Jordan, 2003

Let me

begin by expressing warm congratulations to Mr. Julian

Hunte on his election as President of the General

Assembly at its fifty-eighth session. I can assure him of

the full cooperation of the Jordanian delegation to

ensure the fulfilment of his mandate for the benefit of

all peoples and nations. I should also like to take this

opportunity to express our thanks and appreciation to

his predecessor, Mr. Jan Kavan, for his remarkable

stewardship of the previous session.

A special tribute is due to the Secretary-General,

Mr. Kofi Annan, for his efforts dedicated to upholding

the lofty goals of the Organization. Mr. Annan has been

quite dynamic in his work to enhance this world body’s

effectiveness and to revitalize its functions, especially

in the areas of international peace and security, human

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rights and social and economic progress throughout the

world.

I wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the

Secretary-General as well as to the family of Mr.

Sergio Vieira de Mello and to those of all his

colleagues who lost their lives as a result of the

terrorist bombing of the United Nations headquarters in

Iraq, a barbaric act that we all condemn.

The sad collapse of the Oslo process

demonstrated that a revival of the Middle East peace

process under the previous terms was no longer a

viable option. Peace-making in the region requires a

new modus operandi, as all transitional arrangements

have failed to establish and build mutual confidence

between the two sides and to meet the envisioned

goals. Thus, the time has indeed come for a shift in

approach. Instead of managing the conflict in a way

that has led thus far to a perpetuation of the cycle of

violence, our focus should be redirected onto the final

objectives of the negotiations. Furthermore, it is no

longer useful to concentrate only on security aspects

without realizing that the problem is essentially

political in nature and not only a question of security.

It was against that backdrop that George W. Bush,

President of the United States, launched in June 2002

his vision for peace in the Middle East. On the basis of

that initiative, the road map was formulated and

announced. Jordan contributed to the development of

the road map, which generated a real turnaround in the

region’s political landscape. It established a framework

of mutual obligations, whose aim is to end the Israeli

occupation and to establish an independent Palestinian

state on the basis of relevant United Nations

resolutions and the Arab peace initiative. The road map

set forth a specific three-year time frame for the birth

of a Palestinian State. Furthermore, it provided for the

creation of a monitoring and assessment mechanism to

ensure viable implementation according to specific

timelines.

It was on the basis of that vision that the

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan welcomed the road map

when it was formally announced by the Quartet. At the

time, we expressed the hope that that impetus would

help to restart the peace process on a solid foundation.

However, Jordan also made it clear that the declaration

in and of itself would be insufficient to create forward

movement towards our objectives. What was

additionally required was a genuine commitment on the

part of the United States and the international

community to implement that vision. True to our

expectations, we sensed such a genuine commitment at

the two recent Sharm al-Sheikh and Aqaba summits.

Jordan, in the meantime, fully recognizes that

recent developments on the ground — especially the

collapse of the ceasefire, or hudna, arrangement

between the Palestinian groups and Israel — create

severe and real risks and threats for the road map.

Nonetheless, we should stay the course with a view to

implementing the road map and putting an end to the

occupation and the tragic killing of civilians on both

the Palestinian and Israeli sides. The hard work that we

are investing in this exercise is worthwhile given the

potential risk of failure and the absence of political

opportunity again. Such failure would make for a more

dangerous and complex scenario than before and would

jeopardize the interests and security of all actors.

On behalf of Jordan, I wish to urge from this

world podium all stakeholders — especially the

members of the Quartet — to pursue their efforts to

ensure scrupulous implementation of the road map,

without any modifications and in a way that guarantees

by 2005 the establishment of a Palestinian State, with

Jerusalem as its capital, and the termination of the

Israeli occupation of all Arab territories occupied in

1967. All that would be in keeping with the relevant

United Nations resolutions and the Arab peace

initiative, which is a key component of the road map

and provides a framework for peace — a peace that is

acceptable to all peoples of the region and fulfils their

long-standing aspirations.

Along the same lines, we urge acceleration in the

creation of an effective political and security

monitoring mechanism to be operated by the Quartet.

That is essential to ensure strict implementation of, and

compliance with, without modifications, the respective

obligations of both parties as set forth in the road map.

To us, such a mechanism is an essential component on

which we must insist, because we consider it to be a

true point of departure that would enable us to take

advantage of the historic window of opportunity and

bring about comprehensive, just and lasting peace in

the entire Middle East.

Regarding suicide attacks, I wish to reiterate that

Jordan took a principled position repudiating and

condemning such acts on both moral and political

grounds. We maintain that those operations have done

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harm to the Palestinian cause and have resulted in the

erosion of international sympathy for it. Furthermore,

they have shifted the global focus away from the core

question of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian

territories and the pressing need to end that occupation.

Along the same lines, we condemn Israel’s

extrajudicial killing of Palestinian citizens. Let me

stress once again that the prevailing atmosphere of

violence will only play into the hands of extremists on

both sides of the divide. Therefore, it is high time to

implement the road map as accepted by all parties and

to take bold and expeditious steps to place the entire

peace process back on an irreversible track.

We call upon Israel to change its current security

policy, which has failed to ensure security for the

Israelis. Rather, Israel should move towards restoration

of confidence with the Palestinian side partner side so

that both can focus on the political process by engaging

in a serious implementation of the road map. To this

end, Israel must ease the suffering of the Palestinian

people by lifting the closures on Palestinian

communities, removing the restrictions imposed on the

Palestinian leadership and by withdrawing its military

forces from the cities occupied since September 2000,

in compliance with Security Council resolution 1402

(2002).

In the same context, my Government condemns

the decision taken by the Government of Israel to

remove, in principle, from the occupied Palestinian

territories, the Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat,

who was legitimately elected by his people. In our

view, this decision seriously imperils the peace

process. We call on the Government of Israel to reverse

its decision, which otherwise will plunge the entire

region into a dangerous tunnel.

Jordan condemns the Israeli settlement activities

that take the form of unabated construction of

settlements on occupied Palestinian land. Israel must

end these activities, which breach the basic norms of

international law and, not least, impede ongoing efforts

to put the peace process back on track. We demand that

the Government of Israel start dismantling all

settlements erected since March 2001. This is, after all,

a binding obligation of Phase I of the road map.

We also condemn the separation wall, which

consolidates Israeli occupation of Palestinian

territories, devours further Palestinian land, aggravates

the suffering of the Palestinian population and

anticipates as a fait accompli, the future shape of the

Palestinian State. While we demand that Israel cease

forthwith the construction of the wall, we stress the

need to respect the status of the 4 June 1967 line.

Iraq has now entered a new phase during which

the brotherly people of that country are facing

enormous hardships and challenges. The eyes of all

Iraqis are now set on the international community in

the hope of receiving every possible assistance that

would enable them to lay a solid foundation for

building a promising future that would include

reconstructing their country and regaining its status as

an active member in the Organization and of the

international community.

While we emphasize the need to safeguard the

unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iraq, to

ensure the withdrawal of the foreign occupation forces

as quickly as possible and to enable the people of Iraq

to determine their future by themselves, we welcome

the formation of the transitional Governing Council as

a first and important step towards a broad-based Iraqi

Government that represents the full spectrum of the

Iraqi population, to be elected by the people of Iraq as

expeditiously as possible on the basis of a constitution

accepted and endorsed by them. Against this backdrop,

we decided to deal positively with the Governing

Council and with all political groups in Iraq. Let me

elaborate that my Government has accepted the

assumption by the representatives of the transitional

Iraqi Government of the seat of Iraq in the League of

Arab States on a temporary basis, based on the

understanding that Iraq will subsequently move

towards drafting its constitution and holding elections

leading to the formation of a representative Iraqi

Government.

We must also emphasize our condemnation of the

violations of human rights and international law

committed by the previous regime in Iraq, especially

the crimes of assassination, mass killings and mass

burials, including the execution of Kuwaiti prisoners

and detainees.

At this juncture, I wish to underline the central

role the United Nations must continue to play in Iraq.

The United Nations should remain an active player in

the forthcoming political process; its role should not be

restricted to humanitarian issues only. Our

Organization must assume the leading role in

overseeing the political process in the forthcoming

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stage, including the finalization of the drafting of the

constitution and supervision of the elections to be held

in order to form a sovereign Iraqi Government.

Jordan condemns in the strongest possible terms

the cowardly terrorist attack against the United Nations

headquarters in Baghdad. Despite the immense tragedy

suffered by the United Nations, we do have trust in the

resolve and ability of the United Nations system to

maintain its operations and assistance to the Iraqi

people.

As you are all aware, the Jordanian Embassy

complex in Baghdad was also a target of a vicious

terrorist attack that claimed many innocent lives.

Nonetheless, that appalling act reinforced our resolve

to continue to reach out in every possible way to help

our brothers in Iraq, in order to enable them to

overcome the overwhelming odds they have been

enduring.

Terrorism has proved to be a global phenomenon

that cuts across national boundaries and is not

exclusive to a particular region, language, religion or

race. It is therefore imperative for all members and

institutions of the world community to combat it and

eradicate it. Let me assure the Assembly that the

Government and people of Jordan are determined to

confront this phenomenon which our citizens and

institutions have suffered from for several decades.

Once again, let me reiterate our firm commitment to

cooperate with all countries and international efforts in

the joint fight against terrorism.

We would like to express our full backing for the

efforts aimed at achieving meaningful progress in the

current negotiations in the General Assembly to adopt

a comprehensive convention on combating terrorism

and a convention on combating nuclear terrorism. We

hope that these endeavors will prove successful in the

formulation of a legal and specific definition of the

concept of terrorism which would set it apart from the

rights protected under international law and

international humanitarian law for States, peoples and

individuals.

For out part, Jordan repudiates all vicious

falsehoods and sinister campaigns to smear Arabs and

Muslims with the label of terrorism. This phenomenon

is in complete contradiction of the true nature and

meaning of the Islamic faith, which is anchored in the

values of justice, tolerance, peaceful coexistence and

reverence for humankind. Thus, we feel a pressing

need to pay due attention to the role that the dialogue

among civilization plays in consolidating

understanding and coexistence among peoples and

nations. It also helps in eliminating the causes of

extremism that emanate from a lack of genuine

knowledge and comprehension of the essence of

religions and cultures that are based on disseminating a

message of peace, understanding and acceptance of

others.

The political and economic developments

unfolding in this era of globalization and information

technology prompt us to accelerate the process of

political and economic openness in the developing

countries. That will help in the evolution of stronger

incentives for achieving further progress and stability.

Such an environment will be more amenable to

economic growth and will generate a stronger

momentum to eradicate poverty and human suffering as

we strive towards the fulfilment of the Millennium

Development Goals.

In that context, democracy assumes a special

relevance, especially since it is essentially an inherent

process that evolves from the cultures and specific

characteristics of societies. Therefore, it is virtually

untenable to impose this concept on others in

prescribed forms that might not be in concert with the

cultural structures of those communities.

In Jordan, however, we are committed to pursue

the path of democratic reforms and development of the

national political process in all its aspects. In fact, that

issue is quite high on our national agenda, and our

expectation is that further progress will be made in the

enhancement of our democratic institutions.

Bearing this in mind, Jordan will be guided by the

conclusions outlined in the extremely valuable United

Nations Development Programme report on Arab

Human Development. We are grateful to the UNDP and

its team of Arab experts for their analytical methods in

identifying and profiling some pressing challenges

currently facing the Arab world. Jordan views this

publication with great interest and perceives it from an

extremely positive perspective, given its merits in

terms of data, analytical approach and practical and

specific objectives as well as its valuable science-based

conclusions and recommendations.

Our primary purpose should be how to improve

the role and performance of the United Nations in all

spheres of its operations. More specifically, that should

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include strengthening its role in the areas of preventive

diplomacy, the management of humanitarian crises,

conflicts and wars, human rights violations, and the

challenges associated with globalization and the

development of humankind.

In that regard, Jordan welcomes the fact that the

International Criminal Court is entering a new phase in

terms of the election of its Judges and Prosecutor,

which is a further step in the establishment of

international justice and in how violations of

international humanitarian law are treated. As the

General Assembly is well aware, Jordan had the

privilege of working hard to make significant

contributions in support of the Court’s creation and of

the entry into force of its Statute.

In the same vein, Jordan takes pride in the

election of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah to

the Board of Directors of the Victims’ Trust Fund

established for the victims of crimes falling under the

jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. The

Fund is expected to have a tangible impact in

alleviating the anguish of the victims of the most

horrifying crimes and of their families.

With regard to United Nations peacekeeping

operations, Jordan continues to attach great importance

to this area of activity by the United Nations system.

We are proud and privileged to participate with other

Member States in those global operations in areas that

have been afflicted by war, conflict and instability.

However, to ensure the effective and complete

fulfilment of the lofty objectives of the mandate of

each peacekeeping operation, adequate budgetary funds

must be ensured for the operations’ smooth

functioning, including on-time reimbursement of

payments due to troop-contributing countries.

In closing, allow me once again to thank the

President. I wish this session of the General Assembly

every success as I pray to Allah, our Lord, to enable us,

one and all, to live up to the responsibilities entrusted

to us.