Yemen, 1992

It is an honour

for me to extend to you. Sir, my sincere congratulations on your election to

the presidency of the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly of the

United Nations. I wish you every success in your high post. I also take this

opportunity to extend to Ambassador Samir Shihabi, through you, our deepest

appreciation of the great role he played during his outstanding presidency of

the forty-sixth session of the General Assembly.

I also take the opportunity to commend the outstanding and significant

role of Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the Secretary-General of the United

Nations, in promoting the effectiveness of the United Nations through the

implementation of the principles and purposes of the Charter.

More than two years have passed since the establishment of the Republic

of Yemen. This national historic achievement has been one of the most

important world events of the beginning of this decade which abounds with

great changes. The dream of the Yemeni people has become an actual reality

thanks to their deep belief in the inevitability of unity and their persistent

struggle to achieve that unity.

The Yemeni people have earned the admiration of the world through the

realization of their unity by peaceful and democratic means. The Constitution

of the Republic of Yemen emphasizes the commitment of the country to the

principles of democracy. It enshrines the right of all Yemeni citizens fully

to enjoy their principal freedoms, including the freedom of expression, in

every way. It also stipulates respect for their legal and constitutional

rights, such as the right to unrestricted unionist and political action.

The Republic of Yemen, from its very inception, has enjoyed the benefits

of an active participation in political life by a society that, having evolved

through a multiplicity of political parties, associations and people's

organizations, recognizes the importance of diversity and the exchange of

opinions and ideas.

Yemen in its new era is about to end the transitional period and is now

on the threshold of another, more promising, stage. It will hold the first

elections throughout the country in which all Yemeni people, men and women,

will cast their votes and elect the members of the new House of

Representatives in accordance with the Constitution.

In the face of all these historic, vital changes, Yemen is confronted by

a number of challenges which include certain economic difficulties that have

resulted from the return, because of the Gulf crisis and for other reasons, of

more than a million expatriates who used to work in neighbouring sisterly

countries. On the other hand, parts of Yemen have suffered destructive floods

and violent earth tremors in the middle region. In addition, these are the

burdens of providing shelter and sustenance to thousands of our brethren,

refugees from sisterly Somalia.

Following the proclamation of the Republic of Yemen, my country declared

that Yemeni unity was not intended to be set against the interests of any

State in the region, especially those of neighbouring States and that it was

proclaimed to contribute to the strengthening of security, stability,

cooperation and integration in our region. In confirmation of all this the

Yemeni House of Representatives approved the first statement of the Government

of Unity, which emphasized the willingness of Yemen, for the first time, to

start negotiations concerning its borders with neighbouring sister countries

according to historical and legal rights and the principles of international

law. In this context, negotiations between Yemen and the sisterly Sultanate

of Oman concerning borders have reached their final stage.

On the question of the borders between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, my country

reiterated its willingness to consider this question and to discuss it with

the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The initiative of

President Ali Abdullah Saleh, Chairman of the Presidential Council, in which

he called upon our brethren in Saudi Arabia to initiate face-to-face meetings

on the question of borders according to historical and legal rights, has had

its positive impact. Our brethren in Saudi Arabia have responded to the

initiative of the Yemeni leadership. The first preparatory ministerial meeting

between the two parties was held in Geneva on 20 July last. During that

meeting, proposals were exchanged concerning the holding of the second meeting

in one of the two capitals, either Sanaa or Riyadh. It has been agreed to

hold the second meeting at the level of a committee of experts in the city of

Riyadh later this month. This demonstrates Yemen's determination, in its new

era, to translate words into actions and to reaffirm, on a practical level,

that it seeks to strengthen security and stability, and calls for regional and

bilateral cooperation between the countries of the Arab peninsula.

The world hears and witnesses on TV screens the human tragedy experienced

by the brotherly Somali people. Hundreds of men, women and particularly

children die daily in a cruel and sad manner.

Thousands of them die of hunger, and thousands of internecine strife.

Thousands of Somalis flee the country daily to escape this hellish,

devastating war and to seek their livelihood. The steps taken by the Security

Council to help the people of Somalia out of their plight have come a bit

late. We call for the intensification of international efforts to urgently

provide the necessary humanitarian assistance and ensure its delivery to all

the Somali people who face death in every part of the country.

In this connection, Yemen commends the leading role played by the

Secretary-General, Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, in focusing attention on this

tragedy, which the international community almost lost sight of in the

maelstrom of the many crises buffeting the world.

While we commend the recent increasing efforts by the United Nations and

other humanitarian organizations to help the Somali people out of their

plight, we call for addressing the root causes of that tragedy. Hence, the

United Nations is called upon to adopt practical measures in cooperation with

the League of Arab States, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the

Organization of the Islamic Conference, to search for a political solution to

the Somali crisis. Without this, all the world's humanitarian efforts will be

no more than palliatives.

Yemen has participated in the efforts made in the framework of the Somali

National Reconciliation Conference, held in Djibouti last year under the

auspices of President Hassan Gouled. Unfortunately, however, the national

power groups in Somalia have failed to implement the resolutions adopted at

that conference. Therefore, we appeal to the international community to make

another attempt to contain the Somali crisis and to arrive at a definitive

solution to the conflict. In this connection, I should like to reiterate

Yemen's willingness to participate anew in any efforts that may be deployed,

hopefully in the very near future, to hold another conference for national

reconciliation in Somalia and to ensure its success. The plight of Somalia

has exceeded all bounds. Let us all hasten to save Somalia from

disintegration and fragmentation and to save the Somali people from suffering

and misery.

When we speak of human suffering, we must mention the bloody events in

Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the people are subjected to acts of murder,

destruction and displacement at the hands of the Serbian forces, which have

adopted the heinous policy of "ethnic cleansing". Those forces have persisted

in their acts of aggression. They continue to incarcerate thousands of people

from Bosnia and Herzegovina - men, women, even the elderly - in concentration

camps, in a frightening repeat of horrible Nazi practices. We join the rest

of the world's countries in calling for an end to these acts of aggression,

which are supported by Belgrade. We also support firmly all the steps and

measures adopted by the Security Council with a view to putting an end to

these atrocious massacres and restoring peace to the Balkans.

The human tragedies that beset this or that nation and overwhelm this or

that people are manifestations of political crises that deteriorate to the

level of military confrontation and armed conflict. No matter how varied the

causes and motives of such crises may be and regardless of their differing

circumstances, they tend to have one thing in common: namely that it is the

innocent civilians and especially the most vulnerable among them, who pay the

price and bear the brunt of the blunders of others. Invariably, they become

the victims of conflicts and wars without reason or justification, and without

mercy.

This is the case with regard to the brotherly people of Iraq, whom the

international community seems to have forgotten after having imposed on them

one of the most cruel and intensive forms of comprehensive economic embargo

ever an embargo that has deprived them of all the requirements of civilian

life, including those of children and medical care. The Republic of Yemen

calls upon the international community to lift the embargo imposed on the

Iraqi people.

On another level, Yemen has voiced its concern over the actions taken to

prevent Iraqi aircraft from flying beyond latitude 32 to the south of Iraq

under the pretext of protecting the Shiites. We are certainly against any

arbitrary actions or violations of the human rights of any group of people.

But we are also against intervention or interference in the internal affairs

of any sovereign State. The segmentation of the sovereignty of the State of

Iraq over its territories in the north and the south, in our opinion is not

consonant, with the principle of respect for the sovereignty of States. It

could lead to the fragmentation of the territorial integrity of Iraq.

These days, bilateral negotiations continue between the Arab delegations

and the Israeli delegation in Washington in pursuance of the peace process,

which is designed to establish a just and durable peace in the Middle East

under the auspices of the United States of America and the Russian Federation.

The Republic of Yemen, which has previously expressed its support for the

efforts made by the United States of America and the Russian Federation to

push forward the, peace process in the Middle East through the peace

conference, expresses its belief that the ongoing negotiations will not be

successful unless they proceed from a commitment to adhere to the principle of

land for peace, according to Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and

338 (1973), and unless Israel agrees to withdraw from all occupied territories

and to renounce completely the policy of expansion and settlement, especially

in eastern Jerusalem. This must include the halting of settlement building,

whether they are called political or security settlements as well as the

recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination,

including the right to sovereignty and independence.

At the beginning of this month, the Summit Meeting of the Non-Aligned

Movement successfully concluded its work. The United Nations has been the

focus of special interest in the summit meeting. This is not surprising. The

United Nations has regained its rightful place in the heart of the

international community after having been threatened with marginalization and

atrophy. Its role has been strengthened in forging and coordinating

international relations in all aspects of life. The Security Council has

started to exercise its powers in maintaining international peace and security

after several years of inertia.

After discussing the situation of the United Nations and its renewed role

in the light of new ideas and proposals, including the "Agenda for Peace"

submitted by the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and his

important address to the conference, the Conference in Jakarta emphasized the

importance of the United Nations as the main international forum for the

activity of the Non-Aligned Movement. It also called for the participation of

the Movement in the formulation of new international relations, as it embodies

and represents the interests and aspirations of the developing countries,

which constitute the majority of Members of the United Nations.

In this context, we welcome the fact that the valuable proposals included

in the "Agenda for Peace" will be discussed not only in the Security Council

but also in the General Assembly,as the issue of peace in all its aspects is

of interest to all the countries and peoples of the world.

As for the international economic situation, the meeting in Jakarta noted

that, despite the positive changes in the area of international relations, the

economic situation of the developing countries has deteriorated further and

that, consequently, the United Nations must continue to promote cooperation

between the developing countries and the industrialized countries in a manner

that may serve the interests of economic integration in an equitable and

increasing context.

The Rio conference contributed to informing the world of the need for a

process of sustainable development, so that future generations may not be

exposed to danger. Therefore, the international community is called upon to

implement the international agreements approved by the Conference on

Environment and Development, particularly Agenda 21, which will help to

promote international cooperation.

The Charter of the United Nations will remain the meeting-point and

symbol of concord between the countries of the world, large and small. It

will also continue to represent the most ideal framework for coordination of

international relations in a manner that promotes international peace and

security. Today, and after the removal of the restrictions that hindered the

use of machinery provided for in the Charter - such as the use of force we

need, more than ever, the strictest respect for the Charter to avoid its

adaptation, or interpretation of its provisions, for the purpose of serving the

narrow national interests of any one party.

For all that, it is imperative that the foundations of democratic

dealings in international relations be deepened and that balance and

interaction between the main organs of the United Nations namely, the

General Assembly, the Security Council and the Secretariat be ensured.

Balance expresses the very spirit of the Charter.