Spain

Allow me to begin by congratulating Mr. Vuk Jeremić on his election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. I am convinced that with his leadership and drive, this lofty institution will be capable of facing the numerous challenges that will arise in the next 12 months. I also wish to express my gratitude to his predecessor, Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser. I join others in congratulating him on his work and wish him all the best in his new endeavours. Spain believes that the United Nations has a fundamental role to play. That is why I wished to participate in this general debate, the first since I took the oath of office as President of the Government of Spain. It is always an honour for a Head of Government to address the General Assembly. I do so today on behalf of a country that is committed to the international community and to the pursuit of joint solutions to the problems we face. The result of that commitment is our desire to serve once again in the Security Council for the period 2015- 2016. In my statement, I shall refer to the reasons for Spain’s resolve to work in the Council with an open and constructive spirit, committed to peace and international security, the promotion and protection of human rights, and the search for sustainable development for all. In addition to the serious economic and financial situation, the international community is facing today more numerous and more complicated challenges than ever before. The Organization and its General Assembly are key if we are to confront them. Year after year, we discuss those problems here and their possible solutions. For that reason, I believe that we should ask ourselves today if we have improved since last year. While it might seem otherwise, I believe we have. In one year, we have witnessed the unbreakable will of the Arab citizens to consolidate democratic systems in their countries. In Spain, we went through a difficult but successful transition to democracy. Hence, we know that the road is not and will not be easy. Our experience can be useful for all Arab countries that are going through transition processes. I reaffirm our commitment to building open, inclusive and democratic societies whose institutions satisfy the yearnings for dignity and for the development of its citizens. In those processes, there is no room for movements that promote violence, whatever its justification. Any attack or aggression against people or institutions is unacceptable and deserves our most full-throated condemnation. Last year, we also dedicated our efforts to finding solutions to the crisis in the Horn of Africa, and especially to the situation in Somalia. The difficulties persist, but Somalia is advancing towards normality. Cooperation in the fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean is stronger than ever, and during our recent presidency of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, we moved forward in the search of an international response to that criminal phenomenon. Similarly, humanitarian efforts in that region have allowed for an improvement of the situation. Four months ago, Spain and the World Food Programme (WFP) signed an agreement to locate the largest food storage facility in the world in the Canary Islands. The WFP facility will allow faster and more efficient responses to food emergencies on the African continent. Afghanistan continues moving forward in the direction of stability — a road that Spain has pursued together with the Afghan people for more than a decade. In that effort, we have bequeathed resources, infrastructures and, unfortunately, the life of many of our fellow citizens. My country will continue to contribute to the development of Afghanistan and its search for much-needed stability and security. This year, in Rio de Janeiro, we reaffirmed our common vision in favour of an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future. Since their conception, Spain has been committed to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with the largest cooperation programme in its history, valued at almost $1 billion, implemented through the Spain-United Nations Development Programme MDG Achievement Fund. Negotiations are under way to set new goals for sustainable development and to bring the institutional structure in step with that commitment. Spain will maintain an active and constructive presence in the process. The fight against international impunity has also seen important advances this year. The International Criminal Court initiated its first case against a Head of State, demonstrating that the international community is closer than ever to ending impunity for serious crimes. I would like to reiterate today the call for the universal ratification of the Rome Statute. I would like to make special mention of the valuable and increasing role that Latin America has played in the development of the multilateral system. The achievements and progress that the region has attained in the consolidation of democracy, economic growth and regional integration are reflected in its greater international presence. Latin America has shown its potential by strengthening the multilateralism promoted by the Organization. Spain is proud to share in that spirit at the Ibero-American summits and will be hosting this year’s summit in Cádiz, Spain. That forum reflects the Ibero-American community’s wager on the promise of dialogue, equality and mutual respect, with our eyes firmly set on the future. I believe that those steps forward, among others, attest to an encouraging year, despite its difficulties. It is proof that the multilateral system is responding to the present crisis and promoting respect for and the active protection of human rights, as well as the presence and participation of women in all areas regions. But, of course, there are problems on which there has been little or no progress at all or that have emerged throughout the present year. Those problems deserve as much if not more of our attention in the 12 months that lie ahead. First of all, I would like to mention the crisis in Syria. A year ago, in the General Assembly, an urgent appeal was made to the Syrian regime to halt the abuses and crimes against its people. Despite the international community’s efforts, the situation has not ceased to deteriorate. Thousands of innocent victims, the unbearable suffering of the civilian population and the serious risk of the conflict expanding to neighbouring countries compel us to act. Today, I reiterate the call to end all violence in Syria and urge President Al-Assad to accept his responsibility and make way for a political process that will allow a peaceful resolution to the conflict. We support the efforts of the Joint Special Representative, Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, to reach this goal. The international community, the United Nations, the League of Arab States and the European Union continue to be prepared, through different mechanisms, to come to Syria’s aid. In this uncertain regional scenario, Lebanon has so far managed to keep itself on the margin of the spiral of violence, an achievement that has been reached in good measure thanks to the contingent of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, in which Spain is an active participant. Another year has passed without progress in the Middle East peace process. We defend the idea that the solution to the conflict in the Middle East lies in the existence of two States, the Israeli State and the Palestinian State, living in peace and security. Any delay in achieving that goal leads to growing frustration that will affect the rest of the world. The international community, and, above all, the actors involved must have the courage to adopt the measures and decisions needed to achieve that comprehensive, just and durable peace that responds to the legitimate yearnings of both peoples. My Government, committed to the goal of peace, is convinced that the creation of a viable Palestinian State is a key element in the solution of the conflict. It will bring beneficial effects for the security and welfare of Israel, for the normalization of regional relations and, finally, for the international community as a whole. Until then, the parties must avoid endangering the viability of a two-State solution. The situation in Mali and the entire Sahel region is particularly serious. The humanitarian crisis has been aggravated by political instability and an armed revolt, which has deteriorated into terrorist movements that have caused considerable harm to the population in northern Mali. Spain unreservedly condemns violence and supports the efforts of the United Nations, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States to reach a solution to the crisis. Those efforts must count on the decisive support of the countries of the region, whose people also endure insecurity caused by the situation. And above all, the process must be led by the people of Mali themselves, who need to overcome their institutional crisis and re-establish the territorial integrity of their country. On other matters, I would like to highlight the efforts of the international community in general and of the E3+3 Group in particular to relaunch conversations with Iran with the goal of eliminating all doubts raised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding its nuclear enrichment programme. Those conversations are sustained by the desire to reach a political and diplomatic solution and are an opportunity that we hope all actors involved will take advantage of. We reiterate our appeal to Iran to comply with the relevant resolutions without delay and to ratify and observe the additional protocol of the IAEA’s comprehensive safeguards agreement. I would also like to express our support for the Six- Party Talks as a framework for finding a diplomatic solution to the crisis raised by the nuclear programme of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. We consider that the country must put a stop to its nuclear activities with military aims in a complete and verifiable manner, and it must comply with all Security Council resolutions on the matter and respect its commitments to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. This year we have moved towards a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. However, as reflected in the cases I have just mentioned, much remains to be done. To achieve this, Spain will continue to work with the United Nations, for we believe that only through a concerted effort of the international community can we find solutions. My country’s wish to serve on the Security Council in 2015 and 2016 responds precisely to the conviction that in the Council Spain can continue playing an active role in the search for joint solutions to common problems. That conviction is supported by Spain’s accomplishments to date, by our demonstrated commitment to multilateralism and by the initiatives led by our country in the search for international understanding and sustainable development. Spain will continue to contribute, to the best of its ability, to peacekeeping operations by providing troops and through the United Nations operational field support base at Quart de Poblet, in Spain. Our commitment to the United Nations will remain firm, as we actively participate in those initiatives that we have been supporting in the past few years because we believe that they are key to achieving the future we desire. Disarmament and non-proliferation must be shared objectives for the entire international community. We believe that it is necessary to reactivate the Conference on Disarmament with an ambitious programme of work. Spain also supports renewing the General Assembly mandate to proceed with the negotiations of an arms trade treaty. We will continue to work for a solid, effective and legally binding document that reflects the defence of human rights and international humanitarian rights. As a member of the Human Rights Council, we will continue to defend the undeniable link between respect for human rights and peace and security in the world. We will also continue to work towards a universal moratorium on the death penalty. My country will continue to support negotiations within the United Nations of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. Terrorism is a vicious trait that unfortunately Spain knows very well. I would like to take a moment today to remember and pay tribute to all the victims of terrorism. In July, a High-Level Conference on Victims of Terrorism was held in Madrid in the framework of the Global Counterterrorism Forum. There we reiterated that victims can plan an important role in the complete delegitimization, in both social and moral terms, of terrorism. I wish to acknowledge the support of the Secretary-General and of the President of the General Assembly in this task. We will continue to promote the goals of UN-Women, after a first year full of work and results. In that regard, Spain, which has been the biggest donor to this entity during its first year, maintains its commitment to equality between men and women and to the efforts to put an end to violence against women and girls. My country is a firm defender of dialogue and the use of peaceful means to resolve controversies. For that reason, next Friday, together with Morocco, we will present an initiative to promote mediation and to develop national and local capacities in the Mediterranean basin. The initiative will be the first embodiment in that region of resolution 65/283 and of the work of the Secretary-General and the Group of Friends of Mediation. Spain maintains its active commitment to a just, enduring and mutually acceptable political solution to the dispute in Western Sahara, a solution that provides for the self-determination of the Saharan people in accordance with the principles and objectives of the Charter of the United Nations. As a member of the Group of Friends, Spain firmly supports the work of the Secretary-General, his Personal Envoy and the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara. Between countries that are friends and allies, as is the case between Spain and the United Kingdom, a direct and sincere dialogue should make it possible to overcome any differences. Therefore, I would like to call upon the United Kingdom to renew the bilateral dialogue on the decolonization of Gibraltar in accordance with the parameters indicated by the United Nations and enshrined in the Brussels Declaration of 1984. We have already lost too many years. The efforts of the Member States of the United Nations will not be sufficient if they are not accompanied by the necessary adaptation of the United Nations to the current world. The Secretary-General has launched a process aimed at reforming the Organization, which my country is following closely. I would like to reiterate that Spain supports his efforts, and we call upon the rest of the Member States to continue their open dialogue on his proposals, analysing them without any prejudices and showing sufficient courage to break with the status quo when necessary. In that regard, I should like to reiterate our support for the reforms of the Secretary-General in the area of peacekeeping operations. Likewise, Spain is a strong driving force behind the Delivering as One initiative, which is an essential undertaking aimed at modernizing the United Nations system, improving its effectiveness and efficiency in the fight against poverty and inequality, and thereby making it possible to do more with less. Proof of Spain’s commitment to that initiative is the fact that my country has been the largest donor thereto, providing more than half of the total funding. Lastly, the Security Council must also adapt, as quickly as possible, to the realities of the twenty- first century, which are very different from those that existed when it was created. In the coming months, we will continue to be open to dialogue on this issue, and we hope that, under the leadership of President Jeremić, we will be able to find common ground among the different positions on the issue on which we can build a new Security Council that is more effective, inclusive, representative and responsible to the General Assembly. We are facing many challenges. Spain is strongly determined to contribute to those efforts so that in 12 months, when we meet here again, the list of problems before us is shorter and we can have a United Nations that is more effective and efficient than it was a year previously. The United Nations will continue to be a guarantor of international peace and security, and a driving force for the protection of human rights and the promotion of sustainable development for our future and that of our children. The General Assembly can count on Spain to participate in that endeavour with the same determination as always.