Kingdom of Denmark, 1995

It is a sad irony that while

we are celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the United

Nations, the Organization finds itself in serious financial

crisis. If not redressed, this crisis will threaten the very

goals of our Organization.

Denmark gives top priority to a strengthening of the

United Nations. Hopefully, we can make headway during

this session of the General Assembly as regards the

financial situation of the United Nations and the “Agenda

for Development”. We hope that the High-level Working

Group under the chairmanship of the President of the

General Assembly will keep up the momentum of the

reform process.

I wish to concentrate on eight points.

The first is social development. The World Summit

in Copenhagen identified new approaches for action.

States have the primary responsibility to attain the goals

of the Summit. In this endeavour, we need the full

support of the international community, the United

Nations, the multilateral financial institutions, regional

organizations, local authorities and the civil society. All

partners must participate fully and must increase their

efforts.

We also need specific efforts to keep the Summit

issues on the agenda. To stimulate the implementation of

the Summit results, Denmark would like to see

established an independent forum on social development

issues. This forum should supplement the work of

international organizations and of intergovernmental

cooperation. In particular, it should compile and analyze

data on social development issues, thus providing the

basis for dialogue. I hope that agreement on the creation

of the forum can be reached at this session of the General

Assembly.

Sustainable economic and social development

requires a collective effort. It requires a substantial

transfer of resources, concessional as well as

unconcessional, private as well as public, from the

developed world to the developing world.

The total volume of assistance to developing

countries has declined over the past few years. We must

change this sad pattern. A first, necessary step would be

for all industrialized countries to live up to the United

Nations target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product

(GNP). Three years ago, Denmark reached 1 per cent of

GNP. We intend to continue that policy.

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The need for emergency relief is greater than ever. It

is a short-sighted solution to finance emergency relief out

of funds set aside for development. We must find additional

financing.

Improving the condition of women throughout the

world is of vital importance. We, the Member States of the

United Nations, have the responsibility to implement the

Platform for Action adopted at Beijing. This platform must

be pursued at all levels. Let us start right now.

The second point is the “Agenda for Peace”. The ideas

expressed therein on preventive diplomacy and a rapid

reaction force must be implemented, followed — after a

conflict has ended — by confidence-building and

humanitarian measures.

Many of these tasks can be carried out by regional

organizations. Giving more responsibility to regional

organizations would in Europe mean strengthening the

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

(OSCE).

We have seen an increase in the number and

complexity of peace-keeping operations. Successful

operations such as those in Namibia, Cambodia and, most

recently, Mozambique and El Salvador should not be

forgotten. As noted by the Secretary-General, the problems

posed by several of today’s conflicts are unprecedented. We

must learn to tackle these new problems. United Nations

peace-keeping forces have proved to be an invaluable tool.

We all have an interest in improving peace-keeping as a

unique instrument in international crisis management.

We must react strongly against deliberate attacks

against United Nations personnel. Such attacks are

absolutely unacceptable. I appeal to all Member States to

adhere to the Convention on the Safety of United Nations

and Associated Personnel so that persons committing

attacks against United Nations personnel are brought to

justice.

Denmark attaches great importance to the United

Nations stand-by forces arrangement. We were among the

first to assign troops. We are currently, together with like-

minded countries, exploring practical ways to a further

shortening of United Nations reaction time.

There is also a clear need for minimum standards as

regards troops and equipment. Denmark supports action

taken by the United Nations in the field of training. The

United Nations must be given the right to set quality

standards for troops made available to the Organization.

The insufficiency of funds is putting the United

Nations into an almost untenable operational situation. We

must soon reach consensus on reforming and stabilizing

the financial foundation of the Organization.

As regards reimbursement for equipment put at the

disposal of the Organization, agreement on a new system

must be reached during this session of the General

Assembly.

The third point concerns the former Yugoslavia.

More than two thirds of the total number of troops under

the United Nations serve in the former Yugoslavia. The

international community has made a substantial

contribution towards settling the conflict. We have kept

negotiations going, sometimes against all odds. We have

sustained what may be the most difficult peace-keeping

operation the United Nations has ever mounted. We have

rendered extensive humanitarian aid.

We hope that we are now closer to peace. Still,

many obstacles will have to be overcome. The conflict

remains a huge challenge to the international community.

The basic principles for a settlement in Bosnia

agreed upon in Geneva early this month form a good

basis for further negotiations. Pressure on all parties for

a negotiated settlement must be upheld. Lasting peace can

be achieved only through negotiations.

Denmark continues to give full support to the

international negotiating efforts, including the efforts of

the Contact Group. Denmark has provided a substantial

number of peace-keepers and given sizeable contributions

to alleviate humanitarian suffering. This commitment

stands.

But it is absolutely unacceptable when United

Nations peace-keepers are used as pawns in military

confrontations. It is intolerable to see them exposed to

surprise actions and direct attacks with loss of life and

casualties as the tragic consequence.

The international community must be prepared for

action to be taken when peace is finally achieved.

Denmark stands ready to contribute. The present situation

presents a window of opportunity; we must seize the

moment.

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I would like to express my congratulations on the

interim agreement between the Greek and the Macedonian

Governments and to pay tribute to the untiring efforts of

Mr. Cyrus Vance.

My fourth point relates to the Middle Fast peace

process. The strong determination to reach results

manifested itself in the peace treaty signed last autumn

between Israel and Jordan and in the latest agreement

between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on the second

stage of Palestinian autonomy. Unfortunately, we see less

progress in relations between Syria and Israel and between

Lebanon and Israel. But we welcome the clear political will

to engage in efforts that may bring progress. All parties

stand to gain if they realize that there is no real alternative

to negotiations and to a just and lasting peace for

everybody.

My fifth point is that there is now hope in the field of

disarmament, arms control and confidence-building

measures. We see positive trends, in particular the

agreement reached on indefinitely extending the Treaty on

the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The

implementation of this Treaty has also become more

effective. The end of East-West confrontation has led to

dramatic reductions in nuclear stockpiles. But as long as

these weapons exist, the risk of their use remains. Denmark

supports the conclusion of a comprehensive test-ban treaty

no later than 1996. In particular we support the efforts

made to negotiate a true zero-yield test ban.

At the same time, we deeply deplore the nuclear tests

carried out by China and France. We urge all

nuclear-weapon States to refrain from further testing.

The Conference to review the 1980 Convention on

Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain

Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be

Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects is

now taking place at Vienna. We need progress at the

Conference towards the ultimate goal of the abolition of

anti-personnel land mines.

The sixth point is that the Security Council needs to

be enlarged to reflect the world of today. There must be

additional seats for non-permanent members on the

principle of equitable geographical representation. Denmark

also supports an enlargement of the Security Council with

Germany and representatives of the Asian, African and

Latin American regions as permanent members.

My seventh point relates to human rights. The

international protection of human rights must be

improved. International cooperation on monitoring respect

for human rights must be strengthened. Additional

resources to carry out this work must be found. In

particular, we must strengthen the Centre for Human

Rights and the office of the High Commissioner for

Human Rights. Denmark will serve as a member of the

Commission on Human Rights as from 1 January 1996.

Our key priorities as a member of that Commission will

include the fight against torture, the furthering of the right

to development and the rights of indigenous peoples. The

establishment of a permanent forum within the United

Nations is a major political aspiration of indigenous

peoples around the world. Denmark shares that aspiration.

The General Assembly should decide to call a

diplomatic conference on the establishment of a

permanent International criminal court to try cases of

serious international crime.

With my final point I wish to draw attention to the

statement issued today by the Nordic Foreign Ministers

on the financial situation of the United Nations. In that

statement the Nordic countries call on all Member States

to fulfil their financial obligations towards the United

Nations by immediately paying all outstanding

contributions. Imagine how much more could be done if

the United Nations had its present outstanding

contributions — $3.5 billion — at its disposal. It is a

paradox that those criticizing the United Nations for a

lack of efficiency are often those who do not honour their

financial obligations. They are in this way holding the

Organization hostage. They continue to criticize the

United Nations as if the Organization were not their

organization.

Denmark sees no alternative to international

cooperation to solve global problems. The will of

Member States determines the strength of our

cooperation. Much more can be done, provided

Governments are willing.

The United Nations has experienced much

turbulence. The United Nations needs renewal. The

United Nations needs resources. The United Nations

needs commitment. Denmark remains as dedicated to the

United Nations today as we were 50 years ago.