Let me begin by congratulating you, Mr. President, and President Wade, on your very timely initiative in holding this important Meeting. I would like to thank His Excellency the President of Senegal, whose country is in charge of information and communication technologies (ICT) initiatives in the Ne…
We are approaching a historic moment for East Timor and, indeed, for the United Nations. It is with considerable emotion that I join you in welcoming the elected leaders of the people of East Timor — President-elect Xanana Gusmão and Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri — who will participate in this debate…
I have just returned from Beirut, where Arab leaders made a historic decision to embrace Crown Prince Abdullah’s peace proposal, which confirmed the possibility of peace in the Middle East and proposed a way forward. And just prior to the Arab League Summit, the Security Council itself passed one of…
Three weeks ago, I briefed the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East. I warned then that we were nearing the abyss. Since that day, the toll of the dead and wounded, particularly among innocent civilians, has risen to levels that can be described, without exaggeration, as appalling.
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Let me say how happy I am, Mr. Minister, to see you in the Chair and once again to welcome you to New York and to United Nations Headquarters.
This meeting signals an important moment of transition and consolidation in Bosnia. I would like to begin by paying tribute to the High Representative for t…
The news from the Middle East is grim. Day by day, the toll of dead and wounded on both sides mounts. Day by day, the bitterness and mutual distrust between Israelis and Palestinians intensifies. Increasingly, the Israeli- Palestinian conflict risks sliding towards full-fledged war. Truly, we are ne…
I am very happy to join the Security Council today. I have come to share some thoughts about my recent visit to Asia. If you agree, Sir, Mr. Brahimi will then provide a more detailed briefing on the situation on the ground in Afghanistan.
My trip took me to Japan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Qa…
It gives me great pleasure to join the Council today. As members know, we had hoped to hold this debate in September to mark the opening of the General Assembly’s special session on children, but the meeting had to be postponed for obvious reasons.
The United Nations has always sought to alleviate …
Before I proceed, I would also like to recognize among us the presence of President Rau of Germany and his wife in the Chamber. I think it is important that they join us for this discussion.
I believe that this open meeting of the Security Council could not be more timely — and not just because of …
When I addressed the General Assembly on 1 October, I applauded the Council for acting so swiftly to enshrine in law the first steps needed to carry the fight against terrorism forward with new vigour and determination. I am delighted to see today that this determination is reflected at the most sen…
Let me welcome all who have come to New York for this general debate, and especially the President of our host country.
We meet nearly seven weeks later than we had intended — and we all know why.
No words can express our revulsion and sorrow at the senseless loss of life on 11 September. We share…
Let me first say how happy I am, Mr. President, to see you presiding over this meeting.
Let me also welcome the Political Committee of the Lusaka Agreement. I hope that this meeting with the Security Council will enable all parties to agree to move forward together in the peace process.
In my last…
It is a special pleasure for me to join the General Assembly for a debate on a subject of profound moral and political significance to the United Nations. If ever one doubted the need for a dialogue among civilizations, let them doubt no longer. 11 September made the need for such a dialogue crystal…
Thank you very much, Mr. President, for that very generous statement. You have congratulated me, but I should also congratulate you and all the members of the Council, present and past alike. In awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to the United Nations, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has, of course, honou…
The decision of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee is truly an honour for the whole of the United Nations, which means of course all of its Member States and this Assembly, which represents them. It is also an honour for all parts of the Organization and, above all, for its dedicated staff around the w…
On Friday night, the Security Council adopted unanimously a broad resolution aimed at targeting terrorists and those who harbour, aid or support them. That resolution requires Member States to cooperate in a wide range of areas, from suppressing the financing of terrorism to providing early warning,…
Two weeks ago, as all representatives will remember, we were looking forward to this day, as the day when we would begin our general debate. Many members expected to be represented here by their head of State or Government or by their foreign minister.
I myself had hoped to set out what I see as th…
I think the proposal of the representative of Azerbaijan has had a very good response from the ambassadors and representatives here. That means that the medical service will have no problems and will see lots of people queuing up to give blood.
The meeting rose at 4.20 p.m.
I think we will soon be taking a decision on the summit for children and that, if we decide to postpone it because of this force majeure, I would want to plead with the General Assembly that we keep our concern for children uppermost in our minds. This is only a postponement, not a cancellation, and…
We meet, as you have said, Sir, in exceptionally grave circumstances. Our host country and this host city have been subjected to a terrorist attack which horrifies us all. We do not yet know the full extent of the damage, but it seems certain that thousands of people have lost their lives and that m…
