Bahrain, 2005

It is

my pleasure to congratulate you upon your election as

President of the General Assembly during its historic

sixtieth session. I am fully confident that you will lead

its deliberations towards a successful conclusion. I also

would like to express my appreciation for the

contribution of the Foreign Minister of Gabon during

the fifty-ninth session of the General Assembly. I

commend the efforts of the Secretary-General,

Mr. Kofi Annan, who has sought to make significant

changes to this Organization so as to make it better

able to meet the demands of the twenty-first century, as

envisaged in his report and in his recommendations

before this session.

The historical context of the creation of our

current international order, with its mechanisms and

institutions, is a part of a world different from that of

today. That world preceded both the cold war and

subsequent events, developments and changes in

regional and international arenas. Our session this year

is, in essence, an important moment in the progress of

international collective efforts, prompting us today to

seek a new vision and to find systems that are better

developed in both their means and structures, in order

to address contemporary dangers and threats, as well as

rapid world changes.

The world today is witnessing many changes that

are due to the interdependence of States and to various

facts, balances and dangers around the world. As a

result, we are obliged to revisit the international

collective security system, to thoroughly study the

concepts and structures of the United Nations and to

provide creative initiatives to address such matters in

the twenty-first century spirit of modernity. His

Highness Shaikh Salman bin Hamad bin Isa

Al-Khalifa, the Crown Prince, underlined this issue in

his address on behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin

Isa Al-Khalifa, King of Bahrain, before the High-level

Meeting of the General Assembly on 15 September

2005.

These might be the urgent needs that prompted

the Secretary-General to crystallize all this in a series

of initiatives and meetings at the beginning of the third

millennium, by announcing suggestions for the

millennium and its development goals. In his important

report to this session, entitled “In larger freedom”

(A/59/2005), the Secretary-General explained his

vision in a comprehensive and in-depth manner, along

with the bases and aims of the work of the international

order of our world today. Based on this order we can

move towards a modern, capable and democratic

system to achieve the three important types of freedom,

namely freedom to live in dignity, freedom from want,

and freedom from fear. This comprehensive vision of

the Secretary-General on issues of international

security, development and human rights deserves

commendation and thorough and deep analysis in order

to reach a broad international consensus.

The dangerous escalation today in terrorism and

its culture, derived from hatred and fanaticism, are the

most serious dangers threatening the international

community everywhere. They require us to develop an

integrated strategy that halts terrorism and the culture

of death and violence that terrorism advocates. This

also re-emphasizes the common responsibility of States

and societies to find a means to address the root causes

of terrorism.

We must state that an effective counter-terrorism

strategy has to balance the needs of human security and

adherence to international human rights instruments

and treaties, and has to close loopholes in treaties

dealing with the phenomenon of terrorism.

In this context, the Kingdom of Bahrain has

continued its domestic efforts and its efforts in the Gulf

Region with its partner Gulf Cooperation Council

countries to fight money-laundering and the financing

of terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa

geographically, and on the security cooperation level,

politically and practically. In this regard, the Kingdom

of Bahrain endorses and supports the proposal of the

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdulla

Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, King of the brotherly

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to establish an international

centre to fight terrorism. The Kingdom of Bahrain has

16

also submitted its instruments of accession to the

United Nations Secretariat in New York for many

conventions relating to the fight against terrorism, in

accordance with Security Council resolution 1373

(2001).

The greatest security challenge in the Middle East

is not simply to end terrorism and violence; it also

includes the absence of a just and comprehensive peace

in the Arab-Israeli conflict, which is an ongoing source

of confrontation and a threat to stability and which

brings despair to those who have legitimate hopes for a

life of dignity and regional economic progress.

We must not forget that the year 2005 has opened

a path that might lead to an opportunity for peace,

through the positive internal developments on the

Palestinian side and through Arab and international

support for the new leadership of President Mahmood

Abbas and his moves towards achieving peace,

reducing tension, and promoting democracy.

We welcome the Israeli withdrawal from the

Gaza Strip and hope that this withdrawal will be a

significant step towards a just and comprehensive

peace in the area. We also hope that this withdrawal

will be a part of the road map plan.

The achievement of security, stability and peace

in the Middle East requires an end to the Israeli

occupation of all Arab territories and the full

implementation of all relevant United Nations

resolutions, as reaffirmed by the Arab initiative

adopted by the Arab Summit in Beirut in 2002. That

was reaffirmed once again by the latest Arab Summit

held this year in Algiers. A just and comprehensive

peace cannot be achieved, except through the end of

the Israeli occupation of the Arab territories occupied

since 1967, including the Syrian Golan and the rest of

the Lebanese territories, through the return of

Palestinian refugees and through the establishment of

the Palestinian State, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its

capital.

Notwithstanding the democratic choice of the

Iraqi people in the elections last January and the

appointment of a transitional Government and in spite

of the steps taken during the political process and the

preparation of the draft constitution, the situation in

Iraq today remains very delicate and sensitive. It

represents a challenge to international and regional

security. It threatens not only the security of Iraq and

the region, but also Iraq’s unity, its territorial integrity,

cohesion and the consensus of its people.

Overcoming this dilemma can be achieved only

through a strong historical national consensus on Iraq’s

territorial integrity and ethnic diversity, a

comprehensive political process and participation in

shaping the future of Iraq. This national consensus

alone is the guarantee for Iraq to overcome its current

predicament and to move from this difficult ordeal to

an era of stability, security and peace.

In this context, the Kingdom of Bahrain reaffirms

its support for the Iraqi people and calls upon all to

continue regional and international support for Iraq in

order that it may fulfil its responsibilities towards its

people and the Arab nation as a whole.

In the context of regional security in the Gulf

region, the peaceful settlement, either through

negotiations or international arbitration, of the long

dispute between the United Arab Emirates and its

brother, the Islamic Republic of Iran, regarding the

three Emirate islands, especially now that there is a

new Iranian leadership, will enable the Gulf region to

divert its efforts and natural resources to face the

challenges of development, security, peace and

cooperation.

In the area of development and progress, the

Kingdom of Bahrain has followed a policy of

openness, reform and participation and democracy

enhancement, moving towards social, cultural and civil

modernization that goes hand in hand with our culture,

deep-rooted traditions and values.

In the context of its efforts to fulfil the

Millennium Development Goals, the Kingdom of

Bahrain has taken significant steps to enable women to

assume positions of leadership in various walks of life,

by launching a new national strategy to promote

Bahraini women. Accordingly, in putting forward its

candidature for the presidency of the forthcoming

sixty-first session of the General Assembly, it has

selected a capable person who represents Bahraini

women, and who demonstrates experience, wisdom and

diplomatic skill. We hope that this nomination will

receive wide agreement among Member States.

Reaffirming its regional and international status

as an economic, financial and banking centre and as

part of its efforts to attract greater investment and

capital, create employment opportunities for its

17

citizens and strengthen the national economy, the

Kingdom of Bahrain has embarked on many major

economic and investment projects that will strengthen

and enhance the economic and trade position of

Bahrain at the regional and international levels.

Efforts and initiatives have continued over many

decades to achieve a collective security system that

will free humanity from the dangers of destruction and

annihilation by prohibiting the proliferation of nuclear

weapons. However, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-

Ban Treaty has not achieved its goals despite accession

by the majority of countries of the world, including all

Arab countries. In this regard, we call upon the

international community to establish a nuclear-weapon-

free zone in both the Middle East and the Gulf region.

We hope that sincere and concerted efforts will

continue among Member States to reach a consensus

on the reform of the Organization.

We trust that the framework of the proposed

expansion of the Security Council will reflect the

consensus of Member States with a clear and realistic

vision and will take into account the interests and

expectations of the Arab nations with their profound

influence on the political stability, economy, peace and

security in the whole world.

The recommendations put forward by the

Secretary-General in his report “In larger freedom”

(A/59/2005) represent comprehensive and ambitious

views and aspirations in relation not only to the

Security Council, which is entrusted by the Charter

with the maintenance of international peace and

security, but also to establishing the basis for the entire

international system.

We all look forward, during this session, to the

opening of historic negotiations on the reforms of

United Nations organs as well as on working methods.

The Kingdom of Bahrain supports the United Nations

reform initiative and believes in the necessity of

continued negotiations and discussions among Member

States in order to reach the results that we all aspire to.

The world today, this post-cold-war world, is not

yet free of the scourge of war, and its people are still

vulnerable to the consequences of terrorism and

violence.

Today, we urgently need a more modern,

stronger, reinvigorated and more credible Organization:

an Organization that will bring all nations together and

balance their interests, resolve conflicts, build peace

and security, uphold justice and the rule of law, oblige

all to abide by the provisions of the Charter and

international legal resolutions, adapt to the changes of

the twenty-first century and meet successfully its

challenges.

We look forward to a reformed United Nations,

which we hope will come into existence soon.