Laos, 2006

Allow me, Madam, to congratulate you

upon your election as President of the sixty-first

session of the General Assembly. I also wish to take

this opportunity to convey our high appreciation to

Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his commendable

achievements throughout his two consecutive terms of

office, in the maintenance of peace and the promotion

of socio-economic development the world over.

Despite the fact that today’s global trend is

towards peace and development cooperation, the

international situation continues to undergo rapid and

complex changes. Numerous events during the past

year demonstrate that world peace, justice and security

are far from being secured, due to the use of force in

the settlement of international problems and violations

of the sovereignty of Member States. All of this creates

major impediments to peace and development

cooperation among States and peoples.

Globalization offers new opportunities for

economic development, yet its benefits are unevenly

shared. Developing countries, in particular the most

vulnerable groups, namely the least developed

countries, landlocked developing countries and small

island developing States, have taken important steps to

launch trade liberalization and further integrate

themselves into the world economy. Nevertheless,

those countries continue to face many problems,

primarily the lack of basic infrastructure, access to

markets, capital, new technology, financing and

investment. In order to solve those problems, the

international community must create an enabling

environment conducive to development, whereby the

interests of developing countries can be tangibly

promoted.

To enable the United Nations to meet the

challenges ahead, it should be reformed in a

comprehensive, inclusive and balanced manner. This

would enhance the important role of the Organization

in maintaining international peace and security and

promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes and

international cooperation for development. In addition,

the United Nations reform process should include the

revitalization of the General Assembly, the

strengthening of the Economic and Social Council and

reform of the Security Council in order to render it

more legitimate, democratic and effective.

Despite the failure of the recent United Nations

Conference to Review Progress Made in the

Implementation of the Programme of Action to

Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in

Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, the

06-53329 2

Lao People’s Democratic Republic considers that the

Programme of Action is a living document and remains

a framework for cooperation that empowers States to

work towards its full and effective implementation.

The historic first meeting of heads of State or

Government of the Group of Landlocked Developing

Countries, held on 14 September 2006 in Havana,

Cuba, adopted a declaration reaffirming the right of

access to and from the sea of landlocked countries, in

accordance with international law, and underscored the

importance of a midterm review to assess the

implementation of the Almaty Programme of Action. In

my capacity as Chairman of the Group of Landlocked

Developing Countries, I appeal to the international

community to further address the special needs and

problems of that vulnerable group and to lend us

support and assistance in our efforts to bring the

midterm review process to a successful conclusion.

The country supports General Assembly

resolutions that call upon the Government of the

United States of America to put an end to the

economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed

on the Republic of Cuba.

In the Middle East, there is an urgent need to

implement Security Council resolution 1701 (2006),

which would bring normalcy to the situation in

Lebanon and pave the way for a comprehensive

solution to the Palestinian problem, in conformity with

the relevant United Nations resolutions.

The situation in the Korean peninsula requires

that problems should be resolved by peaceful means. In

that regard, we call for the resumption of the Six-Party

Talks based on the principles and commitments set out

in the Joint Statement of 19 September 2005, in order

to promote peace and security in the region.

The international community is deeply concerned

to see the people of Iraq continue daily to endure

significant losses in human lives and property. My

country expresses the hope that peace, security and

national unity will be restored as soon as possible.

In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic,

following the election of members of the National

Assembly of the sixth legislature, held in early 2006, a

new Government has been formed with the main tasks

of consistently pursuing the policy of overall

restructuring and ensuring the effective implementation

of our five-year socio-economic development plan.

That achievement would contribute to strengthening

the nation’s political stability and social security and to

consolidating solidarity throughout society.

Over the past five years, the national economy

has grown at an annual average rate of 6.3 per cent, the

incidence of poverty has declined from 48 per cent of

the population in 1990 to 28.7 per cent in 2006, and

opium cultivation has been completely eradicated.

Public investment was concentrated in areas such as

infrastructure and social development, particularly

human resource development which focuses on

education, health and culture. Moreover, foreign direct

investment has swiftly increased.

For the coming years, the Government will

concentrate all its efforts and actively mobilize all of

the country’s forces and potential, in conjunction with

favourable conditions and opportunities provided by

the international community, for the purpose of

ensuring the successful implementation of our national

socio-economic development plan for the period 2006-

2010, with a view to achieving steady economic

growth at an annual rate of 7.5 per cent.

It is expected that by 2010, the slash and burn

method of cultivation will definitely be terminated and

that the problem of poor households will be basically

solved. In addition, policies of support for small and

medium enterprises will be implemented concurrently

with the promotion and gradual expansion of

industrialization, with a view to further improving the

living conditions of our people and raising them to a

higher level.

Similarly, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

will further expand its relations and cooperation with

the international community and will contribute

actively to the regional integration process, particularly

the integration of countries members of the Association

of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with the aim of

enhancing the role of the Lao People’s Democratic

Republic as an efficient partner of the countries in

South-East Asia and other regions of the world.

In closing, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

reiterates its determination to work in unison with the

international community to create an environment

conducive to promoting the well-being of all countries

and peoples the world over.