Hungary, 2001

First, may I congratulate Mr. Han Seung-soo on his

election to preside over the fifty-sixth session of the

General Assembly. I assure him that he has the

Hungarian delegation’s full support in the effective

fulfilment of his tasks and high responsibility. At the

same time, I wish to thank Mr. Harri Holkeri for the

much appreciated work that he carried out in his

capacity as President of the preceding session of the

General Assembly.

Sixty-three days have elapsed since 11

September. More than 80 nations are in mourning

today, mourning the absurd deaths of their compatriots,

men and women from all over the world and

representing different and various traditions, cultures,

beliefs and ethnic origins. Approximately 6,000 people

perished as a result of heinous terrorist attacks in New

York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, and we

remember the victims in our prayers and extend our

deep sympathy and compassion to their families and

friends.

These attacks were committed against the entire

civilized world and against fundamental human values.

The Security Council and the General Assembly very

quickly took firm and clear measures in order to defend

the universal interests of the international community.

To this end, an effective global coalition was created in

which Hungary, side by side with many other countries,

is proudly participating. Those who perpetrated and

supported these terrorist attacks are trying to depict

their acts, as well as the reaction of legitimate self-

defence to those acts, as a war of religion. Clearly it is

nothing of the sort. There can be no justification for

these acts, nor for any other terrorist activities

anywhere else. In fact, international terrorism pursues

political objectives and is trying to undermine our

multi-ethnic and multi-concessional world, to

exacerbate regional conflict, to pit various cultures one

against another and to impose on us by force its own

order of hatred and fanaticism. The nature of the

challenge with which we are confronted is eminently

strategic: first, because it calls into question the raison

d’être and endangers the very existence of our

civilization; secondly, because the terrorist network,

which is organizing against us, has managed to develop

global capacities; and, lastly, because in the war that is

declared against us, terrorism abides by no legal order

and follows no rules.

We can welcome the fact that, on the basis of a

convergence of interests, cooperation among States has

acquired, in the two months following the terrible

event, a dimension that is very promising and entirely

new. But major combat against international terrorism

will certainly not be short. Of course the military

action launched against the Taliban regime and the

terrorist Al Qaeda organization represent an important

element, but not the only one, within the framework of

international action. Within this struggle, the tasks that

we have to carry out are complex and multifaceted. We

have to do our utmost in the political, diplomatic,

educational, legal, and also financial, humanitarian,

economic and social areas to make sure that we, in the

final analysis, emerge victorious from this struggle. We

must recognize that in this struggle we have to

redouble our efforts to promote the rule of law, to

reject extremism, intolerance, discrimination and

nationalistic tendencies and to intensify the global

work that has to be accomplished in order to eradicate

poverty and ensure sustainable development. The fight

against terrorism is part and parcel of the general

18

framework of this global endeavour within which we

are trying to build a better world.

The terrorist attacks against the United States will

probably be remembered as a turning point in our

history, and also an opening to a new era. What is

certain is that from now on humanity will not be able

to continue in the same way as before. Governments

have to shoulder major responsibility vis-à-vis this

challenge, which now touches directly upon our

everyday existence. The international community

managed to find the most appropriate response by

bringing together a coalition unprecedented in inter-

State relations, the historic importance of which will

certainly go far beyond our own era. Hungary stands

ready, within the limit of its capacity, to take an active

part in that coalition.

In the present situation, the United Nations is

called upon to play a role of primary importance, to

strengthen the effectiveness of international action.

Through the development of 12 anti-terrorist

conventions, the United Nations has already

contributed very significantly towards the development

of a common framework of international law in the

fight against terrorism. Through the adoption of other

conventions, which are now being prepared, the legal

framework will become even more comprehensive and

general. However, in order to do that, we must make

new efforts and, given the importance of what is at

stake, and the fact that we have common goals, the

groups of countries concerned should display a greater

degree of flexibility. The United Nations should be able

fully to play its role of enhancing the practical

implementation of international anti-terrorist

cooperation.

In the wake of the terrorist attacks, a series of

specific measures were implemented by my country’s

Government. At the international level we have

strengthened our cooperation, both political and legal,

in the anti-terrorist area with our allies at NATO and

our partners within the European Union (EU). We

decided also to implement Security Council resolution

1373 (2001), and we will forward to the Committee

that was established under the terms of that resolution a

detailed report on the national measures undertaken by

Hungary to fight terrorism. I should like to recall at

this stage that Hungary is a party to most of the

international, multilateral conventions against

terrorism.

As regards the two most recently passed United

Nations conventions in this area, let me state that my

country has just deposited today with the Secretary-

General the instrument of ratification for the

International Convention for the Suppression of

Terrorist Bombings. I should like to announce that

Hungary will sign the International Convention for the

Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism in the

upcoming weeks. We are determined to become a party

to that Convention as quickly as possible, so as to

complement the Hungarian participation in

international conventions that are universal in nature

and deal with the fight against terrorism. Furthermore,

my Government recently submitted to Parliament a

draft law to strengthen national regulations in the areas

of money-laundering and fighting terrorism.

Hungary attaches very special importance to the

success of the international humanitarian action in

Afghanistan. Through the two Hungarian humanitarian

organizations, which traditionally have played a role in

the region, my Government has started to forward

humanitarian assistance to the refugees and the Afghan

population. Such assistance consists of foodstuffs and

blankets for about 15,000 people.

My Government is very deeply concerned at the

danger represented by the proliferation of weapons of

mass destruction and their means of delivery. Our

commitment in favour of multilateral control over such

weapons remains unchanged and we participate in

international efforts aimed at limiting and eliminating

weapons of mass destruction. The tragic events of 11

September and the recent anthrax-related incidents

make us realize the possible dramatic consequences of

the absence of a reaction by the community of nations

to the challenge presented by weapons of mass

destruction, including biological weapons. We think

that the strengthening of the Convention on the

Prohibition of the Development, Production and

Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin

Weapons and on Their Destruction will enable the

international community to act even more effectively

against the intent to use biological agents for military

objectives. The ad hoc group asked to work out

measures for implementation managed to make notable

progress in the almost seven years of its history, and is

very near agreement. We regret that it could not

finalize its work before the date of the Fifth Review

Conference of the Convention. It is important that the

Conference should leave aside the divergence of views

19

with regard to the approach to the modalities of the

long-term strengthening of the Convention, and that

instead it should underscore the commitment

undertaken by Member States to promote the integrity

of the system of the prohibition of biological weapons.

In its capacity as Chair of the Fifth Review

Conference, Hungary would like to do its utmost in

order to justify the hopes expressed by Member States

and public opinion that specific results will emerge

from the Conference. We would like actively to

contribute to making sure that efforts aimed at

strengthening the system of prohibition of biological

weapons will also continue without interruption after

the Conference.

The Statute of the International Criminal Court is

a political and legal document of capital importance. It

translates into fact the historic aspiration we have had

that those who commit the crimes of genocide, war

crimes and crimes against humanity will not be allowed

in future to act with impunity. Therefore, we warmly

welcome the ratification of the Rome Statute by a

rapidly growing number of countries, to date

numbering more than 40. Within this context I wish to

announce here that the Hungarian Parliament, by a

resolution that was adopted almost unanimously,

ratified the Statute on 6 November. The deposition of

the instrument of ratification will take place in the

course of this month of November.

Hungary is working actively so as to ensure that

the Court, this very important institution of our era, can

start working in the near future. We should also make

efforts to ensure that it will be universally accepted as

soon as possible because only in that way will it be

able to be successful in its work and effective in the

area of maintaining peace and international security

and effectively protecting international humanitarian

law and human rights.

Our world has changed and we all have to change

with it. Unfortunately, when I say that I am not saying

that earlier challenges have disappeared but rather that,

in addition to the difficulties we already have, we are

facing a new crisis that compels us to think

strategically and at the same time be very resolute in

our action. The work that we have to carry out is

therefore wider and broader and the only choice we

have is to act on the basis of our human values in the

interests of our civilization and future security. The

United Nations is part and parcel of that endeavour.

The Millennium Declaration speaks of it with great

eloquence and the events of 11 September only

strengthen the message contained therein by

underscoring the crucial nature of the times we live in,

a crossroads between two centuries and two millennia.

We are asked to provide answers to the global

questions that haunt us and that have been continuously

plaguing this world. The success or failure of our

efforts to provide such answers will, without any

doubt, affect the quality of life of the whole of the

twenty-first century. It is in this spirit that my

delegation wishes to provide its contribution to the

success of the deliberations, held under the very special

circumstances of the present session of the General

Assembly.