Sudan, 2012

At the outset,

allow me to express our warm congratulations to

Mr. Vuk Jeremič on his election to the presidency of

the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session.

I am confident that his experience will ensure the

success of our meetings. I should like to commend his

predecessor, Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser,

and to express my appreciation and gratitude to

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his efforts to

strengthen the role of the United Nations. It is my hope

that deliberations at this session will be successful,

which would contribute to fulfilling the hopes and

aspirations of the peoples of the world to a life of

security, peace and stability, on the basis of the values and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United

Nations.

We were pleased to see that the main theme for this

session of the General Assembly relates to the peaceful

settlement of disputes. That principle is a fundamental

one, as the Charter of the United Nations stresses the

need to maintain international peace and security by

pacific means or through effective collective measures

aimed at eliminating threats to international peace

and security, in accordance with the Charter and

international law.

The peaceful settlement of disputes requires joint

efforts on the part of the international community

in order to tackle the root causes of conflicts. We

believe that the absence of sustainable and balanced

development is one of the main reasons why a small

minority of people have been able to appropriate the

greatest wealth in the world while the vast majority of

humankind lives in abject poverty, lacking all basic

services. Greater efforts must therefore be made to

achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Disseminating a culture of peace, tolerance,

respect for others and the prevention of any violence

or incitement to cultural, religious, sectarian or ethnic

strife must be among the fundamental priorities and

concerns of the United Nations. The Organization must

ensure that no offensive statements about prophets

are made under the pretext of freedom of expression.

Perhaps the latest video insulting Prophet Muhammad

and the reactions thereto are the best evidence of the

seriousness of this issue and its effect on international

peace and security.

My country suffered through a long conflict — more

than six decades — that hampered the achievement

of peace, development and stability, and had strong

negative repercussions on the region. Proceeding

from the conviction of my Government as to the need

to put an end to that conflict, on the basis of United

Nations instruments for the pacific settlement of

disputes, difficult and thorny negotiations began that

took over a decade and culminated in the signing of

the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) under

the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on

Development (IGAD). Many regional and international

partners helped in reaching that Agreement.

The Government of the Sudan was committed to

implementing the Agreement during the prescribed time frame, which led to the known referendum in

which the people of South Sudan decided to secede.

The Government of the Sudan immediately

recognized the Government of South Sudan and fully

committed itself to assisting that nascent State, as was

stated by the President of my country — Mr. Omer

Hassan Al-Bashir — personally when the new State

was born in the south. Despite all of the assistance

provided by my country to facilitate the birth of the

Republic of South Sudan, many obstacles have cropped

up on the road to the normalization of relations between

the two neighbourly countries. The delay in the drafting

of important agreements provided for in the CPA

following the referendum has led to many tensions,

resulting in the adoption by the African Union Peace

and Security Council of a road map in April 2012 and in

Security Council resolution 2046 (2012), which stresses

the spirit of the African Union decision.

We have begun a new phase of serious negotiations

under the African Union High-level Implementation

Panel, headed by President Thabo Mbeki, which led

to the signing on 27 September in Addis Ababa of

very important agreements on the economy, security

and citizenship status in both States and a framework

agreement for cooperation between the two countries in

all fields. None of that would have taken place without

the firm determination, wisdom and patience of my

President, Omer Al-Bashir, who insisted on the need to

resolve disputes by peaceful means, beginning with the

signing of the CPA, the Abuja Agreement on Darfur,

the agreement on Eastern Darfur and the Darfur

Document. That has shown the world that Sudan’s

leadership acts on the basis of firm principles that prize

security and stability and are aimed at achieving peace

and development. We want everyone to know that the

goal of attempts to distort Sudan’s image and impugn

its leadership is merely to defame us and that they are

devoid of any substance.

We in the Sudan have been determined to address

the reasons underlying war and strife despite the strong

economic and political pressures brought to bear

against my country and the unfair sanctions imposed

by the United States of America. The Sudan requires

assistance in order to traverse this very sensitive stage

towards better horizons, and to that end we believe that

the sanctions must be lifted, our debt cancelled and our

economy supported. The Sudan has repeatedly stressed its commitment

to a policy of good-neighbourliness and is determined

to strengthen its brotherly relations with South Sudan.

The great achievements registered have brought an end

to the longest war on the Africa continent. With the same

determination, we have attempted to tackle the few

remaining issues. In order to ensure continuing sincere

cooperation with the Republic of South Sudan, on

Thursday, 27 September 2012, an agreement was signed

in the Ethiopian capital between the two Governments

on security, the economy, borders, oil, trade, rates

of exchange, pensions, debts and other economic

issues. That is an important step that shows Sudan’s

commitment to a policy of good-neighbourliness and its

determination to improve brotherly relations with South

Sudan and to reach a comprehensive understanding on

all issues.

Despite the fact that no agreement has been reached

on the final status of Abyei, and no terms of reference

have been found for its resolution, the Sudan stresses

its full support for the Abyei protocol and agreement

of June 2011, as well as the referendum law on Abyei

signed by both parties in the Sudanese Parliament in

2010.

We must stress here the important role played by

the two parties, with the mediation of the late Ethiopian

Prime Minister, Mr. Meles Zenawi, and his successor,

Mr. Hailemariam Desalegn, in the context of the

presidency of IGAD, as well as by other international

partners. Without those efforts, no agreement could have

been reached or signed with South Sudan. We would

therefore like to stress the importance of mediation and

serious negotiations in resolving disputes by peaceful

means.

Allow me also to stress the role of the international

community in fulfilling its responsibility to help both

parties and to keep all promises made following the

signing of the CPA by providing assistance in funds

and in kind for the development and growth of the

Sudan and South Sudan.

In his statement, the Vice-President of South

Sudan asserted that his country lays claim to Heglig

and sympathizes with those bearing arms against us in

South Kordofan and Blue Nile states (see A/67/PV.13).

That is regrettable and goes outside the spirit of the

agreement of Addis Ababa, taking us back to square one

as far as conflicts are concerned. As I have said before,

I sincerely hope that those words of the Vice-President were intended to be delivered to the General Assembly

before the agreement was reached in Addis Ababa.

The Government of the Sudan calls on the

international community to put further pressure on

the rebels to stop attacks on South Kordofan and Blue

Nile states. Let me also say that the Government of the

Sudan will continue to live up to its responsibilities

with respect to the protection of civilians and the

completion of development projects. Blue Nile state

is now home to the largest development project in the

Sudan — the building of a dam — together with many

other development projects.

The Government has a green-land policy designed

to expand agricultural projects in South Kordofan

and a policy to improve water quality and education

and health services there. Moreover, proceeding from

our belief that it is the fundamental responsibility of

the Government to protect its citizens, we renew our

commitment to the joint tripartite initiative between

the United Nations, the African Union and the League

of Arab States to bring humanitarian assistance to

civilians in the regions controlled by rebels in South

Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

Despite the efforts made by the Sudan to tackle the

negative effects following the secession of the south,

the burden of foreign debt weighs very heavily on

the Sudanese economy. Let me take this opportunity

to recall the pledges of the international community,

following the signing of the CPA, to cancel the Sudan’s

debts. Those promises have gone unmet. I am sure the

Assembly knows that the issue of debts was among the

fundamental questions that were discussed with the

Government of South Sudan. Based on the zero-option

approach, we are determined to work with our brothers

in the Government of South Sudan to take the steps

agreed upon with the international community and our

creditors so that we both may enjoy the fruits of peace

and ensure the viability of the two States.

At the same time, we stress the need to lift the

coercive unilateral sanctions imposed on the Sudan,

which run counter to General Assembly resolutions

and international norms and laws. At this point, we

cannot fail to mention the progress made in sustainable

development in Africa or the fact that such progress

has not risen to the ambitious level of the objectives

set forth in the Millennium Development Goals.

International cooperation and effective partnerships are

thus required, in the form of the complete cancellation

of debts, in accordance with the Debt Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries, if we are to fulfil our

commitments and build national capacities.

My country is also witnessing another important

development — the signing of the Doha Document for

Peace in Darfur, following the peace negotiations that

took place under the auspices of the State of Qatar. I

should like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to

Qatar and His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa

Al-Thani for their much-appreciated efforts on behalf of

peace and stability in Darfur. The Doha Document has

been widely accepted and supported by the people of

Darfur and the regional and international communities.

With that instrument, we have turned a new page in

the book on Darfur — towards stability, development,

peace and the return of displaced persons — after

closing the chapter on fighting.

We call on the international community to protect

and secure the peace by countering the armed rebel

groups that have refused to join the peace process. We

further call on the Security Council to put pressure on

those movements in order to compel them to subscribe

to the Doha Document. I would also appeal to the

international community to effectively participate in

the donors’ conference for the rebuilding of Darfur to

be held in December in Doha.

The Government of the Sudan will continue

to implement its five-point strategy for Darfur’s

development. We shall give the utmost priority to the

return of displaced persons and refugees, in coordination

with the regional body that was set up pursuant to the

Doha agreement. The parties have begun to fulfil their

duties in implementing the Doha peace agreement, and

now the five provinces of Darfur are enjoying security,

stability and a return to normality.

That, in turn, has led the Security Council to

reduce the number of military contingents in the

African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in

Darfur, because, as expected, there has been a general

improvement in both the security and the humanitarian

situations. That improvement crowned with success the

many efforts made by the Government of the Sudan,

paved the way for launching development projects in

Darfur and facilitated the return of displaced persons

and refugees to their homes and villages to resettle and

re-engage in production and development.

The current session is being held while the world

is witnessing many varied and intertwined changes

and developments. Those require cooperation and coordination between members of the international

community for the good of humankind. We must make

sure that the reform of the United Nations and its

principal and subsidiary bodies is given the importance

it deserves. It has now become necessary to accelerate

the reform of the Organization so that it can undertake

its role in a just, transparent and effective manner and

confront the challenges that the world faces. Indeed, the

reform will not be genuine unless the General Assembly

can play its full role in a balanced and transparent

manner.

The reform of the Security Council is a fundamental

part of the reform of the United Nations. The Council

no longer reflects the realities of today’s world. Unless

its membership is enlarged, unless working methods

and procedures are reformed, and unless its decisions

are taken in a more democratic and transparent way,

reform will not be comprehensive but will merely

be partial or transitional. We call today for a more

balanced, multilateral and just international system.

What is needed is a system able to tackle the challenges

that we face, one in which respect for international law

prevails, in which the primary rules are the purposes

and principles of the United Nations, including respect

for the sovereignty of States, non-intervention in

their internal affairs for any ostensible reason and the

non-use or threat of force.

The Sudan is greatly concerned about new

concepts and agendas that are not internationally

agreed, controversial concepts such as humanitarian

intervention, preventive wars, the responsibility to

protect, political and economic sanctions and new

mechanisms to bring pressure to bear on States,

politicizing international justice. In this context, the

Sudan refuses and rejects the approach taken by the

so-called International Criminal Court. That body has

gone beyond the boundaries set for it at its founding

Rome Conference. Regrettably, it is now a political tool

that criminalizes entire States, while fully ignoring

heinous crimes being perpetrated by other States in

the name of humanity and the fight against terrorism.

Rejection of the request of the Palestinian Authority by

the Court is clear evidence of injustice in the name of

law and a good example of the politicization of justice.

The phenomenon of climate change corroborates

what we have already said. The problems associated

with it have grown ever greater and States cannot tackle

them on their own. That is the case too for many other

issues, such as energy, food security, immigration and terrorism. We therefore believe in the need to strengthen

international cooperation on climate change, based on

the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change and its Kyoto Protocol.

We commend the State of Brazil for hosting the

Conference on Sustainable Development in July and for

the effective role it played in reaching agreement on its

final document (resolution 66/288, annex). That outcome

reflects the fundamental concerns of Member States,

stresses the promotion of international cooperation for

sustainable development through a green economy and

strengthens the institutional framework for sustainable

development. We hope that the implementation of the

concept of the green economy will take into account

the differences between developed and developing

countries, so that all may implement their own green

policies, and will ensure the f low of financial, technical

and technological assistance to developing countries

without discrimination.

My delegation condemns all forms and

manifestations of terrorism, whether perpetrated by

individuals, groups or States. Terrorism is a phenomenon

that is not linked to any one religion, culture or State.

We also renew the call for an internationally agreed

definition of terrorism, since terrorism is a grave threat

to all our societies. We must not confuse the concept

of terrorism with that of legitimate struggle against

foreign occupation, invasion or colonialism. We also

reject the stigma of terrorism currently being attached

to particular cultures, groups, religions or ethnicities.

Measures taken to fight terrorism must not infringe on

public freedoms, human rights or a State’s sovereignty

over its territory.

The current session of the General Assembly

coincides with some important indicators in the

international economy. First and foremost are the

consequences of the world financial crisis and the

escalation in the price of staples, particularly food

staples, and their effect on sustainable development.

Despite that, the Government of the Sudan is making

major efforts to realize economic and social development

in the country, in the belief that that can only come

about through realizing peace and security and growth.

That was reflected in the Sudan’s commitment to

implementing the objectives of the long-term national

strategy for 2007-2013 and our Poverty Reduction

Strategy.

The question of Palestine has been on the agenda

of the United Nations for more than six decades. Our Organization has adopted countless resolutions that

were rejected or remained unimplemented by Israel.

Israel continues to defy the will of the international

community. The Sudan expresses its full support

for the decision by the Palestinian Authority to seek

membership in the United Nations. It is their legal

right, based on the right to self-determination, one of

the fundamental principles of international law.

The situation in the Middle East continues to be

a threat to international peace and security, despite

continuing declarations by the Arab side of their wish

to reach a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the

region, based on the relevant United Nations resolutions

and the Arab Peace Initiative. However, Israel, the

occupying Power, continues to reject the option of

peace. It continues its inhuman, unjust siege, which is

in contravention of international law. It also continues

its plans for colonialist settlement. It continues to try to

change the demographic character of Al-Quds Al-Sharif

by demolishing homes, uprooting trees and engaging in

ethnic cleansing and coercive displacement, as well as

detaining thousands of Palestinians.

We renew our call on the United Nations, and

the Security Council in particular, to shoulder their

responsibility for maintaining international peace

and security and to take the requisite measures to end

Israeli occupation of Arab and Palestinian land. From

this rostrum, we renew our call for the establishment

of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all

other weapons of mass destruction. Meanwhile, we also

underline the right of States to obtain nuclear technology

for peaceful uses, and we call for the resolution of

disputes through negotiations and dialogue, free from

attempts to spread fear and tension in the region.

Also with regard to the Middle East, my delegation

expresses its deep sadness and regret at the current

developments in Syria. There has been an escalation of

violence and an excessive use of force. That is not the

right way to resolve the disputes. From this rostrum, we

call on all parties to heed the voice of reason, to enter

into negotiations and to cease hostilities and military

confrontation. We believe that the appointment of the

new Joint Special Representative, Lakhdar Brahimi, to

the region is a good opportunity to continue to seek a

peaceful settlement to the dispute, and we hope that all

parties will cooperate with him, to protect Syria and its

social fabric.

The Sudan welcomes the latest political

developments in Somalia, notably its recent successful presidential elections. We congratulate the new

President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and we wish

him every success in promoting peace and security

in Somalia. In this context, the Sudan commends the

African Union for its efforts in Somalia. We call on the

international community to support those efforts and

to stand shoulder to shoulder with the fraternal Somali

people at this critical juncture in the country’s history.

We want Somalia to resume its natural role within the

international community.

In conclusion, let me express our sincere good

wishes for a successful session under the wise leadership

of President Vuk Jeremić.