Multilateralism faces crucial test at present, Annan tells Nobel Laureates meeting

The present international environment is presenting a crucial test to the principle of multilateralism, and the commitment of all States to join forces in pursuit of common aims, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today in a message to Nobel Laureates meeting in Rome.

Calling Iraq’s failure to comply with UN resolutions “one of the gravest and most serious [situations] facing the international community today,” the Secretary-General said if handled properly, the challenge “may ultimately strengthen international cooperation, the rule of law, and the United Nations.”

Emphasizing the importance of collective action, he pointed out that “on almost no item on the global agenda does anyone seriously contend that each nation, or any nation, can fend for itself. Even the most powerful countries know that they need to work with others, in multilateral institutions, to achieve their aims.”

Multilateral cooperation fosters mutual trust, he said, noting the UN’s “special place” among multilateral institutions. The world body, he added, is “the nearest thing we have to a representative institution that can address the interests of all States, and all peoples.”

The Secretary-General also paid tribute to former United States President Jimmy Carter, who this year won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2002. “He has indeed earned it by his tireless efforts to promote peace, even in the most difficult circumstances,” Mr. Annan said.

The message was delivered on the Secretary-General’s behalf by Shalini Dewan, Director of the UN Information Centre in Rome.