ANUATU
STATEMENT BY
THE HON. SERGE VOHOR RIALUTH, MP
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, EXTERNAL TRADE,
ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY – FIFTY SEVEN SESSION
NEW YORK, 18 SEPTEMBER 2002
Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary General,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
I begin by bringing to this august gathering greetings and thoughts from the people of the Republic of Vanuatu. Our future will be determined by nations who are represented here today.
Mr President
I also wish to take this opportunity to press again the question of West Papua. At the Millennium Summit the then Prime Minister of Vanuatu touched on this important matter, that of the principle of self-determination for the people of West Papua. The special case of West Papua has always been high on Vanuatu’s foreign policy agenda. The Charter of the United Nations espouses the principles that continue to guide the Organization’s efforts in the process of self-determination.
It is our strong conviction that in order for the United Nations to be consistent in its decisions for the recognition and respect of the fundamental rights to self-determination we are again strongly requesting that the case of West Papua be placed for discussion on the agenda before the Committee of 24. The closed-door policy towards the pleas of West Papuans is continuing to undermine the credibility of the United Nations in addressing an outstanding matter. I believe it is in the best interests of the international community that the case of West Papua must be revisited. We are also requesting if a commission of enquiry can be conducted to verify information on atrocities alleged to have been committed in West Papua.
Melanesia News 