Maldives, 1994

It gives me great pleasure to

congratulate Mr. Amara Essy on his election to guide the

work of the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session.

His election to that important post is testimony to his

personal credentials and to the important role played by

Côte d’Ivoire in international affairs. I am confident that

his wise guidance and leadership will enable this session of

the General Assembly to deal successfully with the very

important issues on its agenda.

I should also like to commend the work of his

predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Samuel Insanally of

Guyana, who demonstrated outstanding diplomatic skills

and dedication in so ably steering the work of the forty-

eighth session of the General Assembly to a successful

conclusion.

Allow me also to pay a well-deserved tribute to the

Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros-Ghali, for his untiring

efforts in promoting international peace and security and

justice.

The winds of change that are currently sweeping

across the world give us, more then ever before, new

hope in the promise of a better future, a future in which

scarce resources will be utilized to feed the millions of

hungry mouths and to provide basic health care, safe

drinking water and a basic level of education to the needy

rather than be again spent to build military might and to

threaten the world with a new era of confrontation - a

future which will provide a safe and clean environment in

which human beings can live safely, in dignity, respect

and hope.

The recently held World Conference on Human

Rights, the Global Conference on the Sustainable

Development of Small Island Developing States, the

International Conference on Population and Development

and the forthcoming World Conference on Women and

World Summit for Social Development are clear

testimony to that hope.

This was the dream of our founding fathers, and it

is also ours. With the end of the cold war and on the eve

of the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations, let us

not hesitate to rededicate ourselves once again, with more

vigour and more commitment, to the fulfilment of this

dream.

The United Nations must be able to evolve and

promote a stronger and more comprehensive system for

preventive diplomacy and peacemaking. Let us not allow

potentially dangerous situations to escalate into situations

that leave the international community with no alternative

but to take painful and expensive measures to enforce

peace. Most important, the Organization must play a

revitalized role as the principal broker and promoter of

peace and justice in the world.

My delegation welcomes the present process of

restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations. We

are hopeful that the process of reform will take into

consideration the concerns of all States to protect their

security and maintain their sovereignty and territorial

integrity.

The establishment of effective measures of internal

oversight of the United Nations system is one of the

useful steps taken by the General Assembly. Special

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attention must be given to all the issues involved in the

choice and recruitment of personnel if we truly intend to

improve the efficiency of the Organization, and we must

emphasize quality rather than quantity so that the United

Nations system may remain non-biased, less-politicized and

vibrant.

For Maldives, the United Nations has always been and

will always be the best hope for warding off challenges to

the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States. The

Charter of the United Nations, which we remain firmly

bound to honour, recognizes the inalienable right of every

nation to exist within secure boundaries and of the people

of every country to live in dignity and peace. It therefore

falls to the world Organization to be the unequivocal

guarantor of security and protection for those countries that

lack the physical means to provide their own or that might

simply be overrun by more powerful States.

Once again at this session the United Nations General

Assembly will deliberate the agenda item on the protection

and security of small States. My delegation hopes that

important item will once again receive the same attention

and support it was given at the forty-fourth and forty-sixth

sessions.

My delegation draws inspiration from the unwavering

and renewed resolve of the international community with

regard to important security and political issues, which was

significantly demonstrated in the Gulf crisis, among others.

The inherent vulnerability of small States was never more

clearly demonstrated than it was in the case of the

international intervention in Kuwait in 1990. Who, indeed,

could have imagined that a fully sovereign State Member

of the United Nations, economically strong and with

powerful friends, would find itself at risk of being wiped

off the world political map - and if a country like Kuwait

can be forced into such a precarious position, where is the

security of far smaller and economically weaker States?

The recent instances in which the United Nations took

firm and decisive action certainly highlight the importance

and effectiveness of the collective-security system

envisaged in the Charter. In addition, they brought home

to the international community the fact that a rapid-response

system needs to be constantly in place if international peace

and security are to be maintained. The Security Council

Summit Meeting in January 1992 reaffirmed that body’s

commitment to collective security as a valid principle in the

maintenance of international peace and security. My

delegation believes that this is the time to give urgent and

deeper consideration to the overall question of collective

security. This is easily said, but the subject includes the

question of improving the skill and ability to exercise

foresight and act with dispatch, as well as of building up

the capacity and capability to move with greater

coordination.

True success in accomplishing this challenging task

facing the international community will require sincere

commitment and dedication. This can be achieved only

if every Member of the Organization exercises the

political will to settle all disputes peacefully, without

discrimination, and to assist the United Nations to move

forward in that direction. The recommendations set forth

in the Secretary-General’s report, "An Agenda for Peace",

on preventive diplomacy, peace-keeping, peacemaking

and post-conflict peace-building, can serve as an

extremely effective tool to achieve this end.

My delegation sincerely feels that as we study

together every possible means of strengthening the

structure of the United Nations to make it more effective

and responsive to a changing world the security of small

States must be given its rightful place when priorities are

reviewed and special consideration given the task of

preserving international peace, security and stability.

One of the most encouraging events in world history

has been the classic manner in which the Republic of

South Africa, under the leadership of President Nelson

Mandela, has not only eliminated the policy of apartheid,

that most inhuman form of racial discrimination, but also

established democracy with full respect for all the norms

of national reconciliation. It is therefore with sincere

sentiments of congratulation and good wishes that my

delegation welcomes the restoration of the Republic of

South Africa to its rightful place in the family of nations

and this Organization.

I view the positive developments in the Middle East

as a most valuable lesson on how sincere, determined and

dedicated efforts based on peace and conciliation can

yield rich dividends in dangerously volatile situations.

I sincerely feel that the international community

owes a debt of gratitude to the Governments of the

United States of America and other States concerned for

their most valuable contributions to the creation of the

necessary atmosphere for the ongoing peace negotiations

in the Middle East, in which I fervently hope and pray

the inalienable rights of the people of Palestine will be

restored. I am convinced that the present trend of events,

if pursued with patience and in good faith by all the

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parties involved, will result in the establishment of a

sovereign, independent State of Palestine, the settlement of

the issues related to the occupied Territories and finally the

attainment by that region of a comprehensive and lasting

peace based on the principles of justice and equality.

Time and again Maldives has stressed the importance

of continuing accelerated efforts to attain the United

Nations goal of completing the disarmament process. My

delegation firmly believes that success in preserving and

maintaining international peace, security and stability will

depend on progress in the field of disarmament.

Admittedly, there have been significant achievements in this

area. However, the production, stockpiling and sale of

weapons of war continue on an alarming scale throughout

the world.

Although there is a convergence of views regarding

the dangers of nuclear arms, some countries seem to desire

to acquire or retain nuclear-weapons technology. We

believe that so long as this trend continues unabated it will

indeed be difficult to improve the climate of security and to

pave the way for a safer world for generations to come.

One of the key disarmament issues confronting the

international community is the question of a decision on

extending the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear

Weapons. We remain convinced that its unconditional and

indefinite extension should be one of the cornerstones for

building a world free of all nuclear weapons. But this

requires that all the countries possessing nuclear weapons

and nuclear-weapons technology take a responsible stand,

something that can come about only through a sincere

desire to establish a genuine international non-nuclear

regime. In our opinion, the apparent reluctance of some

countries to comply with the International Atomic Energy

Agency safeguards system is not encouraging. We

therefore urge all those countries to join the international

community in the persistent effort to establish a safer

world.

My delegation also supports the concept of the

establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones and zones of

peace throughout the world. We feel that the failure to

promote this concept in all regions of the world is a clear

indication of the doubt and suspicion that still prevail in the

international community. Unless we can overcome these

uncertainties the chances of achieving global disarmament

will indeed be bleak.

As we begin yet another session of discussions,

consultations and debates on ways and means of uniting our

efforts and resources to make the world a safer place for

mankind and to alleviate the terrible human suffering in

many countries, we should, I firmly believe, pause to

assess the tremendous responsibility we carry. As

representatives of individual countries, we have to

consider our national interests; united, we have an

unshakable commitment to giving undaunted and

unwavering support to the process of making the United

Nations as effective as is humanly possible, to prevent the

evolution of such tragic, dangerous and explosive

situations as those in Somalia, Rwanda and Bosnia and

Herzegovina.

The question of Bosnia and Herzegovina has yet to

be resolved. We condemn the continuing violence and

genocide there, and call upon the international community

to take more decisive steps to implement the Security

Council’s resolutions in order to discharge fully the

responsibilities entrusted to us by the Charter and restore

the sovereignty and independence of Bosnia and

Herzegovina. Let us not tolerate in our time any act of

genocide based on ethnic hatred or prejudice.

Similarly, my delegation is deeply concerned about

the tragic situations continuing in Angola, Somalia and

Rwanda despite the fact that the United Nations is still

providing humanitarian assistance to alleviate the

suffering of their peoples. While commending the efforts

of the international community to help these countries,

which are being torn apart by civil strife, we feel that the

assistance should not be limited to meeting humanitarian

needs, but should extend beyond that to restoring peace

and stability in those countries, giving them another

chance to rebuild their national economies.

As I observe the world economic situation I cannot

but feel considerable dismay at the fact that, despite the

recent conclusion of the seven-year Uruguay Round of

negotiations, the developing countries have not been

provided with much impetus to maintain economic growth

in the face of the increasing gap between themselves and

the developed countries and of persistent protectionism in

trade.

The situation adversely affects the least-developed

countries most as they lack the resources to overcome the

odds stacked against them. I feel that further

intensification of South-South cooperation has become

more necessary, in order to harness their resources for

purposes of assisting the less developed of the developing

countries and encouraging developmental efforts on the

basis of collective self-reliance. The United Nations and

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the international developmental and financial institutions

should encourage and support this process.

At the same time, the North-South dialogue must not

be allowed to be marginalized, since it is essential for the

growth of a world economy on a firm foundation of

partnership to promote common interests and benefits.

Without this basic element, the chances of promoting a

stable world economy indeed seem bleak.

After decades of protracted studies, research,

discussions and debates, and then the resulting experience,

we are today in a position to appreciate fully that

development is not simple. It can be achieved only through

a process that encompasses numerous attributes of human

life; education, health, the environment, peace, the

economy, society and culture and national and international

behaviour all contribute to its achievement.

The reviews and expert opinions gathered on the

Agenda for Development, together with the recent sessions

of the Commission on Sustainable Development, indicate

that intergovernmental cooperation involving the various

agencies of the United Nations, regional organizations and

non-governmental organizations must contribute to laying

the groundwork for development. I do not foresee any easy

or quick means of achieving development goals. While

further detailed consideration is given to this multifaceted,

all-important question, I should like to add my voice on the

need to bear in mind the great diversity in the levels of

progress that Member countries have been able to achieve,

and the wide variation in the extent of resources that they

can invest in this venture, which is an inherent right of

every nation.

As the representative of a small island State, I pay

tribute to all those responsible for the planning and

organization of the Global Conference on the Sustainable

Development of Small Island Developing States, which was

held in Barbados this year. I believe that appropriate

recognition has now been given to the special

environmental and economic circumstances of small island

States in the context of achieving sustainable development.

One of the most important outcomes of this Conference

was a re-emphasis on the dire need of small island

developing States for the development of human resources.

But assessment of the need is only a prelude to the

implementation of any programme of action. What is

required is sustained effort by the developing States and

technical and other input by the developed countries and

international organizations. In view of the Programme of

Action and Declaration emanating from the Barbados

Conference, as well as Agenda 21, I need hardly

emphasize the urgent need to stimulate positive responses

by the international community with regard to assisting

the island developing States to improve the

socio-economic standards of their peoples in order to

embark on plans for sustainable development.

At the same time, we are concerned at the speed at

which international conferences are being held and

ambitious programmes of action being drawn up without

sufficient resources to implement them. I make this

statement because of the experience we have had

following the United Nations Conference on Environment

and Development in Rio in 1992. The expectations which

followed that conference have started to recede because

of insufficient resources available to implement the

programme of action. One of the most outstanding

results of the Conference was the creation of greater

awareness of the environmental problems that the

international community faces. At the same time, it is

tragic to note that greater awareness of the predicament

on the part of those countries most susceptible to

environmental damage only helps to increase

apprehensions of disaster and frustration.

As an island developing country, Maldives

appreciates the tremendous achievement of the

international community in establishing the rule of law on

the vast stretches of the high seas, which cover two thirds

of the surface of the Earth. The fact that it took 12 long

years after its adoption for the Convention on the Law of

the Sea to enter into force is indeed a development that

will be written in letters of gold in the annals of world

history.

The question of human rights should occupy a

central place in our minds when we deal with all issues

of global concern. The establishment of the post of

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is

certainly a most welcome step. But this step can have

meaningful results only if the necessary resources are

provided for the High Commissioner to carry out his

mandate fairly and objectively, without any further

financial burdens on the membership of this Organization.

I would also like to emphasize here that, while the

Universal Declaration of 1948 may be the universal guide

for future work in this area, we must not attempt to lay

down rigidly uniform standards of human conduct and

behaviour for all societies without due respect for and

regard to the diverse cultures and religions prevailing in

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the world. For it is the full understanding of this diversity

that reinforces the fabric of what we call international

relations and the unity of the membership of this

Organization.

The United Nations is being burdened with more and

more onerous responsibilities not only for the preservation

and maintenance of international peace, security and

stability, but for also assisting mankind in the realization

of the goals of a safer world and a higher standard of living

for the generations to come.

I remain convinced that if this universal Organization

is to be successful in meeting the numerous challenges

before it, every one of its Members must extend unstinting

financial, technological, military and manpower-resource

support to the Organization.

We cannot afford to be complacent, nor can we

condone any attempts to deflect the work of the United

Nations to any path other than that of right, justice and

equality, as enshrined in the Charter.

For my part, I can only reiterate the sincere

commitment of the Government of the Republic of

Maldives to supporting the United Nations and the

principles of the Charter to the best of our ability. Only by

so doing is there any hope of avoiding disastrous

consequences. What is more, the Government of the

Republic of Maldives implicitly trusts the United Nations

as the guarantor of its security and as its protector.