Myanmar, 2004

Allow me, first of all,

to congratulate the President on his assumption of the

presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth

session. I am fully confident that his wisdom and

diplomatic skills will guide our deliberations to a

fruitful outcome. I would also like to take this

opportunity to convey my appreciation to Mr. Julian

Hunte for his able leadership and contributions to the

success of the previous session. My delegation would

also like to pay tribute to the Secretary-General for his

selfless dedication to the cause of the United Nations.

The world today faces many daunting challenges.

Most ominous and threatening among them are issues

related to peace and security. Under those

circumstances, it is worth recalling the Five Principles

of Peaceful Coexistence, which were enunciated 50

years ago by Myanmar, along with China and India, to

provide the basic principles for inter-State relations.

The Principles were subsequently adopted by Asian

and African leaders in the Bandung Declaration of

1955. The 1961 Belgrade Conference of the Non-

Aligned Movement also adopted the Principles as basic

tenets of the Movement. The United Nations itself

endorsed the Principles. Founded on the premise of the

essential unity of humankind, the Five Principles

remain as relevant and valid today as on the day they

were proclaimed.

Myanmar considers the United Nations, which

represents international legitimacy and near-universal

membership, as the sole multilateral forum for

addressing urgent global issues. Recent events remind

us of the futility of unilateralism and the danger of

resorting to the use of force without the authorization

of the United Nations.

Threats to the international system and the

rapidly evolving international situation demand a

thorough reform of the Organization and its

mechanisms, structure and working methods. In that

context, we would like to reiterate our views on the

reform of the Organization, including that of the

Security Council. The expansion and reform of the

Security Council must be an integral part of a common

package. If it is to become more representative and

reflect contemporary political and economic realities,

the Council should be expanded in both categories of

membership. An ideal solution in the democratization

process would be the abolition of the veto. Until that is

done, its application should be limited. It is also our

view that new permanent members of the Security

Council should enjoy the same rights and privileges as

current members.

Myanmar notes with interest the ongoing work of

the Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Threats,

Challenges and Change.

In this highly globalized world, regional

cooperation, including South-South cooperation, can

well complement international cooperation. As a

member of the Association of South-East Asian

Nations, Myanmar is actively involved in the

Association’s activities aimed at promoting regional

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peace, stability and prosperity and at enhancing

cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

Terrorism is one of the most serious challenges

that the world faces today. It threatens national

sovereignty and violates human rights, including the

right to life. Last year, terrorists carried their war to the

doorstep of the United Nations. They cruelly

extinguished the lives of 22 innocent persons,

including that of Special Representative Sergio Vieira

de Mello, at United Nations headquarters in Baghdad.

More recently, we have seen wanton acts of terrorism

in diverse parts of the world, from Beslan to Jakarta to

Madrid. Myanmar unequivocally condemns terrorism

in all its forms and manifestations and joins the

international community in calling for concerted action

to combat the menace in accordance with the United

Nations Charter and international law.

We have never permitted the use of our territory

for hostile acts against any State. We have neither

provided assistance to those involved in terrorist acts

nor safe haven to them, and we never will.

Myanmar is doing its utmost to combat this

menace at the national, regional and international

levels. Myanmar has signed, or acceded to, 11 of the 12

international legal instruments related to the

suppression of terrorism. It is also actively involved in

the Bali Process to combat transnational crime,

including international terrorism.

The illicit trafficking in drugs is another

challenge that is closely linked to other transnational

crimes. Success in the war against drugs will contribute

to a successful outcome in the fight against

transnational crime. Myanmar accords topmost priority

to the suppression and eradication of narcotic drugs. A

15-year national plan is targeted at the eradication of

narcotic drugs in the country by the year 2014. In the

last decade, Myanmar seized and destroyed drugs

valued at more than $14.5 billion.

Figures from the United States Drug Enforcement

Administration show that over a span of eight years,

from 1996 to 2003, poppy cultivation declined steadily,

by 71 per cent, while opium production decreased by

81 per cent. The United Nations Office on Drugs and

Crime has acknowledged Myanmar’s commitment to

the anti-drug campaign.

In recent years the problem of synthetic drugs has

also surfaced. The illicit drugs chain begins with

inadequate control of the trade in precursor chemicals.

It bears repetition that my country does not produce

precursor chemicals used in the production of narcotic

drugs. We would like to urge countries that produce

precursor chemicals to institute effective regulatory

controls. Without precursor chemicals there can be no

amphetamine-type synthetic drugs.

Myanmar is determined in its fight against drugs.

It has established bilateral, trilateral, regional and

multilateral cooperation to rid the world of this

scourge.

Some Western countries allege that Myanmar is

not adequately addressing the issue of trafficking in

persons. Nothing could be further from the truth. In

fact, Myanmar views trafficking in persons as an evil

that must be suppressed through concerted action. In

that connection, Myanmar acceded to the United

Nations Convention against Transnational Organized

Crime on 30 March of this year. A national law against

human trafficking is being drafted in accordance with

that Convention. Next month, Myanmar will host the

meeting of the six-nation Coordinated Mekong

Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking.

Allegations of human rights violations in

Myanmar are aimed at discrediting the Government for

political purposes. Myanmar believes that the question

of human rights is an important issue. It should be

addressed with objectivity and impartiality, and

without selectivity. Myanmar has consistently

cooperated with the United Nations on human rights

issues. In that context, a national Human Rights

Committee has already been established and human

rights awareness is being introduced in school curricula

nationwide, as well as through workshops.

An interview conducted by a politically

motivated non-governmental organization with 25 or

so insurgents inside a neighbouring country became the

basis of a report that there are 70,000 child soldiers in

the Myanmar national armed forces. That is a far-

fetched conclusion. The falsehood found its way into

the report of the Secretary-General on children and

armed conflict in 2002 (S/2002/1299). The report

subsequently became the resource document in the

Security Council’s ensuing thematic debate on children

and armed conflict.

I wish, first of all, to firmly reiterate that

Myanmar is not a nation in armed conflict. It is a

nation at peace. Secondly, I wish to clearly state that

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children not permitted to be recruited into the armed

services in Myanmar, either by law or in practice. A

preventive programme was in place in my country even

before Security Council resolutions were adopted on

this theme. In that regard, the Chairman of our

Committee on the Prevention of the Recruitment of

Child Soldiers recently received the United Nations

Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Myanmar

to explore ways and means to enhance cooperation.

The representative was afforded the opportunity to visit

the army recruitment centre near Yangon, and

subsequently the army recruitment centre in Mandalay

together with the United Nations Resident Coordinator.

Myanmar is finalizing an action plan and is

cooperating with UNICEF in that regard. It will also

continue its cooperation with the Special

Representative of the Secretary-General for Children

and Armed Conflict.

Allow me to turn to developments in my country.

Peace and stability have been restored. We are taking

steps to ensure a smooth transition to a peaceful,

democratic modern State. Myanmar places the highest

priority on national reconciliation to achieve unity

among its 135 national races. In order to strengthen ties

and promote the economic and social development of

the national races inhabiting the border areas, the

Government has expended 58 billion kyats and more

than $550 million in infrastructure development that

includes communication networks and education and

health facilities, thus promoting the quality of life of

those citizens.

Notwithstanding the unilateral sanctions of some

Western countries, Myanmar has been able to develop

its economy and promote the well-being of its people.

We have achieved this by relying mainly on our own

resources, and with the assistance and cooperation of

our neighbours.

Noteworthy advances have been made in the

health and education sectors. The country now has 757

hospitals, with 140 hospitals having been added in the

last 15 years. In the past year alone, 22 new hospitals

were commissioned. Over the same period, the number

of colleges and universities in the country has

increased from 32 to 154. Enrolment has risen

dramatically in those institutions, from 120,000 to

890,000 students.

The President returned to the Chair.

Allow me now to turn to recent political

developments in my country. In August 2003, the

Prime Minister, General Khin Nyunt, announced a

seven-step road map for transition to democracy. The

road map has been well received in the country, as well

as by our neighbours. The Association of Southeast

Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit last November

welcomed the commitment of the Myanmar

Government to effect a transition to democracy.

The first and most crucial step of the road map,

the reconvening of the National Convention, was taken

on 17 May of this year. The current Convention is

being attended by 1,088 delegates from eight strata,

representing all walks of life. It is more inclusive than

the previous Convention, which was attended by only

about 700 delegates.

Moreover, 60 per cent of the delegates to the

current Convention are from the national races. Over

100 delegates represent 17 major armed groups and 17

smaller armed groups, which have returned to the legal

fold. In the previous Convention, representatives of

three or four armed groups which had just returned to

the legal fold were present as observers.

During the first session, the sensitive issue of

power-sharing between the central Government and the

states and regions was the main focus of discussion.

Indeed, power-sharing is a vital and delicate issue, as

the country is now evolving from a unitary

Government structure to a union structure, where states

and regions will have their own executive and

legislative bodies. Delegates held extensive discussions

on that issue. Because of the complex and sensitive

nature of the deliberations, discussions were time-

consuming and sometimes intense. After a successful

first session, the Convention adjourned on 9 July.

Myanmar is a union of 135 national races, and

unity is key to achieving our vision of a prosperous

democratic State. We are greatly encouraged by the

results of the first session. The common desire to

ensure the success of the seven-step road map was

evident. Preparations are under way for the second

session, which is to be convened in the forthcoming

open season. Once agreement is reached on the

fundamental principles in the National Convention, a

new constitution will be drafted. The draft text will be

put to a referendum for the people of Myanmar to

decide upon. After the adoption of the new

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constitution, there will be free and fair elections, in

which the people will elect leaders of their choice.

The new political structure needs to be strong and

resilient, and the country united. The future of the

nation cannot be determined by one individual or one

party acting alone. There is no alternative to the

National Convention. It is the sole process through

which the aspirations of the people of Myanmar to

establish a modern and democratic nation can be

fulfilled. We cannot allow the National Convention to

be derailed under any circumstances. Failure would

plunge the nation into the abyss of anarchy. That is the

reason why we set such store on the successful

outcome of the National Convention. We are

determined that this vital national endeavour will be

crowned with success.