Argentina

In this, my first statement, allow me to congratulate Mr. Holkeri on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly. I believe that this is a timely opportunity to emphasize the great friendship that unites the Argentine Republic and Finland. I also express my gratitude to Mr. Theo-Ben Gurirab of Namibia, another country that is a friend to Argentina, for the constructive way in which he presided over the Assembly's work at the last session. We also offer a cordial welcome to Tuvalu upon its entry into the United Nations and extend our friendship and cooperation to its people. This debate is taking place after a very productive exchange of opinions at the highest level during the Millennium Summit, which we hope will mark, together with the final Declaration, the beginning of a new era leading to a more equitable world and a more effective Organization, in accordance with objectives set out by the Secretary-General in his report entitled “We the peoples”. For my country, this is also an opportunity to set out before the General Assembly the principles and objectives of our foreign policy. The Government of President Fernando de la Rúa, who took office on 10 December 1999, has drafted a foreign policy on the basis of the mandate it received from the Argentine people. This policy aims at strengthening our integration with neighbouring countries, intensifying the hemispheric dialogue and promoting economic development, social progress, free trade and a ban on weapons of mass destruction. Argentina is determined to participate on the international scene jointly to build a peaceful and stable world based on the values of representative democracy, the rule of law, the protection and promotion of human rights, respect for the environment, economic liberalization, social progress, international cooperation and the maintenance of international peace and security, pursuant to the purposes and principles of the Charter. Today, as was stated at the Millennium Summit, these aspirations are shared by the vast majority of Members of this Organization. On the basis of its ongoing interests, the Government has set as a priority objective its political and economic integration with the other States members of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) — Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay — and associate members Chile and Bolivia. We have agreed with these countries to consolidate MERCOSUR by adopting the measures necessary to promote greater integration on the basis of balance and equity. We have made significant progress towards the expansion of our markets since the signing of the Treaty of Asuncin in 1991. This was the fruit of the determination of the member countries to implement an open trade policy in their economic programmes. 25 The creation of MERCOSUR was a political decision transcending the economic sphere. MERCOSUR provides a political forum within which trust, cooperation and the pursuit of full integration in all areas foster the increasing complementarity and convergence of our interests. Bolivia and Chile have bound themselves to MERCOSUR as associate members in the context of the Free Trade Area and we trust that they will become full members in the near future. As a consequence of the broadening political and economic dimensions of our integration project, we are also witnessing the convergence of approaches to defence and security in our region. This contributes to a continental perspective based on confidence and cooperation. We and our neighbours have made progress towards the creation of the joint MERCOSUR, Bolivian and Chilean zone of peace. Argentina is part of a nuclear-free Latin America reflecting the peaceful and cooperative security necessary to harmonious development. At the same time, as a member of the Rio Group, which has now grown to include Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, Argentina has pursued its high-level political consultations and cooperation in order to maintain peace, strengthen representative democracy and promote sustainable development in the region. It is our firm intention that our countries shall enjoy greater participation in the global economy. At the recent summit convened in Brasilia to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Brazil, the Presidents of all the South American countries reaffirmed the spirit of understanding and harmony that marks its relations on the basis of these principles and objectives. The consolidation of democratic stability in Latin America continues to be a central policy of the Argentine Government. We do not interfere in the domestic affairs of others and we respect international law. We promote the consolidation of democratic processes on the basis of our deep conviction that free, regular and transparent elections and a plurality of political parties are essential instruments for affirming and guaranteeing the institutional nature of democracy. My country also reaffirms its commitment to eradicating poverty, inequity and social exclusion and to ensuring equal opportunity throughout the region. We shall continue to pursue our joint action in the regional and global campaign against drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, the illegal trade in arms and organized crime. The Argentine Republic has a natural interest in the South Atlantic that is reflected in our participation in the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic, comprised of 21 African and three Latin American countries. At the fifth ministerial meeting held in Buenos Aires in October 1998, a plan of action was adopted to implement our shared objectives in the peaceful settlement of disputes, economic cooperation, development, the conservation of fishery resources, the fight against drug trafficking and the protection of the environment. My country is in favour of free trade in order to achieve development and the eradication of poverty. The Argentine Government believes that protectionism not only generates the deflection of trade and the closure of markets, but also constitutes a form of discrimination. Argentina urges the entire international community to commit itself seriously to eliminating distortions of trade and will continue to fight for these objectives. In this regard, we believe that progress is being made in negotiations on the free trade agreement of the Americas to create a hemispheric free trade area by the year 2005. In the World Trade Organization, our country has provided new impetus to the efforts to launch a new round to broaden trade liberalization, particularly in agriculture. Argentina also continues to support negotiations to develop political and economic association between MERCOSUR and the European Union, including, in this framework, the gradual liberalization of agricultural trade and services. We are constantly seeking new ways to integrate ourselves with the world. The realities of technological change and continual innovation require developing countries to adapt to a scheme of international economic integration based on a new paradigm of production. The challenge is to ensure the access of the least developed countries to this process of constant technological change and innovation. There can be no doubt that the international community — in particular the United Nations — must cooperate to promote the transfer of technology from developed to developing countries with sufficient flexibility and breadth so that 26 technological innovations reach those countries with fewer resources. In his report “We the peoples”, the SecretaryGeneral quite rightly attaches great importance to this task. Without the adequate dissemination of and access to the new technologies of the digital revolution, we will see the gap between rich and poor widen. Individual States and the international community as a whole must therefore find solutions that guarantee greater fairness in the use of digital information. Argentina remains fully committed to the international community's efforts to protect the environment from the negative impact of human activities. In this regard we reaffirm our commitment to the principles of sustainable development agreed upon in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development — principles that were reflected in the Rio Declaration on the environment and in Agenda 21. Equally, we would like to stress the importance of making adequate preparation — during this very fifty-fifth General Assembly — for the conference to be held in 2002 to review the implementation of Agenda 21. Moreover, we feel it is necessary to consolidate the international legal regimes in the field of environmental protection. In this context, and bearing in mind the devastating consequences of atmospheric warming on the global ecosystem and on human life, we attach special importance to the entry into force, as soon as possible, of the Kyoto Protocol to the Framework Convention on Climate Change. The twenty-first century was preceded by a prolonged strategic and ideological confrontation, which has given way to a moment in history in which representative democracy, human rights and open economies are shared values. At the same time, we are facing a more complex world that has yet to engender a stable international order. The explosion of serious intra-State conflicts — as we have seen in the Balkans or in Africa — are signs of the emergence of a new stage in conflicts — a stage in which, regrettably, conflicts are based on ethnic, cultural and religious differences. The Republic of Argentina aspires to contribute to achieving multilateral consensus aimed at reducing and neutralizing risks to peace and at facilitating the development of nations. We believe that if this consensus were based on greater democratization in international relations this would increase the efficacy and the functioning of the international system. Since it is impossible for individual States to face these threats alone, it is necessary to adopt cooperative security policies to eliminate the potential risk of conflicts and to strengthen the stability and security of legal regimes. It is essential that we face in a united fashion the immediate and underlying causes of conflicts, which often arise because of the lack of economic opportunities and because of social inequalities. The Members of the United Nations face the challenge of finding a response to questions raised by recent international crises, including the international humanitarian crises. My country believes that the principle of non-intervention must be duly respected because it is the pillar underpinning relations between independent States. At the same time, we cannot conceal our concern at the explosion of violence against ethnic, racial or religious minorities. In particular we are concerned about the situation of vulnerable groups, such as refugees and internally displaced persons, and about the situation of children in armed conflicts. Consequently we believe that the international community cannot remain indifferent and must provide an adequate response to humanitarian crises. We must emphasize the role that can be played by international tribunals to create awareness that impunity will not be tolerated. The International Criminal Court and the tribunals for Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia and Sierra Leone, which have been created, constitute important instruments of deterrence. In addition to the internal reforms that the Secretary-General has initiated with singular success within his sphere of competence, the United Nations must give priority to more democratic consensusbuilding in the decision-making processes of the main and subsidiary organs of the system. This needs to be done in a fashion that does not hamper the speed and effectively with which solutions are found to the daily problems facing the Organization. Maintenance of international peace and security is a primary responsibility of the Security Council, which must be strengthened. If these responsibilities are not fully shouldered, no other activity of the United 27 Nations can be carried out with any certainty of success. Since the inception of multilateral diplomacy, Argentina has defended the principle of the sovereign equality of States. It is therefore not surprising that our country maintains that the reform of the Security Council must be arrived at via consensus, and this consensus must not entail new discrimination, privileges or exclusions. The vast majority of the international community — seeking to ensure respect for the values of democracy and universality — believes that a new Security Council will have to allow for greater participation by all. This cannot be achieved if new permanent seats — like those established in 1945 — are established. Reform of the Council must allow all States a greater opportunity to participate in the Council, which must not be monopolized by only a few countries. For this reason, Argentina supports exclusively an increase in the number of nonpermanent members and the introduction of restrictions on the right of the veto, without losing sight of the ultimate objective of eliminating it altogether. We support the adoption of rules of procedure that guarantee transparency and the possibility of the participation of all Member States in this organ. Our support for the peaceful settlement of disputes continues to be a fundamental feature of our foreign policy. President de la Rúa reiterated the Argentine commitment to continue participating in peacekeeping operations established by the Security Council. The most recent conflicts have shown how important efficient training of the forces participating in these missions is. Experience acquired by Argentina in 42 years of participating in these missions is reflected in the creation of the joint Argentine centre for training for peacekeeping operations. It has been operating since 1995, with the participation of personnel from other Member States. We also established the centre for training of security forces for foreign missions. Argentina, which is currently involved in nine peacekeeping operations, places at the disposal of the United Nations its military and police training centres. We also support the initiatives to strengthen the rapid deployment capacity of the Organization, and we would support restructuring efforts aimed at optimizing the planning and support for peacekeeping operations both at Headquarters and in the field. My country was pleased to receive the conclusions and recommendations recently issued by the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations and contained in the Brahimi report. These provide a valuable basis for building international consensus aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Organization to prevent conflicts and to maintain and re-establish peace. Argentina, which is part of the Bureau of the Special Committee for Peacekeeping Operations, supports the conducting, as soon as possible, of a detailed analysis of the recommendations contained in the Brahimi report — including its possible financial implications — with a view to achieving its early implementation. My Government is particularly concerned about the problems related to the security and protection of those who participate in peacekeeping operations and humanitarian missions. The personnel of the United Nations and associated personnel, as well as the personnel of other agencies that provide humanitarian assistance, are facing increasingly risks situations, as we have seen recently in the tragic events that have occurred around the world. Consequently, Argentina, which is a party to the 1994 Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, has urged an improvement in the security situation of United Nations personnel via the adoption of practical and legal measures, including financial-planning and implementation measures for these operations. In this context we should also reiterate the duty of the international community to provide assistance to those countries facing emergency situations, which arise as a result either of natural disasters or of armed conflicts. In this area a significant role can be played by the “White Helmets” initiative, which involves the establishment of bodies of specialized volunteers organized by the Members of the United Nations to provide humanitarian assistance to peoples who are victims of extreme emergencies and also to mitigate the serious problems that affect these people. We should also mention the issue of AIDS which particularly affects the poorest areas of the world. More than 34 million people suffer from this illness today. The virus has spread dramatically. In particular, more than two thirds of the victims are in sub-Saharan Africa. This pandemic is aggravating poverty. The illness and death of so many workers is draining already weakened economies. The impact of this phenomenon on the future of the affected regions will 28 probably mean greater marginalization and will undermine the foundations of stability, security and peace. The international community and this Organization and its specialized agencies must contribute urgently all available resources to the fight against this disease. I would like to refer in particular to the sovereignty dispute between my country and the United Kingdom regarding the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands as well as the surrounding seas. The recovery of the full exercise of sovereignty over this part of our national territory, respecting the interests of the inhabitants and international law, is a precept enshrined in the Constitution of Argentina. This item is on the agenda of the Organization, which in numerous resolutions has requested the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom to renew negotiations to find a just and definitive solution to the sovereignty controversy, thus putting an end to a colonial situation imposed by force in 1833. Today, in accordance with that request, Argentina reiterates once again its complete willingness to renew bilateral negotiations with the United Kingdom to resolve this question. We reiterate our support for the mission of good offices with which the General Assembly charged the Secretary-General to assist the parties in achieving this objective. The world stage in the post-cold-war era is the scene of ethnic conflicts, civil wars, massive violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, illegal traffic in arms and other threats. At the same, time we are seeing the unprecedented spread of representative democracy and economic and technological modernization. Against this backdrop, our main task is to reach agreements that will enable us to face these challenges and seize these opportunities in the best way possible. Equipping the United Nations for the challenges of the new millennium is the great task awaiting us. All Member States must undertake to fulfil this commitment if our efforts are to be crowned with success. Argentina is committed to this task and will continue making its contribution. On 31 December next, my country will end its term as a member of the Security Council. During its two-year term, Argentina has done its utmost to contribute constructively to decision-making and consensus-building on all items on the Council's agenda. On the basis of our potential and bearing in mind the features of the current international situation, Argentina intends, in the twenty-first century, to continue to play an active part in the consolidation of peace and international security and in the development of peoples.