Kingdom of Denmark, 1992

Let me begin by congratulating the

President upon his election to the presidency of the forty-seventh session of

the General Assembly.

I wish to pay a tribute to the Secretary-General,

Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali. His able and efficient leadership of the United

Nations since he took office only nine months ago has impressed us all and I

wish to assure him of Denmark's full support of his continuing efforts to

reform and streamline the Organization.

During the past year the world Organization has become more nearly

universal than ever. What in 1945 started out as an organization of 51 Member

States has now become an organization consisting of 179 Members. This year 13

new States have joined the United Nations. All the new States of the former

Soviet Union, as well as Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and

San Marino, have now joined the Organization.

Let me take this opportunity to welcome all the new Member States and to

express my hope for future fruitful cooperation in the spirit of the United

Nations.

The very deplorable developments in the former Yugoslavia have

demonstrated how fragile the situation is in many parts of the world in the

post-cold-war era and have led to the largest refugee crisis in Europe since

the Second World War. The international community has reacted with great

responsibility to the intensified crisis in the former Yugoslavia and the

overwhelming humanitarian needs it has caused. We have made very large

resources available for monitoring, mediation and peace-keeping operations, as

well as for humanitarian assistance. I welcome the enlarged role of the

United Nations in the peace efforts in the area as well as the central role of

the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the provision of relief,

where coordination remains of paramount significance in ensuring that the

relief work is carried out with maximum speed and efficiency.

Denmark has worked closely with the High Commissioner in providing very

substantial humanitarian assistance, both financially and otherwise. Lately

we have accepted a more direct involvement in the provision of accommodation

and shelter for refugees and displaced persons. We intend to continue our

efforts.

The Yugoslav crisis is a crisis in Europe, and Europe is willing and able

to take its part of the international responsibility, but the United Nations

as the international, global actor has its important role to play as well.

The international Conference in London on the former Yugoslavia assembled all

the main actors involved in the crisis and war in the region. The results

were encouraging. The framework for the absolutely necessary political

dialogue and for the negotiations was established, including the structure and

the principles upon which any peaceful solution must be based.

Developments in the first month after the London conference have shown

that the conference was able not only to produce very good documents but also

to establish the follow-up mechanism enabling us to turn words into deeds.

Denmark wholeheartedly supports the efforts in Geneva under the

co-chairmanship of Mr. Cyrus Vance and Lord Owen.

Under the impact of all the combined international efforts - the United

Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), the European Community Monitoring Mission

(ECMM), the Geneva talks we must not forget that the main responsibility for

bringing an end to the cruelties and violence lies with the conflicting

parties. All the peoples, groups and minorities and their leaders must

realize that the only way their communities can flourish is through a

negotiated, commonly accepted political settlement of their disputes.

Diverging interests can coexist peacefully only through compromise. The basic

principles for a political solution will not change: the inviolability of the

borders which can be changed only by mutual, peaceful agreement; the human

rights and the rights of minorities must be respected; the sanctions against

Serbia-Montenegro will be upheld until the acts of aggression have stopped;

the so-called "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" is not the sole successor to

the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; humanitarian help to all in

need shall be possible; persons who have committed crimes against

international humanitarian law shall be prosecuted individually, if possible

by an international court under the United Nations.

The situation in the former Yugoslavia is still grave, but I think we

have created the foundations for a possible improvement and eventual

settlement. There will be difficulties and backlashes ahead. As Prime

Minister Major said at the London Conference, it will be a long haul. But

nobody should doubt that Denmark, nationally as well as in its capacity as the

next holder of the Presidency of the European Community, will devote all its

strength to the international efforts aimed at obtaining a political, peaceful

settlement in the former Yugoslavia.

After a period of impressive progress, the reform process in South Africa

came to an unfortunate standstill in the middle of this year because of new,

tragic outbreaks of violence. The high level of violence remains one of the

major obstacles to a resumption of negotiations.

The Secretary-General took an important step by sending his Special

Representative to South Africa. As a result, a number of United Nations peace

observers have been deployed in violence-stricken areas. After a visit

earlier this month by the Troika of European Community Foreign Ministers, the

European Community has also decided to send peace observers to South Africa.

In addition, European experts will support the work of the Goldstone

Commission and other efforts to curb the violence in South Africa.

At the end of the day, however, only the South Africans themselves can

bring about the new, democratic South Africa that we are looking forward to.

We stand ready to provide our fullest support. For more than 25 years,

Denmark has granted humanitarian assistance to the victims of the apartheid

system, and it is prepared to initiate a programme of transitional assistance

to South Africa once an interim government is in place. We encourage the

international community to join in the efforts to redress the social and

economic imbalances in South Africa, and to contribute to the creation of a

non-racial and democratic South Africa.

The tragedy in Somalia amply illustrates the need for a process of

national reconciliation in that country leading to the re-establishment of a

legitimate government. Following the visit to Mogadishu by the troika of

European Community Foreign Ministers in early September, the European

Community Foreign Ministers stressed this, as well as the particularly

important role of the United Nations, in their declaration of 13 September.

In the Middle East the parties involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict and

the Palestinian question have embarked on a negotiating process that gives

grounds for hopes of a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement. Denmark,

together with its European Community partners, fully supports, and remains

committed to the peace process.

The policy adopted by the new Israeli Government has given a new impetus

to this process. The subsequent response of the Arab countries and the

Palestinians bodes well for the future. I sincerely hope that all parties

will now engage in substantive negotiations by building incrementally on the

progress achieved so far. Pragmatism is what counts at the present stage. I

therefore call on all parties to translate good intentions into concrete

proposals and open-mindedness.

In Iraq the Baghdad regime continues to ignore its obligations under

international law by obstructing the work of United Nations inspection teams.

The regime is continuing its flagrant violations of human rights and

fundamental freedoms, in particular by victimizing Kurds and Arab Shiites

living in the marshes. And Baghdad is actively impeding the efforts of the

United Nations and non-governmental organizations to relieve the plight of

those suffering. The harassment of United Nations peace guards, the refusal

to renew the Memorandum of Understanding and the rejection of the food-for-oil

arrangements laid down in Security Council resolutions 706 (1991) and

712 (1991) are all cases in point.

Saddam Hussein's strategy, however, is doomed to failure. In no

circumstances will the international community relax the United Nations

sanctions imposed on the Baghdad regime unless it fully and unconditionally

complies with all relevant Security Council resolutions.

In my speech last autumn I pointed out how Security Council

resolution 688 (1991) might become a turning point as to the balance between

the principle of national sovereignty and that of humanitarian intervention.

The question of humanitarian intervention has had a considerable impact on

international debate during the last year. The course of events in Somalia,

the former Yugoslavia and recently, anew, in Iraq has shown the relevance and

importance of the concept.

There seems to me to be growing support for the point of view that the

principle of non-intervention in the internal jurisdiction of States cannot be

taken as a shield behind which massive violations of human rights can be

allowed to take place, especially not where the human rights situations have

been characterized by the Security Council as a threat to peace. A new

balance between sovereignty and international intervention is being struck, in

favour of international intervention. My Government welcomes that

development. We should insist on recognition of the basic principle that

Governments have to cooperate fully to ensure access to all persons in need of

assistance. Far too often political motives continue to prevent humanitarian

assistance from entering a country or from reaching population groups in need

of such assistance.

It has been appalling to witness the continuing disregard for

humanitarian conventions shown by Iraq during the Gulf War, and, most

recently, by parties to the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. The

perpetrators of these criminal acts are individually responsible, and must be

prosecuted individually.

In this connection I welcome the work of the International Law Commission

on the question of establishing an international criminal tribunal. The

Danish Government is ready to contribute constructively in these efforts

during this and the coming session of the General Assembly.

The Secretary-General's report entitled "An Agenda for Peace" (A/47/277)

contains a number of interesting proposals, some of which Denmark can support

wholeheartedly: for example, the proposal to make wider use of good offices,

the proposal to establish a reserve fund for peace-keeping operations and the

proposal to make wider use of the International Court of Justice. However,

both the use of the good offices of the Secretary-General and the use of the

International Court depend on the political will of the parties involved.

The United Nations is facing steadily growing demands for peace-keeping

efforts, and the scope of these efforts is increasing. Suffice it to mention

Cambodia, Somalia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since the United Nations is

already heavily overburdened, we welcome the Secretary-General's call upon

European regional organizations to carry out peace-keeping functions in

accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter, as in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Despite the substantial Danish contribution to the United Nations

Protection Force, we remain committed to further contributions to United

Nations peace-keeping operations, both in Europe and in other parts of the

world. Let me add, however, that a peace-keeping operation must be seen as an

interim offer to the parties to a conflict, and thus must be limited to a few

years. A peace-keeping operation must never, by the mere length of its

existence, turn out to be an excuse for the parties not to seek a negotiated

settlement of their dispute.

In fulfilling its mandate as the guardian of peace, the United Nations

has an important role to play by contributing to social and economic

development and the eradication of poverty. The significant role that the

United Nations has acquired in efforts to solve political conflicts should not

overshadow its responsibilities in the economic and social field. As pointed

out by the Secretary-General, no lasting peace can be achieved while the

existing gap between rich and poor nations persists.

The improved international political climate, the breakup of the old

power blocs and the reductions in military expenditures offer a unique

opportunity to promote social development.

We must now face our responsibility to improve living conditions for the more

than one billion people living in absolute poverty, and for the even larger

number of people suffering under unemployment and social insecurity. If we do

not, problems will multiply and put global stability at risk.

The solutions to those problems must be based on respect for human

rights, the rule of law and political institutions that are effective,

accountable and enjoy democratic legitimacy. It is time to face, discuss and

tackle these interlinking aspects of social development.

Denmark welcomes the proposal adopted by the Economic and Social Council

to convene in 1995 a world summit for social development. We intend to

propose Copenhagen as venue for the world social summit, thereby confirming

Denmark's commitment to social development and our wish to make the summit an

important event in the mobilization of all efforts to attain the ultimate

objective to improve the quality of life of man.

This year, the General Assembly will undertake a review of the

operational activities of the United Nations system. It will give us an

opportunity to assess the functioning of the development activities of the

United Nations system during the past three years, and establish new

guidelines and priorities for the coming three years. At the same time,

discussions of fundamental reforms of the United Nations system as such have

entered an important stage which gives an excellent opportunity for a

comprehensive discussion of the demands of the emerging new world order as

they relate to the. structure and functioning of the United Nations and its

Secretariat.

At the centre of the reform discussions is the need for a clearer

definition of the role of the United Nations system in development activities,

including better distribution of work and improved coordination among the

various organizations. The United Nations must also show leadership in this

field and carry out its own operational activities in a consistent and

coherent manner.

Progress in the discussions of reforms of the United Nations operational

activities was made at the recent session of the Economic and Social Council.

It is our hope that at this year's session the General Assembly will bring the

process forward from the level of discussing principles to that of concrete

action. The proposals contained in the Nordic United Nations project would,

in our view, enable the United Nations to regain its rightful leading role in

operational development activities. Only through substantial changes in the

governance and financing of United Nations funds and programmes will it be

possible to ensure a more effective and efficient role for the United Nations

in this field, to the benefit of developing nations.

During the last few years, we have seen a succession of natural and

man-made disasters of unprecedented frequency, scope and complexity. After

the extraordinary events of last year, we all hoped to see a reversal of this

trend in 1992. Unfortunately, such hopes have not been fulfilled.

The adoption of resolution 46/182 on emergency assistance at last year's

session was seen as a major step forward in the direction of improved

coordination within the United Nations system and increased efficiency in the

delivery of humanitarian emergency assistance. It was an important step.

However, much more needs to be done to translate the aims of that resolution

into reality.

The public criticism which has been raised in many countries, including

in Denmark, of the response of the United Nations system to the large-scale

tragedy in Somalia is an example which makes it clear that this year the

General Assembly must give increased and renewed attention to the issue of

improved performance by the United Nations. A determined effort must now be

made to ensure that sufficient humanitarian assistance is given in time, with

maximum speed, and in a well coordinated manner. We appeal in particular to

the organizations of the United Nations family to try harder to cooperate, act

jointly and compete less.

The World Conference on Human Rights, scheduled to take place in June

next year, will provide an opportunity to review progress made in the field of

human rights since the adoption of the Universal Declaration. Obstacles to

further progress will be identified, and specific measures which can assist

individual countries in their efforts to promote respect for human rights will

be outlined.

The Danish Government is committed to ensuring a successful outcome to

the Conference, and will work for a balanced result containing both political

benchmarks and operational guidelines for corresponding implementation

activities. In this regard, special attention should be paid to the

interlinkages between democracy, human rights and development and to the need

for a concentrated assistance effort in this area, based on the principle that

violations of human rights are a legitimate concern of the international

community.

Democracy, respect for human rights, equal status for men and women and

principles of good governance play an essential role in development efforts.

This has been increasingly recognized in recent years, and reflected both in

the wide-ranging reforms undertaken in a number of countries and in the

continued policy dialogue aimed at supporting development efforts. At the

same time, the process towards broadening public participation in the

decision-making processes is bound to continue.

The Danish Government will seek to assist countries undertaking policy

reforms in establishing administrative and political structures which are

conducive to development for instance, by setting up new democratic

institutions and by strengthening the rule of law.

Equally we attach great importance to the question of military spending.

Excessive military spending not only reduces funds available for other

purposes, but can also contribute to increased regional tensions and

violations of international law, and can in some cases compromise moves

towards democracy and the rule of law at the domestic level.

Denmark stands ready, through its programme for development assistance,

to provide substantial support for specific activities aimed at consolidating

human rights, democracy and good governance, and we shall seek our future

partners in development from amongst countries which are making a genuine

effort in this regard.

Next year has also been designated the International Year of the World's

Indigenous People. The Danish Government looks forward with great interest

and high hopes to that Year, and plans are well under way both in Greenland

and in Denmark on how to work actively towards increasing the understanding of

the special situation facing these peoples and how to further the respect for

the cultures and rights of indigenous peoples.

It is well known that the Inuit, the inhabitants of Greenland, have

chosen the status of home rule within the Danish realm, and at the domestic

level we will cooperate closely with the representatives of the home-rule

Government of Greenland in our preparations for the Year.

The results the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development

recently achieved in Rio provide a good basis for a new global partnership

based on common responsibility for the Earth, even if it did not meet all our

expectations. The Rio Declaration, Agenda 21 and the Conventions on climate

change and biodiversity are far from being the end result: they are

instruments to mobilize governments and peoples from all over the world in a

joint effort towards sustainable development in the future.

The most significant institutional recommendation of the Conference to be

followed up at the international level is the high-level Commission on

Sustainable Development. It is important that the Commission's scope of work

be oriented towards the future in order to ensure a dynamic approach to future

technological and economic developments.

Implementation of Agenda 21 and the conventions requires financial

resources and thus calls for partnership and real burden-sharing among

nations, not only between North and South but also among the donor countries

themselves.

From the very beginning, the Danish Government has been committed to the

process of the United Nations Conference and Environment and Development. We

are prepared to provide our fair share of the necessary resources, and would

like to see similar firm commitments from as many countries as possible.

At this session we are marking the end of the United Nations Decade of

Disabled Persons. The disabled remain among the most vulnerable groups, in

particular in the developing countries. During the Decade awareness of the

problems and difficulties facing disabled persons all over the world has been

increased. Much however, still remains to be done. The development

organizations of the United Nations should play an important role in this

respect by integrating the needs of disabled persons more strategically in the

regular programming of their activities.

Let me end by stating the obvious: we all wish the United Nations

success in the reform process and in carrying out its many tasks. But that

wish must be accompanied by a willingness to live up to our legal obligation

to pay our contributions to the Organization and to do so in full and on time.