I
am pleased to express my sincerest congratulations to
you, Madam President, upon your election to the
presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-first
session. It reflects the international community’s trust
in your diplomatic abilities, which will help ensure the
success of this important session.
I want to take this opportunity to extend my
deepest appreciation to all the countries that endorsed
the nomination of Shaikha Haya Bint Rashed
Al-Khalifa. The election of Shaikha Haya as President
of the Assembly is an honour for the Kingdom of
Bahrain, she being the third woman in the history of
this Organization, as well as the first Arab and Muslim
woman, to hold this prominent position. This election
confirms the significant achievements and progress of
women in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
I take this opportunity to commend her
predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson of Sweden, for his
tireless efforts during the Assembly’s sixtieth session,
one that will be remembered for efforts to reform the
Organization.
I would also like to pay tribute to Secretary-
General Kofi Annan for his devotion in promoting the
United Nations and strengthening its leading role in
upholding peace and security throughout the world,
particularly in our Arab region during his recent trip to
the Middle East.
In addition, I wish to congratulate the Republic of
Montenegro upon its admission to the United Nations
as the l92nd Member State. Allow me to express the
hope that its joining this Organization will enhance
peace and stability in the world.
The central force behind progress in developing
countries and among their peoples lies in the inching of
political reforms, economic liberalization and social
modernization. This is the platform that the Kingdom
of Bahrain has implemented in its reform process, led
for several years by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa
Al-Khalifa, to strengthen democracy, human rights and
economic growth. National gains have multiplied and
popular participation in the political, economic and
social fields has increased. This is reflected in many
areas.
Democratic practices have been enhanced
through municipal and parliamentary elections, with
men and women participating as voters and candidates,
and by the establishment of the Institute for Political
Development to enhance democratic practices and a
culture of dialogue in the Kingdom. The Arab Charter
on Human Rights has been ratified and a counter-
terrorism law has been passed. We have acceeded to
the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights. The Kingdom of Bahrain has been
elected to membership of the United Nations Human
Rights Council. We are working closely with other
members to promote and protect human rights in all
areas. We have enhanced the role of women in society
to assume leadership positions in the Kingdom,
including the judiciary. In addition, a programme to
empower women, overseen by the Supreme Council for
Women, has been approved.
We are forging a partnership with
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as was
evident in the Forum for the Future hosted by the
Kingdom of Bahrain last November. At that Forum,
NGOs worked side by side with Governments in
discussing human rights, the fight against corruption,
the rule of law and the empowerment of women.
Indeed, Bahrain takes pride in having the largest
number of NGOs in proportion to its population, with
approximately 300 registered NGOs.
We are addressing negative phenomena in the
national economy, such as unemployment, by initiating
a national project to provide jobs for the unemployed.
Moreover, the Kingdom of Bahrain has consolidated its
pioneering economic role in the Gulf region through
laws to attract investment under the supervision of the
Economic Development Board.
A high committee to reform education has been
formed to develop and modernize the education
system. Its recommendations were adopted in June
2006. The Kingdom of Bahrain has continued to rank
high in human development, as confirmed in the latest
United Nations Human Development Report. Positive
integrated development on the political, social, cultural
and economic levels was further evidenced by the
recommendations of the National Conference for
Social Policies in the Kingdom of Bahrain, held in the
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spring of this year under the auspices of the United
Nations, which aimed to promote integration and
cohesion of all aspects and components of
development.
We in the Kingdom of Bahrain still view the
phenomenon of terrorism and terrorist acts in many
parts of the world as the most dangerous threat to
international peace and security. There must be greater
effort by the international community and more
coordination on all levels to confront and contain this
scourge. The Kingdom commends United Nations
efforts to fight terrorism. The Secretary-General’s
report issued last April entitled “Uniting against
terrorism: recommendations for a global counter-
terrorism strategy” (A/60/825) contains many
constructive elements that we embrace, along with
other points that need further examination and
discussion. It is important that any counter-terrorism
strategy not infringe on human rights or fundamental
freedoms, while complying with international law. One
of the positive aspects of that report is its call to
address issues that are exploited by terrorists and to
study the motives behind terrorism.
The Kingdom of Bahrain has continued its
tireless efforts in this field. In fact, it has already
signed 11 of the 12 international agreements on
terrorism and hosts the Middle East and North Africa
Financial Action Task Force established in November
2004 to combat money-laundering and terrorist
financing. In addition, Bahrain continuously
coordinates efforts with its brotherly neighbours of the
Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), pursuant to the
GCC Counter-Terrorism Agreement adopted in May
2004. Implementation of the strategy proposed in the
Secretary-General’s report is just a beginning, as the
report states. What is more important is its full
implementation.
The events in the Middle East in recent months,
especially in Gaza, the occupied Palestinian territories
in the West Bank and then during the past few weeks in
Lebanon, have driven the entire region to the edge of
an abyss that could become even more dangerous. We
must all work more diligently to address the root
causes and repercussions of this struggle, which
frustrates hopes for peace and disappoints the
aspirations of the peoples of the region for peace,
stability and security.
Resolution of this catastrophic situation, with its
dire consequences, must not be delayed. The
international community has special and multiple
responsibilities in this regard. Therefore the Council of
Arab Foreign Ministers called upon the Security
Council to meet at the ministerial level. That meeting
was held yesterday to discuss all tracks in accordance
with the terms of reference of the peace process,
relevant Security Council resolutions, the principle of
land for peace and the Arab Peace Initiative, which was
presented by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
and adopted by the Arab summits. A settlement should
be pursued through a new and developed mechanism to
resume direct negotiations among the parties under the
Council’s supervision, within a specified time limit and
with international guarantees.
We wish to express our deep concern at the
bloody events and huge destruction that took place in
brotherly Lebanon this year caused by Israeli military
operations. On the basis of our concern for the
sovereignty and independence of Lebanon, we support
resolution 1701 (2006) and the need for all parties to
comply with it. We also affirm the importance of the
international community’s support for the seven points
set out by His Excellency Mr. Fouad Siniora, Prime
Minister of Lebanon, to complement that resolution.
We reaffirm that the Kingdom of Bahrain stands with
the Republic of Lebanon against anything that
endangers its sovereignty and territorial integrity and
support it with a view to preventing any act outside
Lebanese State authority that endangers its stability.
We also express our appreciation for the efforts of the
Arab Tripartite Committee on Lebanon, the State of
Qatar — the Arab member of the Security Council —
and all other States that have supported the Arab
position.
The Kingdom of Bahrain realizes that Lebanon,
today, faces great challenges that require concerted
international efforts by the United Nations, the
European Union and all influential Powers. Such
efforts must be aimed not solely at keeping the peace
but also at rebuilding and reviving the economy with
the help of the Lebanese Government and people, so
that Lebanon can participate once again, as it has done
through the centuries, in the cultural and economic
development of the Middle East and the world at large.
In this regard, the recent Stockholm Conference was a
step in the right direction.
15 06-53323
We reiterate our position that a just, lasting and
comprehensive peace in the Middle East necessitates,
first and foremost, that Israel withdraw fully from all
Arab territories occupied since 1967, including the
Syrian Golan Heights and the remaining occupied
Lebanese territories. It also requires the return of
Palestinian refugees and the establishment of a
Palestinian State on all occupied Palestinian lands,
with Jerusalem as its capital.
The Kingdom of Bahrain welcomes the recent
positive developments in Iraq, including the election of
a national assembly and the formation of a permanent
Iraqi Government. The Kingdom of Bahrain also
welcomes the Iraqi Government’s steps to promote
genuine national reconciliation and accord and to
consolidate peace, stability, and dialogue among all
segments of society. Bahrain hopes that the
Government’s national reconciliation measures will put
an end to violence and the killing of innocent civilians,
restore stability and preserve Iraq’s unity and cohesion.
We also hope that these measures will lead to
renunciation of violence and to addressing the waves
of killing, sectarianism and extremism, so that a new
safe and unified Iraq can emerge and enjoy democracy
and the rule of law, an Iraq with close relations with its
Arab and Islamic brothers and one that adheres to its
international commitments and responsibilities. There
is no doubt that the Iraqi Government’s efforts in this
direction are supported by the pivotal role that Iraq’s
neighbouring countries have played in reinforcing their
good-neighbourly policies, through respect for Iraq’s
sovereignty, cooperation in controlling the borders and
non-interference in Iraq’s internal affairs.
The Kingdom of Bahrain, together with the other
members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, calls for a
peaceful settlement of the dispute between the United
Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran
concerning the three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser
Tunb and Abu Musa, which belong to brotherly United
Arab Emirates. This dispute should be settled either
through negotiations or by referring it to the
International Court of Justice for adjudication.
Within the framework of maintaining regional
security in the Gulf region, we confirm that friendly
relations among Gulf countries should be based on
respect for the principles of sovereignty, independence,
territorial integrity, good-neighbourliness, non-interference
in internal affairs and peaceful settlement of disputes.
This would create a positive atmosphere that would
help address issues in a spirit of conciliation and in
accordance with international law, particularly on the
issue of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful
purposes, in order not to threaten the security,
economic and environmental concerns of the countries
of the region and help them avoid the dangers of
confrontation and tension. To support the creation of
such a positive environment, we should work together
to make the Middle East, including the Gulf region, a
zone free of weapons of mass destruction. At the same
time, we affirm the right of States to use nuclear
energy for peaceful purposes, in accordance with the
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
and under the International Atomic Energy Agency
safeguards regime.
Today, all of us need to join in efforts to achieve
the objective of a collective security system through
multilateral diplomacy, for which the United Nations is
the main arena. Through your presidency, Madam, we
hope that our efforts will yield new measures to reform
the Organization. In his report on the work of the
Organization (A/61/1), the Secretary-General states
that no reform of the United Nations will be complete
without the reform of the Security Council, which
should be more representative of today’s geopolitical
realities. This would make it more efficient and
transparent. Furthermore, we hail the establishment
this year of the Peacebuilding Commission and the
Human Rights Council.
The gap between developed and developing
countries remains wide in the areas of economic,
human, scientific and technological development.
Developing countries must redouble their efforts to
bridge this gap and mitigate its negative impact. They
need to promote good governance, uphold human
rights, expand democratic participation, enhance
transparency, empower women and enhance their role
on the international stage. However, they cannot
achieve this by themselves: developed countries must
continue their commitment to offer support and
assistance by cancelling debts and supplying
developing countries with the knowledge, up-to-date
technology and expertise they need to achieve
sustainable development.
The Millennium Development Goals are the best
road map towards sustainable development. Those
Goals can be reached only through an international
strategic partnership between developed and
developing countries, along with international
06-53323 16
organizations and agencies, in particular the United
Nations, and with the participation of civil society
institutions and the private sector, in view of the vital
national and international role they play.
It is true to say that changes in the world situation
and great progress achieved by the international
community have brought human civilization to wider
horizons in which there is no excuse for excluding or
marginalizing others. We believe that there is plenty of
room for dialogue and positive diversity. This is
because we, as nations, are linked in a single
international civilization, one that is rich in religions
and cultures and within which we can explore
everything that can bring peace and stability to the
whole world.
In conclusion, Madam, we hope that, under your
presidency, this session will be marked by the spirit of
reform that has pervaded the United Nations. We
confirm the need to unify our efforts and exercise
patience and flexibility in order to achieve reform and
development. The Kingdom of Bahrain is committed to
achieving those goals and will support efforts to
strengthen the United Nations and its position in the
world.