Nicaragua, 1998

I would like, before

beginning my statement, to express my solidarity with the

peoples of the Caribbean nations who during the past few

days have been victims of hurricane Georges.

As well as warmly greeting all representatives, I

would like to express my very cordial congratulations to

Mr. Opertti on his election as President of the General

Assembly for its fifty-third session. This eminent position

not only represents well-deserved recognition of his

capability and experience, but is also a significant

distinction for Latin America.

Allow me also to express my appreciation to the

Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his vision and

efforts to promote deep reforms of the United Nations

system. Nicaragua gives its total support to these

important initiatives, which are aimed at strengthening

and promoting the Organization?s role in international

cooperation for sustainable development.

With regard to the Security Council, there are

grounds for concern over the postponements and absence

of concrete proposals from the Open-ended Working

Group on the Question of Equitable Representation on

and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council

and Other Matters Related to the Security Council. My

country shares the opinion that resolutions involving

amendments to the Charter must be approved by two

thirds of the members of the General Assembly.

The globalization of all spheres of life and

liberalization of the economy constitute a new challenge.

In this connection, we share the view of the Secretary-

General, expressed in his annual report, about the need to

reorient actions and efforts with a new vision that will

help countries carry out a satisfactory transition to the

globalized economy, which involves complex and

sensitive processes.

At the end of the twentieth century, the world is

facing profound changes that require innovative solutions

in order for humanity to move in such a direction that

science and technology can have a positive effect on the

development of countries. The historic transformation we

are living through has frequently increased the inequalities

between countries; we must therefore plan how to reduce

these negative effects.

In commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we reaffirm our

9

commitment to continue to work with all the means at our

disposal to promote and protect human rights. In Nicaragua

we are moving ahead with the consolidation of peace and

democracy based on full respect for human rights,

establishment of the rule of law, respect for the separation

of powers and the guarantee of individual liberties. At the

same time, we have taken important steps in order to reach

higher levels of economic development with social equity.

My Government is convinced that in order to reap

fruits we must plant seeds, human capital being one of the

best investments for integrated and sustainable

development. We have therefore made it a priority to raise

levels of education and extend its reach to all sectors.

Likewise, we are redirecting our efforts and resources to

maintain and improve social programmes for the protection

of individuals and families in great poverty. This, together

with dealing with unemployment, is our priority.

The Government?s social policies require healthy and

effective economic policies that ensure continuity along

with the necessary impetus for development. In this

connection, the Government?s general objective is to make

it possible for the private sector to create products and jobs

within a climate of stability, promoted by establishing clear,

reliable and transparent rules that apply equally to

everyone, as well as through dialogue and agreement, which

are the cornerstones of governability and harmony. In this

context, strengthening the integrated system for procuring

and administering justice is essential. This includes the

sensitive area of security for individuals and their property.

The macroeconomic transformations that we have

undertaken include significant reforms in the taxation and

financial system, as well as important measures to protect

the environment, creating an awareness of the need to

utilize rationally our natural wealth. These initiatives have

been supported by the international community, and in this

connection it is appropriate to recognize the assistance

received from the United Nations Development Programme

for many endeavours — especially its support, in

coordination with civil society and non-governmental

organizations, for the National Commission for Sustainable

Development.

Nicaragua hopes that at the next Conference of the

Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change, to be held in Buenos Aires in November

this year, there will be recognition of the environmental

protection work done by the developing countries in

designating important expanses of their territories as

protected areas. Likewise, we hope that mechanisms for

clean development to facilitate the reduction of

greenhouse gases will be adopted.

At the end of this millennium the battle against the

production, trafficking in and use of drugs continues to be

one of the greatest challenges to humanity. My country

expresses its satisfaction at the results achieved during the

special session of the General Assembly devoted to this

important subject. Similarly, we are participating actively

in the negotiation and signing of the Inter-American

Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and

Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and

Other Related Materials, approved on 13 November 1997

by the Organization of American States.

We consider international terrorism and other forms

of organized crime to be terrible scourges of our societies.

We condemn all terrorist acts and reassert our conviction

that they require firm and severe responses. We are in

solidarity with the victims of these actions and support

every initiative to increase international cooperation in

confronting these inhuman, cruel and unlawful activities

that affect the security of our States.

We repeat that the role of my Government is that of

facilitator and promoter. We are firm believers in the free

market economy, with a humanistic sensibility and social

justice. We believe with the same pragmatic conviction in

globalization and in the broadest and most active

international relations, without exception.

Globalization is not a panacea per se, although it is

an exceptional opportunity if prudent and realistic

measures are envisaged and taken. These must also be

imaginative and audacious, without neglecting the

palliatives that mitigate and cushion the rigours of the

first phases of adjustment and opening up.

There is no doubt that globalization will promote

unity at the international level. Nevertheless, we should

not underestimate the whirlwind forces that could cause

irreparable internal ruptures should the less-favoured

majority sectors — which are precisely those that demand

our priority attention to their urgent vital needs — be

sacrificed to gain time and avoid difficulties. Moreover,

the vulnerability to which smaller economies are exposed

in the face of crisis — such as that of the financial

markets currently casting a shadow over the world

economy — cannot be avoided.

In the first 18 months of my Administration, we have

had the highest rate of economic growth in Central

America: 5 per cent in 1997 and an estimated rate of

slightly over 6 per cent for the current year. Within these

indicators, the increase in the agricultural sector is 60 per

cent. At the same time, we have created 170,000 new

productive jobs, with a goal of 500,000 contemplated for

the five-year term of 1997-2001 for which I was elected

President. In 1997, we brought inflation down to an annual

level of 7 per cent.

Our economic policy has received the backing of the

international community, represented by over 40 countries

and multilateral organizations. After Nicaragua reached an

agreement with the International Monetary Fund, in

Geneva, Switzerland, in April of this year, on a new

programme for an enhanced structural adjustment facility

(ESAF), these supporters won us $1.8 billion over the next

three years. Furthermore, upon the completion of the ESAF

programme, we would be forgiven up to 80 per cent of the

large external debt inherited from the past, within the

concessionary programme of the Heavily Indebted Poor

Countries Debt Initiative. These signs appear to indicate

that, given the steps we are taking and the enormous

sacrifices we are making, the time-frame for our becoming

creditors to these facilities could be shortened.

We have turned to the international community,

calling on it from its highest forum to continue to support

us in our daily and difficult battle to get ahead, leaving

behind a dark past of destruction and violence which we

have been slowly overcoming with the combined efforts of

all, guided by a sincere spirit of reconciliation based on

forgiveness and forgetting. The exhausting legacy of that

past is the burden of a gigantic foreign debt of

approximately $12.5 billion and a devastated economy,

which, within the space of a few years, was set back

dramatically by more than 50 years. We seek understanding

and help to achieve forgiveness of our stifling external debt

as soon as possible.

We must bear in mind that the United Nations, as a

supranational body that coordinates and harmonizes the

world?s efforts in many areas, is the most important and

pluralistic forum in which the opinions of all States are

freely expressed and the most important decisions taken

within the framework of world politics. Nevertheless, we

note once again, with great sadness, the absence of the

sister Republic of China, which, as we all know, was a

founding Member of the United Nations in 1945.

The international community is aware that the

Republic of China respects the principles that govern the

United Nations Charter, particularly its mission of peace

and broad and generous international cooperation. The

denial of the right of a people to be recognized and

accorded full and effective participation misrepresents and

contradicts the noble spirit of the universal mission of this

Organization and constitutes a painful collective violation

of the human rights of more than 21 million people.

We therefore call once again on the nations of the

world to reconsider resolution 2758 (XXVI), which so

unjustly excludes the Republic of China, with a view to

restoring its right to participate in all the activities of the

United Nations.

We are certain, Sir, that under your enlightened

guidance, we will achieve concrete results on the delicate

points on our agenda that will undoubtedly help our

peoples and Governments in a very positive and tangible

way to achieve the widest and most satisfactory shared

benefits.