Allow me at the outset to congratulate Mr. Harri Holkeri on his well-deserved election to preside over the work of the General Assembly, which attests both to his outstanding personal qualities and to the admiration that the international community has for his country, Finland. Allow me also to expr…
Security Council reform is vital for the future of the
We cannot limit Security Council reform to a mere increase in the Council’s membership or to changes in its working methods. Genuine reform must ensure that in the future the Council satisfactorily shoulders its primary responsibility for the m…
It is not exactly a point of order, but a small statement.
Costa Rica is an enthusiastic sponsor of draft resolution A/54/L.51, which we have just adopted, regarding the special session of the General Assembly for follow-up to the World Summit for Children. We note that paragraph 12 invites the Com…
I am honoured to address the General Assembly under agenda item 21, entitled “University for Peace”, on behalf of the Central American countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, as well as the Dominican Republic.
The University for Peace was created by the Unit…
My delegation would like to express its wholehearted gratitude for the report of the International Court of Justice and its introduction by the President of the Court, Judge Stephen Schwebel.
The legal settlement of disputes is indispensable for the peaceful development of the international communi…
We are pleased to participate in these special meetings of the General Assembly to commemorate the International Year of Older Persons. This Year is due tribute to older persons, who without a doubt make up a valuable sector of society.
We must recognize our historical debt to older persons. Their …
I am very pleased to address the General Assembly on behalf of the States members of the Central American group —
At the outset, allow me to convey our warmest congratulations to you, Sir, on your outstanding and valuable leadership as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session. W…
May I first of all congratulate you, Sir, on having assumed the presidency of the Security Council.
I would like to begin by expressing thanks to the President for having convened this meeting, thus addressing one of the issues of greatest interest to the peoples of the world who wish, like the Cos…
My delegation would like to thank Ambassador Dahlgren and Under-Secretary-General Miyet for the very timely and important information they have given us on Sierra Leone. We would also like to thank you, Mr. President, for taking the wise decision of continuing this practice of open briefings, which …
I should like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for your decision, Mr. President, to convene this open meeting of the Security Council to consider the question of the maintenance of peace and security and post-conflict peace-building. Your initiative is a step in the right directi…
As a small, peaceful, democratic and demilitarized country, Costa Rica has maintained and continues unswervingly to maintain an international policy based on the principle of the rejection of the use of force in relations among States. This long-standing policy is grounded in our own national experi…
Fifty years ago today, on 10 December 1948, the international community, with more courage than lyricism, indicated that recognition of the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. That stel…
Rarely do we find among international society such clear and broad agreement as we are witnessing today with respect to the situation in Afghanistan. We all share a logical and rational political and legal vision as to the origins and substance of the Afghan crisis, the assigning of specific respons…
Article 24 of the Charter of the United Nations confers upon the Security Council the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. In the light of the very purposes of our Organization, established in Article 1, this is a proactive and comprehensive responsibility,…
My delegation is participating with particular interest in the discussion of agenda item 48 on the report of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991.
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My delegation associates itself with the important statement made in connection with agenda item 31, entitled “Culture of peace”, by the Permanent Representative of El Salvador, Ambassador Ricardo Cornejo, on behalf of Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, the Dominican Republic and my country, Co…
We, too, are very pleased to see that under your leadership, Mr. President, the Council is holding this open debate today to hear the briefing presented by the United
We believe that today's open meeting is a pioneering step in what has been indicated as the right direction, the direction of transp…
There cannot be peace without justice; there cannot be reconciliation until the truth comes to light; and a free and democratic society cannot be built as long as criminals who have perpetrated the most hideous atrocities remain unpunished. Impunity poses a threat to peace because it incites the vic…
Costa Rica has consistently and firmly continued to condemn attacks against the Albanian civilian population in Kosovo, the violation of that population’s most fundamental rights and the savage destruction of unarmed small towns and hamlets. Time and again, we have expressed our repudiation of the p…
Costa Rica is particularly gratified, Sir, to see you presiding over our meeting today. We are glad to participate in the consideration of the report of the Security Council to the General Assembly covering its work during the period from 16 June 1997 to 15 June 1998.
Over the last 22 months, my de…
