Ethiopia, 2005

Allow me to extend to

you, Sir, our warm congratulations on your election to

preside over the historic sixtieth session of the General

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Assembly. You can rest assured of the fullest

cooperation of my delegation. We want to express our

appreciation to the President of the fifty-ninth session

of the General Assembly, our brother, Mr. Jean Ping,

whose tenure as President of the Assembly coincided

with momentous events at the United Nations that

required both wisdom and a great deal of competence

on the part of the President. Mr. Jean Ping showed he

had both, and he has made us all proud.

We are, as usual, grateful to our Secretary-

General, Kofi Annan, whose tenure of office will

always be remembered as a period of enormous

dedication to the reform of the United Nations and of a

noble effort to mobilize international support to combat

extreme poverty.

The outcome document which our heads of State

or Government endorsed (resolution 60/1) reflects the

global consensus on the fact that the reform of the

United Nations is essential and timely. My delegation

welcomes the document, which outlines a far-reaching

agenda for change.

The achievement of the Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs) by those vulnerable to being thrown off

track is critical to all, not just to those directly affected.

It would be regrettable if targets that have so much

significance for the well-being of all were missed in

the course of the next 10 years due to failure on the

part of those directly affected or a lack of solidarity at

the international level. We strongly believe that the

targets are neither unrealistic nor unduly ambitious.

It cannot be emphasized enough that, at the end

of the day, those that have primary responsibility for

prevailing over extreme poverty are those that are

directly affected. But those that suffer from extreme

poverty require the support of the international

community to stay on track to achieve the MDGs.

In concrete terms, that means that official

development assistance and measures on debt relief

and trade need to be aligned with the realization of the

Millennium Development Goals. In that regard, we are

encouraged by the progress made at the Group of Eight

Gleneagles summit. We were also encouraged by the

commitment of leaders at the High-level Plenary

Meeting to address the current distortions in

international trade, including through the elimination

of agricultural subsidies. There is nothing more

important for low-income countries than a partnership

that is predictable, consistent and based on previously

defined mutual obligations.

No amount of international cooperation will be

enough to achieve the Millennium Development Goals

unless domestic conditions are met in all relevant

areas. We in Ethiopia have been doing our level best in

that regard. We have spared no effort to change the

economic situation in our country for the better, our

primary focus being the rural sector. Ethiopia has made

a tireless effort to implement the Millennium

Development Goals.

Despite all the complications and the absence of a

tradition of loyal opposition, the recent elections in

Ethiopia have demonstrated the depth of commitment

we have to transform the tradition of governance in

Ethiopia ó a tradition that has been as remote from

democracy as it is possible to be. Those elections stand

out as a milestone in the process of democratization of

the State and of society at large. Ethiopia has entered

into a new era of a vibrant multiparty political system.

In the area of peace - and particularly with

respect to peace in our subregion - we, along with

like-minded partners, will continue to be pillars for

peace and stability.

On the fight against terrorism, Ethiopia will

continue to discharge its responsibility in cooperation

with other peace-loving countries. Ethiopia rejects

terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We in

Ethiopia are determined to work with the international

community to implement the counter-terrorism

strategy.

In connection with our deep aspiration for peace,

our only source of disappointment is the lingering

dispute we have with Eritrea. Ethiopia has been

contributing more than its share to resolve that

outstanding problem. In his statement on Wednesday,

21 September (see ), the Eritrean

representative officially threatened to use force against

Ethiopia on the basis of the unfounded allegation that

part of Eritrean territory is under Ethiopian occupation.

I find it incumbent upon me to set the record straight.

This is a problem that grew out of an act of

aggression committed by Eritrea against Ethiopia. It is

no secret how Ethiopia managed to reverse the Eritrean

aggression and how it created the conditions for a

peaceful resolution of the crisis between the two

countries, based on legality, to which Ethiopia has been

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and remains committed. Any suggestion, such as the

one made by the Eritrean representative on Wednesday,

that Eritrean territory is occupied is a mockery of the

truth and an insult to the intelligence of the

international community.

The threat or use of force should have no place as

a means of resolving disputes between States. That is a

principle to which Ethiopia has adhered: before the

Eritrean act of aggression, after the aggression was

reversed and since. Regrettably, Eritrea's attitude is

different, as has been repeatedly evidenced on the

ground in our region and in statements made by

Eritrean officials in different forums, including the

General Assembly. The Eritrean Government needs to

be reminded that it should make no mistake: it will be

held accountable for its actions.

Ethiopia has always been committed to the rule of

law and to the maintenance of peace and stability. Our

five-point peace plan of 25 November 2004 for moving

forward towards peace with Eritrea, which was

welcomed by the international community,

demonstrates Ethiopia's seriousness in that regard.

Eritrea knows that Ethiopia has been ready for

dialogue, both to ensure the demarcation of the

boundary on the basis of the decision of the Boundary

Commission and to normalize relations between the

two countries.

Eritrea abhors dialogue, perhaps because it

suspects that dialogue would eventually lead to peace.

It is not clear whether the Government of Eritrea

believes that peace serves its interests. Perhaps the

people of Eritrea need to be kept on their toes, with

their gaze focused on artificial external adversity. In

any event, Eritrea has no reason to be angry at Ethiopia

or at the world. Eritrea dragged Ethiopia into war in

1998 and now continues to be an obstacle to the

normalization of relations between the two countries

and peoples.

The problem between Ethiopia and Eritrea has

never been, and is not, a legal one; rather, it is political

in nature, and Ethiopia has the political will to move

forward. We invite Eritrea to join us in that effort.

Ethiopia does not believe at all in sabre-rattling, least

of all between countries that should have little time to

spare from fighting extreme poverty.

On the continental level, we are encouraged by

the dynamism that the new African Union has injected

into the joint African effort for peace and stability.

There is no doubt that reform of the United Nations

could create even greater possibilities for Africa to

play its proper role, not only within Africa but also

outside the continent.

Ethiopia continues to attach great importance to

the reform of the United Nations. We believe that,

although all our expectations have not been met, the

High-level Plenary Meeting provided great impetus for

making progress, in terms of both achieving the

Millennium Development Goals and advancing the

reform of the United Nations. It is our hope that it will

be possible to make progress in the course of this

session.

I would like to conclude by reiterating Ethiopia's

commitment to the United Nations, and its

preparedness to do whatever is necessary to contribute

to efforts designed to make the Organization more

effective and more representative.