Qatar, 2009

Allow me at

the outset, Sir, to congratulate you on your election to

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the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-

fourth session. I wish you every success in your task.

I would also like to thank your predecessor, my

friend Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, for his tireless

work during the previous session.

I would also like to thank His Excellency

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his effort to

strengthen the role of the United Nations.

This new session of the General Assembly

coincides with a unique international situation — one

of those situations that take shape at a critical juncture

of major historical developments. Such situations

present an opportunity to lay foundations, stress

principles and regulate systems of international

interaction and relations.

In our view, the present situation is similar to

those that prevailed on the eve of the conferences of

Vienna (1814), Versailles (1919) and Potsdam (1945).

This situation, and the opportunity it presents in

today’s world, is fertile ground for embarking on a

search for a different future. It comes in the wake of a

period of violent turmoil in which the world was

burned by the fires of World War II, was bitten by the

frost of the cold war, and went adrift — especially after

the 11 September 2001 tragedy — in the fallout from

the war on terrorism. This was followed by the

financial market crisis just last year.

The succession of major developments has

altered the world map, changed the balance of power

and influence, and brought in capable parties from

Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and

Africa. It has also generated a renewal-seeking

movement in the United States of America that we are

following with interest and we sincerely hope will

succeed.

We note that during the stages of the global

confrontation and polarization, and the significant

turmoil that followed both of them, the international

community lived in, and suffered from, severe

confusion, when it became clear that achieving world

peace and prosperity required more than the weapons

of the mighty Powers, more than a bipolarity of States,

more than the hegemony of one country — no matter

how advanced that country might be — and a broader

and more comprehensive global management of urgent

crises.

In such a situation, the significance of the

opportunity looms large, after long years of firestorms,

snow blizzards and dust storms, signalling to us that

the world requires something new. In fact, that obvious

fact stands out against the background of our harsh

prior experience.

However, we have been failing to pay attention to

it, despite the numerous appeals pointing to it and the

sincere attempts calling for renewal so that the

Organization can fulfil its mission in changing times

and remain a standard and reference of international

legitimacy. This requirement for change covers the

whole of the United Nations system with all its

branches and agencies.

It is clear to us that the serious crises of the world

were exacerbated when nations with major influence in

the international order decided to transfer tackling the

most important issues of war, peace and progress from

the United Nations framework to other extraneous

frameworks.

Such was the case with regard to conventional

and nuclear arms, security agreements and

arrangements covering the broad spectrum from outer

space to policy and economics. The reasons given for

going outside the United Nations framework were, as

some believed, that such issues were beyond the

capability of the smaller States that represent the

majority of United Nations Members.

Thus, according to this approach, the absence of

the smaller States would make dealing with the issues

at hand easier. But in the emerging circumstances and

realities, those who advocate the monopolizing of

international decision-making need to realize that we

live in one world. And in a world like this one, concern

is equal, even though the distribution of power may not

be.

This attitude represents for us a confirmation of

our view, by which we stand firm. Namely, that it is

time to go back to the United Nations system as a

framework that accommodates everyone, provides a

venue recognized by all, and has a Charter accepted by

all nations mindful that equal rights do not run counter

to a division of responsibilities which takes into

account the different levels of capability of the parties.

We are aware and appreciative of the great

importance of an overarching international authority as

expressed by a legitimate international order and

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governed by a Charter, by the law, and by an

experience of a harsh and bloody political history. That

appreciation stems from our intimate familiarity with

the crises and complex situations of the Middle East,

which became intertwined and increasingly ominous

when addressed outside the United Nations framework,

on the assumption that the new setting could yield

swifter and more effective solutions. In fact, that

approach was merely an aimless diversion that only

caused greater confusion and complexity.

Resorting to the authority of the United Nations

is essential not only to resolve intractable crises such

as the ones in the Middle East, but also to realize

aspirations that can be fulfilled only through a

legitimate international consensus and within an agreed

framework. One such pressing crisis is the quest for

alternative energy sources. Another equally urgent

issue is that of climate change and its definite impact

on the environment and life on this planet.

As for the issue of energy, while it would seem

that oil-producing countries are benefiting from

continued world dependence on their oil production, I

wish to stress to the Assembly that we consider global

security to be our security and global prosperity to be

our prosperity. There can be neither peace nor

prosperity when global civilization is threatened by an

energy crisis that is far greater than a war of any kind,

even a nuclear war.

With regard to the issue of climate change, I

should like to take this opportunity to thank His

Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the

United Nations, for having organized the Summit on

Climate Change yesterday within the framework of the

United Nations to discuss this most serious challenge,

which threatens not only the security of the planet but

also all life on it.

We believe that, while the United Nations system

comprises a comprehensive range of institutions, those

institutions require urgent renewal and strengthening

so that United Nations work will be commensurate

with the new realities in the community of nations on

all continents. At this session, we face a historic

situation — an opportunity that does not present itself

very often. It is the duty of the international

community, and in particular of its powerful members,

to shoulder their responsibilities by responding to that

opportunity.

Almighty God has blessed the State of Qatar with

vast hydrocarbon resources, including the giant North

Gas Field, whose resources make Qatar the third-

largest country in the world in terms of natural gas

reserves. Since the Field was discovered, the

Government has sought to develop concepts and plans

for projects to supply the local market with gas and to

export liquefied natural gas to world markets, as well

as for the gas-to-liquid process, petrochemical

industries and other projects using natural gas, whose

consumption is less harmful to the environment than

that of other fossil substances. While the State of Qatar

has sufficient reserves to meet its needs for decades to

come, we are fully aware of the future challenges

facing the international community in terms of the

implications of greenhouse gas emissions, climate

change and their negative effects on sustainable

development projects.

The State of Qatar is aware of the enormous

potential of clean and renewable energy sources — in

particular solar energy, which is abundantly available

in our climate. The Government has encouraged our

industries, educational institutions and scientific

research centres to develop renewable energy

technologies that will help to improve efficiency and

performance and are suited to local conditions.

The State of Qatar looks forward to a more

intensive international effort to share information and

expertise in the development of solar and other

renewable energies. We urge developed countries to

share modern technologies in that area and to

contribute to the implementation and financing of

renewable energy projects throughout the world.