Anti-terror fight must not detract from other priorities, officials tell UN Assembly

28 September 2004

Calling attention to a range of global ills which must be addressed through international action, foreign envoys addressing the General Assembly this afternoon emphasized that the fight against terrorism should not dilute efforts to address these other security concerns.

Anote Tong, the President of Kiribati, voiced sympathy to the Caribbean countries and people affected by the recent spate of hurricanes and tropical storms. He said that the adverse impact of climate change and rising sea levels are “critical security issues for the global community in this new millennium, and more so, for low-lying island States like Kiribati.”

“The issue must take centre stage along with other international security issues,” he said, urging the international community to agree on a unified global response to better protect the environment, in the same way that the international community is being encouraged to respond to terrorism and other threats to global security. “We have demonstrated remarkable solidarity in the fight against global terrorism,” he said. “Can we not demonstrate the same in the fight against climate change and sea-level rise?” Video

H.E. The Honourable Jaya Krishna CUTTAREE, Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Regional Cooperation

The Foreign Minister of Mauritius, Jaya Krishna Cuttaree, echoed these concerns about the environmental and other threats faced by small island developing States and reminded the Assembly that a global conference to address the issue will be held next year in Mauritius. “The international meeting should not only be a collective gathering to reflect on the specificities of our concerns; it should be a landmark in the history of the major UN conferences with deliverable outcomes and the necessary means for their implementation,” he said. Video

H.E. The Honourable Barak Sope MAAUTAMATE, Minister for Foreign Affairs

Barak Sope Maautamate, the Foreign Minster of Vanuatu, joined others in stressing that the fight against terrorism “must not overshadow the socio-economic development agenda and other serious security concerns affecting the developing world.” He warned that resources “will inevitably be diverted towards combating terrorism” and stressed the need to avoid neglecting developing nations, and particularly the small island States. Video

H.E. The Right Honourable Sir Rabbie NAMALIU, MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration

Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister, Rabbie Namaliu, hailed the regional and international assistance his country had received in restoring stability to the island of Bougainville after a decade of civil strife. “We are re-establishing the rule of law in a profound and thorough constitutional process which will result in a democratically elected autonomous government for the people of Bougainville,” he said. Although this goal is in sight, he added, “each step taken now to finalize and consolidate the Bougainville constitution is critically important.” Video

H.E. The Honourable Laurie CHAN, Minister for Foreign Affairs

Laurie Chan, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Solomon Islands, said currently, a regional assistance project was helping his country to stabilize by “collecting some 3,700 weapons without a shot being fired” and paid tribute to all who had supported this effort, including the UN Development Programme (UNDP). Video

H.E. The Honourable Tom BUTIME, Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs

Tom Butime, the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uganda, said his country had been fighting against a terrorist organization known as the Lord's Resistance Army which has killed, maimed and abducted tens of thousands of Ugandans in the northern part of the country. The Government was working to address the issue, and called for international partners to support assistance programmes to resettle the area's displaced people, disarm the rebels and rehabilitate the basic infrastructure. Video

H.E. Mr. Prakash Sharan MAHAT, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat of Nepal said currently, nearly 2,500 Nepalese blue helmets are deployed in a dozen peacekeeping missions around the world. “Nepal appreciates the United Nations for its help in bridging the equipment-gaps for our deployment,” he said, calling for greater consultation between the UN and countries contributing troops to peacekeeping. Video

H.E. Mr. Andrei STRATAN, Minister for Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Andrei Stratan of Moldova said his Government had just signed on to contribute troops to the UN's stand-by arrangements for peacekeeping operations. Currently deploying officers to UN missions in Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire, he said, Moldova is “determined to continue to support the UN activities in this area. Video

H.E. Mr. François-Xavier NGOUBEYOU, Minister of State in Charge of External Relations

Cameroon's Foreign Minister, François-Xavier Ngoubeyou stressed the need for the process of globalization to be rendered more fair and just. He also underscored the devastation wreaked by the AIDS crisis. “The fight against AIDS is a global cause which involves us all,” he said. Video

H.E. Mr. Fabio BERARDI, Minister for Foreign and Political Affairs

Fabio Berardi, San Marino's Foreign Minister, welcomed the July adoption of a resolution revitalizing the Assembly's work, as well as a parallel text “granting the Holy See wider and more incisive prerogatives as [an] Observer” in that body. He also reiterated San Marino's ongoing commitment to the campaign for the universal abolition of the death penalty. Video

Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Special Envoy