Anti-personnel landmines are weapons of terror. The Norwegian Government shares the deep concern of the world community with respect to the use of anti-personnel mines in conflict areas. The primary victims of these mines — there are still tens of thousands of victims every year — continue to be una…
We are in a decade plagued by humanitarian emergencies, with the escalation of ruthless internal conflicts and the collapse of State structures, disrupting and destroying the lives and livelihoods of masses of civilians. This year we have also experienced very severe natural disasters in several par…
The Norwegian Government welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
Last year the Secretary-General was requested to report to the General Assembly on how this cooperation has evolved. The report reveals the wi…
Norway fully concurs with the views expressed by the Secretary-General in his report entitled “The causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa” (A/52/871). Africa’s challenges have to be addressed in a comprehensive manner. Peace, stability and develop…
International organizations, too, have to adapt to a changing world. My Government welcomes the Secretary-General’s initiative to adapt the United Nations to a new global alliance of Governments, civil society and, not least, parliamentarians.
The cooperation agreement signed in 1996 between the Un…
Norway welcomes the first ever judgements on the crime of genocide by an international court, 50 years after the adoption of the genocide Convention. It fell to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to deliver those ground-breaking decisions in September this year. Those precedent-setting c…
My delegation welcomes this opportunity to consider the report of the Security Council to the General Assembly covering the period from 16 June 1997 to 15 June 1998. We would like to express our appreciation to Sir Jeremy Greenstock, President of the Council for this month, for his excellent introdu…
The protection and promotion of human rights is a cornerstone of Norwegian foreign policy and a focal point of the dialogue we maintain with other countries. We deplore violations of civil and political rights and remain concerned about the situation in Cuba. We do not consider isolation through uni…
The 1995 World Summit for Social Development showed that there was a global consensus that people must be at the centre of our development efforts and an acknowledgement of the close interlinkage between the social and the economic dimensions of development. A central aspect of that consensus is the…
It is an honour for me to address the Council during the Swedish presidency.
On behalf of Norway, I would like express appreciation for the Secretary-General's report on protection for humanitarian assistance to refugees and others in conflict situations.
We would like to support the European Unio…
This year we are celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In our global community, the issue of human rights is the concern of us all. For this reason the Government of Norway welcomes the fact that human rights are now being given increased priority in the …
Let me first of all underline how much I appreciate being able to take part in this debate. The question of globalization and development is indeed a topical issue in which dialogue between the North and the South is essential for meeting our common challenges.
It is therefore with great interest t…
Norway is concerned about the recent approval by the Israeli Government of plans which would alter the demographic balance in the Jerusalem area. This new Israeli plan is not conducive to creating trust between the parties in the Middle East peace process, which is essential to move the process out …
Children are the least responsible yet the most vulnerable victims in all conflicts. They are widely used as instruments of war — inter alia, as child soldiers — and they are deliberately targeted. This is intolerable and unacceptable. Norway strongly supports the work of the Special Representative …
Norway welcomes the adoption by the Security Council of resolution 1172 (1998).
The decisions of India and Pakistan to carry out underground nuclear tests are in clear defiance of international norms and constitute a serious threat to the global nuclear non-proliferation regime, as well as to peace…
Renewal of the United Nations is crucial if we are to effectively meet future challenges. Reform is necessary in order to strengthen the United Nations capacity to assist the developing countries, to deal with complex humanitarian crises and to mitigate and prevent conflicts.
Norway welcomes the fo…
Allow me first of all to thank the Costa Rican presidency for organizing this open debate on Bosnia in the Security Council, and to voice our satisfaction at seeing you, Mr. Foreign Minister, presiding over this important meeting. It is indeed an honour to take the floor under your presidency.
We s…
The Norwegian Government shares the deep concern of the world community with respect to the use of anti-personnel mines in conflict areas. The primary victims of these mines continue to be unarmed civilians, particularly children and women. Anti-personnel landmines have devastating effects by making…
On behalf of the Russian Federation, the United States of America and my own country, Norway — the sponsors of draft resolution A/52/L.62, entitled “Middle East peace process” — I wish to inform the Assembly that the sponsors have decided to withdraw that draft resolution for the moment. Since simil…
As a member of the Group of Friends of the Guatemala peace process, Norway welcomes the progress made in the implementation of the peace accords in Guatemala since the Agreement on a Firm and Lasting Peace was signed almost one year ago. It is particularly encouraging that demobilization went smooth…
