It
is my pleasure, Sir, to convey to you on behalf of the
State of Kuwait and on my own account our most
sincere congratulations on your election as President of
the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session.
Undoubtedly, your long regional and international
experience will be an important asset in achieving the
success we desire in the work of this important session
of the General Assembly. I also wish to pay tribute to
the presidency of your predecessor, His Excellency
Father Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, former Minister
for Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, during the sixty-third
session. I cannot fail to express also our appreciation for
the efforts and good offices of His Excellency
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and of the entire
Secretariat staff. We thank them for all their efforts in
the service of peace and security and in improving the
performance and the programmes of United Nations
bodies with a view to enhancing and developing their
capacities to keep pace with new developments on the
international scene and to respond effectively to the
challenges and dangers of today’s world.
Never before has the world been in such need of a
strong, effective global organization. The diversity and
complexity of the challenges, crises and new
developments which confront our world today, in
addition to regional and international questions that
have remained unresolved for a long time, require
Member States to shoulder their responsibilities in
supporting this Organization, providing it with the
financial resources it needs to perform its duties and
discharge its responsibilities effectively and with
innovative methodology. Also, the United Nations
itself has a responsibility to improve its own
administrative structure and its performance in the
field, and to enhance its capacity to detect and monitor
developing challenges. This must be commensurate
with the current dangers, which require bold initiatives,
quick action and effective treatment.
Combating terrorism; eradicating poverty and
hunger; combating dangerous diseases such as
HIV/AIDS, malaria and the A (H1N1) influenza virus,
which of late has spread in a frightful manner all over
the world; and dealing with the spread of the scourge
of illegal drugs: these are all challenges that require
from our Organization innovative joint action that
recognizes the dangers, diagnoses the crises, prepares
the resources and intervenes effectively in a radical and
collective fashion. Also, mobilizing specialized
regional organizations to act in a concerted and
organized effort is an important element in addressing
these challenges.
Moreover, there are other challenges and threats
from which the international community still suffers,
the most prominent being the financial and economic
crisis and the phenomenon of climate change. The
financial crisis has had a negative impact on the
economies of the developing countries and has
impeded their efforts to attain the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). This has resulted in the
emergence of economic and social problems such as a
high rate of unemployment, deceleration in the rate of
economic growth, the collapse of financial markets and
an obvious contraction in regional and world trade.
In this regard, we welcome the Outcome
Document adopted by the high-level meeting convened
by the President of the General Assembly last June (see
resolution 63/303), where commitments were made to
help developing countries overcome the effects of the
financial crisis, through an increase in official
development assistance, and to improve the
international trade system. It also emphasized the need
to continue the reform of the international financial
institutions to ensure equitable representation on their
executive boards and to enhance their oversight role, as
well as to improve the conditions for providing
financial and technical assistance for the developing
and least developed countries.
37 09-52463
That effort, along with joint arrangements, led to
the emergence of signs of global economic recovery
during the last few weeks. It is our hope that such
action will continue in order to address a no less
dangerous crisis, that of climate change and the
degradation of the environment. This problem requires
an urgent global response. In this regard, we look
forward to the success of the important Climate
Change Conference, to be held in December in
Copenhagen, Denmark.
Kuwait will be honoured to host in
mid-December their Majesties and Highnesses, the
leaders of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States
of the Gulf, at their thirtieth Summit Conference,
where they will have a full agenda. Foremost of the
many issues before them will be a project of vital
importance: the electric grid linking their States. We
hope that this strategic step will be the first of many,
including the monetary unification project and the
issuance of a unified Gulf currency.
The State of Kuwait is proud to top the list of
Arab States, and to hold thirty-third position overall, in
human development. As indicated in the Arab Human
Development Report 2009, “Challenges to Human
Security in the Arab Countries”, issued by the United
Nations Development Programme, Kuwait scored the
highest marks among the Arab States in the fields of
education, health and general freedoms. Let there be no
doubt that the Government of Kuwait will continue its
efforts to improve economic and social conditions, and
to achieve all the Millennium Development Goals even
before the target date, which will provide a better life
for its citizens and residents.
Kuwait is proud, too, that the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime, located in Vienna, has
listed Kuwait as first among Arab States, and third
globally, in combating illegal drugs and drug
trafficking. That was possible only through a focused
national effort and broad regional cooperation, which
achieved outstanding results.
The State of Kuwait will continue steadily to
meet all its financial commitments to international and
regional institutes, funds and programmes in the field
of development assistance as well as to support
infrastructure projects in the developing and least
developed countries. Kuwait will also continue to
contribute to development projects through the Kuwait
Fund for Arab Economic Development, which since its
establishment in 1961 has provided assistance
amounting to more than $14.5 billion to more than a
hundred countries.
The State of Kuwait has also taken initiatives to
stimulate economic growth, raise living standards and
reduce poverty in States suffering from the increase in
prices of basic food commodities. For this purpose,
Kuwait has established the Decent Living Fund, with
$100 million capital, and has allocated $300 million to
fight poverty in Africa through the Islamic
Development Bank.
Although Kuwait is a developing country, the
percentage of humanitarian development aid that it
provides exceeds the target adopted at international
conferences, reaching 1.31 per cent of its gross
national product, compared with 0.45 per cent of the
gross national product of States members of the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD).
Based on the State of Kuwait’s realization of the
importance of economic cooperation and trade in
consolidating relations between States, His Highness
the Emir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, convened the first Arab
Economic Summit, focusing on development, which
Kuwait hosted last January. The Conference adopted a
number of important and ambitious economic projects
aimed at reaching new horizons of partnership and
cooperation. Also adopted was the proposal by the
State of Kuwait to establish a $1 billion fund, to which
we will contribute $500 million, to support and finance
small and medium-size development projects, which
will help raise the standards of living of Arab citizens.
The June parliamentary elections in my country
represented a qualitative transformation in Kuwaiti
parliamentary life, with four women obtaining the trust
and support of the Kuwaiti voters. They now join their
brothers in representing the Kuwaiti people and
expressing their ambitions under the dome of the
National Assembly. This civilized accomplishment
comes after Kuwaiti women have achieved success in
the fields of private and public enterprise, as well as
government work, including holding ministerial
positions in the Kuwaiti Cabinet. We express our pride
in, and appreciation of, the significant achievements of
Kuwaiti women and will continue to support their role
as active partners in the political, economic and social
fields.
09-52463 38
We express much sorrow and pain that the
question of Palestine has remained unresolved for over
six decades, despite numerous international efforts and
initiatives by a number of international and regional
parties. A source of major concern is the deteriorating
political, economic, social and humanitarian situation
in the occupied Palestinian territories, including
Jerusalem, as a result of the continued exercise by
Israel, the occupying Power, of its illegal policies and
practices, contrary to international law and relevant
United Nations resolutions.
In this regard, we renew our condemnation of
repeated Israeli aggression against the occupied
territories, in particular, the military aggression against
Gaza last December, in which more than
1,400 Palestinians, among them women, children and
the elderly, were killed. That aggression also resulted
in the unjustifiable destruction of homes, property and
civilian infrastructure.
We call upon the international community, the
Security Council in particular, to assume its
responsibilities and take all necessary measures to stop
Israel’s violation of international humanitarian law and
its settlement activities as well as the policy of
collective punishment it imposes on the Palestinian
people. That policy is applied through its blockade of
Gaza and its restriction of the freedom of access and
movement of persons in all areas, including in the
occupied territories. We also call for an immediate halt
to Israel’s settlement activities, which are carried out
under unacceptable pretexts.
The State of Kuwait also wishes to refer to the
report (A/HRC/12/48) of the United Nations Fact
Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, which clearly
proves that the Israeli forces committed war crimes
during the brutal aggression against Gaza last year.
This represents a grave violation of international
humanitarian law. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the
Security Council and the broader United Nations to
assume their responsibility to stop these crimes against
humanity and to punish the perpetrators in accordance
with international law.
Because of its moral and national responsibilities,
as well as its steady support for the Palestinian cause,
the State of Kuwait, in addition to supporting
international efforts to improve living conditions in
Gaza and to rebuild what the Israeli aggression against
Gaza destroyed, has voluntarily pledged to donate
$500 million, $200 million of which is to rebuild Gaza.
This is a portion of its commitments within the context
of the League of Arab States to support the Palestinian
Authority.
Kuwait also took the initiative of responding to
the appeal that the United Nations Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
(UNRWA) launched last December by donating the
entire amount sought, $34 million, to cover the cost of
urgently needed relief aid.
In this context, we believe that the suffering of
the Palestinian people will continue until there is a
permanent, just and comprehensive peace, which must
mean ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian
territories, the establishment of a Palestinian State,
with Jerusalem as its capital, and total Israeli
withdrawal from all Arab territories it has occupied
since 4 June 1967, in implementation of relevant
Security Council resolutions, the Road Map and the
Arab Peace Initiative.
As for Iraq, the State of Kuwait commends the
speedy efforts of the Iraqi Government to achieve
peace, security, stability and prosperity for the Iraqi
people. Kuwait supports every action that will preserve
the sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity
of brotherly Iraq and ensure non-interference in its
internal affairs. The State of Kuwait also condemns all
acts of terrorism in Iraq aimed at destabilizing its
security and stability and instigating detestable violent
sectarianism.
To put an end to the so-called sectarian violence,
it is important to resume the policy of dialogue and
national reconciliation in order to ensure ample
participation by all sectors of society in all phases of
the political process, including the parliamentary
elections to be held next January. The State of Kuwait
will continue to support every effort to assist brotherly
Iraq to regain its standing and natural position in its
regional and international environment, in order to
build a democratic, unified and peaceful Iraq, living in
peace internally and with its neighbours, committed to
fulfil its obligations as laid down in resolutions of
international legitimacy.
The State of Kuwait hopes that the conflict over
the occupied United Arab Emirates islands will be
resolved by peaceful means. It calls upon the friendly
Islamic Republic of Iran to settle the question through
39 09-52463
direct brotherly negotiations or by recourse to the
International Court of Justice.
The resolution of conflicts and the settlement of
differences between States, particularly in our region,
must depend on a set of firm principles, deeply rooted
in international relations, and emanating from
resolutions of international legitimacy and the rules of
international law. If necessary, a decision of the
International Court of Justice must be sought to
preserve good-neighbourly relations. That basis and
those legal principles cannot be sidestepped to achieve
the self-interests of one side at the expense of the other.
In no case would that serve good-neighbourly relations
or the building of mutual trust, and therefore it would
affect the peace and stability of the parties, as well as
international peace and security.
We followed with great interest yesterday’s
Security Council summit (see S/PV.6191) addressing
one of the most important matters affecting
international peace and security, nuclear disarmament,
in order to create a world free of nuclear weapons. We
noted with satisfaction the unanimous adoption of
Security Council resolution 1887 (2009), which sets
the stage for a world free of nuclear weapons and
weapons of mass destruction, a world that fulfils the
hopes of humanity and ensures the safety and
prosperity of the world’s peoples.
While Kuwait supports the right of all States to
use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, it reiterates
its deep-rooted belief in the important need for
disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction and
for declaring the Middle East region a zone free from
nuclear weapons. We renew our call to deal seriously
with Israel, the only country in the region that did not
adhere to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and
call upon Israel to adhere to the Treaty and subject all
its facilities to comprehensive International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.
Kuwait also hopes that negotiations between the
friendly Islamic Republic of Iran, the IAEA and other
countries concerned will continue, with a view to
reaching a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear
issue in order to dispel the fears and doubts
surrounding the nature and purpose of its programme.
In conclusion, it is our hope that joint political
will can be mustered to achieve the noble purposes and
principles of the Charter and to confront the serious
challenges facing our world today.
There is also an urgent need to redouble our
efforts to reject fanaticism and xenophobia, and to
continue strengthening the dialogue between different
civilizations and religions as the ideal mode for
achieving understanding between cultures. This will
create an appropriate environment to consolidate the
principle of mutual respect and build bridges between
societies.