Iran

I would like at the outset to congratulate Mr. Jan Kavan on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session and to assure him of the full support and cooperation of the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran as he embarks on his crucial task. I would also like to express my appreciation to the President of Assembly at its fifty- 19 sixth session for his skilful leadership. I would also like to welcome Switzerland to the United Nations, and look forward also to welcoming the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. I would like to pay tribute to the Secretary- General for his strong and compassionate leadership and for the vision and wisdom that he expressed in his statement before the Assembly. The world today is characterized by great diversity and emerging factors with a far-reaching influence. In the light of advances in information technology and of the new international information order, current issues and problems are interrelated, like the parts of an organism, and truly global. More than ever before, we see that nations and States are seeking to expand their options and ascertain the nature and the extent of their contribution to, and participation in, global affairs on the basis of not only their national security and interests but also their regional responsibilities, as well as international requirements and norms. This trend towards the achievement of such fundamental objectives points to the expansion of a global, democratic and participatory process that will endure in the long term and is thus sustainable. Embracing diversity, questioning and critically reviewing the past and seeking democratic participation and action all teach us that the fundamental universal human values of peace and security, freedom and independence, and justice and fairness must become the very centre of global attention. Without continued, active cooperation to draw our world closer to such fundamental values, we will not successfully meet the current global challenges. Without expanding the scope of peace and security, neither freedom nor independence will be achievable; without justice and fairness, neither peace nor security will become accessible; and without freedom and independence, both peace and security will become impossible to attain. It is only through such an approach that we will be able to work together, think together and cooperate in a multilateral framework so as to find answers to challenges we face in common and to deal with regional crises. The world is facing grave challenges today, particularly in the aftermath of the tragic terror attacks of 11 September 2001. Chief among these challenges are terrorism and other forms of violence. Combating the sinister phenomenon of terrorism is an urgent and unavoidable imperative. A genuine and effective fight against terrorism must include, on the one hand, an attempt to identify the root causes of terrorism and, on the other, a concerted effort by the international community to address them. It goes without saying that the perpetrators of acts of terrorism must be brought to justice and given their just deserts. Calling for the root causes of terrorism to be addressed should in no way be construed as an attempt to justify terrorism or detract from the gravity of terrorist acts or from the severity of the punishments that terrorists deserve. It is intended to pinpoint an effective and comprehensive means of eliminating terrorism. In this context, it appears that exploring problems such as the worldwide increase in injustice and discrimination, the marginalization of a large number of people and occupation and the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of others, extremism, fanaticism, bigotry, poverty and underdevelopment could prove helpful in identifying the root causes of terrorism. In our opinion, a wise and principled approach to fighting terrorism would entail full international cooperation, expressed at the highest political level in a world summit that would seek, inter alia, to develop an inclusive definition of terrorism that is generally acceptable. In a letter addressed to the Secretary-General immediately after the disastrous attacks of 11 September, President Khatami called for such a world summit to address this crucial issue and to encourage international cooperation to fight terrorism under the auspices of the United Nations. There should be a worldwide campaign against all forms and manifestations of terrorism and their perpetrators, irrespective of the identity of the victims or the objectives. Distinction must also be made between acts of terrorism and the legitimate struggle of peoples under foreign occupation or aggression, in accordance with international law. Any campaign bent on relating the inhuman phenomenon of terrorism to divine religions that have always been the harbingers of peace, love, amity and moral decency is a great and unforgivable transgression against those religions and their countless followers. As a victim of the most brutal acts of terrorism, the Islamic Republic of Iran regards fighting terrorism in a genuine and comprehensive way as a top national 20 priority, and it is thus in the forefront of the international coalition against terrorism. To help promote regional and international peace and security, my country has thus far signed bilateral agreements or is in the process of finalizing such agreements with more than 20 countries on the extradition of offenders and on the provision of legal assistance for promoting cooperation in the areas of fighting terrorism, drug trafficking and other organized crimes, of the extradition of criminals and of mutual legal assistance. We are intent on further strengthening this policy of enhanced cooperation. In that context, and in accordance with Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1390 (2002), the Islamic Republic of Iran has reported to the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee regarding its counter-terrorism efforts in general and about the measures it has adopted against the Taliban and Al Qaeda in particular. We are greatly concerned by the current trend of international disarmament negotiations, which is leading to the further vulnerability and fragility of international security. Rejection of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) by a permanent member of the Security Council and the holder of the largest nuclear arsenal, and the withdrawal of that member from negotiations on the CTBT on-site inspection operational manual, point to that State's policy of unilateralism. Further signs of such a policy are its withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, its blocking of the negotiations on a protocol strengthening the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention and its going against the judgement of the international community with respect to the regulation of the trade and transfer of small arms and light weapons. It is only by developing a broader view of multilateralism, international cooperation and respect for the rule of law that we can guarantee progress and success in the field of disarmament and international security issues. Expansion of and deeper respect for human rights throughout the world are a function of their universality and indivisibility, on the one hand, and of the recognition of national and regional particularities and cultural backgrounds, on the other. Rejecting the use of human rights for political purposes, rejecting double standards and discriminatory approaches, and promoting international cooperation in that field for the sake of human rights will definitely help promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Such an approach prevailed at the fifty-eighth session of the Commission on Human Rights, and my country thus received a favourable decision. We are pleased that, with the cooperation of other States, our draft resolutions on developing international cooperation in the field of human rights and on promoting cultural diversity were adopted. Globalization will yield fruitful results when it is accompanied by a non-selective and non- discriminatory approach: when it provides equal opportunities for all within the framework of a global partnership. If the developed countries fail to fulfil their responsibilities, globalization can hardly be called a success story. An open, equitable, law-based, transparent and non-discriminatory international trading system is a prerequisite for achieving the goals of economic growth and sustainable development in developing countries. The continued brutalities in occupied Palestine once again indicate that solutions not well grounded in justice and realism will fail to bring about lasting peace in the Middle East region. The Palestinian people have the right, under international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to persist in their struggle to restore their inalienable rights. Occupying other people's land must be condemned, as must labelling as terrorist a nation that is only fighting to liberate its homeland. The way to achieve a lasting peace in the Middle East is to guarantee to Palestinians the right to return to their homeland and the right to self-determination, leading to the formation — in a democratic process and under the supervision of the United Nations — of a Palestinian State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. It is the Palestinian people's legitimate right to choose, through democratic means, their future political system and the manner in which they elect to establish their civil and political order. We respect the choices that the Palestinian people make. The long-standing policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards Afghanistan has been the rejection of violence, the promotion of intra-Afghan dialogue and the establishment of a representative Government by democratic means. We are pleased that, as a result of international efforts — particularly by the United Nations — civil order is gradually being consolidated by the Afghan people themselves through the 21 establishment of the Interim Administration, the Emergency Loya Jirga and the Transitional Government. Formulating Afghanistan's Constitution on the basis of democratic principles, Afghan culture and tradition, taking into account the views of all ethnic groups, will be a major step in consolidating law and order, in strengthening the political structure and in achieving peace, security and stability in Afghanistan. The Islamic Republic of Iran is continuing its close cooperation with the Transitional Government of Afghanistan, especially in the context of spending the $50 million in assistance earmarked for small-scale reconstruction projects in Afghanistan during the Iranian fiscal year 1381, which began on 21 March 2002. Joint efforts that are moving forward include providing custom facilities and preferential arrangements in customs, transit, trade and scientific, cultural and educational cooperation; combating drug trafficking and terrorism; and helping Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan. The international community is expected to make good on its pledges to Afghanistan so as to begin to rebuild the economic infrastructure there and to create conditions conducive to the voluntary return of Afghan refugees to their homeland. Greater attention and resources must be invested — particularly by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme — in crop substitution programmes in Afghanistan as an effective strategy to fight narcotics trafficking. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq and compliance by Iraq with relevant Security Council resolutions — particularly those concerning the return of the weapons inspectors to Iraq — followed by the lifting of international sanctions in the interest of the oppressed people of Iraq, constitute the overall policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards Iraq. We oppose any unilateral measures or military intervention in Iraq, we underline the central role of the United Nations in that regard, and we hold that it is up to the people of Iraq to determine their own future through democratic means. The Islamic Republic of Iran is following the situation between its two neighbours, Pakistan and India, with much concern. As a neighbour, we wish to stress the age-old wisdom of the subcontinent and to impress upon the leadership in both countries the importance of exercising self-restraint in both word and deed and of keeping open the lines of communication and dialogue with a view to resolving the situation in accordance with the rules and principles of international law and in the interests of both nations. The current global trend towards participation in collective efforts to face major international challenges and resolve regional crises through democratic means has raised a glimmer of hope for our world today. No doubt, dialogue among civilizations has a special place in charting the way and promoting understanding and tolerance in these troubled times. Dialogue, as a multifaceted and long-term process, teaches us to grow out of the politics of domination that have created so much agony and violence and gradually to opt for the politics of interaction, tolerance and communication. In this context, the United Nations, as a centre of dialogue, international decision-making and implementation, will increasingly gain in importance as the international community resolves to strengthen international peace, security and development.