Let me first of all thank the President for convening this meeting, and the Secretary-General for his report on human security (A/64/701) — the first of its kind. It is an excellent report that helps us to clarify and show the relevance of this concept in very educational terms. That was needed.
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Let me first thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s meeting. My special thanks go to Mr. Jean-Max Bellerive, Prime Minister of Haiti, for being here and addressing the Council today.
The earthquake in Haiti was a humanitarian disaster striking a people living in extreme poverty and distres…
While international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians in armed conflict are key issues of human dignity and of utmost importance to Norway, at a time when we see that the right of civilians to protection under international humanitarian law is under increasing pressure due to the natu…
Let me start by emphasizing that the international community has a common desire for improved security, political stability and development for the people of Afghanistan. We all share that goal, and we also agree that a joint political strategy is the only way to bring about a sustainable peace in A…
Eight years have passed since the Taliban were defeated and the reconstruction of Afghanistan began. There have been positive developments, particularly in the socio-economic field. But many Afghans are becoming impatient and say that too little is happening, too late. The deteriorating security sit…
Norway commends the United Nations and the Office of the Secretary-General for their comprehensive involvement in Haiti. Norway welcomes the appointment of President Bill Clinton as United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti. We believe that President Clinton can play a key role in mobilizing and coordi…
Let me start by thanking you, Mr. President, for this important meeting and for the opportunity that it provides for all United Nations Members to discuss essential disarmament and non-proliferation issues. The spread of weapons of mass destruction and the illegal proliferation of conventional weapo…
Let me start by expressing Norway’s ongoing support for and full recognition of the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC) during the past year. Norway welcomes the Court’s
fourth annual report and would like to thank the President of the Court, Judge Philippe Kirsch, for the detailed and i…
Norway considers the United States embargo against Cuba to be fundamentally a bilateral issue. We support sanctions when they are adopted by the international community through the United Nations. But we cannot support the extraterritorial extension of unilateral measures against a third country. Th…
The rising prices of food and energy constitute a growing problem, in particular for the most vulnerable. We believe that, in the long term, high food prices could be a source of income in developing countries and that high energy prices could be a catalyst for innovation and for greater emphasis on…
Let me at the outset express my condolences to the people and Governments of Afghanistan and India for their tragic loss that resulted from the heinous terrorist attack at the Indian embassy in Kabul last Monday. The attack was a reminder that, even though formidable efforts have been made to stabil…
Let me first of all express my Government’s deep sympathy for and solidarity with the Government and people of Bangladesh at this very difficult hour.
Norway is a strong supporter of the humanitarian work of the United Nations. We support the Organization’s reform agenda and the efforts made to str…
Norway welcomes the third annual report of the International Criminal Court (ICC) (A/62/314) and would like to thank the President of the ICC, Judge Philippe Kirsch, for his presentation.
Norway is a staunch supporter of the ICC, and we are very pleased to see the progress it has made during the pa…
Today, the issue of religious and cultural identity is receiving more attention and is more central to global relations than ever before. Religion and culture define man and woman, and influence how we interact and relate to one another. Our right to freely choose our religion or belief is clearly s…
Success in Afghanistan requires the building of Afghan ownership. That must be done through strengthened and coordinated international efforts aimed at the full implementation of the Afghanistan Compact. We believe that the United Nations should play a stronger role. We welcome the expansion of the …
It is my delegation’s view that the reform of the Security Council constitutes an important part of the overall reform of the United Nations — a process that we as Member States committed ourselves to through the 2005 Summit Outcome Document (resolution 60/1). Norway’s long- standing priority has be…
Recently we have seen developments in the Middle East that may warrant cautious optimism. We are encouraged to learn about the recent ceasefire in Gaza. We condemn those extremists who, by continuing to fire Qassam missiles into Israeli territory, have tried to undermine that ceasefire, and we comme…
Norway believes that the situation in Afghanistan is a cause for deep concern. The conflict in the southern parts of the country has demonstrated the need for a change of pace in our efforts — those of the international community and those of the Government of Afghanistan. The increasing challenges …
I would like to thank Ambassador Jones Parry for his briefing. I would also like to thank the Security Council mission to the Sudan for its comprehensive report on a very complex situation. I commend the Council and the Secretary- General for their active roles in the peace process for Sudan, as thi…
The world is witnessing important developments in the Middle East. We were encouraged by the way the Israeli Government showed great courage in implementing the withdrawal from Gaza and the northern West Bank this summer. We were also impressed by the dignified manner in which the evacuation was car…
