have increased and when expectations are growing that it will play a larger role in preserving peace, in promoting and developing international cooperation, and in emancipating peoples still under domination. Hence the need for all States to discharge their obligations to our Organization, especially since it has embarked upon a courageous process of restructuring and reform designed to make it an instrument capable of generating and developing dialogue, cooperation and confidence among nations. It should be noted, in this regard, that democratization, transparency and a better balance among its major organs all are requirements and basic objectives for a genuine reform of the institution and for ensuring the restoration of the General Assembly’s authority and the functions conferred upon it by the Charter — also a key objective in order to enhance the effectiveness of its action and restore its credibility. Similarly, it is important, within the framework of the question of the expansion of the Security Council, to pay special attention to such crucial aspects as the transparency of its work, the representation on it of the Member States on whose behalf it acts, and the links to be established with the General Assembly. Algeria, which has made a priority, in its foreign policy, of strengthening the credibility and the authority of the United Nations, naturally provides continuous political support and makes varied contributions to its activities, as shown by our participation in the success of certain peace- keeping operations. This is because our Organization remains the most appropriate framework for realizing our aspirations for shared security and development, at the very time when the realization of the twin Agendas for peace and development calls for respecting and strengthening its authority. Here I should like to pay a well-deserved tribute to our Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, for his vision, his perseverance and the tireless efforts he has been making in the service of adapting the United Nations to the challenges of the current era. His courage, his commitment, and the ambition he has to reinforce the reach and effectiveness of the Organization at a particularly difficult phase in the evolution of international relations have gained him the support of the Organization of African Unity and the League of Arab States. My country reiterates its support for him and wishes him every success at the head of the United Nations. The dawning of a better-organized and more stable international order requires seeking joint responses to the most dangerous threats to the security and development of our countries. These responses can emerge only through joint undertakings, greater solidarity and an effective commitment to combat the most serious consequences of the rise in intolerance and extremism and the denial of the most basic principles of humanity. Among these phenomena, international terrorism is more than ever manifest, in its seriousness as a universal phenomenon, as a threat to the stability of nations and to democratic values in our societies, and as a new type of threat to international peace and security. So combatting terrorism today requires effective international mobilization commensurate with the challenges of a key phenomenon which knows no limits or inviolable sanctuary. It is fortunate that an international awareness of the dangers inherent in this scourge is beginning gradually to emerge. The international response, however, will to a large extent remain insufficient if it is not reflected in concrete action in line with three requirements: the establishment of true international cooperation; a show of greater solidarity; and determination commensurate with regularly stated political commitments. In this regard, the fight against terrorism should not be ambiguous or selective, as it sometimes is. It should be marked by a constant, unfailing mobilization of efforts to dismantle the criminal chain of terrorism, including those who are perpetrators, those who are behind them, the various political networks and their sources of financing and supply, and the direct or indirect logistical support given by individuals, groups or States. The necessary conditions should be created for this. In this context, Algeria supports the idea of holding an international conference on the fight against terrorism. 23 Promoting more stable and more balanced international relations requires collective effort to improve the situation in areas of tension and conflict which threaten international peace and security. In order to be fruitful, these efforts should be buttressed by a search for viable, lasting solutions to these conflicts and by increasing joint efforts and strengthening existing frameworks for dialogue. From this standpoint, the crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an example of how indecision and lack of determination on the part of the world community cost us a great deal in tragedy and destruction. This long-suffering country is now, to be sure, embarking on the path to peace, even if still remains fragile, and strewn with many obstacles. We venture to hope, however, that its new institutional direction will insure for Bosnia and Herzegovina the peace it needs for stability and reconstruction. Furthermore, the promotion of international relations also presupposes the strengthening of regional integration frameworks which today are the hallmark of an emerging new system of international relations. In its immediate environment, Algeria is actively participating in the establishment and consolidation of joint action for solidarity and cooperation with its neighbours, with which it hopes to develop exemplary good-neighbourly relations. In the Maghreb, the identity, aspirations and common mission of the peoples of the region, naturally, make us desirous of retaining a plan for Maghreb unity as a central element of my country’s policy. This is an irreversible national priority. Algeria’s determination is an expression of faith in the future as is the ability of each of the Arab Maghreb Union partners to take advantage of the opportunities for relations which can be mutually beneficial and which can meet the legitimate aspirations of our peoples. It is in this context of a unified, homogenous and strong Maghreb that Algeria hopes to contribute to the beginning of a just and lasting peaceful settlement of the issue of Western Sahara. It is in this regard too that Algeria continues to provide political support and human and financial resources to the Settlement Plan jointly put in place by the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) with a view to holding a genuine, credible referendum which would guarantee the free exercise by the people of Western Sahara of its right to self-determination and independence. Continuing problems encountered in the implementation of the Settlement Plan, and the uncertainty surrounding the desired political solution of this conflict, require that we redouble our efforts to establish better conditions for a genuine peace framework. We are convinced that this will be possible only if each and every party fully discharges its responsibilities in the implementation of the Plan. A rapid solution would only be advantageous for the peace and concord to which all peoples in the region are entitled. This means in particular that the two parties to the conflict — the Kingdom of Morocco and the POLISARIO Front — should become aware that forthright, constructive and responsible dialogue can bring a solution to pending issues at the current stage, and can also help them to prepare for the future. This also means that the duty of the international community, and of the United Nations in particular, should be translated into a more sustained commitment and presence, and into a continued peace effort in line with international responsibilities towards the people of Western Sahara and their legitimate rights. The establishment of the OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution reflects the determination of African leaders to make a decisive contribution to reducing tensions and settling disputes on our continent. Thanks to this spirit, the painstaking efforts made by the countries of the Economic Community of West African States have opened up promising prospects for a settlement of the conflict in Liberia through national reconciliation and a return to democratically elected institutions. Algeria hopes for a return to calm, reconciliation and national unity in Burundi, which are so crucial for the whole region. We continue to encourage all efforts being made by the countries of the Great Lakes region. The lack of prospects for a settlement in Somalia and the international community’s lack of interest are exacerbating the sufferings endured by the civilian population and are a source of great concern to us. While it is true that Somalians themselves must make a special effort, it is also the duty of the international community — through the United Nations, the OAU and the League of Arab States — to do everything possible to help in reconciliation and in the establishment of national institutions which could earn the embrace and confidence of all Somalians. In the Mediterranean, Algeria has constantly worked towards the establishment of a permanent framework for 24 dialogue and cooperation which would enable the coastal States, without exception, to address their political, security, economic and human concerns. We have always acted with a view to defining a renewed operational machinery which would organize and lead a future of stability and progress in the European-Mediterranean theatre. This is what motivated Algeria to join the process begun in Barcelona. In our view, this was an initial accomplishment, an important step towards the establishment of new European- Mediterranean relations based on mutual confidence and joint actions, which will give tangible content to the indivisibility of security and development in the region. In the Middle East, recent developments have in many respects caused us concern and alarm. The Madrid conference created a historic opportunity for a peaceful settlement for the Arab-Israeli conflict. In the name of good faith and responsibility, the commitments entered into must be respected. Algeria hopes to pursue its contribution to a just and lasting peace, and renews its commitment to the principals adopted by the Madrid conference: land for peace; the implementation of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973) and 425 (1978); and respect for the national aspirations of the Palestinian people. These principles are at the heart of the peace process and the basis for our participation in it. Algeria believes that there is no alternative to a settlement based on the total withdrawal by Israel from all Arab territories occupied since 1967 and on the right of the Palestinian people to the establishment of a sovereign State, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Today, it is the duty and the responsibility of the international community, and in particular of the co- sponsors of the peace process, to show resolve and determination in continuing their efforts to promote the success of the process — a process which has been jeopardized by Israeli intransigence and back-sliding. The improvement of relations between Arab States and their unity constitute an essential pillar of the peace process. The dawning of peace will depend to a large extent on the mobilization of Arab potential and capacity in the service of peace and to promote relations based on the principles of good-neighbourliness, the non-use of force or the threat of force, and non-interference in the internal affairs of States. All of us, Algeria included, must reverse the logic of confrontation, which has compromised relations between Arab countries since the Gulf war, and work towards reconciliation on the basis of respect for international law. In this context, the unjustified violations of the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Iraq require an increased awareness on the part of the world community of the risks inherent in such practices, which are contrary to international law, and of their effects on the stability of the region. Such violations, which Algeria rejects, have only increased the suffering of the Iraqi people, who have already been sorely tried by several years of sanctions which can no longer be justified. In the same vein, Algeria remains concerned at the continuation of sanctions against our sister country, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, and by the sufferings these involve for the Libyan people, to which we would like to reiterate our full solidarity. Furthermore, Algeria renews its support for the restoration of the sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates over the Abu Musa islands and the Lesser and Greater Tunb islands, which remain under foreign occupation. My country also expresses its solidarity with Bahrain in the face of the increased foreign interference and threats to which it has been subjected. Algeria’s actions with regard to disarmament stem from its conviction that the acquisition, stockpiling and increased sophistication of arms, in particular high- technology weapons and weapons of mass destruction, do not bring security, but undermine the essential establishment of confidence among nations. Strengthened by this conviction, Algeria has shown — through concrete initiatives taken at the international, regional and internal levels — its commitment to strengthening the process towards general and complete disarmament by eliminating weapons of mass destruction. In this regard, we recall our participation in the drafting and adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty as an initial stage for more substantial measures in this area. Similarly, after having ratified the Convention on chemical weapons and adhering to the nuclear non- proliferation Treaty, on 30 March 1996 Algeria signed a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency. Acting with similar responsibility, Algeria has helped African efforts. These led to the adoption on 11 April of the Pelindaba Treaty, by which the States Members of the Organization of African Unity declared Africa a nuclear- free zone. This African momentum should be encouraged by similar efforts to establish new zones, especially in the Middle East, which remains a legitimate source of concern for all Arab countries, in particular with regard to Israeli nuclear potential. 25 A better structured and more unified international economic order is a precondition for international peace and security. The globalization of economic, social and political problems, the lack of coordinated management of interdependent issues, the increase in global challenges, and the weakening of national regulatory structures make it ever more necessary to establish new structures for global management within a framework of true democratization of international relations. In response to these objectives, the international community must shoulder more responsibility for the many, interdependent links which hold it together; improve its ability for a collective response to the challenge of development; and increase its support for these efforts. The worsening of the external, bilateral and multilateral debt crisis of developing countries; the erosion and unpredictable nature of resources from export earnings; restrictions on access to markets; the lack of fairness in international trade; one-sided views which affect cooperation; and the unilateral nature of the world decision- making process: all these highlight in different ways the various obstacles which remain on the path to development. This means that, in order to organize a common future on a new basis, the international community must make development a greater concern, promote joint solutions for the sustained growth of the countries of the South and ensure their true integration in the world economy. In this vein, the issue of development financing deserves special attention in the context of the persistent external debt crisis in the countries of the South and the drying up of funds for cooperation, since the approaches taken to this issue thus far have been questionable, to say the least. Imaginative and more global solutions must be found to the external debt problem of the countries of the South and their access to international financing. It is also important to include in our vision of development the enormous potential of the expanding world trade expected from the fair and consistent implementation of the Uruguay Round agreements. The first Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO), to be held soon in Singapore, will be a good opportunity for the international community to make a clear appraisal of the implementation of these agreements and to make the necessary corrections for a more significant and equitable participation of the countries of the South in international trade. It is through its predictability, stability, openness and transparency that the new world trade system established by the WTO will become a true and forceful factor for development. The international economic situation is still characterized by gaps that make the future of the world more uncertain, given the increase in inequalities and the risk of social rifts they entail. These gaps, which also affect developed countries faced with the severe problems of adjusting to unemployment and exclusion, show how, faced with globalization, international society can only find joint solutions to global problems, particularly those of growth and development. It is in Africa, where the socio-economic situation is evolving more tragically, that this dimension can be seen in all its gravity with the expansion of abject poverty, the spread of disease and the threat of impending famine. It is on that continent that we find the greatest expression of the categorical need for renewed and strengthened international solidarity in a spirit of open- mindedness and partnership to help African countries in their efforts at the socio-economic restructuring necessary to lay the foundations for lasting political and social balance and to open new prospects of hope for their peoples. It is in fact politically unacceptable and morally intolerable to continue to ignore the international threat inherent in the deterioration of the development crisis on that continent. In this vein, the new appeal made last March by the Secretary-General through a special initiative of the United Nations system for Africa deserves our full support, since it compels the international community, and, in particular the wealthy countries, to face up to their basic responsibilities to our continent. In a world that is constantly changing, we must undertake in all diligence and determination to work together to set new balances, enable mankind harmoniously to manage its interdependence and make the international economic environment more conducive to development. By its very nature and unique mission, the United Nations is the appropriate place to give an articulate, joint global response to these challenges. Who better than the United Nations can carry out such a task at a time when managing interdependence is more than ever at the heart of the problems of development and peace? 26 That is why we should come to an agreement on the development programme proposed by the Secretary- General. This programme should support United Nations efforts for Africa. This is why the criteria for streamlining and efficiency which accompany the reform process in the United Nations system in the economic and social spheres should be made manifest in a joint quest for common objectives in organizing the new system of international relations. It is by doing so and by finding further inspiration in its Charter that the United Nations will avoid drifting off track and will become a more effective instrument for the orderly reconstruction of international relations and thereby provide the necessary stability for peace and development.