At the outset, I would
like to join previous speakers in congratulating the
President of the General Assembly on his election to
serve at its sixty-eighth session. I am confident that
his experience in international affairs will contribute
to the success of this session. I would also like to take
this opportunity to commend his predecessor, Mr. Vuk
Jeremi., for his wise leadership during the last session,
and to thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his
staff for their tireless efforts to promote global peace,
security and development.
The United Arab Emirates continues to firmly
believe in the purposes and principles of the United
Nations, as enshrined in its Charter, calling for the
protection of international peace and security, the
promotion of peaceful coexistence among nations and
peoples through the peaceful resolution of international
disputes, respect for the provisions of international
law, and non-interference in the internal affairs of
States. Those goals also call for us to foster a climate
favourable to international relations based on tolerance,
non-violence and recognition of others. My country
has followed such an approach in its regional and
international relations.
However, we cannot conceal our deep concern at
the recent events in the Arab region associated with
sectarian strife, an escalation in terrorist attacks
and growing incitement to violence, which, in turn,
have given rise to extreme polarization in the region
and among its peoples, severely impacting stability
and development. In the Arab Gulf, we see how
extremism and terrorism in the Kingdom of Bahrain
are threatening to undermine security and stability and
destroy a history of tolerance in which sectarianism has
never played any role. The situation has been further
aggravated by the politicization and exploitation of
the religion of Islam by those seeking to use it as a
tool to exclude and marginalize other segments of
society, which, until now, had all lived in constructive,
harmonious and peaceful coexistence.
All of this has led to widespread fears about the
fate of the national State and what that implies in
terms of the undermining of the pillars of the State,
the wasting of its resources and the weakening of its
economy. As members may be aware, such difficult
conditions have put the young people of the region in
jeopardy of falling into the clutches of extremism and
violence, especially in a climate of growing despair and
lack of opportunities.
That is why the United Arab Emirates gives
paramount importance to its efforts aimed at promoting
a culture of moderation and non-violence and fighting
extremism in all its forms. In that regard, I refer in
particular to my country’s initiative to fight extremism
through the Hedayah International Centre of Excellence
for Countering Violent Extremism. The United Arab
Emirates actually proposed the Centre’s establishment
at a meeting held here at the United Nations, and today
the Centre is seeing the light.
In that context, I can only condemn in the strongest
possible terms all cowardly attacks, but particularly
the terrorist attack committed at the shopping centre
in Nairobi, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of
innocent victims.
The United Arab Emirates is deeply disappointed
at the international community’s inability to put an
immediate end to the worsening tragedy of the brotherly
Syrian people caused by continual military actions and
indiscriminate and systematic bombings by Syrian
forces in Damascus. So far, more than 100,000 people
have been killed and millions of people have been
injured or displaced. This is an extremely dangerous
violation of international law and international
humanitarian law.
We are deeply concerned at the increasingly serious
implications of the conflict in Syria and the entire region.
We strongly condemn and reject all crimes against
humanity committed by the Syrian regime, especially
the chemical attack against Ghouta, Damascus, which
killed thousands of civilians, including children.
We therefore call upon the international community
to take all measures necessary to punish the Syrian
regime for its massacring of civilians. The Assembly
should be aware of the frustration that we and the
majority of countries in the region feel with respect
to the dysfunction of United Nations mechanisms that
could have prevented the Syrian regime’s aggressive
acts against its own people. The Organization’s failure
to act is directly responsible for exacerbating the
humanitarian tragedy that we are witnessing in Syria
today. It is also responsible for the threat to the Syrian
State, Syrian society and the Syrian people.
The United Arab Emirates has fulfilled its
responsibilities with respect to ongoing relief operations
for the Syrian people and continues to provide all kinds
of aid — building hospitals, providing medical supplies
and staffing medical teams. It calls for concerted
international and regional efforts, directly or through
international organizations, to meet the humanitarian
needs of Syrians displaced inside Syria and across
the country’s borders, with a view to alleviating their
suffering.
In that context, we are seeking in these meetings
to address the issues of our region, its stability and
its future. That the issues and events that take place
in Egypt are very important and cannot be overlooked
is beyond question. Egypt is a pivotal State whose
stability and civil peace signify that the region is
beginning to recover. Accordingly, the United Arab
Emirates is following with great interest the positive
developments that are occurring in Egypt, as we firmly
believe that Egypt plays a key role in ensuring stability,
development and prosperity. There is no doubt that a
stable and calm Egypt is vital to security and peace,
not only in the Arab region, but in the world as a whole.
On 30 June, Egypt experienced a second wave of
revolution, when tens of millions of Egyptians expressed
their resolute will to draw up a road map for a better
future for their country. In it the ground is laid for an
inclusive democratic path based on the participation of
all segments of society without any exceptions, within
the framework of a policy characterized by moderation,
centrism, non-violence and the non-use of religion as a
means to exclude or classify or to foment sectarianism or
hatred. The United Arab Emirates therefore believes that
the sovereign measures implemented by the Egyptian
Government to protect national security and the steps
it has taken to implement the road map supported by
the people give grounds for optimism and enhance the
Egyptian Government’s credibility. I would also take
this opportunity to urge the international community to
stand behind Egypt at this critical juncture and support
the sincere efforts of its interim Government to lay
the foundations of stability, development and civilian
constitutional rule.
The United Arab Emirates recognizes the suffering
of the Arab region caused by the interference of others
in its internal affairs and the ensuing threats to national
statehood generally. We therefore wish to warn of the
danger of interfering in the domestic affairs of Egypt
and call on everyone to refrain from disrupting the
country’s march towards stability and democracy.
The issues that the Arab region faces are all
interconnected. Everyone in this Hall realizes that
peace emerges as a central and relevant issue to all
that is occurring there. Although many decades have
passed, the Palestinian people continue to look forward
to realizing their right to self-determination and the
establishment of an independent State, with East
Jerusalem as its capital, based on international legal
instruments that recognize their right to establish a
State, in line with the 4 June 1967 borders, as confirmed
by United Nations resolutions and in accordance with
the Arab Peace Initiative.
In that regard, I wish to take this opportunity
to welcome the relaunching of peace talks under the
auspices of the United States. We hope that those
talks will lead to positive results in the form of the
establishment of a Palestinian State. We also welcome
the European Union’s constructive position consisting
of non-recognition of the legitimacy of the Israeli
settlements and the decision to cease its dealings with
them. The United Arab Emirates is ready to contribute
to a successful outcome of the new initiative in order
to achieve security, peace and economic growth in that
important part of the world.
Security and stability in the Gulf region represent
a high priority in the balanced policy that we have
derived from principles found in the Charter of the
United Nations and the provisions of international law,
especially those that call for peaceful coexistence,
confidence-building, good neighbourliness, mutual
respect, non-interference in the internal affairs of States,
and the pursuit of peaceful means in the resolution of
conflicts and disputes. Based on those principles, my
Government expresses, once again, its regret at the
continued Iranian occupation of our three islands — Abu
Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb — and demands
that the undiminished sovereignty of the United Arab
Emirates over those islands be fully restored.
We emphasize that all actions and measures taken
by the Iranian occupation authorities are considered
null and void and are contrary to international law
and all norms of common human values. Therefore,
we call upon the international community to urge Iran
to respond to my country’s repeated peaceful, sincere
request for a just settlement of the dispute, either
through direct, serious negotiations between our two
nations or by referring the case to the International
Court of Justice, in accordance with the principles of
the Charter of the United Nations and the provisions of
international law.
Acting from our firm principles in regional and
international relations, we welcome the declared
approach of Mr. Hassan Rouhani, President of the
Islamic Republic of Iran. We affirm that our country
will sincerely cooperate with him in the interest of
promoting security, stability and prosperity in the
region.
There has been considerable debate about Iran’s
nuclear programme. Many suspicions revolve around
it. Therefore, we urge Iran to constructively cooperate
with the International Atomic Energy Agency, defuse
all scepticism about the peaceful nature of its nuclear
activities, and act with full transparency and clarity
to avoid any negative consequences that could arise
from the absence of such cooperation. The United Arab
Emirates does, however, believe that the peaceful use
of nuclear energy has become an urgent requirement to
meet today’s growing demand for energy.
We are proud that we are a nation that has pioneered
peaceful uses of nuclear energy, which are surrounded
by all possible security and safety guarantees. The
United Arab Emirates has opened the way for the
introduction of renewable energy and the development
of clean-energy technologies as its contribution to
humankind in protecting the planet from the negative
effects of climate change.
The United Arab Emirates firmly believes in
the necessity of achieving human development at the
national and international levels. That goal can be
achieved only when a number of conditions are met,
including respect for human rights and for the equality
of all without discrimination on the basis of gender,
ethnicity, religion, language or any other ground. That
requires due regard for human dignity, the renunciation
of violence and the prohibition of torture and abuse.
The United Arab Emirates has been encouraged by the
positive response to its periodic report by the members
of the Human Rights Council, who commended the
country’s achievements and progress.
Achieving overall human development requires the
creation of an environment conducive to tolerance and
moderation, free of any incitement to hatred. In that
context, it is necessary to support and promote dialogue
among different countries and religions, without
arrogance or superiority on the part of any culture over
another, because each culture has something to give
and something to gain with respect to another’s culture.
The empowerment of women, the recognition
of their vital role in communities and the protection
of women against discrimination in various fields
are imperatives for the international community.
The United Arab Emirates is proud of the significant
measures it has taken in that respect, which have won
the United Arab Emirates a high ranking among the
countries in the region. Our country has also made
significant strides in combating human trafficking,
and it has developed national legislation to stand firm
against that inhumane crime.
Achieving sustainable development for all people
is a major priority for the United Nations and its
Member States and one which will require scientific
and technical cooperation, as well as the transfer
of technology between developed and developing
countries, to further the common good of all peoples
and countries of the world.