Malta, 1996

May I congratulate the President

on his new responsibilities and pay tribute to Mr. Freitas

do Amaral of Portugal. During last year’s jubilee session,

his persistence furthered this Assembly’s revitalization

process.

Less than a year ago, world leaders met in this Hall to

commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations

and renew their commitment to the Charter. The world

community rejoiced. Hope had survived the darkness of the

cold war. Trust in the United Nations was, however,

tempered by an awareness of the difficulties threatening its

survival and the aspirations of the peoples it represents.

Could the Organization address the new phenomenon of

instability which risked sapping its capacities and

resources? What prevailed was a pragmatic assessment. The

alternatives to the United Nations were either that of

attempting to reinvent the wheel or scuttling this forum of

dialogue and cooperation to have arrogance and chaos usher

in the new millennium.

We, the peoples, can ill afford war. Rhetoric can never

cancel the grief and destruction it generates. The United

Nations was founded to save succeeding generations from

this scourge. Notwithstanding the then-widespread

colonialism and the angst of bipolarism, the world

community worked to contain the risk of war. As the

ability to destroy grew, so did the potential of States to be

annihilated. Brave, bold steps required clear vision and a

commitment to peace. The Treaty on the Non-

Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, extended indefinitely

last year, is a monumental landmark in this arduous quest.

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is another

milestone. Malta co-sponsored the resolution that led to

its adoption by the General Assembly and is honoured to

have been amongst its first signatories.

The challenge remains. We must generate broader

confidence to ensure universal adherence and compliance

to these treaties and others, including the Chemical

Weapons Convention. Procrastination in their ratification

by the States that matter most could expose them to the

danger of becoming dead letters. Malta welcomes the

commitment expressed by President Clinton of the United

States of America in this regard.

The risk of world conflict, though remote, is still

present. The total horror of a nuclear holocaust induces an

in-built restraint. This is not the case with conventional

armaments or weapons of mass destruction. Millions of

victims of local and regional conflicts — be they dead,

maimed, refugees, displaced, widowed or orphaned —

continue to torment the conscience of humankind. These

tragedies spur us to pursue initiatives which foster

security and confidence. The call for a ban on the

production, export and use of anti-personnel landmines

has Malta’s full support. The seven-point programme of

action proposed by the Foreign Minister Kinkel of

Germany provides a good basis for progress.

We must melt the bastions of suspicion. Only a

consolidated regime of confidence-building and

disarmament measures can buttress belief in and

commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes. This

process requires regional and international concerted

action. Malta has been active in promoting security and

cooperation in the Mediterranean. Malta and France have

both made proposals for a stability pact for the

Mediterranean. The sharing of concerns among countries

afflicted by common problems can help overcome them.

This and other initiatives could turn our sea of turmoil

into one of mutual trust.

Malta’s foreign policy is both inspired and

dependent on the notion of regional stability. It continues

15

to sustain our efforts at greater Mediterranean cooperation.

It inspired our proposal to have the Conference on Security

and Cooperation in Europe declare itself a regional

arrangement in terms of Chapter VIII of the United Nations

Charter.

The enlargement of the European Union, of which

Malta expects to become a full member in the near future,

provides a unique dimension of the process of regional

cooperation. Malta welcomes the statement made by Deputy

Prime Minister Spring of Ireland on behalf of the European

Union. It reflects the common values which have always

inspired the European process and led to the consolidation

of democracy, prosperity, social justice and solidarity. In

the framework of the structured dialogue, Malta has worked

with its European Union partners on key issues to promote

peaceful coexistence, cooperation, development and

progress within the world community.

Malta supports the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.

Cooperation in the political, security, economic and

financial areas cannot but yield results. Social, cultural and

human relations are other important aspects of this

partnership. Malta has always seen its application for

membership of the European Union in terms that

encompass the economic and the broader political

dimensions. The successful outcome of the negotiations on

Malta’s accession, due to start in the coming months, will

further strengthen our contribution.

Interlocking institutions of the European security

architecture, such as the Organization for Security and

Cooperation in Europe, the Partnership for Peace and the

Council of Europe, have strengthened the distinct areas of

cooperation on which security depends. We must identify

and combat threats to peace as they emerge.

We have witnessed the horror of intolerance based on

nationality, race, creed or political belief. Agonizing

conflicts and acts of terrorism have shattered lives and

trampled upon the rights and dignity of whole populations.

Such events have shocked us into action. The

establishment of the ad hoc Tribunals and the current

negotiations on the establishment of an international

criminal court, which Malta fully supports, are proof of the

varied manner in which the United Nations responds to new

needs.

The road to peace, through the compromise of

negotiated settlement, is not always immediate or popular.

Yet, it is the only path. Reconciliation does not happen of

its own accord. It requires courage and leaders who

stretch out their hand to their adversaries and build, brick

by brick, the edifice of stability.

The universally acclaimed processes which rekindled

the hope of settlement in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the

Middle East are parts of this noble task.

The implementation of agreements reached between

Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the

resumption of negotiations and the full realization of the

inalienable rights of the Palestinian people are

indispensable for stability in the Middle East. The

international community must continue to assist this

process. Malta welcomes the first meeting between Prime

Minister Netanyahu and President Arafat. The most recent

incidents of violence in Jerusalem and Ramallah in recent

days give rise to great concern. The momentum of

achievement should not be dissipated by acts which erode

the confidence built thus far.

The people of Cyprus have thirsted for peace and

unity for too long and also deserve the attainment of a

just and long-lasting settlement.

In this Hall, recognition was always and exclusively

reserved for peacemakers. It was never bestowed on

warmongers, aggressors or cynics who constantly doubt

and discourage others from building hope.

The United Nations Children’s Fund, the Office of

the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the

World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture

Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations

Development Programme and United Nations actions in

Palestine, Namibia, Cambodia and Mozambique are part

of this Organization’s history in contributing towards the

well-being and development of peoples, peacekeeping and

peace-building. The success achieved should not be

robbed of merit by instances where it is lacking. Are not

the Blue Helmets across the globe a signal of

engagement? Are not negotiations on preventive

diplomacy a commitment to addressing the root causes of

tension and conflict? Are not our deliberations on

development means to create stability and well-being at

the local level?

In 50 years, we have created a range of tools to

promote cooperation. True enough, our tools need

perfecting. We must calibrate them to current realities.

Tools, however, need to be used. A shed full of perfect,

but unused, tools never provided any farmer with a

16

livelihood. Only the will to operate tools and invest energy

where it matters helps to reap the fruit.

The future demands a more action-oriented approach:

more time in the field, rather than pondering in the shed.

This resolve inspires us as we follow up the United Nations

conferences on the environment, human rights, population,

social development, women’s rights and human settlements.

The World Food Summit is another example of action.

Renewed focus on development has led to various

initiatives, including those specific to Africa. Partnerships

forged by the European Union and Japan with the

developing world reflect active cooperative involvement.

Achievement registered by a number of developing States

underlines the benefit of such undertakings. The dialogue

instituted between Non-Aligned Movement, the Group of

77 and the Group of Seven is an important and welcome

step.

Malta’s academic institutions, in collaboration with

United Nations agencies and the Commonwealth secretariat,

annually sponsor and organize a number of training

programmes. Most fall into the category of the training of

trainers. Students from the developing world and from

countries with economies in transition have attended short-

or long-term courses and are now back in their countries

directly contributing to development.

Malta, through its Government and non-governmental

organizations, regularly donates funds for a number of

humanitarian and overseas development aid programmes.

These initiatives, together with the traditional involvement

of Maltese teachers and social workers in the developing

world as volunteers from non-governmental organizations

or members of religious orders, symbolize our national

commitment to international solidarity.

We view our collective achievements with pride. Each

convention and treaty agreed upon by the international

community is a testimonial of our common will to build a

better life, each a symbol of our resolve to beat our swords

into ploughshares. Yet, the anguished sea of faces of

millions of children denied the right to hope still haunts us,

whether it is war, famine, or exploitation which generates

misery. Our collective future can never be secure until these

children acquire the right to smile in hope and to their fair

share in the bounties of society.

Cynicism and fatalism cannot cure us of social ills.

Blended with hope, pragmatism yields reward. What is

more pragmatic than the care of the destitute to which

people like Mother Theresa dedicate their lives. One

person less going to bed with an empty stomach, one

person less torn with pain, one person less denied

shelter — small pragmatic steps inspired by the innate

dignity of each human being; acts of caring solidarity

which each individual, each family, each community is

capable of; commitment to others generates hope. Each

ounce of food which alleviates famine; each drop of water

which combats drought and desertification; each dose of

medicine which contains the spread of disease; each book

which kindles knowledge helps build a better world.

Democracy, the rule of law, free and fair elections

and constant vigilance in the promotion and protection of

human rights are the guarantors of peace. International

election observer missions are an important contribution

to confidence-building. Malta has participated in this

process, most recently in Palestine and Bosnia and

Herzegovina.

As much as action is instrumental, so is restraint.

Emissions which pollute the environment; lumbering

which depletes the rain forests; indiscriminate trawling

which exhausts our fishstocks — even if disguised as

economic imperatives — undermine efforts towards

sustainable development.

Malta looks forward to this Assembly’s 1997 special

session to follow up and update the Rio achievements.

We have strategies and action plans. Now is the time

for dynamic engagement. Present and future generations

demand that we use these instruments to combat drug

trafficking, illicit arms transfers, money laundering and

organized crime, which sap the life of the communities

we built with so much effort.

My Government is totally committed in this regard.

Legislation adopted has strengthened the arm of the law

in apprehending traffickers, halting the flow of drugs and

confiscating illegal funds accrued. This determined policy

is bearing fruit. Malta supports the convening of a

General Assembly special session in 1998

comprehensively to address drug trafficking and related

issues. Poland’s proposed convention to fight transnational

crime has been noted with interest. Regional and

international cooperation on these issues remains the key

to success.

Our children have a right to a life free from fear in

a safer world. That remains our responsibility as parents

and policy makers.

17

The United Nations is often accused of lacking in its

assigned role. Yet the United Nations is what Member

States make of it. They decide on its future. United Nations

reform requires discipline in our operating methods. We

have to discard self-imposed fetters and act with the

revived spirit that our times demand.

Tempered by the fires of conflict and the lessons of

the League of Nations, the founding fathers built into the

Charter a balance worth preserving. Reform should not be

reduced to a simple juxtaposition of organizational charts.

Only by revitalizing the spirit that gives our Organization

life and purpose will we achieve the ideal of nations large

and small working in unison for a better world.

As President of the General Assembly at its forty-fifth

session, in the immediate aftermath of the cold war, my

Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Guido de Marco, called for

reflection and action to better the symbiotic relationship

between the United Nations principal organs. Since then

working groups have been set up to discuss restructuring.

Within the Security Council reform group, work has

evolved, but it is still far from reaching common ground.

There is consensus that the Council should be expanded and

be more representative. The type of expansion and the

categories are still subject to a wide divergence of views.

Malta looks forward to an expanded Security Council that

best serves the world community. On the merits of

increasing the Council’s permanent membership, we still

have an open mind. The very nature of permanence

demands that we establish clear and exact criteria on

required qualifications for present and future candidates.

Giving due recognition to changes in international

relations and the nature and extent of the contribution of

States towards tasks assigned to the Council, we must avoid

rigid stances or those that may be construed as such. There

are a number of compromise proposals that could help us

find a solution, even if temporarily. We have listened with

great attention and positive interest to Foreign Minister Dini

explaining the Italian proposal as one which takes into

account both the special contribution of a number of States

and the right of all States to serve on the Council regardless

of their size, wealth or military might.

Only understandings between States that win the

confidence of all can assist us in surmounting existing

obstacles. We are satisfied to note the consensus existing on

bettering the important qualitative relationship between the

Security Council and the General Assembly. Changes

introduced in the working methods of the Council are an

indication of a universal positive disposition.

The Open-ended High-level Working Group on the

Strengthening of the United Nations system has registered

significant progress and tackled a variety of complex

issues. Malta has consistently advocated greater efficiency

and a more effective role for the General Assembly to

dissipate negative perceptions that may exist.

Responsibilities of this Assembly, of which we are all

permanent members, are many and varied. We have

already noted the benefits of streamlining. More is

required. Our deliberations have an impact on public

opinion and political contingencies. We would be remiss

if indifference or bureaucratization were to numb us from

fully assuming the responsibilities and obligations

imposed by the Charter.

Starting with the forty-fifth session, my Deputy

Prime Minister has also called for a review of the role of

the Trusteeship Council. Creating or abolishing

institutions necessarily has an impact on the principles on

which they are based. The balance characteristic of the

Charter needs to be enhanced rather than diluted. The

United Nations should continue to cherish all principles

on which it was founded, including the notion of trust, on

which the Trusteeship Council rests.

Last year, Malta submitted a resolution seeking the

opinion of States on the Trusteeship Council’s future. The

diversity of views expressed is indicative of the existing

potential. Malta looks forward to further discussion on the

subject, confident in the will to better utilize existing

institutions to serve the principles of the Charter. Our

common heritage and the welfare of future generations

demand that in reorienting the United Nations we

preserve and protect the vision and ideals that gave it

birth.

Thirty years ago Malta launched the concept of

common heritage. This concept has become ingrained in

the reality of the United Nations Convention on the Law

of the Sea and the International Sea-Bed Authority. It

takes time for ideas to mature and consensus to emerge.

The most recent development, which we welcome, is the

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, to be

inaugurated at Hamburg, Germany, next month. Those

institutions will undoubtedly continue to contribute to the

underlying principle of trust in protecting and preserving

our common heritage.

18

The financial crisis facing the Organization has

dampened hopes and discouraged many. Malta believes that

the ongoing exercise of assessing costs, eliminating waste

and rationalizing structures must go on. Although pruning

is essential to strengthen the United Nations, so also is the

need for all Member States to meet obligations and to pay

their assessed contributions to the regular and peacekeeping

budgets, in full, promptly and without conditions.

Discussion on the scale of assessments will also contribute

to improving the financial base of the Organization.

“Bankruptcy” is an awful word. It is too often

repeated in relation to the United Nations. Finances are

undoubtedly a cause of common concern. There is,

however, another threatening phenomenon which looms —

moral bankruptcy. This is by far the greater danger and the

one that we should fear most.

With the end of the cold war, a second-generation

United Nations had to find in its Member States the resolve

and commitment to face winds of change that at times

assume the force of gales and whirlwinds. With a steady

hand on the rudder and our eyes fixed on that guiding star

that inspired the founding fathers, we can still bring ship to

port. The fate of humankind is our precious cargo and

responsibility.