Three years ago, we all witnessed the unprecedented cycle of violence that ravaged Rwanda and shocked international public opinion. It was very quickly clear that there was overwhelming evidence to suspect that acts of genocide and other serious violations of humanitarian law had been committed. The…
Exactly a year has passed since the adoption by the General Assembly of the last “positive resolution” on the Middle East peace process. With few exceptions, it has not been a good year for the peace process. The work of the General Assembly has reflected increasing frustration on both sides, as wel…
The making of a new international order of the oceans required 15 years of
Seen from the perspective of a country such as Norway, whose society is highly dependent on peaceful uses of the seas, this framework contributes substantially to both legal certainty and international stability. It is again…
Since its summit meeting in Paris in 1990, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has demonstrated increased capacity to cooperate and coordinate with the United Nations and other security-related organizations in handling regional crises. The OSCE has developed adequate poli…
Norway warmly welcomes the appointment of Sergio Vieira de Mello as Emergency Relief Coordinator, and we pledge our full support for him in his important new function.
At the same time we would like to express our appreciation for the work and dedication of Under- Secretary-General Yasushi Akashi i…
The General Assembly has now adopted a resolution that gives an important political signal to the international community that there
It was only in July this year that the Secretary-General challenged the Member States by submitting the most comprehensive plan for change in the history of the Unite…
I am honoured to address the General Assembly on the important item of cooperation between the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The basis for this cooperation is the agreement between the two organizations signed last year. That agreement provides a very useful platform for th…
First, I join other speakers in congratulating my Ukrainian colleague upon his election to his high office.
Last week in Oslo, almost 100 countries agreed to a Convention text for a total ban on anti-personnel landmines. Who would have imagined, only a year ago, such a remarkable achievement in suc…
As a member of the Group of Friends, Norway welcomes the progress made in the implementation of the peace accords in Guatemala during the first six months since the final peace agreement was signed. It is particularly encouraging that the demobilization went smoothly and according to schedule. On 3 …
The Secretary-General has just presented us with a report that contains wide- ranging and bold proposals for reform of the United Nations, indeed for what he called a “quiet revolution”. While we will come back with further comments after careful study, I wish today to warmly welcome this new, impor…
Since the beginning of the peace process in the Middle East, Norway has attempted to facilitate mutual understanding and
We do, however, believe that it is the duty and responsibility of the parties themselves to solve the current crisis and agree on the outstanding issues. Recently, the parties ha…
Allow me to associate Norway with the words of congratulation extended to you, Sir, upon your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of January. We wish you every success in the execution of this important mission.
Since the late 1980s there has been a positive trend in …
At the outset, I would like to commend the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) for their commitment to the cooperation between the two organizations and their efforts to extend it to new fields of common interest. We welcome th…
Norway voted in favour of the draft resolution contained in document A/55/L.11. We strongly regret that it was impossible to adopt that draft by consensus, as has been the case in
previous years. There are shortcomings and unsatisfactory elements in the resolution. We agree with the European Union …
The Norwegian Government welcomes the draft resolution prepared for adoption today by the Security Council. This draft resolution would authorize a Stabilization Force (SFOR) to carry on the work so successfully started by the Implementation Force (IFOR) in contributing to the implementation of the …
The celebration today of the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is scarred by the sad reality that modern forms of slavery continue to exist, particularly in abominable practices such as trafficking in human persons for sexual exploitation and forced labour, including minors. The main vi…
I should first of all like to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive and informative report on assistance in mine clearance.
The Norwegian Government is deeply concerned by the increasing use of anti-personnel landmines in conflict areas. The primary victims of such mines are unarmed civ…
I have the honour to introduce, together with the Russian Federation and the United States of America, draft resolution A/51/L.40 on the Middle East peace process.
This draft resolution is a follow-up to General Assembly resolutions 48/58, 49/88 and 50/21. The draft resolution welcomes and gives fu…
Norway welcomes the comprehensive report of the Secretary-General, presented to the Economic and Social Council at its last session, and now to the General Assembly, concerning strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance within the United Nations system. We appre…
It is heartening to be able to note that the trend towards political democratization and normalization in Central America has been further consolidated since last year. Economically, efforts to make way for liberalization and restructuring are the order of the day, although widespread problems remai…
