Forgive me, Mr. President, if I dispense with courtesies, but, unlike
Ambassador Mahbubani, I need all five minutes of my allotted time. So let me get straight to the substance.
We in Australia are proud of what we have done to assist Timor-Leste in building a stable and sustainable democracy. No …
I ordinarily dispense with courtesies — I am an Australian, after all — but this morning, I want particularly to thank you, Sir, for this meeting and to commend you on your excellent stewardship of the Council this month, and indeed for an outstanding term over the past two years. In addition, I wan…
When Australia spoke last year on this item the situation in the Middle East was grim. We began our statement by expressing my Government’s condolences to the peoples of Kenya and Israel, following the terrible terrorist attacks in Mombasa. We all hoped then that by now reason would have prevailed a…
A year ago we celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Since then, we have moved closer to realizing the objective of universal adherence to the Convention, and Australia congratulates those who have acceded to it in the past year. …
As a strong supporter of the Mine Ban Treaty, Australia is pleased to note the recent accession of Belarus, Serbia and Montenegro, Timor-Leste and Turkey to the Treaty, and ratification by Burundi, Ghana, Greece, Lithuania and Sudan. We welcome the significant show of support for the Mine Ban Treaty…
Australia shares the widespread concerns about the state of human rights and political freedoms in Cuba, but we do not consider that isolating Cuba through economic sanctions is an effective means of achieving human rights and political reform. As a matter of principle, Australia has consistently ex…
I would first like to thank Director General ElBaradei for his comprehensive statement on the achievements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and his preview of the challenges the Agency will face over the coming year. We would also like to register our appreciation for his focused le…
I have the honour to address the Assembly on behalf of Canada, New Zealand and Australia. I also wish to associate my delegation with the statement that the Foreign Minister of Fiji will deliver on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum.
Canada, New Zealand and Australia are convinced that the need fo…
Tragic events over the past 12 months — disasters, conflicts and terrorist attacks — have cut short the lives of many civilians and injured many others. The resultant widespread grief, distress and displacement have created enormous humanitarian challenges for the United Nations and for the internat…
Australia continues to strongly support the articulation, through the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), of an African vision for a new African future. By acknowledging that the primary responsibility for lifting Africa out of poverty lies with Africa itself, NEPAD is qualitatively di…
Thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to address the Council today. Ordinarily, I try not to detain the Council, when I speak here, for more than a few minutes, knowing the great pressures on the Council’s time. But I hope today you will indulge me with a few minutes more on an issue which, …
I am very pleased to address the Assembly on behalf of Canada, New Zealand and Australia under agenda items 10 and 60.
Our delegations wish, of course, to congratulate you, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session, and we look forward very much to worki…
We very much welcome the focus on the theme of justice and the rule of law. Such issues are central to the Council’s work on peace and security.
Our long experience in peace operations has made us acutely aware of the importance of justice and rule-of-law issues to societies in conflict, or emergin…
To stand again at this podium today, representing Australia as its Foreign Minister, entering into the great conversation of nations, is an unsettling experience. Seldom has this
forum been confronted with so many dimensions of uncertainty, so many challenges to global peace, security and orderly e…
In June 2001, the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS by 189 countries was a turning point in the global response to the epidemic. We now have a blueprint for action, with clear goals and a clear time line. Today we need to take stock of what we have achieved and renew our commitment to tackle thi…
Thank you, Mr. President, for having convened this open meeting on an issue to which Australia and, as my colleague from Fiji has said, all countries of the Pacific Islands Forum attach a great deal of importance. We, like others, are grateful for the comprehensive briefing provided by Mr. Sinclair.…
We very much welcome the opportunity today to address this open meeting of the Security Council on the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) — the 1267 Committee — and, by doing so, to show our support for the important work of the Committee in prevent…
I had hoped to make the shortest intervention this afternoon, but I am afraid that not even I can match the superb succinctness of the intervention of our American colleague. Nevertheless, Australia very much welcomes the Secretary-General’s latest report on the United Nations Mission of Support in …
Australia, as the largest producer of rough diamonds by volume globally, welcomes the establishment of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for Rough Diamonds. We consider the Scheme an essential step towards curbing the trade in conflict diamonds, thereby reducing the ability of rebel movemen…
I thank you, Sir, for the opportunity to address an open meeting of the Security Council. I have been here so often during your presidency that I am starting to feel quite at home.
I also thank my friend Danilo Türk for introducing the Secretary-General’s excellent report today. We listened to him …
