1 Utanriksministerens innlegg i hovuddebatten

Address by H.E. Mr. Knut Vollebæk, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway at the 53rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, New York 21 September 1998

Mr. President,

Mr. Secretary-General,

Your Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

This year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In our global community, the issue of human rights is the concern of us all. For this reason the Government of Norway welcomes the fact that human rights are now being given increased priority in the work of the United Nations. Adoption by the General Assembly of a Declaration on Human Rights Defenders on the International Human Rights Day, December 10, would represent a proof of our strong commitment in this field.

Human rights is basically about human dignity - about protecting the individual against oppression and exploitation, poverty and injustice, marginalization and degradation. The struggle for civil and political rights and for social, economic and cultural rights must be one and the same struggle. When we address breaches of civil and political rights, we must also address the issues of development and poverty.

As a new millennium is upon us, one of our most fundamental challenges is the realization of a Humane World. This must be more than a vision. It is a moral imperative. All governments endeavouring to implement and promote respect for human rights in their societies deserve our wholehearted support. Democracy, transparency and good governance are essential for economic growth, sustainable development and political stability. Governments that continue to disregard basic human rights norms, deprive their populations not only of political freedom, but also of improved economic conditions.

Mr. President,

The pursuit of a Humane World requires new approaches. And new tools. A good example of this approach is the Ottawa Convention to ban the production, transfer and use of anti-personnel landmines, which was negotiated in Oslo. With the ratification by Burkina Faso, presently chairing the OAU, as the 40th country, the Ottawa process has in less than two years produced a binding international legal instrument, which will enter into force early next year. This has been made possible by a new diplomacy reaching beyond relations between states to engage individuals and non-governmental organizations.

Our efforts to rid the world of the scourge of anti-personnel landmines must be intensified, so that we can reach the objectives set out in the Ottawa process. Norway has already made a commitment of 120 million USD over a five year period to mine action programmes, including assistance to mine victims. We call on other governments to join in this endeavour. The UN has a central role to play in these efforts.

The partnership between governments, international organizations and civil society demonstrated throughout the Ottawa process should be pursued in our new drive to restrict proliferation of small arms and light weapons. In recent years it has become evident that small arms are a formidable barrier to ending violent conflicts and consolidating peace, political stability and reconstruction of war-torn societies. We need to intensify and harmonize our efforts to combat the illegal trade and proliferation of such arms, which account for most casualties in today's conflicts.

Norway has committed considerable resources to immediate action to assist populations in war-torn societies. We support demobilization and arms collection programmes in a number of countries, and we have raised the question of what role UN peace-keeping operations could play in these areas. To further strengthen these efforts, Norway proposes the establishment of a Trust Fund to combat the widespread proliferation and illegal use of small arms, in particular through the collection and destruction of such weapons at the end of armed conflicts.

Norway will pledge 15 million NOK (or about 2 million USD) to the establishment of such a Trust Fund and calls on other countries to follow suit. We propose that the UNDP be charged with the management of the fund.

Mr President,

Norway is gravely concerned by the recent underground nuclear tests by India and Pakistan. I would like to emphasize the crucial importance of both the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty for international efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and achieve nuclear disarmament. Therefore, Norway urges all countries to join the NPT and the CTBT. We believe the UN should serve as an important forum for strengthened dialogue and exchange of information on non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament and that it should contribute to more transparency and confidence in these crucial matters.

Mr. President,

The current world economic crisis clearly illustrates that we are all part of a single global economy. It also illustrates that we are far from fully understanding the powerful forces of globalization, and even further from being able to adequately manage them. The international financial crisis has led to soaring unemployment, plummeting living standards and shattered expectations of a better life for millions of people.

We clearly need a better understanding and better management of the global economy. My government shares the serious concern expressed by the recent summit meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Durban. While the process of globalization has led to greater economic opportunities for many, a large number of developing countries are being left even further behind in the wake of the increasing integration of the world economy.

As was pointed out during last week's high-level meeting on globalization and development here at the UN, there is no alternative to multilateral co-operation efforts if we are to maximize the positive effects of globalization, while minimizing its negative aspects.

While our planet is shrinking, the income gap continues to grow - between as well as within nations. At the same time we are experiencing a steep reduction in official development aid from North to South. It is a regrettable fact that the industrialized countries are increasingly distancing themselves from the agreed UN target of 0.7 per cent of GNP for development purposes.

Developed and developing countries alike are accusing each other of broken promises and failure to live up to their commitments. What we need is a new partnership based on result-oriented policies in developing countries and a commitment on the part of the developed countries to reach the 0.7 per cent target within an agreed time frame. Norway, which has been well above this target for decades, is actively seeking to counter the growing donor fatigue and intends to further increase its official development assistance (ODA) in the years ahead.

Mr. President,

Many of our most pressing problems are international in nature and global in scope. International crime and terrorism, environmental degradation and the spread of disease do not need passports to cross borders. They are global problems, requiring global solutions.

As the world changes, so must the UN. We have previously commended the Secretary-General for his reform agenda. Much has already been done. It is now up to us - the Member States - to promote the reform process throughout the whole UN system.

We cannot ask the UN to do more and perform better, while at the same time cutting back on its resources. As a very minimum, all Member States must honour their legal commitments and pay their dues in full, on time and without conditions.

For the poorest and most heavily indebted developing countries, the debt problem represents one of the main obstacles to development. Urgent action is needed to end the unsustainable debt burden of these countries. Norway for her part will launch a comprehensive national debt relief strategy. The strategy will form the basis for our policy for supporting and strengthening the international debt relief schemes. It will also contain additional debt reduction measures on a bilateral basis which will be applied on top of the reductions made under multilateral operations.

No investments yield a higher return than investments in basic social services - in primary health and education. Since the Social Summit, Norway has actively advocated the 20/20 principle. This calls for a mutual commitment between developed and developing countries to allocate 20 per cent of ODA and 20 per cent of national budgets, respectively, to basic social programmes. We encourage all countries to adhere to this target.

Mr. President,

Economic growth and social development underpin political stability. But political stability and good governance are also prerequisites for sustained economic development. While the UN should retain its vital role in economic, environmental and social affairs, the Organization must also involve itself more extensively in conflict prevention, crisis management and peace-building efforts.

In two weeks» time we will be commemorating the 50th anniversary of UN peace-keeping operations. The UN has proven indispensable for maintaining stability, peace and security for millions of people, for which it was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize ten years ago. At this juncture, we pledge our continued support to the UN's peace-keeping endeavours. The Organization's capacity must be further enhanced, not least with regard to rapid response to armed conflicts.

In particular, we wish to honour those who have given their lives under the United Nations flag. The increasing number of casualties among UN personnel on missions abroad has made us more aware of the security situation for UN staff. Today, the Geneva Conventions go a long way in protecting uniformed personnel in combat situations. UN personnel working to promote and alleviate the suffering created by war are not protected in the same way under international law. It is therefore important to improve the security situation of UN staff and we urge more countries to sign and ratify the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel.

To further facilitate the UN's role in preventing conflicts, Norway took the initiative two years ago to establish a Trust Fund for Preventive Action. This fund has made it possible for the UN to undertake preventive missions and diplomatic initiatives it otherwise would not have the resources to carry out. Some countries have made contributions to the fund. We encourage others to do the same.

To enable the Security Council to better fulfil its prime task of preventing conflict and securing international peace, it is important to enhance its legitimacy while not compromising its efficiency. We need to find broad-based solutions which better reflect the political realities of today.

Conflict prevention, crisis management and peace building clearly require a coordinated approach. We must secure a better unity of purpose and integrate UN peace-building efforts with those of other stakeholders. Norway will be taking over the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 1999, and we are determined to further refine the already well established working relationship between the UN and the OSCE.

Most armed conflicts of today are taking place within states. Civilians are increasingly affected and indeed singled out as military targets. In this context the adoption of the Statute establishing an International Criminal Court in Rome a few months ago is truly an historic achievement. The existence of a permanent, global institution of this kind will allow us to address the serious problem of impunity and will significantly enhance deterrence of the most heinous international crimes. The Statute also provides for credible protection against biased, arbitrary or otherwise unwarranted prosecutions.

We need more, not less, involvement from the UN and regional organizations to prevent underlying conflicts from bursting into flames. In Kosovo, we have in the last few months witnessed an alarming deterioration, where the parties seem determined to resolve the conflict by military means. There is an urgent need for a cease-fire, access for international humanitarian organizations to all parts of Kosovo and stronger involvement by the international community, in order to facilitate a negotiated political solution.

Mr. President,

Five years ago the Oslo Accord was signed in Washington, and gave hope for a peaceful future for the peoples of the Middle East. Although progress has been made, the peace process is today in serious difficulties. There is, however, no alternative to a negotiated settlement. The responsibility for advancing the peace process lies first and foremost with the parties themselves. We therefore urge the parties to do their utmost to build confidence and cooperation and to refrain from all unilateral measures and actions designed to pre-empt the outcome of the final status negotiations.

Although developments in Latin America in general have been positive over the past few years, there are still situations that give cause for concern. Every support should be given to the new government in Colombia in its efforts to end the armed conflict. The international community should also give continued support to the implementation of the peace accords in Guatemala. Consolidating the peace is as important as ending the war.

Norway commends the Secretary-General for his report on security and development in Africa. Recent developments are indeed worrying and may threaten the stability and future prospects of large parts of the continent. The African nations themselves have the prime responsibility for ensuring a political climate that is conducive to stability and economic growth. However, the international community must provide political support and assist in mediation, peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, human rights enhancement, demobilization efforts and institution building. It is vital that these activities are coordinated and mutually supportive. Here the UN must play a leading role, in close cooperation with the OAU and the sub-regional organizations. We follow with great interest the on-going work by the Security Council in this respect, and we look forward to the discussions on the follow-up of the Secretary-General's report by the General Assembly during this session.

Mr. President,

If we are to effectively meet the many global problems facing us, there is no alternative to concerted multilateral action. We must build a future based on international law where solidarity and social responsibility are not confined within national boundaries, but stretch across borders and continents. We as governments must do this in close cooperation with the civil society, with non-governmental organizations. In all this, the United Nations must be at the very centre of our multilateral efforts.