Vanuatu, 2002

In addressing this

honourable Assembly, I first wish to convey the

greetings of the people of the Republic of Vanuatu. Our

future will be determined by the nations represented

here today.

I also take this opportunity to congratulate you,

Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the fifty-

seventh session of the General Assembly. You have

assumed the presidency during a turbulent period in

international relations, and my delegation pledges its

full support and cooperation to you, as you guide this

noble Organization through this difficult time. I also

take this opportunity to acknowledge with deep

gratitude the contributions of your predecessor, who so

competently steered the work of the fifty-sixth session

of the General Assembly to its conclusion.

I acknowledge with much gratitude and

admiration the outstanding leadership and diplomatic

skills of Secretary-General Kofi Annan. His

outstanding wisdom has made it possible for the United

Nations to maintain its credibility and relevance not

only in maintaining international peace throughout the

world, but also in ensuring that this Organization

continues to address the development challenges

confronting the world, including Vanuatu.

I am pleased to welcome the Swiss Confederation

as a Member of the United Nations. I am looking

forward to the imminent admission of the Democratic

Republic of Timor-Leste, a nation where Vanuatu was

honoured to have participated in the United Nations-

administered peacekeeping process.

The deeply disturbing events of 11 September

will remain etched in our memories for a long time. On

behalf of the Government and people of Vanuatu,

I have the solemn duty of conveying to the

Government and people of the United States of

America, including the families of the innocent victims

of 11 September 2001, our sincere condolences for the

many innocent lives lost on that fatal day of the most

inhuman act of modern history. The barbaric and

cowardly acts of 11 September have shaken the

foundations and principles on which this Organization

is built. They have ushered in a new period of global

uncertainty.

Terrorism has become the scourge of our time.

This complex phenomenon has scarred our planet. As

responsible members of the international community,

we must work closely together in order to eradicate it.

However, any action of reprisal or punitive measures

must receive universal support through established

multilateral and international structures, beginning

with the United Nations, the most universally

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represented organization. It is very dangerous to take

any action outside such mechanisms. We request that

all actions undertaken must, above all, serve the

purpose of guaranteeing justice, peace and security in

the future world.

In particular, we call upon the initiators of a

military action against Iraq to show great wisdom and

responsibility to ensure that their decisions do not

create a new world order of insecurity, hatred and

conflict, defined by cultural, ethnic and religious

divisions. All actions taken must be consistent with the

purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter

and established international law.

Although the fight against terrorism has taken

centre stage, it must not lead us to forget or to neglect

development issues and security concerns inherent to

the developing world, in particular, to the small island

States. Some resources will inevitably be reallocated to

the growing problem of security, but it must not

overshadow the development agenda of the developing

world. It is in that context that my delegation wishes to

associate itself with the statements made by other

Pacific island countries in endorsing the Pacific Islands

Forum declarations that have been distributed as a

United Nations document.

The recent World Summit on Sustainable

Development held in South Africa unambiguously

reminded us that much remains to be done in

addressing the challenges inherent to the world's many

developing economies. The environment and the

negative impact of climate change are of extreme

concern, and we urge those countries that have not yet

done so to ratify the Kyoto Protocol as soon as

possible. The ratifications of Japan, the European

Union, China and Russia have been most welcome.

The aggressive policies of developed countries

continue to marginalize many of the world's very small

developing economies, such as that of Vanuatu.

Binding commitments to international declarations and

legislation are the cornerstone of a peaceful and just

world in which justice prevails above all. There must

be equitable partnerships and cooperation so that we

can all contribute our support and confidence.

While small nations, such as Vanuatu, are being

forced to comply with conditions imposed by

developed countries, some of those same nations

decide at the same time to impose policies that

encroach upon national and regional positions.

Vanuatu is firmly opposed to the proliferation of

nuclear weapons in all their forms. In that context, my

Government once more unreservedly condemns the

ongoing transfer of radioactive materials in the Pacific

Ocean. The flagrant disregard for national and regional

opposition is a clear demonstration of the policies of

the powerful. That negligence is shameful in the light

of the many ideals and principles espoused by this

Organization and its various entities. Given the recent

adoption of the Pacific Islands Regional Oceans Policy

at the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum in the Republic of

the Fiji Islands, I strongly call on the shipping States to

respect the efforts of the Pacific Island countries to

safeguard their principal resource: the sea.

The conditions imposed by the powerful with

respect to the initiatives of the Organization for

Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are

another clear demonstration of the game of the

powerful, in which we see the big nations manipulating

the world order to their own advantage. Those

abominable policies affect the very boundaries of

national sovereignty for the benefit of the developed

countries. We must put an end to all this hypocrisy, if

we, the small nations, are to be treated fairly and as

equal partners in the international community.

Vanuatu opposes discriminatory policies and

legislation which expose our vulnerability to a very

volatile global environment. Some of our national

efforts to stimulate economic growth are being stifled

by the enormous pressure exerted by the club of the

rich, which does everything to ensure that their

position prevails. Where does that leave us? I must

stress this because Vanuatu has done its best to comply

with the OECD initiatives, including through

legislation to prevent money-laundering and to ensure

transparency in financial transactions. Yet, that rich and

influential organization continues to put forward

further demands. We are ready to negotiate within a

time-frame that must first suit our economic and

political requirements. But the OECD must, in turn, be

ready and able to provide immediate relief and

solutions. Any decision by the OECD to blacklist

countries such as Vanuatu is premature and

unwarranted. It would serve the interests of the OECD

alone. Vanuatu is confronted with a dilemma because

the countries that introduced the tax-haven policy

during the colonial period continue to place

unreasonable demands on our already weak economy.

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On that note, I must also mention the complicated

and extreme difficulties that my country is facing as it

struggles through its reform process. Given the

established millennium priorities, there is still an acute

shortage of financial assistance necessary to effectively

implement national development priorities. We have

become accustomed to receiving plenty of foreign

advice that is, unfortunately, not backed up by real

financial support. That has placed an extreme burden

on the already scarce resources available in the

country. I believe that it is important that our

development partners try to better understand the

particularities and unique characteristics of not only

Vanuatu but also other small and fragile economies of

the Pacific islands.

The existing ban on exports of kava to Europe

and the United States is another indication of the unfair

and discriminatory policies practised by the powerful

nations. We expect that other countries will, in turn,

join the ban. However, there is no scientific evidence to

justify those trade sanctions, which have impacted

negatively on the economy of Vanuatu. We therefore

seek the support and understanding of the international

community in order to allow time for the adequate

scientific research to be carried out before such trade

restrictions are imposed. Kava products exported to

Europe and other destinations are mixed with non-kava

products. For the moment, it is completely unfair and

discriminatory to impose such a ban.

My Government fully supports the efforts to

reform the United Nations system in order to create a

stronger and more efficient organization. On this issue,

my delegation endorses the position of other

delegations on the need to restructure the membership

of the Security Council so that it may better reflect the

geographical representation and the under-represented

groups of Member States without affecting the

Council's authority.

The question of Taiwan must also be adequately

addressed here. Resolution 2758 (XXVI), adopted by

the General Assembly in 1971, resolved the legal and

political representation of the People's Republic of

China as a Member of the United Nations. Therefore,

any attempt by Taiwan to gain admission to the United

Nations or to any of its affiliated organs or special

agencies will not be supported by my Government. The

United Nations must ensure that it does not become

involved in the conflict between China and Taiwan,

which is a matter totally within China's purview.

I should also like to take this opportunity to

mention the problem of West Papua. At the Millennium

Summit, the then-Prime Minister of Vanuatu touched

on the important matter of the principle of self-

determination for the people of West Papua. The

question of West Papua has always occupied a special

place on Vanuatu's foreign policy agenda. The Charter

of the United Nations espouses the principles that

continue to guide the Organization's efforts with regard

to self-determination. We are completely convinced

that, if the United Nations is to be consistent in its

decisions to promote recognition and respect of the

fundamental right to self-determination, the question of

West Papua must be placed on the agenda of the

Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the

Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of

Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. The

closed-door policy with regard to the pleas of West

Papuans continues to undermine the credibility of the

United Nations in terms of its ability to address an

essential matter. I think it is in the best interests of the

international community that the question of West

Papua be revisited. We also request that a commission

of inquiry be deployed to verify information on

atrocities alleged to have been committed in West

Papua.

In conclusion, we must continue to support the

pivotal role of the United Nations in efforts to create a

just and equitable world. We must stem the growing

gap between the developed and developing worlds in

order to guarantee economic and social prosperity for

all — a critical prerequisite to guaranteeing political

stability, peace and security throughout the world. The

effective implementation of the United Nations agenda

for development, in particular the Millennium

Declaration and the Monterrey and Johannesburg

Declarations, will advance that process. A more

favourable international environment will assist the

developmental priorities of developing countries and

will address the great economic imbalances prevailing

today. True goodwill, respect, tolerance and equality

will be necessary if we are to move forward. The role

of the United Nations will be crucial in that process,

but only if support is forthcoming from its Members.