Austria, 2007

Let me address at the

outset a burning issue: the situation in

Myanmar/Burma. We join the call of many, including

our partners in the European Union and in the

Association of Southeast Asian Nations, for an

immediate cessation of violence. The bloodshed has to

stop. Democratic rights and the freedom of assembly

and expression have to be respected. We reiterate the

call for the release from detention of Nobel Peace Prize

laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the Burmese

democratic opposition. That appeal was also made at

this morning’s meeting of the Women’s Empowerment

Network, which unites women leaders from around the

globe.

We can all feel a sense of urgency at this sixty-

second General Assembly session about the need to

counter contemporary challenges with decisive joint

action. Climate change, disarmament and dangerous

technologies are just three examples requiring such

joint action, now.

Let me thus call for relaunching effective

multilateralism. And let me make the case for a new

global partnership the joint search for sustainable

joint solutions, united by a shared sense of

responsibility and purpose. The very concept of

partnership is key in addressing the new challenges,

both inside our societies and in the global village.

Partnership is an eye-to-eye approach, based on

recognizing and respecting each other as equals.

Partnership is also a demanding option: anyone who

wants to be treated as a partner has to behave as a

partner.

We all know that none of us, not even the

strongest, can master the challenges of the twenty-first

century on his or her own. In the age of globalization,

unilateralism and nationalism are dead-end streets.

They simply do not achieve effective and durable

results. We thus need both global processes and global

objectives. We need to actively engage to build

confidence and to counter the erosion of trust that so

often breeds unilateral action.

Climate change is the obvious challenge to be

addressed in such a new global partnership. The United

Nations is the only framework in which a fair and truly

global agreement can be designed. Regional and

sectoral efforts need to be linked, feeding into this

global process. Furthermore, it is here only that those

who contribute least to climate change but are most

affected by it such as the small island developing

States can make their voices heard.

Disarmament, arms control and conflict

prevention are next in need of a credible relaunch of

multilateralism and a new partnership. In the nuclear

age, we simply cannot afford to acquiesce to the

present level of armament and to signs of a new arms

race. Non-proliferation and an actual reduction of

weapons stockpiles thus have to make an immediate

comeback to the top of the global agenda.

On certain limited issues, multilateral progress is

within reach. A consistently growing number of States

is rallying behind our call for the adoption by 2008 of a

legally binding instrument to prohibit cluster

munitions, which cause unacceptable harm to civilians.

Austria is determined to continue leading this process

by example, with a total national ban of this atrocious

weapon.

Nuclear technology is a third field for a new

global partnership. The world is turning nuclear,

whether we like it or not. This in itself is regrettable

for countries like Austria which have renounced

nuclear energy altogether because we believe it is a

dangerous and non-sustainable source of energy.

Inevitably, the rise of nuclear power across the globe

will lead to more and more tensions with regard to the

nature whether for energy purposes or for weapons

development of national nuclear programmes. There

is a highly dangerous grey zone between what is

permitted and what is possible.

A new global partnership where sensitive parts of

the nuclear fuel cycle are multilateralized could offer a

way out. We should create a regime in which

enrichment facilities would be placed under the control

of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The Agency would guarantee adequate fuel supply to

those who fulfil strict non-proliferation criteria through

an international nuclear fuel bank. This would help to

dissuade tensions and make new national enrichment

facilities superfluous.

At present, the Iranian nuclear programme for

many reasons is deeply upsetting for the entire

international community, not just for some of us. Iran

should take these concerns very seriously. It is clearly

up to Iran to dispel any shadow of doubt over the

nature of its programme by providing undisputable

proof to the world’s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, now.

Like many others, we strongly support Director

General ElBaradei’s appeal for a double time-out and

urge Iran to heed this call.

Our engagement for peace and security is rooted

in the firm belief that right must prevail over might.

Smaller and medium-sized Member States like Austria

understandably have a profound attachment to the rule

of law. For us, respect for the rule of law is a matter

not of choice but of necessity. Together with many

other like-minded countries, we will continue

promoting the rule of law and will give strong support

to the newly established Rule of Law Assistance Unit.

Austria believes in the power of partnership,

where equality, mutual trust and respect for diversity

overcome the crude logic of power. From our

experience, effective global partnership best builds on

both regional partnerships and regional ownership.

Austria is thus committed to developing a new

relationship among equals between the European

Union and the African Union, at the forthcoming

European Union-Africa summit in Lisbon.

To this end, Burkina Faso and Austria will

co-host a conference in Ouagadougou in November on

how to create sustainable peace. The meeting will unite

participants from countries of the Economic

Community of West African States and Europe in an

endeavour to provide a common input to the Lisbon

summit by furthering policies of good-

neighbourliness, the rule of law and good governance;

by fighting the proliferation of small arms and light

weapons; by creating employment for young people;

and by actively promoting the education of girls.

Together with the United Nations, the African

Union is currently breaking new ground with the

preparations for the African Union-United Nations

Hybrid Operation in Darfur. The human suffering we

witness in the region sometimes goes beyond

imagination. We therefore welcome the ongoing efforts

to alleviate this plight, including in neighbouring

States.

We Europeans cannot credibly call upon other

regions of the world to assume their regional

responsibilities if we remain unable to cope with the

challenges on our own continent, and in particular the

Kosovo issue. We need to resolve the last open status

issue in the Western Balkans now. We therefore fully

support the ongoing efforts of the Kosovo Troika and

encourage Belgrade and Pristina to energetically make

use of that negotiating space. The Special Envoy of the

Secretary-General, President Ahtisaari, has provided us

with a clear sense of direction. We Europeans want

each and every person in Kosovo to live in dignity,

freedom and security. The international organizations

concerned, including the European Union, must spare

no effort towards that end. It is also our continued

obligation under Security Council resolution 1244

(1999), which referred to the specific contribution the

European Union can make to the stability of Kosovo as

well as the entire Balkan region.

Women around the world are ready to bear a key

responsibility in conflict prevention, conflict resolution

and peacebuilding. But women also need to be given a

fair share of positions in international mediation and

peacebuilding efforts. Not so long ago, there was not a

single woman among the 54 United Nations Special

Representatives and Envoys to conflict and post-

conflict regions. I am encouraged by the Secretary-

General’s support on this matter and the recent

nomination of three women Deputy Special

Representatives: for Liberia, the Sudan and Lebanon. It

is also up to us, the Member States, to nominate more

women for such positions.

No conflict is too complex or too deep to durably

resist dialogue. The absence of dialogue breeds

misperceptions and sometimes even opens space for

violence. Austria has long-standing experience in

promoting dialogue among civilizations, religions and

cultures, and we will continue our activities in that

field with vigour. We must actively combat attempts to

hijack religion for other purposes anywhere in our

global village. Religious leaders must also take a clear

stance in condemning and fighting practices not related

to religion, such as so-called honour killings or female

genital mutilation.

Austria firmly supports the current bilateral and

international efforts that are taking place to renew the

dialogue between Israel and its Arab neighbours. We

hope that the meetings between Prime Minister Olmert

and President Abbas will create the basis for

implementing the two-State solution: Israel and a

Palestinian State living as neighbours in peace and

security.

We appreciate the efforts by the United States for

an international meeting later this year to assist the

parties in their quest for a just solution. We expect that

meeting to advance the peace process substantially and

sustainably by addressing the core issues, and we stand

ready to assist in preparatory and follow-up activities.

The people of the entire Middle East region are thirsty

for a new perspective of hope.

In 2008 we will celebrate a landmark in the

promotion and protection of human rights: the sixtieth

anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights and its immutable foundation, the universality

of fundamental rights. All human beings are born free

and equal in dignity and rights. It is therefore not

acceptable that human rights be revitalized or

diminished in relation to geography or other factors.

There is no doubt that women must enjoy the same

universal rights, wherever they live and whatever their

culture, creed or religion.

Our peoples expect from their leadership nothing

less than a life in dignity, but above all a life in

freedom from fear and in freedom from want. If we are

truly committed to human security, it is essential that

we make every effort to meet the Millennium

Development Goals by determined, concerted action to

eradicate poverty and hunger, to promote equality

between men and women and to protect our planet’s

resources. The Austrian Government has made it an

explicit priority to actively live up to the rising

challenges.

Based on our long-standing engagement for the

principles and values of the United Nations, I pledge

that Austria will be a responsible and reliable partner

as a non-permanent member of the Security Council

for the term 2009-2010. We hope that the Members of

the United Nations will entrust Austria with that

responsibility, which we stand ready to shoulder in a

spirit of true partnership.