Laos, 1999

The unanimous election of Mr. Gurirab to the presidency of

the General Assembly at this fifty-fourth session is a warm

tribute to Namibia and its heroic people, who are well-

known for their victorious struggle against foreign

domination and for their tireless defence of the principles

of the Charter of the United Nations. As I am familiar with

his skill and broad experience of international relations, I

believe that under his wise leadership the work of the

General Assembly at this session will be crowned with

success.

I should also like to take this opportunity to express

my sincere congratulations to Mr. Kofi Annan, the

Secretary-General of our Organization, for his work to

reform and revitalize the United Nations, as well as for his

steadfast commitment in the service of peace and

development throughout the world.

As this century of rapid change fades away, we are

confronted with challenges, but also presented with many

opportunities. Globalization has become a problem

throughout the world. While technological progress and the

globalization of production and finance have brought

prosperity and modernity to many countries, particularly in

the developed world, the great majority of people are still

living in conditions of persistent poverty. The protection of

the environment, the eradication of poverty and the struggle

against drugs and all forms of terrorism have also become

urgent problems requiring concerted action at global level.

In the face of this situation it is more urgent than ever

for the international community to adopt concrete collective

measures to enable the United Nations to devote more of its

resources to social and economic development in order to

build a better life for all the world’s peoples, in particular

for the poorest among them. If it is to take up these

challenges, the United Nations, as the only universal

international organization, needs the capacity to act and to

adapt to a new and changing world situation.

With the end of the bipolar world, many countries,

especially developing countries, had hoped that the

nuclear era would end as well. Here, the Lao People’s

Democratic Republic, along with the other countries

members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations

(ASEAN), signed the Treaty on the Southeast Asia

Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone, which entered into force in

1997. It also endorsed the joint declaration of 9 June

1998, subscribed to by the Foreign Ministers of Brazil,

Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia, South

Africa and Sweden, the objective of which was to

revitalize nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament

efforts. Such positive steps will help us together gradually

to build a world free of nuclear weapons, thus creating

meaningful guarantees for the survival of mankind.

To guarantee peace, to promote the development of

all countries, and to adapt to a new world situation, the

Organization must be reformed so that it can fulfil its

mandate and achieve its purposes. Here in the United

Nations, all countries have equal standing, in conformity

with the principle of the sovereign equality of States. And

here in the United Nations, we extol the principles of the

non-use or threat of use of force against the independence

or sovereignty of States, of the peaceful settlement of

disputes, and of non-interference in the internal affairs of

other States.

In speaking of United Nations reform we cannot

pass in silence by the delicate work under way in the

Open-ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable

Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the

Security Council and Other Matters Related to the

Security Council, where a number of interesting initiatives

have been put forward. Our position on this matter is well

known, and was set out at the fifty-first session of the

General Assembly: we favour an increase in both the

permanent and the non-permanent membership, in line

with the principle of equitable geographical distribution

and taking into account the prominence of the country in

question. As part of the effort to attain that goal, some

countries — such as, in particular, Japan, Germany and

India — could become permanent members of a

restructured Security Council. As we all know, the

question of Council reform is not a simple one. We need

to be patient, to continue the debate and to take advantage

of the momentum we have created, so as to attain the

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goal of giving that organ greater transparency, legitimacy

and, above all, credibility.

True to its consistent policy of peace, friendship and

cooperation, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

considers that the use of force against a sovereign

independent State without Security Council authorization,

no matter what the pretext, runs counter to international law

and the Charter of the United Nations. We believe that all

conflicts, no matter how complex, should be resolved only

through negotiations.

Convinced of the importance of peace in the Middle

East, my country is pleased that Israel and the Palestine

Liberation Organization have resumed serious negotiations,

which led to the signing of the Sharm el-Sheikh

Memorandum on 4 September 1999. It is essential for the

parties directly concerned to continue those negotiations in

order to settle their problems on the basis of existing

resolutions and agreements. This would open the path to

peace, cooperation and peaceful coexistence among the

peoples of the region.

Among the glaring injustices in the world, we cannot

forget the economic, trade and financial blockade that has

been waged for more than 40 years against the Republic of

Cuba. We consider that the United States ought to put an

end to that operation, which runs counter to the present

world trend towards international economic cooperation for

development.

Peace on the Korean peninsula remains fragile. We

appeal to all the countries concerned to show maximal

restraint and to continue their dialogue with a view to

restoring mutual understanding, and together to seek

solutions that would meet the aspirations of the Korean

people for the peaceful reunification of the two parts of

Korea, and that would contribute to the consolidation of

peace, stability and cooperation in the region.

Since 9 July 1999 we have seen renewed tension in

the Taiwan Strait. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic

reaffirms its consistent position that Taiwan is an integral

and inalienable part of China, and that the Government of

the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal and

legitimate representative of the entire Chinese people.

Over the past two years, the financial crisis affecting

the whole of South-East Asia has quickly made itself felt,

to varying degrees, in other regions — indeed, throughout

the world. In some countries there are today signs of an

economic upturn, but nothing indicates that the world

economy is yet on the road to solid recovery. In the light

of that crisis and of the fact that countries large and

small, industrialized and developing, are becoming

increasingly interdependent, the international community

must work together to find an effective solution to the

crisis, to promote worldwide growth, and to bring about

sustained social and economic development.

Since the 1995 Copenhagen World Summit for

Social Development, the struggle against impoverishment

has been bolstered. But it is clear that developing

countries, especially the least developed among them,

cannot accomplish this huge task on their own and

without the necessary support and assistance of the

international community. In that context, we consider that

the special follow-up meeting that will take place in 2000

will give the international community an opportunity to

review the situation and to take the measures necessary to

attain the noble goals set at the Summit.

For years, the special problems of landlocked

developing countries have been discussed at various

international conferences and meetings. Although many

measures have been taken both at the national and at the

international levels, those problems are still far from

being resolved.

The President took the Chair.

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic, which has

the honour of chairing the Group of Landlocked

Developing Countries, is cooperating actively with the

other member countries to establish and maintain an

effective and self-sustaining system of transport and

transit. This huge task requires support and assistance

from the entire international community in order for our

countries to meet our particular needs. It is more than

urgent that the recommendations adopted last August in

New York at the fourth meeting of governmental experts

from landlocked and transit developing countries and

representatives of donor countries, and financial and

development institutions, be wholly translated into reality

as soon as possible.

In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic over the

past year, the multi-ethnic Lao people has strongly unified

itself and is actively working for national development,

particularly in the area of agricultural production. This

has made it possible for us not only to achieve self-

sufficiency in rice production, but also to have something

of a surplus in reserve. This achievement has helped

soften the effects of the economic and financial crisis in

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the region. Throughout the country, political stability and

social harmony, important conditions allowing us to

promote sustained national socio-economic development in

keeping with the policy of renewal, continue to be ensured.

At the international level, the Lao People’s Democratic

Republic is continuing its efforts to strengthen and extend

its external relations and cooperation, particularly with

neighbouring countries, and it is cooperating with other

members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations in

the implementation of the Hanoi Plan of Action and of the

Vision 2020 for the progress and the prosperity of the

region.

The question of drugs continues to be a major concern

in the daily life of South-East Asia. In this respect, my

Government has made great efforts to reduce the annual

production of opium and is carrying out a vigorous battle

against drugs, the results of which have been greatly

appreciated by the international community. At this time, in

cooperation with the United Nations International Drug

Control Programme (UNDCP), we are working out a

strategy for a substantial eradication of opium production

over the next six years. In this connection, I appeal to the

international community to contribute to the Fund UNDCP

in order to achieve those objectives.

Saving future generations from the scourges of war,

poverty, hunger and sickness remains an essential objective

enshrined in the United Nations Charter. Aware of this

highest goal, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic will

spare no effort to make its modest yet positive contribution.