Papua New Guinea, 1997

On behalf of the

people and Government of Papua New Guinea, I wish to

join previous speakers in conveying our felicitations to you,

Sir, on your election to the presidency of the fifty-second

session of the General Assembly. The Papua New Guinea

delegation is confident that you will guide this session to a

successful conclusion.

May I also take this opportunity to express my sincere

gratitude to your predecessor, His Excellency Ambassador

Razali Ismail of Malaysia, for his energetic, visionary and

outstanding stewardship in facilitating the work of the fifty-

first session of the General Assembly.

At the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations,

world leaders reaffirmed their resolute commitment to

uphold the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter

of the United Nations. They pledged their support for the

pivotal role of the United Nations in building international

cooperation and partnership in development and in

engendering trust and confidence among nations and

peoples in order to foster world peace and security.

No human institution is perfect, and the United

Nations is no exception. It has nonetheless withstood the

test of time. The shortcomings of our collective

endeavours have necessitated efforts for constructive

reform and measures directed at strengthening and

reinvigorating the United Nations, our paramount

Organization.

Papua New Guinea has always believed, and

continues to believe, in the utility of the United Nations,

and in this context commends the Secretary-General, His

Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, for his bold initiative in

proposing for our consideration a comprehensive reform

package aimed at making the United Nations more

responsive to the changing international situation.

In his proposal, the Secretary-General emphasized

that the principal objective of the reform is not only to

make the United Nations efficient and effective but also

to improve its delivery system and operational coherency

through management innovations. Papua New Guinea

fully supports these principal objectives of the proposed

reform package. The overall direction of reform should

and must be tailored towards strengthening the United

Nations system in order to better serve the needs and

aspirations of its Members. It makes eminent sense for us

to move from merely debating issues to determining

practical steps and strategies that would make our

Organization more responsive and capable of meeting the

ever-changing challenges of globalization and

modernization as we enter the next century.

These changes are necessary to enhance public

confidence in the United Nations and to improve its

capacity to build partnership between Governments and

civil society. This will enable the Organization to meet the

daunting challenges of economic development faced by our

global community and those posed by the political and

ideological differences afflicting nations today.

The proposed reforms stem in part from the need to

ensure the operational viability and sustainability of the

activities of the United Nations. Papua New Guinea is fully

aware of the predicament of the United Nations — starved

of much needed financial resources for its operations to the

point of being insolvent. We cannot allow such a situation

to persist.

We agree with and applaud the role of the

Organization in development — in framing structures and

policies that will enhance the technological capacities of

developing countries and improve their effective

participation in international markets, including their access

to credit and their ability to acquire information

technologies.

Regarding priorities, Papua New Guinea is gravely

concerned at the lack of full implementation of a number of

initiatives and programmes undertaken by the United

Nations, in particular with respect to such critical areas as

the empowerment of women, child care, the protection of

our global environment, poverty eradication and sustainable

development.

It is critical to be aware that organizational reform

alone cannot guarantee the effective delivery of services.

The United Nations needs more than bureaucratic and

technocratic innovations. It needs our concerted action. It is

therefore imperative that we as Members commit ourselves

to encouraging the development of genuine partnerships and

seriously take urgent and practical measures to remove the

obstacles and barriers that exist between developed and

developing countries.

In addition to its traditional role in the maintenance of

peace and security, this paramount international body must

be equipped and strengthened to do more in framing

international treaties and standards and in encouraging

international norms and practices that will bring about

equitable economic development and social justice for all

peoples. Equity and justice in all spheres of development

should be our ultimate objective.

Consistent with the reform process, we see merit and

value in revising the regional groupings within the context

of the United Nations to reflect present geopolitical

realities. In this regard, we support the calls made by

New Zealand and others in the South Pacific region for

the consideration of their inclusion in the Asia-Pacific

grouping.

I now turn to the question of the reform of the

Security Council, which is an important decision-making

organ of the United Nations on global security concerns.

As a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, Papua New

Guinea fully supports the declaration adopted by the non-

aligned Ministers at the twelfth Ministerial Conference of

the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries — held in New

Delhi, India, in April 1997 — and reaffirmed more

recently in New York on 26 September last. The

composition and modus operandi of the Security Council

must reflect the changes that have taken place since its

formative years, and, more importantly, must mirror

current geopolitical and economic realities.

Papua New Guinea believes that the reform and

expansion of the Security Council should be guided by

the principle of the sovereign equality of States and

equitable geographical distribution. It should also take

into consideration the need for transparency,

accountability and democratization of the working

methods and procedures of the Security Council,

including its decision-making processes.

The reform of the Security Council should be

comprehensive and based on universal values in order to

enhance its legitimacy. More importantly, the reformed

Security Council should allow for equitable representation

by developing countries. On the question of permanent

membership, we reiterate our position on the inclusion of

Japan and Germany from the industrialized States and

also support the fair representation of developing

countries as additional permanent members, particularly

those that have the capacity and ability to contribute to

world affairs.

Papua New Guinea strongly supports the view that

there should be no distinction in terms of the privileges

accorded to permanent members, particularly in relation

to the exercise of the veto power. In other words, all

permanent members of a reformed Security Council

should enjoy the same privileges so as to maintain

geopolitical equity and balance.

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It is indeed ironic to note in this Assembly the

contradictory positions of some of our members, who

purport to be champions and defenders of human rights

issues and yet continue to maintain colonial situations that

directly deny genuine democratic representation and the

rights of people to govern themselves in a manner

consistent with their political aspirations.

Having achieved decolonization in many parts of the

globe — of which the United Nations can be proud — we

would be failing in our noble duty if we were to ignore the

concerns and aspirations of the peoples of the remaining 17

Non-Self-Governing Territories, some of them in the South

Pacific, which are still struggling to establish their own

political autonomy, and even to exercise their right of self-

determination. Given the importance we attach to this issue,

Papua New Guinea is gravely concerned that recent

initiatives in relation to the United Nations programme on

decolonization have seriously eroded the importance of the

political essence of that programme and have impacted

negatively on it. We hope that this anomaly can be resolved

quickly and amicably.

Papua New Guinea wishes to recall that many of us

represented here would not have taken our place in this

forum had we not been allowed the opportunity to exercise

that right. We therefore urge this body to adopt a more

serious and aggressive approach to the implementation of

the decolonization programme of the United Nations. At the

recent meeting of the South Pacific Forum in Rarotonga,

Cook Islands, the States members of the South Pacific

Forum reaffirmed their support for the decolonization

process.

The Non-Self-Governing Territory of New Caledonia

continues to be of great interest to the South Pacific Forum,

and we have over the years followed developments there in

relation to the Matignon Accords. Early this year we

mounted, with the help of the Government of France and

the authorities in New Caledonia, a Forum ministerial

mission to the Territory. We are pleased to note that all

parties to the Matignon Accords appear to be satisfied with

the progress made in implementing the Accords. Papua

New Guinea continues to recognize the right of the people

of New Caledonia to self-determination and urges all

parties in the Territory to maintain their commitment to

reaching a negotiated solution as a successor arrangement

to the 1988 Matignon Accords. This negotiated successor

solution must take into account the wishes of all

communities, including concerns on the changing

demographic composition of New Caledonia.

The economic prosperity and political developments

and changes in the Asia-Pacific region continue to be of

interest to Papua New Guinea. As a special observer of

the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN),

we were heartened by the initiatives taken by ASEAN

leaders to bring the belligerent parties in Cambodia to the

table for urgent negotiations for peace and security. It is

our hope that the people of that ancient civilization will

return to their daily lives in a peaceful and secure

environment once more.

The ongoing difficulties in the Korean peninsula and

the competing territorial claims in the South China Sea

continue to concern my Government, because they all

have a bearing on the overall maintenance of regional and

international security, as well as on other forms of

cooperation.

While we do not understate the importance and

value of our diplomatic relations with the People’s

Republic of China, we have, however, on a number of

occasions urged both Beijing and Taipei to resolve their

fundamental differences with the aim of maintaining an

amicable coexistence.

In view of the changing international climate

characterized by global interdependence, it is important

for all peace-loving States to make every effort to

minimize areas of hostility that could seriously undermine

international peace and security. The United Nations

therefore has an obligation to assist in maintaining a

secure global environment in which economic growth and

other forms of development can continue to thrive for the

benefit and common good of all peoples of the world.

In its efforts to attain economic prosperity, Papua

New Guinea has had to engage all economic entities in

our trade and commercial relations. Consistent with our

obligation to assure our people of a better future, we

intend to expand our economic ties with trading partners

that have demonstrated their willingness to assist without

our having to compromise various aspects of our existing

relations with our partners.

It is in this regard that we recognize Taiwan as a

dynamic economy and trading partner without

compromising our one-China policy. Since Taiwan

participates in such organizations as the Asian

Development Bank, the Asia-Pacific Economic

Cooperation Council, the World Trade Organization and

the South Pacific Forum as a dialogue partner, I cannot

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see any reason why we should not deal directly with

Taiwan on trade and economic matters.

The world has witnessed once again the derailment of

the peace process in the Middle East. We call on the

leaders of both Israel and Palestine to cooperate with

United Nations efforts to reach an amicable solution to

avert further violence, and to focus on the path to peace.

Papua New Guinea strongly believes that the rights of the

Palestinian people over their homeland and their freedom to

establish their own Government and identity are paramount

among the conditions that could lead to enduring peace.

We are encouraged to see positive signs of

appeasement in Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic

Republic of the Congo. Nevertheless, given the tense

situation that exists in that region, we urge those in

positions of authority, including all leaders in that part of

the world, to resolve their differences peacefully to prevent

further bloodshed. In this context, we are heartened to see

the Organization of African Unity playing a critical role in

the endeavour to bring about peace and stability in the

Great Lakes region. The crisis in Sierra Leone needs urgent

attention, and we join the Secretary-General’s call to the

leaders of the military junta and support his continuing

efforts to encourage them to respect the rule of law and

make every effort to restore democracy in that country.

On the regional front, Papua New Guinea is taking a

major initiative in setting up the Asia-Pacific Economic

Cooperation Council (APEC) regional centre in Port

Moresby. We would like to offer our gratitude for the

support given by the States members of the South Pacific

Forum in our efforts to set up this centre. The objective of

the APEC centre is to assist in the area of capacity-building

in the economies of 13 small island developing States in

our region as we prepare to meet the challenges of

globalization and liberalization. We are also grateful for the

support provided by the United Nations Development

Programme.

At the recent summit of the Heads of the South

Pacific Forum countries, the leaders reaffirmed our

commitment to maintaining a nuclear-free zone in the South

Pacific consistent with the overall objectives of the Treaty

on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. We

welcomed the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-

Ban Treaty and reiterated our support for banning the

transboundary movement of radioactive and other hazardous

wastes in the region, and in particular for the Vienna

Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage and the

draft Convention on Supplementary Funding.

In this context, we welcome the ratification by the

United Kingdom of the protocols to the South Pacific

Nuclear-Free Zone Treaty, known as the Treaty of

Rarotonga. We are still hopeful that the United States of

America will do likewise, and call upon it to do so at the

earliest possible opportunity.

At the last session of the General Assembly, we

sought and forged new agreements, including our

relationship with the Organization for the Prohibition of

Chemical Weapons. We also expressed our support for an

international convention to ban all anti-personnel mines,

and have participated in the Ottawa process, most recently

at Oslo. Like other members of this body, Papua New

Guinea is making the necessary arrangements to become

a party to that historic Treaty when it opens for signature

later this year.

In a few months we will usher in the International

Year of the Ocean. Like other South Pacific Forum

countries, Papua New Guinea has an affinity for the sea

which cannot be overstated. It is, for the greater part, the

source of our livelihood.

We urge the United Nations to continue to play a

major role in ensuring global awareness of sustainable

use, conservation and management of marine resources.

In this regard, we call on the international community to

coordinate efforts to implement the priorities agreed upon

during the special session of the General Assembly on the

environment and sustainable development. We are gravely

concerned that much of the outcome of the special session

will remain the province of historians and academics, if

not given practical effect. We urge that greater attention

be given to the special needs and concerns of the small

island developing countries.

An environmental issue of great importance and

relevance to Papua New Guinea and other small island

States in the South Pacific region is the impact of

greenhouse gas emissions, which are causing rising sea

levels and changing weather patterns in many member

countries, especially low lying island nations.

This issue was given priority attention at the recent

South Pacific Forum meeting in Rarotonga, Cook Islands,

where the Forum countries expressed deep concerns about

the insufficient progress made by the countries which

contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.

As a member of the South Pacific Forum, Papua

New Guinea strongly urges all countries concerned to

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make additional efforts in meeting commitments under the

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

(FCCC). We also urge all parties to the FCCC to consider

fully the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) draft

protocol during the ongoing negotiations, especially at the

forthcoming Kyoto conference, in order to pursue the

greatest possible level of net reduction in global greenhouse

gas emissions by means of a legally binding protocol or

other legal instrument.

On Bougainville, let me reassure this body that Papua

New Guinea, as I stated earlier this year in the United

Nations Commission on Human Rights, remains fully

committed to a peaceful and enduring resolution of the

crisis. It is absolutely clear that the people of Papua New

Guinea, including the majority of Bougainvillians, want

peace and will pursue a peaceful solution by every available

means. As in the past, we will continue to give the people

of Bougainville every opportunity to participate fully in the

reconciliation process.

My Government is mindful of the effects of the crisis

on our region, particularly of the spillover effects on our

close neighbours. We wish to take this opportunity to thank

the neighbouring countries in our region for their assistance

in the peace process. I would like to acknowledge the

contributions of Australia and, in particular, New Zealand,

in initiating and facilitating the peace conference of all

Bougainvillian leaders which resulted in the signing of the

Burnham Declaration last July. A follow-up meeting —

Burnham Talks II — between Bougainvillian leaders and

representatives of Papua New Guinea’s Government is

currently under way in New Zealand. We are optimistic and

confident that we can resolve the crisis within the

framework of the Papua New Guinea Constitution.

Let me also take this opportunity to thank, on behalf

of my Government and people, the previous and current

Governments of the Solomon Islands and their people for

their tolerance and understanding, particularly when they

have had to bear the full weight of the spillover effects. I

want to thank them also for agreeing with us to put in place

in the last 12 months two important bilateral treaties: the

comprehensive framework treaty guiding bilateral relations

and the basic border agreement. These treaties set the

parameters within which our bilateral relations are

conducted, including the legal mechanisms for consultation

and dialogue relating to a more effective management of

our common border, which is critical to the containment of

the Bougainville crisis, including its spillover effects.

My Government also offers its gratitude to the

leaders of the South Pacific Forum for recognizing

Bougainville as an integral part of Papua New Guinea,

and for their acknowledgment of the peace efforts

concerning Bougainville by all parties involved, including

Bougainvillians and their leaders, the Papua New Guinea

Government, and the Governments of the Solomon

Islands, Australia and New Zealand.

In conclusion, let me echo what other speakers have

said before me. As we prepare to meet the dawn of the

next millennium, let us commit ourselves to building

genuine partnerships in development that will ensure a

secure environment for our present and future generations.

We do not and should not expect guarantees, but we

shall look far and wide in our search for safeguards. We

do not want and shall not seek handouts; however, we

demand equity and greater participation to foster and

expand opportunities for our peoples.

It is only through the development of genuine

partnerships and the enhancement of equity and justice in

global trade and investments that we can improve the

socio-economic conditions of our people, ensure their

prosperity, and guarantee the safety of our global

environment, without which there is no hope for the

attainment of enduring peace in our societies today and in

future. Only when such peace has been attained can we

truly say that we have lived up to our obligations, for the

interests and common good of humanity.