Nepal, 2005

The recently concluded

High-level Plenary Meeting has rekindled the hopes

and aspirations of humanity for enduring peace,

security and development. The outcome document

(resolution 60/1) is a testimony to our shared vision,

collective wisdom and renewed commitment to global

partnership to address the most pressing challenges of

the twenty-first century. The commitments to eradicate

poverty, to resolutely fight against terrorism and to

bring about the timely reform of the United Nations as

the pivot of multilateralism, can be achieved and

translated into action only by our working together.

The outcome document has reaffirmed the

world’s topmost priority — combating terrorism — as

the most pressing global issue. Terrorism is not just the

problem of a few countries; it is a threat to world peace

and stability. In today’s interconnected and interlinked

world, terrorism does not remained confined within

geographical borders. Its reverberations have been felt

far and wide. As every act of terrorism defies basic

human values, we must deal it with resolutely, firmly

and comprehensively, without double standards or

selective interpretations.

As a country that has been suffering from

senseless and brutal terrorism for a decade, Nepal

unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and

manifestations and supports the early conclusion of a

comprehensive convention against international

terrorism.

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His Majesty the King’s commitment to multiparty

democracy is unflinching and total. His Majesty is

determined to re-energize multiparty democratic

institutions by restoring sustainable peace and making

democracy meaningful, mature, cultured and refined.

To that end, we will be holding municipal elections by

April 2006, to be followed by national parliamentary

elections within two years. That will be an important

step forward in re-energizing our democratic

institutions through free and fair elections. I urge the

countries and organizations which support democracy

to come forward and help us to conduct free and fair

elections. His Majesty’s Government is ready to

welcome international observers for the elections.

Democracy has been sustained not only as a system of

governance but also as a way of life in all parts of the

world.

The beauty of our planet lies in its diversity. We

reaffirm the acknowledgement in paragraph 135 of the

outcome document that, while democracies share

common features, there is no single model of

democracy. Sovereign countries and peoples must be

allowed to have every right to choose the system of

democratic governance that is suitable to their needs

and aspirations.

His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah

Dev recently stated that the use of force alone is not a

solution, and that the solution rather lies in talks. We

are convinced that lasting peace can be achieved only

through dialogue based on trust and confidence. But

any overture must be credible and sincere enough to

dispel all doubts and suspicions surrounding it. This is

our principled position: to work with all constitutional

forces in efforts towards establishing durable peace and

stability in our country.

His Majesty’s Government has initiated

programmes to alleviate the plight of people suffering

as a result of conflict. The Government has accorded

top priority to implementing programmes for broad-

based economic growth, social inclusion, anti-

corruption efforts and the speedy delivery of essential

services to needy people. Special relief package

programmes are being carried in an integrated manner

to the areas hit by conflict; these include food, shelter,

health, education and the rehabilitation of persons

internally displaced due to terrorist violence.

International peace and security can be

maintained only in an atmosphere of mutual

understanding, trust and confidence. Nepal has always

stressed that the international community must make

genuine efforts for the general and complete

disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction,

including biological, chemical, nuclear and

radiological weapons, in a time-bound manner.

However, the proliferation of weapons of mass

destruction and slow progress in global disarmament

negotiations have weakened hopes for a safer and more

secure world.

We firmly believe that regional mechanisms,

including the establishment of United Nations regional

centres for peace and disarmament in various parts of

the world, can make a significant contribution to global

disarmament efforts by enhancing confidence-building.

Our commitment is reflected in Nepal’s ardent desire

to relocate the United Nations Regional Centre for

Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific to

Kathmandu at the earliest possible date and to

continuously pursue the Kathmandu process as a part

of the world disarmament campaign.

The role of the United Nations in peacekeeping,

peacemaking and post-conflict peacebuilding has

assumed great significance over the years. Nepal has

been continuously participating in United Nations

peacekeeping operations since 1958 and has already

contributed more than 50,000 peacekeepers to 29

United Nations peacekeeping missions. With its current

deployment of around 3,500 peacekeepers in 13

peacekeeping missions, Nepal ranks among the top five

countries contributing troops to the United Nations

peacekeeping missions. The sacrifice of the lives of 54

Nepali peacekeepers in the service of humanity in

difficult conflict zones around the world stands as

testimony to their dedication to the cause of world

peace.

Nepalese Blue Helmets have earned international

repute for their dedication, discipline, impartiality and

professionalism in the discharge of their duties. This is

reflected in the inclusion of a Nepali peacekeeper in

the United Nations team that went to Stockholm to

receive the Nobel Peace Prize, and in the several

excellent honours and awards that have been accorded

to them, the most recent being in the Central African

State of Burundi. Over the years, our peacekeepers

have also been involved in peacebuilding,

reconstruction and rehabilitation exercises in various

United Nations missions.

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Nepal welcomes the establishment of a

Peacebuilding Commission as an intergovernmental

advisory body. This, we believe, will be instrumental to

United Nations efforts in effecting sustained recovery

and reconstruction and will provide guidance and

assistance in laying the foundation for lasting peace in

countries emerging from conflict. The Commission’s

mission, objectives and goals should be clearly

defined; there should be equitable representation from

among the troop-contributing countries; and the

Commission should be adequately funded.

Nepal is unswervingly committed to the

principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter

and its contribution to the maintenance of international

peace and security. After almost two decades, Nepal is

seeking non-permanent membership of the Security

Council for the period 2007-2008; we have an earnest

desire to contribute to the Council in its important role

in the maintenance of international peace and security.

I take this opportunity to renew our appeal to Member

States for their invaluable support to Nepal in the

elections slated for next year.

Nepal is fully committed to the protection and

promotion of human rights. We view all human rights

as universal, indivisible and interdependent. I wish to

reiterate His Majesty’s Government’s commitment to

the implementation of human rights instruments and

international humanitarian law through the

strengthening of national human rights institutions and

through full cooperation with United Nations human

rights mechanisms. The human rights situation in

Nepal needs to be properly understood in the context of

the unabated violence perpetrated by the terrorists. The

tendency to equate the constitutional duty of the

Government to protect the lives and property of

ordinary citizens with that of the dreadful acts of the

terrorists needs to be corrected. The terrorists have

exceeded all norms and values by resorting to the most

heinous acts of violence, indiscriminate killings, the

maiming and abduction of innocent civilians,

kidnapping and the forceful recruitment of children as

soldiers and extortion and intimidation of the civilian

population.

We have been providing asylum to more than

100,000 Bhutanese refugees on humanitarian grounds

for a decade and a half. His Majesty’s Government has

shown its honesty and sincerity and has walked the

extra mile for the solution of the refugee problem

through a bilateral process. We strongly believe that

sincere implementation of bilateral agreements will

lead to a lasting solution of the problem. We believe

that a lasting solution to the refugee problem will have

a salutary impact on Nepal-Bhutan relations, which

emanate from monarchical cultures.

Nepal’s peace and stability have a great bearing

not only on its own people but also on its neighbours

and on South Asia and beyond. A stable, peaceful and

prosperous Nepal, small in size but strategically

located, can greatly contribute to maintaining

sustainable peace, stability and prosperity in the region

and beyond.

The world has seen that peace and stability in the

world community cannot be guaranteed without the

peace, stability and prosperity of smaller and

vulnerable States. Therefore, the international

community must come forward to help countries with

special needs, such as least developed and landlocked

developing countries, to help them achieve peace,

stability and prosperity. The new international financial

and development architecture should, therefore,

address the legitimate interests and aspirations of those

countries.

We call upon the developed countries to augment

the level of official development assistance (ODA) and

to provide better market access, increased foreign

direct investment and substantial debt relief measures

to alleviate the hardships of developing countries,

especially the least developed and the landlocked ones.

We urge the international community to come forward

with technical assistance to meet the special needs of

the small, landlocked and fragile States with special

challenges emanating from terrorism and natural

disasters.

Nepal’s location between the two fastest-growing

economies — India and China — provides us with

tremendous opportunities for economic growth and

development. We have proposed Nepal as a transit

point between our two neighbours, acting as a bridge

between them to realize their full economic potential.

Nepal firmly believes that only a strengthened

and revitalized United Nations can address the

multitude of challenges of the contemporary world.

Timely reform and necessary restructuring of the

United Nations, preserving and promoting the

centrality and sanctity of the principles and purposes

enshrined in the Charter, are needed to make the world

body more robust and vibrant. Nepal has always looked

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to the United Nations as a torchbearer for peace,

security and the dignity of nations. It is also our firm

view that United Nations reform should give more

emphasis to strengthening the Organization’s role in

promoting international cooperation for the economic

and social development of Member States, particularly

the developing countries.

Nepal has consistently supported the reform of

the Security Council, including its method of work, to

make it more representative, transparent and

accountable, in order to reflect present-day realities.

We have also maintained that the General Assembly, as

the principal deliberative organ of the United Nations,

needs to be further strengthened.

The six-decade-long journey of the United

Nations has been arduous and at times even

tumultuous. It has seen high expectations, deep

frustration and the harsh realities of realpolitik but has

never floundered or wavered from its noble objectives.

This year marks the fiftieth year of Nepal’s

membership of the United Nations. Since we joined the

United Nations, on 14 December 1955, Nepal has

cherished its association with the world body and has

played an active role in its activities. The Nepali

people are proud of their association with the world

body and are celebrating the occasion in a special way

befitting its significance. Nepal acknowledges its

sincere appreciation of the United Nations and its

various specialized agencies for their most valuable

contribution to our socio-economic development

endeavours.

We reaffirm our solemn pledge to the Charter of

the United Nations and renew our unwavering

commitment to make the Organization more equitable,

credible and relevant to face effectively the challenges

of the twenty-first century.