Kuwait

It gives me pleasure, Sir, to extend to you on behalf of the State of Kuwait our warm congratulations on your election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty- fourth session. Given your extensive experience in international affairs and your personal skills and ability, we are confident that you will be able to guide the deliberations of the Assembly effectively. Let me assure Your Excellency that our delegation will cooperate with you in a diligent and constructive spirit in order to reach our common goals. 16 I wish also to pay tribute to your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Didier Opertti, who demonstrated good stewardship in his efforts to enhance the role of the Assembly. Let me take this opportunity to express once again our deep gratitude to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, for his tireless endeavours to reform the structure and streamline the functioning of the Organization with a view to bringing it more in line with the ever- changing realities of modern times. Kuwait welcomes the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru and the Kingdom of Tonga to membership in the United Nations. Our wish is that these new Member States will enhance the role and effectiveness of our Organization in the fulfilment of the objectives and purposes of the Charter. The wheel of time is now bringing us closer to the end of the twentieth century and entry into the third millennium. Against the backdrop of this truly historic benchmark, we think that the world community should renew its resolve to achieve higher standards of living and political stability and security, all of which are essential factors for progress. With a deeper and greater sense of resolve, humankind's future can be better than our present. Tragically, the twentieth century has seen two bitter world wars, in addition to numerous bilateral, regional and civil conflicts that claimed the lives of millions and millions of innocent human beings. Those innumerable wars put too many spikes in the wheels of growth and progress of many developing nations. Our cherished hopes and aspirations were always directed towards fulfilling the long-standing human dream of using the immense scientific and technological discoveries and know-how acquired especially in the past few decades of the twentieth century to address or solve the major and pressing global problems and phenomena facing the human race. However, about one fifth of the human race suffers from hunger; hundreds of millions of people live below the poverty line; the arms race, for reasons of security or territorial expansion, consumes enormous proportions of national budgets or assets to the detriment of economic and development programmes; massacres driven by ethnic or political motives have become excuses for liquidating opposition forces and consolidating political dictatorships; human rights violations persist under different justifications; and the phenomenon of terrorism, which is becoming increasingly intertwined with drug abuse and illicit trafficking in drugs, imperils the stability of societies and States, with the potential risks of jeopardizing security and stability far beyond national borders. In our view, the international community must cope with these devastating dangers in a more serious fashion in order to rid the world of their evil. Also, the millennium has seen many devastating natural disasters that resulted in vast human losses and extensive property damage. The most recent tragic example is the earthquake that struck the friendly Turkish Republic in August. We are confident that Turkey will eventually overcome the dire consequences of that national catastrophe. Along with many other countries and international relief and aid organizations, Kuwait hastily responded by airlifting basic human relief assistance and supplies. Our response emanated from humanitarian motives and our sense of good neighbourliness. In this regard, I wish to recall the decision by the States of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to donate $400 million to alleviate the impact of that severe quake. In the same vein, we wish to extend our warm condolences and sympathy to the friendly Government and people of Greece and to the families of victims of the tremor that hit there earlier this month. In order to draw some lessons from the recurrence of such disasters, Kuwait calls for expanding and reinforcing the role and effectiveness of the United Nations disaster relief organs. Such a role would help coordinate the contributions of the various States in order to fulfil their desired and optimal goals, to the best of their capabilities. My delegation now strongly feels that the international community should not underestimate the role and achievements of the United Nations system. Its outstanding track record over the past five decades should, in our view, deepen our appreciation for the valuable and credible manner in which the United Nations system addressed and resolved many conflicts and problems across the globe. Indeed, the Untied Nations saved mankind many potential tragedies. Hence, one cannot really imagine our contemporary world without this Organization, to which Kuwait is honoured to belong. Against the backdrop of the legacy inherited by the present generation and the possible challenges that will face us in the future, preparations are under way to convene the Millennium Assembly session here in New York in September next year. Given its historical context and the level of global participation, we hope that the session will prove to be a true benchmark in the history 17 of humanity. Kuwait feels that such an historic occasion requires proper and adequate preparation to ensure a truly meaningful outcome in terms of sketching the future path of the Organization in the new century. The issues on the global agenda are all serious and pressing, and some new vision is needed to deal with them. In any case, we are convinced that international cooperation and coordination and consolidation of human efforts will remain crucial to any viable endeavours to address those obstinate and interlinked problems within the framework of the United Nations. Therefore, continued support to ensure reinvigoration of the United Nations remains in order. As we look forward to the millennial summit as an unprecedented event, we think that the forthcoming historic occasion should not be a replay of the United Nations fiftieth anniversary celebrations, which were a largely ceremonial and symbolic event. The gathering of world leaders should go beyond the usual ritual of delivering speeches and photo sessions. Rather, our objective should be charting out a meaningful path for the future in a pragmatic, action-oriented fashion. The new vision should focus on business-like treatment of universal issues such as justice for all, equality, harmonious co-existence, cooperation, inter-cultural dialogues and promotion of respect for human rights, and advancing economic and social development to the top of our global agenda. At this juncture, allow me to highlight the fact that the State of Kuwait has been ranked number one in the Arab world and number thirty-five in the world in the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) Human Development Report of 1999. Kuwait will, God willing, continue its steady efforts towards the improvement of the economic and social conditions across the country, guided by, among other factors, the Human Development indices. In the same vein, I wish to recall the recent initiative by His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, who proclaimed a decree granting the women of Kuwait full political rights to participate in parliamentary elections and to run as candidates for the national assembly. This initiative is yet another example of the keen interest on the part of His Highness the Amir to consolidate the democratic system in Kuwaiti society and to expand public participation in civil life. Indeed, it is a testimony to and recognition of the prominent role and the valuable contributions by Kuwaiti women to our society. Another important goal we hope the Millennium Assembly will achieve is the expansion of the membership of the Security Council and the display of more transparency in the Council's procedures and methods of work. The question of reform of the Security Council has been exhaustively discussed over the past six years. Time has indeed come for proper action with a view to allowing all United Nations Member States to participate in the decision-making process in a more representative and equitable manner, under controls that would ensure a balance between effectiveness and larger membership. The reform should also ensure the special responsibility and ability of the Council members to maintain international peace and security. Following the end of the cold war, the world has witnessed many challenges that threatened international peace and security in various regions. As a result of the general ease in international relations and the growing rapprochement between East and West and the mounting desire for global cooperation and coordination, the Untied Nations system, through the Security Council, the primary organ responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, sought to address and manage those crises according to the ways and means that were set forth in the Charter. Yes, the United Nations has achieved substantial progress, though in varying degrees, and sometimes at a very heavy price in terms of losing dedicated personnel and peacekeepers on behalf of the cause of peace and in the service of humanity. Even when the United Nations might appear to be faltering in performing its mission, sometimes perhaps in a rather embarrassing way, the theoretical question that always arises in our minds is: would that situation have been better had the United Nations not intervened? And the resultant answer that we arrive at is invariably: absolutely not. Lapses, setbacks and failures are all, unfortunately, an inevitable tax that has to be paid in our pursuit of excellence and progress, good intentions notwithstanding. The sanctions system, under Article 41, Chapter VII, of the Charter, is one of the tools and methods that the Security Council found itself impelled to resort to in dealing with a number of States. The objective was to make them change their behaviour and dissuade them from the pursuit of policies of aggression, which run counter to the fundamental norms and principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. Experience on the ground has proved this method to be effective. On two occasions the Council suspended the sanctions imposed against some States once they had complied fully with their obligations under the relevant Security Council resolutions. This proves in no uncertain terms that the sanctions were not an end in themselves, 18 but a means used to impose respect for the Charter and the Security Council resolutions. Acting within the terms of its responsibilities, the Security Council established at the end of last January three separate panels to evaluate the extent of Iraq's compliance with its obligations under Security Council resolutions relating to Iraq's invasion of the State of Kuwait. The Secretary-General himself participated in the selection of the members of those panels, eminent, internationally known persons who were efficient and neutral experts. The panels met for a period of two months. They also sought the expert advice of many specialists and heard the views and presentations of many witnesses. Following extensive meetings and intense deliberations, the panellists reached a set of conclusions and recommendations that I shall briefly summarize as follows. First, the panel concerned with disarmament concluded that there were still a number of important and serious matters that had not yet been resolved. It emphasized the need for the return of the inspection teams to Iraq as soon as possible under an integrated and reinforced monitoring and verification system based on relevant Security Council resolutions. Secondly, with regard to the humanitarian situation the panel submitted several constructive proposals and recommendations which, if implemented, would improve the humanitarian conditions in Iraq. Perhaps the most important recommendation was the call to improve the operational mechanisms of the oil-for-food programme. Also, the panel invited the Government of Iraq to ensure equitable distribution of humanitarian goods and to pay due attention to meeting the needs of the vulnerable groups of the Iraqi population. Thirdly, the panel concerned with Kuwaiti and third- country prisoners of war and the return of stolen property to Kuwait, the panel thought that in regard to the prisoners of war issue, cooperation by Iraq with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Tripartite Commission had so far been below expectations. The panel was not satisfied with the Iraqi explanations of why Iraq had failed to provide information on the files submitted to it by the ICRC. The panel urged the Government of Iraq to reconsider its decision not to participate in the Tripartite Commission and its technical subcommittee. With regard to the return of Kuwaiti property, the panel concluded that Iraq had not fully complied with paragraph 2 of Security Council resolution 686 (1991), which demands that Iraq return all stolen property to Kuwait. Although those panels were established by the Security Council mainly to explore the possibility of mitigating the impact of the sanctions regime and improving the humanitarian conditions in Iraq, it is deeply regrettable that Iraq itself has declined to participate in their work. Iraq has also rejected the conclusions and recommendations reached by these panels. In this context, the Secretary-General, in paragraph 81 of his report (A/54/1) on the work of the Organization submitted to the current session of the Assembly, referred to Iraq's failure to fulfil its obligations and set the humanitarian requirements that Iraq must meet. The Secretary-General states: “Relations with Iraq took a turn for the worse during the year, despite a brief period of compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and myself in February 1998. In the face of continuing Iraqi non- compliance, the use of force by two Member States and the division in the Security Council that followed it was predictable. Our principal demands remain unchanged, however: Iraq must fully comply with all relevant Security Council resolutions; the international community must be assured that Iraq no longer has the capacity to develop or use weapons of mass destruction; missing Kuwaiti and third country nationals must be accounted for; and Kuwait's irreplaceable archives must be returned. Meanwhile, the people of Iraq continue to suffer the effects of sanctions”. For purely humanitarian reasons enjoined by our Islamic religion and by all other religious as well as international principles and norms, the State of Kuwait urges Iraq to put an immediate end to the plight of Kuwaiti and third-country prisoners, returning them to their families or fully accounting for them. Iraqi insistence that there are no such prisoners inside Iraq and that these people should be considered as missing persons is not an answer. What is at stake are the lives of people, who should be treated as trusts in our collective conscience. Since last January, Iraq has been boycotting the meetings of the Tripartite Commission and its technical subcommittee, bodies that operate under the aegis of the ICRC with the objective of locating and identifying those innocent victims. The following questions arise here. Is Iraq indeed serious in dealing with this important humanitarian matter? Does Iraq's attitude show any good faith? Would anyone safely claim that Iraq is working on implementing 19 relevant Security Council resolutions while boycotting the meetings of ICRC-sponsored humanitarian bodies? Only internationally established institutions can handle this issue. We believe that earnest and sincere cooperation with the Tripartite Commission is the key to the resolution of this humanitarian problem, which really does not tolerate any further delay. An intensive effort is currently under way within the Security Council to pass a new resolution related to the remaining obligations on Iraq, taking into consideration the recommendations made by the three aforementioned evaluation panels. While Kuwait concurs with the good intentions underlying the current efforts by members of the Security Council, which take the form of a draft resolution put forward by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, together with some other related views, we would like to reaffirm the important need to maintain the unity of the Security Council in dealing with this issue. Also, we demand assurances that Iraq will remain committed to all the requirements of Security Council resolution 687 (1991), which should be treated as one indivisible political and legal unit. In the meantime, Kuwait reiterates its full sympathy with the suffering of our brotherly people of Iraq. The Government of Iraq alone bears full responsibility for the perpetuation of those hardships. Kuwait, for its part, confirms its support for and endorsement of all Security Council resolutions aimed at easing those travails through the oil-for-food programme. Furthermore, we wish to reiterate our firm commitment to the need for the preservation of the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Iraq. Out of concern for and interest in bolstering the underpinnings of security and stability in our region, the State of Kuwait confirms its support for all efforts aimed at resolving the dispute between the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran over the Emirates' three islands by peaceful means. These would include the referral of the matter to the International Court of Justice. In the meantime, Kuwait welcomes the willingness of the friendly Islamic Republic of Iran to start direct negotiations with the United Arab Emirates. We hope the tripartite ministerial commission formed by the Cooperation Council of the Gulf Arab States will be able to initiate working mechanisms for beginning direct negotiations that could lead to the peaceful resolution of the dispute over the three Emirates' islands: the Lesser and Greater Tunbs and Abu Musa. This avenue would indeed contribute to confidence building and to the promotion of security and stability throughout the region. It would also expand and deepen cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and all States in the region. Kuwait welcomes the Sharm El-Sheikh Memorandum recently signed between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, which sets forth specific steps for the implementation of the Wye River accords. However, we demand that the new Administration in Israel do its part on reviving the peace process and resuming negotiations on all tracks. Israel must demonstrate honest commitment to the principles and operational framework of the overall peace process, which is anchored in Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and the land-for-peace formula. This includes fulfilment of all obligations and agreements signed with the Palestinian Authority within the peace process, with a view to reinstating all legitimate Arab rights, including the restoration to the brotherly Palestinian people of their full national rights, especially the establishment of their independent State on their national territory, with Jerusalem as its capital. The Government of Israel must also cease forthwith its illegitimate settlement-building and land-confiscation policy. It should also end its unilateral measures to create de facto realities on the ground, especially in the city of Jerusalem. Furthermore, Palestinian refugees must be reassured of their right to return to their homes in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions. We are baffled by, and accordingly reject, the references, declarations and insinuations recently made that promote the notion of resettling the Palestinian refugees outside their own ancestral homeland. Such a notion represents a stark violation of the fundamental principles of international law, United Nations resolutions and the inalienable right to self-determination. Furthermore, a resettlement plan would be an infringement on the sovereignty of other States and an interference in their domestic affairs. Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Syrian territory in the Golan Heights back to the 4 June 1967 lines is indeed the litmus test of Israel's genuine commitment to the land-for-peace principle. Moreover, we demand that Israel end once and for all its repeated acts of aggression against the sovereignty and independence of our sister State, the Lebanese Republic. We stress the need for an immediate Israeli pull-out from southern Lebanon and West Bekaa in accordance with Security Council resolution 425 (1978), which must be implemented without any restrictions or conditions. In this context, 20 Kuwait emphatically notes that the Syrian and Lebanese tracks must be recognized as organically interconnected if a just and lasting peace is to be established. In addition, while Kuwait endorses and appreciates the efforts of the two sponsors of the peace process, together with the European Union, to revitalize that process, we call upon all of them to redouble their efforts at this critical stage of the peace process. At the regional level, and given the long-standing historical and human bonds, as well as the close economic interests fashioned by the geographic location of the Arabian Gulf region and its proximity to India and Pakistan, with which the State of Kuwait maintains friendly relations, we appeal to both countries to resolve their bilateral dispute over Jammu and Kashmir by peaceful means and in accordance with United Nations resolutions. We sincerely hope that India and Pakistan will engage in a meaningful dialogue and draw on the deep and rich reservoir of wisdom available to the leaderships on both sides of the divide. We think that their economic resources would better be utilized for the development and welfare of their peoples and for enhancing security and stability in that sensitive region. Mutual confidence and cooperation should prevail over intense rivalry in the arena of terror. Kuwait welcomes the outcome of the popular consultation held under United Nations supervision in East Timor late last month. The ballot gave the East Timorese the chance to determine their future freely, with the guarantee and cooperation of the friendly Government of Indonesia. Kuwait has followed with sadness and pain the bloody events that have taken place in East Timor. However, we welcome the Security Council resolution to establish a multinational force to put an end to violence and to restore security and public order to that Territory. We wish that force full success in its mission. We also call upon neighbouring countries to respect the mandate of the force and to help the people of East Timor fulfil their legitimate aspirations. In this regard, Kuwait wishes to give credit to the friendly Government of Indonesia for its commitment and efforts at putting an end to the violence, the killing and destruction that ravaged East Timor in the wake of the referendum. Credit is also due Indonesia for agreeing to the formation and peaceful reception of the multinational force. Still on the international scene, Kuwait welcomes the peace accord reached between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on Kosovo as a first step towards the resolution of the dispute and the return of displaced persons to their homes in Kosovo. This will eventually put an end to the conflict and restore peace and security to the people, who have the right to live in freedom and dignity. The Balkan crisis, which was precipitated by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, has demonstrated once again that the United Nations role is indispensable to the maintenance of international peace and security and for lending legitimacy and credibility to any solutions reached, be it in a regional context or an international one. Kuwait supports and encourages the United Nations to continue its role until all aspects of the crisis have definitively resolved. The world today is living through a communications revolution that has helped to shorten distances between States and to speed up global connections, thus turning our planet into a village where people instantly react to events that take place anywhere across the globe. International economic integration has become part and parcel of development plans and programmes that aim at achieving progress and prosperity for nations. Unilateral isolationist policies have become relics of the past and untenable under a new world order that is becoming increasingly and rapidly universal. The new order, known as “globalization”, requires joint efforts in order to lay down the principles, regulations and arrangements that seek to ensure progress and well-being by creating new prospects for the flow of financial and technical aid to help national States project their ability to contribute to the building of a better future for humanity. Hence, developed countries are expected to increase their economic and technical assistance to developing States and to expand the exchange of information and technical know-how in an attempt to narrow the ever-widening gap in the fields of technology and communications. Moreover, international efforts must be invigorated in the face of a new emerging challenge posed by the dwindling sources of fresh water. Water reserves should be utilized on a just basis and with a sense of sharing in the use of this main artery of life itself. Bearing that vision in mind, Kuwait is pursuing its efforts to support development projects in many developing countries. The Kuwait Fund for Economic Development offers long-term financial loans at concessional interest rates. Also, my country contributes, within its means, to many development projects and programmes that are jointly financed by international financial institutions, regional 21 organizations and the United Nations agencies. Kuwait intends to pursue this path out of its conviction that development is the key to progress and a main incentive for building security and stability. Furthermore, reaching out with assistance to those in need is a moral obligation on those who are more privileged. This would indeed strengthen international cooperation, openness and mutual respect among nations. Now, as our world is about to bid farewell to the current century, good-hearted and decent people nurture various hopes and ambitions for serving humanity and building a better life on this small planet. We all hope to create and conserve a safe and healthy environment, free of threats to the security of all life. As we look down the road to the future, we can hopefully see a fulfilment of the divine prophecy of justice for humanity when we heed God's words, calling on us to feed the hungry and to ensure peace of mind and security for all human beings. We wish world leaders who will be assembled in this Hall in September next year success in defining a road map for the future, in setting a new vision and in renewing our common resolve to establish peace, justice and development for all peoples of the world.