Uzbekistan, 2001

Allow me to convey our sincere congratulations to

Mr. Kofi Annan on the occasion of his re-election to

the post of Secretary-General, as well as on winning

the Nobel Peace Prize for 2001. We also congratulate

Mr. Han Seung-soo on his election as President of the

General Assembly at the current session and we join

those who have already expressed gratitude to

Mr. Harri Holkeri for his excellent organization of the

fifty-fifth session, which went down in the history of

international relations as the Millennium Assembly.

This session of the General Assembly is taking

place in special circumstances. There is no doubt that

the tragic events of 11 September represent an

objective reality that has prompted the international

community to critically reassess the situation, which

requires the elaboration of common positions in the

combat against international terrorism, based on the

provisions of the United Nations Charter on

safeguarding comprehensive peace and security.

Today, it is evident that terrorism is related to

extremism of every stripe — political, religious and

ethnic — as well as to separatism and drug trafficking.

These are the principle threats to the present and future

of humankind, a plague of the twenty-first century that

can enter any household. No one carries insurance

against this evil.

The international community is becoming

increasingly aware of the indivisibility of security. In

accordance with this fundamental principle and in view

of the current international situation, Uzbekistan

commits itself to go all the way in its fight against

terrorism as a global phenomenon. Only through joint,

coordinated efforts of the entire international

community can we eradicate this evil. No one has the

right to stand aloof from this battle.

We are acutely aware that, today, it is absolutely

unacceptable to content ourselves with mere

declarations and statements. It is time we supported our

words with action. Before it is too late, we must take

this opportunity to quit the cautious and defensive

stance adopted in the struggle against international

terrorism and to go on the offensive.

Such an approach is also dictated by a simple and

obvious truth: it is impossible to come to an agreement

with terrorists. Not only modern experience in

combating terrorism but also the experience of history

attest to this fact. The only way to deal with terrorists

is to isolate them and stand up to them in the most

uncompromising and resolute way.

Given the nature of international terrorism and its

extensive organizational and financial network as well

as its considerable material and technical resources, it

is essential to devise a global counter-terrorist strategy

that will clearly define the following: first, the

parameters of an effective legal framework as well as

the organizational foundations for international

cooperation in this area; and secondly, forms of

concrete joint action at both the global and regional

levels as well as on a bilateral basis.

Recent events have demonstrated clearly that

terrorism is the most dangerous and treacherous enemy

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of the international community. I think it may be

relevant to remind Members of the address that the

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr. Karimov,

made to the General Assembly on 8 September 2000

from this rostrum. He sounded the alarm, trying to

draw the attention of the international community to

the

“... war in Afghanistan, which has continued for

more than 20 years ... Afghanistan has become a

training ground and hotbed of international

terrorism and extremism, and the main source and

the warehouse of world drug production, which

earns billions of dollars and fuels international

terrorism.” (A/55/PV.7, p. 15)

He also emphasized that this is “a threat to the security

not only of the States of Central Asia, but of the whole

world”. He unambiguously pointed to the particular

danger that the world would face if the terrorists were

to gain access to deadly weapons such as chemical,

biological and other forms of weapons of mass

destruction. Here it is pertinent to ask: Was this not a

timely appeal?

Uzbekistan has been actively engaged in

cooperation with the anti-terrorist coalition. We

consider the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan as,

first and foremost, a means to destroy the terrorist

bases and camps in that country as well as to eradicate

conditions favourable to terrorist activity.

The Uzbek people, being heirs to the great

Muslim culture and having made a major contribution

to the development and flourishing of Islamic

civilization, realize that this operation is not directed

against either the people of Afghanistan or the religion

of Islam. War has been declared against terrorists and

their centres and training grounds, not against the

peaceful population.

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have a long history

of neighbourly and mutually beneficial relations going

back to antiquity. The Amu Darya River has always

united us, not separated us. Uzbekistan has never had a

conflict either with the Afghan people or with

Afghanistan as a State.

The civil war in Afghanistan, which has

continued for three decades and reached its apogee

during the short period of Taliban rule, has destroyed

the country’s economy and caused the Afghan people

great distress, and it is a threat to the very existence of

Afghanistan as an unified State. We support the efforts

of the international community aimed at immediate

measures to adopt large-scale programmes for the post-

conflict rehabilitation of Afghanistan and concrete

humanitarian aid for those who urgently need such

assistance in their plight.

Uzbekistan, in close collaboration with the

United Nations, is already actively participating in the

delivery of international humanitarian aid to

Afghanistan. For this purpose, we have provided all the

necessary infrastructure, including that in the city of

Termez, in immediate proximity to the border of

Afghanistan.

Finally, in light of the latest events, including

both the acts of terror in the United States and the start

of the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan, I would

like to draw the attention of participants in this session

to the Uzbek proposal to establish within the United

Nations system an international centre to combat

terrorism as a realistic mechanism for taking a

collective stand against terrorist aggression.

In discussing the organization of the international

struggle against terrorism, we should not forget yet

another equally dangerous threat — drug trafficking,

the main financial support for terrorist and extremist

activities. In recent years, the States of Central Asia

have found themselves practically face to face with

large-scale aggression unleashed by the international

narcotics syndicates. It is perfectly clear that no single

country, no matter how powerful its resources, can

hope to confront drug trafficking successfully unless it

enjoys the broad support of the international

community. In our view, international cooperation

should be based on mechanisms that are adapted as

much as possible to the current situation and are

capable not only of neutralizing existing sources of

narco-aggression but also, and more important, of

preventing them from emerging.

Recognizing the urgent need to intensify the

international struggle to face common threats,

Uzbekistan accords great significance to the issue of

the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in

Central Asia. Given the unstable military and political

situation in the region, this problem is emerging as a

real threat of continental and global proportions.

In this respect, the functional capabilities of the

Central Asian nuclear-weapon-free zone — an

initiative put forward by Uzbekistan at the forty-eighth

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session of the General Assembly in the spirit of the

Non-Proliferation Treaty — are of particular

importance. We much appreciate the efforts of the

United Nations in supporting the activities of the

Regional Group of Experts who are working on the text

of the nuclear-weapon-free zone treaty, and we call

upon the General Assembly, its President and the

Secretary-General to lend their support to the process

of formalizing and adopting decisions on this issue.

Uzbekistan supports the provisions in the report

of the United Nations Secretary-General concerning the

prevention of armed conflict. We consider them to be

fundamental guidelines for consultations on this issue.

We also stand for the earliest completion of the

United Nations reform process. We welcome certain

areas of progress in the work of the Security Council

with regard to ensuring its transparency, the

enlargement of its membership and other matters

related to enhancing its effectiveness. With a view to

increasing the effectiveness of the United Nations and

in the interests of preventing and settling crisis

situations, it is extremely important to intensify

collaboration between the United Nations and regional

security institutions, as well as to enhance the work of

its own regional offices.

Uzbekistan has an interest in developing and

enhancing dialogue and cooperation with all States that

display an interest in strengthening peace and stability

at the regional and global levels.