(As delivered)
Statement by H.E. Mr. Kenzo Oshima
Permanent Representative of Japan
at the Public Meeting of the Security Council
6 July 2005
Mr. President,
First, we would like to congratulate you on assuming presidency for the month of July. You have the full cooperation of my delegation and we look forward to working with you and other Council colleagues under your leadership. We also would like to pay tribute to Ambassador de La Sabliere of France for the very efficient way in which he guided the work of the Council during the month of June.
I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Turk for his comprehensive, last briefing on Bougainville as the UN observer mission UNOMB comes to its end. We congratulate the UN Secretariat as well as UNOMB on fulfilling their important roles in the Bougainville peace process.
Mr. President,
We are pleased to confirm at this meeting of the Council the successful conclusion of the mandate of UNOMB. The sense of accomplishment filling this chamber is well reflected in the Presidential Statement issued earlier. I will not repeat what has already been said in the statement; I would like to stress, however, that it was through the efforts of the people of Bougainville as well as the government of Papua New Guinea that a satisfactory outcome has been achieved. My government pays tribute to the people of Bougainville and the PNG government for their accomplishment. We wish to take the opportunity to express our best wishes for Mr. Joseph Kabui, the President of the Autonomous Government, and other elected officials as they begin to undertake future efforts for sustainable peace and the economic development of the region.
We are pleased that in order to help this process, Japan was part of international and regional electoral assistance in the form of dispatch of election observers and provision of the necessary equipment through grant aid. We hope that such contributions, together with those from other countries and regional organizations, did facilitate the efforts for peace.
Mr. President,
While the successful completion of elections in Bougainville elections marks a turning point in the peace process, there remain challenges. First and foremost, the strengthening of law and order in the region is a top priority. Even after the inauguration of the Autonomous Government, the security situation continues to be fragile. If law and order are to be firmly established, international cooperation is required such as for the improvement of police force and the collection and disposal of weapons in the No-Go Zone.
Second, sustained economic development of Bougainville is critically important for the region. Continued commitment of assistance by the international community will be required until such time that the Bougainville economy becomes more self-sufficient. And such support should come not only from within the region but also from a broader range of countries as well as relevant UN agencies as Mr. Turk indicated. As for Japan, we, through close consultation with the PNG government, will remain committed to continued support and economic and technical cooperation in areas where the needs are greatest, such as infrastructure, education and health.
Third, the promotion of reconciliation with those remaining in the No-Go Zone is equally important. For stability of Bougainville to be sustained, all the people in the region should enjoy the benefits of peace, and participation in the Autonomous Government should be inclusive. To that end, the Mekamui should respect the results of the elections and actively cooperate with the government for economic development of their region.
In conclusion, Mr. President,
Let me reiterate that, even after today’s final deliberations at the Security Council on this subject, Japan will continue to follow closely further developments as the people in Bougainville strive to consolidate peace.
Thank you. |
