UNITED NATIONS, Sept 24, (KUNA): HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah — the Representative of HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah —addressed the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sheikh Nasser, in his address to the international community, called for “continued reforms and improvements” to the international bodies, noting that “it is high time to take the necessary steps to improve and develop the work of the Security Council.” He noted that the State of Kuwait had decided to increase five folds its contributions to the UN agencies for sake of boosting cooperation with the international organization.
At the domestic level, the Prime Minister shed light on Kuwait’s efforts to speed up development, noting that $115 billion had been earmaked to upgrade the infrastructure and vital utilities.
Regarding Iraq, Sheikh Nasser re-affirmed readiness to offer all forms of support for the Iraqi leaders to restore law and order and maintain the nation’s sovereignty.
HH the Prime Minister also expressed hope that they would succeed in the efforts to establish a national unity government, representing all forces across the Iraqi political spectrum.
On other regional affairs, HH Sheikh Nasser expressed hope that the United Arab Emirates and Iran would “reach a resolution on the conflict over the occupied Emirati islands.”
Concerning the nuclear issue in the Middle East, the Representative of the Amir called on states of the region to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to rid the region of nuclear weapons.
He noted the responsibility of the international community to deal firmly with Israel to implement relevant resolutions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and re-affirmed support for Syria and Lebanon vis a vis their struggle to liberate their occupied lands.
His Highness, in his address to the assembly, also noted the need for international efforts to maintain a clean global environment.
On Kuwait’s role in supporting efforts of the United Nations (UN), Representative of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Prime Minister said “Kuwait continued to extend a helping hand to the needy in different parts of the world, as the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, continued, as it has done for the past five decades, to provide assistance and grants that have benefited, up until now, more than 100 countries all over the world, with easy-to-pay loans totaling $14.5 billion, which is equivalent to 1.31 percent of Kuwait’s GNP, and is double the percentage of the Official Development Assistance agreed upon internationally.”
HH Sheikh Nasser added that departing from Kuwait’s firm belief in the important and vital role of the UN in easing the human suffering resulting from natural disasters or conflicts, Kuwait has decided to increase, by almost five folds, its voluntary contributions to a number of the UN agencies and programs, over its past contributions, out of its desire to support these human activities and to deepen its joint cooperation with the UN.
“As the State of Kuwait celebrates its golden jubilee, and in implementation of the eminent desire of His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, to transform Kuwait into a financial and trade center in the region, a development plan for the period 2010-2014 have been approved, to which a budget of almost $115 billion have been allocated to develop the infrastructure, build ports and railways, construct new cities, as well as continue to work on improving the level of basic services provided to the citizens and residents alike,” HH Sheikh Nasser pointed out.
He carried on saying “Kuwait is proud in always being in the top positions, at the Arab and international levels with regards to the quality of education, life and healthcare services it provides, as well as in the fields of gender equality, economic position and political freedoms, according to rankings issued by international organizations, specialized agencies and other non-governmental organizations.”
Invasion
On relations with Iraq, the Amir’s representative said “twenty years have elapsed since the incursion and the invasion of the State of Kuwait by the former Iraqi regime. This is a painful anniversary, that we, and our brothers in Iraq are determined to get over by laying the foundations for stable relations based on the principles of mutual respect of sovereignty, independence and good neighborliness.”
He added that non-intervention in the internal affairs, resolving all differences by peaceful means, respecting all the resolutions of international legitimacy and the implementation of the remaining commitments stipulated by the relevant Security Council resolutions, are also of the targets aimed to be met.
“The State of Kuwait is optimistic concerning the future relations between the two countries, and is totally ready to provide all sorts of support to assist the Iraqi Government in its efforts to enforce security and stability and to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq, as well as to rebuild the various sectors of the State that suffered as a result of the adventures of the former regime, and its hostile and expansionist policies,” Sheikh Nasser asserted.
Carrying on with his speech, Sheikh Nasser voiced hope that the ongoing negotiations between the different parties and political powers in Iraq will lead to the formation of a national unity government representing the whole spectrum of the Iraqi people with all of its political components, capable of confronting the security, political and economic challenges, as well as fulfilling the needs and aspirations of the Iraqi people in building a free, democratic, unified Iraq, living in peace with itself and its neighbors, and contributing to the consolidation of the pillars of peace and stability in the region.
On the Emirates’ dispute with Iran over the occupied islands, Sheikh Nasser said “Kuwait, in its capacity as Chair of the current session of the Gulf Cooperation Council, hopes that communications at all levels will continue between the sisterly United Arab Emirates state and the friendly Islamic Republic of Iran, to work on finding a resolution for the conflict over the occupied Emirati Islands, according to the principles and bases of international law, and good neighborly relations in compliance with what was mentioned in the resolutions issued by the Gulf Summits and Ministerial meetings.”
Nuclear
On the global nuclear status, Sheikh Nasser said “while the State of Kuwait affirms the rights of states to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, it calls upon all states with similar programs to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and take whatever steps necessary of confidence building to reassure the international community about the nature of its nuclear program, according to the resolutions of international legitimacy.
 We also emphasize the need to resolve this issue peacefully by diplomatic means through direct negotiations between the concerned parties, which will pave the way to the creation of a zone free of nuclear weapons in the Middle East, in implementation of the resolution adopted by the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference held at the United Nations headquarters during the past month of May.”
On the Arab-Israel conflict, Sheikh Nasser, in his speech, termed the conflict “on of the gravest threats to peace and security in the Middle East region.” He said “the UN’s failure during the past six decades in finding a solution to this pivotal question, have contributed to the complication of the Palestine Question, and have pushed Israel, the occupying authority, to persist in its disrespect of international legitimacy.
It persisted in its settlement policy, imposed a siege on Gaza and destroyed the landmarks of Jerusalem in order to Judaize the city.
“Moreover, instead of welcoming the Arab peace initiative as a strategic choice and a nucleus for the peace process in the Middle East, it continued the confiscation of lands, as well as employing the policies of torture and confinement against unarmed Palestinian civilians.
 It used as pretext the rockets that were launched against it to launch savage wars, and use excessive force. This in addition to its arrogant attack on the Turkish freedom flotilla in international waters,” he noted.
However, said Sheikh Nasser, since Israel is confident of its impunity, it commits crimes continuously and systematically, without receiving any adequate response from the international community to such arrogance. “Therefore, we reaffirm the responsibility of the international community and of the Security Council for the maintenance of security and peace, as well as to deal seriously and sternly with Israel and force it to comply with the international will.”
Rights
He hoped for direct negotiations, which commenced at the beginning of this month between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, will lead to the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, the achievement of a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, as well as the establishment of a Palestinian State, with Jerusalem as its capital, according to the relevant Security Council resolutions, the principle of land-for-peace, the Road Map, and the Arab Peace Initiative. “We also renew our total support to the Syrian Arab Republic to regain its occupied lands in the Golan and the return to the line of June 4, 1967.
We stress the importance of implementing resolution 1701, and putting an end to the repeated Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace the separating blue line, as well as the withdrawal of Israel from all of the occupied Lebanese territories,” the Kuwaiti Premier stressed.
On the environment, HH Sheikh Nasser said “living in a clean, safe and stable environment is what the peoples of the world desire. During the past decades, we were able to enact numerous international agreements and conventions under the umbrella of the United Nations to secure a dignified living for our peoples in a world where justice and equality prevail.
We must therefore bear our responsibilities and adhere to our commitments to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of all the peoples of the world.” Earlier in his speech, sheikh Nasser expressed great pride in the efforts exerted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, to achieve the international objectives and aims in order to consolidate the concepts of international cooperation, the respect for international legitimacy, as well as fostering the principles of the United Nations’ Charter.
“Soon we shall be celebrating the 65th anniversary marking the founding of the United Nations. It is our hope that the success story of the United Nations will continue for many years to come; not only because it is considered the best multilateral international mechanism there is, but also for being the most legitimate, neutral and credible institution,” Sheikh Nasser said.
Focusing on challenges facing it, Sheikh Nasser pointed out that the UN demonstrated its ability to ward off destructive wars and maintain international peace and security. However, since the challenges and threats facing the international community are increasing instead of decreasing, as well as becoming more entangled and complex.
Therefore, he added, the role of the organization started to branch out, as well as to gain importance and vitality, in order to confront social crises and problems, such as the elimination of poverty and hunger, combat the spread of diseases and epidemics, the scourge of drug trafficking and organized crime, as well as the violations of human rights, also to confront other economic problems such as the increase in food prices, the global economic and financial crisis, in addition to security challenges, represented by terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and ongoing armed conflicts in a number of regions in the world.
Sheikh Nasser concluded by asserting that plenty of work remains to be done to limit the dangers of the climate change phenomenon, as the upcoming conference in Cancun, Mexico next November will provides an opportunity to hopefully reach a binding agreement that will determine the required goals, the time frame for their fulfillment, as well as the responsibilities of the member states and the mechanisms of joint work to guarantee the commitment of financing and technology transfer by the developed countries to the developing ones, to help them adapt to the climatic changes and confront their impact.