Iran, 2002

I

would like at the outset to congratulate Mr. Jan Kavan

on his election to the presidency of the General

Assembly at its fifty-seventh session and to assure him

of the full support and cooperation of the delegation of

the Islamic Republic of Iran as he embarks on his

crucial task. I would also like to express my

appreciation to the President of Assembly at its fifty-

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sixth session for his skilful leadership. I would also

like to welcome Switzerland to the United Nations, and

look forward also to welcoming the Democratic

Republic of Timor-Leste.

I would like to pay tribute to the Secretary-

General for his strong and compassionate leadership

and for the vision and wisdom that he expressed in his

statement before the Assembly.

The world today is characterized by great

diversity and emerging factors with a far-reaching

influence. In the light of advances in information

technology and of the new international information

order, current issues and problems are interrelated, like

the parts of an organism, and truly global. More than

ever before, we see that nations and States are seeking

to expand their options and ascertain the nature and the

extent of their contribution to, and participation in,

global affairs on the basis of not only their national

security and interests but also their regional

responsibilities, as well as international requirements

and norms. This trend towards the achievement of such

fundamental objectives points to the expansion of a

global, democratic and participatory process that will

endure in the long term and is thus sustainable.

Embracing diversity, questioning and critically

reviewing the past and seeking democratic

participation and action all teach us that the

fundamental universal human values of peace and

security, freedom and independence, and justice and

fairness must become the very centre of global

attention. Without continued, active cooperation to

draw our world closer to such fundamental values, we

will not successfully meet the current global

challenges. Without expanding the scope of peace and

security, neither freedom nor independence will be

achievable; without justice and fairness, neither peace

nor security will become accessible; and without

freedom and independence, both peace and security

will become impossible to attain. It is only through

such an approach that we will be able to work together,

think together and cooperate in a multilateral

framework so as to find answers to challenges we face

in common and to deal with regional crises.

The world is facing grave challenges today,

particularly in the aftermath of the tragic terror attacks

of 11 September 2001. Chief among these challenges

are terrorism and other forms of violence. Combating

the sinister phenomenon of terrorism is an urgent and

unavoidable imperative. A genuine and effective fight

against terrorism must include, on the one hand, an

attempt to identify the root causes of terrorism and, on

the other, a concerted effort by the international

community to address them. It goes without saying that

the perpetrators of acts of terrorism must be brought to

justice and given their just deserts. Calling for the root

causes of terrorism to be addressed should in no way

be construed as an attempt to justify terrorism or

detract from the gravity of terrorist acts or from the

severity of the punishments that terrorists deserve. It is

intended to pinpoint an effective and comprehensive

means of eliminating terrorism.

In this context, it appears that exploring problems

such as the worldwide increase in injustice and

discrimination, the marginalization of a large number

of people and occupation and the violation of the

sovereignty and territorial integrity of others,

extremism, fanaticism, bigotry, poverty and

underdevelopment could prove helpful in identifying

the root causes of terrorism.

In our opinion, a wise and principled approach to

fighting terrorism would entail full international

cooperation, expressed at the highest political level in a

world summit that would seek, inter alia, to develop an

inclusive definition of terrorism that is generally

acceptable.

In a letter addressed to the Secretary-General

immediately after the disastrous attacks of 11

September, President Khatami called for such a world

summit to address this crucial issue and to encourage

international cooperation to fight terrorism under the

auspices of the United Nations.

There should be a worldwide campaign against

all forms and manifestations of terrorism and their

perpetrators, irrespective of the identity of the victims

or the objectives. Distinction must also be made

between acts of terrorism and the legitimate struggle of

peoples under foreign occupation or aggression, in

accordance with international law. Any campaign bent

on relating the inhuman phenomenon of terrorism to

divine religions that have always been the harbingers

of peace, love, amity and moral decency is a great and

unforgivable transgression against those religions and

their countless followers.

As a victim of the most brutal acts of terrorism,

the Islamic Republic of Iran regards fighting terrorism

in a genuine and comprehensive way as a top national

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priority, and it is thus in the forefront of the

international coalition against terrorism. To help

promote regional and international peace and security,

my country has thus far signed bilateral agreements or

is in the process of finalizing such agreements with

more than 20 countries on the extradition of offenders

and on the provision of legal assistance for promoting

cooperation in the areas of fighting terrorism, drug

trafficking and other organized crimes, of the

extradition of criminals and of mutual legal assistance.

We are intent on further strengthening this policy of

enhanced cooperation. In that context, and in

accordance with Security Council resolutions 1373

(2001) and 1390 (2002), the Islamic Republic of Iran

has reported to the Security Council Counter-Terrorism

Committee regarding its counter-terrorism efforts in

general and about the measures it has adopted against

the Taliban and Al Qaeda in particular.

We are greatly concerned by the current trend of

international disarmament negotiations, which is

leading to the further vulnerability and fragility of

international security. Rejection of the Comprehensive

Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) by a permanent

member of the Security Council and the holder of the

largest nuclear arsenal, and the withdrawal of that

member from negotiations on the CTBT on-site

inspection operational manual, point to that State's

policy of unilateralism. Further signs of such a policy

are its withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile

Treaty, its blocking of the negotiations on a protocol

strengthening the implementation of the Biological

Weapons Convention and its going against the

judgement of the international community with respect

to the regulation of the trade and transfer of small arms

and light weapons.

It is only by developing a broader view of

multilateralism, international cooperation and respect

for the rule of law that we can guarantee progress and

success in the field of disarmament and international

security issues. Expansion of and deeper respect for

human rights throughout the world are a function of

their universality and indivisibility, on the one hand,

and of the recognition of national and regional

particularities and cultural backgrounds, on the other.

Rejecting the use of human rights for

political purposes, rejecting double standards and

discriminatory approaches, and promoting international

cooperation in that field for the sake of human rights

will definitely help promote respect for human rights

and fundamental freedoms. Such an approach prevailed

at the fifty-eighth session of the Commission on

Human Rights, and my country thus received a

favourable decision. We are pleased that, with the

cooperation of other States, our draft resolutions on

developing international cooperation in the field of

human rights and on promoting cultural diversity were

adopted.

Globalization will yield fruitful results when

it is accompanied by a non-selective and non-

discriminatory approach: when it provides equal

opportunities for all within the framework of a global

partnership. If the developed countries fail to fulfil

their responsibilities, globalization can hardly be called

a success story. An open, equitable, law-based,

transparent and non-discriminatory international

trading system is a prerequisite for achieving the goals

of economic growth and sustainable development in

developing countries.

The continued brutalities in occupied Palestine

once again indicate that solutions not well grounded in

justice and realism will fail to bring about lasting peace

in the Middle East region. The Palestinian people have

the right, under international law, the Charter of the

United Nations and the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights, to persist in their struggle to restore

their inalienable rights. Occupying other people's land

must be condemned, as must labelling as terrorist a

nation that is only fighting to liberate its homeland.

The way to achieve a lasting peace in the Middle

East is to guarantee to Palestinians the right to return to

their homeland and the right to self-determination,

leading to the formation — in a democratic process and

under the supervision of the United Nations — of a

Palestinian State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

It is the Palestinian people's legitimate right to choose,

through democratic means, their future political system

and the manner in which they elect to establish their

civil and political order. We respect the choices that the

Palestinian people make.

The long-standing policy of the Islamic Republic

of Iran towards Afghanistan has been the rejection of

violence, the promotion of intra-Afghan dialogue and

the establishment of a representative Government by

democratic means. We are pleased that, as a result of

international efforts — particularly by the United

Nations — civil order is gradually being consolidated

by the Afghan people themselves through the

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establishment of the Interim Administration, the

Emergency Loya Jirga and the Transitional

Government. Formulating Afghanistan's Constitution

on the basis of democratic principles, Afghan culture

and tradition, taking into account the views of all

ethnic groups, will be a major step in consolidating law

and order, in strengthening the political structure and in

achieving peace, security and stability in Afghanistan.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is continuing its

close cooperation with the Transitional Government of

Afghanistan, especially in the context of spending the

$50 million in assistance earmarked for small-scale

reconstruction projects in Afghanistan during the

Iranian fiscal year 1381, which began on 21 March

2002. Joint efforts that are moving forward include

providing custom facilities and preferential

arrangements in customs, transit, trade and scientific,

cultural and educational cooperation; combating drug

trafficking and terrorism; and helping Afghan refugees

to return to Afghanistan. The international community

is expected to make good on its pledges to Afghanistan

so as to begin to rebuild the economic infrastructure

there and to create conditions conducive to the

voluntary return of Afghan refugees to their homeland.

Greater attention and resources must be invested —

particularly by the United Nations International

Drug Control Programme — in crop substitution

programmes in Afghanistan as an effective strategy to

fight narcotics trafficking.

Respect for the sovereignty and territorial

integrity of Iraq and compliance by Iraq with relevant

Security Council resolutions — particularly those

concerning the return of the weapons inspectors to

Iraq — followed by the lifting of international

sanctions in the interest of the oppressed people of

Iraq, constitute the overall policy of the Islamic

Republic of Iran towards Iraq. We oppose any

unilateral measures or military intervention in Iraq, we

underline the central role of the United Nations in that

regard, and we hold that it is up to the people of Iraq to

determine their own future through democratic means.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is following the

situation between its two neighbours, Pakistan and

India, with much concern. As a neighbour, we wish to

stress the age-old wisdom of the subcontinent and to

impress upon the leadership in both countries the

importance of exercising self-restraint in both word

and deed and of keeping open the lines of

communication and dialogue with a view to resolving

the situation in accordance with the rules and principles

of international law and in the interests of both nations.

The current global trend towards participation in

collective efforts to face major international challenges

and resolve regional crises through democratic means

has raised a glimmer of hope for our world today. No

doubt, dialogue among civilizations has a special place

in charting the way and promoting understanding and

tolerance in these troubled times. Dialogue, as a

multifaceted and long-term process, teaches us to grow

out of the politics of domination that have created so

much agony and violence and gradually to opt for the

politics of interaction, tolerance and communication. In

this context, the United Nations, as a centre of

dialogue, international decision-making and

implementation, will increasingly gain in importance as

the international community resolves to strengthen

international peace, security and development.