S/PV.3287 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Australia, Cambodia and Thailand in which they request to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council’s agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the discussion without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided. His Royal Highness Sdech Krom Luong Norodom Ranariddh, First Prime Minister of the Government of Cambodia, and Mr. Hun Sen, Second Prime Minister of the Government of Cambodia, were escorted into the Council Chamber and took places at the Council table.

On behalf of the Security Council, I should like to express a warm welcome to the First Prime Minister of the Government of Cambodia, His Royal Highness Sdech Krom Luong Norodom Ranariddh, and to the Second Prime Minister of the Government of Cambodia, His Excellency Mr. Hun Sen. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Butler (Australia) and Mr. Soonsiri (Thailand) took the places reserved for them at the side of the Council Chamber.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them the further report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Security Council resolution 745 (1992); that report is contained in document S/26529. Members of the Council also have before them document S/26517, which contains the text of a letter dated 30 September 1993 from the Permanent Representatives of China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting the text of the statement issued on 30 September 1993 by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the five permanent members of the Security Council following a meeting with the Secretary-General. The first name inscribed on the list of speakers is that of the First Prime Minister of the Government of Cambodia, His Royal Highness Sdech Krom Luong Norodom Ranariddh. I invite him to make his statement. Prince NORODOM RANARIDDH (Cambodia) (interpretation from French): It is a great pleasure for me to be invited to address this meeting as First Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia, along with His Excellency Mr. Hun Sen, Second Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia. Let me begin by expressing, on behalf of the Cambodian people, on behalf of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk and on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, our deepest and eternal gratitude for everything the international community, through the agency of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), has done for the Cambodian people in bringing to a successful end - I might even say a historically successful end - 23 years of war, suffering and factional upheaval. We should like to take this unique opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to all the Members of the United Nations, but especially to those who so generously sent either military contingents or civilian personnel to serve in UNTAC, an operation wisely and competently led by the United Nations Special Representative, Mr. Yasushi Akashi, to whom we should like to pay here a public tribute. So we would like to express our gratitude to those countries that were good enough to send their members to save Cambodia, but also to restore peace and honour with independence, and to help us regain our territorial integrity and our sovereignty. I would not want to fail to take advantage of this opportunity to pay a final tribute to all those who lost their lives, who sacrificed their lives, for the cause of peace and democracy. I spoke a moment ago about the success of the United Nations. Allow me to call attention to what I believe are three essential elements of that success, while elsewhere the United Nations - despite very laudable efforts - is still encountering difficulties. The first element is the commitment of the international community. People usually say that this operation was the most costly. That is true, but this most costly operation is but the expression of the compassion of the international community for the people of Cambodia. And today those people are paying a tribute to them. It is not necessary to say anything more with regard to this first essential element. The contingents - 20,000 men - and matériel, but more than that - the will of the international community to save Cambodia - these were the important things. Nor should we forget that the United Nations chose the best of its best. The second element of the success it seems to me is even more important, namely the will of the Cambodians to work together with the United Nations. I think this is an essential element, one which deserves to be thought about deeply. This cooperation - I would even call it collaboration - took on several forms. First, people have talked about the massive, record participation: 90 per cent. It was I think, unique, and by that high percentage the Cambodian people have shown that they fully understood the importance of the elections organized and supervised by the United Nations. The Cambodian people were able to overcome all obstacles and meet every threat. Nobody will gainsay me on this particular point. There were death threats first of all by a group called the Khmer Rouge, for example. So massive participation was a just assessment for those elections. Collaboration and cooperation of an entire people; a necessary element. But there were also collaboration and cooperation on the part of our Head of State, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, without whom this success could not have been possible. The Head of State, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, always gave his full support to Mr. Yasushi Akashi, the leader of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). He also succeeded in overcoming all the obstacles within the Supreme National Council of Cambodia. That is the second element of collaboration: that of the people, that of the Head of State, but also that of the political parties. The Cambodian political parties are represented here by the Cambodian People’s Party, the Front Uni National pour un Cambodge Indépendant, Neutre, Pacifique et Coopératif (FUNCINPEC) Party, the Liberal Party. You say, "But then there are the Khmer Rouge". But the Khmer Rouge participated in their own way - not always the best way. Mr. Akashi knew something about that. So did the representatives of the Five. Often Mr. Khieu Samphan was more artistic than Ranariddh in the National Supreme Council. Fine! But the collaboration of the political parties was essential. That is the second important element that may be lacking for some United Nations operations. Finally, a third element for success, namely the will of the Cambodian parties to seek reconciliation. That is the third important element. Without in any way underestimating the United Nations operation itself, the third element is also very important. For example, after the elections, which were hailed by the international community, then endorsed, I believe, on 15 June by the Security Council, some problems did remain, even serious problems, among the Cambodian parties themselves, but once again, thanks to the Head of State and to the will of the two major parties to become reconciled - why not say so? - they saved Cambodia. That is the last element which ensured that the United Nations operation, mandated by the Paris Agreements of 23 October 1990, was hailed as the most successful operation ever undertaken by the United Nations in a country which had suffered a long conflict - even more than that, I was even going to say genocide. There you have it. Nor could I fail to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to the Security Council, which always knew how to adopt wise and moderate resolutions. On several occasions they faced problems created by various parties, at one time it was the Party of Democratic Kampuchea, but the Security Council always knew how to react firmly but wisely. It was almost what one might call an iron fist in a velvet glove. The three elements for success I have dealt with. The second point I should like to make - and the Council is perhaps expecting me to deal with it - is: What is going on now and what will happen in the future? Members of the Council know that after these elections a provisional national administration was formed with two co-Prime Ministers. That is an original formula. It is not exactly a canonical solution in terms of classic liberal democracy. As a professor of constitutional law I might have to answer to my students about this structure, which is rather unusual but conforming - if one wished to conform - to principles. One might say something about peace and national reconciliation. This is the solution that my suzerain, the Head of State, has chosen, and this is the rather unusual solution that the major parties have adopted. One might say that Cambodians never do things the way everybody else does; I must say, though, that it is not everybody that has Prince Sihanouk as Head of State either. Why is it that after the elections the international community was worried - and it was worried, moreover, before the elections too? Because the Khmer Rouge were not taking part in them. The Khmer Rouge boycotted, threatened - but the elections passed off just the same, successfully, with the massive, record turnout that we saw. But after the elections, that was not the end of the story. Far from it! Would we have the two-thirds majority needed to adopt the new constitution? And once the new constitution was adopted, what would happen with the transfer of powers? I know that the famous "Prime Five" - and they are famous - got together, agreed, and thought up scenarios - the worst possible scenarios, of course - for the transfer of power. The two-headed government, as the Khmer Rouge called it - and I should tell you that meanwhile the Khmer Rouge continued to accuse us of being "puppets", saying that we had one old puppet and one new one - but they continued to insist on being advisers to the government, which is to say that they continued to insist on being advisers to puppets, which does not exactly make much sense, particularly Cartesian sense, even though Mr. Pol Pot was a graduate of the Sorbonne. I do beg pardon if my statement seems rather disjointed; the thing is that Mr. Akashi managed to persuade me to appear before the Council only as recently as 12.10 this afternoon, so I have not had the time, not even an hour, to prepare. So, the two-headed government made it possible for the work of the Constituent Assembly to take place in conditions of near normalcy; it managed to meet, and elected the 12 members of the Constitutional Commission, who drafted a constitution, of the constitutional monarchy type, but extremely democratic in nature. That constitution was adopted without difficulty - not unanimously, but with 113 votes in favour - and unanimity would be even better then a very large majority, would it not? After that, a king was elected; you know who he is: the New York Times or the Washington Post published on its front page two photographs of my suzerain, King Sihanouk, sitting in the same chair - the caption was that it was the same chair, and also the same man, and that the only difference was age. Once a Head of State, a King, had been elected, he, knowing that we were to take part in the General Assembly hurried, in accordance with articles XIII and XIV of the Constitution, on the proposal of the President of the National Assembly and the two Vice-Presidents, to appoint the Prime Ministers of His Majesty’s Government. These are the first and the second Prime Ministers - rather a difficult notion. Here again, we have not exactly done like everybody else, but what matter: here we are before you, and we understand each other very well. This, more than anything, is the key to success, that is to say, the key to peace and stability in Cambodia. The new, definitive cabinet will be formed; I shall not waste your time by talking to you about the Constitution, but I should like to reassure the purists in matters of constitutional law - and I myself teach constitutional law - that the new Constitution does say that once the transition period is over, there will be only one Prime Minister, so please be reassured. The ministerial portfolios have already been distributed between the two or three parties; we shall hurry back to Cambodia in order to appoint the ministers. The fact remains that a government has arisen out of 23 years of war, of unspeakable suffering, in order to govern the country - not to govern it alone but to govern it with the assistance of the international community. So, what are the problems that Cambodia will or must face? This is the third point I wish to make in my statement here today. The first of these rather extraordinary problems is the problem of internal security, and here there are two kinds of security problem involved. First there is the security problem resulting from the presence of armed men, of armed bands; because, whether we like it or not, the United Nations operation has not succeeded in disarming and demobilizing those famous "at least 70 per cent", because it wasted its time in fighting over whether to put "70 per cent" - and I beg the Americans to excuse me here - and the Americans said we must add the words "at least", and then there were those who wanted them all disarmed. We are far from achieving that, and this is the situation we inherited. Then there is also the security problem of that group called the Khmer Rouge. Let us no longer call it, please, the part of Democratic Kampuchea. That Party exists only in so far as the Agreements of 23 October apply, that is, if there is a Supreme National Council. The day there is a new assembly, a new Head of State, and, first and foremost, a new government formed in conformity with those Accords, the Cambodian Supreme National Council ceases to exist. Therefore, we should no longer speak of a "part". Moreover, the old parts have merged within the framework of a National Assembly and a Royal Government, with a royal administration and royal armed forces. What remains to be attended to is the matter of the Khmer Rouge, which we call a "group". Where do we stand? First, as I had the honour to say in my speech yesterday, the position of the Royal Government is very clear: "We are prepared to welcome the Khmer Rouge into the royal armed forces of Cambodia." (A/48/PV.15) We are prepared to accept them into our Government, as advisers. But in return we are entitled, as the legal, legitimate representatives of the Cambodian people, to ask them, first of all, to recognize the Constitution - which they have done - and to recognize His Majesty the King - which they did as well; but they must also recognize the Royal Government whose Prime Ministers were appointed by His Majesty the King in keeping with the new Constitution. That is not very much to ask. We would like to take this opportunity to thank and express all our gratitude to all the friendly Governments that have recognized de jure the Royal Government of Cambodia as the governmental structure which is the sole legitimate representative of Cambodia. Secondly - and these are not preconditions - the Khmer Rouge group, like the three former Cambodian groups, must dismantle its army and its administration, in order to merge into a single national royal army and a single national royal administration. This request seems to us to be reasonable and legitimate. Why would they not do as the others did? We would also like the Khmer Rouge group to open up its autonomous zone. The Cambodian Constitution makes it clear that the national territory is indivisible. The Khmer Rouge has recognized that Constitution, and it must apply one of its fundamental provisions. Again, it is a completely reasonable request. How to resolve all these problems? We are awaiting the response of Mr. Samphan. Allow me to tell the Council that before I came here, Mr. Khieu Samphan sent us a letter in which he continues to speak of Vietnamese forces and of entente: "Vietnamese forces" and "entente" which continue to attack the patriotic Khmer Rouge forces. And do not think that by "entente" he means us; this is not the Hun Sen-Ranariddh entente. By "entente" he means to designate the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Japan, Australia - this is the "entente" that would, with Vietnam, destroy the patriotic forces. Not long ago, the "entente" was led by Mr. Yasushi Akashi and General Sanderson. We hope that when the round table takes place - which will be in a month, I believe, in November - His Majesty the King, in his wisdom and magnaminity, will succeed in resolving this problem, because we need national reconciliation. We need peace, after 23 years of war and suffering. Now we have to rebuild and reconstruct Cambodia, which is in ruins. On the subject of this round table, I wish to make a clarification: it will not be a party-to-party discussion. Let there be no mistake about this point. There will be no discussion among parties. It is a meeting, presided over by the King, among the legal representatives and a group. That group must decide very quickly whether it would like to remain within the international community, within the sphere of legality, or outside legality. That is our position on this famous problem. It remains only to speak of national reconstruction and rehabilitation. May we be allowed to take this unique opportunity to express to the international community, and especially to France and Japan, our gratitude for having been good enough to organize - with well-known success - two conferences, one in Tokyo and the other recently in Paris, on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Cambodia. I come to the conclusion, as follows. Some Members of the United Nations, in light of the problem this Organization is encountering at this time, would like us to rest on the laurels of an outstanding success. It is true that the United Nations operation in Cambodia has been an outstanding success. One does not want to have a sequel, such as Rambo I or Rambo II: one Rambo was enough. The first one was good, but usually the sequel is not as good as the first one. I agree. Cambodia agrees, that the mandate of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), which stems from the 23 October agreements, has been completed with the greatest success. Once again, I would like to pay it a tribute here. It has been completed. None the less, I should like to draw the attention of the Council to the fact that the peace Agreements contain four important parts. The third deals with guarantees given by the international community, through the United Nations, with regard to matters including the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and internal security of Cambodia. The international community has an obligation under these Agreements. I have said that Cambodia has too few resources to guarantee its own security. As Cambodia has been devastated, it must devote all the resources compassionately given by friendly countries to economic, social and other types of rehabilitation. Thus there is an obligation on the part of the international community. My next point concerns the fourth part of the Paris Agreements, which refers to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Cambodia. Bearing in mind these two essential parts, would it not be reasonable - after the expenditure of so much money, after so many efforts have been made, and after so many lives have been sacrificed in a good cause - to have a small United Nations presence in Cambodia, not to continue the peace-keeping operation for which UNTAC was given a mandate in the Agreements of 23 October, but to increase the confidence that the Cambodian people need, because there is still not complete security in Cambodia? Mr. Hun Sen and I are determined to strengthen national reconciliation. Mr. Akashi would confirm that no one hearing the speeches made by me and by Mr. Hun Sen during the election campaign could have believed that such reconciliation was possible. But it is possible. No one is required to do the impossible. But the Cambodian people made it possible, and they must be helped. We Cambodians are determined to rebuild our country together, while maintaining internal peace, social peace and securing international guarantees of our independence and security. That is what we are determined to do. But a small United Nations presence, following its massive presence, would help to strengthen the confidence that already exists. I apologize to my Chinese friends here when I say that if one is Chinese one does not invest $2 billion and then try to save $30 million. What is needed is a small presence. I have not come here to beg. Mr. Hun Sen and I have already decided that if our request is too much for the Organization we shall do without. But this small presence is the first matter for consideration. I should like to refer now to an operation that must continue, no matter what the cost. I refer to de-mining - a job that will take 5, 10 or 20 years. Millions of mines have been planted everywhere. We must look to the safety of present and future generations of Cambodians. We need people to cultivate the fields again - thousands of hectares. The de-mining cannot be done without the presence and assistance of the international community. Here, we should like to acknowledge the help of friendly countries that have been especially concerned about the question of de-mining. We must also consider human rights. In this context, I must refer to the recent past - yes, the recent past. We ask simply for a United Nations presence in the shape of a permanent Centre for Human Rights. Human rights of all types are set out clearly in Cambodia’s new Constitution. My next point concerns national reconstruction. Mr. Hun Sen and I, as Prime Ministers of the Royal Government of Cambodia, would prefer to keep the International Committee on the Reconstruction of Cambodia, rather than have another coordinating body established. The International Committee could meet regularly to assess the assistance promised by our friends. Many promises have been made: some $800 million in Tokyo and $123 million in Paris. There must be a coordinating body, a United Nations programme for Cambodia, perhaps. There must be a United Nations presence. In addition to the bodies I have mentioned there is the United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). I have raised the question of our cultural heritage. I hope that this body will consider the problems of vandalism and the theft and sale of Cambodian works of art. The efforts of UNESCO and of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are very necessary. My final, and most thorny, point concerns the military observers. As this matter gives rise to so many difficulties, I shall give the Council some information. First, it was His Majesty the King - at that time still Head of State - who, together with his Excellency the Special Representative, thought it would be advisable to have a small presence of observers; if members prefer and if it would be reassuring, one could call them liaison officers. Their role would be primarily psychological. But in any case their presence must have a time-limit: six months, or maybe a little longer; it is up to the Security Council to decide that. As for how many, we have said 20, but one could say 20, 30, 35 or 50. As for the mandate, the mission of the observers: observers are simply observers. They cannot take any action or participate in any operation; they can only observe. Those are some of the points we should like to clarify, but again, if this matter is problematic for the Security Council, His Excellency Mr. Hun Sen and I are ready to forgo our request and stand on the historic success, on the will of the Cambodian people to assume responsibility for and take hold of the destiny of their country. That is how I wish to conclude my statement - a bit long, and I apologize; that is the problem with making a statement without a written text, but there are longer speeches made with a text. I should like once again very humbly to express, from the very bottom of our hearts, to the members of the Council, and through them to their countries and their peoples, our deepest gratitude for all the United Nations has done, with striking success, to help Cambodia. The success of the United Nations in Cambodia, as I said yesterday, is but the expression of a desire held in common between the international community, which wishes to save this people, and this people, which wishes to save its country. should like first of all to hail the presence here of His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Ranariddh and His Excellency Mr. Hun Sen, who are the embodiment of the national reconciliation that the international community and France have long desired. We thank His Royal Highness for the very interesting comments he has just made on the situation, past and present, in Cambodia. My country, having taken the initiative four years ago of convening the Paris Conference on Cambodia to rebuild peace and democracy in that country with the unprecedented assistance of the United Nations, is happy to see today that its objectives have been reached. The success of the elections in Cambodia is, first, a success for the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), which, under the authority of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, for almost two years contributed to the establishment of stability in the country and was able to cast out the demons of fear and restore confidence to a population that was battered and desperate after decades of civil war, terror and occupation. But it is also a victory for the Cambodian people, for while UNTAC taught freedom of expression and the defence of human rights to that courageous people desirous of regaining mastery over their own fate, the Cambodians have now made those ideas their own. France has looked on with great excitement as true political debate was revived; we have followed the meetings held during the electoral campaign that, despite the threats hanging over them, were attended by hundreds of thousands of Cambodians who then went to the polls with laudable enthusiasm. France pays tribute to the courage and determination of that people to which France has been linked by history for more than a century. My country also pays tribute to the wisdom of its representatives, who knew how to listen to the voice of reason and put their quarrels aside in order to establish a coalition Government. Finally, we pay tribute to His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk, who has unquestionably been the unifier of the Cambodian people throughout this difficult period. It is thus with a sense of mission accomplished that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General was able to leave Cambodia a few days ago, declaring UNTAC’s mandate fulfilled and passing powers to the legal Government. Cambodia has regained its full sovereignty and found again its rightful place in Asia and the international community. It has, in a way, rejoined the community of law. But the United Nations cannot be satisfied with merely leaving the country and wishing the Cambodian people good luck. It has the duty to live up to its expectations, a duty that results also from the actions carried out by the Cambodians themselves for the peace process in the country. Its representatives here with us today recognize the useful role played by our Organization and ask it to continue its presence in Cambodia in the area of reconstruction, development and - constituting a victory of democratic ideas - the enhancement and protection of human rights. The Cambodian Government is also asking, through them, for the maintenance of a team of military observers. I can assure the Council that my Government is prepared to give favourable consideration to this request. It is the Secretary-General’s intention to open an integrated United Nations office in Cambodia. France welcomes this idea, because we feel that such representation will be a symbol of the continued commitment of the international community and the United Nations to the process of consolidating peace in this country. With the assistance of the United Nations and its specialized agencies, the Cambodian people will now be able to devote their energies to the enormous task of rebuilding a State and an economy. The Cambodian people can be assured, in this regard, of the support of my country, which recently hosted the meeting of the Committee for the reconstruction of Cambodia, and of its desire to engage in multifaceted cooperation with Phnom Penh. These positive points aside, there remains a problem we cannot but mention: the situation of the Khmer Rouge group. They themselves refused to participate in the elections. If today they wish to rejoin the international community, they must recognize the legitimate authorities of this country, open up their zone completely and accept the rules of democracy. They must know that any act of violence committed against the legal Government will bring the unequivocal condemnation of the international community down on its perpetrators and also, if necessary, against those who have provided support or served as accomplices. In this regard I must recall that while the second instrument in the Paris Agreements, which spelled out the UNTAC mandate, is no longer in force, the third instrument is. It concerns, as members know, the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and inviolability, neutrality and national unity guaranteed by the States signatories of the Paris Agreements, as well as the Declaration on the recovery of Cambodia. Finally, the spirit of the Paris Agreements must be maintained. I would recall that recourse to the Co-Chairmen is possible at any moment. I believe I can say that Indonesia and France will assume fully and without reserve their responsibilities in this regard. France hopes that the process of restoring peace and democracy in Cambodia can be an example for the United Nations in the implementation of its other peace-keeping operations. This example could also be kept in mind by the peoples and the leaders in Europe, Africa and Latin America who are prepared to appeal to the United Nations but not necessarily to clearly choose peace or to make the necessary efforts to that end. In conclusion, I should like, on behalf of France, to address to His Royal Highness King Norodom Sihanouk and to the leaders and the people of Cambodia, who are entering a new era, all my good wishes for success. Mr. WALKER (United States of America): It is a profound pleasure to welcome His Royal Highness First Prime Minister Norodom Ranariddh and His Excellency Second Prime Minister Hun Sen to the Security Council. My Government would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation and congratulations for the great contributions you have made under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk to bringing a real, lasting peace to Cambodia. We wholeheartedly applaud your success in forming a new Government and in approving a Constitution that will help guarantee democracy and respect for the human rights of all Cambodians. Prior to last May’s elections there were many voices of doubt and even despair about the prospects for success in Cambodia. Thanks to your efforts, the courage and determination of the Cambodian people and the support of the international community, those dire predictions have given way to a new-found hope and confidence. This triumph for peace and democracy has not come easily, however. It has been won at the cost of blood and sacrifice by many Cambodians and by personnel of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). We must help ensure that that which has been won at such great cost is not lost. I should also like to take this occasion to express our appreciation to the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Cambodia, Yasushi Akashi; to UNTAC Force Commander General Sanderson; and to the men and women of UNTAC for their invaluable contributions. They have been a credit to their respective countries and to the institution of the United Nations and stand as a fine example of the contribution United Nations peace-keeping operations can make to promoting international peace and security. UNTAC represents what can be accomplished when the United Nations perseveres through adversity and outbreaks of violence to help rebuild a nation shattered by civil war and atrocities. The lessons of UNTAC will not be forgotten as this body responds to other security challenges. The future of Cambodia’s freedom and democracy is first and foremost the responsibility of the Cambodian people. However, it also remains a matter of great importance to the United Nations and to the international community, which have invested so much to help the Cambodian people. UNTAC has completed its mission, and the new royal Cambodian government, under the leadership of His Majesty King Sihanouk, has rightfully assumed all the rights and responsibilities of a sovereign nation. The challenge ahead for the international community is to assist it in ways it finds appropriate to ensure the continuation of the great progress that has been achieved, and to allow Cambodia to enjoy the peace it so richly deserves. First of all, please allow me to extend, on behalf of the Chinese delegation, our warm welcome to His Royal Highness Sdech Krom Luong Norodom Ranariddh, First Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia, to His Excellency Mr. Hun Sen, Second Prime Minister, and to the other members of their delegation who are in our midst today. I should also like to thank His Royal Highness for the statement he made just now. The Chinese delegation is pleased to note that at a time when we are once again considering the question of Cambodia, encouraging changes have taken place in that country. In September of this year, the new Constitution became effective in Cambodia, King Sihanouk was enthroned, and the new Government started to operate. All these developments show that the peace process in Cambodia has entered a new and historic stage. The Paris Agreements were signed two years ago by the various Cambodian parties and the countries concerned. The United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) was established by the Security Council soon after, reflecting the determination and conviction of the Cambodian people and of the international community to arrive at a political settlement of the Cambodian question. In order to achieve peace in Cambodia, the peace-loving Cambodian people, with the assistance of the United Nations and the countries concerned, made unswerving efforts, overcame various difficulties and setbacks, and finally achieved success recognized by the entire world. For this, we wish to offer our warm congratulations. The solution to the question of Cambodia has set a successful example for resolving regional conflicts throuqh peaceful means. Practice has proved that where there is a will, there is a way. As long as we rely on the peoples in the countries concerned, earnestly implement the relevant agreements and adhere to the principle of settling disputes through peaceful negotiations, no matter how complicated and difficult the question is it will be settled appropriately. King Sihanouk has played an important role in promoting the peace process in Cambodia. The King is a leader beloved by the Cambodian people and a statesman with vision. Over the years, he has made significant contributions to achieving Cambodia’s independence, sovereignty, peace, unification and territorial integrity, promoting national reconciliation and maintaining peace and stability. The Chinese Government and people have always deeply admired and appreciated his endeavours. In celebrating the victory in the peace process of Cambodia, we should not forget those who have made outstanding contributions to the cause of peace in Cambodia. Some peace-keeping personnel, including two members of the Chinese engineering detachment, even sacrificed their precious lives. The Chinese delegation wishes to express its sincere condolences to their families. China has all along devoted its efforts to the political and comprehensive settlement of the Cambodian question and supported the efforts of King Sihanouk and the Cambodian people to achieve national independence, peace and reconciliation, and the stands of the Cambodian Government on the safeguarding of national sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, neutrality and unity. During the phase of the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Cambodia, China is in favour of the United Nations and the international community providing, at the request of the Cambodian Government, all the assistance conducive to safeguarding the country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and to promoting national reconstruction and economic development. China sincerely hopes that Cambodia, after its protracted war, will embark on the road of peace, stability and prosperity under the leadership of King Sihanouk. Mr. MARKER (Pakistan): Permit me to state how happy we are, Sir, to see you presiding over our deliberations for the month of October. I am confident that under your able leadership the Council will function smoothly and effectively. We are grateful also to His Excellency Mr. Adolfo Raul Taylhardat, the Permanent Representative of Venezuela, for the most impressive manner in which he conducted the affairs of the Council during the month of September. He is indeed a diplomat of great skill and experience. It is a privilege and an honour for my delegation to extend a warm and sincere welcome to His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Ranariddh, First Prime Minister, and His Excellency Mr. Hun Sen, Second Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia. Having listened to the eloquent report by His Royal Highness, one can say with confidence that after many years of trial and tribulation, Cambodia is now firmly set on the road to democracy, peace and prosperity. The Government of Pakistan played a modest role in the international effort to restore peace and democracy in Cambodia by contributing troops and civilian police monitors for the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). Some Pakistani officials also helped in the conduct of the democratic elections in that country. We therefore share in the sense of accomplishment and joy at the completion of the UNTAC mission. Indeed, UNTAC was a unique experience and perhaps the most elaborate and complex operation ever undertaken by the United Nations. Its successful conclusion is in itself a tribute to the Secretary-General, his Special Representative, Mr. Yasushi Akashi, who headed the operation, the UNTAC personnel and, of course, above all, the leadership and the people of Cambodia, without whose commitment, cooperation, courage and determination success would not have been possible. As we rejoice with the people of Cambodia and the rest of the world over the return of democracy and relative peace to Cambodia, we cannot forget the sacrifices given by UNTAC personnel to realize that noble objective. Our sympathies and condolences go to the families and the Governments of all those courageous UNTAC soldiers who laid down their lives in the cause of peace and stability in Cambodia. The vital contribution of His Royal Highness King Norodom Sihanouk throughout the entire long process cannot be overemphasized. During the darkest days of Cambodia, he continued to serve as a beacon of hope for that country. We welcome his accession to the throne of Cambodia and hope that he will continue to play a significant role in consolidating peace and stability in his country and in bringing about genuine national reconciliation. At this juncture, I would also like to reaffirm the full support of the Government of Pakistan for the new Government of Cambodia. We have been pleased to learn that an assessment of the UNTAC experience is currently under way in the United Nations Secretariat. We are confident that an in-depth evaluation of the various aspects of the United Nations operation in Cambodia will lead to conclusions that might be helpful elsewhere. It would be useful if the results of this specific endeavour were also shared with Member States. The United Nations operation in Cambodia was also significant in some other ways. It had a clearly defined objective, it had a definite time frame before it, it had the support of the international community and it enjoyed the benefit of brilliant leadership. During the period of conflict and turmoil in Cambodia, which is happily behind us now, the country’s infrastructure was heavily damaged while its institutions suffered considerably. Though the mandate of UNTAC has come to an end with the establishment of a constitutional Government in Cambodia, the need for international assistance is still very much there. To consolidate the gains already made as well as to ensure national reconciliation and the strengthening of democracy in Cambodia, it is important that the reconstruction of Cambodia’s infrastructure and institutions is completed as quickly as possible. For this purpose the developed and the wealthy countries will have to continue with the commitment they have already demonstrated towards Cambodia. My delegation has taken note of the joint letter written to the Secretary-General by the First Prime Minister and the Second Prime Minister of Cambodia, asking for the deployment of 20 to 30 international unarmed military observers for a period of six months to oversee the security and military situation in Cambodia and to report their findings to the Secretary-General. My delegation strongly endorses that Cambodian request.

I thank the representative of Pakistan for the kind words he addressed to me. Mr. KEATING (New Zealand): New Zealand also welcomes very warmly the presence here today of the two Prime Ministers of the new Royal Cambodian Government: His Royal Highness Prince Ranariddh and His Excellency Mr. Hun Sen. We pay a tribute to both Prime Ministers, and to His Royal Highness King Sihanouk, who has played such a pivotal role in the establishment of the new constitutional arrangements. Today the Security Council is able to enjoy a rare luxury in the exercise of its responsibilities for the maintenance of international peace and security, because today we celebrate a success. And there can be little doubt that the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) and the process that it oversaw were indeed successful. As His Royal Highness noted in his address yesterday to the General Assembly, there are many countries and individuals who played important roles in bringing about that success: the members of the core group; the permanent members of this Council; and most especially the countries of the region, the members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), which kept the issue of Cambodia before the eyes of the international community for such a very long time. A particular tribute must be paid to the Secretary-General, to his Special Representative, Mr. Akashi, to the UNTAC Commander, General Sanderson, and to all the military and civilian personnel who took part in the UNTAC operation. Some of the UNTAC personnel gave their lives for Cambodia. There can be no clearer demonstration of the commitment of those individuals and of their Governments to the restoration of peace. As we all know, despite the well-intentioned efforts of the outside world, our efforts alone could not have brought about the success we are celebrating today. They would have come to nothing if they had not been matched by the determination of the Cambodian people to put an end to the bloodshed and the fighting that have made the recent history of Cambodia so tragic. That determination was evident before the elections in the large numbers of refugees who returned to their country and in the huge numbers of people who registered for elections. But the most graphic proof came when the elections were under way. Ordinary Cambodian citizens showed that they would not be cowed by threats of violence and the menace of intimidation. Instead, they seized the opportunity that was offered to them and made the most of it. We very much welcome the fact that, with one exception, Cambodia’s leaders responded to that demonstration by their people and put behind them their disagreements. They fashioned a new Government of National Reconciliation. We note from His Royal Highness’s statement to the General Assembly, and we heard again in his statement today, that the new Government continues to hold out to the Khmer Rouge the opportunity to join in the newly established political process. But given its grisly history, the Khmer Rouge can expect little sympathy from the international community if it continues to reject the path of peace and cooperation. As with the past, so too with the future. If Cambodia is to continue the process of re-establishing a successful, functioning society, then it will do so largely as a consequence of the efforts of the Cambodians themselves. They must take the lead in shaping their own destiny. But the international community must also play its part. The end of UNTAC does not mean the end of the United Nations involvement in Cambodia. In his report the Secretary-General set out a number of proposals for continued United Nations involvement in Cambodia. In his address yesterday His Royal Highness underscored those matters to which the Cambodian Government attaches particular importance: the establishment of an integrated United Nations office in Phnom Penh; the continued presence of the United Nations relief and development programmes; the establishment of a human rights centre and a continuation of de-mining operations within the framework of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre. New Zealand endorses all of those elements and is confident that they will be given effect by the Secretary-General and the other parts of the United Nations system. As far as the Council is concerned, we note that the two Prime Ministers have submitted a request to the Secretary-General for the dispatch of 20 to 30 unarmed military observers for a six-month period following the end of UNTAC. The Council has just received a report from the Secretary-General, and we look forward to considering that request in the light of the Secretary-General’s recommendations. It is time for the Council to consider a further resolution on Cambodia which will respond to this request for military observers and will address other aspects of the post-UNTAC United Nations presence. We would hope that this action could be completed this week. In that connection, we recall the valuable initiative taken by the United States during its presidency of the Council in August, when it convened a meeting of an open-ended working group of all countries interested in the Cambodia problem in order to begin discussion of a draft resolution. We hope that a similar procedure will be followed in bringing to a conclusion a draft resolution on the subject and that special efforts will be made to consult the representatives of Cambodia and the other countries of the region. As His Royal Highness reminded the General Assembly yesterday, many countries have played a special role in Cambodia. Those countries continue to have a special interest in Cambodia and have a valuable contribution to make. The Council should take that into account as it continues its work to help Cambodia on behalf of the international community. Sir David HANNAY (United Kingdom): I would like to extend a warm welcome in the name of my Government to His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Ranariddh on this historic occasion. The United Kingdom greatly appreciates and admires the vital role which he has played, together with His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk, King of Cambodia, and His Excellency Mr Hun Sen, in ensuring the successful implementation of the Paris Agreements. We hope that, with steadfast international support, they will continue their efforts to bring peace and stability to the benefit of all the Cambodian people. The United Nations operation in Cambodia has been a real success, despite many predictions of impending disaster throughout the pre-electoral period. In his address to the General Assembly yesterday His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Ranariddh rightly recognized and paid tribute to the forces of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), which played a decisive role in the effort to bring democracy and freedom to the Cambodian people. I would like to add my own Government’s appreciation of UNTAC personnel and of UNTAC’s leader, Yasushi Akashi, for their tireless work in very difficult circumstances. I express my sympathy and sorrow to the families of those who gave their lives in Cambodia for the sake of peace. Although UNTAC’s mandate has now ended, Cambodia still needs and still deserves a helping hand from the international community. The United Kingdom supports the United Nations continuing close involvement in Cambodia through its agencies and specialized programmes. We look forward to the Secretary-General’s recommendations on further United Nations involvement and will give them our speedy and serious consideration. The United Kingdom will join others in the international community in providing support through bilateral aid programmes. Democracy is a fragile plant. It is important that, with the help of the international community, all Cambodians now work together to nurture it and to cherish it. It will require much hard work and determination to consolidate the achievements made so far. The new Constitution is a significant and welcome step towards this goal. The United Kingdom is particularly pleased that strong human-rights provisions form a central part of that Constitution. It is essential that they be respected. The United Nations is often criticized as ineffective, incapable of responding to the challenges of a world increasing in turmoil. The success of this United Nations operation in Cambodia, indeed, the very presence of our distinguished guests in this Chamber, demonstrates to these critics that the United Nations can work as it Charter intended it to do, that even seemingly intractable problems can be solved, that peace can be restored and that light can illuminate the darkness that reigned in Cambodia not long ago. Let us hope that the example of Cambodia will be a lesson to us, and an inspiration. meeting is being held today, and I am pleased with the way it is now being held. I wish to welcome His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the First Prime Minister, and His Excellency Mr. Hun Sen, the Second Prime Minister, to our meeting today. My Government extends its full support to the Royal Government of Cambodia, which has been established through a democratic process and is based on the will of the Cambodian people. Indeed, with the extraordinarily successful general election last May, the subsequent promulgation of the new Constitution, the accession to the throne of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk and the formation of the Royal Government of Cambodia, the Cambodian people can at long last devote their energies to resuming their own lives and rebuilding their own country. I would like on this occasion to pay a high tribute to the persevering efforts of all those concerned, especially the Secretary-General, his Special Representative Mr. Akashi, and, most particularly, His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk, whose wisdom and leadership ensured the success of the peace process. I commend the outstanding achievement of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). UNTAC has played a vital role in restoring peace, freedom and democracy to Cambodia, in accordance with the mandate entrusted to it by the Paris Agreements. Its achievement sets a new standard for peace-keeping operations, and I am convinced that the experience gained through UNTAC will provide the United Nations with useful insights for its future operations. Although UNTAC has completed its mandate and is scheduled to withdraw by 15 November, this does not mean that we can turn our attention away from Cambodia. On the contrary, it is essential that the international community lend constant support to the efforts of the Cambodian people to rebuild their war-torn country. Such support is particularly necessary now that the new Government has been established. In his address yesterday to the General Assembly, His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Ranariddh noted that: "... the new Cambodia needs aid and assistance from the international community ... for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of our impoverished country." (A/48/PV.15) This I believe is precisely what the Secretary-General of the United Nations had in mind when he outlined the importance of post- conflict peace-building in his report "An Agenda for Peace". It goes without saying that economic assistance for reconstruction and rehabilitation in Cambodia will strengthen and reinforce the fragile peace which has been restored after decades of conflict and unspeakable human suffering. As a neighbouring Asian country, Japan has been closely involved in the Cambodian peace process. Japan supported the peace effort through its participation in the Security Council deliberations, by hosting international meetings, sending peace- keeping operation personnel and mediating among the parties to the conflict. In June last year my Government hosted in Tokyo the Ministerial Conference on the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Cambodia, and last month in Paris Japan co-chaired with France the International Committee on the Reconstruction of Cambodia. At those meetings a total of approximately $l billion was pledged for Cambodian reconstruction, including Japan’s pledge of up to $200 million. The task of reconstruction has only just begun. The Cambodian people will be expected to concentrate all their energy and resources on rehabilitation and reconstruction to ensure a durable peace in their country. The economic stability obtained through such efforts will, in turn, foster social and political stability, thereby making possible the prosperity and lasting peace of Cambodia. In closing I should like to reiterate that the completion of the UNTAC operation marks just the beginning of a long process of building a peaceful and prosperous Cambodia. I therefore hope that the Security Council will adopt as soon as possible a comprehensive resolution that will seek to reinforce peace and stability in Cambodia and ensure that the progress made thus far is irreversible. Mr. ERDÖS (Hungary)(interpretation from French): First, I should like to welcome here among us most warmly His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Ranariddh, First Prime Minister of the Royal Government, and His Excellency, Mr. Hun Sen, Second Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia. The message just brought to us is a faithful reflection of the new chapter that is opening in the history of the Khmer people. I am sure that the Security Council will very carefully and in a positive way consider the matters that were raised in Prince Norodom Ranariddh’s speech. Today’s meeting is a happy one which celebrates the efforts of the people of Cambodia and of the international community to ensure that peace and democracy triumph in Cambodia. The establishment of the constituent Assembly, following the election, the promulgation of a new Constitution, the establishment of a new government and, most recently, the election of the King of the Kingdom of Cambodia are all striking and eloquent examples of what has been achieved. In our world which is full of tension, flashpoints and wars, we must properly appreciate the success of this effort which has been able to put an end to the suffering and ravages that have afflicted the people of that country so harshly, turning one of the darkest pages of their recent history. The United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), with a modest Hungarian contribution, has been the broadest and largest operation in the history of the Organization, an operation that successfully attained its objectives. UNTAC, under the leadership of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Yasushi Akashi, and all of the international personnel involved in it, worked under extremely complex conditions to put Cambodia back on its feet and restore the conditions necessary to ensure the functioning of the country. Looking back we can say, with good reason, that the United Nations presence in Cambodia can be regarded as a model. Despite major difficulties, casualties and much tension, all of which occurred as Cambodia moved along the road towards the settlement which had been envisaged in the Paris Agreements, the international community was able to avoid the shoals in the path to reconciliation and national reconstruction. One of the most important lessons of this recent period was how right the United Nations was to refuse to withdraw in the face of difficulties and attempts at military or other kinds of intimidation. The credibility and authority of the world Organization will be strengthened, provided that it is willing to commit itself, on the basis of a clear and well-defined plan, to go the distance in its efforts to prevent conflict, to keep or make peace, and to build peace in post-conflict situations. From this point of view, and now that UNTAC’s mandate has drawn to an end, it is of paramount importance to keep what has been won in Cambodia and to make sure that there is no movement backwards so that all the opportunities now available in the country are fully used in the interests of the rebirth of the Khmer people, in restoring decent living conditions, ensuring full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and for the economic and social recovery of the country. We pay tribute to His Royal Highness King Norodom Sihanouk and express our conviction that, under his wise leadership, the auspicious developments currently under way in Cambodia will have a good influence, will open up a future of peace and prosperity for that devastated country and, let me add, will be a good influence not only on the Khmer people but also, without doubt, on the prospects of finding settlements in other hotbeds of tension throughout the world. Mr. VORONTSOV (Russian Federation)(interpretation from Russian): The Russian Federation was extremely pleased at hearing of the proclamation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the adoption of a new Constitution in the country, and the establishment of the organs of State authority in the country, the Government and the Assembly. We welcome the election of the King of Cambodia under the new Constitution, His Royal Highness King Norodom Sihanouk, who has made an invaluable contribution to the cause of national reconciliation in Cambodia. We regard as deeply symbolic the presence here in the Security Council of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the First Prime Minister, and Mr. Hun Sen, the Second Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia. We greatly appreciate their efforts to ensure the rehabilitation of the country and we welcome their participation in this meeting of the Security Council. These landmark events in the life of the Cambodian people, who are weary of so many years of fratricidal conflict, have been made possible by the successful implementation of the peace process in Cambodia under the Paris Agreements and by the active role played by the United Nations. These events mark the triumphant conclusion of the United Nations operation in Cambodia, which was one of the largest operations in the history of the Organization. The mandate of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), which has now carried out the task - fraught with difficulties - of bringing a settlement to the prolonged civil war, has now been successfully discharged. The Russian delegation would like to pay a special tribute to all those whose outstanding efforts helped the Cambodians realize their hope for a peaceful life, and here I have in mind the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros-Ghali, his Special Representative, Mr. Yasushi Akashi, and all the personnel of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia. It was their devotion and their determination to achieve the goals set, often at considerable risk to their own lives, that made it possible to conclude this decisive stage along the path towards consolidating the peace process in the country. For its part, Russia participated directly in these efforts; we sent our representatives to the military and civilian components of UNTAC, and we also sent people for the electoral unit during the elections. The Russians did their work in a very responsible manner, and we feel justly proud of them. These events in Cambodia were a major victory, not only for the Cambodian people and for the whole international community as represented by the United Nations, they were also a major victory for democracy. We attach special significance to the fact that the Cambodians, with the help of the United Nations, were able to pave the way to peace and national concord in their country by means of the freest and most democratic method: the ballot box. Russia, which itself is resolved to continue its democratic transformation by applying the fundamental principle of democracy, free elections, feels particularly close to the path the Cambodians have chosen and understands it well. Now that the time has come for their country to return to normal life after the torment of many years of civil war, the Russian Federation, together with the other members of the international community, is willing to help the Cambodian people to rehabilitate their homeland, although we do realize that, in the final analysis, it is the people themselves who bear the responsibility for the future of Cambodia. We support the democratically elected Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and are willing to continue mutually beneficial cooperation in the interests of a renaissance of Cambodian society either through multilateral efforts in the United Nations or through bilateral channels.

The next speaker is the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, His Excellency Squadron Leader Prasong Soonsiri, who wishes to make a statement on behalf of the Foreign Ministers of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN). I welcome the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement. allow me to express my sincere appreciation for the invitation to participate in this meeting and to address this body in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Ranariddh and His Excellency Mr. Hun Sen, the First and Second Prime Ministers of Cambodia, respectively. May I also join the others who have spoken before me, Sir, in offering to you sincere congratulations upon your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of October. Our congratulations also go to Ambassador Adolfo Raúl Taylhardat, the Permanent Representative of Venezuela, who so ably guided the Council last month. In addressing the Council this afternoon, I am speaking also in my capacity as Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), which comprises Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Throughout the Cambodian conflict, ASEAN took an active role in achieving the peaceful settlement of that conflict. Indonesia, together with France, co-chaired the Paris Conference that culminated in the signing of the Paris Peace Agreements which formed the basis of the peace process in Cambodia. We, the members of ASEAN, warmly welcome the successful completion of UNTAC’s mission in Cambodia. The implementation of the Paris Agreements, which began with the cease-fire, enabled the elections to be held in May, followed by the adoption of the Constitution. This process has culminated in the formation of the new Government under the leadership of His Majesty Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk, King of Cambodia. We have listened with interest to and welcome the statement of His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the First Prime Minister of Cambodia. We wish to express full support for the proposals put forward by him here - as well as at the General Assembly - on behalf of the Cambodian Government, which call, first, for the establishment of a United Nations Integrated Office in Phnom Penh; secondly, for the maintenance of representative offices of the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme and other United Nations specialized agencies; thirdly, for the maintenance of the human rights component of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) and its expansion into a permanent human rights centre; fourthly, for the continuation of the de-mining operations; and, fifthly, for the presence of a small number of military observers in Phnom Penh. We also look forward to the appointment by the Secretary- General of a Special Representative in Cambodia. ASEAN is confident that a highly qualified person will be appointed, and we hope that he will be a person who is familiar with the issues involved and will be able to establish an excellent rapport with the Cambodian leaders and Government. ASEAN is gratified to note that efforts to consolidate genuine national reconciliation continue. We note that there is already agreement for the convening of a round-table discussion between the Cambodians next month. The Cambodian Government has also expressed its readiness to welcome the Khmer Rouge within the Royal Army and within the Government as advisers. ASEAN would like to pay a special tribute to the Secretary- General; to his Special Representative, Mr. Yasushi Akashi; to General John Sanderson, UNTAC Force Commander; and to the brave men and women of UNTAC for their dedication and tireless effort, which has culminated in the successful conclusion of their difficult mission. Here, may we offer our sincere condolences to the Governments and families of the UNTAC personnel who lost their lives in the service of peace. The success of UNTAC, despite some inevitable mistakes and errors, is one in which the United Nations and the international community can rightly take pride. Many key lessons can be learned from UNTAC for future United Nations peace-keeping and peace-building operations. In conclusion, ASEAN shares the hope and expectation of the Cambodian Government and people that the United Nations and the international community, through the International Committee on the Reconstruction of Cambodia (ICORC), will continue to assist the Cambodian nation in its reconstruction and rehabilitation. ASEAN and Thailand stand ready to contribute our share in such efforts. We believe that Cambodia, under the able leadership of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk, will finally take its rightful place in the South-East Asian region and contribute to bringing peace, stability and prosperity to our region.

I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand for his statement and for his kind words addressed to me. The next speaker is the representative of Australia. I invite him to take a place at the Council table and to make his statement. the Security Council. The Council and the Secretary-General should be congratulated on the success of the operation of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), which gave effect to the Agreements on a comprehensive political settlement of the Cambodia conflict signed in Paris in October 1991. Those Agreements were a momentous achievement on which many countries had worked, and Australia is proud to have been among them. The Agreements have brought enhanced stability to our region and have restored peace and sovereignty to a neighbouring people - people who, as the Australian Foreign Minister, Gareth Evans, said at the time of the signing of the Agreements, "have suffered beyond measure through more than 20 years of war, civil war and horrifying genocide. No people have been more deserving of peace and an opportunity to rebuild their nation." Our heartfelt congratulations go to the Cambodian people who demonstrated - massively - courage and commitment to the democratic process. This was a vital element in the success of UNTAC. We acknowledge, too, their democratically elected leaders, whom we are honoured to have with us today, His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Ranariddh and His Excellency Mr. Hun Sen, respectively First and Second Prime Ministers of the Royal Government of Cambodia. And, of course, we pay a tribute to His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk, whose wisdom, leadership and patriotism were and are of inestimable value. I said a moment ago that the UNTAC operation gave effect to the Paris Agreements on Cambodia. In fact, that is not quite the whole reality. With the successful conclusion of UNTAC, a very large part of the Paris Agreements have been implemented. But the Paris Agreements remain in force. They have the full support of this Council, as expressed in resolution 718 (1991); and the signatories, and the international community generally, remain committed to their continued implementation. Those Agreements continue to provide a rational framework for future international involvement in Cambodia. I am sure Council members are familiar with the three principal areas of continuing international involvement in Cambodia, as highlighted in the Paris Agreements. They figured prominently in Prime Minister Ranariddh’s historic address to the General Assembly yesterday. I would like to recall them. First, given the tragic and massive human rights abuses to which the Cambodian people have been subjected and which, for many of us, are the essential backdrop and rationale for our commitment to the peace process, the Paris Agreements wisely foreshadow a role in Cambodia for the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, building on the admirable achievements of the human rights component of UNTAC. Secondly, the Paris Agreements also contain a declaration on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of devastated Cambodia. Clearly, this is an essential and urgent task if the hard-won peace is to be consolidated and made durable. Australia welcomes the renewed assurances of international donor commitment to Cambodia given at the senior-officials meeting in Paris on 8 and 9 September of the International Committee on the Reconstruction of Cambodia, as well as the understanding evident in Prime Minister Ranariddh’s statement yesterday of the need for Cambodia to establish appropriate aid-delivery mechanisms. Finally, the third Paris Agreement commits both Cambodia and the international community to respect the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and inviolability, neutrality and national unity of Cambodia. Australia looks forward to the next stage of the Council’s consideration of the question of Cambodia. We believe strongly that if this accords with the wishes of the sovereign Government of Cambodia, the Council should adopt a resolution which would mark the conclusion of UNTAC in a manner appropriate to the scale of the operation and the significance of its achievements, and would then set the course for international involvement in the continuing implementation of the Paris Agreements in the post-UNTAC era. Such a resolution would be, we suggest, the most useful contribution this Council could now make to the formidable task of nation- building on which the new Cambodian State is now embarked. as President of the Security Council, on behalf of the members of the Council: "On behalf of the members of the Security Council, I wish to thank His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Ranariddh, First Prime Minister, and His Excellency Mr. Hun Sen, Second Prime Minister, of the Royal Government of Cambodia for their presence here and to express the satisfaction of the Security Council at the auspicious developments that have taken place in Cambodia since the holding of the elections of 23 to 28 May 1993, in particular the proclamation of the Cambodian Constitution on 24 September 1993 and the creation of the new government of Cambodia. "I also take this opportunity to congratulate His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk, Head of State of Cambodia, on his accession to the throne and to pay tribute to the continuing role played by His Majesty in the quest for national reconciliation and a better future for all Cambodians. "In the light of the successful completion of the mandate of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), the Security Council reiterates its recognition at the remarkable work carried out by UNTAC, under the leadership of the Secretary-General and his Special Representative, Mr. Yasushi Akashi. "The Security Council stresses the importance of the continued support of the international community to the consolidation of peace and democracy and the promotion of development in Cambodia. "Taking into account the letter dated 26 September 1993 addressed to the Secretary-General by His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Ranariddh, First Prime Minister, and His Excellency Mr. Hun Sen, Second Prime Minister, and the further report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Security Council resolution 745 (1992) which members of the Council have just received, the Council will continue to study the situation in Cambodia and will consider what action it should take." This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/26531. There are no further names on the list of speakers for this meeting. The next meeting of the Security Council to continue its consideration of the item on its agenda will be fixed in consultation with the members of the Council. The meeting rose at 5.35 p.m.