United Nations A/58/PV.21 General Assembly Official Records Fifty-eighth session 21st plenary meeting Thursday, 2 October 2003, 10 a.m. New York President: The Hon. Julian R. Hunte .................................. (Saint Lucia) The meeting was called to order at 10.05 a.m. As life has demonstrated, the United Nations plays a highly positive role in organizing the common Address by Mr. Askar Akayev, President of the struggle against international terrorism. In this regard, Kyrgyz Republic the idea of giving the United Nations the lead role in guiding the global anti-terrorist coalition deserves The President: The Assembly will now hear an genuine support. One of the primary objectives of my address by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic. statement last year was to appeal to the United Nations Mr. Askar Akayev, President of the Kyrgyz to recognize, as a great event in the history of my Republic, was escorted into the General Assembly country, the two thousand, two hundredth anniversary Hall. of Kyrgyz Statehood, as an event of international status. The President: On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United The resolution of the General Assembly on Nations His Excellency Mr. Askar Akayev, President of Kyrgyz Statehood was a powerful force in raising the the Kyrgyz Republic, and to invite him to address the national spirit of our people. For that, we are sincerely Assembly. grateful to our Organization. Indeed, whenever any problems emerge at a global level, we turn to the President Akayev (spoke in Russian): First of United Nations and unfailingly get support. all, I would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly and Recently, there have been heated discussions to wish great success to the work of the fifty-eighth concerning the role of the United Nations. Some session under your wise guidance. I also take this hotheads even allege that the United Nations has opportunity to extend deep appreciation to Mr. Jan exhausted its potential. I believe that such ideas Kavan for his insightful leadership of the fifty-seventh contradict the interests of the world community, session of the General Assembly. although on the whole, I see nothing wrong with debates on this theme. Such discussions are This is my second successive participation in the demonstrations of democracy, to the development of work of the General Assembly. In my statement last which the United Nations has significantly contributed year, I supported the resolute actions of the anti- worldwide. terrorist coalition in eliminating the Central Asian centre of international terrorism in Afghanistan, as well The development of democracy at a national level as the other measures taken by the world community to involves differences of opinion and criticism of the address global challenges to international peace and authorities. Something similar takes place in the security. framework of the world community. Here, too, a This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the interpretation of speeches delivered in the other languages. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room C-154A. Corrections will be issued after the end of the session in a consolidated corrigendum. 03-53870 (E) *0353870* A/58/PV.21 polarization of opinions is occurring, but in this case it Peoples” (A/54/2000), and also contained in the is our common offspring — the United Nations — that Millennium Declaration. These last three years have is coming under attack. Attempts to jeopardize its role highlighted even more the importance of the issues are perceived, especially by small countries, as raised at that time. undermining that international body which embodies Since then, the fight against international the interests of all mankind. There is a wise saying: terrorism was added as one of the major challenges to “Small countries must have big friends”. The United international peace and security. The report of Nations is just such a big reliable friend. Secretary-General Mr. Kofi Annan to the present However, it is difficult to deny that the work of session of the General Assembly focuses the attention the United Nations is not yet ideal. Certainly its of Member States on the need to increase their efforts efficiency needs to be enhanced. We understand the towards implementing the Millennium Declaration. Secretary-General’s concern for the situation of the This approach deserves very broad support. United Nations, and we fully share his assessment of I believe that only such a universal, global the current world situation. organization as the United Nations is able to cope with In this regard, the attention paid to the work of the challenges faced by the world community. But the this current session of the General Assembly by many United Nations needs help, and we, through our joint heads of State is impressive. The statements made by efforts, particularly with the support of the big Powers, Mr. George Bush, the President of the United States; can accomplish this. If we do not, then we would be Mr. Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian acting at cross-purposes and could expect a grim result. Federation; Mr. Jacques Chirac, the President of Besides common problems shared by the world France; Mr. Gerhard Schroeder, Chancellor of community, each country has its own specific Germany, as well as other heads of State, despite problems. Kyrgyzstan is determined to resolve its own certain differences in approach, clearly have shown the problems through reliance on its own efforts. desire to have a definite role for the United Nations in Addressing this Assembly, I cannot fail to stress the building the new world order, one that is better in concentration of our efforts on advancing the keeping with the aspirations of all people on Earth. democratic process. In particular, last year I put The most efficient way of overcoming forward a national idea entitled, “Kyrgyzstan — a disagreements in political practice is to search for country of human rights”. For the development of this compromise. We are pleased to note that the technique idea, a Democratic Code was elaborated and a Public of compromise is playing a positive role in resolving Council of Democratic Security was established. disagreements on such a key issue for the world as the Following the outcome of a national referendum, a new settlement of the problem of Iraq. This is an Constitution was adopted which more fully reflects the encouraging sign. level of democracy attained as well as new challenges to its development. These measures have given a We would like to stress, again, that any measures powerful stimulus to the progressive movement of our to improve the United Nations should be based solely country towards a democratic system. on the idea of improving the work of the Organization. The Kyrgyz Republic is ready to support reasonable We also attach great importance to the proposals on this subject, including measures to establishment of fair, open and responsible governance increase the efficiency of the work of the Security and to enhancing the effectiveness of the anti- Council. corruption policy being pursued. This year I established the National Council on Conscientious I believe that alongside the search for ways to Governance to strengthen the work being conducted in improve the United Nations, we should concentrate on Kyrgyzstan to create an anti-corruption atmosphere in those specific problems which will need to be resolved our society. again in the foreseeable future. In this regard, we may look at the results of the Millennium Summit, to those We are focusing our main efforts on the fight vital problems that were highlighted at that time in the against poverty, but the Republic cannot resolve this discerning report of the Secretary-General of the problem without external assistance. We highly United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan entitled, “We the commend the role played by the United Nations in the 2 A/58/PV.21 fight against poverty, and the measures undertaken by In conclusion, I should like once again to stress our Organization. Again, we appeal to the world not only my full confidence in the United Nations, but community and to the developed countries not to also the determination of the Kyrgyz Republic reduce their efforts in providing assistance to the resolutely to strive, together with our partners in the developing countries for the purpose of overcoming international community, for the preservation and poverty. strengthening of this Organization, which we believe most fully reflects our interests. May the Almighty In the autumn of 2002, under the aegis of the help us in this work, and let all good peoples of the United Nations, the Global Mountain Summit was held world join in our prayers for the success and prosperity in our capital, Bishkek. The Bishkek Global Mountain of the United Nations. Platform adopted at the Summit has, in essence, become the outcome document of the International The President: On behalf of the General Year of Mountains, observed by the United Nations. Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Kyrgyz The document has defined key tasks for sustainable Republic for the statement he has just made. development of the mountain regions of our planet. To Mr. Askar Akayev, President of the Kyrgyz address them, Switzerland has initiated creation of the Republic, was escorted from the General International Partnership for Sustainable Development Assembly Hall. in Mountain Regions. This is only the beginning; we have just set in place the first building blocks for the Agenda item 9 (continued) foundation of an institutionalized home for the mountain regions.