Statement of the Sultanate of Oman
Before
The Fifty-Second Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly

Delivered by
H.E. Yousef bin Alawi Abdullah
Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs

Mr. President, allow me at the outset to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your election to preside over the work of this, the fifty-second session of the General Assembly. Your unanimous election reflects the active role of your country, Ukraine, with which my country, the Sultanate of Oman, enjoys relations of friendship and cooperation. We are fully confident that your diplomatic capabilities and skills will stand you in good stead in managing the work of the Assembly at its present session. My delegation assures you of its fullest cooperation in making this session a success and in achieving its desired objectives.

I would also like to pay special tribute to Ambassador Razali Ismail of friendly Malaysia for his successful and constructive efforts in steering the work of the General Assembly at its previous session.

By the same token, I wish to stress our continued support for the genuine efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, in restructuring the United Nations and in revitalizing its role in all areas of endeavours.

Owing to the arbitrary policy of the current Israeli Government since it came to power in late May of last year, the peace process in the Middle East is going through a difficult phase. The rigidity of the Israeli Government has manifested itself in the non-implementation of what had been agreed upon with the Palestinian National Authority in Oslo and in its non-recognition of the land-for-peace formula, a principle on which the whole of the Madrid Conference was built and a measure which was accepted by all the parties as a foundation for reaching a just and lasting peace.

Israel's failure to comply in good faith with its international commitments and its continuation of building settlements in occupied Arab Jerusalem and other occupied Palestinian territories have resulted in the disruption of the peace process. Therefore, we fully understand the awesome responsibility that falls on the two sponsors of the peace process. We are confident that they, as well as other peace-supporting nations, particularly those of the European Union, are capable of narrowing the existing chasm between the Government of Israel and the Government of the Palestinian National Authority on the basis of justice and equity that will produce substantial progress which will restore a climate of trust and cooperation between the Israeli and Palestinian Governments and that will renew hope once more among the fraternal people of Palestine as well as among the people of Israel for life in peace and harmony.

My delegation wishes to recall that the status of Jerusalem was one of those issues that were agreed to be deferred to the final stage of negotiations. However, the measures being taken by the Israeli Government in Jerusalem and its vicinity totally run counter to what was agreed upon in Madrid in 1991.

We therefore call upon the international community to express solidarity with the Government of the Palestinian National Authority in resisting these Israeli policies, which lead to more tension, violence and bloodshed.

Proceeding from its conviction of the importance of the peace process in the Middle East and the need to contribute to giving it impetus for further progress, my country, the Sultanate of Oman, has actively participated in supporting that process. It continues to adhere to the goals of establishing peace in the Middle East in accordance with the relevant resolutions and agreements, which have been concluded. Therefore, we demand that those agreements be implemented, since peace is an imperative, and is in the interests of all peoples in the region, ridding them of all forms of repression, terror, poverty, and hunger.

The Sultanate of Oman reaffirms its solidarity with the fraternal people of Palestine and supports the peaceful position of the Government of the Palestinian National Authority, which aims at Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.

We call upon the international community to enhance the peace process by providing its support to the Government of the Palestinian National Authority, both materially and psychologically, thus enabling it to establish the foundations for stability and security in the Palestinian territories and to build the necessary infrastructures for the Palestinian economy, which is an important factor that will safeguard what has been achieved and what we hope will be achieved in the future.

We also call upon the people of Israel and all political actors in that country to promote and defend the peace process. We also reject all forms of terror, repression and fear, which have had an adverse impact on the national interests of all the peoples in the region, including Israel itself.

We reaffirm the desire of Syria to establish a just and comprehensive peace, a desire it has always reiterated in all international forums. We support the Syrian position calling for the resumption of the negotiations with the current Israeli Government from where they ended with the previous Israeli Government, based on full and complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan to the boundaries prior to 4 June 1967, with the concomitant mutual obligations to guarantee the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace between Syria and Israel and in the region at large.

We would also like to reaffirm the importance of Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Lebanese territories to internationally recognized borders, in accordance with Security Council resolution 425 (1978). The world has witnessed the increased tension between Israel and Lebanon over the past two years, which has inflicted tremendous financial losses on the Lebanese economy, not to mention the killing of innocent civilians and the spread of terror and destruction, which is a natural result of the continuation of Israel's occupation of a part of Lebanese territory.

The phenomena of violence and terrorism that target the lives of innocents require strengthened international efforts and a firmer will to stand against these heinous acts. In this regard, I reiterate my country's condemnation of these phenomena and its absolute rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism. We call on the international community to coordinate its efforts to put an end to these acts and to guarantee that those who commit or advocate such crimes be brought to justice.

With regard to the situation between the United Nations and Iraq, we believe that the implementation of resolution 986 (1995) and its further extension are important steps that deserve the acknowledgement and the commendation of the international community, for it will alleviate some of the sufferings endured by the brotherly people of Iraq. My country has welcomed this and expresses its satisfaction that the cooperation between Iraq and the Special Commission is being built on a foundation of trust that will certainly enable its new Chairman, Ambassador Richard Butler, to submit an appropriate final report on the future of the economic sanctions imposed on Iraq.

Despite these encouraging indicators between the United Nations and Iraq, some fundamental issues remain that have yet to register any progress, particularly the question of Kuwaiti prisoners and detainees of other nationalities, and the return of Kuwaiti properties. This question is of particular importance and we would reaffirm here the urgent need for the United Nations to make greater efforts and to establish further contacts with Iraq with the aim of putting this issue to rest, since it is largely related to humanitarian and social matters.

My country attaches primary importance to the peace and security of the Gulf region, cooperation and coexistence among its nations and peoples in accordance with the principles of international law, peaceful neighbourly relations, mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. On this understanding, we have been striving, in the context of the combined efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council, to solve all disputes and sources of tension, whatever they may be, between the countries of the region through dialogue and peaceful means. Thus, the question of Lesser Tunb, Greater Tunb and Abu Musa islands constitutes a dispute that might jeopardize the peace and stability, which we are seeking. In this regard, we support all efforts aimed at solving this question through direct peaceful dialogue and legal means between the concerned parties, the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran, in a manner that will safeguard neighbourly relations, stability, security and peace in the region.

With regard to the situation in Somalia, my country applauds the efforts recently made by Egypt that led to the signing of an agreement between the leaders of the Somali factions. We call on those factions to pursue the peace dialogue among them in order to attain Somali national unity. We call upon the United Nations to render concrete support to Egypt's efforts to help the Somali factions to implement their national programme.

My country has continuously supported international efforts aimed at strengthening international peace and security. In this regard, my country's announcement at the previous session of the General Assembly of its accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) emphasizes our policy, which was followed by other steps represented by its deposit of the instrument of ratification in early 1997 and its initiation of negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency to finalize a safeguards agreement, in accordance with our obligations as set down in the Treaty.

The Sultanate of Oman, while taking this historic step, certainly hopes to bestow more strength and credibility on the Treaty, which it considers to be the most important multilateral disarmament treaty, by encouraging all countries that have not yet joined the NPT to do so. In this regard, we call on Israel in particular to expedite its accession to the Treaty and to place all its nuclear facilities under international supervision, which we believe will create an atmosphere of trust and confidence and limit the level of armament in the Middle East - a move that would bring about just and permanent peace to the region.

The Chemical Weapon Convention is no doubt an important multilateral disarmament treaty prohibiting a whole category of weapons of mass destruction amenable to verification measures. All of us have an obligation to uphold these measures for the benefit and welfare of humanity at large. In order to avoid a similar fate for the NPT, we believe that all nations should accede to it. Preserving the universality and comprehensive nature of this Treaty should constitute one of the highest goals on the international community's list of priorities.

At a time when the international community is preparing to enter the twenty-first century, the African continent continues to suffer the blight of endless, successive wars. These wars have taken the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians and created more than 6 million refugees and about 12 million displaced persons in the continent.

We add our voice to those who have called on the African nations within areas of conflict to exert every possible effort, including regular negotiations, to provide an environment conducive to national reconciliation among the warring factions and to enable the refugees to return securely to their lands through safe passages.

My country supports the United Nations role in coordinating worldwide efforts - through international donor agencies, the regional efforts represented by the work of the Organization of African Unity, and countries that border those areas of conflict - aimed at achieving progress and development for the individual in Africa, who has and continues to suffer from deprivation, despair, poverty, natural disasters and other man-made catastrophes.

The environment is a gift from God, the Almighty, to man. Its preservation is a collective responsibility, which is not limited by political boundaries. This fact has been proven repeatedly. Therefore, wherever man lives, he should do his share to protect the environment and to treat it with wisdom and logic, and be aware of the diverse causes of pollution. We are called upon to commit ourselves constantly to the implementation of Agenda 21 and its principles declared at the Earth Summit. Such actions and principles constitute the foundation upon which a global partnership and a collective responsibility have been erected. Their goal is to end poverty and hunger and to prevent a decline in health standards and the degradation of environmental systems. All of these are necessary preconditions to obtaining sustainable development, which is the only option open to humanity that guarantees the future of coming generations and offers prosperity and progress to the present ones.

The Sultanate of Oman has prepared a national strategy to protect the environment that aims at achieving balanced and sustainable development, a strategy that would treat economic, social and environmental considerations on an equal footing. My country has also prepared a national plan to combat desertification in the Sultanate in due implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Furthermore, the Sultanate has established an integrated network of natural reserves throughout the country that will accord with the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Sultanate of Oman has supported various environmental bodies, introducing new legislation and updating old environmental laws in order to meet the requirements of environmental protection from the dangers of pollution resulting from diverse development activities with a view to guaranteeing the full implementation of regional and international environmental agreements. It has also declared every 8 January as Omani Day of the Environment.

On the regional level, the Sultanate of Oman, in its efforts to implement the recommendations that stem from the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter from ships at sea, has declared its intention to build a bunkering port for ships on its shores in preparation for their adoption in other countries of the Gulf region.

On the international level, the Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Preservation, set up by UNESCO, is a true testimony to the effort by the Sultanate of Oman and its leader to translate the concept of collective responsibility for environmental protection into a practical reality. Protecting the environment and striking a balance between the needs of development and the environment form a cornerstone of the declared policy of the Sultanate of Oman. My country looks forward to complementing its effort with that of the international community in the areas of training, transfer of technology and exchange of information and to getting acquainted with the latest modern techniques and scientific discoveries in the environmental field. In this regard, we call on the international community, in particular the developed countries, to provide the necessary financial and technical resources to rescue our planet and its natural resources.

Since the individual is the centre of development and the moving force behind the renaissance of modern Oman and is the real support of all development operations, the Sultanate of Oman, as of the inception of its modern development, has focused its attention on improving the welfare of Omani citizens.

In the social domain, the national plans for the development of the family and of women have been accorded the highest priority. Our social development plans accord special attention to issues relating to the family and to projects that aim at providing the best care for women and children. The efforts of the Government in this regard have culminated in the establishment of women's rehabilitation centres in different parts of the Sultanate. These centres aim to develop women's potential and to promote their cultural and social standing. Moreover, the Government has played its part by introducing new laws and legislation that are geared to achieve social security for the family in cases of old age, disability and handicap, in order to allow those with disabilities to be reintegrated in society and to rehabilitate them for participation in society's development.

The Government has also established development plans for women and children with a view to their preparation for the future through setting up women's organizations based on volunteerism and through launching children's social services in remote and rural areas of the country.

In this regard, we are happy to note that international agencies such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), have praised the efforts of the Government. In its report entitled The Progress of Nations 1997, UNICEF illustrated the accomplishments achieved by the Sultanate of Oman in child protection and the country's commitment to ensuring the rights of the child through its accession in 1996 to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Sultanate of Oman is the number-one country in the world in terms of reducing infant under-five mortality by 74 per cent between 1980 and 1995. The report notes:

"The proportion of children who reach their fifth birthday is one of the most fundamental indicators of a country's concern for its people. Child survival statistics are a poignant indicator of the priority given to the services that help a child to flourish: adequate supplies of nutritious food, the availability of high-quality health care and easy access to safe water and sanitation facilities, as well as the family's overall economic condition and the health and status of women in the community." [See The Progress of Nations 1997, page 28]

The UNICEF report for the year 1994 also notes that, based on the 1992 indicators, the Sultanate of Oman ranked as the number-two nation in the Middle East and North Africa region in terms of girls' enrolment in primary education.

Recently, the achievement of modern development in the Sultanate of Oman has culminated in the significant achievement of the introduction of the Basic Law of the State, which is considered a milestone in the Sultanate's modern history. Other serious steps are also under way to strengthen the participation of women in the legislature, the Majlis Al-Shura.

On the economic level, achieving balance and stability in macroeconomics and encouraging private enterprise in a competitive and free environment constitute the future vision that will guide the Omani economy for the next 25 years.

We believe that the reaffirmation of the previously mentioned Basic Law of the State and the adherence to these principles will be the guiding factor in the country's policy of openness that should engender confidence in our economy and create the necessary conditions for investments.

In the area of diversifying the sources of its national revenue, the Sultanate of Oman is in the process of implementing several other major projects that are expected to capitalize on its natural gas discoveries and reserves. In this respect, we would like to note in particular that the liquefied natural gas project should begin operation with the first shipment in the year 2000. Work has also begun on building the container port in Rays?t, in the south of the Sultanate, with a view to its becoming a regional and international port. It is our hope that this port will serve as a regional focal point for exporters and transitional trade.

In addition to these efforts, the Omani Government is in the process of implementing various privatisation projects through careful study. It is also updating its tax and investment laws in accordance with the new spirit of global partnership prevailing throughout the world.
In accord with this global partnership, the Sultanate of Oman has adopted important measures to implement the necessary requirements for its membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO). It is our fervent hope that these measures will be finalized in order to allow Oman to assume its rightful place in the organization in the near future. Here I would like to recall that, in compliance with the guidelines of the WTO in the area of intellectual property, Oman has completed the formal procedures for becoming a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). In this vein, the Convention signed at Stockholm on 14 July 1967 has been in force in Oman as of 19 February 1997.

On the regional plane, the economic cooperation among the States members of the GCC is being strengthened every day. Moreover, there is agreement among them with regard to international treaties and organizations. The member States of the GCC are seriously striving to join the WTO. Coordination between the GCC and other regional and international economic groupings is something that ought to be noted here as well.

The Sultanate of Oman adheres to a free-market economy and vigorously promotes foreign investments. And in this regard, it has introduced various incentives, created the appropriate environment and enacted flexible legislation in order to eliminate all the barriers and impediments that might stand in the way of attracting foreign investors and protecting their rights.

Based on this conviction, given our national economic strategies and in response to international developments that attest to the importance of economic groupings, the Sultanate of Oman participated in the first Ministerial Meeting for the formal launching of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) which was held in Mauritius in March 1997. As a result of many years' work, in which my country had the honour to initiate and take part in formative meetings, the Indian Ocean Rim Economic Association was officially established. This has paved the way for its members to work together towards strengthening economic and trade cooperation between them in one of the important regions of the world in accordance with the goals and objectives enshrined in the Association's charter. These goals include increasing economic linkages, cooperation and interdependence between the member States and their peoples. Besides working with the private and academic sector, members of the Indian Ocean Rim Economic Association are working towards establishing stronger ties in the areas of technical and scientific cooperation and also promoting the exchange of investment opportunities and mutual economic benefits.

We welcome the national-level initiatives to set up programmes to pay arrears to the United Nations. The adoption of such measures will revitalize the work of the Organization in all areas, particularly in those areas relating to organization, administration and finance. This should strengthen the performance of the Organization in the years 1998 and 1999 in accordance with the practical framework established by the General Assembly. At the same time, we urge all States to refrain from setting conditions for the United Nations during the payment of their late dues. Such conditions ignore the will and interests of the international community, and are characterized as focusing entirely on short-term national interests of the States involved. Such conditions could lead to the further escalation of old and existing tensions in the world, until appropriate solutions for their radical elimination are found. Here we advocate caution and deliberateness in connection with the elimination of some of the United Nations missions - such as the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, presently stationed in Jerusalem, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. These cutbacks might have negative political and legal implications.

Through the United Nations the international community has proved its ability to renew its determination and muster the necessary political will for serious collective work and cooperation in fostering international peace and security. In this regard the Organization has shouldered huge responsibilities and faced complex challenges in its efforts to restructure its system for the next millennium through the adoption of less costly and more effective mechanisms for attaining the desired goals.

In our view, after all the debates and deliberations in the General Assembly, the time has now come to have a final vision of how to expand the Security Council and to restructure it, that Council being the most important political body charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. While bearing in mind the global economic and political realities, which cannot be ignored, the reforms should be of a holistic nature, based on equality among nations and equitable geographic distribution. There is also the need to establish democracy in the work and decision-making of the Security Council. The Council's work also encompasses the development of an actual and precise picture of the new international order, which should be characterized by justice, security and peace.