Let me start by
offering you, Mr. President, my congratulations and best wishes. With your
election an outstanding representative of the new democracies in Eastern
Europe has been chosen to preside over this Assembly. I should also like to
convey our appreciation to your predecessor. Ambassador Shihabi of Saudi
Arabia.
I wish to pay special tribute to the Secretary-General. His report
entitled "An Agenda for Peace" contains timely suggestions for a world in
which the very nature of conflicts has changed and which therefore has
outgrown the traditional means of conflict management. Austria supports the
Secretary-General in his quest to develop better instruments for the United
Nations to discharge its ever-growing world-wide responsibilities to prevent
and resolve conflicts.
Many of the Secretary-General's proposals reflect the need for more
efficient conflict prevention. In the case of the former Yugoslavia we have
seen the devastating effects of doing too little too late. Let me recall
Austria's proposal last year to dispatch peace-keeping forces to Bosnia and
Herzegovina when there was still a peace to keep. Always, be it in Somalia,
the Balkans or elsewhere, time-lags between the appearance of the first signs
of a crisis and resolute decisions for preventive action prove to be costly
in human lives, in destruction of property and in the loss of credibility of
the international community.
Peace-keeping operations must go beyond the mere observation of a
cease-fire. In order to meet today's challenges, peace-keeping has to play a
major role in conflict-prevention. Therefore, we support the
Secretary-General's proposal envisaging the deployment of observers at the
request of only one party to a conflict.
Preventive diplomacy, peace-keeping operations, peace-making and
peace-building will increasingly be among the main tasks of this
Organization. Inter-ethnic strife will, unfortunately, continue to be the
source of many conflicts in the future. We must all combine our efforts to
improve the Secretariat's capacity to deal effectively with these challenges.
The demands on the United Nations for peace-keeping and peace-building
are increasing in numbers of operations and personnel, as well as in the scope
of their mandates. We share the Secretary-General's concern about the need
for Member States to make the necessary resources available.
Austria, one of the largest troop-contributors over the years, is willing
to increase its contribution, both for traditional tasks, in the form of
providing military personnel, and for new tasks, in the form of assisting
difficult transition processes, through the dispatch of civilian police,
administrators and monitors of democracy. We have initiated a programme of
meetings and seminars on inter-ethnic peace-keeping and training for
peace-keeping, peace-making and conflict-prevention. Austria is now
organizing a seminar on assisting and monitoring elections, with the aim of
training officials for participation in future such United Nations missions.
At a time of excessive demands on limited United Nations resources and of
the increasing political importance of regional arrangements, the
Secretary-General's innovative approach of intensifying cooperation and
coordination with regional organizations should be wholeheartedly pursued.
Strengthening the bonds between the United Nations Secretariat and the
relevant regional bodies calls for continuous contact and communication.
In Europe the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)
recently constituted itself a "regional arrangement" for matters of collective
security, in conformity with the Charter. Its Vienna-based Conflict
Prevention Centre will play an important role in future CSCE peace-keeping
operations. The negotiations in Vienna within the framework of the CSCE Forum
for Security Cooperation are particularly important for the development of
confidence and for security-building and disarmament. In view of the
proximity of the CSCE Secretariat in Prague and the Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights in Warsaw, both the United Nations and the CSCE
would greatly benefit from the creation in Vienna of a mechanism for liaison
between the European regional arrangements and the United Nations
Secretariat. Such an institution, a foundation of peace-keeping operations,
could make the combined efforts of all organizations more effective.
At a time of limited resources it seems necessary for the Organization to
make full use of all the facilities at its disposal world wide.
Decentralization of the Secretariat must be seen as an asset for the
Organization.
No conflict illustrates more dramatically the utmost urgency of the need
for implementation of the Secretary-General's proposals with regard to the
continuing aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a State
Member of our Organization. The most fundamental principles on which the
Charter is based are challenged: collective security, the non-use of force
against territorial integrity and political independence, inviolability of
borders, the rule of law, democracy, fundamental freedoms and human rights
especially minority rights.
In this regard, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a test case. If today
aggression and "ethnic cleansing" are permitted there, tomorrow they may work
in Sandzak, Kosovo, Vojvodina and Macedonia, and even in other parts of the
world. The consequences would be unimaginable.
Certainly, the international community has reacted to this aggression, to
the atrocities and to the needs of the victims. Both the CSCE and the
Security Council have clearly stated in various declarations and resolutions
the responsibility of the Serbian Government for these acts and have demanded
that they be brought to an immediate end. Cease-fires have been brokered,
crucial humanitarian assistance has been organized, sanctions have been
imposed and a political framework for a resolution of the conflict has been
created.
We owe a special tribute to all those courageous men who participate at
enormous personal risk in the peace-keeping operations. We deeply regret the
loss of human lives that has already occurred. It goes without saying that
attacks against peace-keeping forces warrant our utmost condemnation, whether
or not we know who might be responsible for such atrocious acts.
During the last year many forums and organizations have adopted important
declarations and resolutions dealing with this crisis. The London Conference
produced a comprehensive plan of action, which could serve as a basis for a
settlement. But have these plans and resolutions been implemented? What is
needed is pressure, serious pressure, to make the aggressor desist from his
acts in flagrant violation of international law in particular, humanitarian
law and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide. We must effectively rule out any possibility of not complying with
the political commitments undertaken in London. This holds true for all the
parties involved. The longer the conflict lasts, the greater the danger of
violation of the most basic standards of human rights.
In the context of this and other conflicts we should heed the
Secretary-General, who on a general basis commends Article 42 of the Charter
to the attention of all States; he says that under this Article
"... the Security Council has the authority to take military action to
maintain or restore international peace and security." (A/47/277.
para. 43)
Certainly, all peaceful means have to be employed to solve a conflict,
but if they prove to be of no avail, and in the case of clear, gross
violations of fundamental principles of the Charter, full application of all
the Charter's provisions must be envisaged. That is the core and essence of a
functioning system of collective security.
The disappearance of the East-West confrontation that paralyses our
Organization for so long gives us the chance to resurrect this system of
collective security as envisaged by the founding fathers of the Organization.
For the sake of mankind in the North and in the South, in the East and in the
West of our globe we must not miss this chance.
The objective fact of the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia has been
established in the convincing legal opinion handed down by the arbitration
commission, chaired by President Robert Badinter. Consequently, Austria,
along with many other countries, favours termination of the membership of
"Yugoslavia" in all international organizations. We welcome the admission of
Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Nations.
Ultimately all the successor States, including Serbia and Montenegro, have the
right to be admitted as Members, provided that they comply with the
established obligations of the Charter. Once the criteria established for the
successor States of the former Yugoslavia by the Charter of Paris and by the
peace conference have been met, the conditions will be in place for the
admission of that State to the United Nations. We will continue to judge the
real willingness of the authorities in Belgrade and other Serbian forces to
honour their commitments and international obligations not by their words but
by their actions.
The international community will have to act most vigorously to oppose
effectively the intolerable practice of "ethnic cleansing". I welcome the
decisions of the Security Council, which has taken steps towards the
establishment of security zones in Bosnia and Herzegovina to contain the mass
expulsions, to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance and to
secure the functioning of the legitimate Government. We must continue to work
in this direction. The establishment of a no-fly zone over Bosnia and
Herzegovina, as proposed by France, would supplement that measure and end the
air attacks by the Serbian air force.
The horrible effects of "ethnic cleansing" will have to be reversed. The
aggressor cannot be allowed to enjoy the fruits of his aggression. The
international community will have to do more than care for refugees and
displaced persons: our goal must be to create conditions which would allow
those who were expelled or displaced to return to their homes and to regain
their belongings or be compensated for property destroyed.
Mr. Tadeusz Mazowiecki, a hero of the liberation of Central and Eastern
Europe, submitted, in his capacity as Special Rapporteur of the Commission on
Human Rights, a report containing a number of proposals, which should be
implemented as quickly as possible. I am thinking of the immediate necessity
to disarm irregular armed forces and civilians, and the expansion of the
mandate of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) to the whole of
Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to be able to collect information on human
rights violations and to deal with them. Another of Mr. Mazowiecki's
important ideas is the creation of an investigative commission to determine
the fate of the thousands of missing persons.
At this point, let me express my firm conviction that ordinary people,
both Serbs and Montenegrins, want prosperity and, first and foremost, peace.
The abhorrent acts carried out under "ethnic cleansing", the torturing of
innocent men and women in camps, the shelling of defenceless citizens: all
these crimes are being ordered and carried out by individuals who cannot claim
to act in the name of their people. Appropriate machinery must be established
to enforce Security Council resolution 771 (1992) and to provide for
- proceedings against all individual perpetrators punishable under international
law, such as by creating an international penal tribunal for war crimes.
Earlier this year the international fact-finding commission established
under Additional Protocol I to the Fourth Geneva Convention on the Protection
of the Victims of Armed Conflicts became operational. This commission could
also assume an important role to ensure the full implementation of the rules
of international humanitarian law.
Today the former Yugoslavia is suffering from the horrible ravages of
war. In a long-term perspective, economic recovery and concerted economic
assistance will have to be a part of any peaceful solution for the region.
Let me add here that Austria, long before the beginning of the process of the
it disintegration of Yugoslavia, strongly advocated international assistance for
the economic development of our neighboring country through various European
organizations in order to promote reform, prosperity and democracy. Then as
now our actions were motivated by a deep-felt desire to support economic and
political reform for the sake of the well-being of all peoples living in the
Balkan region, to which Austria is bound by strong ties of history. That is
why I feel that I must make an urgent appeal for the mobilization of further
financial means to bolster the humanitarian assistance necessary for the
survival of the suffering populations. There can be no doubt that, with good
will on both sides, questions and tensions arising from the cohabitation of
different ethnic groups in the same area can be resolved in a process of
cooperation.
It is with the greatest satisfaction that I am today in a position to
inform the General Assembly of the resolution, through political dialogue, of
the controversy between Austria and Italy concerning the protection of the
Austrian population in South Tyrol. This dispute originated in the different
interpretations of the agreement signed by the two countries on
5 September 1946 in Paris. The issue was then addressed by the General
Assembly in its resolutions 1497 (XV) and 1661 (XVI), in 1960 and 1961. On
this basis, Austria and Italy reached agreement on a package of 137 measures
designed to benefit the population of South Tyrol - measures that Italy
pledged to enact. At the beginning of this year further legal measures were
adopted. On 19 June the two countries were able to inform the
Secretary-General that the dispute which had been pending with the United
Nations since 1960 had been settled.
Austria and Italy have thus been able to provide the community of nations
with a good example of how to resolve an ethnic conflict and how to guarantee
and protect the rights and identities of minorities. The measures taken do
indeed promise to provide a safe basis for the cultural, economic and social
development of the German- and Ladin-speaking groups in South Tyrol, as they
include sufficient legal safeguards at the national and international levels.
The resolution of this controversy was greatly facilitated by a positive
development in the political attitudes of all the parties involved in
particular, by increased confidence between the State authorities and the
ethnic groups. Although the protection of ethnic groups is clearly a dynamic
process, the minority has to be assured that the Italian republic will respect
its separate identity and will maintain the laws and regulations that have
been created for the advancement of ethnic groups. Furthermore, the minority
must be assured that its cultural bonds, based on common ethnic affiliation
beyond the Italian frontier, will not be impeded in the future. If such
confidence exists, the State will secure the loyalty of the minority.
Confidence will also create an atmosphere conducive to better and intensified
cooperation across the borders.
Respect for human rights is a crucial requirement for the settlement of
today's conflicts. The Austrian Government will take pride in hosting the
World Conference on Human Rights to be convened in Vienna in June 1993. The
invitation to host such an important event highlights Austria's dedication to
the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The
principles embodied in the Charter of the United Nations and in other
international human-rights instruments have undeniably become universal
standards. It is imperative that all members of the international community
fulfil their voluntarily accepted obligations to promote and respect human
rights, humanitarian law and democratic values. Human rights, democracy and
development are inextricably linked and are of the utmost importance in an
increasingly interdependent world. We shall continue to promote a
comprehensive concept of human rights based also on different cultural
traditions and encompassing civil and political, as well as economic and
social, rights. There must not be a new North-South divide in the
interpretation and application of human rights. Our unitary world requires
consensus on this vital issue. In preparing for the Vienna conference, we
shall strive for such consensus. I can assure the Assembly that the Austrian
Government will spare no effort to contribute substantially to the preparatory
process and that it will provide excellent facilities for the Conference.
The Secretary-General has introduced the concept of an integrated
approach by the United Nations to political, economic and social issues.
Adequate economic and social development are prerequisites for international
peace and security. The current and future status of the world social
situation, the inclusion of vulnerable and socially disadvantaged groups in
development, drug-abuse control and crime prevention rank high on the
international agenda of an increasingly interdependent world. Peace and
security are closely linked with economic and social development. We must
take advantage of the end of the cold war to put more emphasis on issues of
social and economic development.
As the Secretary-General has said, the convening of a well prepared world
social summit will remove a key aspect of current threats to global security.
This summit should concentrate on three concrete issues: poverty,
unemployment and social disintegration. The Austrian Government supports such
a social summit. Good governance as a result of sound economic management and
comprehensive social and environmental policies, as well as respect for human
rights and democratic values, should be the basic objective of political
leadership.
While the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development did
not fully succeed in producing a comprehensive Earth charter or a clear
commitment to protection of the world's forests, the agreements reached at Rio
do represent a positive achievement. We must all share responsibility for
care of our planet, and the developed countries must take the lead. This
realization should give rise to a new quality in North-South relations.
At Rio it became apparent that, in the long term, environmental
protection and economic prosperity cannot be achieved at each other's
expense. Ecology and the economy are not intrinsic foes; for the sake of our
common well-being, and for the sake of future generations, they need to become
very close allies. After Rio it is impossible to speak of protection of the
environment without also addressing the development challenge. Nor is it
possible to focus on development without taking into account the ecological
dimension.
Regarding the issue of international conflicts in the environmental
sphere, I am very pleased to note that the Austrian proposal for the
establishment of Green Helmets, submitted during the forty-fourth session of
the General Assembly, has been favourably received. That Austrian initiative
is reflected by the machinery provided for in the main Rio documents for
preventing and settling such disputes.
Rio demonstrated that the global problems of mankind cannot be solved by
governments alone. Hence Austria welcomes the mobilization and the manifold
contributions of the non-governmental organizations and the media. This level
of involvement of groups and individuals must continue.
The end of the East-West conflict and the growing awareness of the
interdependence between North and South are leading to a new era for mankind.
Regional cooperation offers new dimensions. There is a keen desire for
preventive diplomacy. The resolution of ethnic conflicts is one of the
greatest challenges of our time. Awareness of the interrelationship between
development, environmental protection and the guaranteeing of human rights in
the broadest sense of the term are on the increase. Let us work together to
take advantage of all these opportunities.