Panama, 1998

At the outset, we wish to express our heartfelt

condolences and solidarity to the peoples of the Caribbean

because of the suffering being experienced today in places

such as Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, St.

Maarten, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic due to

Hurricane Georges, which has hit the region.

The delegation I am honoured to represent joins in

the congratulations extended to Mr. Opertti on his election

as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-third

session. This constitutes a recognition not only of his

outstanding ability and merits, but also of the brotherly

country of Uruguay, whose well-known international

calling makes it an outstanding Member and

representative of Latin America in this important

international body.

We are also grateful to his illustrious predecessor,

Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko, for his efforts to contribute to

the Organizationâs modernization.

At the end of June, during the absence of the

President of the General Assembly, Panama, as Vice-

President, occupied the presidency of the General

Assembly and had the honour of cooperating in the

adoption of important measures on science, technology

and computers.

Our gratitude goes also to the seventh Secretary-

General, Mr. Kofi Annan, who, with the long experience

he has gained over more than 30 years devoted to the

Organization, is promoting reforms that will be of great

benefit to the United Nations.

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On Security Council reform, we endorse the

recommendation of 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 that consideration of this

item should continue during the fifty-third session of the

General Assembly on the basis of the work carried out in

previous sessions.

Panama recalls with gratitude that the holding of a

Security Council meeting in Panama a quarter of a century

ago and the support of the international community were

extremely valuable to the Panamanian people in the

fulfilment of its aspirations regarding the Canal.

Panama attaches great importance to discussions

relating to economic issues, particularly those addressing

sustainable economic development in order to eradicate

poverty. We feel that by improving our education, our

countries will better be able to focus on processes of

reform, which must be undertaken gradually.

With regard to the globalization of the economy, the

Republic of Panama congratulates the Secretary-General for

having held on the 17 and 18 September a high-level

dialogue on the social and economic impact of globalization

and the interdependence of its political consequences.

Panama feels that the matters before the Fifth

Committee relating to the process of adopting the budget

are of great importance to the Organization, and we hope

that Member States will faithfully comply with its

suggestions.

My delegation believes that we should give full

support to measures that will persuade Member States to

pay on time and in full their obligations to the United

Nations.

In our judgment, the most important tasks to be

accomplished in order to neutralize the present economic

crisis are the restoration of trust in the markets; the

stabilization of the financial markets; the support of growth;

allocation of the necessary means to the international

financial institutions; and the immediate protection of the

most vulnerable.

The financial markets and their problems are of global

scope, yet the governmental efforts to resolve those

problems have a strictly local range. This disparity is at the

root of many problems we are now facing.

Economic globalization makes it necessary to

strengthen the links of the United Nations with the World

Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the

International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations

Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations

Childrenâs Fund (UNICEF) and the Inter-American

Development Bank (IADB).

The need to create an even playing field in the

international system for economic cooperation is urgent

and justifies the major efforts ongoing within the United

Nations to restructure what has been called the

“architecture” of the system.

We support the Secretary-Generalâs repeated calls

for more vigorous action towards some way of alleviating

the enormous debts that are suffocating many countries

and that they simply cannot carry. It seems to us that

economic, social and environmental policy dimensions

must be integrated in such a way that none of them is

sacrificed for the sake of the others.

We were deeply impressed by the wise counsel on

poverty given to us yesterday by President Mandela.

We urge the Secretary-General and the community

of the United Nations to continue our efforts to ensure

that the obvious benefits of globalization and its resultant

interdependence do not serve to make the rich richer and

the poor poorer. This could be done by establishing

mechanisms that redirect part of the wealth generated to

the praiseworthy goals of creating more hospitals, more

modern schools and a higher standard of living for all

people.

Panama has contributed to the cause of sustainable

economic development by complying with Agenda 21 and

the mandates of the United Nations Conference on

Environment and Development. The concrete result of

this was the adoption of Law 41 of July 1998, an overall

environmental law for the Republic of Panama, which

establishes the basic principles and regulations for

protecting, preserving and restoring the environment.

Another result is the preparation of an environmental

strategy for the country within the framework of a process

in which the whole of Panamanian society is

participating; actions are concerted, and each sector is

committed to holding up its end.

We must have a clear vision of the future where

anything related to the environment is concerned, and we

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are sure that the Secretary-General will also make this clear

in his plans for the future.

Panama has followed with great interest the events

relating to peace in the Middle East and the problems of

the war-torn former Yugoslavia. We support the

comprehensive policy that must be pursued in Africa in

order to move beyond the causes of conflict and promote

lasting peace and sustainable development in the region.

Similarly, we have followed with great interest the

Secretary-Generalâs efforts to advance the negotiations

towards just and lasting peace in Cyprus so that the

unification process can quickly be consolidated. We see

serious dangers in the situation in Afghanistan.

At the Conference in Rome, my country agreed with

all that was said in favour of the establishment of an

International Criminal Court, and we are prepared, along

with other Member States in the General Assembly, to

make every effort necessary so that this court can bring to

justice those who have committed serious crimes that are of

concern to the international community.

As we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we recall with

respect and admiration the work carried out by the great

Panamanian internationalist Mr. Ricardo J. Alfaro, who was

instrumental in the drafting of this document that is so

important to humanity.

We will always be attentive to the need for United

Nations programmes and policies to express the concern we

feel over the violations of human rights that still occur in

certain places.

With the establishment of its Ministry for Youth,

Women, Children and the Family, the Republic of Panama

has taken a very active part in protecting the rights of

children in the workplace and is vigorously combating all

aspects of prostitution and child pornography. We therefore

applaud the work being carried out by the Committee on

the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, and we

note with great satisfaction the effective work being done

in this area by the Office of the First Lady of Panama.

We noted with concern the nuclear tests conducted by

India and Pakistan, and condemned them at the time, since

they run counter to the principles of non-proliferation of

nuclear weapons. At the same time, we would like to see

implemented all the agreements included in the chemical

and biological weapons conventions.

Panama continues to take an interest in the ban on

anti-personnel landmines, and we are ever vigilant to

ensure that our territory is free of these extremely

dangerous mines.

The recent acts of terrorism in Africa and Europe are

serious and unjustifiable crimes. They show clearly the

need to further strengthen the legal and political

framework to combat this scourge. We share the concerns

expressed here yesterday regarding the dangers of

terrorism.

As we stated at the recent Summit of Heads of State

and Government of the Rio Group, which was held in our

country, we reaffirm the importance of strengthening

cooperation to combat terrorism at both the bilateral and

multilateral levels, with full respect for the sovereignty

and jurisdiction of each State.

Internationally, we reiterate our commitment to and

support for efforts by the international community to

combat terrorism, since terrorist activities, whatever their

purpose and motivation, are, in addition to being a

violation of human rights, immoral criminal acts, extreme

acts of fanaticism that attack freedom, human life and the

development of peoples.

Regarding drug-trafficking, we are convinced that

the most effective way to make progress in combating

drugs would be to see it as a multilateral problem, always

bearing in mind respect for the sovereignty and territorial

integrity of each country. Panama therefore firmly

supports the tasks and commitments established at the

twentieth special session of the General Assembly, which

was devoted to the common struggle against the world

drug problem, as well as the principles and

responsibilities established by the Organization of

American States in this matter.

From 4 to 6 September, just a few days ago, a

meeting of the heads of State and Government of the Rio

Group was held in Panama, this yearâs Secretariat of the

Rio Group, a consultative body for political harmony

comprising 14 Latin American countries. The Latin

American community is increasingly convinced that with

solid cooperation resulting from political consensus of the

Rio Group member States we can make greater strides at

both the national and international levels.

Through the annual meetings of the heads of State

and Government and the Foreign Ministers of the region

we have established common objectives and

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commitments, which cover strengthening our democracies,

questions of international peace and security, drug-

trafficking, terrorism, human rights, combating poverty,

sustainable development and international trade, as well as

new issues, such as the year 2000 computer problem and

the international financial crisis.

At the Rio Group meeting held in Quito in 1995, the

Republic of Panama offered its territory as the headquarters

for a forum where countries of the region could join in

considering policies and measures aimed to eradicate

trafficking in narcotics and other illicit substances, as well

as in coordinating anti-drug measures and training

programmes, which effectively support our efforts to

combat drug-trafficking in the region.

The Universal Congress on the Panama Canal, meeting

in our capital from 7 to 10 September 1997, clearly showed

the need for contact with the international maritime

community, the users and clients of the Canal, and

considered creating an advisory board of the Canal

Authority, in order to make use of the experience and

wisdom of men and women throughout the world.

We reiterate our pledge that the Panama Canal will

always be a public service, international in character and

efficient and safe, without any form of discrimination. We

are ready to assume full management of the Panama Canal

on 31 December 1999, thus consolidating our territory

under a single flag.

This is an appropriate occasion to reaffirm to the

international community that after 31 December 1999

Panama will never again renounce control of the Canal,

which is in our territory; it will be a symbol of the

aspirations of many generations of Panamanians who have

wanted this Canal to be an integral part of our territory in

a free, independent and sovereign nation.

In conclusion, I believe it is fitting to recall here the

following words of the President of Panama, Dr. Ernesto

Pérez Balladares, to our Legislative Assembly on 1

September:

“I wish to reiterate once again my commitment

to democracy and my commitment to prepare for the

transfer of the Canal without exclusions and without

political sectarianism. The elections on 2 May 1999

will determine who will lead the country into the

twenty-first century and who will close once and for

all this historic era for our territory. For my part, I am

certain that on 1 September 1999 there will be a

President and a Legislative Assembly elected

through transparent and democratic elections; that

our nation is now prepared to assume full control of

the Canal and its adjacent areas; and that, above all,

the country will be reconciled, in peace and prepared

to enter the next millennium without the presence of

foreign military bases and with a modern,

prosperous economy.”