'No one is above the law': the 59th General Assembly high-level debate.

The United Nations fifty-ninth General Assembly opened its annual high-level debate with calls from its President, Foreign Minister Jean Ping of Gabon, for urgent and effective action to meet global threats and challenges, ranging from war and terrorism to disease and poverty. Every year, the Assembly gives UN Member States an opportunity to present wide-ranging concerns and international problems under the umbrella of the "general debate", and hears addresses by visiting heads of State or Government. Out of the 191 Member States, 190 and two observers spoke in this year's session.

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Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in his address at the commencement of the high-level general debate, warned that international law was being "shamelessly disregarded" and urged world leaders to do everything within their power to restore respect for the rule of law at home and abroad. The Assembly also had before it the Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization, which takes stock of the United Nations system's activities during the past year and emphasizes the ever-increasing scope of its tasks. The report, which covers the world body's action in the areas of achieving peace and security, meeting humanitarian commitments, cooperating for development, human rights and the international legal order, and enhancing management and partnerships, acknowledges that the year had been "extraordinarily challenging".

The Secretary-General also told Member State delegations that "the rule of law is at risk around the world" and called upon the international community to do everything within their power to restore respect for the fundamental principles of law. As violence and disaster swayed in many countries across the globe, he said, "every nation that proclaims the rule of law at home must respect it abroad, and every nation that insists on it abroad must enforce it at home".

Strengthening the rule of law, together with UN reforms, especially of the Security Council, countering terrorism, and an enhanced cooperation and coordination of the international community in the area of development, as well as peace and security, were issues that marked the 2004 Assembly session, which was attended by 64 Presidents, 25 Prime Ministers and 86 Foreign Ministers. Heads of State and Government reaffirmed their commitment and were unanimous in their support to build a stronger United Nations, to enable it to effectively address new challenges.

The President of Sri Lanka, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, expressed her support for Security Council reform, particularly for permanent representation for Africa and Asia. "We observe that Asia--the most populous continent that is home to expanding economic powerhouses--is grossly under-represented in the present Council", she said.

Junichiro Koizumi, Prime Minister of Japan, said that his country's role had become vital to the maintenance of international peace and security, which is precisely the mandate of the Council. "The role that Japan has played provides a solid basis for its assumption of permanent membership on the Security Council", he said. "The time has come to make a historic decision to reform the United Nations, and the Security Council in particular."

Tarja Halonen, President of Finland, said the time was ripe for a reform of the Security Council and the expansion of its membership, so that it corresponded better to today's world. "We need also to revitalize the General Assembly and give the Economic and Social Council the role envisaged in the UN Charter."

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, said the Security Council is the only source of legitimate action in the field of international peace and security. "But its composition must reflect today's reality--not perpetuate the post-Second World War era. Reform proposals that simply dress the current structure in new clothes and do not provide for an increase in the number of permanent members are manifestly insufficient", he added.

Delegates also called for a solution to end the conflict in the Middle East, and many expressed their support for the "Road Map", a peace plan sponsored by the diplomatic Quartet--United States, Russian Federation, European Union and the United Nations.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria, said that only effective multilateralism based on the rule of law could address the new and complex challenges the international community faced. "The Road Map remains the only way forward towards a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict, leading to two States living side by side in peace and security", she added.

Concerns over the slow progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals and reaching equitable economic policies were also expressed by many Member States. Yahya Jammeh, President of the Gambia, said that even though the ruling by the World Trade Organization (WTO) on farm subsidies was "gratifying", more needed to be done to liberalize farm trade and open up markets for commodities from developing countries.

Le Cong Phung, First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, said that developed countries should seriously realize their commitments to allocate 0.7 per cent of their gross domestic product for development assistance, and "create fairer and more favourable conditions for developing nations to access the world market and to join the WTO".

Brian Cowen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ireland, said that economic and social development was the means by which the world's poorer countries could be lifted out of poverty. "An open international trading regime aimed at facilitating investment is an integral part of our multilateral system, and fair market access is an essential part of this", he said. In a best-case scenario, Mr. Cowen felt that a successful outcome to the Doha Round could help some 500 million people move out of extreme poverty.

In his maiden speech to the General Assembly, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India called for finding innovative sources of financing and access to technologies that are necessary to assist those on the margins of globalization. "Just as prosperity cannot be sustained by being walled in, poverty cannot be banished to some invisible periphery", he said.

This year the Caribbean islands and parts of the United States received devastating blows from hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne, which left thousands without shelter, food, water and electricity. "The damage to homes, infrastructure, the interruption to normal life and commerce compel us to stress the need for immediate and dramatic measures to ensure reconstruction and rehabilitation", said Frederick A. Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service of the Bahamas. As scientific evidence suggests, "the hurricanes that we now experience are related to climate change; it is clear that we cannot defend ourselves alone", Mr. Mitchell said, and that a major shift on the part of the most active polluting countries was required.

The issue of terrorism was one of the most voiced concerns during the general debate. Fathulla Jameel, Foreign Minister of Maldives, said: "We in the small States feel more vulnerable to these challenges and threats, as our security is entirely dependent on the prevalence of global security and the observance of the rule of the law by all States."

Sergey V. Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation said that international law was clearly not an inalterable dogma. "The fight against terrorism calls for its development and improvement."

John Dauth, Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations, said that "there would be few nations in the room untouched by terrorism". While condemning the attacks in Beslan and at the Australian Embassy as "cowardly", he stressed that the international community could not allow security threats to fester. "What is required is new thinking, practical action and cooperation between Governments. Obviously the UN has a primary role to play."