Bahrain, 2001

This session is taking place amid feelings of sadness

and grief that prevail following the terrorist acts of 11

September that befell the United States. They

victimized the thousands, from more than 80 countries,

who were working in the World Trade Center in the

City of New York when the vicious attack took place,

and also resulted in great material and economic

damage.

My country, the State of Bahrain, moved quickly

to condemn the terrorist attacks in New York, just a

few kilometres from the Headquarters of the United

Nations, and in Washington, D.C. The Emir of Bahrain,

Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, expressed to

Mr. George W. Bush, President of the United States of

America, and to the friendly people of the United

States of America the deep condolences of the Emir,

the Government and the people of the State of Bahrain

for the victims of these wicked attacks, which run

counter to the teachings of all divine religions as well

as the basic tenets of humanity and the standards of

cultural values.

The State of Bahrain has supported the

international alliance against terrorism. It has offered

its cooperation as a participant in efforts and measures

to eliminate terrorism and terrorists as well as their

havens and financial resources. We have done so out of

our firm and principled position against terrorism and

our rejection of all forms of violence and extremism.

Such violence and extremism contradict the teachings

of true Islam and its tolerant values, as well as all lofty

cultural and human values in which we believe and

which we support.

The State of Bahrain also followed and

participated in the debates on combating terrorism

during this session of the General Assembly. It shares

the opinion of the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan,

that the shocking events of 11 September have united

the world against terrorism, as demonstrated by the

condemnation of those horrific attacks expressed by

millions of people from all societies. We also share the

Secretary-General’s opinion that, because of its unique

structure, the United Nations has an important role to

play in mobilizing the international community in

countering and combating terrorism.

As part of its policy of cooperation with

international efforts, the State of Bahrain welcomed

Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), which dealt

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with the issue of terrorism, in particular operative

paragraph 6, which requests Member States to report to

the Security Council Committee within 90 days on the

steps taken to implement the resolution.

While expressing our feelings of sadness at the

horror of the events of 11 September, we must also

warn against the danger of exploiting the events to link

terrorism to Islam. Islam is a religion of amity and

tolerance, and we would like to warn against the

danger of stirring up hostility against Muslims and of

igniting a conflict between religions and civilizations,

instead of dialogue and interaction among them for the

good of all societies and people of different races and

beliefs. In this context, we are pleased to welcome the

position taken by the United States of America and

other friendly countries in calling on their citizens to

refrain from harming their residents or citizens of Arab

and Muslim descent and reaffirming the spirit of

tolerance, interaction and dialogue among religions and

cultures.

The United Nations, which is the ideal tool for

confronting international terrorism, faces other

challenges that stand in the way of cooperation for

prosperity, economic and social development and the

building of a world in which justice, peace and equality

prevail.

In this regard, this year the United Nations held

several special sessions of the General Assembly, one

on human settlements and the other on HIV/AIDS, as

well as a Conference on small arms. The Economic and

Social Council also convened conferences on

information technology, the eradication of poverty and

financing for development, as well as the World

Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination,

Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, which was hosted

by the Republic of South Africa.

The State of Bahrain endorsed the United Nations

Millennium Declaration, and today — on the basis of

its deep-rooted civilization and sustained revival aimed

at strengthening the foundations of the modern State,

attaining comprehensive development, further

invigorating the mechanisms of civil society and public

institutions in order to enable its citizens to understand

current issues and the need for further advancement —

it reaffirms its determination to continue shouldering

its national, regional and international responsibilities,

with a view to achieving the common purposes and

principles set out in the Charter of the United Nations

and the Millennium Declaration.

In this context, His Highness Shaikh Hamad Bin

Isa Al-Khalifa, Emir of the State of Bahrain, took the

initiative to establish a national committee that

includes representatives from all sectors of Bahraini

society. This committee prepared a draft Charter for

national action, which was approved in a free

referendum by a majority of 98.4 per cent of the people

of Bahrain, and was ratified by His Highness the Emir

in February this year. This Charter is part of a

comprehensive plan to develop Bahraini society,

update its systems and institutions and transform it into

a modern State capable of participating effectively in

the new world order and of facing the challenges and

requirements of the era.

This historic step was coupled with a number of

measures to improve and update constitutional and

democratic institutions, reaffirm the rule of law,

achieve justice, equality and equal opportunities and

enhance popular participation. Foremost among these

are developments in the field of human rights, which

have confirmed the participation of women and

enhanced their role in civil society, including their

right to vote and to run for elected office, as well as the

establishment of the Human Rights Committee of the

Shura Council and the establishment of the Supreme

Council for Women. The Council’s mandate includes,

inter alia, proposing public policies in the field of

development and enhancing the role of women in civic

and constitutional State institutions. Proud of its

accomplishments in the political, economic and social

fields and reiterating its determination to press ahead

with its comprehensive development plans to build a

modern State capable of reaffirming its international

position and consolidating its relations with various

countries of the world, the State of Bahrain would also

like to express its thanks and appreciation for the

support given by many States of our Organization to

the worthy steps taken by His Highness the Emir.

Bahrain’s determination to imbue its relations

with others with a spirit of friendship and cooperation

is evidenced by its fraternal, amicable and close

relations with brotherly and friendly States. Such

relations are based on mutual respect, non-interference

in the internal affairs of others and the promotion of

good-neighbourly relations and cooperation among

States. In this respect, it is worth noting the position of

both the State of Bahrain and the State of Qatar on the

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judgement handed down by the International Court of

Justice on 16 March this year, which brought to an end

the border dispute between the two brotherly countries.

The statements issued by the leaders of both countries

said that the judgement, which was accepted by the two

countries, had opened a new page in relations between

them, based as they are on agreement and cooperation

aimed at achieving their common interests, and that it

represented the triumph of international legitimacy and

the principles of international law.

It is regrettable that the ramifications of the

dangerous events witnessed in the Gulf region over the

past 20 years constitute an ongoing threat to the

security and stability of the region and an obstacle to

its development and growth. The State of Bahrain,

which would like to see regional and international

security prevail, especially in the Gulf region, which

has strategic importance and in which various countries

of the world have vital interests, calls once again upon

Iraq to cooperate with the United Nations and to fully

implement the relevant Security Council resolutions, in

particular those relating to weapons of mass

destruction and to the release of Kuwaiti prisoners of

war and detainees and those of other nationalities, so

that efforts to lift the sanctions and to end the suffering

of its brotherly people may succeed.

The State of Bahrain also hopes that, in the light

of the positive developments in relations between the

countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the

Islamic Republic of Iran, a peaceful solution can be

reached in the current dispute between the latter and

the United Arab Emirates over the three islands,

Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, all of which

belong to the United Arab Emirates. The State of

Bahrain approves of and welcomes the direct contacts

that have taken place between the two neighbouring

countries and hopes that the dispute will be settled by

peaceful means in accordance with the principles of

international law, including referral to the International

Court of Justice.

Since the current Israeli Government came to

power, the Middle East has experienced serious

developments that have brought back conditions of

hostility and confrontation such as engulfed the region

prior to the beginning of the Madrid peace process in

1991. This has come about through Israel’s aggression

against the Palestinian people and its oppression,

economic isolation and blockades of all the territory

under Palestinian authority.

The peace process based on Security Council

resolutions, in particular resolutions 242 (1967) and

338 (1973), and on the Madrid terms of reference —

specifically the principle of land for peace — is at an

impasse. The explosive situation in the Palestinian

Authority’s territories, with all its inherent risks,

including the threat to security and stability in the

Middle East and to the interests of the Authority and

other States, requires the international community, and

primarily the sponsors of the peace process, to shoulder

their responsibilities to put the peace process back on

track so that its objectives may be achieved.

This can be done only through the full

implementation of Security Council resolutions calling

for a complete withdrawal from the Arab territories

occupied by Israel in the Syrian Golan Heights up to

the boundaries of 4 June 1967 and from the remaining

occupied territories of the Republic of Lebanon, and

through full recognition of the legitimate rights of the

Palestinian people, including its rights of return and to

the establishment of its own independent State with

Jerusalem as its capital. In this regard, we welcome the

statement made by President Bush of the United States

of America on the right of the Palestinian people —

supported by the European Union, the permanent

members of the Security Council and the international

community — to establish a Palestinian State.

The role of the United Nations and the reform of

its machinery to enable it to face its challenges and

overcome them collectively are among the priorities of

the Charter that were reinforced by the Millennium

Declaration. The Declaration calls on us to uphold the

rule of law nationally and internationally, to respect

human rights and to conduct international relations in

such a way as to preserve world security, peace,

development and stability.

In praising the role of the United Nations, I

should also like to take this opportunity to convey my

warm and sincere congratulations to Mr. Kofi Annan,

whom the Member States have unanimously re-elected

as Secretary-General for a second term in office in

recognition of his tireless efforts to allow the

Organization to play its full role and to achieve its

objectives. Through those efforts, the Secretary-

General and the United Nations under his leadership

have fully deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for this year

in appreciation of their great contribution to

maintaining international peace and security. I

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congratulate the Secretary-General and the United

Nations on that honour.

I also have the pleasure to extend to you, Sir, and

to your friendly country, the Republic of Korea, our

congratulations on your election as President of the

General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session. I express

the hope that you will succeed in carrying out your

tasks. I also thank your predecessor, Mr. Harri Holkeri

of Finland, President of the General Assembly at its

fifty-fifth session, and commend his invaluable efforts

in conducting the proceedings of that session and of the

special sessions held in conjunction with it.

We believe firmly that the destiny of the human

race is a common destiny, given that we all live in one

world. We are therefore duty-bound to preserve that

world and to protect it from the threats of war,

international terrorism, conflict, disease and poverty. It

is incumbent on us, the peoples of the United Nations,

as stated in the Charter, to choose to practice tolerance

and to live according to the will of Almighty God as

peoples that cooperate in the pursuit of friendship,

justice, peace and security.