A/60/PV.24 General Assembly

Members will recall that the Secretary-General presented his report to the General Assembly at the 9th plenary meeting, held on 17 September 2005.

I wish to begin by thanking the Secretary-General for his report on the work of the Organization over the past year (A/60/1). It gives us a wide survey of the many activities in which the United Nations is engaged and illustrates its extended reach and coverage in promoting international cooperation. The report reveals significant variations across the various fields in relation to both performance and results. There have been successes as well as setbacks in a year of mixed fortunes for the Organization. On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, I will address the report’s coverage of United Nations activities in international economic cooperation, which we consider to be a major priority for the Organization. Poverty, hunger, disease and their attendant maladies are conditions that call for concerted action — not just from instincts of human solidarity, but because they are central to achieving the overall goals of the United Nations. The past year was one in which major reviews were undertaken of progress in a number of different fields. In February, the Commission for Social Development carried out its 10-year review of the social development agenda set out in Copenhagen and at the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly. The review of the Beijing Platform followed shortly afterward, at the March meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women. Both outcomes showed a mixed picture and registered a clear message on the need to complete the unfinished agenda on poverty reduction, social integration, full employment, gender equality and the empowerment of women. During the thirteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, in April, we recognized the critical importance of concrete actions on issues of water, sanitation and human settlements. Important and practical policy options were identified and now await support and sponsorship. The focus on assessing progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) after five years occupied much of the attention of the General Assembly for most of the year. Reports and studies were presented which highlighted the importance of urgent action, especially in those regions that have made limited progress. The Millennium Project report (A/59/727), published in January, contained many impressive proposals that, regrettably, did not survive the negotiations for inclusion in the outcome document of the High-level Plenary Meeting (resolution 60/1). We also recognized that, beyond the MDGs, there is wider scope for development cooperation. The Secretary-General’s report correctly points out that, while the MDGs provide a compelling platform for mobilizing the international community, there is a broader development agenda that needs to be advanced, particularly in trade, finance and monetary affairs and the transfer of technology. These issues were not dealt with as forcefully as we would have liked in the 2005 World Summit Outcome. They will have to be given priority in the overall implementation of the commitments undertaken with respect to development in the future direction of international economic cooperation. Efforts within the United Nations system to promote economic growth and development are based on a shared commitment anchored on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities among developed and developing countries. The most urgent task is to promote implementation of commitments through strengthening the global partnership; through the adoption of policies that enhance opportunities for growth for developing countries; through the removal of inequities in the international system that are constraints to development; and through greater democratic participation for all States in international economic decision-making. In the Organization’s progress on these matters over the past year, the record has not been impressive. It is of utmost importance that the United Nations system gear itself to accomplish these objectives. We have to think of ways to strengthen the role of the United Nations in promoting the implementation of development commitments by development partners and development institutions. We believe that the Economic and Social Council, which was assigned several responsibilities to promote policy dialogue and development cooperation in the recently adopted 2005 World Summit Outcome, has a critical role to play in guiding a bold and focused implementation process to fulfil these commitments. Major efforts need to be applied in the area of the implementation of commitments on the transfer of resources. Important steps have been taken by the European Union on official development assistance (ODA) timetables, and by the Group of Eight on debt, which should have a significant impact on resource flows. The international community should build on these positive steps and maintain momentum on resource mobilization. In the operational activities of the United Nations for development, we support the Secretary-General’s emphasis on increasing the level of inter-agency coordination in the delivery of technical cooperation, but we are concerned about the inadequacy of oversight arrangements and about the tendency towards concentration on governance and human rights. What is needed is a broader approach to capacity-building, one which encourages assistance and support to projects that directly address poverty alleviation, such as those driving increased employment generation and the development of infrastructure. At the global level, greater efforts need to be made to improve the United Nations role in the interface with the Bretton Woods institutions in order to have greater influence on the formulation of global economic policies. The current arrangement for the spring high-level meeting with the Economic and Social Council needs to be expanded in its scope, duration and substantive result. It is essential that we move beyond the current format in order to give this mechanism the possibility for greater impact. The Secretary-General’s report also draws attention to the wave of humanitarian emergencies experienced during the past year. The increased frequency of hurricanes in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, the swarm of locusts in Africa and the tsunami in the Indian Ocean were among the most devastating. The great outpouring of international support for relief to countries affected by the tsunami was unprecedented in its scale and served to alleviate the human and economic costs to affected developing countries. Unfortunately, other crises less spectacular and lesser in scale suffered from neglect and lack of media attention. We wish to commend and acknowledge the work of the United Nations, which in all these circumstances has been sustained and effective. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and its leadership deserve our praise for their advocacy in generating international support and for their own contribution in the conduct of relief operations. We endorse the Secretary-General’s appeal for an increase in funding, which continues to be below the level required to deal effectively with the consequences of natural disasters. We welcome the moves to expand the Central Emergency Revolving Fund and the commitment of donors. The increased attention to natural disaster management called for at the national and international levels is clearly justified. Much of the devastation has affected developing countries already besieged by economic problems, making it more difficult for them to cope with severe hardships and to advance development efforts. We need to work expeditiously and with a sense of urgency towards the early establishment of a worldwide early warning system for all natural hazards. In the course of the past year, much attention was focused on administrative and management issues resulting from allegations of improprieties, which gave rise to investigations conducted in some operations. Allegations of misconduct and corrupt practices gave rise to great concern and adverse publicity in sections of the news media. We are satisfied that the Secretary- General took prompt action to ensure a thorough and fair investigation, especially in relation to the management of the oil-for-food programme. The revelation of irregularities in the conduct of the programme obviously would justify the need for improved arrangements for accountability and oversight. It is vital that independent auditing and oversight arrangements ensure that ethical standards are maintained, that there is full accountability, that there is transparency in United Nations operations and that efficiency and the avoidance of waste are ensured. It seems clear that what is needed now is not a rush into hasty action and the installation of new mechanisms to satisfy pressures generated through sections of the news media. There should be a comprehensive review of governance arrangements and proposals submitted to the General Assembly for consideration, on the basis of which carefully thought- out remedies can be applied to meet the exacting standards of efficiency and ethical conduct we require in the operations of the United Nations. We should, at the same time, recognize reforms that have already been achieved. The Secretary-General has pointed out in his report that most of the reform elements previously proposed have been implemented, resulting in clear benefits, including a revised budgetary process with a shorter, efficient cycle of planning and budgeting, a reduction in the quantity of reports and better utilization of conference services. We note also that the Secretary-General has embarked on internal management reforms, and we particularly welcome his initiatives for more transparency in the system for the appointment of senior officials and heads of agencies. We hope that this policy will be extended to all appointments at the appropriate levels of senior management. In relation to the process under the Capital Master Plan, the situation has become difficult due to complications in the availability of temporary accommodation, and the alternatives do not appear to be very favourable. In addition, as the Secretary- General points out, some of the underlying expectations for advancing the project as approved in 2004 have not been fulfilled. This is especially so with regard to the financing arrangements and the terms and conditions of the loan offer from the host country, which need serious reflection by Member States. On the overall question of resources, we share the Secretary-General’s concern over the fragility of the financial situation of the United Nations. The problem of unpaid assessments continues to deplete resources, which, in turn, requires resorting to cross-borrowing to finance existing programmes. The Group of 77 and China reaffirms that the solution lies in the hands of Member States, which should honour their legal obligations to pay their assessed contributions to the United Nations in full, on time and without conditions. Increased security arrangements for the Secretariat were carried out during the past year, including the establishment of a Department of Safety and Security which came into effect in January. This was in response to the increasing concern over security affecting the United Nations staff at Headquarters and in different parts of the world. We support arrangements for ensuring that the staff of the United Nations receives adequate protection, especially where conditions are most volatile. However, we expect appropriate security arrangements to be determined on the basis of some principles of differentiation and stringent security arrangements not to unduly limit the engagement of the United Nations staff in dealing with problems on the ground. It is important that, at the people level, the United Nations presence be more than a symbol and that visible engagement take place, especially in relation to the implementation of social and economic programmes. In reporting on partnerships, the Secretary- General has emphasized the importance of forging links and broadening the involvement of civil society, business groupings and other entities in the work of the United Nations. This should be encouraged, but with a recognition of the need to respect the intergovernmental nature of the Organization and the need to ensure that all initiatives in relation to participation and joint efforts with non-governmental organizations fall within accepted guidelines and do not compromise or undermine the rights and interests of Member States. In conclusion, the Secretary-General’s report on the past year shows a mixed record and underlines the need to strengthen the United Nations and the system of international cooperation. It is obvious that the Organization will have to adapt to changing conditions and that reform should be made where reform is needed. It is important in that process that we recognize the importance of inclusiveness and transparency in any decision-making and ensure that the results reflect the wide interests of what is a diverse community of nations. This is best accomplished by due consideration of all proposals for reform, in a process within the established procedures and mechanisms of the General Assembly. In achieving our goals we will continue to rely on a Secretariat which is politically neutral and objective in the implementation of mandates and which is committed to the principles of international service, working under the direction of the intergovernmental bodies of the Organization. This should always remain paramount.

We thank the Secretary- General for his comprehensive report on the work of the Organization (A/60/1). It gives a broad overview of the activities of the United Nations, as well as of the major challenges that confront the world today. The performance and effectiveness of the United Nations depend on several crucial factors: first, the quality of its human resources; secondly, the financial resources provided to support its activities; thirdly, the authority vested in the Organization by Member States; and fourthly — and most important — the political will of Member States to support the mandated programmes and activities of the United Nations. Viewed in that context, and considering the recognized constraints, the performance of the United Nations and its family of organizations must be judged to be largely satisfactory. We welcome the progress registered towards achieving peace in Afghanistan, the Sudan, Iraq and, lately, in the Korean peninsula. We see better prospects for peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. We remain concerned, however, over the persistence of other crises and conflicts in Asia and Africa, where innocent lives are being lost daily. We condemn the recent terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom, Egypt, Iraq and other regions of the world. Pakistan commends the Secretary-General for his consistent efforts to provide and promote solutions to those issues. We particularly appreciate his initiative to launch the process of United Nations reform. The 2005 world summit affirmed that the United Nations must be enabled to play a central role in addressing the multifaceted and interconnected challenges and threats confronting the world today. Pakistan supported the adoption of the outcome document (resolution 60/1). It reflects the existing consensus on a range of issues. However, like many others, we are disappointed with the results. We could have achieved more perhaps if the agenda had not been so extensive, if the debate on Security Council reform had not sapped energy from the preparatory process, and if negotiations on the document had been commenced earlier, as we had suggested. However, the real challenge now is to ensure effective implementation and follow-up of those decisions. My Foreign Minister has already outlined Pakistan’s general approach on various issues where action will be required at this session (see A/60/PV.18). Today, I would like to offer some remarks on the implementation process. Pakistan regards the outcome document as the beginning, not the end, of the United Nations reform process. Implementation of decisions and commitments made should be balanced, with priority being accorded to development. Implementation involves not only building new institutions or reforming existing ones, but also reviewing and ensuring the implementation of the policies and commitments that Member States have undertaken in the outcome document. The implementation process should be located within the General Assembly, not in groups or forums outside the United Nations. It should be Member-driven, with support, as required, from the Secretariat. And the process should be open, transparent and inclusive. The implementation process will have to traverse four stages. First, decisions to be followed up must be identified. Secondly, proposals must be submitted and circulated. Thirdly, outcomes need to be negotiated by consensus. In that regard, voting should be avoided, since it would open a Pandora’s box of divisive votes on various issues. Finally, the status of implementation has to be reviewed, perhaps at the end of December and early next year, and again just before the end of the sixtieth session. We will support efforts to take action on the Human Rights Council, the Peacebuilding Commission, a counter-terrorism strategy and convention and management reform. But, there must be priority action on development. Development remains the highest priority for the vast majority of Member States. We fully endorse the statement just made by the Permanent Representative of Jamaica on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The outcome document embodies welcome recommendations on official development assistance targets, debt relief, enhancing and improving aid and addressing the special needs of Africa. Developing countries — and others — are, however, not fully satisfied with the outcome in several areas, such as trade, investment flows and global governance. Lack of progress on the implementation of development commitments would, therefore, further accentuate existing misgivings. A bold and focused implementation process to fulfil commitments undertaken on development issues is thus absolutely critical. The United Nations, and the General Assembly, cannot abdicate the responsibility to secure fulfilment of the development goals and commitments that have been undertaken. It is therefore imperative to put in place an effective mechanism to promote and monitor the implementation of the agreed goals and commitments on development by States, by development partners and by the concerned institutions, including the Bretton Woods institutions. Pakistan will shortly circulate a paper on the implementation of development decisions. The 2005 summit assigned several responsibilities to the Economic and Social Council in promoting policy dialogue, development cooperation, post-conflict development, and coordination within the United Nations system. The Council should also play an important role in promoting and monitoring the implementation of the Development Goals. Security Council reform should not be allowed to once again divert attention from other areas. The September deadline precipitated a confrontation. We hope that the December deadline will not be pressed and will not provoke a similar confrontation. Efforts should be made, through quiet consultations, to explore a possible consensus. For that, time will be necessary. We are confident, Mr. President, that under your able leadership Member States will succeed in implementing the agenda that the September summit has set for us. We assure you of our fullest cooperation in that endeavour.

Mr. President, we congratulate you on your election and wish you well in the important work ahead. Your speech on 23 September, at the end of the general debate (see A/60/PV.23), bears witness to your dedication to the Organization and what it stands for. We thank the Secretary-General for the comprehensive report on the work of the Organization (A/60/1). It is now up to us, the Member States, to make concrete efforts to implement and follow up the decisions made at the summit so that its outcome will become a real success. Looking back over the past year in which the level of United Nations peacekeeping operations reached a historic high, we welcome the emphasis our leaders placed on investing in prevention, peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. We welcome in particular the creation of a peacebuilding commission and a support office within the Secretariat. We must ensure that both are up and running by the end of the year. We fully concur with the Secretary-General in his report on the extent to which terrorism is a threat to everything the United Nations stands for. We support the thrust of the five-point strategy previously outlined by the Secretary-General. If the struggle against terrorism is to be successful, it is essential for us to agree on definitions and means for prevention and to conclude a comprehensive convention against terrorism before the end of this session of the General Assembly. Unfortunately, no progress on non-proliferation was reached in May this year at the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and we failed at the major summit to address that issue. Proliferation is a profound danger, which the United Nations must confront in a decisive manner. If we continue on the present path of stalemate, the threat of terrorism, combined with weapons of mass destruction, will only grow. We thank the Secretary-General for his valuable contribution to development by placing it at the centre of the ongoing reform. The two major reports on development — that by Professor Sachs and the Secretary’s-General report “In larger freedom” — illustrate the clear link between development and security, which underlines further the need to address those issues in tandem. The Government of Iceland has acknowledged the great challenge posed by the Millennium Development Goals and will increase efforts to assist the developing countries in reaching these Goals. Each country must, however, take primary responsibility for its own economic and social development, and a key element of successful long-term development is good governance and the rule of law. A developing country that creates a transparent and accountable environment that respects good governance and the rule of law will attract domestic and foreign investment, which will foster the growth of a vibrant private sector. International trade liberalization is a key pillar for the private sector and a successful conclusion of the Doha development agenda is important for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. A fair, open and equitable multilateral trade system would allow developing countries to take full part in the globalized economy and thus contribute significantly to increasing the resources available in the developing countries to combat poverty. We welcome the fact that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has placed greater emphasis on strengthening national systems for human rights protection. We also welcome other new developments in the same direction. There is, however, an urgent need to reform the human rights machinery of the United Nations. Please allow me to quote the Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs, speaking at the general debate of this Assembly: “The Commission on Human Rights is dysfunctional and devoid of credibility; deliberations on human rights have suffered accordingly. Moreover, the credibility of the entire United Nations Organization is threatened… For Iceland, the ideal human rights council would be smaller than the Commission and would be in session all year so that it can respond to emergencies. The composition of the new council will be fundamental to its effectiveness. It must not include major human rights abusers.” (see A/60/PV.16) We have a mandate from the major summit to establish a human rights council and it is up to us to get it up and running as soon as possible and not later than before this session of the General Assembly ends. It is essential that the Secretariat be equipped to deal with the challenges that we, the Member States, have thrust upon it. I would like at this point to praise the Secretariat, under the inspirational leadership of the Secretary-General and a number of other top officials, for its committed and professional work in many areas. But, as in any large organization, adjustments are needed, new skills need to be brought in, and a more rapid renewal of staff may be required than can be achieved by natural turnover. That may entail some expense in the short term, but with dividends in the long run. It is for the Member States to ensure that we are not imposing too many tasks on the Secretariat and spreading resources too thinly. Iceland therefore stands fully behind the Secretary-General in his efforts to modernize the management and to strengthen the Organization. We must live up to the promises we made at the major summit by providing the United Nations with adequate resources to enable it to implement its mandates and achieve its objectives. Let me conclude by congratulating the Secretary- General and his staff on the work they have undertaken in this historic and hectic year of action, often under difficult circumstances. Sir Emyr Jones Parry (United Kingdom): I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and those countries that have aligned themselves with this statement. The European Union thanks the Secretary- General for his comprehensive report on the work of the Organization during one of its busiest years — a year culminating in the achievements and decisions of the world summit. The summit outcome is a clear mandate for change, addressing the challenges that the world has long faced. I would now like to respond to the Secretary- General by describing how the European Union hopes the summit will equip the United Nations better to meet the challenges outlined in the main sections of his report. First, I would refer to peace and security. Not only are development, security and human rights each imperative in their own right; they are mutually reinforcing. We have seen time and time again how conflict and instability in developing countries have destroyed fragile social, environmental and economic progress. The threats of terrorism and proliferation endanger the stable global environment within which trade flourishes and economies grow. The summit agreement to establish a peacebuilding commission will make a major contribution to a better coordinated international response to the needs of countries emerging from conflict. It will help prevent conflicts from restarting and encourage countries to make the transition from violent instability to peaceful, sustained development. The European Union is committed to seeing the Commission established by the end of this year. Increasingly, conflict and violence take place beyond the boundaries of conventional war. No continent is safe from the threat of terror. International terrorism requires an international response. We pay the price for each others’ vulnerabilities. The United Nations has already done much to set international standards against terrorism and to encourage and help States to meet them. The European Union welcomes the summit outcome’s clear condemnation of terrorism and the undertaking to conclude a comprehensive convention on international terrorism during this sixtieth session. The European Union firmly believes that the targeting and deliberate killing of civilians and non-combatants cannot be justified or legitimized by any cause or grievance. The European Union regrets the summit’s failure to reach agreement on measures for non-proliferation and disarmament. In his speech to the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Secretary- General gave stark warning of the catastrophic global impact of any such use. We should heed his words. Secondly, with respect to development, the Summit provided the foundation for strengthening the global partnership between developed and developing countries, as set out at Monterrey. The European Union has set a timetable to reach new levels of official development assistance. By 2010, this will account for 0.56 per cent of the Union’s collective gross national income — an annual additional 20 billion euros. By 2015, it will reach 0.7 per cent. EU member States recently agreed to support the G-8 agreement to write off debt. In addition, the summit recognized the value of developing innovative sources of financing. Such scaled-up financing is vital in our joint endeavour to reach the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Sub-Saharan Africa is not on target to reach many of the MDGs until something like 100 years from now. In some areas — including hunger and sanitation — the situation is actually deteriorating. At least 50 per cent, therefore, of the increase in the European Union’s aid resources will go to Africa; in plain terms, that represents a doubling of EU assistance to Africa over the next five years. Of course, all of us need to live up to and meet the commitments that we have taken on. More aid on its own will not be enough. The real engines for making poverty history will be the developing countries themselves. Making sure that aid is used better and more effectively is as important as increasing it. We need to drive up standards of governance and help the poorest people, for whom support is most crucial. This means developing countries adopting ambitious national development strategies, creating and reinforcing good governance structures, fostering a positive environment for economic growth, and helping the private sector flourish. We welcome the strong and comprehensive commitments made in that regard by the African countries through the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) initiative. As for trade, the EU believes that, through the Doha round, the international community must deliver real gains. With a comprehensive, pro-development agenda combining trade liberalization with rule- making and complementary aid for both trade and trade-related assistance, the Doha round can bring benefits to all trading partners and in particular, and crucially, to developing countries. We therefore need to make all the efforts necessary to produce a successful conclusion to the Doha round, and in particular to ensure that the opportunity of the Hong Kong Ministerial Meeting is not missed. We need to ensure that development, in rich and poor countries alike, is sustainable. The Union therefore welcomes the summit’s recognition of the need to meet the commitments and obligations undertaken in the Framework Convention on Climate Change, which we consider to be the appropriate forum for negotiating future action on climate change. The Union is firmly committed to urgent global action to mitigate climate change — a serious, long-term challenge for every part of the world. The EU welcomes the summit’s decision to explore the possibility of a more coherent framework and more efficient environmental activities in the United Nations system, including through a more integrated structure. Thirdly, improving international architecture for humanitarian response and operational activities is long overdue. The response to the appalling tsunami in the Indian Ocean in December demonstrated the willingness of Governments, civil society and the private sector to respond rapidly and generously to an unprecedented crisis. But the Sudan, northern Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to illustrate the fact that we must do better. At an operational level, the Union is determined to see improvements in the predictability of humanitarian funding and capacity and standby arrangements, inter alia through the modernization of the Central Emergency Revolving Fund. The current reforms to operational activities, which will bring the various United Nations agencies and programmes working in one country together under a single leader and common management, are good. We look forward to the Secretary-General’s further work on strengthening the management and coordination of operational activities to make an even more effective contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Fourthly, with respect to the international legal order and human rights, over 50 years the United Nations has had remarkable success. It has built a framework of international human rights law and set clear standards by which all States are to be judged. But in setting standards, we have neglected for too long their implementation. When standards have been breached, we have not always done enough. The Union therefore welcomes the unprecedented recognition of the international community’s responsibility to protect populations from the threat of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing or crimes against humanity. The summit took two other important steps towards creating more effective human rights machinery within the United Nations: the decision to establish a Human Rights Council and the commitment to reinforce the role of, and double the resources available to, the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights. Protection and promotion of human rights has been reinforced as the third pillar of the work of the United Nations, alongside development and peace and security. The EU will work to complete as soon as possible, during this sixtieth session, negotiations on the mandate, modalities, functions, size, composition, membership, and working methods of the new Council. The Union reiterates its strong support for the International Criminal Court. We welcome the fact that the Security Council decided to refer the situation in Darfur since 1 July 2002 to the Court. That will help contribute to our common objective of ending impunity and establishing the rule of law in post-conflict or crisis situations. Turning now to Secretariat and management reform, the European Union welcomes the decisions on management reform taken at the summit and intends to pursue their implementation vigorously during this session. There needs to be a modernized approach to management in the United Nations based on strengthened accountability, greater transparency and more efficient working practices. It is vital that the resources of the United Nations be channelled to the areas of greatest need, where they will have the greatest impact. The European Union therefore welcomes the summit decision on the review of mandates. The Secretary-General, for his part, needs the authority and flexibility to carry out his managerial responsibilities and to be able to redeploy resources from lower- to higher-priority areas. The EU underscores its support for stronger United Nations-wide coherence, starting with the implementation of the measures identified at the summit to promote coherence of policy, operational activities, humanitarian assistance and environmental activities. The EU is committed to ensuring the availability of adequate resources for the United Nations while adhering to our longstanding principles of budgetary discipline. We will therefore seek to adopt an appropriate budget for 2006-07 that will enable the United Nations to deliver meaningful results in all its activities, including new mandates agreed by the summit. Given the need for urgent renovation and the need to make the Headquarters in New York safe, we need agreement on a comprehensive capital master plan during this session. In conclusion, I would like to thank the Secretary-General and all the staff for the work they have done this year, often in difficult and dangerous circumstances. We hope that the actions and decisions we take here in the General Assembly to follow up on our collective decisions at the summit will strengthen the Organization and enable it to achieve its objectives more fully. If that happens, this year will indeed mark a milestone in the history of the United Nations.

I wish to express our best wishes to you, Sir, in your endeavours as President of the sixtieth session of the General Assembly. We thank the Secretary-General for the presentation of his report. Once again, the report illustrates the Organization’s enormous responsibility in responding to thousands of people who see in it the possibility of improving their level of development, well-being and respect for their rights, along with the Organization’s important contribution to peace and security. We support the statement made by the Ambassador of Jamaica on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. Allow me, instead of discussing reform, to focus on the subject of the Colombia as mentioned in the report. Colombia wishes to highlight the work of the United Nations in our country and the assistance the United Nations has provided. We are a country that believes in the assistance of the United Nations, and we demonstrate our faith through our openness, generosity and transparency with the Organization. We are grateful to the Secretary-General for his efforts to promote peace in Colombia. Colombia is a country with a complex reality, not always easy to understand, where every Colombian family has suffered in one way or another from the repercussions of violence. As a country, we are convinced that only we can find solutions to our problems. The Colombian people have risen against adversity. We are people that do not give up or fall victim to intimidation. Progress made in reducing violence in Colombia has been significant and the world acknowledges that. The Colombian Government has devoted great efforts to ensuring that the Colombian people can live without fear of kidnapping, massacre or attacks by violent groups. We have improved, but we still have a long road to travel in order that Colombians may one day live in peace and without fear. In paragraphs 27, 149 and 156 of the Secretary- General’s report, there are inaccuracies in references to the situation in Colombia. The report states that the situation has not improved. That is far from the truth. Concerning displacement, once again we face the problem of differences between United Nations figures and the official figures, which reflect the real numbers. While the report speaks of two million displaced, the official figures show one and a half million. Colombia has a comprehensive programme of assistance for displaced persons and is conscious of the work it needs to do in order to meet the needs of its people. Colombia has been making progress, as is evidenced by the improvements of recent years. In 2004, displacement decreased by 29 per cent in comparison with 2003. This is insufficient, and the Government knows that, but the result is positive. Voluntary return is taking place in strict accordance with the principles of security and dignity and is one of the Government’s priorities, in which it has invested more than $400 million during the past year in assistance to displaced persons. We should remember that Colombia is one of the few countries in the world that has incorporated the guidelines on displacement into its national legislation. The report states that violence has increased, especially against the indigenous population. The figures and facts show the opposite. Between 2003 and 2004, attacks against indigenous populations were reduced by 59 per cent. Between 2004 and now, they have decreased by an additional 55 per cent. Granted, this is insufficient, but it is positive. The Government of Colombia has concentrated its efforts on protecting the lives and physical integrity of people threatened by the criminal acts of illegal armed groups, groups that are financed by the drug trade. We would like to request the Secretariat to review the data and assertions contained in the three paragraphs that mention Colombia and to recognize the positive improvements that Colombia has made during recent years. It is important to recognize the efforts of States and their capacity to meet the needs of their people. We find it important to highlight the 2004 report of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), which recognizes the significant achievements made in Colombia and South America in the fight against the global problem of illicit drugs. For the third consecutive year, the total area used for growing cocaine crops has been reduced. Regional and bilateral cooperation efforts have been strengthened. There has been an increase in drug seizures and in the capture of criminals involved in drug trafficking. It is a shame that the Secretary-General’s report does not mention these accomplishments. In my country, drug trafficking is the main source of the financing of violence. Likewise, the INCB report stresses once again how illicit drug traffic has links to organized crime. For this reason, it is very important for the United Nations and the entire world to recognize what is stated in paragraph 69 of the Secretary-General’s report, “... the increasing links between terrorism and drug trafficking ...” We believe that by fighting transnational organized crime, which includes the global problem of illicit drugs, we are also fighting the financial sources of terrorism. We wonder how many countries could redirect the funds they channel towards combating terrorism, crime and narcotics and use it for development and the improvement of its people. In this regard, we would like to recognize the work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which cooperates with Member States through direct technical assistance to put into practice international standards on combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism. This Office is visionary in promoting programmes of alternative crops in support of programmes for the complete eradication of illicit drugs. Likewise, we would like to recognize the efforts of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate. To conclude, I would like to state that the challenges of today’s world, instead of leading us to characterize and judge, should bring us together to cooperate and unite our best efforts and resources in order to overcome those challenges and achieve the well-being that we dream for our peoples.

The Secretary-General correctly notes in his report on the work of the Organization that the United Nations, despite its imperfections, embodies the hope of the mankind for a peaceful and just world order. The United Nations, the most representative intergovernmental body with a universal mandate, continues to play an indispensable coordinating role in global affairs. Last year, a record number of peacekeepers were sent to the regions where there are still many conflicts. The United Nations focused considerable effort on promoting sustainable development, including the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the search for responses to global threats and challenges, such as natural disasters, pandemics of new diseases, eradication of poverty, and so forth. We have participated in heated discussions on the role of the Organization in today’s world. The 2005 World Summit outcome document, despite difficult consultations on the draft, confirmed that the members of the international community share views on today’s key issues. It was exceptionally important that world leaders reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring international security on the basis of a comprehensive collective approach, including military, political, economic, humanitarian and human rights aspects, and in strict compliance with the Charter of the United Nations. Speaking at the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly (see A/60/PV.5), Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin stressed the need to address United Nations issues with utmost care while persistently and patiently continuing the process of the reform of the Organization. The outcome document (resolution 60/1) is a broadly acceptable basis for further concerted action to enhance the effectiveness of the United Nations as the central multilateral institution. The summit failed to reach final decisions on all questions. In many areas work will go on. One of the near-term priorities in this work is the creation of the Peacebuilding Commission, which should help the Security Council and, if necessary, other United Nations bodies too, in their efforts to ensure the swift recovery of countries emerging from crisis and to create guarantees that these conflicts will not be resumed. There is much to be done in the area of promoting sustainable development and the eradication of poverty, epidemics, hunger and illiteracy. The summit endorsed a large-scale programme for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); Russia supports initiatives that seek to attain the Goals and will continue to make a contribution towards resolving these pressing questions. We agree with the Secretary-General regarding the importance of endeavours to achieve the MDGs in the context of a broader development agenda based on the integration of economic, social and environmental goals, in accordance with the decisions taken by landmark United Nations conferences and summits. We support the steps taken by the Economic and Social Council in this area. We share the report’s objective of enhancing the effectiveness of United Nations participation in implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, inter alia through continuing the practice of annual meetings between the Economic and Social Council, the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and through the High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development. We agree with the Secretary-General’s conclusion regarding the need to increase the Organization’s counter-terrorism efforts. We believe that the United Nations, and the Security Council, should become a headquarters for combating international terrorism. Russia is prepared to continue to promote the strengthening of the central role of the United Nations in this area. An important new step was taken with the adoption, at the 14 September Security Council summit, of Council resolution 1624 (2005). Now, not just terrorists, their accomplices and financial backers, but also those who instigate terrorist acts, have been proclaimed outlaws. This Security Council decision should put an end to attempts to use the mass media to spread terrorist ideas and to justify terrorism. We echo the appeal of the Secretary-General to make every effort to agree as soon as possible on a draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism. We think that, if the political will is there, this challenge can be met at this session of the General Assembly. The outcome document stresses that priority attention should also be given to formulating a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy, which should become one of the main building blocks of the collective security system. The five elements proposed by the Secretary-General for this strategy require thorough discussion and some clarification. A difficult stage lies ahead when Member States come to finalizing the concept. Moreover, we cannot postpone the creation of a consolidated sanctions list of terrorists and terrorist organizations, regardless of whether or not they are associated with Al-Qaida or the Taliban. Work needs to be continued on improving the arsenal of United Nations human rights instruments. For Russia, respect for human rights is of great importance, and that is why we supported the idea of establishing the Human Rights Council. At the same time, as rightly noted in the report of the Secretary- General, the reaction to this proposal to establish a new human rights body reflected a broad range of views. That was apparent also during the talks leading up to the summit. Accordingly, it is vital to act on the initiative of a number of countries, including Russia, to set up an open-ended working group to formulate the main parameters of this future Council during the sixtieth session of the General Assembly, on the basis of the principles of transparency, non-selectivity and due regard for the views of all Member States. We support the efforts to ensure the protection of civilians in armed conflicts. However, we believe that the wording of the relevant sections of the Secretary- General’s report should have been given more responsible consideration, with due regard to the fact that conflict situations should be described on the sole basis of the provisions of the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols. In this context, we would like to stress again the need to use the correct geographical names. United Nations multilateral mechanisms should play a leading role also in resolving questions of disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, on the basis of strict compliance with the international conventions in this area. The lack of any substantive section on this issue in the outcome document is a vivid reflection of the differences of view that still exist. However, it is to the credit of the United Nations that Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism were adopted. Their implementation would help prevent weapons of mass destruction from falling into the hands of terrorists. Today, it is becoming particularly urgent to prevent an arms race in outer space. The time has come to develop transparency and build confidence in matters related to outer space. During the current session of the General Assembly Russia will be putting forward some initiatives on the subject. We attach exceptional importance to improving the management of the Organization. The summit outcome aims to ensure the effective functioning of the Secretariat. We need to have in our hands real tools for assessing the work of the Secretariat in accordance with the priorities set by the Member States. We look forward to concrete proposals from the Secretary- General on how to create a well-organized and efficient system that ensures accountability on the part of the Secretariat, as well as other recommendations called for in the outcome document. The proposals of the Secretary-General must be considered in accordance with established procedures in the General Assembly. The Russian Federation will participate actively and constructively in collective efforts to act on decisions approved by world leaders and goals identified by them, including on further reform of the Organization. This work has to go on in an open and transparent manner, without artificially imposed deadlines for decision-making. It is crucial to ensure the broadest possible agreement, and, ideally, to have consensus on key issues of reforming and strengthening the United Nations, which will to a large extent determine our common ability to manage processes that are occurring throughout the world in this era of globalization, as well as our capacity to counter effectively the attendant threats and challenges. We are convinced that there is no alternative to this approach.

For obvious reasons having to do with its drafting and publication deadlines, the Secretary-General’s report (A/60/1) does not make any judgements on the outcome of the greatest summit of world nations ever convened at United Nations Headquarters. My delegation therefore believes that the Assembly is right, as it discusses the report of the Secretary-General, to refer analytically to the summit outcome, since the rushed deadlines and high-pressure atmosphere involved in obtaining a final document did not make it possible to calmly assess the results of the High-level Meeting. In general, what is stressed by the news media — which shape world public opinion — is that the summit’s results fell short of expectations. They are not wrong. Indeed, the outcome document does fall short of the reform proposals set out by the High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change and by the Secretary-General. What is important now is to ask ourselves: why did that happen? The truth is that the reform proposals were extremely interesting, but also extremely ambitious, given the political realities of a world that is globalizing but, at the same time, fragmenting. Today the world is being globally integrated by trade, financial flows and the digital telecommunications revolution but, at the same time, is culturally fragmenting as a result of differing perceptions of what international security is, of how to achieve development and, above all, of the relationship between human rights and the State. This cultural fragmentation is also reflected within the United Nations. The Members of the Organization have differing perceptions of those issues. The only common denominator uniting them is, in the last analysis, the literal interpretation of the Charter. In fact, there is no one concept of international security that is shared by United Nations Member States. For some, international security involves a mainly strategic and military approach; for others, international security has essential socio-economic components; and for still others, security includes the new concept of human security. Nor do Member States share the same concept of development. Some States confuse development with the minimal expectations of the Millennium Development Goals and believe that halving extreme poverty is a Development Goal that can be achieved through international assistance. Other States believe that development is achieved more through trade than through assistance. Still other States — those very few that have experience because they have made progress towards development — believe that development involves a genuine scientific-technological revolution that will liberate countries from basic, low-technology production and exportation. Nor do Member States of the Organization share the same cultural concept of human rights, democracy or the State. Although United Nations resolutions state that human rights are indivisible, the truth is that, for some States, human rights are essentially civil and political rights, whereas for others, basic human rights are economic, social and cultural rights. For many countries, the State is the supreme value; for others, the State is merely a servant of the citizen. Finally, there are countries that believe that religion and the State must be totally separate, while others do not accept such separation. Given those differing cultural perceptions, the reform proposals were extremely ambitious. To approve them, the majority of Member States would have had to share the same cultural perceptions of international security, development, the State and human rights. That is the main reason why the outcome fell short of expectations. The interesting and ambitious reform proposals did not take into account the cultural fragmentation that exists today despite globalization. Notwithstanding that poor outcome, some reforms survived without much substance, such as the responsibility to protect, the Human Rights Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and the Democracy Fund. We must work on those issues in the future and, above all, reactivate the Millennium Development Goals. Undoubtedly, where the outcome document fell short of all the expectations of the media and of the entire international community was in the area of the Millennium Development Goals. Demonstrating that is the fact that the Human Development Report 2005, issued almost at the end of the outcome document negotiations, stated that the main Millennium Development Goals were not being implemented and called for a programme of action to achieve them. Despite that, the outcome document did not take the Human Development Report’s warning into account. Thus, it does not establish any effective action plan for reactivating the Millennium Development Goals. That is one of the most disillusioning and disturbing results of the outcome document. That is disturbing because the main Millennium Development Goal — halving extreme poverty by 2015 — is only a minimalist Goal, a kind of damage control. Reducing extreme poverty is not the same thing as making progress towards development. Development is much more than reducing extreme poverty; it involves a technological revolution, the creation of a middle class and the rule of law. The experience of this truncated reform, which has had negative repercussions on the image of the United Nations, should serve to convince us that the United Nations is not easy to reform, especially through ambitious proposals and revolutionary change, however rational they may be. Where we do need to be ambitious is in reforming the Secretariat’s functioning. Such reform can be accomplished swiftly. In contrast, when it comes to political reform, we should not be so ambitious. From now on, we must think of the Charter as, politically, the lowest common denominator uniting us in a world that is globalizing but culturally fragmenting — a world where there are no common strategic, political, economic or cultural perceptions. The key word for political reform of the United Nations is “prudence”, because our failure to reform will only create a bad image that will give ammunition to the Organization’s enemies. United Nations reform must be carried out realistically — that is to say, incrementally. Evolution, more than revolution, is what we need in the future. At the end of the day, the United Nations continues to be the essential multilateral world Organization. However much cultural fragmentation may exist, the United Nations is the only institution in which we can face the major challenges of the twenty- first century, from infectious diseases to the collapse of States, from terrorism to climate change. It is the only legitimate instrument of global governance that we have. Therefore, we must persist in striving more diligently to identify what unites us, because the trend towards cultural fragmentation in a globalized world is the great challenge facing our institution.

Let me begin, Sir, by expressing my delegation’s appreciation of your work as President of the sixtieth session of the General Assembly. We are indeed privileged to have a person with your leadership skills guiding our work. We also wish to thank the Secretary-General for his report on the work of the Organization (A/60/1). The report shows that, 60 years after it was created, the United Nations continues to undertake important work in many fields touching the lives of ordinary people in many different parts of the world. For that reason, we associate ourselves with the statement made by Jamaica on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. Our present debate is timely, following the 2005 world summit, where heads of State or Government reviewed progress made since the adoption of the Millennium Declaration. The summit recognized the interlinked threats and challenges that face the world today, the need for concrete action on development, security and human rights and the critical need for institutional reform. The summit reaffirmed the importance of the United Nations as a central part of the system of global governance required to address the challenges facing the world today. It also showed, however, that there is an urgent need for the Organization to be reformed and revitalized to reflect today’s global realities if it is to be empowered to address the threats and challenges we now face. We believe that the challenge for the sixtieth session is, therefore, to focus on the implementation of the 2005 World Summit Outcome (resolution 60/1). We need to maintain the momentum of the summit and ensure that we meet the mandates agreed upon by our heads of State or Government. It is important that the political momentum for development generated by the summit be maintained. The summit outcome and the report of the Secretary-General show that many countries still face major obstacles in their efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Furthermore, the review has shown that many of the countries that are not on track to meet the Millennium Development Goals are in Africa. We are therefore pleased that the summit proposed specific actions that need to be undertaken to address the special needs of Africa. The major United Nations conferences and summits of the past decade that focused on the economic and social fields played an important role in galvanizing support for development. We would have preferred it if the international community had used the opportunity provided by the recently concluded world summit to commit to the full implementation of all the outcomes of the past conferences and summits, in particular the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the Monterrey Conference on Financing for Development and the World Conference against Racism. We hope that the fact that the outcome document was not definitive on this matter does not provide a loophole for those who choose to have selective amnesia about our long-standing commitments. During the past year, we also had an opportunity to review the implementation of the Copenhagen and Beijing conferences. We welcome the reaffirmation by our Governments of their will and commitment to continue implementing the Copenhagen Declaration and the Programme of Action, in particular to eradicate poverty, promote full and productive employment and foster social integration to achieve stable, safe and just societies for all. The implementation of the Copenhagen commitments and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals should be viewed as mutually reinforcing. It was in that same context that an annual draft resolution on the implementation of the social objectives of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development was introduced by the Group of 77 and China in the agenda of the Commission for Social Development. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are essential components of the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Without women’s equal access to and full participation in power structures and decision-making, the goals of gender balance and equality, development and peace cannot be achieved. It is therefore unfortunate that the summit outcome document did not contain a stronger reaffirmation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly. One of the important decisions of the summit was that the Peacebuilding Commission should be established and be made operational by the end of December 2005. The report of the Secretary-General demonstrates the importance of the work of the United Nations in conflict prevention and peacemaking. We believe that the Peacebuilding Commission will be crucial in supporting those efforts, so that the international community will have a long-term perspective on post-conflict reconstruction and development. We call on Member States to reach an agreement as soon as possible to make the Peacebuilding Commission operational. The summit also reaffirmed the importance of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. South Africa will work constructively with other delegations to ensure that the Human Rights Council is established during the current session of the General Assembly. As my delegation has always stated, all human rights — including the right to development — are important both to the poor and to the rich, the developing and the developed countries. For the Human Rights Council to be effective it will have to be different from the Commission on Human Rights and avoid politicization through selectivity and double standards. We believe that it is indeed possible to form a body that can earn the confidence of all Member States. With regard to disarmament and non-proliferation issues, we have witnessed a succession of setbacks beginning with the failures of the United Nations Disarmament Commission and the Review Conference of States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Recently, the summit outcome document also failed to propose a way forward on these issues. Nonetheless, those obstacles should in no way weaken our resolve to work towards the full implementation of all obligations, commitments and undertakings made at previous NPT Review Conferences. South Africa continues to be concerned about the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction, not only to individual States, but also to the international community as whole. Regrettably, current endeavours to address those concerns continue to be characterized by actions that paralyse the multilateral instruments established to address them. South Africa believes that the only effective way of addressing those concerns is through the established instruments in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation. Universal adherence to, full implementation of and compliance with those international agreements and the complete elimination of all weapons of mass destruction constitute the only guarantee against the threat or use of those weapons. While the Conference on Disarmament continues to demonstrate its inability to begin negotiations, and the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty continues to be delayed owing to non- ratification by States required to do so, South Africa still views those disarmament measures as a way to accomplish the goal of nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. South Africa welcomes the conclusion of the work of the Open-ended Working Group to negotiate an International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace in a Timely and Reliable Manner Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons. My delegation attaches great importance to the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and calls for the early implementation of that instrument. With regard to the issue of anti-personnel landmines, South Africa attaches great importance to strong regional, subregional and national commitments. The Common African Position on Anti- Personnel Landmines is a powerful message of the priority that the African region attaches to the implementation of those issues. The report of the Secretary-General demonstrates that the capacity of the United Nations is enhanced by its cooperation with regional organizations. Regional organizations, such as the African Union, have shown their commitment to resolving long-standing conflicts. We also recognize that the activities of regional organizations are sometimes limited by the lack of resources and logistical capabilities. It was for that reason that South Africa supported the proposal that the General Assembly consider financing some of those operations from the regular budget on an exceptional basis, and we regret that this could not be agreed. We would also like to emphasize that the increased role of regional organizations should not absolve the United Nations of its Charter responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. The Secretariat in recent months has faced numerous calls for greater efficiency, improved accountability and better management. The Secretary- General has instituted several measures aimed at reforming the Organization, enhancing the safety of its staff, and making it more responsive to the entire membership. We recognize those efforts and reiterate our commitment to ensuring that reform will culminate in a strengthened United Nations. At the same time, however, we believe that it is imperative that Member States also acknowledge that we have a responsibility to ensure that the Organization receives adequate resources to implement the increasing number of mandates assigned to it and to enable it to meet the challenges effectively and efficiently. We further believe that, during the sixtieth session, we should recommit ourselves to our Charter obligation to bear the financial expenses of the United Nations and to paying our assessments in full, on time and without condition. We note from the Secretary- General’s report that the Organization in 2005 faced cash shortages in several active peacekeeping operations, the International Tribunals and the regular budget, due to non-payment of assessed contributions, which were threatening the viability of those operations. That dire financial situation is regrettably also making it unfeasible for the United Nations to meet its obligation to reimburse troop-contributing countries and to return credits to Member States. Only through our collective action will we be able to break that vicious cycle. In closing, Sir, we look forward to your leadership and guidance on how we are to follow up on the implementation of the outcome document. We wish to assure you that our delegation is ready to give you all the support that you may need.

As I am taking the floor for the first time, allow me to extend my warmest congratulations to you, Sir, on having been elected to your important post. My delegation has full confidence in your leadership and stands ready to work closely with you and other members of the Bureau. I also wish to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to Mr. Jean Ping, the President of the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth session. Having served as one of his facilitators during the consultation process for the outcome of the summit, I have come to genuinely appreciate President Ping’s leadership, courage and integrity. Let me begin by thanking the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report on the work of the Organization, as contained in document A/60/1. I also thank him for his tireless efforts in strengthening the work of the United Nations, both at Headquarters and in the field. I also wish at the outset to pay tribute to the men and women who are serving the noble cause of the Organization in all corners of the world. This past year, we have many reasons to be thankful: the end of the North-South conflict in Sudan, democratic elections in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the recent commitments on official development assistance and debt cancellation by the European Union and the G-8, to name but a few. Yet, at the same time, many situations remain to be resolved: the increasing threat of terrorism; the prevalence of such infectious diseases as HIV/AIDS, malaria and bird flu; and the unprecedented occurrences of natural disasters affecting people both in the North and the South. Now more than ever, the United Nations is called upon to act. Throughout the last session of the General Assembly, we spent most of our time discussing how to bring changes to the Organization to enable it to respond more effectively to the challenges of our time. Less than two weeks ago, our leaders adopted the outcome document of the summit, the result of our year of hard work and long days and nights of discussions. We should spare no effort in translating those words into actions. While Member States are committed to doing our part, I was also heartened to hear from the Secretary-General at the opening of the general debate that he intended to follow through on every action asked of him, and he asked Member States to pledge to an accountability pact to live up to what the summit outcome requires of us. My delegation supports the Secretary-General in upholding that accountability pact and we will work actively at the national, bilateral, regional and international levels to ensure the effective implementation of the summit outcome, and in particular to make our best efforts to enable all countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Looking at the report of the Organization prepared by the Secretary-General, we should ask ourselves in all fairness whether we are asking too much of the United Nations. The United Nations is asked to maintain peace and security, to promote human rights, to meet humanitarian commitments, and to develop and uphold the international legal order. None of those tasks will be easily accomplished. In that regard, I wish to reiterate the point I made last year in this Hall that we must provide the United Nations with timely and adequate tools and resources to perform its work efficiently. With approximately 70,000 peacekeepers deployed worldwide, the United Nations needs tremendous resources to build and maintain peace. With hunger, famine and starvation prevalent in all corners of the world, notably in Africa, the United Nations task is simply enormous. With natural disasters that have proved to be as threatening as man-made ones — including here in the United States, where we have witnessed the plight and suffering of the victims of Hurricane Katrina — the United Nations role and involvement are increasingly called for. Certainly, the United Nations cannot accomplish all those tasks without sufficient resources. Member States need to pay their contribution in full and without delay. Voluntary contributions should also be increased and, where possible, not earmarked. While the work of the United Nations is obviously enormous and far-reaching, my delegation wishes to highlight specifically our concern over the incidence and severity of natural disasters and the extent to which they come to affect our lives. The Secretary-General’s report cites dramatic figures concerning the victims of natural disasters. During the period from April 2004 to April 2005, 246,000 people were killed by natural disasters and 157 million were injured, displaced or adversely affected. An estimated $100 billion-worth of property damage also occurred. That is an upward and quite discomforting trend. Having been hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami last December, Thailand fully understands the plight of the victims of these natural disasters and believes that more must be done to enhance preventive measures and to strengthen our efforts in disaster management, as well as in recovery, rehabilitation and development in the post-disaster phase. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) needs to be strengthened. United Nations agencies and programmes involved need to be coordinated so that they can respond more efficiently to natural disasters and avoid duplicating work and overlapping in the use of resources. In this regard, we are pleased to see that the summit outcome (resolution 60/1) urged support for the efforts of countries, and developing countries in particular, to strengthen their capacities at all levels in order to prepare for and respond rapidly to natural disasters and to mitigate their impact. We hope that this expression of support will be translated into concrete actions and measures at the national, regional and international levels. Likewise, we support improving the Central Emergency Revolving Fund and the use of emergency standby capacities, under the auspices of the United Nations, for a timely response to humanitarian emergencies. The year ahead of us will be an exciting one. Our leaders have asked us to try to reach agreement during this session of the General Assembly to conclude a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. While the matter has long been on the table, we are now working with a sense of urgency and commitment towards ridding the world of terrorist acts. My delegation anticipates that we can all put our differences behind us and work actively in a spirit of cooperation towards this common goal. My delegation also looks forward to further discussion during this session of the General Assembly on how to strengthen the work of the United Nations. Over the coming year, under the guidance of the President, my delegation hopes that we will be able to realize our many aspirations for institutional reform. The Peacebuilding Commission, when set up, will help to ensure effective peacebuilding and sustainable peace, and, over the long run, it will save tremendous costs in peacekeeping operations. The Human Rights Council, we hope, will address the problem of politicization that has long been embedded within the Commission on Human Rights. Last but not least, Secretariat and management reform will be instrumental in guiding all the work to be undertaken. We hope that Member States will work closely together with the Secretary-General and the management to see how we can give flexibility to the Secretary-General yet, at the same time, ensure that the views and concerns of Member States are fully taken into consideration. My delegation pledges to render the President our full cooperation and support.

Once again we have assembled to review and discuss the work done by the United Nations over the last year to attain the objectives of the Charter. In this regard, I want to express my appreciation for the efforts of the Secretary-General to provide us with a comprehensive report on the work of the Organization (A/60/1). Before continuing, allow me first to associate my delegation with the statement made by the Permanent Representative of Jamaica, who spoke on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The Secretary-General’s report comes after the historic High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly. One may be inclined to think that there is nothing important left to be said. But the report of the Secretary-General indicates otherwise. Therefore, the report deserves our full and careful consideration. Bearing that in mind, there are values that must not be compromised in any way. Our efforts to maintain international peace and security, to achieve international cooperation in solving global problems and to promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, without any distinctions, must remain high on the global agenda. The report makes it clear that there are many social, economic and political issues that should engage our attention as we move forward. Moreover, it is a timely reminder that there is a larger development agenda in need of our attention by making reference to the many important conferences and summits in the economic and social fields, the outcomes of which are yet to be fully implemented. Against this background, the outcomes of major United Nations conferences and summits must be faithfully carried out. Financing for development must flow to developing countries, whose exports must gain access to markets based on a universal, rule-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable international trading system. The best solution for the problem of debt affecting developing countries must be found. International cooperation through partnership on sustainable development must be enhanced. As the report notes, the frequency with which natural disasters are occurring and their increasingly devastating impact on nations is one area of concern that needs our serious attention. In this context, Indonesia wishes once again to express its gratitude for the unprecedented and unswerving support from the international community and United Nations specialized agencies in the aftermath of the tsunami last December. Indonesia looks forward to the Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, former President Bill Clinton, playing his essential role; he will maintain sustained global attention and cooperation in the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction of the affected areas. I would also like to express my delegation’s deepest sympathy on the plight and suffering of the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Moreover, Indonesia fully supports the implementation of agreements on global climate change, based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Without a doubt, stronger efforts must be made to encourage all countries to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. We share the concern that the disempowerment of women and discrimination against people living with HIV have led to social exclusion and have contributed to a worsening of the AIDS epidemic. It is therefore our common responsibility to address these unfortunate facts. We are deeply concerned that the target of providing three million people living with HIV/AIDS in developing and middle-income countries with life- prolonging antiretroviral treatment by the end of 2005 will, unfortunately, not be achieved. Extra efforts are urgently needed to further accelerate the achievement of the next target. In dealing with development, the report makes no mention of South-South cooperation. Because of its positive impact on the global development process, South-South cooperation as a complement to North- South cooperation deserves our continued support. On the subject of achieving peace and security, the report, predictably, identifies both progress and setbacks for the United Nations and the world in the year under review. In this regard, Indonesia’s foreign policy is always to promote peace. Wherever possible, we foster dialogue and reconciliation. In this same spirit of reconciliation, Indonesia and Timor-Leste, an important neighbouring State, have reached out to each other so that both nations may together bring about closure to a difficult episode in our shared history. Indonesia and Timor-Leste together have established a Truth and Friendship Commission, designed to expose the truth concerning the human rights violations committed prior to and immediately after the popular consultations in Timor-Leste in 1999. The Commission started working last August. We are convinced that this is the way to go because it not only seeks the truth, but also supports reconciliation in full conformity with the principles on which the bilateral relationship is being developed, namely, forward-looking and reconciliatory. A matter of particular interest to Indonesia is the report’s reference to the Indonesian province of Aceh. In it, the Secretary-General expresses the hope that the peace talks between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement will succeed. We are pleased to point out that the Government of Indonesia signed a final peace agreement with the Movement last month, which is now being implemented. Monitoring mechanisms that involve the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have been put in place. The decommissioning of the armed wing of the Free Aceh Movement has made significant progress, as has the withdrawal of non-organic Indonesian armed forces from the province, in accordance with the peace pact. Peace and development in Aceh are in fact the fruits of the reform and democratization that are pervading all of Indonesia. The report observes that, during the year, new challenges and threats heightened international concern about weapons of mass destruction, an uncanny presaging of the High-level Plenary Meeting outcome document, which speaks volumes about that subject by not saying a word. Months before, the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in May 2005 failed to reach agreement on any substantive issues, an unfortunate landmark which attracted the attention of the Secretary-General, who notes that a golden opportunity was lost to address the most pressing problems of both non-proliferation and disarmament more broadly. On that point, we are also reminded that the Conference on Disarmament and the Disarmament Commission lamentably remain deadlocked, a point that Member States must address speedily. Let me make one more point on peace and security, because it strongly represents a point in which we deeply believe. On the subject of terrorism, the Secretary-General cautions that no cause or belief justifies terror and indiscriminate violence against civilians. Calling for international cooperation to defeat terrorism, he stresses that this menace “is not the product of any particular religion or ideology, nor is it directed only at certain countries or people” (A/60/1, para. 3). That underlines the imperative of addressing the root causes of terrorism. We would recommend the use of interfaith dialogue and cooperation as one means of empowering moderates and as a useful tool to combat terrorism and promote understanding, tolerance and peace in general. With regard to the strengthening of the Organization, Indonesia looks forward to further discussions on all issues pertaining to management and Secretariat reform, in accordance with the relevant General Assembly resolution and within the appropriate committee. We fully recognize the need for greater transparency, accountability and efficiency, but hope that those changes will not affect the priorities of developing countries in different fields. Concerning the staff buy-out, Indonesia is of the view that more detailed information should be provided to justify such action and to indicate what the likely costs will be, and we hope that it will not create imbalances in geographical representation.

Let me begin by expressing my delegation’s appreciation to the Secretary-General for his comprehensive and incisive report on the work of the Organization, as contained in document A/60/1. My delegation wishes to associate itself with the statement made by the representative of Jamaica on behalf of the G-77 and China. Over the last two weeks, this Assembly has been engaged in the High-level Plenary Meeting and the general debate, and the world summit has adopted the outcome document. This is a momentous time that Member States should seize, and they should not lose momentum in bringing about the necessary reform of the United Nations. In that regard, I wish to underline Malaysia’s position that the reform of the United Nations system to enhance its effectiveness must also lead to the promotion and strengthening of multilateralism. As described by the Secretary-General in his report, this past year has witnessed both progress and setbacks for the Organization and the world in many areas, in particular in the fields of international peace and security, as well as in international economic cooperation and development. While we support adequate attention being given to issues related to international peace and security, we are particularly concerned that not much progress has been registered in the field of international economic cooperation and development. Malaysia feels strongly that special attention must be paid to efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. We are concerned about the fact that, at the current rate of progress, the Goals are expected to be realized only in 2147, rather than the initial target year of 2015. In our efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, we should continue to be mindful of the current as well as the emerging challenges facing us. Clearly, the biggest challenges facing the developing countries are poverty eradication and financing for development. There are over one billion people — one in every six people around the world — who live in extreme poverty, subsisting on less than $1 a day. The situation regarding financing for development is equally worrisome, if not critical. More than 30 years ago, the richest countries committed themselves to providing 0.7 per cent of their gross national income as official development assistance, particularly for the poorest countries. However, the amount given has amounted to a mere 0.25 per cent of the combined gross national income of countries that are members of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In that regard, Malaysia welcomes the adoption by the European Union of clear timelines for reaching the 0.7 per cent target. Apart from that, the international financial architecture should also be reformed. Eight years ago, East Asia was battered by a financial crisis, which in turn had transregional repercussions threatening the health of the global economy. A current issue that could also threaten to imperil the global economy, and which this Organization should address, is the prolonged and sustained increase in oil prices. That burden is disproportionately borne by developing countries and impoverishing them further. It is reprehensible that the poor are expected to absorb the cost of instabilities of production. The Secretary-General’s report elaborates on conflict situations in many parts of the world. In that regard, United Nations peacekeeping operations have continually proven to be an indispensable tool for the maintenance of peace and security, in the context of both inter-State and intra-State conflicts. The increase in the number of peacebuilding and peacekeeping missions in the past year has also placed greater strain on the Organization’s resources and its capacity to plan, deploy and manage those missions. My delegation would like to urge Member States to positively respond to the call for sustained political support and for an increase in their financial commitment to ensuring the success of those missions. Peacebuilding is another important component in the maintenance of international peace and security. We have seen all too clearly in the past that countries under stress or recovering from conflict have slid back into anarchy and failure. It is in that vein that Malaysia supports the establishment of the peacebuilding commission, which could play a pivotal role in assisting countries emerging from conflict in their economic development and institution of the rule of law. The peacebuilding commission to be formed should be under the aegis of this Assembly and deal with post-conflict situations. Nor should the United Nations not lose sight of one long-standing problem which has been confronting the Organization since its inception: the question of Palestine. Malaysia welcomes the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. But this should be part of the road map process and should be quickly followed by similar measures in the West Bank. Israel should also cease all settlement activities, including in and around Jerusalem, as well as the construction of the separation wall, which has been pronounced illegal by the International Court of Justice. The United Nations must remain engaged in efforts for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital. Malaysia condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purpose, as it constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. We have faced and fought terrorism in the past. We were successful in defeating the terrorist threat, not by the use of conventional military force alone, but also by winning the hearts and minds of the people. That is why Malaysia has been calling for an understanding of the root causes of terrorism so that we can address the issue more effectively. My delegation also distinguishes between acts of terrorism and the right of people fighting for self-determination, and holds that terrorism should not be associated with any particular race or religion. In our efforts to address the multiplicity of international security threats, we should be reminded that the norms and principles of international law should not be set aside. The larger membership of the Organization has a vital stake in ensuring that those efforts are undertaken in a collective spirit, ensuring the centrality of the multilateral process. Multilateralism is still the best option for dealing with the threats and challenges confronting the world today: ensuring peace and security in relations between nations, combating terrorism, protecting human rights and enforcing compliance with international law. One issue related to the peace and security agenda that was conspicuously missing from the summit outcome document is disarmament and non- proliferation. We are deeply concerned, following the failure of the May 2005 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to adopt a final consensus document, that the world summit also failed to adopt even a single paragraph on disarmament and non- proliferation. In this regard, the General Assembly needs to clearly signal to the wider public that this body is seized of this critical issue, as weapons of mass destruction pose the greatest threat to human existence. We must also bear in mind that we need to address issues of nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear technology — the three pillars of the NPT — in a balanced manner. The Assembly should also give greater attention to addressing the threat of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. The threats and challenges referred to in the Secretary-General’s report are numerous and multifaceted. The summit outcome document, although far from perfect, outlines the reforms that this Organization could undertake to meet those threats and challenges. In order to carry out the reform, we need to enhance the effective management of and modernize the Organization. It is important for Member States to bear in mind that, without adequate resources, the process will not succeed. The General Assembly, as the most representative body of the Organization, must be at the forefront of the reform process. It must continue to be empowered and reinvigorated so that it can play a substantive role. It must act as the main deliberative and policy-making body of the United Nations. In addition to calling for the reform of the General Assembly, the summit also called for the reform of the entire United Nations system. To that end, we need to be actively engaged in transparent, constructive consultations in working towards acceptable decisions on the establishment of the Human Rights Council and the Peacebuilding Commission, as well as on the reform of the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and the Secretariat. This is a momentous period for the United Nations. I would like to recall the words of the President, at the closing of the general debate a few days ago (see A/60/PV.23), that the coming days and weeks will determine whether the world summit goes down in history as a missed chance for the United Nations or as the start of the most substantial reform programme in the history of the Organization. My delegation hopes for the latter, and we fully support Mr. Eliasson in his effort to move the process forward.

The report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization (A/60/1), as well as the discussions that took place during the recent summit, show once again that humankind and our Organization are deeply concerned about a number of complex global problems. Can we explain the lack of significant progress in resolving such problems by any deficiency in the human intellect? Human beings have plumbed the mysteries of the world, resolved complex technical problems and created virtual worlds, yet people are continuing to die in the real world as a result of hunger, disease and violence. This is not so much a question of our level of knowledge — or even of the reform of the Organization — as of the spiritual State of humankind and its ability to enter a new stage of evolution. How can we talk about improvement if we can reconcile ourselves to such anachronistic phenomena as neo-slavery and human trafficking? We are convinced that such evils cannot be eradicated if there is still a lucrative market for them. We propose that a list be drawn up of the sources of that problem and of possible mechanisms to eliminate it. Until those who purchase human beings are brought to justice, any efforts to eliminate the problem will remain futile and will be seen by the victims of the slave trade as hypocritical. Robust action to counter all forms of human trafficking should be taken in the context of a global movement: a partnership, under the auspices of the United Nations, to combat slavery and trafficking in persons in the twenty-first century. We would like to commend a number of constructive initiatives, including the proposal made by the group of developing countries to enhance the coordinating role of the United Nations in conducting international research into alternative sources of energy. Belarus is prepared to join in the partnership initiated by the United States aimed at pooling international efforts for a rapid response in the event of an avian flu pandemic. Clearly, the right solution to global problems will require coordinated and — most important — voluntary efforts on the part of all States. Such consolidation is virtually impossible in a unipolar world order, with its one-sided concept of good and evil. Certain Western countries view the worsening conflicts in this era of globalization as a “clash of civilizations”, and they intend to eliminate the effects of processes that do not benefit them by establishing standard models of ideology and statehood. Countries that want to follow their own path of social development are subjected to harassment and labelling, and are proclaimed to be “rogue States”. We are convinced that it will do no good to disregard the diversity of approaches to progressive development by imposing another’s will on peoples that have chosen their own path of peaceful development based on historical, social and cultural values and traditions. We regret the politicization of many United Nations activities, in particular in the area of human rights. The Commission on Human Rights is becoming an instrument to exert political pressure on sovereign States through the manipulation of the human rights agenda. The practice of adopting country resolutions has proven to be ineffective. It sows hatred and distrust among countries and impedes open and constructive cooperation. The new human rights body should accord priority attention to global thematic human rights issues in the context of combating poverty, racist and nationalist movements and terrorism. The reform of the human rights organs should be based on the principle of transparency, non-selectivity, and the sovereign equality of all States Members of the United Nations. The creation of a human rights council as a kind of select club will therefore merely increase the use of double or arbitrary standards against States that are in the wrong. It will not help to protect human rights by strengthening cooperation in national efforts, but will simply become a forum for settling accounts with countries that have the temerity to conduct their own independent external policies. The tendency to mainstream Western standards is becoming clear. The report of Mr. Sach’s Task Force contains politicized recommendations, inter alia, about the inadvisability of providing technical assistance to unworthy countries. We believe it important to emphasize the need to maintain generally recognized principles in the United Nations operational activities for development in order to strengthen partnership and mutual trust with the developing countries. Belarus views this past year as an extremely intense phase of the Organization’s work. If all of our expectations of attaining our goals have not been met, we must do even more to further coordinate our efforts to find new mechanisms for resolving strategic problems. The best and only forum for such work remains the United Nations.

I would like to assure the full support of our delegation to the presidency in its endeavours to tackle the follow-up and implementation of the 2005 outcome document approved recently by our heads of State and Government. The report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization predates the summit and, in a sense, the outcome document is a comment on the report, and the statements of our heads of State and Government and foreign ministers constitute comments on the outcome document. To restrict comments to the report would therefore be an exercise in futility, a putting-back of the clock. I would therefore briefly make some general observations on how we see our continuing work. In the first place, one of the lessons of the process leading to the outcome document is the need for a transparent, open-ended process in which the broadest possible agreement is sought through open debate. One of the examples of such an agreement that, unfortunately, does not find a place in the outcome document concerns trade and other important aspects of development. One cannot long continue to square the circle. One cannot go on talking of the cancellation of debts, but restrict it to money from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and include recycled aid and debt; of growth without raising investment and savings rates through meeting official development assistance targets and using innovative sources of financing; of foreign direct investment where even physical infrastructure does not exist and public sector investment is required; of sustainable development without the transfer of resources or environmentally friendly technology; of the development dimension of the Doha Round without the principle of special and differential treatment; or of achieving the Millennium Development Goals without achieving Goal 8. There was broad agreement between the G-77 and the European Union on giving a clear political direction to the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in December. That remains a vital necessity. That the United Nations has to give such direction and that such direction is heeded is shown by the impact of the outcome document on the Fund and Bank. The Development Committee of the IMF and World Bank, in its latest communiqué of 25 September, refers to the document in urging developed countries to make concrete efforts to fulfil the 0.7 per cent official development assistance target and also considers “enhancing the voice of the developing and transition countries in our institutions to be of vital importance”. It promises to build political consensus in the context of the IMF quota review. Similarly, it is vital that monitoring the progress made in the implementation of Millennium Development Goal 8 by developed countries become an integral part of the monitoring of the Goals as a whole. Therefore, country-level reports by developed countries with regard to progress on commitments to developing countries remain important. India has an extensive bilateral programme of economic and scientific cooperation with Africa through grants and credits that also encompass the vital areas of infrastructure and public health. We would welcome, through the United Nations system, the mobilization of greater resources and coalitions of the willing not to wage war, but to come together in joint initiatives in the areas of agriculture — especially dry- land farming — water management and public health. Similar efforts, taking special needs into account, would be required in the case of the least developed countries, the land-locked developing countries and the implementation of the Mauritius strategy for the small island developing States. The outcome document has given an impulse to the development of a strong counter-terrorism agenda. The Secretary-General’s address to the International Summit on Democracy, Terrorism and Security in Madrid this year remains relevant. The question of defining an offence is a matter of precisely legal language and is already reflected in the text of the draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism being considered by the Sixth Committee. The objective here is a criminal law instrument that would facilitate judicial cooperation, mutual assistance and extradition. The General Assembly has to deal with that issue or else the Security Council will continue to do so. Either the General Assembly will have to adopt a multilateral negotiated document or leave the Security Council to continue to deal with it in a partial, piecemeal manner governed by the political imperatives of the moment. We are near a compromise solution that would enable agreement on the important article 18 of the convention. The General Assembly has the central role in codifying international law. As Jennings said, we should not fall prey to “flights of erroneous fancy from the Nuremberg tribunal” and believe thereby that “we are developing international law”. The facts speak for themselves. It is precisely the debate on Security Council reform that gave synergy to the process of reform. The omissions on development and the lack of sufficient progress on Security Council reform led to some of the energy and colour being drained from the discussion of institutional reform and what followed. The reason is obvious. For any satisfactory progress to be achieved, one has to address the question of the distribution of economic power — that is, development — and equally of political power of which, in the United Nations, the Security Council is the locus. We look forward to working together on the peacebuilding commission, the human rights council and reform of the Secretariat. In a post-conflict settlement in which the party defeated could not be considered to be an imminent threat to peace and security, the Security Council has, following resolution 687 (1991), imposed de facto treaty obligations on States without their consent. Therefore, if we are not to repeat history, whether it be in the human rights council or, in this particular context, the peacebuilding commission, we will have to decide with a sense of history the questions of who sets up the body and to whom it reports, since those are quite obviously not simple or innocent questions. To overcome the marginalization of the developing countries, their empowerment through reform of the Security Council remains imperative. We would continue to work with like-minded and other countries to reach the broadest possible agreement on an expansion of the permanent and non-permanent categories, to respect deadlines, and to bring the reform process to an early and successful conclusion. There has been considerable progress in implementing reforms in the Secretariat. Insofar as review of mandates is concerned, this is clearly a legislative prerogative which we hope the relevant intergovernmental bodies will complete expeditiously. We look forward to proposals from the Secretary- General on ethics and accountability, on which I understand he has taken action, as well as on the strengthening of the capacity and independence of the oversight structures of the Organization. What is required is not simply to fill a breach with new structures and posts, but systems and sustained managerial attention to their enforcement. The Capital Master Plan for United Nations Headquarters in New York is an issue that has, sadly enough, been mired in what the Secretary-General terms political and financial dynamics. This has adversely affected the issues of both financing and swing space. We await a comprehensive report from the Secretary-General during the current General Assembly session in order urgently to take the required decisions on this issue.

I wish to express the appreciation of the delegation of Nigeria to Secretary- General Kofi Annan for his report on the work of the Organization, contained in document A/60/1. The report highlights some of the challenges confronting the international community. These include conflict prevention and resolution, terrorism, natural disasters, disease control, disarmament and arms control, poverty and sustainable development. The report, which reviews constructive and enduring solutions to fundamental global problems, also offers recommendations and highlights the complexity of the tasks confronting humanity. It is in this context that Nigeria views with concern the persistence of conflicts in many regions of the world. We therefore commend the efforts of the United Nations, through the Security Council, for the maintenance of international peace and security. While the United Nations has achieved some measure of success, we still need to do more to usher in durable peace and stability in conflict- ravaged areas. Nigeria also commends the efforts of the Secretary-General in his continued use of preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peacebuilding, as well as of special envoys, in the maintenance of international peace and security. Here, to some extent, we have been able to achieve the targets set in the Millennium Declaration, despite the rather discouraging surge in the global demand for peacekeeping operations. We note with satisfaction that regional organizations have become essential partners of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security through the establishment of institutional cooperation for conflict prevention, management and resolution. In this connection, we commend the successful sixth high-level meeting between the United Nations and regional organizations held in New York in July 2005, and urge that such meetings continue. We commend the effective cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Intergovernmental Authority of Development (IGAD) in peacekeeping, peacemaking and preventive diplomacy, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire and the Darfur region in the Sudan. As the world continues to suffer devastating consequences of terrorist acts, Nigeria reaffirms its condemnation of international terrorism. We pledge our cooperation with other members of the international community, through bilateral and multilateral efforts, to combat this menace in all its forms. We support the Secretary-General’s five-point strategy to combat terrorism set out at the International Summit on Democracy, Terrorism and Security, which was held in Madrid in March 2005. We look forward to the international community’s conclusion of a comprehensive convention against terrorism. The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons continues to be of serious concern to the international community, and particularly to developing countries, since it contributes to conflicts and political instability. The excessive accumulation and easy availability of small arms and light weapons hinders peacebuilding and threatens human security. We are disappointed at reported cases of non-compliance with nuclear non- proliferation commitments and an ambivalent commitment to disarmament. We therefore encourage early revitalization of multilateral instruments to prevent proliferation and promote disarmament. The HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to pose grave challenges to our development efforts. We appreciate the efforts of the United Nations and the contributions of the international community in combating this scourge, particularly in Africa. We note the assistance of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoys for HIV/AIDS in promoting key issues and advocating an expanded response to HIV/AIDS, especially in Africa. Nigeria notes the deliberations and decisions taken by our leaders very recently on the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It has always been our view that the MDGs must be pursued as part of a larger development agenda that encompasses addressing the needs of all developing countries, as well as seeking to reduce poverty and inequality. We endorse the recommendation that social integration and issues that require long-term approaches must be addressed equally. These include the differential impact of globalization and increasing the participation of developing countries in global economic governance. Nigeria reaffirms its support for the priority accorded by the United Nations to the special needs of Africa and notes with satisfaction that recognition was given to this subject in the outcome document. For too long, Africa has remained the backwater of development. But with the ascendancy of a new crop of leaders committed to the fundamental transformation of African societies, we are confident that the social and economic circumstances of African peoples will be progressively improved. Our sense of optimism is buoyed by the continuing efforts of the United Nations to facilitate the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), as well as specific measures taken or contemplated by our development partners. Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to General Assembly resolution 58/295, which outlined specific measures to strengthen the security and safety of the United Nations system, including field security arrangements at all duty stations worldwide. We consider measures to unify the separate security structures into the Department of Safety and Security as well placed. We have noted the implementation of the various reform proposals, as contained in the Secretary- General’s 2002 report entitled “Strengthening the United Nations: an agenda for further change” (A/57/387). Some of the positive effects of these reforms include a revised programme budget for 2004- 2005; shorter, more efficient cycle planning and budgeting for the biennium 2006-2007, a reduction in the quantity of reports and meetings and greater integration of human rights elements into the work of United Nations country teams. We support the Secretary-General’s proposals to strengthen Secretariat capacity through the improved performance of senior management and by enhancing oversight, accountability and transparency; we hope that this will be sustained. We recall that our heads of State or Government, at the end of the High-level Plenary Meeting, expressed similar expectations. The Nigerian delegation, therefore, is ready to engage in discussions with Member State delegations, with a view to elaborating the various reform initiatives. It is essential in this regard that the requested reports be submitted to the General Assembly early, through the normal process, so as to enable us to build on the momentum generated by the High-level Plenary Meeting. The United Nations Charter and other sources of international law have established the framework under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties can be maintained. Our affirmation of respect for the Charter and international law should be reflected in our actions and in a commitment to multilateralism. We note that the rule of law is becoming more widely accepted and that States are increasingly employing treaties to regulate their relations. In conclusion, Nigeria again commends the Secretary-General for his leadership, vision and example in strengthening the effectiveness of the Organization. We have no doubt that the implementation of the various initiatives he proposed, and which were adopted at the summit, will help to transform the United Nations into the Organization of our dreams, reinforce trust and confidence in its efficiency, and facilitate the attainment of the lofty goals reflected in its Charter and restated in the outcome document. In that pursuit, I wish to pledge Nigeria’s continued cooperation.

On behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand, I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report (A/60/1). As he notes, the past year has seen both progress and setbacks for the international community. The 2005 World Summit Outcome (resolution 60/1) reflects that reality, and provides a starting point from which we must build in order to ensure that the sixtieth anniversary is truly a year of reform. We are pleased with many of the achievements that the 2005 World Summit Outcome represents, including the reaffirmation of core values and principles, cooperation to address global health threats, the reaffirmation of the Monterrey Consensus and strong commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. We are pleased that the development outcomes recognize the need for good governance and anti-corruption measures in developing countries and the crucial role of trade liberalization in stimulating sustainable development. We are heartened by progress towards the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission and the decision to create a new Human Rights Council, which constitute major institutional reforms in their own right. And we are particularly pleased that the membership was able to agree on strong language on the responsibility to protect, which articulates for the first time universal acceptance of our collective responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. While the achievements are significant, the omissions are also striking. We particularly regret the complete absence of agreed text in the areas of disarmament and non-proliferation and on the International Criminal Court, and the weak language on women’s human rights and equality. We are also disappointed that States were unable to agree upon a stronger political declaration on terrorism. Canada, Australia and New Zealand strongly support summit progress on administrative and management reform. We urge the Secretary-General to shoulder his responsibility and make proposals during the sixtieth session — indeed, this autumn — on the key issues identified for action, notably, review of United Nations human resources and financial policies and regulations, the review of long-term mandates and measures to enhance ethical conduct and strengthen independent oversight and accountability. Taken together, that package can modernize what we do and how we do it, while bolstering the credibility of the Organization and public confidence in it. In the weeks ahead, we must all work together to ensure that the positive momentum of the summit is not lost, but is rather harnessed in support of implementation. In that regard, it is particularly important that we move quickly to finalize the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission, so that it can commence its work no later than 1 January 2006, as mandated by our leaders. Similarly, we encourage the President of the General Assembly to move quickly to launch a process that will lead to the establishment of an effective and credible Human Rights Council, one that provides for the specific input and participation of civil society groups. We believe work on those major institutional innovations and other summit initiatives can and should proceed in parallel, so that no initiative is advanced at the cost of another. As we move forward, Canada, Australia and New Zealand believe that it is essential that the agreements outlined in the outcome document serve as the foundation for our work, and that attempts to reopen or renegotiate core summit decisions be rejected. Australia, New Zealand and Canada look forward to working with all members to ensure that we realize the aspirations embodied in the summit outcome document.

Allow me to commend Mr. Jan Eliasson on the way in which he is conducting our work. I would like to assure him of the full cooperation of the Haitian delegation. I also wish to thank Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his report on the work of the Organization (A/60/1). Once again, I pay tribute to his tireless efforts and his resolute commitment to work to build a fairer world. In that regard, we associate ourselves with the statement made earlier today by Jamaica on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The comprehensive report of the Secretary- General is fully in line with the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the promotion of sustained economic growth and sustainable development. It appraises the progress made in the areas of development, security, human rights and United Nations reform. In the area of the maintenance of peace and security, certain significant progress has been made, particularly in Africa, in the Middle East and in Asia. The United Nations must pursue its efforts in order to resolve other conflicts in various parts of the world. In that regard, I would like to pay tribute to the very important work done by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), which, together with the Haitian National Police, is striving to create a secure and stable environment in the country. Those efforts will make it possible for the constitutional and political process to move forward. Despite certain isolated acts on the part of armed groups, the security situation in my country has gradually improved. Preparations are under way for the holding of presidential and legislative elections by the end of 2005. The Transitional Government will do its utmost, with the assistance of the international community and MINUSTAH, to ensure that the elections take place with full transparency and in the best possible security conditions. On 7 February 2006 a democratically elected Government will be invested with full powers. Haiti will continue to rely on the support of the international community in order to strengthen its democratic institutions, because it has been precisely our shortcomings in that area that has cost us so much disruption in recent decades. How can we live free from fear if the threat of terrorism is always with us? We must pool our efforts to find the best strategies to enable us to tackle and defeat that scourge. The unspeakable terrorist acts perpetrated in many places around the world this year have highlighted the serious nature of the scourge for the whole international community. In the area of disarmament, concern persists in the international community. The 2005 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, held in May, failed to reach substantive agreement. It would be disastrous for the international community if terrorist organizations were to possess weapons of mass destruction. Therefore it is essential to revitalize the multilateral instruments designed to promote disarmament and prevent nuclear proliferation. Poverty, hunger, preventable and curable diseases, illiteracy, drugs and natural disasters are other threats and challenges facing today’s world. The international community must further commit itself to a tireless struggle to achieve a safer, freer and fairer world, marked by genuine solidarity. On 16 September, in the 2005 World Summit Outcome (resolution 60/1), our leaders reaffirmed the Millennium Declaration adopted on the threshold of the twenty-first century. Five years after the Millennium Declaration of 2000, they reviewed progress made in implementing the Millennium Development Goals. The finding was that one of the major and most pressing goals set for 2015, the reduction of extreme poverty, would not be achieved without major readjustments. The reduction of extreme poverty is a shared responsibility. On the one hand, the developing countries must draft national strategies aimed at achieving the targets set out in the Millennium Development Goals. On the other hand, the developed countries must honour their commitments. They promised to increase official development assistance to 0.7 per cent of their GDP by 2015. In July 2005 during the G-8 summit, the wealthy countries promised to increase their annual assistance by 50 thousand million dollars by 2010. My delegation welcomes the commitment made recently at London by the G-8 to cancel the multilateral debt of the 18 most indebted countries. Likewise, we appeal to the wealthy countries to consider establishing a moratorium on the debt of several very poor countries that were not included on that initial list, such as my country. These countries urgently need to reduce pressure on their budgets, which are financed from meagre resources. The burden of servicing debt and the payment of arrears have a suffocating effect on the economies of developing countries. They prevent the financing of public development projects and programmes, especially social programmes. A moratorium would allow the reduction of unemployment, calm the situation and decrease social tension. There should also be an open, predictable and non-discriminatory financial and trade system. The establishment of strategies that guarantee decent labour conditions, provide for access to inexpensive medicines and spread new information and communication technologies are also needed. A true global partnership would help the developing countries and promote development at the global level. Our countries would benefit from world growth resulting from a spirit of fair trade where the advances of some are not made at the expense of others. The result would be more stable economic growth, better capable of supporting development. There can be no development without security and respect for human rights. The Secretary-General understood this well in his report entitled “In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all” (A/59/2005). Haiti wishes to reiterate its commitment to our Organization’s ideals and principles, to universality and to the goals of peace and development through international cooperation. Haiti shares the Millennium Development Goals. Since the beginning of the political transition now under way, the Government of Haiti has been working hand in hand with the international community for the establishment of the rule of law, a prerequisite for socio-economic development. The role played by a renewed and strengthened United Nations is indispensable. The Security Council must reflect the international reality of the twenty-first century by including Member States capable of assuming peacekeeping responsibilities. The developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean must be represented there with permanent seats. Today’s reality and the multiple limits of our world require the Security Council to open its membership to others. Unilateral policies no longer have a reason to exist. Nonetheless, the debate concerning expansion of the Council must not take precedence over other important issues concerning reform of the United Nations as a whole, namely the reform of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council and the creation of a Human Rights Council as a central body and the Peacebuilding Commission. At the time of its sixtieth anniversary, the United Nations must play an indispensable role in accordance with the Charter in peacekeeping, international security and the settlement of conflicts and, above all, serve the goal of sustainable development, the other name for peace.