Malaysia, 2004

May I, as Prime

Minister of Malaysia and in my capacity as Chairman

of the Non-Aligned Movement and Chairman of the

tenth Islamic Summit Conference, offer my sincere

congratulations to you, Mr. President, on your election

as the President of the General Assembly at its fifty-

ninth session. I am confident that with your wisdom,

experience and diplomatic skill, you will steer the

proceedings of the Assembly to a successful

conclusion. I assure you of Malaysia’s fullest

cooperation. I strongly believe that the member

countries of the Non-Aligned Movement and the

Organization of the Islamic Conference would

similarly render all their support and cooperation to

you.

Allow me also to pay tribute to your

distinguished predecessor, the Honourable Julian

Robert Hunte of Saint Lucia. He discharged his

responsibility with dedication and full commitment, in

an efficient and effective manner. I commend

especially his leadership in moving forward the process

of revitalization of the General Assembly.

I wish to commend as well the Secretary-General

and the Secretariat for their perseverance and relentless

efforts in pursuit of the goals of the United Nations. In

particular, I congratulate the Secretary-General for his

initiatives to claim for the United Nations a more

central role in the management of world affairs. I

salute also the dedicated men and women of the United

Nations who have sacrificed their lives in the service

of humanity.

When we met last year at the Assembly’s fifty-

eighth session, we were deeply distressed that there

was so much gloom in the international situation as a

result of a breakdown in the multilateral negotiating

processes. We were bitterly divided over the invasion

of Iraq; there was great disappointment about the

deadlock in the World Trade Organization ministerial

meeting in Cancún, and we had to mourn the death of

international civil servants who were killed during an

act of terrorism against the United Nations

headquarters in Baghdad.

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Therefore, I consider it our solemn obligation at

this fifty-ninth session to reaffirm the rightful role of

the United Nations in the management of critical issues

affecting international peace and security, and commit

ourselves to abide by multilateralism in the quest for a

more just and equitable international order. We must

also take the necessary steps to ensure that never again

should the United Nations be sidelined.

As the General Assembly is the most

representative organ of the United Nations, we must

dedicate ourselves to finding consensus on measures to

revitalize the Assembly to fulfil its mandate in

accordance with the Charter. We must build upon the

work done in the fifty-eighth session. Again, we look

towards the leadership of the Assembly President in

that regard.

In that connection, the Malaysian delegation

wishes to advocate that this fifty-ninth session of the

Assembly accord high priority to ensuring that the

United Nations regains its central role in social,

economic and development issues. The United

Nations — through an enhanced Economic and Social

Council — should provide the impetus for the creation

of an international economic system which better

promotes the interests of developing countries. The

United Nations must do more to realize all

internationally agreed targets, particularly the

Millennium Development Goals. As the eradication of

poverty and hunger is fundamental to the achievement

of those Goals, Malaysia fully appreciates the Brazilian

initiative to create new and innovative forms of

funding to meet those challenges.

We look forward to receiving the report of the

High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change,

appointed by the Secretary-General last year. We

believe the Secretary-General will make his own

recommendations based on that report, and they should

provide the basis for in-depth discussion among

Member States in the months leading up to the sixtieth

anniversary of the United Nations.

This world body, the processes of multilateralism

and, indeed, the entire international system must

necessarily change. However, those changes must be

effected without sacrificing certain immutable

principles, such as sovereign equality, non-interference

in the domestic affairs of States, peaceful settlement of

disputes and respect for international law. What we do

in that respect during the fifty-ninth session of the

General Assembly will therefore be crucial.

Reform of the United Nations is a cause

particularly dear to both the Non-Aligned Movement

and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. They

look forward to working closely with you,

Mr. President, as well as with other Members of the

United Nations and the Secretary-General on this

matter.

Most immediately, we must find ways and means

to let the United Nations assume its proper role in

combating international terrorism. Malaysia is

convinced that the fight against terrorism cannot

succeed through the force of arms alone. To win it, we

need to exert genuine efforts and demonstrate good

faith to address the root causes of terrorism, one of the

most obvious of which is the unfulfilled dreams of

peoples struggling for independence and aspiring to

sovereign States of their own. To find the answers, we

must promote genuine dialogue and rid ourselves of the

prejudices and bigotry triggered by the events of

11 September and further aggravated by subsequent

events. The United Nations is clearly the best forum

for such a dialogue to take place without malice, in a

shared environment that is devoted to finding peace

among nations and building friendship between

peoples. The United Nations can facilitate the

convening of a special international conference to

consider the question in all its aspects, including the

root causes of terrorism and the issue of State-

sponsored terrorism.

One of the most important aspects to be

addressed by such a dialogue is the necessity to

inculcate a frank appreciation, understanding and

acceptance of different civilizations and cultures,

including religions. There is an urgent need to stop

tarnishing the Muslim world with unfair stereotypes.

We must cease associating Islam with violence,

poverty and indignity. In reality, the troubles have

nothing to do with Islam; nor are the problems

exclusively associated with Muslims. We need to clear

the confusion that links the problems faced by some

Muslim countries with the religion of Islam.

We also note with great concern the increasing

tendency to link the fight against terrorism with the

campaign against the proliferation of weapons of mass

destruction. Developing countries suffer as a result of

restrictions imposed on their access for peaceful uses

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to the technology, equipment and material necessary

for their economic development. Malaysia is fully and

firmly committed to the cause of non-proliferation, but

there must be multilateral negotiations for universal,

comprehensive and non-discriminatory agreements and

arrangements. Above all, nothing should be done at the

expense of the resources needed for the international

development agenda.

Most damaging of all is the increasing tendency

to attribute linkages between international terrorism

and Islam. The time has indeed arrived for us to

debunk, once and for all, the theory that there is a clash

of civilizations. I speak from the experience of my own

country, Malaysia, where we have shown that Islam is

not an impediment to modernity and to democracy. It is

not an impediment to rapid economic growth, to self-

respect and confidence, to tolerance and mutual respect

across religions, cultures and ethnic groups. In

Malaysia, we celebrate the multi-ethnicity of our

people, of Malaysians. For us, our multi-ethnic and

cultural diversity is a national asset. It has taught us to

be tolerant, value mutual respect and cooperate for the

common good. We sincerely believe that this message

deserves a wider audience.

I am certain that the Organization of the Islamic

Conference would be supportive of a dialogue designed

to create greater understanding between peoples and

civilizations and that would lead to real action and

effect changes at the societal level. The Non-Aligned

Movement, too, would be equally keen to support

initiatives that would have the effect of establishing

harmony and restoring stability in the world.

Since the stability of many nation-States

continues to be threatened, especially by armed

conflicts, there is a critical need, more than ever, for

Members of the United Nations to unite and close

ranks to put a stop to such conflicts, be they inter-State

or intra-State.

Iraq is still in turmoil. Although Security Council

resolution 1546 (2004) of 8 June 2004 enabled the

return of sovereignty to the people of Iraq, the

unrelenting conflict continues in that country. The

same resolution also renewed the mandate of the

multinational force, but the reality on the ground

suggests that the existing arrangements cannot stabilize

the situation there.

The situation in Iraq clearly calls for the United

Nations to be given the lead role, particularly in

establishing stability in preparation for the elections

scheduled for January 2005. Orderly elections are

critical to the process of re-establishing a truly

independent and sovereign Government in Iraq.

The United Nations also has the best credentials

to enable Member States to take part in peace-building

and in the reconstruction of Iraq. The international

community owes it to the people of Iraq to summon its

collective resolve and political will to allow all of that

to happen. If we collectively succeed in assisting Iraq

to seize the moment, we would also succeed at the

same time in bringing a closure to the bitter

divisiveness which was brought about, in the

beginning, by unilateralism over that same issue.

While the precarious situation in Iraq cries out for

United Nations action, the plight and suffering of the

people of Palestine remains a tragic embodiment of the

consequences of non-implementation of United

Nations resolutions and the non-enforcement of United

Nations decisions. We must actively revive the road

map for peace in the Middle East, which remains

unimplemented. The Quartet needs to play a more

vigorous role. The international community must lend

its full weight to push for an independent and

sovereign State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its

capital, and with Israel and Palestine living peacefully,

side by side within secure and recognized borders.

To create an environment of confidence for the

speedy resuscitation of the road map, we must

seriously consider approving the deployment of a

United Nations peacekeeping force or the deployment

of an international monitoring mechanism to oversee

the implementation of the road map for peace in the

Middle East.

We must also find ways to give effect to the

historic advisory opinion of the International Court of

Justice on the legal consequences of the construction of

a wall in the occupied Palestinian territory. In October

last year, the General Assembly overwhelmingly

adopted a resolution demanding that Israel stop and

reverse construction of the wall built in the West Bank.

It is unacceptable that a multilateral resolution giving

effect to the International Court of Justice’s advisory

opinion cannot be effectively implemented. Clearly, the

search for peace and security also depends on our

willingness and determination to ensure its

enforceability.

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I strongly believe that multilateralism is the only

approach for implementing resolutions and decisions

concerning global peace and security. Adherence to the

Charter of the United Nations should be a solemn

obligation, not a matter of choice. For Malaysia, the

United Nations is crucial as the guarantor of the

sanctity of our existence as a sovereign nation and as

the institution where the principles of international law

are protected and safeguarded. Small nations such as

Malaysia do not have the military and other means to

insulate themselves from invasion or occupation by big

Powers. But no sovereign nation should ever be

subjected to the threat of military action by another. No

international intervention should ever be undertaken

unless consistent with the United Nations Charter. If

the law of the jungle were to prevail, the small and the

weak would certainly perish.

In this matter, no one should ever lose sight of the

fact that when the defence of the nation-State is called

for, it is actually the well-being of the State’s people

that is at stake. The world must take special note of

this and give due recognition to the voices and the

contributions of global civil society in matters

affecting international peace and security.

To foster genuine peace and security, the world

naturally looks to the big Powers for leadership. A

sincere commitment to multilateralism on the part of

the big Powers will send a strong signal to all nations,

large and small, that the purposes and principles of the

United Nations shall form the basis of the conduct of

relations between nations. Such a commitment will

also provide the foundation for a true international

partnership, not only for establishing global peace and

security but also for achieving international economic

and social development. Of course, multilateralism can

be sustained only if it embraces all nations as

important stakeholders and excludes none.

Therefore, urgent steps must be taken to make

multilateral processes relevant and effective. To begin,

the principal organs of the United Nations, in particular

the Security Council, should be rendered more

democratic and more representative of the number and

geographical distribution of its international

membership. The exercise of the veto by the permanent

members of the Security Council should be regulated

in order to prohibit that power from being used at the

sole discretion of its holder. It is unjust that any single

country should be allowed the impunity of overruling

at will the wish of the majority. That injustice can be

rectified, for example, by enabling certain types of

General Assembly resolutions to overrule a Security

Council veto.

We must find a comprehensive and just solution

to the problem of Palestine. We must allow the United

Nations to take the lead role in stabilizing the situation

in Iraq. We need to address seriously and resolutely the

scourge of international terrorism, the elimination of

global poverty, the proliferation of transnational

crimes, the destruction of the environment and the

spread of the AIDS epidemic, as well as the economic

and social advancement of all humankind. The global

economic order, especially in the sphere of

international finance, must be made more fair and

equitable. The way forward and our best hope lie in

universal commitment now to multilateralism.