Norway, 1994

It is an honour for me to

congratulate you, Mr. President, on your election to your

high office.

As the United Nations approaches its fiftieth

anniversary, its global agenda is more comprehensive than

ever before. Norway welcomes this. We need and

support an even stronger United Nations role in the

peaceful settlement of disputes; preventive diplomacy and

peace-keeping; the advocacy of human rights, including

women’s rights; and humanitarian aid, sustainable

development and environmental protection. We wish to

see this forty-ninth session of the General Assembly make

tangible contributions towards improving the

Organization’s performance in all these important areas.

As we assemble this year, we can look back on

concrete results in several areas following years of strong

United Nations involvement. In particular, it is with deep

satisfaction that we now welcome the newly elected

Government of South Africa to this year’s session of the

General Assembly. This is a historic moment, both for

South Africa and for the United Nations. I would like to

take this opportunity to pay tribute to the South African

people. They have put a painful past behind them and

have charted a new course.

Without the strong support of the United Nations,

the democratization process in South Africa would

undoubtedly have been slower. Norway’s political and

economic support for the democratic forces dates back to

the 1960s and 1970s. We will continue to support the

South African people by working with the democratically

elected Government. A democratic, prosperous South

Africa will have a positive impact on the whole African

continent. Common security and cooperation can now

replace front lines and confrontation. We hope that South

Africa will be in a position to contribute substantially to

conflict-resolution and peace-keeping.

16

The historic developments in South Africa have been

paralleled in the peace process in the Middle East. Two

weeks ago we observed the anniversary of the signing by

Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) of

the Declaration of Principles, following talks in Oslo.

During the past year the peace process has been further

consolidated. It was a source of great satisfaction to us

that, one year to the day after the signing, and once again

in Oslo, the parties were able to iron out certain differences

which had been obstructing the peace process. I would like

to compliment both Israel and the PLO on their

determination to follow through on the commitments they

have made.

However, the commitment of the parties alone is not

enough. The international community must shoulder its

responsibilities, and I appeal urgently to Member States for

contributions, especially to meet the short-term needs of the

Palestinian Authority. In our capacity as Chair of the Ad

Hoc Liaison Committee, we shall continue to work both

with donor countries and with the parties themselves to

ensure that the peace dividend benefits Palestinians in their

daily lives.

In our view, the United Nations should take on new

responsibilities with respect to channelling economic

assistance to the Palestinians, especially to the Palestinian

police force. The General Assembly must also address the

new relationship that has developed between Israel and the

Palestinians. Our deliberations and decisions on Middle

East matters must reflect the new reality created by the

parties themselves.

In Guatemala the peace process has now reached a

turning point. The very active and constructive role played

by the United Nations has led to significant advances at the

negotiating table this year. Norway, as a member of the

Group of Friends, would like to commend the Government

of Guatemala, the URNG and the Guatemalan people on

the important agreements signed in Puebla and in Oslo.

We now urge the parties to keep up the momentum of the

negotiating process. Norway will contribute to the human

rights verification Mission to Guatemala. It is our hope

that this Mission will encourage the parties to resume the

peace negotiations without further delay.

In the former Yugoslavia the tragedy continues. Yet

another chapter in the endless human suffering caused by

the war is unfolding. Thousands of Muslims are being

forced to leave their homes in Serb-held territory in

north-eastern Bosnia, adding to the countless numbers from

all groups that have been displaced during this conflict.

Reports tell us of detention, rape and plunder. We appeal

to the parties to the conflict to stop this senseless

brutality, and we welcome last week’s Security Council

resolution which strongly condemns this practice. While

we continue to press for a political settlement, we must

keep up the humanitarian relief efforts for the victims of

this meaningless conflict.

A lasting peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be

achieved only by political means, not by military force.

The Contact Group’s proposal has our full support,and the

Bosnian Serbs must be persuaded to accept this package

deal. The decision made by the authorities of the Federal

Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) to sever

all political and economic ties with the Bosnian Serbs is

a step in the right direction. We welcome the initiative

taken by the co-chairmen, Lord Owen and Thorvald

Stoltenberg, to deploy an international mission on the

border between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

(Serbia and Montenegro) and the Republic of Bosnia and

Herzegovina. Norway has already contributed personnel

and is also involved in the logistics of this operation.

Security Council resolution 943 (1994) of 23 September

1994 on sanctions demonstrates, therefore, the resolve of

the international community to press for a political

settlement.

As we press for negotiated solutions both in Bosnia

and Herzegovina and in Croatia, it is also incumbent on

the outside world to do nothing that can prolong the

conflict or cause it to escalate. The flow of arms into the

former Yugoslavia must be halted. The arms embargo

must not be lifted now, for this could have unforeseeable

consequences and would certainly endanger the

UNPROFOR troops and jeopardize humanitarian relief

efforts.

Peace-keeping activities constitute the most

important tool at the disposal of the United Nations for

resolving conflicts and promoting peace. Norway

advocates strengthening such functions. As Member

States, we must be willing to enable the United Nations

to do in the field what we profess to support in the

conference rooms. Nearly 1 per cent of the entire

Norwegian population has participated in peace-keeping

operations.

It is important that the Organization’s capability of

conducting peace-keeping operations be continuously

enhanced. At last year’s session of the General

Assembly, the Nordic countries presented an initiative to

strengthen United Nations command and control

17

capabilities in peace-keeping operations. I feel encouraged

by the progress made on various related issues during the

last 12 months. However, there is room for further

improvement. These matters should be treated with some

urgency.

Proper communication between the Security Council

and the troop-contributing countries is particularly

important. While we acknowledge the improvements

already made in this respect, we still feel that further

progress is needed. I propose that regular consultations and

information-sharing be instituted between members of the

Security Council, the troop-contributing countries and the

Secretariat of the United Nations.

A new role for regional organizations in conflict

resolution and securing peace is emerging, not only in

Europe but also in other parts of the world. In Europe the

European Union is playing an increasingly important role

as it develops its political and economic contacts in an

all-European context. Nothing could be more worthwhile

than transforming Europe, the cradle of two world wars,

into a continent with a solid framework of political,

economic, social and cultural cooperation across the old

divides. Hence, the European Union is shaping the future

of Europe in a significant manner - and is indeed also

making important contributions in a global perspective.

These are two major reasons why Norway is seeking

membership in the European Union.

Regional organizations should take on more

responsibility for peace-keeping in the future. Nevertheless,

we must not confuse the growing need for regional action

with the fundamental role of the Security Council as the

main guardian of international peace and security.

Nowhere have peace and security been more

systematically set aside during the last year than in Africa.

The genocide we have witnessed in Rwanda has shocked

the entire world, and has brutally reminded us of the

horrifying behaviour such conflicts may generate. We are

deeply committed to the principle that those charged with

crimes against humanity must be brought to trial.

More than ever, Africa needs our support to overcome

the prevailing crises. I welcome the increasingly important

role played by the Organization of African Unity. Norway

stands ready to support regional processes to encourage

closer cooperation among African nations with a view to

accelerating economic growth and democratization.

Social and economic problems are closely linked to

conflict and unrest. A global perspective is needed if

solutions are to be found and progress made. No other

organization has the potential of the United Nations to

provide such a perspective. Development-related

economic and social issues must remain high on the

United Nations agenda. I therefore welcome the

Secretary-General’s preliminary report on an Agenda for

Development. The five dimensions of development

singled out in the report provide a useful framework for

thought as well as action. Peace, economic growth, the

environment, justice and democracy are indeed the key

parameters in our common drive towards a better world

for all.

We are now looking forward to the Secretary-

General’s supplementary report, which we hope will

initiate a debate on the appropriate role of the United

Nations in global efforts for development, based on the

comparative advantages of the Organization.

The International Conference on Population and

Development in Cairo will be looked upon as a turning

point in the history of population policy as it relates to

social development and women’s rights. The conclusions

will have a wide-ranging impact on democracy-building,

educational policies, health-care programmes and the

status of women. Both that Conference and next year’s

World Summit for Social Development and the Fourth

World Conference on the Status of Women represent

milestones in the effort to renew our commitment to

fulfilling basic human needs.

At the United Nations Conference on Environment

and Development in 1992, we pledged to commit

ourselves to fulfilling the challenges of Agenda 21.

These include strengthening efforts to change present

unsustainable patterns of consumption and production,

particularly in the industrialized world. I should like to

emphasize the importance of this issue. Norway will

continue to promote the efforts of the Commission on

Sustainable Development in this respect.

Over the years, the United Nations has taken on an

increasingly important role in the field of human rights.

For us, this remains a high-priority issue. The close link

between democracy, human rights and development has

been brought home to us once again by the tragedy of

Haiti. Norway fully supports Security Council resolution

940 (1994) and will contribute to restoring democracy and

human rights in the troubled country of Haiti.

18

The establishment of the post of High Commissioner

for Human Rights was warmly welcomed by the Norwegian

Government. All countries must now cooperate fully with

the new High Commissioner. Regrettably, the past year has

once again seen unacceptable violations of human rights in

many countries, resulting in untold human suffering. We

urge all States to ensure that minimum standards for the

protection of basic human rights are observed at all times,

even during internal conflicts and disturbances.

Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right.

My Government remains deeply concerned by the continued

threat voiced against Salman Rushdie and all those

associated with his works. We repeat our call to the

Iranian authorities to remove this extra-territorial and

intolerable threat.

For years disarmament and arms control have been

central to our deliberations. Today we are facing new

challenges in this field. The need for a comprehensive ban

on all nuclear testing is indeed a top priority issue. We

expect all nuclear Powers to refrain from testing during the

ongoing negotiations. Substantial results should be

achieved before the 1995 Non-Proliferation Treaty

Conference. This would facilitate the indefinite and

unconditional extension of the Treaty, which is another item

of the utmost importance on our arms control agenda.

The increased risk of proliferation of weapons of mass

destruction, of nuclear and chemical material, associated

technology and means of delivery is a major security

challenge that we must take steps to eliminate. The recent

attempts to conduct an illegal trade in nuclear material are

alarming and demand immediate action.

Increasingly, our security is threatened by the

enormous deposits of nuclear waste on land and at sea. We

must do everything within our power to counter this risk.

The Nordic countries and Russia are planning an

international conference on nuclear waste management, in

cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency

(IAEA). In order to deal with these problems, substantial

financial and technological resources will be required. To

this end, Norway has proposed the establishment of an

international action plan for nuclear waste management,

matched by an international fund similar to the nuclear

safety account in the European Bank for Reconstruction and

Development. We call upon the international community

to mobilize the resources necessary to deal effectively with

these problems.

Before concluding, I would like to draw attention to

a matter of great concern to Norway: the necessity to

ensure a rational, responsible exploitation of marine

resources. This should indeed be a matter of importance

to all countries, whether they are coastal States or

landlocked. Norway is deeply concerned by the

increasing problem of excessive exploitation of straddling

and highly migratory fish stocks through unregulated

fishing on the high seas. The effectiveness of

conservation measures is thus being eroded, and the

recovery of stocks is being halted or even reversed by

States claiming free access to such stocks. The situation

calls for urgent and effective legally-binding measures to

counter the threat to important fish stocks and the coastal

communities directly dependent on them. Therefore, the

outcome of the United Nations Conference on Straddling

Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks will be

crucial in this respect. All of us, coastal and fishing

States alike, share the responsibility for ensuring that the

Conference succeeds in establishing a solid foundation for

the long-term conservation and sustainable use of these

fish stocks.

In closing, I would like to emphasize the

fundamental importance of a sound financial basis for the

United Nations to perform its work. It is incumbent on

all of us to do what we can in this respect. As we

approach next year’s anniversary, we owe it to the

founders to ensure that the Organization they created -

our most important custodian of international peace and

global security - is in the possession of the necessary

means to discharge all its obligations.