Kingdom of the Netherlands, 2006

Five years after the

destruction of the Twin Towers and just a few days

after the commemoration of that terrible tragedy, I

would like to extend my deepest sympathy to the

people of this great city, which serves as mankind’s

meeting point.

Last year, I stressed our collective responsibility

to protect tolerance from intolerance. I spoke of

freedom of expression and freedom of religion. Today I

should like to revisit that theme. But, in addition, I will

discuss the relationship between fighting terrorism and

respecting human rights, the search for peace in the

Middle East and reform of the United Nations.

Moreover, I will renew my call for intensified

dialogue. Only dialogue at all levels of society leads to

more knowledge about one another — and often to

more mutual understanding.

The threat of terrorism has not subsided. To fully

understand the nature of the challenge we face, we

have to ask ourselves what terrorists are aiming for.

They aspire to undermine a society based on

democracy, fundamental freedoms, human rights and

the quest for progress. In their view, there is no place

for the principles and tenets of our free society.

Instead, they try by means of terror and violence to

impose their views of the world on others.

As to the means used by terrorists, there can be

no doubt that large-scale and systematic terrorist acts

qualify as crimes against humanity under international

law. While civilized societies uphold international legal

and moral standards in defending themselves, terrorists

completely reject the central principles of international

law. Our campaign against this threat must be fought

with great determination by all of us. Indiscriminate

violence must be countered by the collective will to

defend our values, in order to protect our civilization

and human dignity.

In order for this campaign to be successful in the

long run, we must also place great emphasis on

development, fair trade and dialogue. Unlike those who

have prospects for a better life through access to

education and jobs, people without prospects and

without a voice are more easily lured by the siren call

of hatred. To deal with that issue is one of the core

missions of the United Nations. We — all nations of

the United Nations — have a collective responsibility

to give people a future and a voice so that they can

improve their lives.

Extremists cleverly seek to exploit the freedom of

open societies with the aim of destroying that very

freedom. This confronts us with a dilemma: do we

close our societies in self-defence, thus becoming more

like the evil we face, or do we remain open societies

and accept a certain degree of vulnerability? Anti-

terrorism measures can be effective only if adopted

within the context of the human rights commitments

we have undertaken. Ultimately, our defence should

not come at the expense of the very values upon which

our societies are founded. Our citizens must be able to

distinguish between the societies in which they lead

productive lives and the terrorist movements for which

human life has little value. I am happy with the

agreement we reached on the United Nations Global

Counter-Terrorism Strategy (resolution 60/288). But

now, we must see to its implementation. It is also in

our collective interest to conclude a terrorism

convention as well.

The need for interfaith and intercultural dialogue

is as great as ever. During and after the so-called

cartoon crisis, I engaged in discussions with colleagues

and the media in Asia and the Middle East. We talked

about freedom of expression and freedom of religion,

and I discovered that such personal efforts are crucial

in finding common ground. One of the initiatives we

have taken is to host the annual Asia-Europe Meeting

conference on interfaith dialogue in Amsterdam in

2008.

For any interfaith dialogue to be meaningful,

respect for diversity is a precondition. In our view, all

of the world’s nationalities, religions and beliefs

should live side by side, united by a tradition of

pluralism, democracy and the rule of law. According to

international instruments to which we all subscribe,

respect for diversity means, for example, freedom of

religion and belief. That includes the freedom to adhere

to any religion, or to no religion at all. In my country

— and in many others as well — an individual is free

to be a Christian, Muslim, Jew or Hindu or to adhere to

any other belief. This philosophy includes the right to

change one’s belief, as the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights clearly states.

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We believe that the separation of Church and

State and the independence of the courts are the best

guarantees that nobody has the power to impose his or

her beliefs on others. Freedom of religion and freedom

of expression are two sides of the same coin. Does this

mean that people can say whatever they want? No. The

right to free speech does not entitle a person to insult

others. But restrictions on the freedom of expression

must never go further than what is necessary within a

democratic society. In individual cases where freedom

of expression conflicts with legitimate restrictions, it is

up to the courts, not the Government, to decide which

principle should prevail.

Peace in the Middle East would reinforce a global

spirit of dialogue. We have reason to be optimistic.

Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) ended

hostilities between Hizbollah and Israel, unfortunately

only after many innocent civilians had lost their lives. I

commend the Secretary-General for his tireless efforts

to promote the resolution’s effective implementation.

The renewed United Nations Interim Force in

Lebanon (UNIFIL) is an important symbol of hope.

Peacekeepers of different religious and cultural

backgrounds are working together under the sky-blue

banner of the United Nations, as they have been doing

in the Great Lakes region in Africa and will hopefully

soon be doing in Darfur, the Sudan. I am proud of the

fact that several States members of the European

Union, together with Turkey, China and Indonesia,

provide the backbone of UNIFIL. The Netherlands is

actively considering contributing to UNIFIL’s maritime

component. Practical implementation will depend on

the cooperation of all parties and countries in the

region, and beyond, including Syria and Iran. I call

upon them to act in accordance with Security Council

resolution 1701 (2006).

Regional peace also requires resolution of the

Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Israeli-Syrian

dispute. I call upon all parties involved to seize the

political momentum created by Council resolution

1701 (2006) and engage in serious dialogue. The

Quartet could, at the request of the Security Council,

outline a comprehensive Middle East settlement.

In this world, we need the United Nations to

manage change, rather than lag behind. We need to

renew and reinvigorate the United Nations. Last year’s

Summit was devoted to that very task. We have made

substantial progress since then, but more needs to be

done. My country’s vision of an effective United

Nations includes less fragmentation, more

concentration and more synergy. We need a United

Nations that cuts red tape, rather than one that creates

more bureaucracy. For example, in an interdependent

world, it makes no sense to have 38 different United

Nations humanitarian and development agencies. That

is why we have suggested one office, one programme,

one representative and one financial mechanism at the

country level.

My vision of the United Nations encompasses a

Peacebuilding Commission that focuses on critical

peacebuilding needs and a Human Rights Council that

is the single most authoritative voice on human rights.

It is a United Nations led by a Secretary-General with

greater authority to determine the optimal use of

human and other resources than is the case at present.

As an active Member of the United Nations, the

Netherlands will continue to contribute to the best of

its ability to turn this vision into reality. The

Netherlands does not just preach; it delivers. For more

than 60 years, ever since the foundation of the United

Nations, we have provided means, ideas and people.

And, of course, we remain committed to its cause.

Security Council reform is a difficult part of the

overall United Nations reform agenda. A pragmatic

approach would be to opt for a temporary solution that

could be modified after, say, 10 years. The world is

dynamic and the Security Council’s composition

should reflect this. The geopolitical realities of today

might not necessarily be the geopolitical realities of

tomorrow.

We should focus on the longer-term gains we all

benefit from, rather than on short-term progress at the

expense of others. Let us work to make the United

Nations operate in a less antagonistic way. We have

successfully tried this approach in the Group of Friends

for the Reform of the United Nations, in which

different countries, including the Netherlands, engage

in constructive debate to arrive at solutions that are

acceptable to all.

The United Nations is beset by problems that

require major reforms. We are united by the

opportunities and challenges of our time. In promoting

peace and stability, in debating human rights issues, or

in combating extreme poverty, we are compelled to

work together and to coordinate our actions. Let us

adopt a twenty-first-century mentality to address

33 06-53005

twenty-first-century problems. Now is the time to align

our agendas and shoulder our responsibilities together.

A strong United Nations strengthens us all.

Finally, I would like to express my deepest

appreciation to Secretary-General Kofi Annan for the

commitment and determination he has shown in pursuit

of a better world, with a United Nations that works

effectively for the security, safety and well-being of

people everywhere. Even the rocks of which he spoke

seemed a light burden under his stewardship. We

commend him for achieving tangible results in the area

of crisis management and conflict prevention and for

furthering the Millennium Development Goals.

Secretary-General Annan’s personal performance has

brought hope and optimism to the hearts of citizens all

over the world.