Austria, 1993

I

should like to begin my statement by expressing my most

sincere condolences to the victims of the terrible disaster

which has taken place in India and to the Indian population.

Please allow me first of all to congratulate you,

Mr. President, on your election to your important office. I

know that your many years of experience as your country’s

Permanent Representative at the United Nations and your

universally admired expertise will greatly enhance the

deliberations of this body.

Since the Gulf War the United Nations - whether in

mediating among warring factions or in saving lives in

war-torn areas - has been more than ever at the centre of

world politics, with its tireless struggle for sustainable

development, its daily fight to protect human rights and its

active peace-keeping. In Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the

international community has a United Nations

Secretary-General committed to the difficult task of adapting

the Organization to a much-altered world political climate

and of strengthening it to face the new challenges ahead. I

have great respect for his incisive judgement and tireless

service which provided us with his visionary report "An

Agenda for Peace".

The Secretary-General’s first official visit to Austria

last June gave us an opportunity to discuss the most pressing

challenges facing the United Nations in the post-communist

era. They have special importance for Vienna as one of the

three official seats of the Organization. We would like to

see an Organization whose structure, management and

financing enable it to fulfil the responsibilities entrusted to

it in the Charter. In this context we have taken note with

satisfaction of the Secretary-General’s assurance to

strengthen the United Nations Office at Vienna.

One of the United Nation’s most important tasks is to

safeguard human rights. The Organization’s international

efforts in this area have saved human lives, brought about

the release of prisoners, prevented torture, helped to locate

missing persons, promoted health and literacy programmes

and safeguarded the rights of displaced persons and refugees.

In June this year my country had the honour to host

thousands of delegates and representatives of

non-governmental organizations in Vienna at one of the most

significant events in this field: the World Conference on

Human Rights.

I should like to take this opportunity to thank once

again all participants for their constructive cooperation and

8 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session

commitment and for their valuable support they gave me as

President of the Conference. It was the active collaboration

of the participating States and the effective support of the

United Nations Secretariat, under the Assistant

Secretary-General Fall, that made the Conference such a

resounding success, one that would not have been possible

without the committed participation of the non-governmental

organizations, which sent more than 2,700 representatives to

the World Conference. Never before have so many

human-rights organizations been involved to such an extent,

at all levels, in the events of such a major international

Conference as was the case at Vienna.

With the final document of the Conference, the Vienna

Declaration and Programme of Action, the international

community has adopted a document of major significance.

It is a forward-looking, action-based platform, which not

only strengthens basic principles but also represents an

important advance in the protection of human rights - all

human rights - world wide. The document affirms the

universal character of human rights and the principle that the

protection of human rights is a legitimate concern not only

of individuals and States but also of the entire international

community. It establishes a link between human rights,

democracy and development and underscores the special

responsibility of States to take concerted measures to protect

particularly vulnerable groups in society. It calls for a

strengthening of the United Nations Human Rights Centre

and for increasing its resources so that it can effectively

meet rising demands.

When the report of the World Conference comes up for

discussion before the General Assembly in the weeks ahead,

we must do more than complacently acknowledge its

accomplishments. The results of the World Conference

should be translated into concrete action in all areas, from

the rights of women and children to the integration of the

handicapped, the plight of indigenous peoples and the rights

of minorities to the right to development. Such new

elements as a High Commissioner for Human Rights or a

Decade for Human Rights must also be among the decisions

of this session of the General Assembly. Without

underemphasizing other elements of the Conference’s

outcome, I note that the recommendation to create an office

of High Commissioner for Human Rights has been

highlighted by some eminent speakers, among them United

States President Clinton, the Foreign Minister of the Russian

Federation, Mr. Kozyrev, and the Norwegian Prime Minister,

Mrs. Brundtland.

Around the world, we are coming to realize that active

protection of minorities is an elementary part of the political

and social stability of the countries in which they live, an

insurance against regional conflicts. In this spirit, the States

meeting at Vienna reaffirmed their commitment to the

Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National

or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, adopted at the

forty-seventh session of the General Assembly.

As a major media event, the Conference also

contributed greatly to sensitizing the public around the world

to the issue of human rights. In Vienna the human

dimension - or, as the United Nations Secretary-General so

fittingly called it, the "irreducible human element" - found

a firm place on the international political agenda. This has

given rise to great expectation among our citizenry and in all

of us. It is incumbent upon the members of the international

community to keep the promises made in the Vienna

Declaration and Programme of Action, for, in the end, the

success of the Vienna Human Rights Conference will be

measured by whether it was able to reverse the general trend

and build communities which provide the individual with a

decent human existence complete with civil, political,

economic, social and cultural rights. We have here goals

that will have a global impact on the evolution of humanity,

even if their implementation is only in the incipient stage.

In the past 12 months the situation in the Balkans has

deteriorated dramatically. The tireless efforts of the

Secretary-General and the peace mediators in Geneva have

not yet been able to end the fighting or bring about concrete

prospects for a just and peaceful solution in keeping with the

values enshrined in the United Nations Charter and in the

November 1990 Paris Charter. Despite tremendous

achievements by the High Commissioner for Refugees and

other humanitarian organizations, and the many thousands of

troops in the service of the United Nations Protection Force

(UNPROFOR), the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina continues

to claim thousands of lives.

Thus far over 200,000 people have been killed, and

another 2 million have been driven from their homes or

forced to flee. Entire towns and districts lie in ruins.

Several cities have been declared safe areas by the United

Nations, but life within them has still not returned to normal.

Although the violation of the independence and territorial

integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and of human rights by

the Serbian side, was condemned by the Conference on

Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) as early as

April of last year, and "ethnic cleansing" has come under the

harshest criticism in the world community, there has still

been no progress in halting that abominable practice. The

most serious violations of human rights continue to be the

order of the day. In the meantime, there is already evidence

Forty-eighth session - 1 October l993 9

that the cruel methods used by the aggressor have been

emulated by the victims. Austria has condemned this

criminal behaviour in the strongest terms and will tirelessly

continue to demand that it cease, no matter where it takes

place or who its victims are.

Fundamental principles of international order, as they

were precisely defined and affirmed at the London

Conference in August last year, continue to be grossly

disregarded. Specific resolutions, such as the monitoring of

frontiers between Bosnia and Serbia or the return of

refugees, have still not been implemented. The arms

embargo decreed by the Security Council in September 1991

has done nothing but hurt the victims of aggression. As a

result, the legitimate Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina

is in effect being hindered from fully exercising its right to

self-defence, under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter,

without being afforded adequate protection within the

framework of a collective security system.

Against this backdrop, the proposed peace plans under

discussion at the negotiations in Geneva raise a number of

fundamental issues. In tenor, they all call for recognizing a

status quo established by the use of violence and against all

principles and declarations. This fact makes the spread or

prolongation of the conflict likely. There is even the danger

that Bosnia and Herzegovina, a State Member of the United

Nations, will be divided up in a move sanctioned - even

encouraged - by the international community. This would

lend formal legitimacy to advantages gained by force. The

most recently proposed partition plan for the country would

seriously undercut its sovereignty by eliminating any

effective central authority, in flagrant contradiction of the

Security Council’s renewed expression of support for the

sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 24 August this

year.

This continuing violation of international law, human

rights and humanitarian law puts fundamental principles of

international conduct in jeopardy while seriously

undermining the reputation of the international organizations

involved. The failure of the system of collective security is

especially alarming in this regard.

The same can be said for the situation in Croatia. Over

a fourth of the country remains in the hands of the

aggressor, contrary to the Cyrus Vance plan of

January 1992, which was endorsed by the Security Council.

Neither the demilitarization of these areas to be monitored

by United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) troops,

nor the return of the civilian populations that have been

expelled, has yet been realized. Just a few weeks ago the

capital of Croatia was shelled by ground-to-ground missiles

fired from areas ostensibly under UNPROFOR protection.

Currently overshadowed by the war in Bosnia and

Herzegovina, the situation in Kosovo remains tense. A

rational solution is nowhere in sight. If anything, the

likelihood of an outbreak of violence has increased in recent

days. The expulsion of the long-term missions of the

Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)

in July of this year could well lay the groundwork for even

more brutal actions by Serbia against the Albanian

population. All in all, we are confronted with a situation in

which Serbia appears increasingly to be exercising the power

of an occupier in a region whose population is almost

90 per cent Albanian and which for decades has enjoyed

complete autonomy. Austria stands fully behind the efforts

of the international community to bring the Kosovo crisis

under control. In the end, a lasting peaceful solution to the

Balkans problem is inconceivable without a just and

equitable solution for Kosovo and for minorities in other

regions.

Austria is focusing its efforts on providing humanitarian

relief. Since the outbreak of the conflict, this relief has been

handled primarily by the large-scale private charity appeal

"Neighbours in Need", which provides on-site aid for the

needy. Several other European countries are also involved

in its activities. The Secretary-General’s recent words of

praise for its services are sure to inspire its organizers to

even greater efforts. Austria, with a population of just

7 million, is also caring for the needs of over 70,000

refugees on its own territory.

Though the recent course of events in the former

Yugoslavia gives us little cause for optimism, the latest

developments in the Middle East fill us with renewed hope.

After a period of stagnation, the peace process begun in

Madrid in 1991 has been given a vital new impetus with the

recent agreement, on 13 September, between Israel and the

PLO in Washington. However, the limited powers of

self-government for the partitioned areas now agreed to are

only an initial step. The ultimate goal must be to achieve

full rights of self-determination for the Palestinians as part

of a final settlement based on the relevant resolutions of the

Security Council and other bodies of the Organization.

The pressing task now is to improve the difficult living

conditions in the occupied territories through generous

economic and financial aid from the world community.

Austria, which has always been committed to a peaceful

settlement in the Middle East, will maintain its support for

this cause by actively participating in the international

10 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session

assistance measures now being planned. As part of the

multilateral negotiations, Austria will seek further ways to

make significant contributions in the areas of water and

energy resources.

Nevertheless, a lasting peace in the region will only be

achieved when Israel and the Arab countries conclude

treaties based on the principles of land for peace, security

and regional cooperation. From this standpoint, the

agreement between Israel and Jordan on a framework

agreement for peace is an encouraging sign, portending

further progress, we hope, in the bilateral negotiations

between Israel and Syria and Israel and Lebanon in the very

near future.

We very much welcome the remarkable success of the

United Nations operation in Cambodia. The two

co-Presidents of the Conference - France and Indonesia -

Japan and Australia, as well as the permanent members of

the Security Council, have made an invaluable contribution

to the peace process. We also particularly congratulate the

Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Akashi,

and his colleagues, who have assured the success of the

operation in the transitional phase.

Last year I was pleased to announce in the General

Assembly the official end to the dispute between Austria and

Italy regarding the treatment of the German-speaking and

Ladin population of South Tyrol, a topic which was the

subject of United Nations resolutions 1497 (XV) and 1661

(XVI) and which had been pending before this international

body since 1960.

A year later I can say that the autonomy established for

the German-speaking and Ladin population of South Tyrol

appears to be effective in safeguarding the ethnic identity

and the economic, social and cultural development of these

ethnic groups, though certain problems remain unresolved

and new problems have arisen from the dynamics of

evolution.

The settlement of this dispute in June last year has

helped to reduce tensions between the various ethnic groups.

Even with this dispute settled, Austria would like to express

its direct interest in helping solve new problems related to

matters involving South Tyrol. Given the new spirit in

Austrian-Italian relations since the settlement of this dispute,

I am confident we will be able to solve any matters relating

to autonomy in a manner agreeable to all parties involved.

The East-West confrontation has now been replaced by

an array of regional armed conflicts. There is an increasing

need for United Nations peace-keeping operations and

increasing demands are being placed on them. This trend

has accelerated in the past 12 months: almost

80,000 soldiers, police, military observers and civilian

experts from 75 countries are now involved in the 17 United

Nations peace missions around the world.

In 1992 the costs for these United Nations missions

soared to $2.1 billion - twice the regular United Nations

budget - pushing the Organization to its limits under the

current financing arrangement. New approaches must be

found to finance these United Nations actions. The

Volcker-Ogata report, "Financing an Effective United

Nations", points to financing options which could serve as a

valuable basis for the work of the Fifth Committee.

The most urgent challenges facing the United Nations

today are to develop global collective peace-keeping efforts

and to overcome the financial crisis. In his "Agenda for

Peace: Preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and

peace-keeping", the Secretary-General outlines possible

approaches to active peace management by the United

Nations. It is now up to the Member States to give the

Secretary-General the resources he needs to carry out his

ambitious plans. It is obvious that more security requires

greater solidarity and increased contributions, whether in the

form of troops or of higher membership payments. Given

the current back payments still due, the first priority must be

to motivate late payers to send in their contributions on time.

Austria takes its obligations very seriously and is proud of

having always fulfilled them on time.

The increasing consensus within the Security Council

and its new decision-making capability have contributed to

the quantitative and qualitative expansion of peace-keeping

operations and to an increasing variety of needs by the

community of nations for troops, officers, civilian police and

civilian experts. The purpose of the large-scale international

manoeuvres called "Exercise 93", recently conducted by the

United Nations in Austria with great success, was to achieve

the optimum management and coordination of military and

civilian organizations in responding to disasters.

As things stand now, election assistance and

monitoring, the protection of human rights, disaster

assistance, reconstruction aid, humanitarian relief and tasks

of a similar nature are already considered integral parts of

the new United Nations peace operations, to be put into

effect as soon as hostilities cease.

Austria heartily welcomes this new development,

having itself sent troops, military observers, police or

Forty-eighth session - 1 October l993 11

civilian experts to 12 of the 21 new United Nations

operations since 1988. In keeping with the

Secretary-General’s "Agenda for Peace", the Austrian

Federal Government decided on 25 May of this year to lay

the necessary groundwork on a national level to put Austrian

participation in United Nations peace operations on a new

legal footing. We will now be able to comply more quickly

and efficiently with future requests by the United Nations

and regional organizations and with the military, police and

civilian requirements they entail. To be more specific, there

will be an initial phase for the setting up of a disaster relief

service, a mechanism for seconding staff to the United

Nations Secretariat, a staff course for high-level officers,

police actions and humanitarian and disaster relief.

Austria is especially interested in the civilian

components of peace-keeping operations. To this end, a

training centre for civilian peace-keeping and peace-building

has been set up in Schlaining, Burgenland, with the support

of the Federal Government. In September of this year the

first fellowship programme devoted to "peace-making and

preventive diplomacy" was held there, a programme

organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and

Research (UNITAR); it was impressive in the quality of both

its speakers and its participants. The successful International

Peace Academy seminars on conflict resolution should also

be mentioned in this regard. In cooperation with the United

Nations, national and international experts will be trained in

Schlaining in the civilian responsibilities of the United

Nations peace operations. Special emphasis will be placed

on the following tasks: sustainable development, the

protection of human rights and the rights of national and

ethnic minorities, humanitarian relief and the development of

democracy.

In this age of interdependence, our efforts to secure

peace globally and collectively cannot be limited to

peace-keeping operations; they must also include economic

and social developments. Hunger, underdevelopment,

pollution, crime, drug abuse and refugee flows all pose

equally serious threats to global stability and thus to world

peace. The increasingly global nature of these dangers

requires concerted international cooperation. The United

Nations is the ideal forum to engage in the quest for

sustainable development, that is, development which is

compatible with ecological and social concerns. After all,

the United Nations mandate covers the full range of human

experience: political, economic, social and cultural.

The "Agenda for the People", as Secretary-General

Boutros Boutros-Ghali so fittingly called it, is in fact the true

challenge facing the United Nations as the twentieth century

draws to a close. Large conferences such as those in Rio,

Vienna, Cairo, Beijing and Copenhagen should give global

answers to global issues. And no matter what the event - be

it the Earth Summit, the Conference on Human Rights, the

Conference on Population and Development, the Conference

on Women or the World Social Conference - the focus

should always be on the individual human being and his or

her development and membership in the community.

In his declaration of principle before this year’s session

of the Economic and Social Council, the Secretary-General

underscored the historic opportunity which the simultaneous

structural reform and redefinition of United Nations policy

offer for the United Nations Member States. The crucial test

for the new United Nations will be the implementation of

this "Agenda for the People".