Statement by H.E. Dr. M. Javad Zarif

Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations

Before the General Assembly

on the Report of the Secretary General on the Work of the Organization

New York, September 29, 2005

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Allow me to commence by extending our sincere gratitude to the Secretary-General for his report on the work of the Organization. The report indicates the ever-increasing number and scope of the functions of the Organization and presents an assessment of the progress made by the United Nations in all areas of its endeavor as well as shortcomings in meeting its objectives. It also reflects the realities on the ground with respect to the various challenges and opportunities facing the international community.

Mr. President,

1. On peace and security, we concur with the Secretary General that in the past year, nowhere were the stakes higher and the challenges to global peace and security greater than in Iraq, and that the international community has a shared and vital responsibility to achieve a successful transition that will lead to national reconciliation and a better life for all Iraqis. Undoubtedly, the continued crisis in Iraq is one of the major predicaments that befell the international community as a result of foreign occupation, coupled with wide scale terrorist crimes, both of which have exposed the Iraqi people to enormous suffering and placed the stability of the whole region in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, it is encouraging that the Iraqi people and their leaders are showing resolve in rising up to the task and reclaiming their destiny. While an all-inclusive and participatory government is the only way out of the crisis in Iraq, the overwhelming turnout of the Iraqi people in the elections, held last January, and rightly termed as "historic" by the Secretary General in his report, was indeed an auspicious starting point for the political process under way.

We believe that the Transitional National Assembly and the Transitional Government are the elected bodies who can steer the Iraqi society out of the current situation, and as such they deserve our full support. Drafting the constitution and its submission to the people for their approval in a referendum to be held in mid October marks another important milestone along this process.

We welcome the sincere efforts undertaken by Iraqi authorities to make the country's constitutional process as participatory as possible, thereby ensuring the unity and integrity of the country. The United Nations, also, has an important role to play in the political process and the reconstruction of Iraq at this critical juncture.

The question of Palestine is one of the grave issues our organization has faced ever since its formation. There is no doubt that the achieving of a lasting and just peace in Palestine could only be brought about through the full restoration of the Palestinian rights, including the end of occupation, the establishment of a Palestinian State with Al-Qods Al-Sharif as its capital and the return of all Palestinian refugees to their homeland. Regrettably, the international community continues to witness the Israeli regime adamant in defying international law. It is also unfortunate that the exercise of veto has continued to prevent the Security Council from fulfilling its primary responsibility in this regard.

On the situation in Afghanistan, as the Secretary General indicated in his report, a number of positive developments have taken place. The Presidential and the recent Parliamentary elections are clear examples of these developments which have received international support and admiration. Iran, on its part, has always supported the Afghan people and government in their endeavor to re-build their country and has participated in the reconstruction of Afghanistan by carrying out many projects in infrastructure and development areas.

We remain, however, concerned over the ongoing poppy cultivation, opium production and drug trafficking in Afghanistan which negatively affect on the economic and social situation of our country. While commending the efforts made by the Afghan government, we believe that there is a need for a comprehensive action-oriented strategy to address these scourges. The international community, especially those countries keeping military forces on the ground, should also live up to their responsibilities in that regard. Equally important is terrorist activities conducted in Afghanistan with far-reaching implications and impacts on neighboring countries.

Mr. President,

2. In the field of disarmament, we are of the view that the continuing existence of weapons of mass destruction and their proliferation in all their aspects, in particular development of new types of nuclear weapons with the specification of ‘easy-to-use weapons” are among the major threats to international peace and security. The new military doctrines on possible use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States and most recently “Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations” that predicts the use of nuclear weapons as a pre-emptive strike have added to these threats.

The failure of the NPT 2005 Review Conference was primarily caused by the rejection of certain nuclear-weapon States of their past commitments, particularly the 13 practical steps for nuclear disarmaments agreed in the NPT 2000 Conference. The same failure was also seen during the negotiation on the Summit Outcome document as a result of the policy of a nuclear-weapon State to block progress on the issue of disarmament. The deadlock in the Conference on Disarmament and recently in the UN disarmament Commission is another consequence of the policy of rejecting nuclear disarmament commitments. The unclear fate of the entry into force of the CTBT is the victim of the same policy. Therefore, if there is a sincere intention to remove these impasses, the only way, as suggested by the UN Secretary-General, will be to revitalize the multilateral instruments on non-proliferation and disarmament.

Mr. President,

3. On terrorism, we fully concur with the Secretary General that terrorism is a threat to all that the United Nations stands for. The real challenge for the UN system in combating terrorism is, in our view, twofold. The first and foremost challenge is that the Organization has to adopt a truly holistic approach in its normative and codification activities and to resist any temptation of a piecemeal and one-sided approach to terrorism. The second challenge is to translate objectively the overall legal and policy framework into practice in this field in order to avoid double-standard and subjective interpretations.

We have also noted the Secretary General's identification of some elements for formulation of a comprehensive strategy against terrorism. These elements should be considered by the General Assembly in a deliberative manner, with a view to adopting and implementing a holistic strategy which takes into account the root-causes and conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism. To counter terrorism, such a strategy should promote comprehensive, coordinated and consistent responses, at the national, regional and international levels.

Mr. President,

4. Regarding the issue of human rights, we share the Secretary-General’s feeling on the diminishing credibility of the Commission on Human Rights. Indeed, the Commission on Human Rights has been a textbook case of political manipulation through gross selectivity and the application of double standards over the past several decades. Now that the international community has decided to establish the Human Rights Council, our utmost priority should be to rectify the present shortcomings of the human rights machinery and restore its credibility and also combine its efficiency with legitimacy.

We are also of the view that the role of human rights machinery is to, inter alia, enhance the capacity of Member States and strengthen national systems of human rights protection to ensure their ability to respond to their national and international obligations. Therefore, a UN human rights approach should be based on cooperation and enhancement of national capacity. We also support the strengthening of the OHCHR, in order to enable the High Commissioner to effectively perform its mandates.

Mr. President;

5. Cooperation for development remains one of our highest priorities. The Millennium Development Goals Report 2005 reflects the progress made during the first 5 years.

According to the progress report, fewer women are dying during childbirth, but not in countries most affected. As deaths and new infections mount, HIV prevalence in all regions has increased and Tuberculosis, as an old threat, has re-emerged. Forests are disappearing faster, particularly in the poorest regions. Although more areas are protected, loss of species and habitats continues. More progress is needed in improving energy efficiency. Although development aid has reached an all-time high, it remains at a historically low level as a share of donor country income.

The indicators in the progress report are not promising, and it will be disappointing, if the situation remains unchanged and the commitments are not materialized. It is imperative to give a heavier weight to the strengthening of national capacities for monitoring MDG progress and to expedite the implementation of the national plans and UNDP projects in this regard. Various national, regional and international initiatives with a view to reach the MDG targets are positive, provided that they address the root causes of problems and are based on the outcomes of major UN Summit and Conferences.

Illicit cultivation of and trafficking in narcotic drugs remain a serious impediment to the sustainable development of countries. Natural disasters which cause sudden and huge material and human damage are a major source of concern for the developing countries and adversely affect the development process. The need for providing assistance to the refuges and their host countries as well as displaced persons should be highlighted at the international level.

6. In the field of communication, we should bear in mind the fact that developing countries are lagging behind in access to information technology. Therefore, comparing the situation in developing countries with that of developed ones leads us to miscalculation and misjudgment. The Information Centers are useful and sometimes key tools to disseminate information in developing countries. This is why their closure may be a disservice to the purpose of dissemination of information in the countries indicated in the Secretary General’s report contained in document A/AC.198/2005/3.

7. We commend the Organization for its achievements in enhancing the rule of law, in particular for adoption by consensus of the United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and Their Property. We concur with the view that the adoption of a uniform legal regime in this area, which covers an important aspect of international relations and adds further clarity and precision to the norms and principles of international law, has been long overdue.

And finally, Mr. President

Over the past year, reform of the United Nations has been high on the agenda of the Organization and the General Assembly has made tremendous efforts in pursuing this burning issue with a view to finding new ways to adapt our Organization with the ever-changing realities of this century, based on the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter. In doing so, the General Assembly, after a long debate and discussion, submitted an outcome document to the world leaders for their approval at the High-level Plenary Meeting. Now, the Summit Outcome document can play a guiding role to help us proceed with the huge task ahead, hopefully resulting in a genuinely meaningful and adequately balanced United Nations reform. Given the significance of the outcome document and the UN reform, it is essential that we proceed with full transparency and inclusiveness. In this respect, we reiterate our pledge of full cooperation with you, Mr. President, as you lead us in the remaining phases of the UN reform process.

Thank you

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