Kuwait, 2012

At the outset, in the name of the Government and

the people of the State of Kuwait, I have the pleasure of

extending to the President and to his fraternal country,

Serbia, our sincerest congratulations on his election as

President of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh

session. I wish him every success in his endeavours.

We would also like to commend the efforts of His

Excellency Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser

on his successful presidency of the previous session.

I would be remiss if I did not pay tribute to His

Excellency Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his

continued efforts in leading the Organization and

spreading its noble message on the maintenance of

international peace and security. I wish him every

success in achieving the priorities he has set for

his second term, in the political, economic and

humanitarian fields.

On our part, we reaffirm the continued cooperation

of the State of Kuwait and its full commitment

to support the efforts of the United Nations in its

endeavours to achieve the aims and purposes of the

Charter, as well as to strengthen and activate its role in

following up the outcomes agreed upon in international

forums. In that context, the State of Kuwait emphasizes

the need for a thorough preparation of the 2012

conference on the establishment of a Middle East zone

free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass

destruction, as agreed in the Final Document of the

2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on

the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Numerous

challenges face the Organization as it nears its seventh

decade. From its inception, the United Nations and all

of its organs and agencies have worked to contain and

resolve many crises and to meet political, humanitarian

and economic challenges. However, in this era of

globalization and the information revolution, poor

coordination, f laws in joint actions and the failure of

some States to fulfil their obligations have prevented

the United Nations from reaching conclusive solutions.

Therefore, in fulfilment of the aspirations of the

peoples we represent, it is important for us to work on

reforming, developing and refining the United Nations,

as well as providing the firm political will to enhance

its performance and to face up to new challenges.

There have been two decades of discussion and

in-depth negotiation on the reform of the Security

Council, focused mainly on the expansion of the

Council’s membership, including how many members

are needed to achieve an equitable degree of

representation, and on improving its working methods.

The State of Kuwait reaffirms the need to reform

the Security Council to reflect the new international

reality and to ensure that Arab and Islamic States are

represented fairly, in conformity with their size, their

contributions and their role in advancing the purposes

and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

I should like to quote from the statement delivered

by His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait at the

Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation

held in the Holy City of Mecca on 13 August:

“The killing and destruction that we witness on a

daily basis in sisterly Syria evokes grief and pain.

Sadly, a child who has lost his parents and his home,

a mother mourning her nearest and dearest, cities

that have turned into ghost towns owing to the

horrific destruction that has befallen them — these

have become all too familiar sights. Such scenes

redouble our responsibilities before the Almighty

as well as before all our peoples. I call upon us to

move without delay to put an end to this bloody

tragedy”.

We would like to congratulate Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi,

Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and

the League of Arab States for Syria, on his appointment.

Kuwait supports him in his undertaking and his

determination to continue the work of his predecessor,

Mr. Kofi Annan, which yielded the six-point plan that

would have resulted in a peaceful resolution of the crisis,

had it been actively considered. We reaffirm Kuwait’s

commitment to international efforts to reach a political

solution that fulfils the demands and aspirations of

the Syrian people. We would also like to redouble our

efforts with the international community, to which

we appeal for additional humanitarian assistance to

alleviate the pain and suffering of the Syrian people,

both within and outside Syria.

This November, the State of Kuwait will celebrate

the fiftieth anniversary of the ratification of its

Constitution, which is regarded as the culmination

of four centuries of political progress and growth.In

consolidation the development of relations between ruler

and ruled towards the effective practice of democracy, the Constitution is considered the beacon that guides

the State of Kuwait, its Government and people towards

a dignified life by establishing rights and duties,

guaranteeing basic freedoms, outlining general policies

and regulating foreign relations without interference in

the internal affairs of other States. The Constitution

serves as an interpretation of Kuwait’s political vision,

based on its belief in, and pursuit of, peace, together

with its determination to develop and foster its relations

with neighbouring countries, in accordance with the

principles of mutual respect and common interests.

Relations between Kuwait and Iraq have

progressed very positively, and the State of Kuwait

regards the painful wound of invasion as healed. The

participation of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad

Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait,

in the Arab Summit held in Baghdad in March did

much to bring about a qualitative leap forward in our

bilateral relations. Moreover, the visit to Kuwait by

His Excellency Mr. Nuri Kamel al-Maliki, Prime

Minister of Iraq, created an atmosphere of trust and

determination that has helped to turn the page with

respect to commitments and relations between our two

countries. Subsequently, a second round of meetings

of the Joint Kuwait-Iraq Ministerial Committee was

convened in Baghdad in April, reflecting the desire of

both sides to turn away from the past.

Important understandings reflecting the interests

of the our countries have been reached on some

of the outstanding bilateral issues. There has been

agreement also on a work programme to accelerate

Iraq’s implementation of its remaining international

obligations, in accordance with the relevant Security

Council resolutions, whereupon Iraq will have fulfilled

its obligations under Chapter VII of the Charter of the

United Nations and will be able to exercise its natural

role regionally and internationally. That development

will help to improve the climate for achieving regional

security and peace, which are prerequisites for the

prosperity and progress of a region that has suffered

from wars and devastating conflicts for the past three

decades.

On the regional level, the State of Kuwait renews

its call to the friendly Islamic Republic of Iran to take

deliberate and effective steps towards cooperating

with international efforts aim at reaching a political

settlement with regard to its nuclear programme and at dispelling doubts surrounding its goals and purposes,

thereby averting further crises and conflicts, which,

unfortunately, have become associated with this vital

region of the world. We hope that the Islamic Republic

of Iran will be a positive and active party in the region,

exercising its role in accordance with the basic rules

and principles of mutual respect and common interests,

thereby creating a normal environment of cooperation

that will serve the peoples of the region, free from

interference in their internal affairs.

Along the same lines, we also hope that the Islamic

Republic of Iran will cooperate and respond to the

initiatives intended to resolve the conflict over the

three occupied Emirati islands, in conformity with the

principles and norms of international law.

The continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian

territories testifies to the inability of the international

community to come up with solutions that will put

an end to the plight of the Palestinian people. The

Israeli Government, in gross violation of international

conventions and norms, persists in its intransigence and

illegal policies through its expansion of settlements in

the occupied Palestinian territory, as well as through its

blockade of the Gaza Strip. Those actions do not help

the cause of the just and lasting peace we desire in the

Middle East. We therefore demand that the international

community, represented by the Security Council, put

pressure on Israel and compel it to implement the

resolutions of international legitimacy, the principle of

land for peace, the Quartet’s road map and the Arab

Peace Initiative, so as to guarantee the establishment of

the Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital,

and the total Israeli withdrawal from all Arab territories

occupied since 4 June 1967.

Some States face special and chronic challenges that

have led to their marginalization on the international

scene for many long years. They are at risk of becoming

failed States if the international community does not

redouble its efforts to help them get back on their

feet and start them on a path that will enable them to

function normally and to become effective participants

in today’s world.

In that regard, the State of Kuwait welcomes the

decisions and steps taken by President Abdrabuh

Mansour Hadi Mansour and the Yemeni Government

to implement the Gulf Cooperation Council’s initiative

and its implementation mechanism, and to support

finalization of the Initiative’s remaining items. We

also reaffirm our confidence that Yemen, under an elected President and a Government of national unity,

is capable of achieving the development and progress in

various areas that the fraternal Yemeni people aspire to.

We also reaffirm our continued backing and support for

the Yemeni Republic’s efforts to ensure political and

economic stability.

We would also like to congratulate the

fraternal Republic of Somalia on the great historic

accomplishment represented by its ratification of a

provisional constitution and the election of Mr. Hassan

Sheikh Mohamud as President. We hope that these

positive developments will help lift Somalia from a

state of conflict and national chaos to one governed

by constitutional institutions, thus launching a

new political future that will see the ambitions and

aspirations of the fraternal Somali people fulfilled.

We commend the positive reaction of the United

Nations and the international community to the bloody

events that the Muslim minority in Myanmar has been

subjected to, and hope that those efforts will help to

stop the violence, preserve people’s legitimate rights

and enable peace to prevail.

The President returned to the Chair.

The peoples and Governments of Islamic countries

have expressed their strong condemnation and outrage

over the film denigrating the Prophet Muhammad,

God’s blessing and peace be upon him, and the Islamic

faith and its benevolent values. That irresponsible and

impudent act has ignited extreme rage among Muslim

peoples and communities all over the world, including

acts of violence, destruction, and killings in some

countries. While the State of Kuwait has denounced

the film in the strongest possible terms, as well as the

subsequent killing and destruction, which are very far

from the spirit and essence of Islam, in this context I

would like to recall what His Highness Sheikh Sabah

Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of

Kuwait, proposed at the General Assembly’s high-

level meeting on the culture of peace, held on 12 and

13 November 2008:

“The best outcome to our well-intended

gathering in this Hall would be a joint international

commitment to respect all religions and to avoid

damaging, interfering with or ridiculing their

symbols, while endeavouring to deter such acts and

those who advocate them.” (A/63/PV.46, p. 10) We urge the Assembly to give serious consideration

at this session to the Amir’s proposal and adopt a

resolution to implement it for the benefit of the whole

of humankind and to promote social peace and security

among nations.

Our world faces numerous environmental, economic,

social and security issues. Those issues are intertwined

and complex and the source of many challenges to

States and peoples, particularly in developing and least-

developed countries. The consequences of the global

financial crisis, the rise in basic commodity prices, the

clear negative impact of climate change, the growing

frequency of natural disasters and the intensification

of terrorism have put the focus on the ugly face of

poverty and hunger, as well as the spread of epidemics

and communicable and dangerous diseases. Despite the

notable accomplishments of many States in their efforts

to reach the Millennium Development Goals, we have

not yet achieved all the objectives we set ourselves as

a whole. It is essential, therefore, that we pursue our

joint efforts to limit the effects of the challenges we

face and contain them in order to ensure our ultimate

full attainment of these noble goals.

While the State of Kuwait is itself considered a

developing country, since gaining independence in

1961 it has embarked on a steady course in which we

attach great importance to helping developing and least-

developed countries. We do this through numerous

mechanisms and initiatives, including the Kuwait

Fund for Arab Economic Development, which gives

development aid to Arab, Asian and African countries,

as well as countries in Central and Latin America,

based on our belief in the importance of international

cooperation and helping nations and peoples in need.

Based on our desire to increase joint regional and

international activities and enhance their effectiveness,

and in recognition of the fact that various forums held

around the world have become major channels for

examining regional and economic cooperation and

maximizing the benefits derived from sharing States’

successful experiences, in October last year Kuwait

hosted the most recent meeting of the Asia Cooperation

Dialogue (ACD), held annually for the past 10 years

at the level of Foreign Minister of the participating

countries. Kuwait also called for the convening of the

first Summit of the ACD countries, to be held in Kuwait

on 15 and 16 October. We hope that this meeting will

give leaders of Asian States the opportunity to discuss

every topic of importance in the areas of economic, environmental and humanitarian affairs. In March

2013 Kuwait will also host the Arab-African Summit,

which we hope will deepen Arab-African cooperation

and open new horizons to serve stability, development

and cooperation among the peoples of these two groups

of countries.

In conclusion, I affirm the State of Kuwait’s

allegiance to the multilateral international system and

to the principles and purposes of the United Nations

Charter. We also believe in the necessity for all States

to abide by the obligations and responsibilities they

have committed to in international agreements and

conferences, thus contributing to finding just and fair

solutions to global threats and challenges.

The State of Kuwait believes that dialogue and the

promotion of a culture of tolerance, moderation and

rejection of violence and extremism are ideal means

for advancing the values of equality and justice, in

order to reach our higher goal — the maintenance of

international peace and security.