Bahrain, 1999

Mr.

President, I have the pleasure of congratulating you on your

election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-

fourth session. Confident that your experience and ability

will strongly influence the successful outcome of the

proceedings of this session, I assure you of my delegation's

readiness to cooperate with you in fulfilling your task.

I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to

express my thanks to His Excellency Didier Opertti Badán,

President of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session,

for his contribution to the achievements and success of that

session. It is also my pleasure to express appreciation for

the efforts that Secretary-General Kofi Annan has exerted

in order to enable the Organization to fulfil its role in

promoting international peace and security and in furthering

international cooperation. I also extend the sincere

congratulations of the State of Bahrain to the Kingdom of

Tonga, the Republic of Nauru and the Republic of Kiribati

upon their admission to the United Nations.

On 6 March 1999, the State of Bahrain announced to

the people of Bahrain and to the world the sad news of the

passing away of His Highness Shaikh ‘Isa Bin Salman Al-

Khalifa, may God grant him peace and mercy. He was a

great and humane emir who loved people and was loved by

the people by virtue of the remarkable traits he exhibited,

which are the embodiment of the Bahraini character:

loyalty, tolerance and civility. He, may God bestow His

mercy upon him, championed national independence, the

Constitution, the consultative process and the erection of

the State institutions and the rule of law. He championed

development, comprehensive renaissance and diversification

of the national economy. He championed Gulf cooperation

and Arab solidarity through the most difficult times and

situations. He championed peace and international

cooperation and genuine friendship among all peoples.

These causes were the legacy of the late emir, whose

approach will continue to be the beacon that guides

Bahrain as it moves forward along its national path and

as it pursues Gulf cooperation, Arab solidarity, regional

cooperation with neighbours and international cooperation

with one and all.

In view of this session’s special momentousness, as

it is being held at a juncture between the end of a century

and the beginning of a new millennium, it behoves us to

pause and reflect on the experience of the United Nations

over the last half century. It should again be emphasized

that, as we approach the third millennium, we ought to

direct our actions in consonance with the principles and

purposes of the United Nations Charter, which are aimed

at enhancing peace and economic and social development,

in the interest of the world as a whole and on the basis of

equality, justice and respect for law.

The Organization’s experience of more than 50

years, with all its successes and setbacks in dealing with

crises and in addressing the challenges facing the world,

has demonstrated that the benefits of past experience

should be taken into account as we prepare for the future.

In this way we would be better equipped to contribute to

the building of a new world and a brighter future and

would be better committed to the United Nations. Some

of that experience has proved that departure from the

United Nations principles, Charter and resolutions has

strained relations among many States and caused regional

disputes and ethnic conflicts that have threatened security

and stability in numerous regions of the world. Yet

humanity has accomplished much during the last half

century, particularly through United Nations involvement

in the maintenance of international peace and security,

sustainable development and international cooperation.

Such United Nations endeavours deserve our appreciation

and commitment so that we can alleviate the human

suffering of those who are beset by poverty and lack of

security, stability and the basic requirements of a life of

dignity.

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Hence, our common agreement on enhancing the

vitally important role of the United Nations during the

forthcoming millennium as the embodiment of the

international community’s conscience and its hope of

building a better world in which our common human

aspirations, as enshrined in the Charter, can be realized.

Bahrain’s experience on the Security Council during

the past two years has demonstrated that small countries are

capable of effectively contributing to the causes of

international peace and security. That experience has also

reaffirmed Bahrain’s convictions, most notably its

adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter

and international legality, which reflect the will and desire

of the international community to live in security, tolerance

and peace. It has also confirmed the importance of

strengthening the principles of equitable geographic

representation and transparency as important values and

principles in international relations. Such principles would

enhance the Security Council’s role in maintaining peace

and security and help develop its ability to function

effectively. Therefore, it is essential that efforts be exerted

to reform the Council so that it can adequately reflect

political realities and cope with the changing international

climate during the next century.

The role of the Security Council in dealing with the

questions of peace and security requires that the processes

of peacekeeping and peace-building be interrelated in order

to prevent the renewal of conflicts; hence Bahrain’s request

for the convening of an open meeting during its term as

President of the Council last December, to consider the

relationship between peacekeeping and peace-building. The

extensive participation of members of the Council and other

Members of the United Nations bears witness to the

conviction of many Member States that such linkage is

essential for the integration of political action with action

in the field of economic and social development.

Bahrain’s enthusiasm and interest in taking part in

joint efforts to reach solutions for issues of peace and

security have been demonstrated by its active and

constructive participation whenever the Security Council

has dealt with such questions. By virtue of the expertise

that it has gained, Bahrain will be active, both within its

region and at the international level, in furthering the

principles of security, peace and stability.

Since the beginning of Bahrain’s modern revival, our

country has been building a modern State and a developed

civil society on the basis of developing, preparing and

qualifying the individual to deal with the demands of our

time and to participate positively in present and future

transformation. As a result, Bahrain has been able to build

an open and developed economy that has made it possible

for the country to realize comprehensive and sustainable

human development, as reflected in its remarkable

ranking in the human development index for five

consecutive years. This is also reflected in the reports of

the United Nations Development Programme, whose

contributions and efforts in the field of development in

many States we commend.

The State of Bahrain has long been aware of the

importance of human development and has thus drawn up

plans and policies for the development and utilization of

the capabilities of Bahrainis in all fields. It has also

enacted legislation encouraging women to join the

workforce and to enter the labour market. Thus, the

percentage of Bahraini women in the entire public sector

labour force reached 33.5 per cent in 1998, and the total

number of women in the private sector labour force has

reached 20 per cent. The State of Bahrain takes pride in

this achievement at the regional and international levels.

It makes available equal opportunities to both men and

women in the fields, inter alia, of education, health care

and social welfare, as these are basic priorities of human

rights for which Bahrain’s efforts have been applauded by

United Nations human rights bodies and experts.

In its new era under the leadership of its emir, His

Highness Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Bahrain will

continue on its course, which has allowed it to assume a

prominent place economically and socially, thereby

becoming an example of progressive development that

takes into account both the global dimension and the

preservation of its heritage and traditions.

Over the last two decades, the Gulf region has

witnessed serious and painful events, the ramifications of

which continue to pose a threat to the security and

stability of this vital region, which is an important hub for

world trade and for mutual, beneficial exchange between

various nations of the world.

Those events have demonstrated that the

maintenance and preservation of regional security can be

based only on respect for and strict observation of

principles that the State of Bahrain has always advocated,

most notably respect for the status quo and the

inviolability of established boundaries. Relations among

countries of the region should be based on the principles

of good neighbourliness, mutual respect and non-

interference in the internal affairs of other States.

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Recognition of each State's national sovereignty is an

essential factor for the preservation of security and stability

in the region, as is the settlement of disputes by peaceful

means acceptable to the States concerned.

Accordingly, and reaffirming its consistent position

with respect to a number of regional and international

questions and its keen interest in the maintenance of

security and peace in the world, particularly in the Gulf

region, Bahrain again calls on Iraq to implement relevant

Security Council resolutions, especially those relating to

weapons of mass destruction and the release of prisoners of

war and detainees of Kuwaiti and other nationalities.

At the same time, Bahrain urges anew that efforts be

continued with a view to alleviating the suffering of the

brotherly Iraqi people resulting from sanctions. It is also

eager to ensure the independence, unity and territorial

integrity of Iraq and opposes any interference in its internal

affairs.

In the interest of security, stability and peace in the

Gulf region, Bahrain wishes to emphasize again its support

for all efforts aimed at settling by peaceful means the

dispute between the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic

Republic of Iran over the three islands, namely Abu Musa,

Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb, all of which belong to the

United Arab Emirates. In this respect, Bahrain wishes

success to the work of the Tripartite Ministerial Committee

formed by the Gulf Cooperation Council to solve the

dispute in a manner that would lead to the establishment of

good and normal relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran

on the basis of the principles of good neighbourliness,

mutual respect and observance of mutual interests.

In conjunction with the questions of security and

stability, it is imperative that we re-emphasize the danger

of territorial claims aimed at changing established, inherited

and traditionally accepted boundaries. Bahrain therefore

welcomes the resolutions adopted by the summit of the

Organization of African Unity (OAU) held in Algeria in

July 1999 which confirmed the adherence of member States

to the principles set out in the OAU Charter and OAU

resolutions in respect of inherited and traditionally accepted

boundaries.

During the last three years, the Middle East peace

process has encountered a setback which froze and almost

completely destroyed the process, owing to the rigid

positions and contradictory policies of the previous Israeli

Government. Now that a new Government has taken over

and has made promises regarding its readiness to revive the

peace process, Bahrain, having endorsed that process from

the very beginning and having consistently worked

towards its success, expresses its hope that the new Israeli

Government will translate its promises into full, complete

and faithful implementation of all the agreements reached

and will be responsive to international efforts to make the

peace process a success.

Accordingly, the State of Bahrain has welcomed the

latest Palestinian-Israeli agreement on the implementation

of the Wye River accords signed at Sharm el-Sheikh as

a positive step towards a final settlement between the two

parties and the enhancement of the peace process among

all other parties.

The Arab side has repeatedly confirmed its

commitment to the peace terms reflected in the principles

of the 1991 Madrid Conference and the relevant United

Nations resolutions. It believes that achievement of a just,

comprehensive and lasting peace in the region should be

the strategic option that would obligate Israel to recognize

legitimate Arab rights, to comply with the relevant

resolutions of international legitimacy, including Security

Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), to respect

the right of the Palestinian people to have their own

independent State with Jerusalem as its capital, to fully

withdraw from all occupied Arab territories, including the

Syrian Arab Golan Heights, to the boundaries that existed

on 4 June 1967 and to withdraw from Lebanese territory

pursuant to Security Council resolution 425 (1978).

The success of the peace process and the

achievement of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace

will undoubtedly have a bearing on the future stability

and development of all the countries and peoples of the

region.

At the same time, we wish to stress the importance

of intensifying efforts to make the Middle East, including

the Gulf region, a zone free of all weapons of mass

destruction, including nuclear weapons.

The world has witnessed this year positive

developments in respect of an issue that was a source of

deep concern to the international Organization and the

international community, namely the question of

Lockerbie. We should like here to commend the Libyan

Arab Jamahiriya for complying with relevant Security

Council resolutions, as well as the other parties in the

case for the cooperation they have displayed. We also

welcome the suspension by the Security Council of

sanctions against Libya and express our appreciation of

19

efforts exerted by the Governments of the brotherly

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and South Africa and by the

Secretary-General, as well as the concerned regional

organizations, which have led to agreement on the case. We

hope that this will lead to the complete lifting of sanctions.

The easing of the Kosovo crisis by virtue of the return

of refugees and displaced persons to their homes and

villages has imbued the international community with hope

and satisfaction. However, the whole world has seen

shocking images of the crimes of ethnic cleansing and the

terrorizing of innocent people and of the human suffering

that has beset the people of Kosovo, including the

displacement of about one million Kosovars, mass graves

and the destruction of villages and homes. It is incumbent

upon the international community to unfailingly guard

against and to address the causes of the phenomenon of

racism and all its manifestations.

In view of its keen interest in the maintenance of

international peace and security, the State of Bahrain calls

upon the United Nations and the international community

quickly to intensify their efforts, in cooperation with the

competent regional organizations, to settle the ongoing

conflicts in various regions and among a number of States.

These include the tense situation between Ethiopia and

Eritrea and internal strife in Afghanistan, Somalia, the

Democratic Republic of the Congo, East Timor and other

parts of the world.

Other sources of concern are the phenomena of

terrorism, violence, organized crime and related activities

such as transnational drug and weapons trafficking that

continue to pose a threat to all societies. To address these

problems the State of Bahrain supports the call by the Arab

Republic of Egypt for the convening of an international

conference, under the auspices of the United Nations, with

a view to drawing up a comprehensive strategy to combat

and eliminate these phenomena.

Since the end of the Second World War, the world

economy has experienced tremendous changes on the

international trade landscape, including the emergence of

giant trade conglomerates and a revolution in the fields of

technology, information and communications.

About half a century after the establishment of the

International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and

the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the

international community was able to establish the World

Trade Organization (WTO) in order to undertake the

responsibility of establishing frameworks for world trade in

the forthcoming decades. Now, with the advent of the

twenty-first century and the rise of economic

globalization, the international community has to set

ambitious goals, most notable of which are the eradication

of poverty and the pursuit of economic and social

development.

Although the positive and constructive position taken

recently by the Group of Eight regarding the settlement of

the problems of indebtedness has created an atmosphere

of confidence and satisfaction, two important points

should be stressed. First, the burden of repaying the

remaining balances and the servicing of debts should not

interrupt the growth and integration of the national

economies concerned into the world economy. Secondly,

it is essential to create a favourable environment for the

promotion of economic and trade cooperation between

States on the basis of equality and mutual benefit and

within a framework of transparency of capital markets, in

addition to facilitating the transfer of technology and

encouraging international investment, which would

enhance development and growth for all, as well as

facilitating the equitable integration of the economies of

developing countries into the world economic system.

This will enable the world economy to avoid any other

shocks that are liable to have a universal impact.

The State of Bahrain is pleased and willing to

contribute to international efforts aimed at achieving

increased international economic cooperation, due to its

stability and strategic location, and the trade and

investment environment it enjoys — elements that have

helped it attract foreign capital and enhance its standing

as an advanced financial and commercial centre.

With the imminent approach of a new century, the

world has witnessed major historical changes precipitated

by technological and scientific advances, a

telecommunications revolution, a rapid flow of

information, a trend towards open global markets and a

widening scope of interaction between nations, cultures

and civilizations. All this serves as a harbinger signalling

the advent of a better world for humanity as a whole. Yet,

while we appreciate the positive aspects of such advance,

we are duty-bound to warn against the dangers that

accompany those positive aspects. Those dangers raise the

following questions.

To what extent can poor countries benefit from the

technological revolution? If they cannot, then the

revolution will serve only to widen the gap between the

poor and the rich. To what extent can scientific advance

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and globalization solve the various environmental problems

that endanger the entire world, if such a solution is not

linked to solving the problems of development in poor

countries, on the one hand, and to curbing and rationalizing

consumer and welfare trends in rich countries, on the other?

To what extent can globalization of capital flows and

markets facilitate the flow of investments into developing

countries and boost their export capacities in a manner that

would enhance the development of their economies and

their contributions to the world economy? To what extent

can the potential of such advance and globalization be

utilized to help prevent the proliferation of weapons of

mass destruction, address ethnic conflicts, settle disputes

and eliminate the threat of international terrorism? To what

extent can this advance and globalization be utilized to

enhance opportunities for improving the quality of

education, culture and worldwide intercultural knowledge,

with a view to upholding the ideals of peace, equality and

brotherhood among the entire human race?

With the advent of the third millennium, it behoves us

to consider and reflect upon the accomplishments of

humanity, on the one hand, and the horrible human

suffering that has beset thousands of individuals as a

consequence of disputes, conflicts and poverty, on the

other. We believe that the United Nations is the principal

forum for such reflection and consideration so that solutions

can be found for these disputes and conflicts. It is Bahrain’s

conviction, in this connection, that the international

community can enhance its standing and its values during

the next millennium and ensure a better destiny for itself,

through the achievement of peace, security, solidarity and

cooperation within a framework of universal human

partnership and pluralism. Bahrain regards these elements

as essential for the survival of the planet and calls for

strengthening the role of the United Nations system, as it is

the trustworthy custodian of our accomplishments and

aspirations, so that it can carry out its task to the fullest

extent. We are confident that mankind can reach higher

levels of advancement, development and growth through

coordination and cooperation within the United Nations and

other regional organizations. It is our hope that the new

millennium will usher in a new era of abundance wherein

the world will be endowed with security, peace and

stability.