The lives, and means, of people.

Speakers called for implementation of commitments made at international conferences in recent yea, and for debt-relief to least developing countries (LDCs). Brazil felt the UN agenda must become more appealing and result-oriented to correct the tendency to convene meetings which only resulted in other meetings or the adoption of rhetorical resolutions. Iran supported international conferences to articulate and codify norms of behaviour for an orderly new system. Bahamas welcomed the debt-relief decision by the Group of Seven countries (G-7), while Gambia proposed a multilateral programme to write off third world debt by the end of the century. However, Uganda found current debt-relief initiatives grossly inadequate. Sudan emphasized that debt-servicing in most African countries exceeded their gross national product (GNP) and all export earnings. prevalent theme which wound its way through the human rights issues this year dealt with child abuse. Iceland wished to see a follow-up to recommendations of the Stockholm Congress against the Sexual Exploitation of Children. Protection of children was also of main concern for Spain, France and Germany. Monaco and Andorra dedicated most of their statements to rights of the child and youth, and in particular the protection of children from sexual exploitation.

Economic development and trade

The United Kingdom identified steps that could be taken to lift the debt burden from the LDCs by increasing debt forgiveness by bilateral creditors and getting multilateral agencies to share more of the burden. The World Trade Organization (WTO) proposal that LDCs be granted tariff-free access to developed markets was welcomed by many States.

Some countries, including Nepal and Pakistan, noted that liberalization and globalization exacerbated the problems of land-locked developing countries, given high transportation costs and the difficulty of maintaining tight schedules demanded by the global market. St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Antigua and Barbuda called for protection from MNCs (multinational companies).

Jordan suggested thought be given to holding a special General Assembly session at the level of Heads of State "to prepare for the new world order" in the next century.

International financial institutions

Malaysia criticised the Bretton Woods institutions, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the WTO and G-7 for unfair handling of international assistance programmes and incorrect interpretation of multilateral trade rules. It said that strengthening multilateralism required a reform of the Bretton Woods institutions. Finland urged the international financial institutions to concentrate on LDCs and enhance efficiency through a more integrated approach at the country level. Cuba blamed international financial institutions for supporting economic models, which resulted in nothing but increased poverty and loss of natural resources and sovereignty for the developing world. Tunisia and others were of the opinion that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund should take it upon themselves to implement commitments subscribed to by the international community in major conferences during the last five years, by providing adequate resources.

The role of the World Trade Organization

Sri Lanka called on WTO to be "sensitive to the concerns of developing countries". Uganda welcomed the upcoming WTO Conference, but preferred to first receive analytical advice on international trade from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) before such issues were taken up by WTO. It proposed a cooperation agreement between the East African Cooperation and the UN to enhance South/South and international cooperation for development. Slovakia said UNCTAD should establish greater cooperation with the WTO and the Bretton Woods institutions. Indonesia called on all trading partners to refrain from overloading the WTO agenda with extraneous issues.

International development assistance

Most countries from the Group of 77 emphasized the importance of the Agenda for Development as a key element for future United Nations activities. Denmark deplored the current trend in decreasing Overseas Development Assistance (ODA). Maldives warned a decrease in ODA could lead to calamitous effects on LDCs and called for favoured treatment to prevent regression. New Zealand reported a considerable increase in its development assistance. Mexico considered development a precondition to peace and security; international cooperation should not be curtailed by extension of national legislation such as the United States Helms-Burton Act. Myanmar argued that development depended on a fair national economic environment, undistorted by political constrains or arbitrary sanction regimes.

Bangladesh, Cambodia, Comoros, Djibouti and Gabon considered shrinking ODA, lack of private investments and fluctuation in commodity prices to be major reasons for poverty.

General recommendations for development

Jamaica stressed that special trading regimes such as the Banana Protocol should be respected. Guinea supported convening in Tokyo in 1997 the second international conference on African development. Belize and Spain and others emphasized the importance of the Agenda for Development as a key element for future United Nations activities.

Human rights

France demanded punishment of all crimes against humanity and called for the establishment of a permanent International Court to fight massive human rights violations. Canada amongst many others followed suit.

Hungary believed the United Nations was not sufficiently equipped to deal with the latest and gravest human. rights challenges and stressed the need to finance some UN human rights field operations from the PKO budget. The Republic of Korea and Portugal suggested that the role of the High Commissioner and the Centre for Human Rights should be adequately endowed with human and financial resources, a view shared by Estonia, which also believed that the UN human rights machinery could rely on the expertise of regional organizations such as the OSCE and the Council of Europe.

Mexico voiced concern about the protection of migrants, while Fiji pointed out that a regional workshop could promote greater support for the UN draft Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples.

The Russian Federation deplored the discminatory practices of Estonia and Latvia against Russian-speaking minorities. Latvia, on the other hand, maintained it had already established the State Human Rights Office, an independent institution to protect human rights. Moldova brought alleged human rights violations in the Trans-Dniestr region to the attention of the Assembly.

Nigeria contended that the adoption of General Assembly resolution 50/199 on 22 December 1995 on the human rights situation in Nigeria was based merely on biased media reports. Sudan deplored the growing tendency of certain powers to exploit human rights issues to serve political interests.

Terrorism and drug trafficking

As the United States President chose the fight against international terrorism and drug trafficking as the main topic of his statement, it remained a theme throughout the debate.

Poland submitted a draft to fight terrorism by proposing a comprehensive legal instrument to improve interstate cooperation and facilitate the work of law enforcement agencies, entitled "United Nations Framework Convention Against Organized Crime". The Polish proposal was supported by others, such as Romania, Belarus, Slovakia and the Philippines. Tackling the problem by elaborating on the international legal system was also suggested by Egypt, whose President Mubarak had proposed holding an international conference on the issue. Georgia supported Egypt's initiative. Sri Lanka and Oman also proposed a Convention on Terrorism, with Sri Lanka urging giving legal effect to the 1994 Declaration on the Elimination of Terrorism.

The link between international crime and drug trafficking was emphasized during the debate, especially by South American and the Caribbean States, which were particularly concerned. Thus, Argentina and Nicaragua, just as Barbados, the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic, pledged support for active resistance against terrorism, drug trafficking and corruption. Colombia proposed an "Agenda of Global Action Against Drugs", according to which alternatives had to be offered to small farmers, money laundering had to be combatted, shipment of chemical precursors and arms to drug-producing countries had to be regulated, and finally an International Justice Tribunal against organized crime had to be set up. It also offered to host the first meeting and proposed the early formation of a Group of Experts.

Mexico, Jamaica, Kyrgyzstan and others supported convening a General Assembly special session on drugs in 1998.

Combatting terrorism, transnational organized crime and drug abuse were also among the main topics of the interventions of Algeria, France, Tajikistan and Myanmar. Turkmenistan had set tip a State Coordination Commission to fight drag trafficking and pledged its allegiance to the UN Drug Control Programme. Azerbaijan favoured creation of a special international organization to combat terrorism. Kyrgyzstan made a point of denouncing drag trafficking and arms trade in Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Nigeria called upon the General Assembly to take additional steps to eradicate terrorism. Guinea welcomed the G-7 decisions in that regard. Thailand welcomed the Economic and Social Council's Declaration on Crime and Public Security.

Lithuania believed measures against the laundering of drug money would undermine the economic roots of the criminal world. Jordan supported bilateral, regional and international efforts to combat terrorism. Sudan reiterated its condemnation of terrorism, and Iran said that the United States budgetary support for terrorism against Iran had prevented concerted action against international terrorism.

Environment

Concern about climate change and rising sea levels was of great importance in this year's debate, especially for the Caribbean and Pacific States. The Caribbean States also called for an immediate halt to the transport of hazardous materials and waste through the Caribbean Sea; the Bahamas reiterated the Caribbean Common Market Heads of Government Declaration that the Caribbean should be a nuclear-free zone for purposes of shipment, storing or dumping of any radioactive or hazardous substances or toxic waste.

While Kazakstan called for assistance in dealing with the horrifying environmental disasters left as a legacy of being used as a nuclear testing site, Fiji stressed that the Pacific region would not sit by and allow further reckless and mindless destruction of its environment to the detriment of its people's health by any form of nuclear contamination.

Monaco, Iceland, the Philippines and others attached importance to preserving the marine environment; some African States underlined the importance of the fight against desertification. In this context, Mali was concerned about the deadlock in talks on an international mechanism to combat desertification.

Argentina warned growing deterioration of the ozone layer threatened Southern Patagonia and called on States to create and integrate ozone layer monitoring stations into the World Multilateral Environmental Monitoring System.

Seychelles suggested that sustainable development programmes could not ignore environmental realities, yet some countries found their natural resources being exploited by bigger Powers; therefore, evaluation criteria for developing countries should be reviewed. To prevent environmental degradation, Oman emphasized effective participation by all countries in creating international legal instruments.