The tragic
earthquake in Haiti, the devastating floods in Pakistan
and the financial crisis have reminded us that the
global challenges of the twenty-first century require
concerted action. The United Nations needs to be at the
centre of our activities. It is the forum of today’s
multilateral system that enjoys the highest degree of
legitimacy. Inclusiveness is its key comparative
advantage.
However, this moral authority must be matched
by mechanisms and resources to ensure its
effectiveness. Adherence to the rule of law is
fundamental. All multilateral efforts and activities need
23 10-55109
to operate on the basis of clear and predictable rules
that apply equally to all Member States. Member
States, as well as men and women around the globe,
must be able to trust in the United Nations capacity to
turn the promises of the Charter into reality.
Cooperation with other international actors is
indispensable to the United Nations efforts to deal with
the complex challenges of today. Austria and the
European Union (EU) stand ready as reliable partners
for the United Nations in areas ranging from
development cooperation and humanitarian aid to the
maintenance of international peace and security and to
promoting the respect for the rule of law and human
rights. In this context, we hope that our initiative to
obtain modalities for the EU’s participation in the
General Assembly, reflecting the changes provided for
in the Treaty of Lisbon, will soon be adopted. This
would greatly help to reinforce the productive
partnership of the United Nations with an organization
that is fully committed to the principles and objectives
enshrined in the Charter. Austria is proud to contribute
to the work of the United Nations by hosting the
United Nations Office at Vienna. We will continue to
offer Vienna as a platform for dialogue and
cooperation.
In our view, good governance is an inherent
element of global governance. The Vienna-based
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is central to
the United Nations efforts to combat corruption and
organized crime by supporting Member States in
implementing international standards, including the
United Nations Convention against Corruption.
Corruption presents one of the major challenges with
dire consequences for the international community’s
efforts to reduce poverty. The recent founding of the
International Anti-Corruption Academy in Austria is an
important step towards addressing this challenge. That
institution aims to provide a tool for research,
education and training for professionals from all fields,
including law enforcement officials, judges and
prosecutors.
The fight against climate change is one of the
central issues of the twenty-first century. Climate
change has a far-reaching impact on the economic and
social development of the entire international
community. We need global consensus now if we want
to achieve the goal to limit global warming to 2°C and
to reverse the trend of rising greenhouse gas emissions
by 2020. Nobody should underestimate the difficulty of
this task. However, the fight against climate change is
also an opportunity. We have the chance to create a
framework for sustainable, qualitative growth at the
global level. Austria is committed to contributing to
this endeavour.
This week, leaders agreed on concrete actions to
get the Millennium Development Goals back on track
in the fight against world poverty. We now need to
mobilize all our efforts to live up to this renewed
commitment, particularly in addressing the special
needs of Africa in this regard. The Governments of
developing and developed countries, as well as the
private sector and civil society, need to work together
to achieve our ambitious goals by 2015.
Let me now turn to one of the most urgent threats
to peace and security. These days, our attention is
focused on the recently initiated direct talks between
Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas. We
welcome the leadership and commitment of President
Obama, who made this development possible. These
talks offer the first concrete prospects for a sustainable
peace in the Middle East in many years. An agreement
between Israel and Palestine would not only radically
improve the lives of the peoples concerned, but would
also provide the key to a more stable region and a more
peaceful world. We hope that both sides are aware of
their enormous responsibilities.
The process is still fragile. We believe that the
extension of the settlement moratorium is fundamental
to keeping the talks on track and creating an
environment in which the core issues can be tackled
successfully. It is equally important that the efforts of
the Palestinian authorities to build up functioning
institutions for a future Palestinian State move forward
dynamically. It is ultimately up to the parties to bring
the peace process to a positive conclusion. However,
international actors, in particular the members of the
Quartet, have an important role to play. As a member
of the European Union, Austria is ready to fully play
its part.
In order to ensure that the United Nations
continues to play a central role in global governance,
we must continue with our efforts towards internal
reform of the United Nations, including the reform of
the Security Council. Both an enlargement of the
Security Council that reflects today’s political,
economic and social realities and a reform of the
Council’s working methods will enhance the Council’s
10-55109 24
legitimacy and the acceptance of its decisions. As an
elected member of the Security Council, we participate
in its work with great commitment and are doing our
best to promote effectiveness and transparency.
Significant efforts are under way to ensure and
sustain United Nations peacekeeping as an essential
tool for achieving the goals of the United Nations.
Confronted with limited financial and human resources
and the increasing complexity of peacekeeping
operations, the United Nations has started a review of
the whole United Nations peacekeeping system with a
view to adjusting it to the needs of the twenty-first
century. It is of vital importance for the Council to
effectively monitor and oversee the implementation of
peacekeeping mandates, in close cooperation with
troop and police contributors, the Secretariat and
United Nations missions. Austria fully supports the
ongoing peacekeeping reform and stands ready to play
its part in a renewed global peacekeeping partnership.
We also have to work on making peace
consolidation irreversible. The United Nations
Peacebuilding Commission, together with integrated
peacebuilding support offices, has a key role in
fostering sustainable peace. If we use the
peacebuilding architecture optimally, lasting peace can
be achieved with determination and the political will of
the country concerned, as well as the support of the
international community. Since peacekeeping and
peacebuilding must be approached in an integrated
manner, we strongly support the enhanced interaction
of the Security Council with the Peacebuilding
Commission throughout the conflict cycle, as was
affirmed at the Security Council summit this week.
Due to the changing nature of conflict and an
increase in the activities of non-State actors, the
protection of civilians in armed conflict constitutes a
core task of a large number of United Nations
peacekeeping missions. The effective protection of
those affected by hostilities and violence has become a
yardstick for the success and credibility of United
Nations missions in the field and the United Nations at
large. Security Council resolution 1894 (2009),
unanimously adopted in November last year, was a
major step forward in the Council’s efforts to better
protect civilians from physical violence, displacement
and violations of their rights.
However, resolution 1894 (2009) has not yet had
its full impact on the ground. Violations of
international humanitarian and human rights law and
impunity for such crimes continue to pose a major
threat to the rule of law and lasting peace in post-
conflict situations.
Austria acknowledges the primary responsibility
of States to ensure the protection of civilians, including
the credible prosecution of those responsible for war
crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity or other
serious violations of international law. We support the
use and promotion of mechanisms such as the
International Criminal Court, commissions of inquiry
or panels of experts. Such tools should be seen as a
viable complement and reinforcement of steps taken at
the national level to ensure accountability. The
Security Council has a central role in this endeavour.
Ensuring the implementation of resolution 1894 (2009)
will be one of the key priorities of Austria during the
remainder of its term on the Council.
Austria also attaches utmost importance to
enhancing the role of women in conflict and post-
conflict situations. Even 10 years after the adoption of
Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), on women
and peace and security, we can still witness major gaps.
Women continue to be largely absent from peace
processes and conflict-resolution efforts, and crimes
against them all too often remain unpunished. The
latest, shocking mass rapes in the Eastern Democratic
Republic of the Congo demonstrate more than ever that
there is urgent need for action. We cannot afford to
ignore those gaps. The occasion of the tenth
anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000)
will therefore provide a crucial opportunity to work
towards more consistent implementation in promoting
women’s issues in all aspects of international peace
efforts. Those efforts are fully supported by our
development cooperation.
Austria warmly welcomes the milestone decision
of the General Assembly to establish UN Women,
which will make the United Nations a stronger and
more effective partner in the advancement of women
worldwide. We look forward to working with Michelle
Bachelet towards our common goals.
Children in armed conflict deserve special
protection. I am very satisfied that the United Nations
system has made concrete progress in combating
serious child rights violations and in fighting the
recruitment and enlisting of child soldiers.
25 10-55109
Austria reiterates the pivotal role of the United
Nations at the centre of our counter-terrorism efforts.
Respect for human rights and the rule of law is a
fundamental basis of the fight against terrorism. As
Chair of the Security Council Committee established
pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-
Qaida and the Taliban, Austria is committed to
enhancing due process in the Council’s sanctions
regimes. We therefore welcome the substantial
improvements of the listing and de-listing procedures
and the recent appointment of Ms. Kimberly Prost as
Ombudsperson.
The Austrian candidature for the Human Rights
Council for the period 2011-2014 is a logical
continuation of our long-term work and engagement in
ensuring the respect for human rights, including in the
Security Council. Dialogue and partnerships are crucial
for turning the promises of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights into a reality for all people around
the globe. Austria has consistently worked with all
actors towards narrowing the gap between standards
and their implementation at the national and
international levels.
To end on a positive note, this past year saw the
most positive developments towards nuclear
disarmament in a decade. Security Council resolution
1887 (2009), adopted just a year ago, provided a
powerful impetus. Although many issues are still
unresolved and require our close attention, the Review
Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in May
produced an outcome that restored confidence in the
Treaty. For the first time, a comprehensive action plan
dealing with all three pillars of the Treaty was agreed.
Let me stress here that Austria is honoured to have
contributed to that success. For the first time, a world
without nuclear weapons was accepted as the goal of
all parties, who pledged to ultimately eliminate all
types of nuclear weapons. For the first time, the
catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the use of
such weapons were recognized — an important step
towards the eventual legal ban of nuclear weapons by
means of a nuclear weapons convention or framework
of legal instruments.
Although the results of the Conference are
positive, much remains to be done. The action plan
needs to be implemented. The nuclear-weapon
States — which promised to engage among themselves
on a number of vital issues and report by 2014 — must
lead by example. The international disarmament
structures must be reformed. I am grateful for
Secretary-General Ban’s initiative in this respect.
Finally, we must learn from successful
disarmament initiatives. Let me underline that Austria
is delighted that the Convention on Cluster Munitions
entered into force last month. The Convention is a
positive example of how committed Governments,
international organizations and civil society can work
together to achieve real progress. In order to promote
interaction in this respect in the nuclear field as well,
Austria supports the establishment of a competence
centre for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in
Vienna early next year. Conceived as a platform for
open discussion and independent expertise, monitoring
and advocacy, the centre shall facilitate understanding
and cooperation among all entities involved. I hope
that it will contribute to further progress in nuclear
disarmament and non-proliferation.
We, the United Nations, have shared
responsibility to move forward jointly in order to reach
our common goal of international peace, security and
development for all.