Udenrigsminister Per Stig Møller (K) talte fredag ved FN-forbundets internationale arrangement på den årlige FN-dag – 24. oktober. Vi bringer talen in extenso i den engelske originaludgave.
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Just over a month ago world leaders gathered once again in New York for the annual opening of the United Nations General Assembly.
This time in the shadow of one of the most brutal years in the history of the UN. In August the UN suffered the worst attack ever on its staff and Headquarters in Baghdad. A deplorable and heinous act of terrorism, which took the lives of dedicated UN Staff members and chocked us all.
The questions raised over the war in Iraq have been many, and some have challenged the fundamental principles on which the United Nations was founded: To seek collective answers to our common problems and challenges; and to work towards shared goals of peace and prosperity for all peoples of the world.
Certainly, now is the time for reflection. The world has changed dramatically since the founding of the UN. It survived the cold war, and flourished in the ensuing decade only to meet new problems and challenges by the time of the millennium.
New threats to peace and security have emerged. Today we need the UN more than ever. We need the UN to provide a more secure world, to fight international terrorism, to resolve conflicts and to halt the spread of weapons of mass destruction. We need the UN in ensuring fundamental human rights for all people. We need the UN to establish, implement and develop an international legal order based on the rule of law. And we need the UN in our combat against poverty and in securing sustainable economic growth.
Yet, the United Nations with its structure of institutions and the rules guiding them are still fundamentally the same as half a century ago. That is why the Secretary General finds it is time for change.
In his address to the General Assembly the Secretary General announced that the United Nations had come to a juncture – perhaps the most important one since the organisation was created in 1945. He asked that we now decide whether it is possible to continue on the existing basis or whether there is need for radical changes.
His opinion is clear, and he raised a valid point. But it is we – the member states – that must take decisions on how to move forward from this point. After all, without the contribution and active engagement of Member States, the UN is but an empty shell, a mirror image of the state of world affairs.
In my view a lot will be achieved if we keep up our focus on implementing our joined vision anchored in the Millennium Declaration. What we need is a combination of far reaching decisions, which will set the stage for a strengthened UN in the 21st century, and continued hard work at country level, and at the UN headquarters.
Through our collective efforts in the UN we set ourselves ambitious goals. It is of crucial importance that we show each other and the rest of the world that we – the member states – are ready to commit, pursue and achieve these goals.
Only three years ago world leaders agreed on the Millennium Declaration. This declaration represents the shared vision of Member States for the United Nations, for global solidarity and for global security.
The fight against poverty is and must continue to be at the top of the world’s agenda.
Member states have jointly established clear and measurable targets. By 2015 we all stand to be counted. The task is enormous. But if we work together, it can be done. We have recently launched a national campaign in Denmark in order to promote this important issue.
Especially the African efforts must be highlighted and supported. Every individual on the African Continent must feel the urgency of our collective efforts to improve their living conditions. Only then can the tide be turned on a continent that has been lagging behind for too long.
Denmark supports a high level event in 2005 focusing on the commitments made in the Millennium Declaration. This event should be politically attractive and powerful, and give new energy to the implementation of all the Millennium Goals. Denmark stands ready to account in full for her efforts to achieve the Goals, including in the fields of trade and development assistance.
By showing commitment and demonstrating results we will improve the lives of millions of people. At the same time we will also demonstrate the relevance of the United Nations. This is the forum, where nations meet and commit each other to work for high standards, and to strive for a better world.
The Security Council is the single most important institution to world peace. In recent times it has successfully taken on international terrorism and should continue to focus on, how to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
Another pressing issue is, how do we prevent the breakdown of societies and address the root causes of conflicts. And if prevention is unsuccessful, how to deal with failed states, the break down of social order that can lead to civil wars and wider unrest. A strategic vision on how to deal with the new challenges is urgently needed.
The Security Council still reflects the power structures that existed at the end of the Second World War. Consequently, a comprehensive reform is needed to improve the legitimacy of the Council – for instance by expanding the number of member seats – and at the same time safeguarding the efficiency of the decision-making process.
I therefore welcome the initiative of the Secretary General to establish a High Level Panel of eminent personalities to look into the current challenges to peace and security and the functioning of the major organs of the UN. We look forward to receiving recommendations from the Secretary General in 2004.
It is important that the international community stay engaged, also when we face difficult problems of defiant leaders or conflicts that seem to have reached a dead end, or have entered a round-about, where the exit is nowhere in sight.
It is therefore encouraging to see the strengthening of the cooperation with regional and sub-regional organisations. Just take the NEPAD-initiative and ECOWAS´ rapid intervention in Liberia. To further this development, we must all continue and expand our political and financial support to the strong and progressive African leadership.
In his address at the opening of the General Assembly the President of the United Nations General Assembly underscored the importance of revitalising this organ. He challenged member states to demonstrate by their own actions that the General Assembly has not only the capacity, but also the political will to constructively address and resolve the complex problems of our world.
Denmark fully supports the President in his endeavours to revitalise the General Assembly. We need this unique world body, where all member states are represented, to be more focussed and action oriented, and to achieve greater political impact in the global debate.
In the same spirit we must strengthen the Economic and Social Council including its coordinating role across the UN system. To this end, we must act now on the decision of the General Assembly to implement and follow up on major UN conferences and summits in an integrated manner.
We cannot simply continue to repeat that ECOSOC has a pivotal role in the United Nations, while ignoring that it cannot perform many of its tasks efficiently because of its manner of working. The President of ECOSOC has initiated a debate on how to streamline this important organ. We will work actively with him and other partners in order to find forward-looking solutions.
In the course of time many initiatives have been launched to reform the United Nations, and they have all failed. Nevertheless, we must never forget that it is we – the member states – that must take the lead.
We must enable the UN to take credible action to meet the challenges of the future. It is our collective responsibility and duty. We must examine the system of resolutions in order to from the beginning build “smart” sanctions into them. We must make UN credible – that is why we are in Iraq. We must revitalize for example the Decolonisation Committee and find a way to deal with minority problems so they do not escalate into national and regional conflicts.
UN is a unique tool to make the world a better place to live in. That is why it was invented, and that is why we must change it in order to keep it.
Three years after the adoption of the Millennium Declaration we still have an immense amount of work ahead of us. But I am confident that we are on the right path. And I can assure you that Denmark will continue to be in the forefront of the work that lies ahead of us.
We will continue to focus on areas where we can contribute to make the world a better place to live in. Denmark is therefore seeking to become a member of the Security Council 2005-2006.
In closing this statement, I would like to leave you with the observation that the recent difficulties facing the UN also seem to have infused new life into the ongoing debate on reforming the UN.
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Kilde: Udenrigsministeriets hjemmeside, www.um.dk
