Jordan

I wish at the outset to extend to you, Sir, and to your friendly country, the Czech Republic, warm congratulations on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session. Your record of prudence and diplomatic skill will certainly be instrumental in meeting the lofty goals sought by all nations and peoples. A word of thanks and tribute goes to your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Han Seung-soo, for his outstanding stewardship of the fifty- sixth session. Two States are being admitted to the membership of our Organization: the Swiss Confederation and, soon, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. Despite 9 their differing histories, each will strengthen the fabric and enrich the tapestry of the United Nations. Jordan bids a warm welcome to both of them and wishes them well. The opening of the current session coincided with the first anniversary of the heinous terrorist attacks against New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. As I reiterate Jordan's condemnation of those terrorist acts, let me express once again our deep condolences and sympathy to the families of the thousands of victims who lost their lives as a result of the cowardly and criminal acts that targeted our Organization's host city and host nation. The list of victims is multinational, multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multicultural. That graphically illustrates the fact that terrorism is indeed blind to all those criteria. The international community rose to the occasion when it provided a prompt, collective, decisive response. Indeed, it was the United Nations itself that provided the forum for a global coalition underpinned by both our common political will and the compelling case before us. Thus, the Assembly adopted resolution 56/1, while the Security Council adopted its resolutions 1368 (2001) and 1373 (2001). That set of decisions, embraced by our world body, which represents all human cultures, ideologies and ethnicities, created the official platform for launching the ongoing global campaign against terrorism. My country, Jordan, has also suffered from terrorism and its evils. Terrorists have struck at our national symbols, our citizens and our interests because of our principled positions, foremost among them our firm commitment to fight terrorism. All along, Jordan has been in the vanguard of every international effort aimed at hunting down this plague and confronting it, including by draining its resources as part of an overall drive to uproot it altogether. In parallel, Jordan's stance is clear-cut and decisive. We reject and condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We have declared in no uncertain terms this firm conviction against terrorism, irrespective of its source, the perpetrators or the identity of the victims. Furthermore, we allow no room for any justification whatsoever, including any possible arguments on religious, ethnic or national grounds. Thus, Jordan treats all forms of terrorism as criminal acts. In the same context, let me stress our conviction that the eradication of terrorism is a common goal of all States and societies. I wish therefore to draw the Assembly's attention to the blatant tendency, driven by pernicious and wicked intentions, to falsely link terrorism to a specific religion or culture. I trust that this gathering shares my view that it is now imperative to confront these dubious attempts. Indeed, dealing with such schemes is indispensable if we are to maintain the sustained and concerted campaign to achieve the paramount objective: the total eradication of terrorism. The current situation in the Middle East is extremely dangerous. The whole landscape is constantly changing for the worse, especially in the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel's reoccupation of the Palestinian Authority's territories and the perpetuation of this occupation, together with the measures and policies emanating thereof, particularly policies of closure and siege, have created intolerable living conditions for the Palestinian people. These unbearable conditions have prompted several humanitarian agencies and international organs to declare a state of emergency. Israeli measures to strangle the Palestinian people economically and politically, with a view to bringing the Palestinians to their knees and to coercing them into surrendering their rights, have reached inadmissible levels of seriousness. Malnutrition rates among the Palestinian population have doubled. Diseases related to malnutrition and hunger have become widespread, particularly among children, women and the elderly. The joint impact of all these factors has created breeding grounds for frustration and despair, which inevitably generate hatred, grudges and violence. Therefore, this situation must be addressed effectively and expeditiously. We hope that the first move will come from Israel in the form of ending its occupation of Palestinian towns without delay. We also expect Israel to cease forthwith its policies of closures and siege. It is in Israel's interest to pursue constructive policies towards the Palestinians in order to restore mutual confidence and to rehabilitate the values of reconciliation and coexistence between the two peoples. It is our considered view that Israel's current approach is irrational, as it results in excessive use of force, which in turn fuels and deepens hatred and replenishes the sources of violence. 10 While we welcome the few visible signs of relief, as reflected in the accord reached by the Palestinian and Israeli sides on 19 August 2002, which calls for progressive withdrawal by Israel from certain Palestinian towns that have been reoccupied by Israel, we call on Israel to implement faithfully and expeditiously Security Council resolution 1402 (2002), which provides for full Israeli withdrawal from all Palestinian cities. From a political and humanitarian point of view, Jordan stands against targeting Israeli civilians and concurs with the need to address the whole spectrum of security issues. However, it maintains that the only viable course for addressing the Palestinian-Israeli question lies in the resumption of the peace process as a whole, from the point where it stalled and within the agreed framework established on the basis of complete Israeli withdrawal from all Arab territories occupied since 1967, including the Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese territories; the establishment of an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital, pursuant to relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 425 (1978) and 1397 (2002). In that context, I wish to stress the significance of the initiative adopted by the Arab leaders at the Beirut Arab Summit last March. That initiative outlined a balanced approach in terms of practical ideas and arguments that demonstrate beyond any doubt a genuine pan-Arab commitment to just, lasting and comprehensive peace. That plan is a pledge by Arab States to conclude peace agreements with Israel in return for its complete withdrawal from the Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese territories to the 4 June 1967 borders, the establishment of an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem its capital and finding a just and agreed solution to the Palestinian refugees question on the basis of the relevant United Nations resolutions. I trust that the Government of Israel will rise to the level of the hopes and aspirations of the Arab peoples and the people of Israel to live in peace, justice and dignity. We hope that the Government of Israel will be forthcoming in response to that balanced and sincere initiative, which gained the acceptance of all States and parties interested in the peace process. Furthermore, this initiative is also in line with the vision and the commitment outlined by President George W. Bush of the United States on the form and aim of a final solution on the Palestinian-Israeli track based on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state existing alongside the State of Israel by mid-2005 at the latest. In that regard, Jordan supports efforts being made to draw up a clear road map leading to the implementation of President Bush's commitment through, first, defining the obligations of both the Palestinian and Israeli sides; secondly, setting a clear timetable for all phases of carrying out those obligations so that the deadline for the birth of the independent Palestinian State will not, under any circumstances, extend beyond mid-2005; and, thirdly, agreeing to the creation of an international supervisory mechanism that ensures the timely and orderly implementation of those measures as well as monitoring the implementation process. We hope that this vision will be examined at the Quartet meeting in New York within the next few days, with a view to adopting it into a plan of action and a comprehensive international obligation. Subsequently, the parties will embark on the implementation process within the specified framework, whose outcome will be the establishment of an independent Palestinian State within less than three years. We also hope that this achievement will generate a fresh impetus to conclude comprehensive peace on the Syrian-Israeli and Lebanese-Israeli tracks within the same time frame. In compliance with the United Nations principles enshrined in the Charter, particularly Article 2, paragraph 4, which prohibits the threat or use of force in international relations, and considering that this right is exclusively assigned to the Security Council so that the Council may exercise it in case of a breach of international peace and security, Jordan believes that the most appropriate means for resolving the matters outstanding between the United Nations and Iraq is to ensure the immediate and full implementation of all relevant Security Council resolutions, including those relating to Kuwaiti prisoners and missing persons as well as to the return of the weapons inspectors. If these conditions are met, the people of Iraq, who have been suffering for too long, would be saved from military action that would exacerbate that suffering. The aforementioned formula would also spare the entire region the dire consequences of military operations. In the context of emphasizing the principle of resolving disputes by peaceful means, we invite the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond to the call made by the United Arab Emirates to reach a peaceful settlement of the problem of the three islands. We urge Iran to accept referral of this case to the International Court of Justice. We also encourage the efforts made by the two sides in Cyprus to reach a just and peaceful solution to the Cypriot question. We also call for the peaceful resolution of the dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. We have no doubt that the Assembly will support and strengthen those efforts. Jordan recognizes the nature of the transformations that have taken place in international relations and the global landscape over the past decade. Thus, we stress the need for the United Nations to adapt accordingly, through effective streamlining, so that it will maintain its relevance as the primary international forum of global cooperation and coordination in all human fields. A robust United Nations would also remain the true embodiment of the hopes and the aspirations of all mankind. Here, I wish to pay special tribute to Secretary- General Kofi Annan for the foresight, dynamism and flexibility he brings into play while performing his duties. Those fine personal qualities enhance his impressive performance, which Jordan supports and appreciates. In closing, I would like to warmly welcome the establishment of the International Criminal Court and the entry into force of its Statute. Our expectation is that the Court will enhance the great principles and purposes of the United Nations itself. Let me underline our absolute support for all efforts aimed at strengthening and revitalizing the United Nations system, including the ongoing structural reform exercise and the review of Security Council membership with a view to its expansion in order to make it more representative of the new international realities. Finally, I wish the Assembly all success in its deliberations.