Myriam Riva, Emmanuel Riva, Dominique Sabrier,
Alexandre Strens — these are the names of the four
people brutally murdered on 24 May in Brussels. Four
people were killed just because they were in a Jewish
museum, an institution dedicated to culture, knowledge
and intelligence. I named these four victims, but I do
not forget the thousands of anonymous victims of
barbarism around the world. For the abject act that took
place at the Jewish Museum in Brussels is connected to
the events sweeping the world right now. In Syria and
Iraq, as well as in countries like Algeria, terrorists kill
innocent people every day.
Syria and Iraq are of special concern to us. There,
defenceless people, women and children are victims of
massacres, persecution, destruction and the theft of all
their possessions — all because they belong to cultures,
including the Muslim culture, that the terrorists do not
agree with. Yet, no religion, and certainly not Islam,
asserts that we must kill those who think differently.
We have to say this over and over again in order to
remove any excuse for these criminals who sow terror.
The personal history of the alleged perpetrator
of the attack against the Jewish Museum in Brussels
resonates with all of us. It is that of a French jihadist
who visited Syria in the ranks of the so-called Islamic
State. This jihadist then moved across Europe before
committing the irreparable. It is common trajectory for
many of these foreign fighters. These foreign fighters
are a threat to every country in the world. Security
Council resolution 2178 (2014), adopted the day before
yesterday, is an important step towards a coordinated
global response. We must and we shall put these
terrorists in a position where they can no longer inflict
harm.
Beyond the humanitarian support it has already
brought to the Iraqi people, Belgium recently decided
to send six F-16 fighters in support of the fight against
terrorism in Iraq. My country also wants to strengthen
cooperation among States. Belgium wants to intensify
the exchange of information at the European level and
within NATO. As required by the Security Council
resolution, a major preventive effort must also be made
to prevent jihadist aspirants from reaching the combat
zones. We must prevent the recruitment, training and
transportation of our citizens who may be tempted to
join terrorist groups. For minors in particular, each
country must demonstrate a total vigilance regarding
border control.
The battle we are waging against terrorism reflects
a conflict between two understandings of life: respect
for human beings, which we have and the terrorists do
not; defence of freedom everywhere and always, which
the terrorists do not want; tolerance, while the terrorists
preach and impose intolerance. For us, life is priceless;
for them, it has no value.
We know that military actions alone are not enough.
Here, as there, what is needed is to focus on education,
educational support, openness to others and the world.
Our goal should be to deradicalize violent radicals. I
cannot help but think that the human disaster we are
witnessing is also the result of a crushing defeat — that
of politicians who favoured military solutions and the
notorious so-called preventive war.
A few years ago, Belgium refused to participate
in such an operation in Iraq. How can we not see that
frustration and humiliation have further strengthened
radicalism? Things being what they are, we must
now deal with the emergency, and act, including
militarily. But we must also consider the future and
invest sustainably in civil action. Everywhere, the
establishment of a State that protects its citizens must
be the priority. Strengthening the rule of law and
improving living conditions is the best crisis prevention.
Such responses are also much less expensive than the
day-to-day management of uprisings and violence. In
many crises today, we see the States concerned in a
position of great weakness or even virtual failure.
The appointment of a new Prime Minister in Iraq
sends the right signal of inclusion and tolerance. Let
me mention other illustrations of this principle. With
regard to the Middle East, this summer we watched
in despair the launching of rockets in Israel and the
massive bombing of Gaza. More than 2,100 Palestinian
and 67 Israeli lives were lost in combat. War is not a
solution. There is no other way to achieve peace — one
based on two States coexisting in security — except by
returning to negotiations. The status quo is obviously
not an option. We must put the settlement of the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict back at the top of the international
agenda. That settlement will also constitute an
important factor in the stabilization and peace of the
entire region and the world. Therefore, we welcome the
efforts of President Obama in that regard, and we hope
that he will continue up to the last day of his mandate
to work in that direction.
The Arab Spring is another example of what I
am talking about. It was a legitimate revolution and it
speaks to true aspirations for democracy and prosperity.
We must note that in some countries, chaos and terror
have long reigned over democracy, while in others we
are witnessing a return to State totalitarianism. In that
regard, the international community must do everything
possible to encourage democracy peace and prosperity.
With regard to Africa, with which Belgium shares
a long common history, it is in constant forward motion
and far removed from common clichés. We must
strongly support its economic, educational and political
development. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
in particular in the east of the country, putting armed
groups where they can no longer do harm is an urgent
necessity. In Sahel, Mali and the Central African
Republic, the fight against religious extremism is
where our priorities should lie. We must also mobilize
to support populations in Africa that are dealing with
the horrific Ebola epidemic.
On the fringes of Europe, we are seeing a broad
destabilization. Internationally recognized borders are
being violated, and Ukraine is facing a major challenge
to be inclusive and representative for both the minorities
and the majority of the population in Ukraine.
With regard to Flight MH-17, in which six
Belgian citizens died, the currently known facts are
incriminating and we eagerly await the final report of
the independent experts, who must have free access to
the site and responses to all of their requests.
We will have peace only if tolerance triumphs
over barbarism. And we must act together. Therefore,
I welcome the American initiative to launch a process
of reflection on the role of the United Nations in
peacekeeping. The role of the United Nations in the
prevention and settlement of conflicts is irreplaceable.
It is the only place where the representatives of the entire
world can talk to each other. To be sure, the functioning
of the Organization should evolve and recognize that
the right to veto has sometimes been used to prevent
action from being taken. I am open to the consideration
that has begun in that regard. However, the common
house that is the United Nations should be preserved at
any price and encouraged to act. That is why I would
like to thank our Secretary-General for his unwavering
efforts to further improve its functioning.
Our world continues to present us with insufferable
contrasts. Too many human beings are today living in
extreme poverty. They do not have safe access to water or
basic health services and they suffer from malnutrition.
Who can believe that people will resign themselves to
such a situation and that there will not be yet another
scandal if they do? The international community — the
Group of Seven and the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development — are beginning to deal
with tax evasion. That is extremely important, as is the
fight against corruption. There will not be great human
progress without a moralization of finance at the global
level. Our responsibility in that regard is huge.
Too many women and men do not have access to
a job or to housing, only because they are of foreign
origin. Too many women are subject to moral or
physical violence only because they are women. Too
many people — lesbians, homosexuals, bisexuals and
transgender people — are persecuted and rejected only
because they are different or they love differently. It
is also our responsibility to denounce and combat all
together and systematically those injustices and attacks
on human rights.
As a crossroads of many cultures, Belgium has
always been one of the most open countries in the
world. It has a high standard of living. And although
I think they are still too great, the inequalities there
are the smallest in Europe. That is largely due to the
civil support, which is organized by the Belgian State.
In particular, our health system is exceptional and
is accessible to everyone. Moreover, Belgium is a
multicultural country both through its demography and
its abundant and diverse migration. In our country, the
respect for the other and the culture of compromise are
part of our cultural heritage.
Belgium, like the European Union, is moving on a
path of solidarity with peoples who are encountering
difficulties. We want to help them to achieve their
legitimate aspirations for a more just world. We must
also remain vigilant so that we do not fall into the trap
of social regression and increasing inequalities. All the
ethical progress that we have achieved is precious and
must be preserved.
I will conclude by saying that human fraternity is
not a utopia. It is what has often allowed us to make
great progress. We must go beyond borders to form
new types of cooperation, reduce inequalities and bring
about new hope. The most powerful obstacle to war
and violence is human fraternity. It is that fraternity
that will enable us tomorrow to better share the
planet’s resources, to offer a future to each and every
child and to make sure that peace reigns everywhere
and for everyone. Members of the Assembly may rest
assured that my country will continue to do everything
it can to bring peoples together. We believe in sharing
and solidarity, and we thus find it entirely natural to
continue to support Member States in their many
struggles for peace and justice.