Switzerland

It is imperative, now more than ever before, that all the peoples of the world act in a spirit of solidarity. The United Nations embodies this spirit. In joining the United Nations, Switzerland sends you a message of solidarity. This makes me proud and happy. I would like to add my thanks to those expressed last Tuesday by Kaspar Villiger, the President of the Swiss Confederation, on the occasion of Switzerland's formal admission to the United Nations. I would also like to thank all the Members of the United Nations for the warm welcome they have given my country. Switzerland feels welcomed. We feel that we are where we belong. I would also like to give Secretary-General Kofi Annan my profound thanks. His sincerity and wisdom contributed greatly to convincing the people of Switzerland of the need to join the United Nations. I would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your election. I already know and value your qualities and talents and I know that you will put them to the best service of the United Nations. Switzerland is pleased to be working with you towards the success of this session of the General Assembly. The Swiss people have decided to join the United Nations. They have said yes' to increased cooperation with the United Nations. They have said yes' to a stronger international commitment. They have said yes' to taking greater responsibility for meeting the challenges that face humankind. The challenges facing the international community at the beginning of the twenty-first century are immense. A number of regions suffer from terrible poverty. Crises and wars are rife on all continents. There are millions of refugees. We see the hideous face of terrorism. Criminal networks exploit human beings and traffic shamefully in drugs and arms. New diseases are emerging and, day after day, we continue to destroy the Earth's ecological balance. There are no simple answers to any of these problems, but there is a place where we can all meet to find solutions: the United Nations. The world needs a strong United Nations, as it is the only universal Organization working at the global level. It alone can analyse problems at the world level. It alone can create a consensus between States on common goals. Finally, as stressed by the Secretary-General, there is no substitute for the unique international legitimacy provided to principles and choices of action by the United Nations. Switzerland has joined the United Nations as a neutral country and we intend to remain neutral. Our neutral status, however, in no way diminishes our desire for cooperation. On the contrary, it is an advantage for our peace activities. Our membership of the United Nations is not a change in direction, but the logical consequence of our foreign policy. To quote our Constitution, the Swiss Confederation is committed Ö to a just and peaceful international order'. The principal aim of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and security. For us, therefore, the United Nations is the ideal place to carry out this vital mission. As a Member of the United Nations, Switzerland will devote itself resolutely to international peace and security. That commitment will be focused, above all, on armed 27 conflicts. The logic of armed conflicts today forces us to adopt a multidimensional approach to peace processes. If we are to succeed, we must work in several different areas in parallel: military, diplomatic, humanitarian and economic. We must also involve all interested players in the process. All this demands a major effort of coordination, and Switzerland will contribute to that. Security problems, moreover, must be addressed from a broader angle that of human security. The inhabitants of this world must be able to live without fear of war, starvation and despotism. In particular, we must protect vulnerable individuals and groups. Switzerland will therefore pursue its efforts in favour of human security. This includes stopping the recruitment of child soldiers, eliminating anti- personnel mines and halting the proliferation of small arms. In this context, I welcome the Secretary- General's appeal to make full use of multilateral institutions. This is especially valid for the maintenance of international peace and security. There is only one source of legitimacy for the use of force: the United Nations. Iraq has been discussed on several occasions during these past days. There is undeniably a need to act, and to act with determination, in order to ensure the implementation of United Nations resolutions, but action must be taken together, within the United Nations. Only the United Nations can confer international legitimacy to any action against Iraq. Switzerland is convinced that peace and development can be sustained only if they go hand in hand with freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights. Human dignity is our most precious asset. It must be defended at all times and in all places. We will champion this conviction at the United Nations to the full and without concessions. For as long as men and women are exploited, children are mistreated and the death penalty is carried out, Switzerland will do everything within its power to defend human dignity. At the General Assembly this year, we will strive in particular to promote the adoption of the draft optional protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. This protocol is needed to give better protection to people in detention against torture and mistreatment. That is why we have been supporting this initiative for years. In its capacity as the Depositary State, Switzerland feels a special responsibility to promote awareness of and respect for the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols. At the United Nations, we will continue tirelessly to defend these instruments. In this area, Switzerland has submitted to a number of countries involved in the Middle East conflict a proposal which aims to ensure the better implementation of international humanitarian law. We advocate two mechanisms: one for promoting dialogue to allow the parties to settle problems concerning the application of international humanitarian law; the second, a mechanism to monitor respect for humanitarian law. We are also convinced that the International Criminal Court will ensure the better application of international humanitarian law. This new Court is an essential tool for dealing with serious violations of the fundamental human freedoms. We will therefore remain on our guard to ensure that it can function efficiently and we will pursue our efforts to convince those States that have not yet signed the Rome Statute of the need for such a Court. Two days ago, we commemorated the tragic events that shook the United States and the world one year ago. The causes of terrorism must be eradicated. I am thinking, inter alia, of injustice, disregard for the rights of minorities, and poverty. That is one of the objectives of our development cooperation and of our human rights policy. Sustainable development and the elimination of poverty remain mankind's main challenges today. We saw that again at Johannesburg. They are global challenges that require a global strategy and global solidarity. In other words, they require coordinated action by the United Nations institutions, as well as greater cooperation between the United Nations, the development banks, civil society and the private sector. Development cooperation must be coordinated. Switzerland will contribute to strengthening the coordination efforts vital to ensuring that our activities enjoy the success they merit. The struggle against poverty also requires greater exchange of expertise and better transfer of technology. Switzerland is closely involved in the preparation of the World Summit on the Information Society, the first 28 phase of which will take place in Geneva in 2003. The main challenge of that Summit is the very gap between North and South in terms of access to new information technologies. Therefore, I call on all to contribute actively to the success of that conference. These thoughts lead me to refer to Geneva, the international city that is a close and longstanding link between my country and the United Nations. Switzerland is proud and grateful to be able to host the European Headquarters of the United Nations and many specialized agencies. Geneva is the main international hub of disarmament, humanitarian aid, social development, the promotion of human rights and environmental protection. That gives me great pleasure, because Swiss citizens are particularly concerned about these issues. However, that also involves the special responsibility of offering international organizations optimum working and living conditions. You can also count on Switzerland in that area. Before Switzerland became a Member, the United Nations was already a universal Organization, but with Switzerland and soon Timor-Leste the United Nations will be even more universal. The United Nations is the greatest world forum. Switzerland will provide it its full support in the interests of humanity and the interests of we, the peoples of the United Nations.