Ambasador's Opening Speech

Mr. President, Gentlemen,

Secretary

General,

Distinguished

Delegates,

Ladies

and

Over the course of the next three days, as we, the delegates from over 65 countries of a world, work together to seek urgent solutions to the pressing problems that we face as a united world community; let me urge on behalf our country, Malaysia, that we all look beyond our narrow personal interests, overcome our traditional biases and work together to achieve the betterment of humanity keeping not only our present day concerns in mind but also keeping in perspective the fate of our future generations too. We are optimistic that if we look at the issues we are going to discuss during this General Assembly meeting through this perspective, the challenges that we face will not prove to be insurmountable. It will not be very difficult to agree on resolutions like those that seek to eradicate the illegal wildlife trade, prevent the loss of habitat of endangered species and work together to cut down carbon emission rates to limit its effects on the global climate. With such an enlightened perspective, it will also not be difficult for us to sympathise with the plight of Iraqi refugees, migrant workers and child domestic workers and help to pass UN conventions to protect their interests and rights. It is our belief that if we are interested in seeking ‘win win’ solutions for all parties concerned; and if the nations concerned are amenable to reason and negotiation, agreeable resolutions of problems faced by countries like Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Iraq, Myanmar and Iran whether they are due to internal or external reasons, are not so hard to achieve. During this meeting, we urge the member nations to pay special attention towards the call for democracy by the peaceful monks of Myanmar, the fate of 5 million Iraqi refugees and 3 million Zimbabweans who have been uprooted from their own lands and forced into exile due to various socio-economic and political reasons, the Iranian nuclear flashpoint; and most importantly the question of Arctic Sovereignty. In these endeavours, as with the others that will be set in motion during this General Assembly meeting, I would like to assure you all that Malaysia will do its part as a responsible member nation and contribute to achieve success in all the goals set for this General Assembly’s agenda. Thank you very much!