His Majesty King Abdullah II
Remarks by His Majesty
King Abdullah II
61st General Assembly of the United Nations
September 19, 2006
New York, USA
Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim; In the
Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Madam President, President of 61st General Assembly, Her Excellency Haya Rashed
Al-Khalifa.
Members of the General Assembly:
Sheikha Haya, may I extend the warmest congratulations to you, on your election
as President of the General Assembly.
Allow me also to say a word of gratitude and admiration to Secretary General
Kofi Annan. Jordan applauds the progress achieved in U.N. reform under Secretary
Annan’s tenure. We welcome especially, the recent creation of the Human Rights
Council and the Peacebuilding Commission.
My friends,
I come before you today with a deep sense of urgency. Never has it been more
important for the world community to act decisively for peace in my region.
The recent crisis in the Middle East is a crisis for all nations. There can be
no just global order when aggression and occupation are permitted to take the
place of international law. When these occur in a region as strategic as the
Middle East the shockwaves run worldwide. Our youth are asking, where is the
justice, where is the will, of the global community? We must answer them by
establishing a lasting peace, based on the international legality we have
pledged to uphold.
This means a new focus on the core problem. The region’s contemporary crises are
outgrowths of a central grievance, felt throughout the Middle East and indeed
the world. That grievance, plain and simply, is Israeli occupation and the
denial, over decades, of Palestinian rights. Until we end that wrong, conflict
will breed more conflict, year after year.
The Middle East conflict has repeatedly come before this institution. And the
U.N.’s position has been repeatedly articulated, in resolutions condemning
aggression and occupation; affirming Palestinian self-determination; and
supporting a process for peace. Yet each year without progress has brought us
another crisis, more suffering, more division. It is time to take a better path.
We must, of course, respond immediately to help those who suffer the terrible
destruction of conflict. In Lebanon, we must ensure that the government can
extend its sovereignty and control over all the Lebanese territories. The Arab
world and the international community must exert every effort to support
reconstruction and development.
These are vital measures. But in the Middle East, these are only partial
measures. We can only solve the Arab-Israeli conflict by addressing the issue at
its core; the restoration of internationally recognized Palestinian rights.
In 2002, the 22 Arab states – agreeing unanimously – led the way with a
breakthrough peace proposal. Our vision and commitment is a viable, independent
Palestinian state, living side-by-side with a secure Israel. Under the Arab
Peace Initiative, Israel’s security would be guaranteed, and the occupation of
Palestine would end, in accord with U.N. resolutions.
Events show clearly that there can be no unilateral solution to the conflict.
There must be a genuine partnership among all parties, in the context of
international legality and justice.
Such a global partnership for peace is directly connected to the global
partnership for development. Across the world, nations at peace are moving
forward with economic growth and development: investing in education, building
communities, helping to shape the future of the globe. But no nation succeeds in
isolation. All nations, all people – especially our youth – must be able to
share in a promising future.
We must make peace a priority. And we must do so now. No Session of this great
institution could make a greater contribution to a future of justice and hope.
Thank you.