Laos, 2007

At the outset, let me express, on behalf of

the Lao delegation, my cordial salutations and

congratulations to Mr. Srgjan Kerim on his election as

President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second

session. I should also like to take this opportunity to

pay tribute to the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon,

for his strong commitment to the reform process in

pursuit of a strong, fully mobile and multifunctional

United Nations. His great efforts and dedication to the

cause of enhancing peace and security and promoting

global socio-economic development and justice also

deserve our praise.

The issue of development is becoming

increasingly prominent. Today, our world remains far

from secure. Parts of our planet are beset by violence,

natural disasters and pandemics. All of humankind

continues to live under the threat of nuclear weapons

and in fear of terror and the spread of weapons of mass

destruction. That fear will become much greater if

those weapons fall into the wrong hands. Furthermore,

the use or threat of use of force to resolve international

problems, together with violations of the sovereignty

of Member States, persists. That hinders progress in the

enhancement of international peace and security and

development cooperation among Member States.

Despite the fact that globalization offers new

opportunities for development, developing countries

in particular least developed, landlocked and small

island developing States have not reaped its

benefits, as they ought to be able to do. That is due

primarily to a lack of basic infrastructure, as well as a

lack of access to markets, modern technology,

financing and investment. In order to guarantee greater

benefits for the most vulnerable countries, the

international community must intensify its concerted

efforts to assist them in fully and effectively

implementing its respective programmes of action, as

called for in the 2005 World Summit Outcome

(resolution 60/1). This should include strengthened

international partnerships, increased official

development assistance, greater market access and

special and preferential tariffs for their exports.

Further measures should be taken to ensure debt

sustainability, technology transfer and the promotion of

equitable structures of international trade and finance

in favour of those vulnerable countries. In addition, the

international community should give priority to the

provision of both financial assistance, in the form of

grant aid or soft loans to those countries, and technical

assistance.

The world community is facing challenges caused

by human activity, such as climate change, which

affects all nations, rich and poor. Yet the Member

States who suffer most from this catastrophe are the

least developed countries and small island developing

States, due to their lack of resources and capacity for

adaptation. In that context, I believe that the outcome

of the High-level Event on Climate Change will

significantly contribute to successful negotiations on a

comprehensive agreement under the United Nations

Framework Convention on Climate Change to deal

with the matter.

I hereby affirm that efforts to address climate

change should not compromise attainment of the

development objectives of developing countries.

Addressing the issue should fully cover the three

pillars of sustainable development. The efforts should

be based on the principle of common but differentiated

responsibility between the developed and developing

countries. In order to enable the developing countries,

particularly the two most vulnerable groups among

them, to achieve sustainable development and address

climate change, the developed countries should provide

them with the necessary financing for adaptation,

mitigation and the transfer of appropriate technology.

For the United Nations to meet the daunting

challenges that lie ahead, it should transform itself into

a strong, efficient and effective organization. To that

end, the United Nations reform process should be

conducted in a comprehensive, inclusive, transparent

and balanced manner. A strong and effective United

Nations would better perform its mandate to maintain

international peace and security through the peaceful

settlement of disputes and the promotion of

international cooperation for development. However,

the United Nations reform process would not be

complete without the Security Council being

restructured into a more legitimate, representative,

democratic and effective organ.

Like other Member States, the Lao People’s

Democratic Republic welcomes the progress achieved

in the implementation of the outcome of the Six-Party

Talks on the nuclear issue in the Korean Peninsula. We

believe that through committed efforts by all concerned

parties, the results of the talks will be fully translated

into action, thus contributing to the eventual

denuclearization of the region.

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic reaffirms

its continued support for the General Assembly

resolutions urging an end to the economic, commercial

and financial embargo imposed on Cuba. Contrary to

international law and the United Nations Charter, those

coercive measures have caused great difficulties and

losses to the people of Cuba.

The prolonged and persistent violence in the

Middle East remains a cause of concern to the world

community. As a result, the Palestinian, Lebanese and

Iraqi peoples have suffered great losses in human life

and property. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic

reaffirms its support for the Palestinian people in their

struggle for the right to self-determination, including

the right to establish a sovereign and independent State

of Palestine, living side by side in peace with Israel

and other countries in the region.

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic is

enjoying unwavering peace, political and social

stability and economic growth. This year is the second

year of the continued implementation of the country’s

sixth Five-Year Socio-Economic Development Plan,

for 2006 to 2010. As a result, significant achievements

have been recorded. The poverty rate declined from 48

per cent in 1990 to 28 per cent in 2005. Opium

cultivation was completely eradicated in 2006. The

practice of shifting cultivation declined six times from

2001 to 2005. Tourism, particularly cultural and

ecotourism, has been broadly promoted and expanded,

thus attracting more and more tourists to the country.

The Lao Government continues to pursue a

development policy that is aimed at promotion of

sustainable development, sustained use and

conservation of natural resources, exploitation of clean

energy and protection of the environment and the

ecosystem.

In November 2006, in cooperation with the

United Nations Development Programme, the Lao

Government held the ninth Round-Table Meeting,

which provided a consultative forum for the

development partners and various Lao Government

agencies to engage in a constructive and frank dialogue

on development assistance. The meeting adopted the

Vientiane Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, which

reflects the commitments of the Lao Government and

its development partners to improve the coordination

and effectiveness of official development assistance.

In pursuance of its foreign policy of peace,

friendship and cooperation with all countries in the

world, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has had

diplomatic relations with 125 countries and has

become a member of various regional and international

organizations, with a view to integrating itself into the

regional and international economic system. One of the

significant events for the Lao People’s Democratic

Republic this year is the convening of the twenty-third

ministerial meeting of the International Organization of

la Francophonie on 20 and 21 November 2007 in

Vientiane. As the host country, the Lao Government

would like to encourage all member States to

participate and actively contribute to the success of

that meeting.

To conclude, the Lao People’s Democratic

Republic reaffirms its unswerving commitment to

continue cooperating with the international community

in pursuit of a peaceful, equitable and prosperous

world, free of fear and want, in order to ensure the

well-being of all peoples on the basis of respect for the

principles of the United Nations Charter and

international law, as well as the recognition of diversity

and respect for the social, cultural and historic reality

of each country. To that end, greater efforts and

sacrifices are definitely required from us all. Yet I am

sure that together we will be able to make it happen.