Saudi Arabia, 1992

I would like to begin by expressing to you, Mr. President, our sincere

congratulations on your election to the presidency of the forty-seventh

session of the General Assembly. The trust and confidence bestowed upon you

reflects appreciation for you personally as well as recognition of the

positive role played by your country, Bulgaria, in international affairs. I

wish you success in the pursuit of your mission.

On this occasion, I would like to congratulate your predecessor.

Ambassador Samir Shihabi, for his effective conduct of the affairs of the

General Assembly during its previous session.

I also would like to acknowledge the continued sincere efforts by the

Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, to enhance the prospects for

peace and reduce the elements of tension which prevail in many parts of the

world. These efforts and pursuits represent a continuation of the efforts of

his predecessor, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar.

I am pleased to join with the other heads of delegations in welcoming all

the States which have joined the United Nations this year so that they may

participate, along with all other Member States, in realizing the noble

objectives of this Organization. It is my hope that these States will be able

to play an effective role in the Organization, and contribute positively to

the realization of peace, security, stability, and development for the benefit

of the international community as a whole.

We are assembled here in this international forum in which nations, small

and large, powerful and weak, meet on the basis of equality and work together

for the establishment of right and justice, order and security, prosperity and

peace. We learn from the lessons of the past, to chart a course for the

future in an environment of fast-changing global conditions and

circumstances. We follow, with great interest, the general trends of what has

come to be known as the new world order, an order founded upon the principles

of the United Nations and on the tenets of international legality. This order

rejects the use of force in the settlement of disputes. We must understand

that this order cannot evolve by itself, but requires us to change our

perception of the role of the United Nations. We must develop our methods and

practices in harmony with the basic principles of the Organization, whose

purpose is to replace war ind destruction with cooperation between nations and

peoples and thereby lead to development, respect for the dignity of man,

security, peace and prosperity for our world.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to bring about a fundamental change in

our understanding of the role of the United Nations from one of crisis

management and the preservation of peace to one of active participation in

peacemaking.

In this context, I would like to express appreciation for the proposals

presented by the Secretary-General for enhancing the role and effectiveness of

the United Nations. His Agenda for Peace which contained those proposals,

deserves prompt attention, objective consideration and thorough study in order

for us to arrive at an appropriate formula for the functioning of the

Organization that would be compatible with its desired more effective role.

Subsequently, attention could be given to the introduction of basic structural

and institutional changes, if required.

Even a cursory review of the current international situation would reveal

that there still remain hotbeds of tension which threaten security and

stability in many regions of the world. It would show too that the role of

the United Nations becomes increasingly more important concomitantly with the

increase in the possibilities and opportunities for cooperation among nations

in enhancing and supporting the Organization so that no nation may commit

aggression against or threaten the security, sovereignty and territorial

integrity of any other nation.

The United Nations has clearly demonstrated that it is capable of playing

such a role when it firmly faced up to the Iraqi aggression against its

neighbour, Kuwait, a peaceful nation that may be small in size but which plays

a major role and makes major contributions to the family of nations. By so

doing, the United Nations was able to liberate Kuwait from a blatant

aggression and restore legality to its territory. The image of this noble

stand still remains before us and is indelibly etched in our minds.

On this occasion, it behoves us to express our appreciation and

admiration for this role and to emphasize now, more than ever, the need for it

to continue and be promoted, for we have noticed recently the return of the

Iraqi regime to the pattern of threats and false claims regarding Kuwait in a

manner that is reminiscent of that regime's declarations on the eve of its

aggression against Kuwait. In so doing, it makes a mockery of its obligations

under international treaties and resolutions. It also continues to

procrastinate in implementing the resolutions of the Security Council and

fails to comply with their stipulations. It has given itself the right, on

the basis of sovereignty, to starve and humiliate the Iraqi people and subject

Iraq to dangers that threaten its unity and security while it goes on

claiming, falsely and slanderously, that it is the international community

that is responsible for the dangers that beset Iraq and the miseries of its

people.

We are totally convinced that the only means of averting instability in

the region and dealing with the suffering of the people of Iraq lies, first

and foremost in ensuring the complete and comprehensive implementation of the

resolution of the Security Council which reflect the collective will of the

international community.

We have heard, with great concern, the declaration by the United Arab

Emirates that its efforts have failed to achieve a peaceful and amicable

solution with the Islamic Republic of Iran in relation to the complete

sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates over the three islands of Abu Mousa,

Tun the Greater and Tun the Smaller. We express our support for the position

taken by the United Arab Emirates on this issue and for its demand that Iran

reverse its unilateral actions and that the problem be settled through

negotiations on the basis of international law and international legality.

The Middle East is among the regions which attract a great deal of the

international community's attention and is the focus of its efforts. It is

time that this region enjoyed its rightful share of peace, security and

stability so that all its energies may be directed towards development and all

its resources may be devoted to ensuring the prosperity of its peoples. The

Middle East is capable of providing a decent standard of living for all its

inhabitants and has the potential to become a peaceful oasis of stability,

prosperity and creativity.

To achieve the objectives we desire, it is our vital duty to strive to

eliminate the threat posed by the stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction

in the Middle East. We therefore welcome the conclusion of negotiations on

the non-proliferation convention banning chemical weapons. The draft

convention resulting from those negotiations is before the General Assembly at

its current session. We affirm our support for the objectives of the draft

convention. This support derives from the great concern of the Kingdom of

Saudi Arabia to make the Middle East a region free from weapons of mass

destruction of all kinds whether nuclear, chemical or biological. However,

that goal can be reached only when all States in the region without exception

refrain from the production, stockpiling or possession of weapons of mass

destruction of any kinds.

It should be noted that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has adhered, both in

word and in deed, to the provisions of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of

Nuclear Weapons, and the Arab States have demonstrated the collective will to

adhere to that Treaty as well. It has therefore become imperative that all

States in the region, including Israel, abide by both the chemical-weapons

convention and the non-proliferation Treaty, so as to achieve the desired

balance necessary for peace, security and stability for all States in the

region.

The Arab States have expressed a sincere, genuine desire to establish a

permanent, just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. This has been

demonstrated by their participation in the peace negotiations sponsored by the

United States and the Russian Federation. Their positive position in those

negotiations has proved to be a serious orientation towards ending the

Arab-Israeli conflict and towards achieving a just settlement of the

Palestinian question that would ensure the restoration of the legitimate

rights of the Palestinian people on the basis of Security Council resolutions

242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and other relevant resolutions of international

legality.

In that context, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has lent its full support to

the current Middle East peace process. Saudi Arabia believes that no genuine

peace can be achieved in the Middle East unless a permanent, just solution to

the Palestinian question is reached and unless Israel withdraws from all the

occupied Arab territories, including Al-Quds which is an integral part of the

occupied Arab territories. The question of Al-Quds has a focal place in the

policy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and is one of its constant concerns,

within the context of the relevant United Nations resolutions and of the

resolutions of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

The success of the current Middle East peace process clearly depends on a

serious, genuine commitment by Israel to implement the resolutions of

international legality and on Israel's withdrawal from all the occupied Arab

territories, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

The Lebanese Government has made considerable progress in the

implementation of the Taef accords and has adopted the necessary political and

constitutional measures in that context. We must continue to support the

efforts of the legitimate authorities in Lebanon and contribute to the process

of reconstruction in Lebanon. In that regard, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

appeals to the international community to help facilitate the establishment of

an international fund to assist Lebanon. We must also reiterate the need for

an Israeli commitment fully and unconditionally to implement Security Council

resolution 425 (1978), which calls on Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon

to enable the Lebanese Government to extend legitimate authority over the

entire territory of Lebanon.

The General Assembly was right in deciding to deny the legality of the

succession of the so-called Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the seat held by

the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. We view this as a step

in the right direction and hope that other steps will follow with a view to

restoring peace and stability to that part of the Balkans.

The people of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina are falling victim

to a genocidal war waged by Serbian forces with the support of Serbia and

Montenegro. That genocidal war has claimed thousands of innocent victims and

has resulted in the displacement of a large portion of the population away

from their homes and possessions. My country has already declared its full

support for the decisions and resolutions adopted with the consent of all

parties concerned at the recent London Conference on the situation in the

former Yugoslavia.

We hope that concerted efforts will be made to ensure the full and

serious implementation of those resolutions. So far, however, we regret that

none of them has been implemented. We refer to resolutions such as those

concerned with the placement of heavy weapons and artillery under

international supervision; declaring the airspace of the Republic of Bosnia

and Herzegovina a no-fly zone for the operations of military aircraft; the

release of all prisoners-of-war and detainees; the dismantling of detention

camps; and the termination of the policy of ethnic cleansing.

On this issue, the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques

does not believe that ensuring the delivery of humanitarian assistance through

the United Nations to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina is sufficient.

Rather, we believe that all necessary measures should be adopted to stop all

the acts of genocide and displacement that are being perpetrated by the

Serbian forces with the support of the Belgrade regime. That requires the

intensification of pressure on the Serbs and their supporters to force them to

abide by the commitments they took upon themselves at the London Conference.

The creation of a permanent mechanism to monitor the implementation of those

commitments is very necessary.

We note with grave concern that there is some hesitation in declaring the

airspace of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina a no-fly zone for the

military aircraft of Serbia and Montenegro. The hesitation ostensibly stems

from a concern that such a step would lead to an aggravation of the

situation. But the situation is extremely grave as it is and cannot get much

worse. The real dangers to be taken into consideration are those which the

citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina face, namely, genocide, displacement and

torture. All of those constitute the most flagrant violations of the United

Nations Charter, the principles and tenets of international law, and the

Fourth Geneva Convention. The war that rages there is not even a civil war

but a war of extermination waged openly on the people of a sovereign,

independent State whose territory has been occupied by the perpetrators of

that brutal and savage aggression.

Accordingly, we call upon the Security Council of the United Nations to

take all necessary measures under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter,

including Article 42; starting with the declaring of the airspace of the

Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina a no-fly zone for the air forces of Serbia

and Montenegro and ensuring the withdrawal of all regular and irregular

Serbian forces from the territories of the Republic of Bosnia and

Herzegovina. At the same time, we urge the international community to make

available all possible material, military and moral support to enable the

Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina to exercise fully the legitimate right of

self-defence. In the absence of an effective collective security mechanism,

the arms embargo on the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina should be lifted.

We are also of the view that those responsible for grave violations of

the Fourth Geneva Convention should be apprehended and placed on trial

according to the principles and provisions of international law. We also

support the right of the people and Government of the Republic of Bosnia and

Herzegovina to just compensation from Serbia and Montenegro for the loss of

life and property they have suffered.

Somalia is currently a nation plagued by disasters and tragedies as a

result of a destructive civil war which has brought upon its people death and

displacement and undermined its unity and territorial integrity. The

Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques have endeavoured from the

outset of the conflict in sisterly Somalia to contain that conflict invited

all the parties to the conflict to meet on Saudi soil for the purpose of

achieving national reconciliation. Saudi Arabia still exerts all possible

efforts to put an end to that fratricidal conflict. Saudi Arabia also

provides assistance and relief to Somalia and unequivocally supports the role

of the United Nations in delivering assistance to those who deserve it. It

has welcomed the dispatch of international forces to supervise operations that

provide humanitarian assistance to all regions of Somalia. The Kingdom of

Saudi Arabia hopes that concerted international efforts will be made to

provide all possible assistance and relief to this afflicted nation and

supports the effort to put an end to the bloodshed. We urge all Somali

factions to work together towards making their national interest and human

values their overriding objective so as to eliminate the causes of conflict

and disunity among them.

After 13 years of successful jihad the Afghani people were able to

triumph over injustice and regain their national identity. On this occasion

we look forward to the joining of all constructive and sincere efforts to

enable the Afghani people to achieve security and stability in their nation.

We also look forward to the return of normal conditions throughout

Afghanistan, to make possible the rebuilding of what has been destroyed and

thus to enable the people of Afghanistan to work towards achieving a national

unity that would bring together the various groups and organizations and

provide a climate conducive to national unity and the deployment of concerted

efforts in pooling all energies and resources for the well-being and in the

interests of that country's people.

We also need to point out that that part of the world is still suffering

from the continuation of the Jamu-Kashmir problem, which continues to be an

element of instability in the region. The Government of the Custodian of the

Two Holy Mosques believe that a solution must be found on the basis of United

Nations resolutions to put an end to this long-standing conflict which has

cast its shadow over relations between the two neighbours, India and Pakistan.

While voicing its regrets at the violence South Africa has been

experiencing over the past few months and the serious setbacks it has caused

to the efforts aiming at ending the apartheid system, the Kingdom of Saudi

Arabia welcomes the recent developments in that country, which revive our hope

for progress towards the dismantling of that abhorrent system. The Kingdom of

Saudi Arabia supports a major role for the United Nations in offering

appropriate solutions and in working towards the establishment of a society

governed by equality and justice.

The positive changes that have taken place in the international political

situation are bound to pave the way for addressing the issues of development

and for the creation of an international economic environment that would help

the developing nations to achieve the sort of economic and social development

that would enable them to realize the ambitions and aspirations of their

peoples after a better life of peace and prosperity. The developed

industrialized nations can cooperate in making this possible by opening their

markets to the products of the developing nations, ending all protectionist

measures, bringing about at an early date a successful outcome to the Uruguay

Round of multilateral trade talks and by finding an urgent solution to the

debt problem. Economic cooperation between the developing countries

themselves is also necessary as it would constitute a fundamental tool for the

promotion of international economic growth.

Questions pertaining to the situation of the world economy are of great

importance and interest to us in Saudi Arabia, for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

has a stake in ensuring the stability and soundness of the world economy and

in avoiding the hurdles and pitfalls that may affect its growth.

Proceeding from this, it has responded positively to the ongoing

discussions on the environment and development and has shouldered its

responsibility in this respect by participating in the international

deliberations aimed at finding well-balanced and practicable solutions to the

questions of climatic change on a sound scientific basis.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is convinced that the future of the world and

the prosperity of all its inhabitants depend on a clear understanding of the

environmental problems that face the planet, full understanding of the

consequences that may result from the policies adopted in dealing with those

problems, careful weighing of the burdens and commitments taken by the

countries of the world upon themselves in addressing those problems, special

attention to the situation of the developing energy producers and consumers

alike and careful examination of the effects the policies adopted in dealing

with the problems may have on the growth of the economies of those countries.

This would constitute a valuable contribution to the achievement of

comprehensive development and the raising of the standard of living of our

peoples so that they may enjoy prosperity, peace, security and stability. The

current international situation that has developed from the ending of the cold

war and the progress achieved in the areas of disarmament and reductions in

conventional weapons, is a rare opportunity indeed for channelling resultant

windfalls towards solving the problems of development and underdevelopment.

The international community is on the threshold of a historic new era

whose challenges and promises are unfolding under our eyes. We are duty-bound

to lay solid and equitable foundations that define the parameters of the

future that humanity has always aspired after, a future in which no one would

awaken to the expectation of war or goes to bed haunted by the nightmarish

prospects of destruction, a future that would melt down the weapons of

destruction in order to forge the tools of prosperity for all, a future in

which the dangers of pollution, the effects of underdevelopment and the pains

of displacement would vanish. We shall never attain such a future unless we

lay the foundations of peace on right and justice. And peace is the essence

of our Islamic faith. As the Holy Koran says:

0 ye who believe!

Enter into Islam

Whole-heartedly;

And follow not

The footsteps

Of the Evil One;

For he is to you

An avowed enemy.