San Marino, 2005

On behalf of

the Government of the Republic of San Marino, I wish

to congratulate Ambassador Jan Eliasson on his

election as President of the General Assembly at its

sixtieth session. I also wish to express to the outgoing

President, Mr. Jean Ping, our deepest gratitude for his

commitment and determination in fulfilling his

mandate.

At the outset, I would also like to express my

appreciation for the result of the outcome document. I

am confident that, with a clear mandate for our heads

of State and Government, we will be able to reach our

goals.

The United Nations is at an extremely important

and critical juncture. Indeed, the challenge of United

Nations reform has become inevitable and necessary in

laying the foundations of its future activity. It is now

all too clear that the reform will involve its major

bodies, working methods and management of human

and economic resources. The United Nations structure

will be modified with the aim of showing the entire

world that the Organization is an efficient and

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democratic body that can guarantee peace and

development.

The reform, which will lead to tension and

require sacrifices, will be criticized by a number of

States, as is the case with all difficult compromises.

The process will be long and encounter numerous

obstacles, but it is necessary and indispensable.

San Marino believes that the reform process

already under way will not stop. However, changes will

have to be wide-ranging and take account of the need

to face important issues, such as the reform of the

Security Council. Most importantly, the reform will

have to be supported by the widest possible consensus

and based on two principles: democracy and

transparency. We hope the enlargement will take into

account the widest possible geographical and regional

representation and that the solution’s methods and

ideas will not be forcibly imposed or privilege the

interests of only a few countries. We endorse the

principles of “Uniting for consensus” and are ready to

consider any proposal that does not create fractures and

can establish a new and lasting balance.

For San Marino, the United Nations must be

based upon democracy, which gives it its legitimacy

and moral strength. Streamlining structures and

procedures is also necessary to greater effectiveness,

because it is in the field, among people, that the United

Nations really fulfils its mission. Indeed, it is the

people who determine the importance of this

Organization in the improvement of their lives.

With regard to some essential aspects presently

under discussion, San Marino feels that the proposed

creation of a human rights council may not solve the

basic problem of the Commission on Human Rights,

which is politicization. However, San Marino is of the

view that human rights protection deserves the same

consideration given by the Economic and Social

Council to social and economic aspects and by the

Security Council to peace and security.

The human rights council should be directly

accountable to the General Assembly and have a

broad-based composition allowing for the adequate

participation of small and medium-sized countries.

Moreover, the specific competencies of the new

council vis-à-vis the Third Committee should be

established in order to avoid duplication of activities

and inefficiencies.

The proposed peacebuilding commission is an

excellent institutional response to post-conflict

situations. The commission should play an important

role not only in the resolution, but also in the

prevention of conflicts. Moreover, it should find ad hoc

solutions for countries in transition from

totalitarianism or institutional anarchy to democracy.

In our view, the commission should submit

recommendations to the Security Council on measures

to be adopted to guarantee consistency in peace

interventions, economic recovery processes, the

rebuilding of national institutions and public

administration, and the strengthening of democracy

and the rule of law. Moreover, we believe that the

Commission should be composed of members of the

Security Council and the Economic and Social

Council, as well as of countries directly involved in

specific situations.

Just a few days ago, the majority of the world

leaders gathered in this very Hall to discuss what has

been done so far to achieve the Millennium

Development Goals. Over the past five years,

development assistance activities have fallen short of

expectations. We sincerely hope that the recently

concluded summit will promote and encourage stronger

commitment by all developed and developing

countries.

San Marino has followed very attentively the

reform process initiated by the Secretary-General and

has actively participated in the discussions of the

Panel’s report and of the Secretary-General’s report

entitled “In larger freedom”, as well as in the

negotiations of the outcome document of the General

Assembly. We would have liked the latter document to

contain more incisive and comprehensive proposals.

San Marino is aware that development is the sine

qua non condition for achieving the Millennium Goals.

Today, in the twenty-first century, more than a billion

people still live on less than a dollar a day and 30,000

children die every day from hunger. Those figures

cannot leave us indifferent. Only by eradicating

poverty, underdevelopment and epidemics, and by

forgiving the crushing debt of developing countries,

will collective well-being be achieved.

Peace and security are intimately linked to the

Millennium Goals, as they are essential for a country to

improve its economic and human conditions. Peace and

security cannot be separated from concerns about

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terrorism, as evidenced by the numerous recent

cowardly attacks. Terrorism must not divert the

international community from its commitment to

promoting democratization, the culture of peace and

respect for religions, ethnic groups and different

cultures.

All States must share the responsibility for

fighting terrorism and cooperate at the regional and

international levels to implement specific and effective

preventive measures. Every State must adopt the

necessary legislation to break the vicious cycle of

terrorism and to prevent its financing through

economic and banking cooperation.

The principle of “the responsibility to protect” is

an extremely interesting concept. That idea, however,

can be accepted only if understood not as a violation of

national sovereignty, but as a duty of all States vis-à-

vis countries plagued by massacres, genocide and

humanitarian crises.

San Marino is closely following developments in

the peace process in the Middle East. The decision of

the Israeli Government to remove its settlers from the

Gaza Strip and the West Bank has been one of the most

significant steps in the implementation of the road map

and Prime Minister Sharon has showed great courage

and determination, despite all domestic difficulties, in

taking such a decision.

San Marino shares the hope of the international

community that the Palestinian Government will also

fully respect its commitments and, by completely

rejecting terrorism perpetrated by extremist groups,

will maintain and strengthen the dialogue and

constructive relations responsibly established with the

Israeli Government.

We welcome with great satisfaction the recent

elections held in the new Afghanistan, now on its way

to democracy and with a higher degree of freedom, as

well as the elections and approval of the new

Constitution in Iraq, which we hope may lead to a real

institutional, social and cultural rebirth of that country.

We cannot fail to address and stress the situation

of women and children in our discussions on the

concerns to be addressed at the beginning of this

Millennium and on the development of humankind.

Children, in particular, are most vulnerable to war and

famine and bear the brunt of adult actions and

decisions. Bombings and conflicts, malnutrition,

poverty, treatable diseases, child labour and sexual

abuse cause them great suffering and death. If people

were merely to stop and think of those children, many

of the worst events in the world could be avoided.

This year, my country has undertaken a number

of humanitarian initiatives in favour of children,

mainly in Africa, with the support of our institutions.

Let me mention, in that regard, the recent unanimous

decision of my Parliament in favour of programmes

improving childhood conditions in Uganda.

Poverty and hunger are the prison in which many

women eke out their existence, victims of injustice and

discrimination. Our inability to free those women,

despite all the means available, is one of the major

scandals of our day. At a time of economic well-being

and progress, though not widespread, complicity with

that injustice through negligence or incapacity is

unacceptable. The mass media now at our disposal do

not allow us to ignore that situation. The

implementation of Beijing and Beijing+5 is crucial to

demolishing the walls of that prison and to

guaranteeing respect and development for the women

of the twenty-first century.

Last year, San Marino ratified the Convention on

the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against

Women and, last June, Parliament approved accession

to its Optional Protocol. I deposited our instruments of

accession upon my arrival here in New York.

Moreover, San Marino is tirelessly committed to

supporting women’s complete integration into and

equality in its society.

On this occasion, I would express the hope that

the international community will strengthen its efforts

to protect the environment and prevent natural

disasters. To that end, international cooperation is of

the utmost importance, and the Kyoto Protocol is a

particularly important instrument for our country.

On that subject, I wish to reiterate my country’s

condolences and solidarity to the people tragically

struck by natural disasters, such as those in South-East

Asia some months ago and, more recently, along the

coasts of the Gulf of Mexico in the United States of

America.

The Millennium Development Goals, peace

processes, fighting injustice and our many other great

challenges may seem impossible to face, but

humankind has the necessary resources and

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instruments to achieve those objectives and the United

Nations is one of the major tools at our disposal. I am

confident that the Organization will be up to that noble

task. To that end, I express my most sincere wishes to

you, Sir, to the Secretary-General and to all colleagues,

diplomats and officials who believe in the ideals of the

United Nations.