Kuwait, 2002

I

am pleased to open my statement by extending warm

congratulations to you, Sir, and to your friendly

country, the Czech Republic, on your election to the

presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh

session. We wish you success at the helm of this

Assembly, which is convened against a backdrop of

complex circumstances and daunting global challenges.

Let me assure you of my delegation's full commitment

to cooperating with you in order to facilitate the

fulfilment of your mandate.

I wish to extend a word of thanks and tribute to

your predecessor, Mr. Han Seung-soo, for his prudent

and efficient stewardship of the previous session. In the

same vein, I wish to reiterate our appreciation for the

outstanding performance of Secretary-General Kofi

Annan and for his tireless and concrete efforts to

enhance the effectiveness of the world Organization in

serving global peace, security and development.

Kuwait welcomes the admission of the Swiss

Confederation to the membership of our Organization.

We are confident that Switzerland's membership will

enhance the benefits of its already active role in

supporting various United Nations programmes and

activities and will further consolidate the principles and

purposes of the Charter, particularly as that country is

host to many United Nations bodies and specialized

agencies.

The events of 11 September 2001 in the United

States, together with their consequences and

implications, have changed the global landscape and

have created a multitude of new challenges for the

entire world, as we are now collectively entrenched in

our fight against terrorism, violence and extremism.

Experience has shown that combating this pernicious

phenomenon is a universal responsibility and that no

individual country alone, irrespective of its resources

or determination, can eliminate it.

Moral and practical reasons make it unacceptable

to link that curse to any particular nation, religion or

culture. Such an attempt does not serve any of our

common goals. To the contrary, it will deepen political

and cultural divides, exacerbate the crisis and

transform it into a conflict among civilizations that

harms us all and from which we have nothing to gain.

Therefore, the United Nations remains the most

appropriate and effective mechanism for studying and

analysing that phenomenon, so as to identify its causes

and parameters and to coordinate efforts with a view to

developing guidelines for effective measures to

eradicate that plague.

The United Nations is also the appropriate body

to define our responsibilities and obligations in that

regard. The signing, ratification and scrupulous

enforcement by all Member States of the 12 United

Nations instruments aimed at combating terrorism are

perhaps the most viable means for establishing a solid

common ground to combat and conquer terrorism.

In that context, I wish to take this opportunity to

express once again our condolences and sympathy to

the friendly people and Government of the United

States and to the families of all the victims of that

heinous act of terrorism. We share with them their

anguish and the hope that their fortitude will help them

overcome their pain and loss.

In the meantime, Kuwait reaffirms its

longstanding core position condemning all acts of

terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We also

categorically renounce all acts of violence and

extremism, as they contravene not only international

norms and treaties but also the tolerant teachings of

Islam and its compassionate value system, as well as

other religions, humanitarian concepts and civilized

values.

12

Kuwait welcomes Security Council resolution

1373 (2001) within the context of Kuwait's cooperation

with the ongoing international efforts to fight terrorism

and, pursuant to its provisions, has put a number of

important new steps and measures into effect. They

include the enactment of a bill to combat money

laundering and the adoption of practical measures to

regulate fund-raising activities in order to ensure that

those activities are not exploited or illegally used for

any objective other than their legitimate and declared

intent. Furthermore, for its part, Kuwait has answered

all the queries of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism

Committee. We have provided to the Committee all the

information and notations that clarify our national laws

and legislation enacted by the Government to combat

terrorist acts and to prosecute their perpetrators.

Within the same context and in order to

consolidate world efforts in combating terrorism, I

wish to reiterate Kuwait's support for the idea of

convening an international conference under the

auspices of the United Nations aimed at reaching an

agreement on a clear and specific definition of

terrorism. The primary purpose of that aim is to

distinguish between terrorism as a phenomenon that

endangers international peace and security and the

right of peoples to legitimate struggle in resisting

foreign occupation in order to attain their rights to self-

determination, as set forth in the Charter and in

international law.

In this regard, Kuwait condemns the insidious

campaign orchestrated against our sister State, the

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, by certain American and

Western media sectors. For our part, however, we pay

tribute to the Kingdom for its valuable role and

significant contributions to the fight against terrorism

and to efforts to achieve peace and security in the

region.

The success of our global efforts to eradicate

terrorism depends in large measure on the ability of the

international community to effectively address major

issues and challenges that have become a source of

despair, misery, frustration, isolation and perceived

injustice felt by a number of people in all parts of the

world.

An elusive challenge that continues to stand out is

the constant deterioration of the situation in the

occupied Palestinian territories. The escalating

confrontations have reached a level that threatens

peace and security in the Middle East region as a

whole. The brutal practices of the Israeli occupation

forces, including the unwarranted excessive use of

force against the Palestinian people, the deliberate

destruction of the institutions and infrastructure of the

Palestinian Authority, in clear violation of United

Nations resolutions and the Fourth Geneva Convention

of 1949, have resulted in exacerbating the economic

and social crises sustained by the Palestinians for more

than five decades. Large-scale round-ups, house

demolitions, curfews, bombardment of civilian

neighbourhoods, incursions into villages, town and

cities and helicopter gunship assaults on civilians have

become daily events for the individual Palestinian

citizen on the street. Indeed, those acts have become

routine stories in radio and television news.

We have silently resigned ourselves to that. It

seems that the international community has been

numbed into accepting that way of life for defenceless

Palestinians. But unfortunately all Israeli practices

seem to be emanating from an entrenched precept that

Israel is immune to all accountability, exempted from

all jurisdictions and shielded from all criticism and

condemnation by the United Nations or the world's

major Powers.

Against that background, Kuwait reaffirms its

commitment to the pan-Arab position adopted at the

recent Beirut Arab Summit, which endorsed the

initiative put forward by His Royal Highness Prince

Abdullah Bin Abdel Aziz, Crown Prince of Saudi

Arabia and Chief of the Saudi National Guard. Kuwait

remains committed to supporting the right of the

Palestinian people to self-determination and to the

establishment of their independent State on their

national territory with Jerusalem as their capital.

Kuwait will continue to demand full Israeli withdrawal

from all occupied Arab territories, including the Syrian

Golan and Lebanese territory.

World history and experience have amply

demonstrated that force alone, regardless of the degree

of brutality, will not bring about peace and security.

The only viable option is restoring legitimate rights to

their rightful owners and implementing peace. Perhaps

the best assurance for a secure future requires long-

term good-will investments in the present.

Kuwait welcomed with satisfaction the decision

adopted by the most recent Arab summit, held in

Lebanon in March 2002, on the situation between Iraq

13

and Kuwait. In that decision, the Arab leaders

welcomed Iraq's pledges to respect the independence,

sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the

State of Kuwait and to avert any action that might lead

to the recurrence of the events of 1990. Arab leaders

also demanded that Iraq cooperate in finding an

expeditious and final solution to the question of

Kuwaiti prisoners and hostages and the return of stolen

Kuwaiti property as set forth in relevant Security

Council resolutions. But, to our deep regret, that

decision has not been implemented. The Government

of Iraq has not as yet carried out its pledges, especially

in regard to Kuwaiti and third-country prisoners and

detainees.

That long-running humanitarian question can bear

no further delay in view of its traumatic implications

for the families of the victims, who do not know the

fate of their loved ones. The Iraqi Government

continues to refuse to cooperate with the United

Nations mechanisms established to deal with the

matter. Assessing the approach followed by the Iraqi

Government, the Secretary-General concluded in the

final paragraph of his most recent report to the Security

Council pursuant to paragraph 14 of Council resolution

1284 (1999), contained in document S/2002/931 of 15

August 2002, that

Despite the encouraging agreements at the

Arab Summit in Beirut, Iraq's words on the fate

of the missing persons are yet to be matched by

tangible deeds. There still is a window of

opportunity to address humanitarian issues, such

as that of missing persons, in good faith. Iraq

should use this opportunity to restore its

credibility on the outstanding humanitarian

issues.' (para. 40)

In that context, Kuwait welcomes the efforts and

steps undertaken by the United Nations in preparation

for the return of Kuwait's State archives from Iraq

pursuant to relevant Security Council resolutions.

Despite the fact that Iraq has denied over the past 11

years that it had seized the archives, we consider its

acknowledgement that it holds the archives and its

intention to return them to be an important step

towards carrying out Security Council resolutions,

particularly resolutions 686 (1991), 687 (1991) and

1284 (1999). Irrespective of Iraq's motives for

returning the archives and other Kuwaiti State

documents, it is our hope that this step will be followed

by other positive actions leading to the release of our

prisoners and those of third countries. Only then can

this dossier be closed. I wish to stress here that the

humanitarian issue of our prisoners has dominated the

national agenda of the Government and the people of

Kuwait since liberation.

Regarding other relevant issues, Kuwait has

welcomed the dialogue between the United Nations and

Iraq, and we hope that this exercise will lead to the

implementation of the rest of the key obligations,

including the elimination of weapons of mass

destruction and other outstanding matters.

Kuwait thinks that Iraq's strict and scrupulous

implementation of all relevant Security Council

resolutions and the admission of United Nations

weapons inspectors back into Iraq would spare our

region the horrors of a war which we do not want. Such

a war would only lead to the exacerbation of the

suffering of the brotherly people of Iraq and to the

escalation of tension and instability in the region.

Kuwait also welcomes the prudent approach

outlined by President George Bush of the United States

in his statement before the General Assembly

yesterday, in which he requested the Security Council

to fulfil its legal and political responsibilities within

the context of relevant Council resolutions regarding

Iraq. The Security Council undoubtedly has the power

to do so. We call upon the Security Council to perform

that legitimate role. Meanwhile, we demand that Iraq

fully and strictly implement all relevant Security

Council resolutions in the interest of security and

stability in the region and in order to avert the dangers

it faces.

Because of its keen interest in maintaining and

bolstering security and stability in our region, the State

of Kuwait emphasizes again its support for all efforts

to resolve by peaceful means the disagreement between

the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of

Iran over the disputed islands. In that context, we

welcome the mutual visits by ranking officials of both

countries. We hope that such visits and direct contacts

will help the parties to create a favourable climate for

confidence-building between the two countries.

The world economic landscape has been quite

turbulent over the past year. Reports issued by

numerous specialized international institutions show

that many countries, including some developed

countries, have begun to suffer from a global economic

slowdown. That in turn has led to mounting economic

14

and social burdens on many States due to growing

imbalances and disparities between the economies of

countries of the North and those of the South. While

the countries of the North continue to enjoy economic

prosperity and better standards of living for their

peoples, countries of the South continue to suffer from

poverty, famine, unemployment, environmental

degradation, severe shortages of drinking water and

widespread pandemics such as those of HIV/AIDS and

malaria, in addition to a whole range of other problems

that impede their efforts towards sustainable

development. It is our hope that the decisions and plans

of action recently adopted at the Johannesburg World

Summit on Sustainable Development, held at

Johannesburg in August and September, and at the

International Conference on Financing for

Development, held in Mexico in February, will help

bolster efforts and strengthen bonds of cooperation

between the North and the South with a view to laying

the underpinnings of a new partnership that contributes

to the stabilization and growth of economic relations

and to establishing the basis for an equitable world

trade system that sets out the responsibilities and

obligations of all sides.

Perhaps one of the most pressing demands at

present to shore up the economic structures of the

developing countries is that the developed nations fulfil

their obligation to provide meaningful financial and

technical aid to the developing world. That includes

bilateral arrangements and understandings with

international financial institutions and organizations to

alleviate the debt burden of developing countries and

the cancellation of the debts of the poorest nations.

Also, any tariffs or other obstacles to access for the

products of those countries to developed countries'

markets should be removed. Furthermore, developing

countries should have easier access to information and

technologies that would help them solve their problems

and became integrated into the world economy. Such

steps would prevent the marginalization of the

developing countries and least developed countries and

would help put them back on the road to development.

In this regard, Kuwait draws satisfaction from the

fact that it tops the list of Arab States on the United

Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Arab

human development index for the current year. The

Arab Human Development Report was published by

the UNDP in cooperation with the Arab Fund for

Economic and Social Development. The report drew on

a whole range of indices including health, education,

acquisition of technical knowledge and per capita

income. The Government of Kuwait will be guided by

the report's indicators and, in cooperation with our

National Assembly, which is the legislative authority in

our country, will maintain its efforts to improve

economic and social conditions to the benefit of

Kuwaiti citizens and their well-being.

I wish to place on record our sense of pride in

carrying out all our international obligations. In

particular, Kuwait is a robust contributor to the

development programmes of many developing nations.

Furthermore, we are a vibrant player in ensuring a

stable and balanced global oil market with a view to

ensuring equitable and universal economic

development. Also, in line with its Arab and Islamic

heritage and given the imperatives of kinship, Kuwait

has never hesitated to reach out to meet its full official

and unofficial obligations towards the Palestinian

people in the Palestinian territories and towards the

people of Afghanistan. It is now our hope that the

Afghan people, following the recent developments in

their country, will be able to live in security and

stability after their long and deep suffering due to war

and internal conflict. Let us hope that the country will

now channel all its resources into national

reconstruction in order to make up for those long years

of conflict and hostilities.

Inasmuch as the peoples of the world differ in

their religion, culture and ethnicity, they are similar in

their aspirations, ambitions and hopes. We all seek to

live in freedom, dignity and safety. We all yearn for a

world in which peace, security and justice prevail.

Translating that vision and hope into reality requires

accelerating the pace of concerted global action to meet

the lofty purposes and principles defined in the Charter

of the United Nations.

In addition, the United Nations Millennium

Summit Declaration must be translated into a concrete

reality that satisfies the hopes and aspirations of the

peoples of the world. We as countries believe that

ultimately we all are accountable to Allah, His name be

praised and glorified, the Creator of the universe. We

are also accountable to our peoples in terms of

fulfilling their legitimate aspirations in a world of

prevailing security and peace.