Let me
begin by conveying the warm congratulations of the
delegation of Mexico to Mr. Joseph Deiss on his
election as President of the General Assembly at this
new session. I also wish to express our appreciation to
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his predecessor, Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, for his
work, and our appreciation and support to Secretary-
General Ban Ki-moon for his efforts for peace and
development.
The recent high-level meetings have shown the
magnitude of the challenges that confront the
international community and thus the United Nations.
The obstacles to achieving the Millennium
Development Goals, the economic crisis in all its
manifestations, the disasters associated with climate
change, the continuing threats to peace and security —
in either their traditional or new forms — and the
difficulties in effectively addressing nuclear
disarmament and non-proliferation define the agenda
of multilateral institutions and of the policies of our
Governments.
Nevertheless, the primary responsibility of this
Organization is the maintenance of international peace
and security. Years of war and conflict on every
continent, with enormous loss of lives and significant
economic and social costs, have tested the ability of the
United Nations to prevent, contain and reverse armed
conflicts.
That is the case in Afghanistan and Iraq, where
after years of conflicts and interventions there is still
hope that those countries will be able to fully assume
their own destiny without outside interference. In
Somalia and the Sudan the prospects for peaceful
settlements and reconciliation still seem to be distant,
requiring the will of the parties and careful monitoring
by the international community to prevent the
escalation, the extension, of the crises and to ensure the
protection of the civilian population.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo
impunity prevails, and despite the presence of United
Nations forces, outrageous and unacceptable crimes are
committed against civilians, particularly women and
children. The reconstruction of Haiti after the terrible
earthquake last January, which even affected United
Nations personnel, is taking place under dramatic
conditions.
The list of challenges is endless, and indeed there
is the risk of a backsliding and escalation of violence
in several critical regions of the world.
In the Middle East, despite 60 years of conflict
and scepticism due to past failures, there is renewed
hope for peace, thanks to the resumption of direct talks
between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian
Authority. The creation of a politically and economically
viable Palestinian State, living in peace side by side with
Israel, within secure and internationally recognized
borders, is an essential condition for the establishment
of lasting peace in the Middle East. We particularly
welcome the efforts of the Administration of President
Barack Obama to achieve that goal.
Mexico expresses its strong support for the
ongoing negotiations. Nonetheless, the hope of a
definitive agreement is marred by the threats and
provocations of extremist forces that seek to derail
direct negotiations. The leaders of Israel and the
Palestinian Authority have an appointment with
history. Let us hope that they are up to the challenge.
To that end they can count on the unstinting support of
States genuinely committed to the peace process.
The existence of weapons of mass destruction
remains a threat to humanity and increases global
insecurity. In 2010, significant progress has been made
in the areas of disarmament and non-proliferation, and
the international community has renewed its
commitment to nuclear safety. The signing of the new
strategic arms reduction treaty between the United
States and Russia, the nuclear summit held in
Washington and the outcome of the Review Conference
of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons (NPT) are achievements that must be
commended. We cannot ignore that the credibility and
viability of the disarmament agenda depend on the
universalization of the NPT and the entry into force of
the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. The
creation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East
would constitute a parallel and decisive step in that
regard.
With regard to the cases of the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea and Iran, it will be
necessary to move forward through dialogue and
negotiation in order to resolve the controversies arising
from their nuclear programmes. The adoption of
sanctions is not incompatible with the recourse to
diplomacy, which is still ongoing.
However, international security does not depend
exclusively on the elimination of weapons of mass
destruction. It is also threatened by the existence of
small arms and light weapons and their illicit
trafficking, which fuel conflicts, claim the lives of
thousands of people and destabilize our societies. It is
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time to tackle that challenge head on, implementing the
Programme of Action on illicit trafficking in small
arms and light weapons and progressing towards the
adoption of an arms trade treaty.
With regard to development, the consequences of
the recent international economic and financial crisis,
caused largely by the failure of the regulatory
mechanisms and the excessive indebtedness of the
world’s major economies, are still being suffered
worldwide.
The failures that led to this crisis must be
addressed, and the United Nations must be able to play
a significant role in that undertaking. The crisis
demonstrated the need to promote international
cooperation schemes that would allow us to act
effectively and efficiently to meet the challenges
arising from it. In particular, it is worth highlighting
the positive work of the Group of 20 in this regard.
However, we also believe that the United Nations
should play a more relevant role in the discussions on
necessary international economic governance reform.
In this sense, we share the objectives set by the
President of the General Assembly.
In this context, the prospects for achieving the
Millennium Development Goals have been severely
hampered by the crisis. Thus, the commitments in
official development assistance made at the Monterrey
International Conference on Financing for
Development and endorsed at the 2008 Doha Follow-
up Conference have been jeopardized. These
commitments must be honoured. The Millennium
Development Goals can be attained in all countries if
we take appropriate individual and collective action, as
indicated in resolution 65/1, adopted at the High-level
Plenary Meeting held here at Headquarters last week. It
is also indispensable that we progress towards the
successful conclusion of the Doha Round of trade
negotiations, fully respecting its linkage with the
development agenda.
In addition to the traditional challenges, our
Organization faces new challenges that test its ability
to react and adapt. Terrorism, on the one hand, and the
globalization of transnational organized crime on the
other, including drug trafficking, pose new threats to
peace and security that destabilize entire countries and
regions, modifying the traditional notion of
international security. The fight against these
phenomena is not the exclusive responsibility of one
particular country or region; these are global
phenomena that must be addressed and resolved by the
international community based on the fundamental
principle of shared responsibility. We cannot ignore the
fact that the permissive social behaviour in some
countries stimulates illicit activities in others.
The Government of Mexico has assumed full
responsibility for meeting the challenges posed by drug
trafficking and activities related to organized crime,
restoring State authority in areas where impunity had
prevailed. This fight requires an increased investment
of resources and has unfortunately also led to the loss
of lives. The cost is high, but would be even higher for
our society if the authority of the State remained
impassive in the face of violence, corruption and the
accompanying impunity. Compliance with international
commitments in the area of drug trafficking is
indispensable in order to meet this challenge.
Migration is a reality of our contemporary world
that cannot be ignored by our Organization. Its
multidimensional nature obliges us to consider its
causes and effects from an international perspective.
The migratory phenomenon should be addressed
through a holistic approach that recognizes the
contribution of migrants to the countries of origin and
of destination alike, among other factors. In November,
Mexico will host the fourth meeting of the Global
Forum on Migration and Development, the outcome of
which will be duly reported to this Assembly.
The Government of Mexico is committed to the
promotion of human rights of all migrants, irrespective
of their migratory status. We call on all Member States
to ratify the International Convention on the Protection
of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of
Their Families. Unfortunately, the tendency to criminalize
international migration has prevailed. Legislative
initiatives and actions singling out minorities in various
countries unacceptably codify racism and xenophobia,
establishing new barriers between communities and
nations. This is unacceptable.
Mexico, a country of origin, transit and
destination for migrants, has experienced within its
borders the consequences of the exploitation and
violence perpetrated by organized criminal gangs that
not only smuggle people from different countries, but
have not hesitated to cruelly threaten their lives, as was
the very regrettable case in our country in August. The
competent authorities, in coordination with the
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Governments of which the individuals concerned were
nationals, are investigating this case and establishing
the necessary coordination mechanisms to prevent
similar events in the future and to attend more
effectively to the protection of migrants, regardless of
their origin and legal status.
Nature also poses new challenges. We cannot
afford to remain idle in the face of the adverse effects
of climate change. The economic and human costs of
not addressing this problem are enormous and
negatively affect the welfare and well-being of present
and future generations. As host of the sixteenth
Conference of the Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change and of the
sixth Conference of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol,
to be held later this year in Cancún, Mexico is making
every possible effort in a transparent, inclusive and
responsible manner to achieve concrete and operational
results. In Cancún, we will be able to adopt a broad and
balanced set of decisions for immediate
implementation. One single action or agreement is not
enough to address such a complex phenomenon. The
international regime on this matter should evolve
constantly in response to technological and socio-
economic developments and on the basis of common
but differentiated responsibility.
The main advantage of our Organization among
the multilateral institutions is its universal character.
Its Charter enshrines the commitments that States have
made in all these aspects. Thus, United Nations actions
are fully legitimate, in accordance with international
law. However, we cannot ignore the difficulties that the
Organization faces without running the risk of its
becoming increasingly less capable of addressing the
enormous challenges facing the international
community. Its decisions, including those that are
legally binding, are difficult to implement and its
resources fall short of meeting the many needs that
arise in the maintenance of peace and in addressing
natural and humanitarian disasters. The Organization’s
budget and scale of assessments do not reflect the
realities of our countries.
As a result, the comprehensive reform of the
Organization can be put off no longer; if it is, alternative
forums or more selective groups will fill the vacuum
created by our Organization’s lack of effectiveness. Our
Organization requires comprehensive reform, ranging
from the adaptation and representativeness of the Security
Council to greater coherence in activities for sustainable
development. In 2011, the General Assembly will
consider the status of the Human Rights Council, while
the Council itself will review its own working methods.
We must ensure that the outcome of both processes
results in the increased effectiveness of its work.
With respect to peacekeeping, difficulties on the
ground and the need to adapt operation mandates
require the Security Council and the Organization as a
whole to elaborate pragmatic actions and strategies that
will produce results in the short term. Security Council
reform may be the most urgent. Mexico has
participated in the process of intergovernmental
negotiations, convinced of the need for comprehensive
reform to improve the Council’s representativeness,
transparency, democracy and accountability. This
process is relevant to all States, and Security Council
reform can be neither determined nor addressed in
alternative forums that have an eminently financial
purview. This much-needed and urgent reform will not
be achieved by imposing the aspirations of a few on
the collective will.
As an elected member of the Security Council for
the biennium 2009-2010, Mexico has been able to
appreciate the constructive role that non-permanent
members can play through their contributions to the
work of the Council and its subsidiary bodies.
Nevertheless, we are also aware of their limitations.
The short duration of their mandates impedes the
consolidation of achievements and affects the
continuity of the work of the Council itself. We are
therefore convinced that the principle of immediate
re-election or of longer-term seats for non-permanent
members are the best options for pragmatic and viable
Security Council reform in the short term.
Mexico’s participation in the Security Council
has been guided by its conviction of the importance of
the contribution that elected members can make to the
maintenance of international peace and security, in the
understanding that this is a shared responsibility in
accordance with obligations under the United Nations
Charter and not the monopoly of a few. In this sense,
we have been able to encourage mediation and the
peaceful settlement of disputes; promote disarmament
and non-proliferation; preserve respect for
international humanitarian law; ensure the protection
of the civilian population in armed conflicts, with
special emphasis on children; strengthen the rule of
law; and foster activities to promote stability and
reconstruction in States emerging from conflict.
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This year, Mexico celebrates its bicentennial as
an independent nation and the centenary of its
revolution, the first of the great social revolutions of
the twentieth century. From our own experience, we
are well aware of the difficulties and obstacles facing
the construction of any nation-State in a complex and
changing world. Throughout its history, our country’s
interaction with the world at large has been fraught.
Our country has experienced external interventions,
occupations and even losses of its territory during
periods of political instability. We have been able
nonetheless to forge a national identity and unique
profile in contemporary international relations.
Today, Mexico is a constructive and open
country, peaceful and fully committed to forging
agreements for a better world. As a founding Member
of our Organization, we have been loyal to its
purposes, consistent with the principles of foreign
policy enshrined in our Constitution. Our adherence to
international law and the contributions of Mexican
foreign policy to various fields are well known. We
have also learned to appreciate the importance of
international cooperation inasmuch as there is no
challenge on the United Nations agenda that can be
tackled in isolation. The survival of humankind, given
the dangers of nuclear war, combating the effects of
climate change, overcoming social regression, and the
relentless fight against new threats to international
security and to our own societies require our greatest
individual efforts as well as coordination among States.
Mexico will therefore remain deeply committed to
multilateralism, of which this universal forum is the
first and foremost expression.