At the outset, let me express, on behalf of
the Lao delegation, my cordial salutations and
congratulations to Mr. Srgjan Kerim on his election as
President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second
session. I should also like to take this opportunity to
pay tribute to the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon,
for his strong commitment to the reform process in
pursuit of a strong, fully mobile and multifunctional
United Nations. His great efforts and dedication to the
cause of enhancing peace and security and promoting
global socio-economic development and justice also
deserve our praise.
The issue of development is becoming
increasingly prominent. Today, our world remains far
from secure. Parts of our planet are beset by violence,
natural disasters and pandemics. All of humankind
continues to live under the threat of nuclear weapons
and in fear of terror and the spread of weapons of mass
destruction. That fear will become much greater if
those weapons fall into the wrong hands. Furthermore,
the use or threat of use of force to resolve international
problems, together with violations of the sovereignty
of Member States, persists. That hinders progress in the
enhancement of international peace and security and
development cooperation among Member States.
Despite the fact that globalization offers new
opportunities for development, developing countries
in particular least developed, landlocked and small
island developing States have not reaped its
benefits, as they ought to be able to do. That is due
primarily to a lack of basic infrastructure, as well as a
lack of access to markets, modern technology,
financing and investment. In order to guarantee greater
benefits for the most vulnerable countries, the
international community must intensify its concerted
efforts to assist them in fully and effectively
implementing its respective programmes of action, as
called for in the 2005 World Summit Outcome
(resolution 60/1). This should include strengthened
international partnerships, increased official
development assistance, greater market access and
special and preferential tariffs for their exports.
Further measures should be taken to ensure debt
sustainability, technology transfer and the promotion of
equitable structures of international trade and finance
in favour of those vulnerable countries. In addition, the
international community should give priority to the
provision of both financial assistance, in the form of
grant aid or soft loans to those countries, and technical
assistance.
The world community is facing challenges caused
by human activity, such as climate change, which
affects all nations, rich and poor. Yet the Member
States who suffer most from this catastrophe are the
least developed countries and small island developing
States, due to their lack of resources and capacity for
adaptation. In that context, I believe that the outcome
of the High-level Event on Climate Change will
significantly contribute to successful negotiations on a
comprehensive agreement under the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change to deal
with the matter.
I hereby affirm that efforts to address climate
change should not compromise attainment of the
development objectives of developing countries.
Addressing the issue should fully cover the three
pillars of sustainable development. The efforts should
be based on the principle of common but differentiated
responsibility between the developed and developing
countries. In order to enable the developing countries,
particularly the two most vulnerable groups among
them, to achieve sustainable development and address
climate change, the developed countries should provide
them with the necessary financing for adaptation,
mitigation and the transfer of appropriate technology.
For the United Nations to meet the daunting
challenges that lie ahead, it should transform itself into
a strong, efficient and effective organization. To that
end, the United Nations reform process should be
conducted in a comprehensive, inclusive, transparent
and balanced manner. A strong and effective United
Nations would better perform its mandate to maintain
international peace and security through the peaceful
settlement of disputes and the promotion of
international cooperation for development. However,
the United Nations reform process would not be
complete without the Security Council being
restructured into a more legitimate, representative,
democratic and effective organ.
Like other Member States, the Lao People’s
Democratic Republic welcomes the progress achieved
in the implementation of the outcome of the Six-Party
Talks on the nuclear issue in the Korean Peninsula. We
believe that through committed efforts by all concerned
parties, the results of the talks will be fully translated
into action, thus contributing to the eventual
denuclearization of the region.
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic reaffirms
its continued support for the General Assembly
resolutions urging an end to the economic, commercial
and financial embargo imposed on Cuba. Contrary to
international law and the United Nations Charter, those
coercive measures have caused great difficulties and
losses to the people of Cuba.
The prolonged and persistent violence in the
Middle East remains a cause of concern to the world
community. As a result, the Palestinian, Lebanese and
Iraqi peoples have suffered great losses in human life
and property. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic
reaffirms its support for the Palestinian people in their
struggle for the right to self-determination, including
the right to establish a sovereign and independent State
of Palestine, living side by side in peace with Israel
and other countries in the region.
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic is
enjoying unwavering peace, political and social
stability and economic growth. This year is the second
year of the continued implementation of the country’s
sixth Five-Year Socio-Economic Development Plan,
for 2006 to 2010. As a result, significant achievements
have been recorded. The poverty rate declined from 48
per cent in 1990 to 28 per cent in 2005. Opium
cultivation was completely eradicated in 2006. The
practice of shifting cultivation declined six times from
2001 to 2005. Tourism, particularly cultural and
ecotourism, has been broadly promoted and expanded,
thus attracting more and more tourists to the country.
The Lao Government continues to pursue a
development policy that is aimed at promotion of
sustainable development, sustained use and
conservation of natural resources, exploitation of clean
energy and protection of the environment and the
ecosystem.
In November 2006, in cooperation with the
United Nations Development Programme, the Lao
Government held the ninth Round-Table Meeting,
which provided a consultative forum for the
development partners and various Lao Government
agencies to engage in a constructive and frank dialogue
on development assistance. The meeting adopted the
Vientiane Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, which
reflects the commitments of the Lao Government and
its development partners to improve the coordination
and effectiveness of official development assistance.
In pursuance of its foreign policy of peace,
friendship and cooperation with all countries in the
world, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has had
diplomatic relations with 125 countries and has
become a member of various regional and international
organizations, with a view to integrating itself into the
regional and international economic system. One of the
significant events for the Lao People’s Democratic
Republic this year is the convening of the twenty-third
ministerial meeting of the International Organization of
la Francophonie on 20 and 21 November 2007 in
Vientiane. As the host country, the Lao Government
would like to encourage all member States to
participate and actively contribute to the success of
that meeting.
To conclude, the Lao People’s Democratic
Republic reaffirms its unswerving commitment to
continue cooperating with the international community
in pursuit of a peaceful, equitable and prosperous
world, free of fear and want, in order to ensure the
well-being of all peoples on the basis of respect for the
principles of the United Nations Charter and
international law, as well as the recognition of diversity
and respect for the social, cultural and historic reality
of each country. To that end, greater efforts and
sacrifices are definitely required from us all. Yet I am
sure that together we will be able to make it happen.