Finland, 2004

In today's globalized world, security and prosperity are

inseparable. There can be no lasting peace in any part

of the world when millions of people suffer every day

from deprivation, poverty, armed conflicts and

terrorism. There is no human dignity when even the

most basic human rights of millions of people are

violated every day. There is no equality as long as

there is discrimination because of gender, race or

beliefs. There is no fairness when international and

domestic rules favour the rich and powerful and

oppress the poor and weak.

We, the family of nations, cannot remain on the

sidelines. We need multilateral tools to meet the

challenges of a globalized world. We must develop and

enhance our multilateral institutions. This applies

especially to the United Nations, whose position in

promoting peace and development is unique.

Member States have given the Security Council

the primary responsibility for the maintenance of

international peace and security. The members of the

Security Council ó and especially its permanent

members ó must display a common will and

compromise on narrowly defined national interests.

The other nations must then show support for the

Security Councilís position and its decisions.

Before the war in Iraq, however, the international

community failed. Conflicting national interests

prevailed over common will. There was not enough

commitment to act within the boundaries of Security

Council resolutions. Some nations resorted to the use

of force, which was not in accordance with

international law.

But now we must turn our eyes and energies to

the future. We need to restore security and stability in

Iraq so that the building of democracy and prosperity

can begin in earnest. Finland is participating in the

training of Iraqi police forces and we have decided to

contribute Ä1 million for security for staff members of

the United Nations system working in Iraq.

There is no sustainable alternative to

multilateralism. The international community must

recognize its collective responsibility. We must be able

to intervene and prevent situations in which human

rights are seriously violated.

We cannot afford to let the Darfur situation get

out of hand. The United Nations and the international

community must be able to act in time, effectively and

as long as needed. I thank the Secretary-General for his

promise of action today.

Globalization could and should be a force for a

brighter future for all people. However, globalization

as we experience it today falls far short of this promise

and is ethically and politically unsustainable. To

implement the Millennium Declaration, we need to

make globalization more fair and attentive to peopleís

needs and aspirations. This requires more coherence,

closer and better international cooperation and stronger

democratic States that work for fairness at home and

abroad.

We must act without delay in order to achieve the

Millennium Development Goals. We have agreed on

additional resources, we have agreed on local

ownership and we have agreed on good governance.

Let us deliver on these promises. The poor of the world

cannot wait. We must make the 0.7 per cent target on

development assistance a reality. We need to give

open-minded consideration to new and innovative

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proposals for additional development funding,

including international taxation.

One concrete indication of the desire to

implement the Millennium Declaration is the World

Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization.

The Commission has drafted numerous

recommendations which the United Nations system

should study before the review of the Millennium

Declaration next autumn. Tanzania and Finland will

present an initiative for this session of the General

Assembly to deal with the Commissionís

recommendations in the United Nations.

The United Nations has a key role today and

tomorrow in promoting peace, security, economic

prosperity, social welfare, human rights and the rule of

law. Finland gives full support to the broad reform of

the United Nations that is now underway. The time is

ripe for a reform of the Security Council and the

expansion of its membership so that it better

corresponds to todayís world. We also need to vitalize

the General Assembly and give the Economic and

Social Council the role envisaged in the United

Nations Charter.

I hope that when we meet here at United Nations

Headquarters a year from now, we can proudly note

that we have taken concrete steps towards a better

world. This is a responsibility that all of us share and I

know it requires a lot of work from all of us, but, dear

colleagues, let us do it.