EU Presidency Statement - The General Debate [1/2]

Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, Heads of State and Government, Ministers, Delegates, Mr. Chairman,

I have the honor today to speak on behalf of the European Union, which congratulates you on your election, which testifies to the esteem of the international community for your country and yourself. I would like also to commend the speed of action and efficiency you have shown, in the face of the tragic events of 11 September, in adapting the agenda for the work of this Assembly.

I would like, moreover, to associate with this tribute the Secretary-General of the UN, Mr. Kofi Annan.

Mr. Secretary-General, your re-election had already drawn attention to the unanimous appreciation of the Member States for your exceptional qualities as a manager, politician and humanist. The Nobel Committee paid an even wider tribute by awarding you the Nobel Prize for Peace. The United Nations themselves, here at your side, were the recipients of this message of hope, from a world in a state of shock appealing to the United Nations Organization to remain at the center of the international community's action for peace and development.

(Fight against terrorism)

Mr. Chairman,

It was the fundamental values constituting the foundation of the United Nations which were attacked in so cowardly a fashion right here in New York on 11 September this year, while our host country, several thousands of its citizens and nationals of over sixty countries were the victims of a barbaric act of aggression for which no direct or indirect justification can be accepted.

That attack, by its enormity, has opened our eyes to the worldwide threat that terrorism has become. It is our open, democratic, tolerant and multicultural societies, which have been attacked through the United States. The terrorist threat must be hunted down in each of our countries, in our various regional organizations and, at world level, through the United Nations.

The European Union has most categorically condemned the 11 September attacks, and the fight against terrorism is more than ever one of our priority objectives. The Union has declared its total solidarity with the United States. It has reaffirmed its unreserved support for the military action undertaken in the name of legitimate defense and in conformity with the United Nations Charter and Resolution 1368 of the United Nations Security Council.

On 21 September, an Extraordinary European Council adopted an action plan for an unprecedented campaign against terrorism. The plan contains a number of specific measures intended to enhance judicial and police cooperation, including in particular the introduction of a European arrest warrant. It also includes measures to put an end to the financing of terrorism and to improve air security. The European Council also acknowledged that the fight against terrorism requires greater participation by the Union in the efforts of the international community to prevent and stabilize regional conflicts. By developing the Common Foreign and Security Policy and bringing the European Security and Defense Policy into operation as soon as possible, the Union will be at its most effective.

At world level too, a fresh impetus needs to be given to the fight against terrorism, and the United Nations naturally has a central role to play in the development of a coordinated and diversified strategy. We warmly welcome the major steps, which have already been taken to that end.

The most remarkable was the adoption of Resolution 1373 by the Security Council on 28 September. The European Union and its Member States are already committed to rapid enactment of the measures needed for its implementation. We call upon all countries to cooperate actively with the follow-up system set up by the Security Council, and we reiterate our readiness to provide aid in doing so to any countries, which may have technical difficulties in meeting its requirements.

It is also essential that all States ratify without delay the twelve Conventions concerning the fight against terrorism and apply all their provisions. The United Nations Convention on the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism is a decisive aspect of international action and needs to be speedily signed and ratified.

Lastly, the European Union welcomes the recent progress made in negotiating a General Convention on international terrorism, on the basis of the draft submitted by India. The remaining difficulties must now be dealt with as soon as possible so that this instrument can be put up for signing early next year.

(Promotion and protection of human rights and democracy)

Mr. Chairman,

The efforts we are making to combat terrorism must form part of overall endeavors to build a better world, a world in which human dignity is sacrosanct, in which human rights and fundamental freedoms are fully respected.

The promotion and protection of human rights and an attachment to the principles of democracy and the rule of law are essential components of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy and of its development cooperation and external relations. The European Union will actively pursue its work on consolidating human rights and fundamental freedoms, with insistence in particular on the universal, indivisible and interdependent character of all human rights. It will continue to support the efforts made by the Secretary-General to integrate human rights into United Nations activities, at all levels and in all fora, and to cooperate with all UN human rights mechanisms.

(Establishment of the International Criminal Court)

The European Union welcomes the imminent realization of the much-awaited establishment of the International Criminal Court. The Union sees this as being of prime importance and urges all States which have not yet done so to accede to the Rome Statute as soon as possible. More than ever, we need a universal and permanent court capable of sanctioning the most serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights and thus contributing to peace and security in the world. It is vital that the United Nations give effective support to the establishment of the Court.

(Protection and promotion of the rights of the child)

Following the tragedy of 11 September, the Special Session of the General Assembly on the ten-year review of the World Summit for Children had to be postponed. However, until it is held we need to keep up the momentum developed in the preparatory discussions. We must continue to integrate the specific dimension of the child into our actions and strive to ensure that every child's life is free from terror, the horrors of war, abuse and exploitation, hunger and poverty.

(Full realization by women of their human rights)

The European Union is resolved to continue the fight against all forms of discrimination and violence against women and to ensure that all countries take strong measures to apply the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. Women must be able to enjoy their human rights in full, on an equal footing with men. Girls must have the same opportunities as boys, in particular in education and access to social services. The European Union insists that there must be equal rights to property, credit facilities and social services, including reproductive health services. It is in the interest of everyone that women should be able to participate fully at all levels in economic and political life.

The Union stresses the importance of implementing Security Council Resolution 1325 and the special attention which must be given to the participation and full association of women on an equal footing in all endeavors to maintain and promote peace and security.

(Fight against racism)

We must also vigorously pursue our essential fight against the racist excesses, discriminatory tendencies and intolerance which are daily realities throughout the world. The World Conference on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Intolerance has shown us the way. It has also enabled us to advance discussion on the causes and origins of racism and to acquire a new perception of our past. What matters now is the will to close the darkest chapters of our history so that we can build a new relationship based on mutual respect, solidarity and partnership.

(Humanitarian action)

Mr. Chairman,

The terrible humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan holds the attention of the international community every bit as much as the political, diplomatic, military and economic aspects of the situation in that country. It is the first time that the international community has adopted such a global approach in an armed conflict. We are convinced that it is the best, if not the only, means to plan an effective way out of the crisis. The coordination of aid efforts, chiefly on the ground and as part of the range of actions undertaken by the United Nations, remains essential.

Emergency humanitarian aid to Afghanistan constitutes an absolute priority of the Union, which has undertaken to mobilize an aid package of over EUR 320 million without delay. The Union expresses its concern at the difficulties regarding access and the convoying of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan. It supports the efforts of the United Nations Specialized Agencies, the ICRC and all the humanitarian organizations in seeking practical and flexible solutions. It also calls on the countries of the region to facilitate by all possible means humanitarian operations to deal with new influxes of Afghan refugees.

The European Union recognizes the vital role of the UN in seeking a peace plan for Afghanistan. It intends to support the initiatives of the Secretary-General and of his Special Representative and to make a constructive contribution to them, both with regard to the pursuit of an internal political solution and to a plan for rebuilding the country. The Union also stresses the importance of the regional dimension of stabilization in Afghanistan.

We must make contributions that are sufficient to ensure that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs functions efficiently. The European Union attaches particular importance to the provision of aid to persons displaced within their countries. We therefore welcome the fact that a unit has been established within the Secretariat to cater for their specific needs. Following the recent attacks against humanitarian aid personnel, the European Union can only call once again for a strengthening of the arrangements, particularly those of a legal and financial nature, for guaranteeing the safety and security of humanitarian aid workers and UN workers in general.

(Promotion of disarmament and non-proliferation)

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