Portugal, 2001

English text furnished by the delegation): It is with

great pleasure that I congratulate Mr. Han Seung-soo

on his election to the presidency of the General

Assembly. I also pay tribute to the outgoing President,

Mr. Harri Holkeri. I renew my respects to the

Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for the notable and

courageous way in which he has continued to fulfil his

mandate and for the well-deserved award of the Nobel

Peace Prize to him and to the United Nations.

18

My Belgian colleague has already addressed the

Assembly on behalf of the 15 States members of the

European Union in a statement with which my country

aligns itself completely. I would, however, like to

reflect upon certain issues on the international agenda.

First, I cannot fail to refer to the tragic terrorist

attacks of 11 September against the United States, and

in particular against the city of New York and innocent

citizens of many nationalities. I reiterate our deep

sorrow and reaffirm our complete solidarity with all

those who, like us Portuguese, were victimized by the

loss of their compatriots and by the suffering of the

bereaved families.

We are dealing with violence without a face,

violence that kills indiscriminately and that must be

confronted by the international community as a whole,

irrespective of the religion we practice, the race to

which we belong, the ideology we follow or the

civilization into which we were born. It falls to each

and every State Member of the United Nations to fight

this scourge, whose blind hatred has plunged the world

into a state of turmoil not seen since the end of the

Second World War. What is most shocking to us is the

fact that we are faced with a force that ignores or

despises the very concept of the right to life.

We must embark on a concerted effort at all

levels to submit to justice those guilty of the crimes

committed, with a view to avoiding a repetition of the

terrorist acts of September. We believe the United

Nations has an irreplaceable role to play as the source

of legitimacy for the collective effort of the

international community in the fight against this

common enemy. It is for other forums to complement

these actions, orienting and adjusting them in

accordance with the concrete needs of their respective

mandates.

In this context, I would like to recall that Portugal

has supported without reservation the international

fight against terrorism here in the United Nations, in

the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in the

European Union, in the Organization for Security and

Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and in our bilateral

relations with the United States and other countries. I

would like to assure the Assembly that in its

presidency of the OSCE next year, Portugal will

attribute particular priority to this matter.

In the light of the current circumstances, I must

stress the importance of the entire range of

international legislation produced, or awaiting

approval, under the aegis of the United Nations in the

area of the fight against terrorism: the 12 conventions

whose ratification and implementation make them

crucial weapons in preventing and fighting against this

scourge. Because of its particular significance at this

time, I refer specifically to the work of the General

Assembly on the draft global convention on terrorism.

The great efforts made by the great majority of

delegations in search of compromise solutions bear

witness to a renewed convergence of wills in pursuit of

this common goal. We should take advantage of the

current momentum of collective commitment to reach

the speedy completion of this essential instrument.

Portugal has already signed 11 of the 12

international conventions against terrorism and is

strongly committed to fully implementing their

provisions. Yesterday we deposited our instrument of

ratification for the International Convention for the

Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, and shortly we will

deposit our instrument of ratification for the Protocol

for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at

Airports Serving International Civil Aviation. We

welcome the adoption of Security Council resolutions

1368 (2001) and 1373 (2001), which are fundamental

instruments for the cohesion of the international

community in its legitimate fight against terrorism. I

would also like to highlight the measures contained

therein for the fight against terrorist financing — an

absolutely crucial area.

As I have already stated, Portugal has supported

from the beginning the international campaign under

way in Afghanistan, which has been legitimized by the

deliberations of the United Nations. Those responsible

for the terrorist acts that claimed the lives of thousands

of innocent civilians on 11 September must be captured

and tried, and their military infrastructure must be

eliminated. In our view, the principles guiding the

intervention in Afghanistan should include the

preservation of territorial integrity and the unity of the

country, as well as the establishment of a broadly

supported, multi-ethnic and representative

Government.

We believe that, from the very start, the Afghan

people should be associated with the reconstruction of

their country, which has been devastated in recent years

by a brutal regime that is not recognized

internationally. The international community should

19

spare no efforts in alleviating the serious humanitarian

situation affecting the Afghan people.

Finally, let me reiterate that the Portuguese

Government unequivocally supports the efforts

undertaken by the United Nations, and in particular by

the Special Representative of the Secretary-General,

Mr. Lakdar Brahimi, in envisioning a transitional

governmental structure and in planning a possible

United Nations mission on the ground. In a post-

Taliban scenario, the United Nations will be called

upon to take a decisive role in the reconstruction of

Afghanistan as well as in the establishment of peaceful

relations between Afghanistan and its neighbours.

The United Nations plays an indispensable role in

the prevention of conflicts, the maintenance of

international peace and security and the reconstruction

of territories devastated by war. Numerous conflicts are

awaiting resolution and constitute a considerable

challenge to the international community’s capacity to

guarantee their peaceful and definitive settlement.

The situation in the Middle East, specifically in

Palestine, is the most worrisome, placing even

international security at risk. The international

community can spare no efforts to ensure that Israel

and the Palestinians return to the path of dialogue.

Only there will a solution be found that is just, both for

the Palestinian people — who have fought for decades

for the recognition of their homeland, an inalienable

and undeniable right, and for dignified living

conditions within a sovereign and responsible

Palestinian State — and for Israel, which has an equal

right to live in security in the region and at peace with

its neighbours.

As another example of international conflicts that

drag on, apparently with no definitive resolution in

sight, my country profoundly regrets the continuation

of the armed conflict in Angola and its severe

humanitarian consequences. Portugal reaffirms its

commitment to and support for the search for a

political solution to this problem, in line with the

provisions of the Acordos de Paz, the Lusaka Protocol

and the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. It

is essential that the commitments undertaken with

regard to the international community, and principally

with regard to the Angolan people, be respected.

Portugal encourages the Angolan Government to

redouble its efforts to achieve national reconciliation.

We also encourage the introduction of political and

economic reforms in Angola, with a view to

reinforcing in particular the legitimacy of its

representative and pluralistic institutions and the

strengthening of the credibility of its monetary and

financial structures.

We also appeal for a return to political means on

the part of those — such as the sector that inspires the

more radical line of UNITA — that have resorted to

methods, namely violence against civilians, that have

placed them outside the international community. In

fact, the absence of constructive proposals — including

with regard to a ceasefire or the cessation of offensive

operations — does not contribute to the

implementation of possible platforms for dialogue,

which the current situation demands.

We praise the important and increasing

contribution made by Angolan society, particularly its

churches, to peace and reconciliation. We believe that a

United Nations presence in Angola continues to be

essential and should be encouraged.

In that vein, I would like to actively encourage

the Secretary-General to intensify all possible efforts to

relaunch the peace process in Angola with a view to

the adequate implementation of the Lusaka Protocol, so

that that great country can finally guarantee tranquillity

to its citizens and recover its standing and the role to

which it is entitled in international life, fully taking

part in achieving the objectives of the African

renaissance. I am certain that the troika of observer

States, as well as the African regional organizations

and the European Union, will firmly support the

contribution of the Secretary-General to a definitive

resolution of the Angolan issue.

When the international community successfully

intervenes in a conflict, it should not be turned aside

from the consolidation of the solutions reached. The

United Nations has the responsibility of maintaining an

appropriate level of involvement until the definitive

conclusion of the peace process, so as not to put at risk

the investments made and expectations created. The

United Nations should proceed without hesitation in

supporting the creation of viable nations.

I welcome the Security Council’s endorsement of

this understanding with regard to East Timor, on 31

October. The international community cannot neglect

the consolidation of the solutions achieved in East

Timor, whose transition to independence is, in fact, a

clear case of success for the United Nations and a

20

special reason for pride for the Community of

Portuguese-Speaking Countries. I take this opportunity

to underline that this entire process has been conducted

in an exemplary manner by the United Nations

Transitional Administration in East Timor under the

leadership of Sergio Vieira de Mello.

The work of the United Nations towards the

consolidation of a new and indisputably sovereign,

democratic and economically viable State only

reinforces the credibility of the Organization at a time

in international life when its inspiration and leadership

are more needed than ever before to correctly manage

the great global challenges of the twenty-first century.