Kuwait, 1999

It

gives me pleasure, Sir, to extend to you on behalf of the

State of Kuwait our warm congratulations on your

election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-

fourth session. Given your extensive experience in

international affairs and your personal skills and ability,

we are confident that you will be able to guide the

deliberations of the Assembly effectively. Let me assure

Your Excellency that our delegation will cooperate with

you in a diligent and constructive spirit in order to reach

our common goals.

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I wish also to pay tribute to your predecessor, His

Excellency Mr. Didier Opertti, who demonstrated good

stewardship in his efforts to enhance the role of the

Assembly.

Let me take this opportunity to express once again our

deep gratitude to the Secretary-General, His Excellency

Mr. Kofi Annan, for his tireless endeavours to reform the

structure and streamline the functioning of the Organization

with a view to bringing it more in line with the ever-

changing realities of modern times.

Kuwait welcomes the Republic of Kiribati, the

Republic of Nauru and the Kingdom of Tonga to

membership in the United Nations. Our wish is that these

new Member States will enhance the role and effectiveness

of our Organization in the fulfilment of the objectives and

purposes of the Charter.

The wheel of time is now bringing us closer to the end

of the twentieth century and entry into the third millennium.

Against the backdrop of this truly historic benchmark, we

think that the world community should renew its resolve to

achieve higher standards of living and political stability and

security, all of which are essential factors for progress.

With a deeper and greater sense of resolve, humankind's

future can be better than our present.

Tragically, the twentieth century has seen two bitter

world wars, in addition to numerous bilateral, regional and

civil conflicts that claimed the lives of millions and millions

of innocent human beings. Those innumerable wars put too

many spikes in the wheels of growth and progress of many

developing nations.

Our cherished hopes and aspirations were always

directed towards fulfilling the long-standing human dream

of using the immense scientific and technological

discoveries and know-how acquired especially in the past

few decades of the twentieth century to address or solve the

major and pressing global problems and phenomena facing

the human race. However, about one fifth of the human

race suffers from hunger; hundreds of millions of people

live below the poverty line; the arms race, for reasons of

security or territorial expansion, consumes enormous

proportions of national budgets or assets to the detriment of

economic and development programmes; massacres driven

by ethnic or political motives have become excuses for

liquidating opposition forces and consolidating political

dictatorships; human rights violations persist under different

justifications; and the phenomenon of terrorism, which is

becoming increasingly intertwined with drug abuse and

illicit trafficking in drugs, imperils the stability of

societies and States, with the potential risks of

jeopardizing security and stability far beyond national

borders. In our view, the international community must

cope with these devastating dangers in a more serious

fashion in order to rid the world of their evil.

Also, the millennium has seen many devastating

natural disasters that resulted in vast human losses and

extensive property damage. The most recent tragic

example is the earthquake that struck the friendly Turkish

Republic in August. We are confident that Turkey will

eventually overcome the dire consequences of that

national catastrophe. Along with many other countries and

international relief and aid organizations, Kuwait hastily

responded by airlifting basic human relief assistance and

supplies. Our response emanated from humanitarian

motives and our sense of good neighbourliness. In this

regard, I wish to recall the decision by the States of the

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to donate $400 million

to alleviate the impact of that severe quake.

In the same vein, we wish to extend our warm

condolences and sympathy to the friendly Government

and people of Greece and to the families of victims of the

tremor that hit there earlier this month. In order to draw

some lessons from the recurrence of such disasters,

Kuwait calls for expanding and reinforcing the role and

effectiveness of the United Nations disaster relief organs.

Such a role would help coordinate the contributions of the

various States in order to fulfil their desired and optimal

goals, to the best of their capabilities.

My delegation now strongly feels that the

international community should not underestimate the role

and achievements of the United Nations system. Its

outstanding track record over the past five decades

should, in our view, deepen our appreciation for the

valuable and credible manner in which the United Nations

system addressed and resolved many conflicts and

problems across the globe. Indeed, the Untied Nations

saved mankind many potential tragedies. Hence, one

cannot really imagine our contemporary world without

this Organization, to which Kuwait is honoured to belong.

Against the backdrop of the legacy inherited by the

present generation and the possible challenges that will

face us in the future, preparations are under way to

convene the Millennium Assembly session here in New

York in September next year. Given its historical context

and the level of global participation, we hope that the

session will prove to be a true benchmark in the history

17

of humanity. Kuwait feels that such an historic occasion

requires proper and adequate preparation to ensure a truly

meaningful outcome in terms of sketching the future path

of the Organization in the new century.

The issues on the global agenda are all serious and

pressing, and some new vision is needed to deal with them.

In any case, we are convinced that international cooperation

and coordination and consolidation of human efforts will

remain crucial to any viable endeavours to address those

obstinate and interlinked problems within the framework of

the United Nations. Therefore, continued support to ensure

reinvigoration of the United Nations remains in order.

As we look forward to the millennial summit as an

unprecedented event, we think that the forthcoming historic

occasion should not be a replay of the United Nations

fiftieth anniversary celebrations, which were a largely

ceremonial and symbolic event. The gathering of world

leaders should go beyond the usual ritual of delivering

speeches and photo sessions. Rather, our objective should

be charting out a meaningful path for the future in a

pragmatic, action-oriented fashion. The new vision should

focus on business-like treatment of universal issues such as

justice for all, equality, harmonious co-existence,

cooperation, inter-cultural dialogues and promotion of

respect for human rights, and advancing economic and

social development to the top of our global agenda.

At this juncture, allow me to highlight the fact that the

State of Kuwait has been ranked number one in the Arab

world and number thirty-five in the world in the United

Nations Development Programme(UNDP) Human

Development Report of 1999. Kuwait will, God willing,

continue its steady efforts towards the improvement of the

economic and social conditions across the country, guided

by, among other factors, the Human Development indices.

In the same vein, I wish to recall the recent initiative by

His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, who

proclaimed a decree granting the women of Kuwait full

political rights to participate in parliamentary elections and

to run as candidates for the national assembly. This

initiative is yet another example of the keen interest on the

part of His Highness the Amir to consolidate the

democratic system in Kuwaiti society and to expand public

participation in civil life. Indeed, it is a testimony to and

recognition of the prominent role and the valuable

contributions by Kuwaiti women to our society.

Another important goal we hope the Millennium

Assembly will achieve is the expansion of the membership

of the Security Council and the display of more

transparency in the Council's procedures and methods of

work. The question of reform of the Security Council has

been exhaustively discussed over the past six years. Time

has indeed come for proper action with a view to

allowing all United Nations Member States to participate

in the decision-making process in a more representative

and equitable manner, under controls that would ensure a

balance between effectiveness and larger membership.

The reform should also ensure the special responsibility

and ability of the Council members to maintain

international peace and security.

Following the end of the cold war, the world has

witnessed many challenges that threatened international

peace and security in various regions. As a result of the

general ease in international relations and the growing

rapprochement between East and West and the mounting

desire for global cooperation and coordination, the Untied

Nations system, through the Security Council, the primary

organ responsible for the maintenance of international

peace and security, sought to address and manage those

crises according to the ways and means that were set

forth in the Charter. Yes, the United Nations has achieved

substantial progress, though in varying degrees, and

sometimes at a very heavy price in terms of losing

dedicated personnel and peacekeepers on behalf of the

cause of peace and in the service of humanity. Even when

the United Nations might appear to be faltering in

performing its mission, sometimes perhaps in a rather

embarrassing way, the theoretical question that always

arises in our minds is: would that situation have been

better had the United Nations not intervened? And the

resultant answer that we arrive at is invariably: absolutely

not. Lapses, setbacks and failures are all, unfortunately,

an inevitable tax that has to be paid in our pursuit of

excellence and progress, good intentions notwithstanding.

The sanctions system, under Article 41, Chapter VII,

of the Charter, is one of the tools and methods that the

Security Council found itself impelled to resort to in

dealing with a number of States. The objective was to

make them change their behaviour and dissuade them

from the pursuit of policies of aggression, which run

counter to the fundamental norms and principles of

international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

Experience on the ground has proved this method to be

effective. On two occasions the Council suspended the

sanctions imposed against some States once they had

complied fully with their obligations under the relevant

Security Council resolutions. This proves in no uncertain

terms that the sanctions were not an end in themselves,

18

but a means used to impose respect for the Charter and the

Security Council resolutions.

Acting within the terms of its responsibilities, the

Security Council established at the end of last January three

separate panels to evaluate the extent of Iraq's compliance

with its obligations under Security Council resolutions

relating to Iraq's invasion of the State of Kuwait. The

Secretary-General himself participated in the selection of

the members of those panels, eminent, internationally

known persons who were efficient and neutral experts. The

panels met for a period of two months. They also sought

the expert advice of many specialists and heard the views

and presentations of many witnesses. Following extensive

meetings and intense deliberations, the panellists reached a

set of conclusions and recommendations that I shall briefly

summarize as follows.

First, the panel concerned with disarmament concluded

that there were still a number of important and serious

matters that had not yet been resolved. It emphasized the

need for the return of the inspection teams to Iraq as soon

as possible under an integrated and reinforced monitoring

and verification system based on relevant Security Council

resolutions.

Secondly, with regard to the humanitarian situation the

panel submitted several constructive proposals and

recommendations which, if implemented, would improve

the humanitarian conditions in Iraq. Perhaps the most

important recommendation was the call to improve the

operational mechanisms of the oil-for-food programme.

Also, the panel invited the Government of Iraq to ensure

equitable distribution of humanitarian goods and to pay due

attention to meeting the needs of the vulnerable groups of

the Iraqi population.

Thirdly, the panel concerned with Kuwaiti and third-

country prisoners of war and the return of stolen property

to Kuwait, the panel thought that in regard to the prisoners

of war issue, cooperation by Iraq with the International

Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Tripartite

Commission had so far been below expectations. The panel

was not satisfied with the Iraqi explanations of why Iraq

had failed to provide information on the files submitted to

it by the ICRC. The panel urged the Government of Iraq to

reconsider its decision not to participate in the Tripartite

Commission and its technical subcommittee. With regard to

the return of Kuwaiti property, the panel concluded that

Iraq had not fully complied with paragraph 2 of Security

Council resolution 686 (1991), which demands that Iraq

return all stolen property to Kuwait.

Although those panels were established by the

Security Council mainly to explore the possibility of

mitigating the impact of the sanctions regime and

improving the humanitarian conditions in Iraq, it is deeply

regrettable that Iraq itself has declined to participate in

their work. Iraq has also rejected the conclusions and

recommendations reached by these panels. In this context,

the Secretary-General, in paragraph 81 of his report

(A/54/1) on the work of the Organization submitted to the

current session of the Assembly, referred to Iraq's failure

to fulfil its obligations and set the humanitarian

requirements that Iraq must meet. The Secretary-General

states:

“Relations with Iraq took a turn for the worse during

the year, despite a brief period of compliance with

the Memorandum of Understanding signed by

Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and myself in

February 1998. In the face of continuing Iraqi non-

compliance, the use of force by two Member States

and the division in the Security Council that

followed it was predictable. Our principal demands

remain unchanged, however: Iraq must fully comply

with all relevant Security Council resolutions; the

international community must be assured that Iraq

no longer has the capacity to develop or use

weapons of mass destruction; missing Kuwaiti and

third country nationals must be accounted for; and

Kuwait's irreplaceable archives must be returned.

Meanwhile, the people of Iraq continue to suffer the

effects of sanctions”.

For purely humanitarian reasons enjoined by our

Islamic religion and by all other religious as well as

international principles and norms, the State of Kuwait

urges Iraq to put an immediate end to the plight of

Kuwaiti and third-country prisoners, returning them to

their families or fully accounting for them. Iraqi

insistence that there are no such prisoners inside Iraq and

that these people should be considered as missing persons

is not an answer. What is at stake are the lives of people,

who should be treated as trusts in our collective

conscience. Since last January, Iraq has been boycotting

the meetings of the Tripartite Commission and its

technical subcommittee, bodies that operate under the

aegis of the ICRC with the objective of locating and

identifying those innocent victims.

The following questions arise here. Is Iraq indeed

serious in dealing with this important humanitarian

matter? Does Iraq's attitude show any good faith? Would

anyone safely claim that Iraq is working on implementing

19

relevant Security Council resolutions while boycotting the

meetings of ICRC-sponsored humanitarian bodies?

Only internationally established institutions can handle

this issue. We believe that earnest and sincere cooperation

with the Tripartite Commission is the key to the resolution

of this humanitarian problem, which really does not tolerate

any further delay.

An intensive effort is currently under way within the

Security Council to pass a new resolution related to the

remaining obligations on Iraq, taking into consideration the

recommendations made by the three aforementioned

evaluation panels. While Kuwait concurs with the good

intentions underlying the current efforts by members of the

Security Council, which take the form of a draft resolution

put forward by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands,

together with some other related views, we would like to

reaffirm the important need to maintain the unity of the

Security Council in dealing with this issue. Also, we

demand assurances that Iraq will remain committed to all

the requirements of Security Council resolution 687 (1991),

which should be treated as one indivisible political and

legal unit.

In the meantime, Kuwait reiterates its full sympathy

with the suffering of our brotherly people of Iraq. The

Government of Iraq alone bears full responsibility for the

perpetuation of those hardships. Kuwait, for its part,

confirms its support for and endorsement of all Security

Council resolutions aimed at easing those travails through

the oil-for-food programme. Furthermore, we wish to

reiterate our firm commitment to the need for the

preservation of the independence, sovereignty, unity and

territorial integrity of Iraq.

Out of concern for and interest in bolstering the

underpinnings of security and stability in our region, the

State of Kuwait confirms its support for all efforts aimed at

resolving the dispute between the United Arab Emirates and

the Islamic Republic of Iran over the Emirates' three islands

by peaceful means. These would include the referral of the

matter to the International Court of Justice. In the

meantime, Kuwait welcomes the willingness of the friendly

Islamic Republic of Iran to start direct negotiations with the

United Arab Emirates. We hope the tripartite ministerial

commission formed by the Cooperation Council of the Gulf

Arab States will be able to initiate working mechanisms for

beginning direct negotiations that could lead to the peaceful

resolution of the dispute over the three Emirates' islands:

the Lesser and Greater Tunbs and Abu Musa. This avenue

would indeed contribute to confidence building and to the

promotion of security and stability throughout the region.

It would also expand and deepen cooperation between the

Islamic Republic of Iran and all States in the region.

Kuwait welcomes the Sharm El-Sheikh

Memorandum recently signed between the Palestinian

Authority and Israel, which sets forth specific steps for

the implementation of the Wye River accords. However,

we demand that the new Administration in Israel do its

part on reviving the peace process and resuming

negotiations on all tracks. Israel must demonstrate honest

commitment to the principles and operational framework

of the overall peace process, which is anchored in

Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973)

and the land-for-peace formula. This includes fulfilment

of all obligations and agreements signed with the

Palestinian Authority within the peace process, with a

view to reinstating all legitimate Arab rights, including

the restoration to the brotherly Palestinian people of their

full national rights, especially the establishment of their

independent State on their national territory, with

Jerusalem as its capital. The Government of Israel must

also cease forthwith its illegitimate settlement-building

and land-confiscation policy. It should also end its

unilateral measures to create de facto realities on the

ground, especially in the city of Jerusalem. Furthermore,

Palestinian refugees must be reassured of their right to

return to their homes in accordance with relevant United

Nations resolutions.

We are baffled by, and accordingly reject, the

references, declarations and insinuations recently made

that promote the notion of resettling the Palestinian

refugees outside their own ancestral homeland. Such a

notion represents a stark violation of the fundamental

principles of international law, United Nations resolutions

and the inalienable right to self-determination.

Furthermore, a resettlement plan would be an

infringement on the sovereignty of other States and an

interference in their domestic affairs.

Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Syrian territory

in the Golan Heights back to the 4 June 1967 lines is

indeed the litmus test of Israel's genuine commitment to

the land-for-peace principle. Moreover, we demand that

Israel end once and for all its repeated acts of aggression

against the sovereignty and independence of our sister

State, the Lebanese Republic. We stress the need for an

immediate Israeli pull-out from southern Lebanon and

West Bekaa in accordance with Security Council

resolution 425 (1978), which must be implemented

without any restrictions or conditions. In this context,

20

Kuwait emphatically notes that the Syrian and Lebanese

tracks must be recognized as organically interconnected if

a just and lasting peace is to be established.

In addition, while Kuwait endorses and appreciates the

efforts of the two sponsors of the peace process, together

with the European Union, to revitalize that process, we call

upon all of them to redouble their efforts at this critical

stage of the peace process.

At the regional level, and given the long-standing

historical and human bonds, as well as the close economic

interests fashioned by the geographic location of the

Arabian Gulf region and its proximity to India and

Pakistan, with which the State of Kuwait maintains friendly

relations, we appeal to both countries to resolve their

bilateral dispute over Jammu and Kashmir by peaceful

means and in accordance with United Nations resolutions.

We sincerely hope that India and Pakistan will engage in a

meaningful dialogue and draw on the deep and rich

reservoir of wisdom available to the leaderships on both

sides of the divide. We think that their economic resources

would better be utilized for the development and welfare of

their peoples and for enhancing security and stability in that

sensitive region. Mutual confidence and cooperation should

prevail over intense rivalry in the arena of terror.

Kuwait welcomes the outcome of the popular

consultation held under United Nations supervision in East

Timor late last month. The ballot gave the East Timorese

the chance to determine their future freely, with the

guarantee and cooperation of the friendly Government of

Indonesia. Kuwait has followed with sadness and pain the

bloody events that have taken place in East Timor.

However, we welcome the Security Council resolution to

establish a multinational force to put an end to violence and

to restore security and public order to that Territory. We

wish that force full success in its mission. We also call

upon neighbouring countries to respect the mandate of the

force and to help the people of East Timor fulfil their

legitimate aspirations. In this regard, Kuwait wishes to give

credit to the friendly Government of Indonesia for its

commitment and efforts at putting an end to the violence,

the killing and destruction that ravaged East Timor in the

wake of the referendum. Credit is also due Indonesia for

agreeing to the formation and peaceful reception of the

multinational force.

Still on the international scene, Kuwait welcomes the

peace accord reached between the North Atlantic Treaty

Organization and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on

Kosovo as a first step towards the resolution of the dispute

and the return of displaced persons to their homes in

Kosovo. This will eventually put an end to the conflict

and restore peace and security to the people, who have

the right to live in freedom and dignity.

The Balkan crisis, which was precipitated by the

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, has demonstrated once

again that the United Nations role is indispensable to the

maintenance of international peace and security and for

lending legitimacy and credibility to any solutions

reached, be it in a regional context or an international

one. Kuwait supports and encourages the United Nations

to continue its role until all aspects of the crisis have

definitively resolved.

The world today is living through a communications

revolution that has helped to shorten distances between

States and to speed up global connections, thus turning

our planet into a village where people instantly react to

events that take place anywhere across the globe.

International economic integration has become part and

parcel of development plans and programmes that aim at

achieving progress and prosperity for nations. Unilateral

isolationist policies have become relics of the past and

untenable under a new world order that is becoming

increasingly and rapidly universal.

The new order, known as “globalization”, requires

joint efforts in order to lay down the principles,

regulations and arrangements that seek to ensure progress

and well-being by creating new prospects for the flow of

financial and technical aid to help national States project

their ability to contribute to the building of a better future

for humanity. Hence, developed countries are expected to

increase their economic and technical assistance to

developing States and to expand the exchange of

information and technical know-how in an attempt to

narrow the ever-widening gap in the fields of technology

and communications.

Moreover, international efforts must be invigorated

in the face of a new emerging challenge posed by the

dwindling sources of fresh water. Water reserves should

be utilized on a just basis and with a sense of sharing in

the use of this main artery of life itself. Bearing that

vision in mind, Kuwait is pursuing its efforts to support

development projects in many developing countries. The

Kuwait Fund for Economic Development offers long-term

financial loans at concessional interest rates. Also, my

country contributes, within its means, to many

development projects and programmes that are jointly

financed by international financial institutions, regional

21

organizations and the United Nations agencies. Kuwait

intends to pursue this path out of its conviction that

development is the key to progress and a main incentive for

building security and stability. Furthermore, reaching out

with assistance to those in need is a moral obligation on

those who are more privileged. This would indeed

strengthen international cooperation, openness and mutual

respect among nations.

Now, as our world is about to bid farewell to the

current century, good-hearted and decent people nurture

various hopes and ambitions for serving humanity and

building a better life on this small planet. We all hope to

create and conserve a safe and healthy environment, free of

threats to the security of all life. As we look down the road

to the future, we can hopefully see a fulfilment of the

divine prophecy of justice for humanity when we heed

God's words, calling on us to feed the hungry and to ensure

peace of mind and security for all human beings. We wish

world leaders who will be assembled in this Hall in

September next year success in defining a road map for the

future, in setting a new vision and in renewing our common

resolve to establish peace, justice and development for all

peoples of the world.