Malta, 1993

Before beginning my

statement, may I on behalf of the Government and the

people of Malta express our profound solidarity with the

Government and the people of India and with the families of

the victims of the massive earthquake which has claimed the

lives of thousands and left tens of thousands injured and

homeless.

Mr. President, I wish to congratulate you on your

unanimous election to the presidency of the forty-eighth

session of the General Assembly. You bring to this

important post a wealth of professional experience and

personal qualities which will undoubtedly make their mark

in the coming weeks and months.

In recent years the office of the presidency of the

General Assembly has reasserted its rightful role and

relevance in the light of the momentous events that are

occurring in our time. We have always considered the

presidency of the Assembly as relevant to the structure and

performance of our Organization. The role of the President,

in our view, should be not only to preside over the

Assembly, but also to represent it and to speak on its behalf

on the basis of its decisions and resolutions.

The United Nations system, with the General Assembly

at its very centre, is increasingly becoming the effective

focal point of international life, as its founders intended.

The responsibilities entrusted to the presidency of the

Assembly in this context are therefore both challenging and

unique.

You are, Mr. President, taking over your new

responsibilities from a predecessor who accomplished his

task with resourcefulness and success. I wish to take this

12 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session

opportunity to express our appreciation to outgoing President

Ganev for his contribution to the revitalization process of the

General Assembly. Earlier this year President Ganev visited

Malta on the occasion of the conference we sponsored

jointly with the United Nations on the subject of Foreign

Ministries in transition.

Within this context, may I welcome those States that

joined our Organization during the forty-seventh session,

adding a further dimension to the global representation and

responsibilities of the General Assembly. When the United

Nations was founded 51 States were signatories to the

Charter. Today membership of the United Nations has

reached 184.

Circumstances have changed, roles have changed and

personalities have changed. However, the fundamentals of

this Organization remain unaltered. Though situations may

at times tempt us to re-invent the wheel, the requirements of

the United Nations are evolutionary in concept, answering to

the dynamism of world events, calling for our response to

altered situations. This makes it impellent to move towards

a second-generation United Nations which is strong in its

resourcefulness and sensitive to the need for its own

revitalization.

A review of some of this year’s international events

reflects the acceptance of the United Nations as a guarantor

of peace, able not only to withstand problems as they arise,

but also to absorb its own failures and mistakes.

Events in former Yugoslavia reflect not only the

legacies of a past still present, but also the difficult nature of

bringing the parties to an agreement at the negotiating table

when so much blood has been shed, so much suffering

inflicted and crimes against man’s most cherished values

committed.

Operation "Restore Hope" in Somalia did not fully

realize this hope. Indeed, a series of events and mishaps has

contributed to the loss of life of valiant soldiers of the

United Nations peace-keeping forces as well as the lives of

many members of the civilian population. A message of

incomprehension has taken over the city of Mogadishu.

Developments in Cambodia, on the other hand, are a

positive manifestation of the growing effectiveness of the

United Nations in its peace-keeping role - an area to which

the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, has

dedicated so much energy and commitment to ensure the

well-being of so many millions living under the threat of

conflict.

The signing of the declaration of principles by the

Israelis and the Palestinians is a rainbow for the Middle

East. It could well lead to a covenant of peace, breaking a

circle of hatred and the legacy of death which has lasted for

decades.

"I believe that these two peoples, victims of the

adversities of history, require the solidarity and

involvement of all who can help in moulding events

towards peace in the region." (A/45/1000, para. 95)

This was one of the conclusions that I drew in reporting

back to the Assembly, as its President, following my visit to

the occupied territories in those bleak days of the first weeks

of January 1991. I commented that

"The Arab-lsraeli conflict has a dimension which

goes far beyond the territory of Palestine. It involves

not only the States in the region, the security concept

of the Mediterranean, the relations with Europe and the

super-Powers, but it also has an effect on the credibility

of the United Nations and the political will behind its

resolutions." (ibid, para. 89)

At the time we tried to explain to both the Israelis and

the Palestinians that living in peace with one’s neighbour

brings that international environment, with secure and

guaranteed frontiers, that all States in the region, including

Israel, need so much to safeguard their future. In conclusion

I stated that the purpose of the visit - the first ever by a

President of the Assembly -

"was intended to pave the way for those who,

conscious of their political responsibilities, can help in

contributing towards a lasting peace, which will give to

the peoples in the region man’s most coveted gift;

peace in freedom." (ibid, para. 98)

One must give credit, in this context, to the receptive

understanding of the then Secretary of State James Baker,

with whom I had discussed my visit shortly after my return.

With consummate diplomacy, he activated the Madrid

process, leading to a dialogue approach long absent between

the parties.

The leaders of Israel and of the Palestinians have

shown moral courage which will, when pursued, send a

message of hope not only to the peoples of the region but to

many others who have endured long conflicts and seek the

road to peace.

Forty-eighth session - 1 October l993 13

Developments in South Africa have also been

encouraging. Important progress has been made in

dismantling the condemned policy of apartheid and in

bringing together the various communities. Malta is pleased

to see that this progress has reached the stage at which

South Africa can fully return to the fold of the international

community as a respected member, mindful of its obligations

both at home and abroad. We agree that the lifting of

economic sanctions at this stage can and should encourage

and assist the people of South Africa in completing their

journey on the difficult road to genuine freedom, dignity and

justice.

The approaching fiftieth anniversary of the United

Nations provides an ideal opportunity for the international

community to take an in-depth look at the means at its

disposal in carrying out its endeavours for peace, security

and prosperity. This anniversary must be seen as an act of

regeneration. It will highlight the universal richness and

diversity of an institution which now encompasses practically

the whole of mankind; it will rightly bring to the fore its

qualities of resilience and perseverance, which have been

tested and demonstrated time and again over the half

century; it will rightly recall the successes achieved over the

years, in spite of often daunting difficulties; and it will salute

the many individuals who have faithfully served, and

continue to serve, a few with great visibility and

prominence, most others quietly and silently, out of the

limelight.

The process of regeneration must apply both to

institutions and to objectives. Central to the institutional

aspect is the role of the General Assembly. As past

President, I remain personally deeply involved and

committed to the revitalization of this Assembly. Even

today, the international community has yet to fully exploit

the uniqueness and relevance of the General Assembly. This

is the only global forum where all States are full and

permanent Members; where all States, regardless of size,

power or wealth, have an equal and sovereign say; where all

issues, political, economic, social, cultural or humanitarian,

can be considered in their entirety and their inter-relatedness;

and where the process of decision-making is at the same

time a process of consensus-building.

The Assembly is not, and cannot be seen as, in a

contest or competition with any other organ of the United

Nations system. Its role is unique and pre-eminent, and its

deliberations can only facilitate, enrich and, as appropriate,

consolidate the decisions of other organs.

Some progress has already been achieved in improving

the efficient functioning of the General Assembly. The

recent adoption of resolution 47/233 is the most recent and

welcome development. We must of course constantly

remind ourselves that there has to be a clear purpose behind

moves towards efficiency. In the case of the General

Assembly, the purpose lies essentially in enhancing the

effectiveness and relevance of its deliberative and consensusbuilding role, thus adding to its capacity to follow up and

implement its decisions.

Mr. Fajardo Maldonado (Guatemala), Vice-President,

took the Chair.

The size, composition and methods of operation of the

Security Council have in recent years become subjects of

intensive debate and sometimes speculation. The Council is

a unique tool in the search for peace and security. It is a

blend of the idealistic and the pragmatic; it is at one and the

same time a deliberative and a functional organ. The lifting

of the cold war’s constraints has had a most visible and

creative impact, releasing and galvanizing the Council’s

peacemaking and peace-keeping roles. Efforts to enlarge the

Council and expand its functions must come within the

framework envisaged for the Council under the Charter.

However, Malta shares with all other United Nations

Members the legitimate expectation of transparency and

objectivity as the hallmark of the Council’s work.

The Council must remain conscious of the impact its

decisions, especially the imposition of sanctions, could have

on third parties. It is important to link the application of

sanctions to a compensatory system for those countries

which, through no fault of their own, have to bear the

burden and pay the price of sanctions. When deciding to

deploy United Nations forces, the Council must also be

conscious of its responsibility for the safety and well-being

both of the forces it deploys and of the inhabitants of the

areas concerned. In all its actions, the Council must be

inspired by the fundamental peacemaking dimension of its

mandate and by the Charter’s emphasis on the peaceful

settlement of disputes.

One of the important objectives of any enlargement of

the Council’s membership must be to ensure balance and

equity in its composition in terms of the present level of

United Nations membership. Account must be taken of

regional and geographical considerations; of the need to

create reasonable opportunities for all United Nations

Members to take their turn in serving on it; and of

considerations relating to the size and status of individual

United Nations Members.

14 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session

An aspect that requires redefining in its application is

that of regional responsibility for peace-keeping under

Chapter VIII of the Charter. At the Conference on Security

and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) Helsinki Follow-Up

Meeting, Malta’s proposal that the CSCE declare itself the

regional arrangement in the sense of Chapter VIII of the

Charter was endorsed by the Helsinki Summit II. We think

that through similar arrangements at the regional levels,

peace-keeping operations may be more efficiently and

economically dealt with by countries which, because of their

regional obligations, can assume further responsibilities.

This trend has already been manifesting itself in recent

years, and one can only hope that it will be further applied

and consolidated.

We believe that the concept of collective security

depends on the evaluation of a number of factors. This must

necessarily be coupled with an ever-increasing acceptance by

nations that investment in collective security should in part

be substituted for expenditure on national security. Within

these parameters, it is essential that nations make forces

available for peace-keeping purposes and ensure that they

are adequately trained. Articles 43 and 45 of the Charter,

which have never yet been applied, must be examined to see

to what extent they respond to today’s needs.

The concept of human rights has to continue to prevail

in our discussions. Malta supports the proposal of having a

United Nations high commissioner for human rights.

We consider the recent establishment of the

International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons

Responsible for Serious Violations of International

Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former

Yugoslavia to be a pledge that heinous crimes against

humanity will not remain unpunished. However, we believe

that the establishment of an international criminal court with

jurisdiction to try crimes against humanity, war crimes,

international terrorism and global traffic in narcotics will

provide an institutional concept for dealing with the

international dimension of such offences.

In examining the institutional structure of the United

Nations, we are repeatedly struck by the continuing absence

of a capacity within the system to deal globally and

comprehensively with the multiple issues of development.

Over the last five decades the Bretton Woods

institutions have played a major role in the areas of money

and finance. However, a more significant relationship must

be built between the United Nations and these institutions.

The central capacity originally envisaged for the

Economic and Social Council to bring together the

underlying issues common to all the various facets of the

development debate has remained equally elusive. This

applies particularly with regard to entrenched disequilibrium,

to the availability and allocation of financial resources, to

technical assistance and to the far-reaching and often very

sensitive aspects of sustainable development.

Within the context of the concept of a secondgeneration United Nations we have made a proposal to

activate further and give an added role to the Trusteeship

Council. The Council has served the Organization in dealing

with Territories in its trust, most of which are today valid

Members of the United Nations. Its present diminished

relevance is in fact a reflection of its own success. Yet the

concept of trusteeship lies at the very core of the United

Nations.

We believe that the Trusteeship Council should hold in

trust for humanity areas affecting common concerns and

common heritage. It could have a monitoring function on the

protection of the environment, extraterritorial zones, climate

and - of paramount importance - the rights of future

generations. These we hold in trust for humanity, and the

Trusteeship Council can be the depositary.

Malta has always seen its active involvement and

participation at the regional level in Europe as an

indispensable dimension of its role as a member of the

international community. We have consistently defined our

objective of becoming a member of the European

Community as a logical and natural culmination of our

European vocation. This definition is rooted in Malta’s

political, social and economic realities, as they have been

shaped by our historical and cultural heritage.

Malta has also consistently played an active role in the

other European institutions which, together with the

European Community, have contributed to the formation of

a modern European consciousness. We see our role in the

Council of Europe and in the CSCE as an expression and

reinforcement of our deepest commitment to the dignity and

freedom of the individual in society. We attach equal

importance to the value of democratic principles and

parliamentary practices, respect for sovereignty and mutual

understanding between nations, respect for legality at both

national and international levels and the need for improved

international cooperation relating to both security and

development.

Forty-eighth session - 1 October l993 15

It is only natural that Malta attaches relevance to the

Mediterranean region, a region suffering the turmoil of

problems in its midst. The importance of having its

environment safeguarded, the relevance of its sea routes and

its strategic role in linking three continents are all factors

with consequences which go far beyond the boundaries of

the region. Aware of this, Malta has shown continued

interest and involvement in promoting Mediterranean

cooperation. We have supported the idea of a conference on

security and cooperation in the Mediterranean, and we have

proposed the establishment of a council for the

Mediterranean to be a forum for political, economic and

social dialogue for the region.

It was stimulating to hear President Clinton speak from

this podium of dreaming

"new dreams in this age when miracles seem possible".

(A/48/PV.4)

We all have our dreams for the future. Countries, large and

small, rich and poor, dream of a future based on the

betterment of peoples, international solidarity, mutual

understanding and peace - peace in freedom. We who have

the responsibility of guiding nations have to dream beyond

the confines of our States and start genuinely believing in

the brotherhood of man. We have to think that frontiers are

not barriers, but signposts leading to a break-up of longstanding prejudices and great divides.

In this age when miracles are possible, when man has

conquered space, let us dream of yet other miracles: that the

1.1 billion people living in extreme poverty will have their

daily bread; that the slaughter of the innocents, the tens of

thousands of children dying every day because of

malnutrition and lack of adequate medicine, will stop; that

the millions of refugees who wander from camp to camp,

uprooted from their milieu, will return to their homes; that

the billions and billions of dollars spent on weapons of

destruction will be dedicated to hospital research to

safeguard life; and that learning will be extended to all and

that the dignity of work will be denied to none.

These dreams of miracles can come true. They are not

just dreams. The political will of the international

community and the dedication of many people to this cause

can turn dreams into reality.

This is our agenda for peace. We can turn it into an

agenda for peoples.