NEW YORK , 29 JULY 2005
STATEMENT BY Mr. RUI MACIEIRA, CHARGÉ D’AFFAIRES A.I. AND DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF PORTUGAL TO THE UNITED NATIONS, TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS (speaking points at the informal meeting of the Plenary to discuss the revised text of the Draft Outcome Document of the High Level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly)

Mr. President,

At the outset, let me join others who have commended your leadership and your role and the facilitators’ in the preparatory process for the September High Level Plenary Meeting.

The open, transparent and inclusive way in which you have been conducting our work is the best guarantee that this process will result in a final text in which all Member States will find reflected their main concerns and priorities.

We consider the draft outcome document before us an excellent document which, with some improvements, will live up to what our Heads of State and Government expect from us.

Mr. President,  

Portugal fully associates itself with the statements delivered by the European Union Presidency, would like to touch upon a few issues.

First, I would like to welcome the degree of detail on the Peace-building Commission’s wording. We have always believed that the Summit needs to have tangible results in new and relevant areas. Few other areas are as relevant and innovative as the PBC. We must seize the momentum to agree on as much elements of the Commission as possible so that it can start functioning and making a concrete difference for the development of countries as soon as possible. 

While reiterating our points of view expressed in previous statements, we consider that the language on the membership of the PBC can be slightly improved in order to ensure that all the countries directly relevant for a specific recovery effort are allowed to serve on the Peace-building Commission.

Mr. President,

The world has been shocked by the sequence of terrorist attacks that have been inflicted against innocent civilian populations in different parts of the world- north and south, east and west. 

This further raises our concern that one day terrorists may acquire weapons of mass destruction. We must act resolutely to avoid such a nightmare scenario, including through compliance and effective implementation of all SC resolutions, such as 1267, 1373 and 1540.

We strongly believe that the UN has a key role to play in the fight against terrorism. In the long run, only effective multilateralism can guarantee victory in the war against terrorism. The Summit needs to send strong messages and agree concrete commitments in all these areas, namely by supporting the Secretary-General’s "Global Strategy for Fighting Terrorism".

Mr. President,

Disarmament and non-proliferation are mutually reinforcing concepts. Only by acting on both can we achieve lasting success in furthering our common security. The summit must also reach concrete and ambitious decisions on these matters.

Thank you, Mr. President.