Argentina, 1997

In recent years we have, happily, drawn closer

to the ideals enshrined in the preamble of our Charter.

We have taken substantial strides towards the ideal of

peace and security; strengthened and broadened the

observance of human rights; enhanced and developed

international law and widened the scope of international

penal law, in particular; and laid the foundations for

greater responsibility by States in the advancement of

social progress.

However, even as we draw closer to these goals, we

see rapid changes in our countries and in the world which

present a new and complex challenge for the

Organization. The challenge begins when we note that the

benefits of globalization fall short of being able to

alleviate the situation of extreme deprivation from which

more than a quarter of the world’s population suffers.

Similarly, we see more clearly new threats to security and

development, such as drug trafficking, terrorism,

corruption, and irresponsible assaults upon the

environment.

The process of reform undertaken by Secretary-

General Kofi Annan must first and foremost identify what

is the essential role of the United Nations. We believe

that it unquestionably continues to be the maintenance of

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international peace and security. In order to achieve this we

must bring about a world where sustainable development is

possible and where the norm is the rule of law; respect for

human rights, including respect for the rights of indigenous

peoples and minorities; and non-discrimination by reason of

race, religion, gender or anything else.

The United Nations, through the General Assembly,

must continue to be in the vanguard on all these issues,

playing the role which in the past enabled it to overcome

the scepticism of the times and successfully to combat

colonialism, champion nuclear non-proliferation, and, even

more important, alert the world to the grave risks of

environmental pollution, marginalization, poverty and that

new form of moral pollution: corruption.

Although, on the whole, reform has aroused feelings

of hope, we must overcome the present climate of

scepticism and support the Secretary-General. In a world

which today is increasingly marked by globalization, the

autonomy which formerly characterized State action has

been considerably limited. This obliges us to reassess the

classical concept of sovereignty, by which I mean flexible

and dynamic — not static — reassessment. Argentina has

participated with conviction in the process of reform and

commits itself to continue to work actively in its

implementation.

The question of the Middle East is going through a

difficult phase. The peace process begun in Madrid in 1991

must necessarily continue, with fulfilment of the Oslo and

Washington Agreements.

We fully support the determined efforts made some

days ago by the Secretary of State of the United States of

America, Mrs. Madeleine Albright. We are certain that time

will show that those efforts were timely and well-directed.

Our country likewise firmly supports the system-wide

Programme of Action for the economic recovery and

development of Africa, as well as the United Nations

System-wide Special Initiative for Africa launched by the

Secretary-General in March 1996. We attach particular

importance to the mobilization of financial resources for the

African continent, and we note with satisfaction the first

signs of renewed activity in some very important areas of

that continent.

With regard to international security, we welcome the

adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty,

which we hope shortly to ratify. Likewise, we extend our

unqualified support to the Ottawa process to ban anti-

personnel landmines. Our commitment to this noble

initiative was made manifest in 1994, when we offered to

assume the task of removing the mines laid in the

Malvinas Islands. We laid those mines ourselves and thus

felt a sense of responsibility. We hope that we shall soon

be able to achieve the agreement that will allow us to

complete that task.

A lasting peace requires United Nations contingents

endowed with the capacity to deploy rapidly and

effectively. Accordingly, Argentina, together with other

countries, is working to improve mechanisms of

deployment. In this context, allow me also to recall that,

next year, Argentina will mark the fortieth anniversary of

its participation in peacekeeping operations. That is a

great many years.

The magnitude of the adverse consequences for

individuals of current conflicts requires us to exert our

utmost efforts with regard to humanitarian assistance.

Such assistance constitutes an indispensable element in

peace-building. Accordingly, the “White Helmets”

initiative has made possible a growing mobilization of

human and financial resources, bringing about a healthy

reassessment of humanitarian assistance criteria and

procedures.

In order to consolidate a lasting peace, we must not

allow impunity to prevail for crimes that offend the

conscience of humankind. The creation by the Security

Council of tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and

Rwanda is a recognition that justice and law are

inseparable components of the system of collective

security. Argentina firmly supports the creation of a

general and permanent international criminal court. We

trust that the Rome conference in 1998 will make possible

the realization of this initiative.

Let me also say that the Argentine Government

firmly intends to pursue its struggle against the abusive

consumption of psychotropic substances and illicit

narcotics trafficking, as well as related offenses.

In the subregional context, we are proud that the

Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR) continues

to grow in both the commercial and political spheres,

which are interrelated, and to contribute to advancing

integration in the hemisphere. MERCOSUR is a clear

case of open regionalism. It has not resulted in the

distortion or diversion of trade but has, rather, generated

trade both between the countries of the region and with

countries outside it. Argentina, jointly with its other

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MERCOSUR partners, is active in the formation of the

American Free Trade Area (AFTA). MERCOSUR has

introduced a proposal for negotiation of AFTA based on a

phased approach.

With regard to regional security, Argentina has been

a leader in reducing residual tensions in the area. It has

contributed to the attainment of such cherished goals for the

nations of South America as the resolution of border

problems in a climate of confidence with our neighbours

and by promoting common positions in support of

strengthened democracy and political and economic

stability. Accordingly, we have, through the Mechanism for

Consultation and Concerted Political Action of the Rio

Group, been promoting the Declaration on the Defence of

Democracy, to which we attach great importance as one

more means to advance peace and security — goals that

can be achieved only with representative democracy. We

also welcome the inclusion of Bolivia and Chile as full

members of the Mercosur Mechanism for Consultation and

Concerted Political Action.

With our neighbours, friends and partners, we are

pursuing a deepening of the dialogue on security and

defence. We are adjusting it to the new international and

regional reality, convinced that security is enhanced through

integration. Indeed, the basis of security in the Southern

Cone is the friendship and cordiality of its countries. In this

context, military cooperation has increased, with positive

results for transparency and mutual confidence-building. As

a result of these efforts, Latin America today can point with

pride to the peace and harmony that prevails among its

States.

There remains, however, in the South Atlantic, an

important unresolved issue: the question of the Malvinas

Islands. I reaffirm once again the legitimate rights of the

Republic of Argentina in that dispute and its appeal for a

peaceful and lasting solution.

In keeping with the repeated appeals of this General

Assembly and the Decolonization Committee, we believe

that it is imperative to resume negotiations on all aspects of

the question of the Malvinas Islands. No Member of the

United Nations should evade the obligation to resolve a

dispute by peaceful means as laid down in the Charter of

this Organization. We call for the parties to sit at the

negotiating table and discuss all the relevant issues.

We have made too much progress with the United

Kingdom to avoid addressing this issue. We have made

very important strides in building our bilateral relationship

with the United Kingdom, which are reflected in

heightened economic, commercial and cultural relations

between the two countries. We have recreated a climate

of mutual trust in the South-West Atlantic, which enables

us today to cooperate in the conservation of living

resources and in the exploration and exploitation of

hydrocarbons. Undoubtedly, these activities would gain

substantial impetus from the resumption of direct links

between the mainland and the islands, which have proven

to be most beneficial in the past. Nothing, however,

replaces human contact between individuals.

I trust that the new British Government will heed

our appeal and that of the international community to

pursue a dialogue without preconditions with a view to

finding a definitive solution to the sovereignty dispute

over the Malvinas Islands. To the islanders, I once again

reiterate our firm commitment to fully respect their way

of life, culture and institutions, as stated in our national

Constitution.

The Decolonization Committee, which has

historically played a decisive role in this sphere, has

shown itself to be the appropriate forum to continue

addressing the situation of the Malvinas Islands and other

dependent territories. Accordingly, the six countries that

make up the MERCOSUR Mechanism for Consultation

and Concerted Political Action have reaffirmed the

importance of the work of the Committee of 24 on the

decolonization process, which has not yet been completed.

We trust that the Committee will maintain its

effectiveness to the full.

Another fundamental issue is the composition of the

Security Council, which in 1945 was consonant with the

reality prevailing at the end of the Second World War.

That is no longer the case, however. On the eve of the

twenty-first century, we should not design a model that

only adds new discriminations to those we have inherited.

That would be a conceptual mistake. Argentina, while

understanding the position of each Member State on this

matter, is of the view that there is not yet a general

agreement concerning the increase in the number of

permanent members. We all agree that the reform of the

Security Council should make it a more democratic and

representative body. To reach that goal, each region will

need to arrive at a compromise without being pressured

or rushed.

In the case of Latin America and the Caribbean, the

Summit of Heads of State of the Rio Group has agreed

that the region itself will have to decide how to fill the

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seats assigned to it. Argentina is of the view that an open-

ended mechanism of rotation should be established that will

enable the participation of all those States that have shown

their commitment to and respect for the Charter. This

would avoid discrimination against those States that, like

Argentina, bear greater financial responsibilities. In short,

the Argentine position is aimed solely at promoting the

ample participation of all States of the region, without any

exclusion whatsoever.

I must say, however, that there is more to this matter

than the increase in the number of members. Methods of

work and procedures also need to be updated. In this

context, I concur with the comments made by the

representative of New Zealand.

It is our firm conviction that reform of the United

Nations must necessarily be built upon two fundamental

pillars. First, it must respond to the requirements and

expectations of the international community. Secondly, it

must reflect a general agreement among the Member States.

It is only in this way that the Organization will retain its

relevance in the twenty-first century.