The year 1998 was proclaimed the International Year of the Ocean, and, as stated in the Secretary-Genera’s report on oceans and the law of the sea, developments in ocean affairs and the law of the sea have clearly signified the overall trend towards universal participation in and adherence to the le…
The broad participation in the Ministerial Meeting of the group of New or Restored Democracies here in the United Nations two months ago was a clear illustration of the fact that democracy is taking hold all over the world. As the twentieth century draws to a close, democracy is emerging as a clear …
Norway is impressed by the achievements of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, as reflected in various judgements as well as the report before us. Recent judgements have shed light on the chain of events linked to the cycle of violence in the former Yugoslavia. We join those that h…
I would like to begin by expressing my deepest sympathy to the Governments and the peoples of Central America for the losses and suffering inflicted on them by the devastation wrought by hurricane Mitch. We were distressed to receive the news of so many deaths and such extensive damage. The survivor…
Bethlehem is one of the most historic and religiously significant sites on earth. The celebration of the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ and the onset of the new millennium is of monumental importance — not only for the Palestinian people and for the region, but also for the believe…
We are in a decade plagued by humanitarian emergencies, with the escalation of ruthless internal conflicts and the collapse of State structures, disrupting and destroying the lives and livelihoods of masses of civilians. This year we have also experienced very severe natural disasters in several par…
The Norwegian Government welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
Last year the Secretary-General was requested to report to the General Assembly on how this cooperation has evolved. The report reveals the wi…
Norway fully concurs with the views expressed by the Secretary-General in his report entitled “The causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa” (A/52/871). Africa’s challenges have to be addressed in a comprehensive manner. Peace, stability and develop…
International organizations, too, have to adapt to a changing world. My Government welcomes the Secretary-General’s initiative to adapt the United Nations to a new global alliance of Governments, civil society and, not least, parliamentarians.
The cooperation agreement signed in 1996 between the Un…
Norway welcomes the first ever judgements on the crime of genocide by an international court, 50 years after the adoption of the genocide Convention. It fell to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to deliver those ground-breaking decisions in September this year. Those precedent-setting c…
My delegation welcomes this opportunity to consider the report of the Security Council to the General Assembly covering the period from 16 June 1997 to 15 June 1998. We would like to express our appreciation to Sir Jeremy Greenstock, President of the Council for this month, for his excellent introdu…
The protection and promotion of human rights is a cornerstone of Norwegian foreign policy and a focal point of the dialogue we maintain with other countries. We deplore violations of civil and political rights and remain concerned about the situation in Cuba. We do not consider isolation through uni…
The 1995 World Summit for Social Development showed that there was a global consensus that people must be at the centre of our development efforts and an acknowledgement of the close interlinkage between the social and the economic dimensions of development. A central aspect of that consensus is the…
It is an honour for me to address the Council during the Swedish presidency.
On behalf of Norway, I would like express appreciation for the Secretary-General's report on protection for humanitarian assistance to refugees and others in conflict situations.
We would like to support the European Unio…
Norway is concerned about the recent approval by the Israeli Government of plans which would alter the demographic balance in the Jerusalem area. This new Israeli plan is not conducive to creating trust between the parties in the Middle East peace process, which is essential to move the process out …
Children are the least responsible yet the most vulnerable victims in all conflicts. They are widely used as instruments of war — inter alia, as child soldiers — and they are deliberately targeted. This is intolerable and unacceptable. Norway strongly supports the work of the Special Representative …
Renewal of the United Nations is crucial if we are to effectively meet future challenges. Reform is necessary in order to strengthen the United Nations capacity to assist the developing countries, to deal with complex humanitarian crises and to mitigate and prevent conflicts.
Norway welcomes the fo…
At the outset, I would like to commend the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) for their commitment to the cooperation between the two organizations and their efforts to extend it to new fields of common interest. We welcome th…
The Norwegian Govern- ment is of the opinion that a just and lasting peace in the Middle East can be brought about only if a solution is found to the Palestinian problem. The legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people. including their right to self-determination, must be recognized and imp…
