It gives me great pleasure at the outset
to congratulate Mr. Ashe on his election to preside
over the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session
and to pay tribute to his friendly country, Antigua
and Barbuda. I am confident that his vast diplomatic
experience, with which I am personally familiar,
and thorough knowledge of international affairs will
guarantee the smooth conduct and success of our work
at this session.
I express my gratitude and appreciation to his
predecessor, Mr. Vuk Jeremi., for his skilful and
judicious management of the sixty-seventh session of
the General Assembly. I would like also to strongly
commend Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his
tireless efforts to strengthen the United Nations and
uphold its principles despite formidable difficulties
and increasing challenges. We pledge our full support
to him in his endeavours to enhance the role of the
Organization and its peacebuilding capacities in the
face of such major challenges.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the people
and the friendly Government of Pakistan for the loss
of hundreds of lives as a result of the earthquake that
hit south-western Pakistan. We pray for their souls and
extend our sympathy to their families. We condemn
the terrorist act that targeted a commercial centre in
Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, and deeply regret the scores
of innocent victims who lost their lives as a result of
that cowardly act.
The Kingdom of Bahrain firmly believes that it is
imperative to link peace to development. That concept
has been acknowledged in and by all United Nations
bodies for decades, and must now be enhanced and
implemented at all levels. That is why the Kingdom
of Bahrain is working to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals by 2015, as a top priority of its
development programme.
The most recent report of the Secretary-General on
the work of the Organization (A/68/1) presents us with
an accurate and concrete portrait of global problems in
all their complexity. Those problems require effective
solutions, particularly as we approach the 2015 deadline.
In our view, therefore, the President’s choice for the
theme of this session, “The post-2015 development
agenda: setting the stage”, is apt and well considered,
calling as it does for a collective effort to attain the
goals we seek, based on the recommendations contained
in the report of the High-level Panel of Eminent
Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, A New
Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform
Economies through Sustainable Development, in order
to ensure sustainable development. It also suggests the
creation of a monitoring mechanism, under the auspices
of the Economic and Social Council, to follow up on
all recommendations made by relevant conferences
on issues related to sustainable development, for the
benefit of future generations.
The Kingdom of Bahrain is located in the
Arabian Gulf, a region of vital strategic importance
that has been a crossroads of world civilizations
since time immemorial. The countries of the region
are experiencing one of the most prosperous eras
in their history, building a society based on justice
and development in every dimension — political,
economic, social and cultural. As successive United
Nations Development Programme annual reports have
reflected, the region ranks high on the indices of human
development. In that regard, we reaffirm our keen desire
to continue making steady progress in development for
the benefit of the peoples of our region, harnessing the
formidable progress that has been made in information
and communication technologies, as well as in dealing
with issues pertaining to security, environment, natural
resources and population.
As a vital part of the world, our region seeks to
consolidate a new concept of regional security that
emphasizes the region’s geopolitical situation and
considers security in relation to humanitarian needs,
food and water. It also considers security in the context
of existing coalitions that link the region to friendly
countries through strategic and historic agreements
that emphasize human, food and water security and that
are designed to reinforce stability, enhance dialogue
and promote a culture of peace, friendship and mutual
respect.
We in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the other
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have
designated three important strategic pillars that guide
our interaction with one another and help us to make
progress, build healthy and sustainable relations with
our neighbours, engage with the world at large and
respond to new developments and challenges. Those
pillars are axes for the world politics of today on a planet
characterized by globalization and fruitful cooperation
between its nations. In our view, therefore, the first
pillar is regional partnership in the field of security,
among ourselves and with our world partners. We
in the GCC system work together to preserve our
shared stability and security within a framework of
coordination, cooperation and complementarity that
results in the unity we seek. Our partnerships extend
across the Arab and Islamic world. Here in the United
Nations we continue to pursue such partnerships in
the cause of maintaining world peace and security. We
find political and economic solutions to many global
problems within a multilateral cooperative framework
that encompasses other strategic partnerships through
dialogue with political Powers and economic groups
such as the United States, the United Kingdom, the
European Union, the Russian Federation, China, Japan,
India and the member States of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, with a view to playing an active
role in consolidating the principles of international
cooperation and friendly relations between nations and
peoples.
In that context, our principal goal is to spare
humankind the scourges of war, conflict and disasters.
We therefore call for the establishment in the Middle
East, including the Arabian Gulf region, of a zone free
of weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear
weapons, and for compliance with the criteria and
safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency,
especially those related to nuclear safety. In that regard,
we support the efforts of the five permanent members
of the Security Council and Germany to work with the
Islamic Republic of Iran to reach a swift settlement
of the issue of the Iranian nuclear programme issue,
in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty on
the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, while
guaranteeing the right of all States to enjoy the fruits
of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. We
reiterate the importance of convening an international
conference on establishing a zone free of weapons
of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons,
in the Middle East, originally proposed for 2012, in
accordance with the resolution adopted at the May 2010
Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Consistent with the principles and purposes we all
endeavour to uphold in the context of our cooperation
with the United Nations in order to improve stability
in sensitive regions, we reaffirm our utter rejection
of terrorism, extremism and violence in all their
manifestations and forms, irrespective of their reasons,
motives, justifications or sources. We also condemn
all terrorist acts that threaten regional peace and
stability, and noted the need to add groups such as the
Lebanese Hizbullah to the list of international terrorist
organizations, in view of their criminal acts aimed at
terrorizing peaceful civilians and creating instability
and chaos.
We are committed to seeking peace, cooperation and
security for our countries, within the framework of both
international and regional structures and organizations
by cooperating with our allies from other friendly
countries to ensure freedom of maritime navigation
in the Arabian Gulf and to protect commercial vessels
from piracy off the coast of Somalia and the Horn of
Africa and in the Gulf of Aden. We also contribute to
peacekeeping and stabilization efforts in Afghanistan.
We stand by the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt
and support its efforts to achieve stability and security,
rightfully defend its vital interests, implement a road
map that can lead it to safety and propose clear steps to
meet the aspirations of the Egyptian people and restore
Egypt’s leading role in the Middle East.
We also reiterate our principled position of
unwavering support for and solidarity with the sisterly
Kingdom of Morocco regarding its territorial integrity
and a settlement of the Western Sahara problem,
in accordance with the relevant Security Council
resolutions.
The second of our three strategic pillars encompasses
support for the principles of good-neighbourliness,
non-intervention in the internal affairs of others,
abiding by the provisions of international law and its
instruments and peaceful coexistence. We are also
eager to take advantage of opportunities to put those
principles into practice, in responding to the challenges
we face and transforming them into opportunities to
protect the region from tensions, threats and instability.
The first of those challenges is the important task
of putting an end to Iranian intervention in the internal
affairs of the countries of the region and to its occupation
of the three Emirates islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser
Tunb and Abu Musa. We ask that the repeated calls of
the sisterly United Arab Emirates for a just solution to
that question be heeded, either through serious direct
negotiations between the two countries or by referral
to the International Court of Justice for arbitration, in
conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and
the provisions of international law. In the face of that
challenge, we look forward to new, clear and positive
statements and initiatives from the Islamic Republic of
Iran that can help to end the tensions and instability
in the region and contribute to confidence-building,
cooperation and the establishment of friendly relations
based on good-neighbourliness and mutual interests.
The second challenge concerns the Palestinian
question, and the need to arrive at a just, permanent and
comprehensive solution that guarantees the legitimate
rights of the Palestinian people. That challenge has led
to an important opportunity, the Arab Peace Initiative,
launched by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi
Arabia, and endorsed at the Arab Summit in Beirut in
2002. We still believe that that initiative presents an
important opportunity to secure peace, security and
a bright future for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples
on the basis of coexistence, cooperation and good
neighbourliness between the Arab States and Israel.
We look forward to overcoming wars and
animosity. For centuries Arabs, Muslims, Christians
and Jews lived side by side in the region and forged
their common history in a framework of coexistence
and tolerance based on mutual respect for each other’s
beliefs, culture and religion. The Arab Peace Initiative
stipulates that the Palestinian people must enjoy all
the full and legitimate rights enjoyed by other peoples
of the world. It reaches out to the Israeli people with
guarantees of security designed to reassure them
against any threat or danger to their existence. In that
respect, we fully support President Mahmoud Abbas in
his sincere endeavours to achieve the aspirations of his
people. He is one of the best leaders ever born in the
land of Palestine and deserves our support in each of
his steps toward the attainment of the desired peace.
Today, we reaffirm our support for the tireless and
sincere efforts of United States Secretary of State John
Kerry to relaunch the peace process between Israel and
Palestine in order to reach a permanent solution on the
basis of international law, the relevant United Nations
resolutions, the two-State solution, the creation of an
independent Palestinian State on the basis of the 4 June
1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and
any agreed swaps of territory between the two parties.
We look forward to seeing an end to the oppression of
Palestinians, the lifting of the Gaza blockade and to
a halt in the building of settlements. We welcome the
correct stance of the European Union whereby it refuses
to acknowledge the legitimacy of Israeli settlements
built on Palestinian territory and suspends all financial
dealings with such settlements.
The third pillar is the need to attain the aspirations of
our peoples. Foremost among these are the need to raise
living standards, to bring about peace and stability, and
to ensure respect for human rights through pluralism,
democracy and the participation of all in a continued
dialogue that takes into account the cultural values of a
society and the levels of political, economic, social and
cultural development of its peoples.
Throughout the modern history and for over
two centuries, the Kingdom of Bahrain has been
eager to interact with its people and to engage in a
dialogue with them based on full transparency and
commitment. Ever since His Majesty King Hamad bin
Issa Al-Khalifa assumed the leadership of the country,
the Kingdom has pursued a steadfast policy of laying
the foundations of a modern, independent, sovereign
State based on sustainability, competitiveness, justice
and a commitment to constitutional and legislative
reforms. Such reforms have encompassed every aspect
of political, economic, social and cultural life, as well
as human rights and an enhanced role for women
in building a society faithful to its values, culture,
accomplishments and heritage.
The King’s achievements are attributable to
good governance and to his support for intellectual,
political and organizational efforts to create
democratic institutions that give everyone a chance
to use their talents and creativity as active citizens of
the contemporary world. That has made our country
immune to the sectarian tensions and conflicts
witnessed in many other countries of the region,
notwithstanding the acts of violence perpetrated by
some extremist and terrorist groups targeting security
officers, residents and expatriates in their quest to
spread terror and discord and to sabotage the national
economy and development efforts. Such acts are being
dealt with according to the law and justice system in a
manner that protects the rights of all.
Convinced that Bahraini citizens have a role to play
in building and developing their society, we seek to
cooperate closely with national and international civil
society and human rights organizations in an ongoing
dialogue based on an exchange of experiences and
opinions and in a spirit of cooperation, not confrontation.
We are all parties to the same cause in which we all
believe — support and respect for and protection of
human rights. In that context, the Kingdom of Bahrain
has achieved concrete results in the field of enhancing
human rights, notably through the establishment of
a commission for prisoners and detainees, a national
fund to compensate those affected by events, and a
general secretariat for grievances within the Ministry
of Interior.
In that spirit, a historic initiative proposed the
creation of an Arab human rights court that was
endorsed at the meeting of the League of Arab States
held in Qatar in March in response to the aspirations of
the Arab peoples. This initiative represents a qualitative
stride for the region and conforms to the rule of law
and similar practices in other parts of the world. For
the first time in modern Arab history, we will have a
court to establish a solid foundation for the protection
of human rights in the Arab world.
Our national fund will compensate those affected
by events, and the general secretariat will address
grievances within the Ministry of Interior operating as
an autonomous body within the framework of national
laws and professional policing standards, as stipulated
in the police code of conduct.
In response to the aspirations of the Arab peoples,
the GCC countries have spared no effort to achieve
peace and security and to restore stability in some
Arab countries facing serious challenges of late. In that
respect, in Yemen a GCC initiative led to the national
consensus dialogue towards a peaceful settlement of
the crisis, in line with the aspirations and expectations
of the brotherly Yemeni people to achieve security and
stability in their land.
Eager to see stability restored in the Syrian Arab
Republic, and cognizant of the right of the Syrian
people to choose their own political system, we support
the current diplomatic steps towards destroying the
Syrian chemical arsenal and the agreement reached
in Geneva between the United States and the Russian
Federation. We welcome Security Council resolution
2118 (2013) of 27 September, which calls on all parties
concerned to take serious and concrete steps to address
the Syrian crisis and its repercussions, particularly
paragraphs 16 and 17 related to the transitional period
and the implementation of the Geneva communiqué
(S/2012/523, annex).
All of these efforts should be complemented
by an integrated political process so as to meet the
aspirations of the Syrian people to democracy and
political pluralism. We call on the United Nations
and the international community to shoulder their
responsibilities by taking the appropriate deterrent
measures to halt the serious violations of human rights
to which the Syrian people have been subject, and to put
an end to the crimes of genocide being perpetrated with
all kinds of lethal weapons, which have claimed more
than 100,000 martyrs, injured many more, and created
millions of refugees and internally displaced persons.
I will not speak at further length, but I would like
to assure the Assembly that the Kingdom of Bahrain,
out of a sense of international responsibility and in
all honesty and sincerity, wishes to play an active role
in promoting international cooperation and strategic
partnerships with the international community. Bahrain
looks forward to a better and brighter tomorrow in
which individual dignity and fundamental freedoms are
a reality, and an individual’s just and legitimate rights
are protected. Bahrain rejects conflicts and wars and
seeks to maintain friendly relations with all countries of
the world within the framework of respect for national
sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, as
stipulated by the principles and purposes of the Charter
of the United Nations.