San Marino, 2004

At the outset,

I would like to express my great and profound

satisfaction for the recent release of four hostages

kidnapped in Iraq, among them a young woman whose

mother is a San Marino national engaged in

humanitarian activities for the Iraqi civilian population.

On behalf of the Government of San Marino I wish

wholeheartedly to thank the Government of Italy,

which played an active role in the release, as well as all

of those who made that release possible.

On behalf of the Government of the Republic of

San Marino I wish to congratulate Mr. Jean Ping,

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Gabon, on his election

as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth

session. I also wish to thank the outgoing President,

Mr. Julian Hunte, for the total commitment and

determination he showed in his work.

United Nations activities have thus far been

crucial in reducing conflicts between States. However,

although the number of international conflicts has

decreased, mankind is still facing new threats, which

can only be tackled multilaterally. So that it can

continue to serve the international community, the

United Nations should be given more effective tools to

enhance mediation and peaceful settlement of disputes,

preventive control, verification, planning and use of

sanctions, in order to prevent the outbreak of warfare

and to promote disarmament and arms control.

Moreover, the United Nations must receive adequate

support so that it can better meet the growing number

of requests for peacekeeping operations in various

regions of the world. In that context, we appreciate the

results obtained so far, but the process requires a

stronger will on behalf of our Governments to comply

with international rules and implement a concrete and

effective cooperation regime.

In line with relevant international standards, San

Marino has recently passed a special law to combat

terrorism and associated crimes. It is also actively

cooperating with the two United Nations anti-terrorism

committees established pursuant to Security Council

resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1373 (2001).

Since the tragic 11 September attacks on the

United States of America, the international community

has become aware of the seriousness of the threat of

terrorism. Recurrent dramatic events worldwide, the

violent attacks perpetrated in Iraq — not only against

soldiers but also civilians, the media and, most

recently, even volunteers of non-governmental

organization humanitarian missions — force our

countries to realize the full scope of this phenomenon

and its proliferation, and the need to search for a

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common and effective response based on a stronger

joint commitment.

The horrifying terrorist act carried out in Ossetia

against hundreds of innocents and so many children

demonstrates that the widespread strategy of fear,

hatred and devastation is humanly and ethically

unacceptable.

San Marino once again condemns any form of

terrorism, the most serious and impending threat to

peace, for which there can be neither explanation nor

justification. We support the search for constructive

solutions that promote dialogue and mutual

understanding among peoples of different cultures and

religions with a view to the dissemination of an

increasingly shared culture of peace and cooperation

that will help to reject violence and oppression.

The Government of San Marino avails itself of

this opportunity to express its special thanks to the

Special Adviser to the Secretary-General, Mr. Lakhdar

Brahimi, who contributed to the establishment of an

Iraqi interim Government, and renews its support to

Prime Minister Allawi for the forthcoming democratic

elections scheduled for January 2005. The elections

will surely be a milestone for the Iraqi people in the

exercise of their sovereignty.

We trust that the international community will

help to achieve national reconciliation in Iraq, on the

basis of Security Council resolution 1546 (2004) of

8 June, with regard to independence, security and

legality. Despite the tragic attack on its headquarters in

Baghdad last year, the United Nations can continue to

play a key role in Iraq, especially at a time when the

situation has become extremely complex and delicate,

particularly from a human and political point of view.

Another major source of concern and

disappointment for San Marino is the persistence of the

Middle East crisis, which remains unsolved despite the

efforts made by the United Nations to encourage

dialogue and indispensable mediation.

To achieve the ultimate goal of legitimate,

peaceful and safe coexistence of two States, Israel and

Palestine, the political process outlined in the road map

and supported by the international community still

appears to be the only viable solution. Therefore, on

behalf of the San Marino Government, I reiterate, as I

recently expressed to both the Foreign Ministers of

Israel and Palestine, our sincere hope that such a

process will soon resume.

With regard to the reform of the Security

Council, the position of the Republic of San Marino is

well known. We favour an increase in the number of

non-permanent members, in the most appropriate way,

and of the gradual restriction of the right of veto, with

a view to its eventual elimination. Indeed, the increase

of the number of permanent seats and the extension of

the right of veto would entail, in our view, a greater

injustice through the perpetuation of privileges, the

consolidation of discrimination within United Nations

Member States, and it would limit the power of the

General Assembly to elect the most suitable candidates

in accordance with differing historical periods.

The Government of San Marino fully endorses

General Assembly resolution 58/316, adopted on 1 July

2004, relating to the revitalization of the work of the

Assembly itself. Similarly, we are satisfied with

resolution 58/314, adopted on the same day, granting

the Holy See wider and more incisive prerogatives as

an Observer.

The safeguarding of human rights and

fundamental freedoms, together with full respect for

freedom, equality and democracy, have always been

essential elements in the history of San Marino, and

represent the very basis of its 1,700-year existence.

These issues continue to regulate relations with other

States and with international organizations. It is in this

spirit that I express my best wishes once again to

Ms. Louise Arbour, the recently appointed United

Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

San Marino firmly believes in the role of the

International Criminal Court (ICC) and has recently

supported the draft ICC/United Nations relationship

agreement and the setting up of an ICC liaison office in

New York.

My country remains strongly committed to the

campaign for the universal abolition of the death

penalty, and it has recently ratified the Second

Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on

Civil and Political Rights on the abolition of the death

penalty.

The recent signature and ratification by San

Marino of the United Nations Convention on the

Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against

Women has been followed by a law granting full

gender equality in the transmission of San Marino

citizenship to children. Moreover, the Government has

subsequently established for the first time in history a

Ministry for Equal Opportunity.

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As 2004 is the International Year of the Family,

we hope that as many countries as possible will follow

San Marino in signing the two Optional Protocols to

the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which are

on the involvement of children in armed conflict; and

on the sale of children, child prostitution and child

pornography. In addition, San Marino recently ratified

the 1993 Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption,

thus starting a wide debate domestically on joint

parental custody in case of parental separation.

Equal attention is being paid by my country to the

most disadvantaged members of our families and

societies and to the issue of the increasing ageing of

the population, observed especially in developed

countries. Against this background, our Government

has been working to strengthen existing support

infrastructures and assistance to families.

We sincerely hope soon to reach an agreement on

the final text of an international convention on the

promotion and protection of the rights and dignity of

disabled people.

The President took the Chair.

San Marino also wishes to underline the

relevance of the objectives set forth in the Monterrey

Consensus, especially considering that 14 million

people, including 6 million children, are still dying of

starvation. One billion people have no access to

potable water, and 3 billion human beings do not

receive adequate medical care.

Yet, poverty eradication cannot be implemented

without respect for the ecosystem. In this regard, a

valuable instrument to develop and protect our

environment is, in our opinion, the Convention to

Combat Desertification, recently ratified by San

Marino, along with a view to actively participate in the

International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”,

2005-2015.

In accordance with the objectives of health for

all, San Marino recently ratified the World Health

Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco

Control and reiterates its support to the implementation

of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, with

the awareness that the spreading of new epidemics

requires stronger international cooperation.

On this important occasion, year after year

meeting and exchanging views as representatives of

our respective Governments, we express deeper and

deeper concern and frustration vis-à-vis the many

threats severely affecting humankind and possibly

jeopardizing our common future.

Yet, the ideals and principles we reaffirmed in the

Millennium Declaration are still the highest benchmark

to guide our efforts, both within our own States and

within the work of the United Nations. We need to

instil hope and actualize our universal aspirations to

peace, cooperation and development.

To this end, let me express my best and warmest

wishes to you, Mr. President, to the Secretary-General,

to all United Nations officials and to all our countries.