Sweden

The world of today is faced with a paradox. While our global interdependence is growing and threats to our societies require globally coordinated efforts, countries look inwards to their own regions. But regional cooperation should never be made a pretext for ignoring the outside world. It should open itself to the world. It should be a building block for truly global solidarity. We need a vision of a global neighbourhood, a global ethic and a global citizenship based on equality, 11 tolerance and solidarity. The globalization of our societies is irreversible. We need to cooperate to deal with its consequences. We have the instrument: the United Nations. At 50, the United Nations is the subject of criticism and lack of confidence. The experience of political setbacks in Somalia, Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia is not quickly forgotten. As in Bosnia, alternatives to the United Nations are sought to deal with pressing international issues. But the tasks of the United Nations have not been made easier by Member States’ refusing to give it adequate resources. Many Members, including some major Powers, still do not pay their contributions to the United Nations fully or on time. It is a shame that the Secretary-General has to devote much of his time to pleading with Member States to fulfil their financial obligations. Of course, the United Nations has its shortcomings. It suffers from bureaucracy and resistance to change. There are inefficiencies, but there are also success stories. We must not forget how United Nations operations helped build peaceful societies in Cambodia, El Salvador and Mozambique, nor how United Nations humanitarian actions have saved lives and alleviated suffering in Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi, the former Yugoslavia and other crisis areas. For security in a broad sense, we need a global Organization. We need the United Nations as a meeting place. We need the United Nations as a guardian of international norms and principles. We need the United Nations to prevent conflicts and to find peaceful solutions when violence erupts. We need the United Nations to cope with global threats to human security. We need the United Nations as a safeguard against environmental threats and in favour of sustainable development. We need the United Nations to promote democracy and human rights. We need the United Nations as a focal point for global solidarity. To realize this vision, we need a strong United Nations. Present inefficiencies have to be dealt with vigorously. Reform does not automatically equal down- sizing. In some fields, we may even have to expand the Organization. But resources should not be wasted. Confidence in the Organization demands financial discipline. A revitalized United Nations means a more focused and more determined United Nations. We need a United Nations that does not abandon its position as the principal instrument for maintaining international peace and security, a United Nations which is capable of acting rapidly with adequate means and resources. Today, I join with 15 other Heads of State and Government in a statement in support of renewing multilateralism. Without political leadership, the necessary changes cannot be made. My Government, the Swedish Government, sees the following steps as immediately required. First, United Nations Members must make a commitment to global multilateral cooperation. Secondly, payment must be made of assessed contributions to the United Nations in full, unconditionally and on time. Thirdly, there must be a commitment to strengthen and renew the United Nations, including a time-frame for comprehensive reform. Fourthly, a commitment to the United Nations as an instrument for sustainable economic and social development is necessary. Fifthly, we must adopt an integrated approach to security in view of long-term threats to our societies. Sixthly, there must be a commitment to early action to prevent conflict and man- made disasters. Finally, there is need for an agreement to develop the capacity of regional organizations to act in cooperation with the United Nations. The Swedish Government is committed to a strong and effective United Nations and we are ready to contribute to this objective. Therefore, Sweden seeks a seat on the Security Council for the 1997-1998 period. Our candidature has been launched with the full support of the other Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway. Members of the Security Council have a particular responsibility for international peace and security. It is essential that small and medium-size countries serve on the Council as well. The principle of rotation of non- permanent seats is important to us, for we have not served on the Council for the past 20 years. If elected to the Council, Sweden would continue to pursue openness and transparency. The links between the Council and the United Nations membership at large must be strengthened. Sweden would take independent positions, upholding the principles of international law. The primacy of international and humanitarian law is a pillar of our foreign policy. Sweden would contribute to a more efficient United Nations role in the new generation of peace-keeping, including better coordination between the civilian and military aspects of such operations. We 12 would also work for clearer mandates for United Nations operations. The capacity of the United Nations to command and control large-scale peace-keeping and humanitarian operations should be secured. We need an Organization capable of coordinating the various aspects of peace operations, including political peacemaking, military peace- keeping, long-term peace-building and humanitarian efforts. In our national planning for participation in future peace operations, my Government is taking steps to integrate the training of military and civilian personnel in order to facilitate coordination in the field. We invite other countries to such training in Sweden. Sweden believes that the sanctions instrument has to be refined. It is an important instrument for helping to preclude the use of armed force. But ways must be found to avoid the suffering of innocent civilians and to alleviate the consequences of sanctions for third parties. This is essential for the credibility and efficiency of the sanctions instrument. The United Nations represents the moral authority of the world community. It has a vital role in seeing to it that war crimes do not go unpunished. The Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda should be given the necessary support. The message must be clear. Civilians must be protected in all armed conflicts, whether internal or international. It should never be possible to live out criminal perversions, to murder, torture or rape with impunity. A permanent international criminal court should be established in the year to come. The financial crisis and the non-payment of assessed contributions to the United Nations must not be used as an instrument to precipitate reforms, nor should they be an excuse not to start urgent reforms. The possibility of using alternative sources of financing needs to be explored further. They could be used on a voluntary basis and serve to finance special needs outside the regular United Nations budget. The financing of global development cooperation is a critical issue that goes beyond the present financial crisis of the United Nations. The willingness to pay is decreasing. Development assistance is at its lowest level in decades. Only four countries — Sweden among them — fulfil the United Nations 0.7 per cent aid target. In our own case, we maintain this commitment despite a very difficult financial situation. Negotiated replenishment of multilateral development funds is not being honoured. The financing of global cooperation is a long-term issue that requires a long-term solution. The globalization of our economies, our politics and our daily lives calls for cooperation. This has been clearly illustrated in the report of the Commission on Global Governance. Industrialized and developing countries will realize that we have common interests, not least in meeting the threats to our common future, the environment. Further efforts must also be made to resolve the debt crisis for the poorest and most heavily indebted countries. We have a joint interest in open borders and free trade, which create growth and wealth. A difficult obstacle to such a development is the worldwide increase in organized crime. In my own region around the Baltic Sea, the Heads of Government have decided to elaborate a common plan of action to combat cross-border crime. I believe that this session of the General Assembly should send a strong political signal that intensified global efforts are also needed in this area. What is needed is increased exchange of information, judicial cooperation and closer cooperation in training, inter alia, through Interpol. Another global threat is the proliferation of arms, both conventional arms and those designed for mass destruction. For decades, Sweden has been in the forefront in the struggle against nuclear arms. The entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is essential. It would be a historic step towards the elimination of nuclear arms. I welcome the report of the Canberra Commission. It is a timely and valuable contribution to this endeavour. Anti-personnel landmines are a threat to development, to reconstruction and to human dignity in many parts of the world. Mines do not discriminate between an invading soldier and a child at play. They totally ignore cease-fires and political settlements. It is imperative that we move towards a global ban on these killers. Stockpiles should be destroyed. Sweden, for its part, will take such a unilateral step. All countries must adhere to the stricter legal regime that has been agreed for landmines, and much larger resources should be directed to humanitarian mine clearance. My 13 Government is prepared to make its substantial contribution to this end. Multilateral cooperation is indispensable for dealing with the crucial issues of survival facing us on the threshold of the next millennium. We have a common responsibility to give to the next generation the tools for such cooperation. True security is global. Sweden contributes actively to cooperation and security in our Baltic neighbourhood and in Europe. Our firm support for peace and development in the Middle East, in southern Africa, in Asia and in Central America is well known. True to our traditions and our vision, we continue to stand up for cooperation and security in our global neighbourhood.