In recent weeks, we have witnessed a resurrection of the authority of this Assembly and a new commitment to multilateral cooperation and a belief that it can and must be made to work. The new tone of voice we have heard from the United States here in New York is setting forceful persuasion above per…
Norway commends the United Nations and the Office of the Secretary-General for their comprehensive involvement in Haiti. Norway welcomes the appointment of President Bill Clinton as United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti. We believe that President Clinton can play a key role in mobilizing and coordi…
Last week, CNN ran a story of an 8-year old Liberian girl who had been gang- raped by four boys. This happened here in the United States, in Arizona, and thus aroused reaction and became global news. However, when such atrocities happen in conflict-ridden parts of Africa and elsewhere, apathy and in…
I thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to address this important issue. We also thank Under-Secretaries- General Le Roy and Malcorra and General Agwai for their important briefings. The challenges to United Nations peacekeeping must continue to be a top priority on our agenda, and we apprec…
I shall try to be brief. I think this is a good time to recall that the primary purpose of our discussion today is to prevent mass atrocities from reoccurring. Historic wrongs and past inactions cannot be undone and never will be, but we can prevent new ones. That is why the World Summit in 2005 fir…
Allow me to take up the closing remarks made by my colleague from Cuba, when he made the comparison between the problems that we face fighting global health issues and the situation we are in with regard to the financial crisis, where billions, even trillions, are raised to support a weak financial …
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the members of the Group of Western European and other States.
It is with sorrow that we mourn the passing of His Excellency Mr. Omar Bongo, late President of the Gabonese Republic. I should like to convey our deepest condolences to the Government and the peo…
I thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to speak, and I thank His Excellency the Foreign Minister of Somalia, Special Representative Ould Abdallah and African Union Commissioner Lamamra for their briefings earlier.
The past few months have brought about remarkable changes in Somalia. We ha…
Thank you, Sir, for this opportunity to speak.
The situation in Afghanistan must be judged against the depths from which that country is emerging. Honouring its commitments made at the Paris Conference last year, Norway remains fully committed to rebuilding Afghanistan. At the
Conference, Norway p…
The situation in Timor-Leste has continued to improve in spite of the regrettable attacks on the Government in 2006 and most recently in February 2008. The United Nations plays a vital role in supporting stability and economic development in Timor-Leste.
Norway commends the Government of Timor- Les…
I am grateful for this opportunity to address the Security Council on the critical situation in Gaza. As Norwegian Foreign Minister, I add my voice tonight to all those who demand an immediate, effective and verifiable ceasefire and cessation of hostilities. The launching of rockets by Hamas targeti…
We meet here in New York knowing that the situation in Somalia is deteriorating. This morning, we met in the Contact Group for Somalia, addressing the political process that may lead towards stability and legal authority or, if it fails, plunge Somalia even deeper into lawlessness.
Here, piracy is …
Experience tells us to be cautious about raising expectations with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But we cannot but welcome the fact that the parties seem to be engaged in serious negotiations, after Sharm el-Sheikh.
To move forward, both parties must honour their obligations under the…
Let me start by thanking you, Mr. President, for this important meeting and for the opportunity that it provides for all United Nations Members to discuss essential disarmament and non-proliferation issues. The spread of weapons of mass destruction and the illegal proliferation of conventional weapo…
Draft resolution A/63/L.29 was introduced by my colleague Ambassador Mahiga of Tanzania on 17 November. Since then, our two delegations have held constructive consultations with Member States and I am pleased about the recent news regarding the increasing number of sponsors that this initiative has …
I am heartened to speak after my good friend, the Ambassador from Indonesia, a country with which Norway is conducting an inter- media dialogue and, in practical terms, is building bridges between countries, religions, Islam and
Christianity. And we will continue to do that in both our regions of t…
The international humanitarian system is under intense and growing pressure. Regions of Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sri Lanka, the Sudan, Palestine and Afghanistan are examples where the situation has gone from bad to worse.
At the same time, the combined effects of the financial…
Norway welcomes today’s draft resolution on Afghanistan (A/63/L.17). The broad support it enjoys sends an important message that we are united and committed to helping Afghanistan build a democratic country and to helping heal the wounds inflicted by decades of war and terror.
At the Paris Conferen…
Let me start by expressing Norway’s ongoing support for and full recognition of the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC) during the past year. Norway welcomes the Court’s
fourth annual report and would like to thank the President of the Court, Judge Philippe Kirsch, for the detailed and i…
Norway considers the United States embargo against Cuba to be fundamentally a bilateral issue. We support sanctions when they are adopted by the international community through the United Nations. But we cannot support the extraterritorial extension of unilateral measures against a third country. Th…
