Switzerland, 2002

It is

imperative, now more than ever before, that all the

peoples of the world act in a spirit of solidarity. The

United Nations embodies this spirit. In joining the

United Nations, Switzerland sends you a message of

solidarity. This makes me proud and happy.

I would like to add my thanks to those expressed

last Tuesday by Kaspar Villiger, the President of the

Swiss Confederation, on the occasion of Switzerland's

formal admission to the United Nations. I would also

like to thank all the Members of the United Nations for

the warm welcome they have given my country.

Switzerland feels welcomed. We feel that we are where

we belong.

I would also like to give Secretary-General Kofi

Annan my profound thanks. His sincerity and wisdom

contributed greatly to convincing the people of

Switzerland of the need to join the United Nations.

I would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your

election. I already know and value your qualities and

talents and I know that you will put them to the best

service of the United Nations. Switzerland is pleased to

be working with you towards the success of this

session of the General Assembly.

The Swiss people have decided to join the United

Nations. They have said yes' to increased cooperation

with the United Nations. They have said yes' to a

stronger international commitment. They have said

yes' to taking greater responsibility for meeting the

challenges that face humankind.

The challenges facing the international

community at the beginning of the twenty-first century

are immense. A number of regions suffer from terrible

poverty. Crises and wars are rife on all continents.

There are millions of refugees. We see the hideous face

of terrorism. Criminal networks exploit human beings

and traffic shamefully in drugs and arms. New diseases

are emerging and, day after day, we continue to destroy

the Earth's ecological balance.

There are no simple answers to any of these

problems, but there is a place where we can all meet to

find solutions: the United Nations. The world needs a

strong United Nations, as it is the only universal

Organization working at the global level. It alone can

analyse problems at the world level. It alone can create

a consensus between States on common goals. Finally,

as stressed by the Secretary-General, there is no

substitute for the unique international legitimacy

provided to principles and choices of action by the

United Nations.

Switzerland has joined the United Nations as a

neutral country and we intend to remain neutral. Our

neutral status, however, in no way diminishes our

desire for cooperation. On the contrary, it is an

advantage for our peace activities. Our membership of

the United Nations is not a change in direction, but the

logical consequence of our foreign policy.

To quote our Constitution, the Swiss

Confederation is committed Ö to a just and peaceful

international order'. The principal aim of the United

Nations is to maintain international peace and security.

For us, therefore, the United Nations is the ideal place

to carry out this vital mission. As a Member of the

United Nations, Switzerland will devote itself

resolutely to international peace and security. That

commitment will be focused, above all, on armed

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conflicts. The logic of armed conflicts today forces us

to adopt a multidimensional approach to peace

processes. If we are to succeed, we must work in

several different areas in parallel: military, diplomatic,

humanitarian and economic. We must also involve all

interested players in the process. All this demands a

major effort of coordination, and Switzerland will

contribute to that.

Security problems, moreover, must be addressed

from a broader angle that of human security. The

inhabitants of this world must be able to live without

fear of war, starvation and despotism. In particular, we

must protect vulnerable individuals and groups.

Switzerland will therefore pursue its efforts in favour

of human security. This includes stopping the

recruitment of child soldiers, eliminating anti-

personnel mines and halting the proliferation of small

arms.

In this context, I welcome the Secretary-

General's appeal to make full use of multilateral

institutions. This is especially valid for the

maintenance of international peace and security. There

is only one source of legitimacy for the use of force:

the United Nations.

Iraq has been discussed on several occasions

during these past days. There is undeniably a need to

act, and to act with determination, in order to ensure

the implementation of United Nations resolutions, but

action must be taken together, within the United

Nations. Only the United Nations can confer

international legitimacy to any action against Iraq.

Switzerland is convinced that peace and

development can be sustained only if they go hand in

hand with freedom, democracy, and respect for human

rights. Human dignity is our most precious asset. It

must be defended at all times and in all places. We will

champion this conviction at the United Nations to the

full and without concessions. For as long as men and

women are exploited, children are mistreated and the

death penalty is carried out, Switzerland will do

everything within its power to defend human dignity.

At the General Assembly this year, we will strive

in particular to promote the adoption of the draft

optional protocol to the United Nations Convention

against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading

Treatment or Punishment. This protocol is needed to

give better protection to people in detention against

torture and mistreatment. That is why we have been

supporting this initiative for years.

In its capacity as the Depositary State,

Switzerland feels a special responsibility to promote

awareness of and respect for the Geneva Conventions

and their Additional Protocols. At the United Nations,

we will continue tirelessly to defend these instruments.

In this area, Switzerland has submitted to a number of

countries involved in the Middle East conflict a

proposal which aims to ensure the better

implementation of international humanitarian law. We

advocate two mechanisms: one for promoting dialogue

to allow the parties to settle problems concerning the

application of international humanitarian law; the

second, a mechanism to monitor respect for

humanitarian law.

We are also convinced that the International

Criminal Court will ensure the better application of

international humanitarian law. This new Court is an

essential tool for dealing with serious violations of the

fundamental human freedoms. We will therefore

remain on our guard to ensure that it can function

efficiently and we will pursue our efforts to convince

those States that have not yet signed the Rome Statute

of the need for such a Court.

Two days ago, we commemorated the tragic

events that shook the United States and the world one

year ago. The causes of terrorism must be eradicated. I

am thinking, inter alia, of injustice, disregard for the

rights of minorities, and poverty. That is one of the

objectives of our development cooperation and of our

human rights policy.

Sustainable development and the elimination of

poverty remain mankind's main challenges today. We

saw that again at Johannesburg. They are global

challenges that require a global strategy and global

solidarity. In other words, they require coordinated

action by the United Nations institutions, as well as

greater cooperation between the United Nations, the

development banks, civil society and the private sector.

Development cooperation must be coordinated.

Switzerland will contribute to strengthening the

coordination efforts vital to ensuring that our activities

enjoy the success they merit.

The struggle against poverty also requires greater

exchange of expertise and better transfer of technology.

Switzerland is closely involved in the preparation of

the World Summit on the Information Society, the first

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phase of which will take place in Geneva in 2003. The

main challenge of that Summit is the very gap between

North and South in terms of access to new information

technologies. Therefore, I call on all to contribute

actively to the success of that conference.

These thoughts lead me to refer to Geneva, the

international city that is a close and longstanding link

between my country and the United Nations.

Switzerland is proud and grateful to be able to host the

European Headquarters of the United Nations and

many specialized agencies. Geneva is the main

international hub of disarmament, humanitarian aid,

social development, the promotion of human rights and

environmental protection. That gives me great

pleasure, because Swiss citizens are particularly

concerned about these issues. However, that also

involves the special responsibility of offering

international organizations optimum working and

living conditions. You can also count on Switzerland in

that area.

Before Switzerland became a Member, the United

Nations was already a universal Organization, but with

Switzerland and soon Timor-Leste the United

Nations will be even more universal. The United

Nations is the greatest world forum. Switzerland will

provide it its full support in the interests of humanity

and the interests of we, the peoples of the United

Nations.