Speech Delivered by President Saleh at UN Millennium Summit [Archives:2000/37/Local News]

I am pleased to express to you my heartfelt congratulations for presiding over this important Millennium Summit during which world leaders are gathering under the U.K. flag.
I also express my thanks to the secretary General for his comprehensive report on the role of the UN in the 21st century and the advent of the third millennium with all the aspirations and new challenges.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The convening of this summit in this wonderful way could not have been achieved without the great changes that had occurred in the international relations in the final years of the 20th century when the cold war was over.
Humanity suffered during the cold war from bloody conflicts which were harmful to freedom of man, his dignity, and were depilating his economic, resources, imposing poverty on millions of humans.
Relief comes when democracy and freedom overcame, and dictatorships collapsed and a new era began, an era of globalization, democracy, and respect for human rights, an era of free and prosperous economy and of partnership, an era for cooperation and peace.
Yemen joined the United Nation early in 1947 and was a witness to the great development that occurred since then. However, the last decade of the twentieth century was very crucial for Yemen.
Yemen became united and democratic. It enjoys freedom of the press and the participation of women in political life. It also pays much attention to the respect for human rights. Now at the threshold of the twenty first century, Yemen is at peace with itself and its neighbors.
Peace in the country and in the region is the objective of Yemen policy which concentrates on solving the borders problems with its neighbors through dialogue, understanding or arbitration.
This what has been achieved with the Sultanate of Oman, the state of Eritrea and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are looking forward to a new age of cooperation in our region and the world. It would be the age of openness and free market. There would be a freedom of movement of goods and capitals as well as of persons. International efforts are put together to fight terrorism in all its forms. Terrorism is an international phenomenon. However, we should distinguish terror from the legitimate struggle of people for their freedoms and independence. There are still people deprived of their freedom of independence such as the Palestinian people whose country is still under the Israeli occupation in spite of the support for its case by the world community.
We stress that just and comprehensive peace in our region is the peace for all, it could not be achieved without complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Arab territories occupied in 1967 in Palestine and the Gulan Heights and without the recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people including their right to establish their independent state on their land with Al-Kudos Al-Shareef as their capital according to the UN resolutions particularly resolution No. 242 and 338.
We respect the international legitimacy resolutions but we stress the need to put an end to the disastrous situation of the Iraqi people and the need to left the sanctions imposed on Iraq for more than 10 years.

Mr. President,
In this historical occasion, we call on the great and rich powers to perform a positive role to help the development of impoverished countries and to grant them exemptions from their debts as well as alleviate their burdens to enhance the opportunities of peace and stability in the world. Peace and development are inter-connected operations and are necessary conditions for human progress and civilization.
We believe that UN should have an effective role in this regard and in the rationalization of Globalization so that its benefits should not be directed to the rich countries only. Peace and security should not be enjoyed by some countries, they should prevail for all.
This great international organization should speed its peaceful wings over all countries and peoples. There should be some changes in some of its organs including the Security Council, its membership should be more modified for the service of humanity.

Ladies and Gentleman,
This Millennium Summit is taking place at the stage where the world is entering a new era of exchange of benefits, partnership in the service of world peace.
The hopes are great about the decisions of this summit, decisions for the progress of the world for the peace and security.
Thank you again for this historic opportunity provided for all of us.

——
[archive-e:37-v:2000-y:2000-d:2000-09-11-p:./2000/iss37/ln.htm]