Saint Kitts and Nevis

Once again I am proud and honoured to have the opportunity to address this assembly of nations and to convey to representatives fraternal and cordial greetings from the Government and people of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The convening of the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations provides the Governments of all Member States with an important opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to the cause of peace, democracy and the pursuit of a higher quality of life for our peoples. I wish to join other representatives by extending warmest congratulations from the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis to you, Mr. President, on your election to preside at this session of the General Assembly. I assure you of my Government’s continued support and cooperation. Allow me, Sir, to thank the outgoing President, His Excellency Mr. Samuel Insanally, for the astute and most able manner in which he conducted and guided the affairs of this body during its forty-eighth session despite unprecedented trials and numerous challenges. His resolve and his successes give credence to his commitment to the planting of seeds of cooperation and goodwill in every corner of the globe to ensure that our children and grandchildren may feast on harvests of peace, equality, freedom and democracy. The Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, has faced many problems of great complexity during the past year. I wish to congratulate him on the outstanding manner in which he has been carrying out the mandate of the Organization. The Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis shares the commitment to democracy, respect for human dignity and the protection of human rights. Our people enjoy the 1 effective workings of the democratic process and the safeguards provided by its institutions. We are determined to do all that we can, in our time, to ensure that future generations too will be able to exercise their democratic freedoms in an atmosphere of political stability. There is an ever-increasing thirst for democracy throughout the world. In our hemisphere, military regimes have been giving way to democratically elected Governments. Nowhere has this process been more dramatic than in Haiti, where, in 1991, the people, in free and fair elections under the keen scrutiny of the international community, chose Jean-Bertrand Aristide as their President. For almost four years the will of the people of Haiti and the resolve of the international community have been callously frustrated by the military, who usurped and have held on to power. Saint Kitts and Nevis is in full agreement with the resolute action taken by the United States, with the support of the international community, to ensure compliance with Security Council resolution 940 (1994). The multinational force has been carrying out its work with dedication, professionalism and restraint. While there have been some untoward incidents, we must not be deterred. We must be prepared to stay the course for the benefit of the people of Haiti and for the growth of stable democracy in this hemisphere. The process of establishing democracy will not end with the return of President Aristide; it will have just begun. In order to support the process, it is absolutely essential that the international community be ready to mobilize significant financial and technical resources to ensure the rebuilding of Haiti’s economy and institutions - institutions destroyed by decades of neglect and mismanagement. Saint Kitts and Nevis stands ready to assist in the long and arduous task of helping the Haitian people rebuild their economy. For many years the international community struggled to bring democracy to the majority of the people of South Africa. Today South Africa can be held up as a beacon of hope and a testament to the triumph of democracy. Last year my delegation welcomed the announcement of the holding of non-racial and multi-party elections - something for which my Government had been calling since joining this Organization 11 years ago. We have successfully and emphatically closed the final chapter of the brutal and unjust system of apartheid, and a new and democratic South Africa has emerged from its ashes. However, despite the successes, the new South Africa is still on the threshold of unprecedented challenges. The journey is long and arduous, but the country’s leaders and its people have a wonderful opportunity to right historical wrongs while at the same time charting a new and purposeful course in their future. The amalgamated voice of the people of South Africa has been heard, not only within that country but the world over. They have put their faith in the democratic process. As South Africa sails the fresh and often tumultuous waters of representative democracy and attempts to institutionalize social justice, St. Kitts and Nevis reiterates its commitment to join with the international community to give that country and its people the requisite support to develop lasting democratic and social institutions to ensure that democracy does work and is seen to work for every single citizen. The contrasting realities of our world are quite real and apparent. Whenever we believe that we have solved one major problem, another presents itself elsewhere. This notwithstanding, we can all be pleased at the current movement towards peace under way in the Middle East. Not long ago the prospect of peace in any form seemed practically impossible. However, today the peace process seems to be gaining a firm foothold in that region. The international community must be ready to give unreserved support to that process and afford it more durable mechanisms for success. My Government welcomes the consolidation of peace and the efforts at cooperation between the Government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. No one could have predicted that so much would have been possible, and in so short a time. The rapidly changing face of Middle East politics augurs well for the overall peace process, quality of life and stability of the entire region. In this spirit, my delegation applauds the joint Declaration officially ending the state of belligerency between the State of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. This historic event marks yet another bold and positive step on the road to ensuring a lasting peace in the Middle East. My Government calls upon the countries in the Middle East to give peace a practical chance. As prospects for peace continue to flourish in the Middle East, the tranquillity of the Gulf region is once again being threatened by an Iraqi troop build-up near the Kuwait border. It is time for the people of Kuwait to feel secure within their own borders. It is time for full compliance by Iraq with Security Council resolutions 2 pertaining to the aggression against Kuwait. It is time for Kuwait nationals detained in Iraq to be returned to their homeland. It is time for Iraq to pursue peaceful policies with its neighbours. Once again the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis urges the Government of Iraq to respect the finalization of the demarcation of the boundary between Kuwait and Iraq, which was accomplished by the Iraq- Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Commission on 20 May 1993, and to respect and abide by Security Council resolution 833 (1993), which guarantees the inviolability of the boundary between the two States. It is the fervent hope of the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis that international support for this resolution will act as a deterrent, both now and in the future, against conflict between Kuwait and Iraq and will at the same time help enhance stability and security in the region. The constantly changing realities of the present world situation call for Member Governments to harden traditional attitudes while making genuine attempts to search for pragmatic solutions requiring different and unprecedented approaches and compromises. It was against this backdrop that at the last session of the General Assembly my Government called upon the warring factions in the Yugoslavian conflict to come to the negotiating table. We note with great satisfaction that the leaders of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzergovina have managed to arrive at a peaceful settlement of disputes. However, my Government abhors the wanton murder, "ethnic cleansing" and systematic persecution of innocent people which still characterize the brutal conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These atrocities and the flagrant and consistent violation of human rights are an affront to everything we as human beings hold sacred. The international community must continue to express its just indignation at the atrocities in this arena of conflict. At the same time, we must pursue all initiatives to find a just and lasting solution, preferably at the negotiating table. Last year my delegation commended this body for its tireless efforts to keep the international community from the brink of nuclear warfare and called upon all countries signatories to the Treaty on non-proliferation to continue to abide by it and to urge those who had not yet become parties to it to do so. We repeat this plea today. We also look forward to an indefinite ban on all nuclear testing. I must reiterate, however, that we should not stop there, but should aim also for the non-proliferation of all weapons, including chemical, biological and conventional. In this regard, St. Kitts and Nevis also supports the moratorium on the export of land-mines, and goes even further by calling for a ban on their manufacture as well as their export. Land-mines continue to cause tremendous misery and untold hardship for many populations world- wide long after conflicts have ended. In most cases the victims of these land-mines are poor farmers and innocent children. It is our sacred and solemn responsibility as world leaders to ensure a safe world for our nation’s children. My delegation therefore congratulates the United Nations on its consistent efforts to fulfil its humanitarian missions in the many different theatres of tragic suffering world-wide. The humanitarian catastrophe which has been unfolding in Rwanda threatens to destabilize the fragile economic and political balance of its neighbours. The scope and scale of this human disaster, unprecedented in the history of modern-day Africa, should catapult us to seek a peaceful end to the crisis. Reports on the revolting policy of "ethnic cleansing" and indiscriminate massacres of women and children strike a familiar, mind-wrenching note in our collective psyche. Although its resources are minuscule, St. Kitts and Nevis could not fail to make a financial contribution to the United Nations relief effort in Rwanda. We must act decisively to mobilize more resources from every possible source to intensify the relief effort in that tragic country. We, the Members of the United Nations cannot pamper our consciences with pious speeches on what the United Nations ought to do to alleviate the suffering, while at the same time rendering the Organization impotent by refusing to give it the necessary financial and material capabilities it so desperately needs to carry out its functions more effectively. The United Nations is being called upon with greater frequency to respond to a greater variety of conflicts, suffering and development needs. If the Organization is to be able to respond effectively, we must evaluate from time to time not only our resources, but the way in which we manage those resources, and ensure that there is greater accountability in such management. In short, the United Nations, recognizing the responsibilities entrusted to it by the international community, must be more accountable to its Members. What we are suggesting, therefore, is a more balanced relationship predicated on the principles of responsibility and accountability. The delegation of Saint Kitts and Nevis welcomes the creation of the Office of Internal Oversight Services; its creation is not an end in itself, but a means to ensure that there is greater accountability within the Organization. 3 We must remain cognizant of the fact that the fundamental sovereignty of all States, large or small, is respected equally by the United Nations. If necessary, the United Nations will protect the rights of the small against the power of the large. It has institutionalized the rights of small and micro States to exist and to coexist with the big and powerful nations. All independent States, therefore, irrespective of their size and population, are equal under international law. Every effort should be made, therefore, to enable small States to participate more fully in the day- to-day decision-making process of the United Nations. One way to achieve this is through more equitable geographical representation within the Secretariat, and I appeal for this to be implemented. Another way in which the United Nations can be made more globally inclusive is by bringing more Members into the fold. Last year, my Government called upon the United Nations to begin the process that would lead to the ultimate re-admission of the Republic of China in Taiwan into the United Nations. My Government stands firmly behind that appeal and we repeat this appeal here today. The Republic of China in Taiwan continues to adhere to the Charter of the United Nations and to govern itself by the principles of international and humanitarian law. It has proven repeatedly that it is a country committed to peace, democracy and development, not only for its 21 million people, who are entitled to proper representation internationally, but for all peoples, that their quality of life may be improved. The Republic of China in Taiwan is a major international player in commerce, trade and development assistance, and would make a significant contribution to the work of the United Nations. I would now like to turn our attention to the question of sustainable development and small States, and to commend quite highly the efforts of the United Nations in bringing the reality and concerns of small island developing States to the forefront of international focus. The Declaration of Barbados is a step in the right direction. It recognizes that small island developing States have special and peculiar needs. We, in small island developing States have been saying this for a long time. Our very survival as a people and as independent States is dependent on the sustainable development of our human resources and the maximization of our scarce material resources. These limited material resources are under constant and severe stress despite our efforts. Although we recognize the Conference in Barbados as a giant step for small island developing States, the discussion must be taken much further, beyond conference halls and into communities, and translated into practical tangible benefits. In Saint Kitts and Nevis, for instance, over the past ten years we have been engaged in projects and programmes whereby we seek to create a sound and pragmatic balance between economic and social development, on the one hand, and environmental protection on the other. However, existing problems and innovative attempts by small island developing States to improve their standard of living very rarely receive consistent support from the developed world. Micro States like Saint Kitts and Nevis are being called upon to prove their viability within the international community. The irony lies in the fact that when we manage to raise our standard of living to a decent level, the international community withdraws or reduces its support under the pretext that our GNP per capita is too high. I do not believe that we should have to reiterate the vulnerability index of small States like mine. Although Saint Kitts and Nevis does not produce or use any significant amount of material to damage the ozone layer or contribute to coastal erosion and rising sea levels, we are among those which suffer most as a result of their impact. Small island States like mine suffer greatly from environmental and natural disasters, yet we lack the capacity to respond to and recover from them. The objective reality of our individual and collective experience speaks volumes. We have seen how less than a month ago, tropical storm Debbie — insignificant, really, as a tropical storm, not strong enough to be a hurricane — devastated the banana industry in Saint Lucia, thus wreaking havoc on that country’s economy. We need special attention. We need special regimes. As I have done in the past, I appeal for greater equity within the international economic system. The time has come for the developed world to rethink the outdated policy of trying to make a single prescription fit all countries. We need to develop a more durable, and country-specific approach, based on fairness, economic circumstance and need. Above all, the concept of the vulnerability index must become part of the economic language and armamentarium of all multilateral and national development institutions. Indeed, the developing world should not view our small island Caribbean States as dumping grounds for 4 over-produced consumer items, but see us as developing economies whose fragile banana and sugar exports need to be protected. The Declaration of Barbados underscores the fact that small island States have sovereign rights over their natural resources. The developed world, therefore, cannot claim paternity over our biodiversity under the pretext that their technology was used. Further, on the issue of the environment, I would like to call upon the developed countries to de-link economic assistance, trade and investment from environmental protection. In most cases, small island developing States are penalized for allegedly exploiting limited resources and for so-called environmental degradation. I urge the international community to assist developing countries to obtain the wherewithal to gauge the exploitation of resources and to do environmental impact assessments so as to ensure that the precarious balance is maintained. Social, economic and political advancement in small developing countries should not be held to ransom by the industrialized world as a way of punishing them for environmental degradation. The protection and preservation of the environment is a global responsibility and must engender a collective approach. The industrialized world must take responsibility for much of the damage to the environment and work towards a framework for international cooperation and partnership in preserving it. Developing countries ought to be given assistance and be presented with alternatives to destroying the forest or depleting the limited resources at their disposal. While the international community moves ever closer to the realization of economic blocs, special attention must also be devoted to the fragile commodities export sector in some of these countries, and the need for special regimes to be put in place to ensure the viability of most of these small economies, which do not have the advantage of economies of scale and large consumer markets. I should like to repeat my fervent appeal to Governments of developed countries and to multilateral agencies to become more supportive of and responsive to the needs of small developing countries by providing the technical assistance, information-sharing, technology transfer and investments, and to promote human resource development through education and training. I call on the international community to honour its commitment made in Barbados in May 1994: “The international community should cooperate with small island developing States in the implementation of the Programme of Action ... by providing effective means, including adequate, predictable new and additional financial resources in accordance with chapter 33 of Agenda 21; facilitating the transfer of environmentally sound technology, including on concessional and preferential terms as mutually agreed”. (A/CONF.167/9, Annex I, Part Two, III.1) This will ensure success in achieving our goal of sustainable development. There is nothing more noble than the gift of life. At the important and historic World Summit for Children of 1990, participating Governments agreed to make the world a much safer place for future generations of children. At the United Nations Conference on small States, we decided to commit our efforts to the efficient use of land resources, to work towards creating better education and improved health care, and to exploit natural resources on a sustainable basis. If we achieve this, we shall indeed be bequeathing to our children and their children a much safer world. It is against the backdrop of safeguarding our children’s future that the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis participated in the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo. We fully support the view that the issue of population control must be addressed. Although we share the view that a population explosion may eventually threaten the Earth’s capacity to provide in a sustainable manner, we do not believe that simply trying to control population growth will by itself solve the serious problems that we are facing today. My Government is of the view that a concerted attempt to redeploy much of the world’s resources, to discover new resources and to use them more equitably would better serve the interest of development for all peoples. I cannot but remind us all that the international menace of drugs and drug trafficking still looms large. The danger and the trade are ever-increasing. We should continue to wage a determined and aggressive war on drug trafficking and narco-terrorism, which seek to undermine and unravel the social and political fabric of our societies. 5 The challenges facing the United Nations are monumental, but not more so than those facing individual nations, large or small, or individuals in poor communities, as well as in affluent societies. We occupy a global common. Therefore, we must together find practical solutions to the problems of hunger, poverty, war, crime, development and freedom in every corner of our world. If we fail, none will be secure, none will be at peace, none will be free.