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<html> <head> <meta name="Generator" content="Corel WordPerfect 8"> <title>AXWORTHYMINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRSTO THE ATLANTIC DIPLOMATIC FORUM</title> </head> <body text="#000000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#551a8b" alink="#ff0000" bgcolor="#c0c0c0"> 99/55 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE LLOYD AXWORTHY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO THE ATLANTIC DIPLOMATIC FORUM ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland November 5, 1999 (11:40 a.m. EST) Canada's Atlantic region -- its past and present -- is emblematic of this country's long-standing, active engagement with the world around us. From the Viking presence at l'Anse-aux-Meadows at the start of this Millennium, to John Cabot's arrival at its mid-point, to the vibrant community that exists at its close -- Newfoundland is a clear point of contact between Canada and the world. It is, therefore, entirely fitting that the Diplomatic Forum should be held here with a focus on the realities of this part of Canada -- and I am pleased to join you in St. John's. My travels often require stops in Newfoundland -- making me well-acquainted with the hospitality of its residents. I am certain you will agree, and I would like to extend my thanks to our hosts for the generosity of their reception. As diplomats whose job it is to interpret international events, we are confronted daily with a world in flux. Developments over the past decade have profoundly altered global life. The most remarkable aspect of this evolution is the emergence of people, in particular the security of people, as a force in foreign affairs and an impetus for global action. Putting people first is behind Canada's human security agenda. This was affirmed last month in the Speech from the Throne where it was featured as a prominent element in our foreign policy. The priority attached by the Canadian government to promoting human security is no accident. It is the product of discussion, experience and analysis -- in government and the media, by academics and diplomats, involving policymakers and the private sector. I am reminded, for example, of just such a discussion held this year by the Canadian Centre for Foreign Policy Development which examined human security as a paradigm shift in global affairs that provides a new lens for foreign policy. Both the theory and action behind the human security agenda revolve around two considerations in particular -- the changing global context and Canada's place in it. In our new world, human security is a way of redefining and pursuing an old vision -- global peace. It is a response to change with regard to the subjects, the methods, the tools and the players that make up global life. The issues that affect global, regional and national security increasingly relate to individual security. Whether in conflict situations or as a result of crime, drugs, terrorism, environmental degradation, the safety of people -- their rights, dignity and lives -- is directly at risk. The levers of power have also diversified. Military capacity remains important -- especially, the ability to keep the peace. Yet only the most inveterate adherent of realpolitik would suggest this is the only determinant of influence. Compelling ideas, negotiation, public diplomacy, the attraction of an open, vibrant culture -- are all valid currencies in contemporary international life. Governments are no longer the only actors in the world arena. Civil society and the private sector have demonstrated the growing, positive contribution they can make to promoting human security. At the same time, other non-state actors, militias, warlords and unscrupulous commercial interests play a role in perpetuating human insecurity in conflict zones -- and beyond. Finally, the alternately transnational and interstate nature of many human security threats calls into question exclusive notions of state sovereignty. It compels us to adapt and complement -- but by no means discard -- our traditional state-centred theories and approaches to the world with another perspective that puts people at the forefront. State sovereignty is not an end in itself -- it exists to serve citizens and to protect their security. Sometimes, states can not acquit this responsibility or wilfully act to violate it -- thereby putting human safety at serious risk. Yesterday, I discussed the plight of the world's internally displaced -- over 25 million people -- with the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative on this issue. In other situations, for example in Kosovo where NATO was compelled to take action, entire populations can be subject to the most egregious violations of human rights. In these cases, where human security is imperiled on a massive scale within state borders, the challenge for all of us is to consider the limits of sovereignty and the conditions for humanitarian intervention. In the new global environment, the human security agenda makes sense as a Canadian response. As traders, travellers and donors -- as an open society -- the security and interests of Canadians are inextricably linked to the security of people elsewhere. A focus on human security abroad is a natural reflection of the values Canadians cherish at home -- our attachment to human rights, stability, tolerance and the rule of law. And our experience in building a diverse, multicultural society gives us something unique to add when dealing with global threats to human security. The human security agenda is, in short, very relevant for Canadians. By all accounts, Canadians strongly endorse it. We have never been more self-confident about our place in the world. Contrary to assertions in Canada about our waning status -- fully 80 percent of Canadians believe that Canada has more influence today than 30 years ago. And despite those who decry the focus on human security as unreflective of Canada's priorities -- fully 64 percent of Canadians feel prouder of Canada's international role today than five years ago, and 68 percent rate it as a top priority for the Canadian government. That is why we have been actively pursuing it, and why it will continue to be a focus of our international efforts in the future. Last year in Banff, I discussed Canada's goals with many of you. Since then, I believe there has been concrete progress in putting human security into practice in three areas: • bringing human security concerns to the councils of the world; • strengthening action against those who commit crimes against humanity; and • pursuing human security in other areas of global activity. As many of you are aware, Canada has made the protection of civilians a priority during our tenure on the UN Security Council. People's safety is most clearly at risk in situations of armed violence. The victimization, targeting and massacre of civilians is tragic, but these are all too prominent features of conflict today. The Council has a central role to play in addressing this new reality. There are signs it is moving in the right direction. Last month, the Council authorized UN peacekeeping operations for Sierra Leone and East Timor, with robust mandates explicitly involving the protection of civilians -- a result Canada fought hard to achieve. Canada has been working to adapt the blunt instrument of Council sanctions so that they target the ability of belligerents to wage war while minimizing the impact on civilians. As a result of a Canadian initiative, Secretary-General Annan released a report this fall on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. It contained 40 recommendations for action. They will help make human security the sub-text to the Council's action in its efforts to prevent conflict, keep the peace, enforce sanctions and support the collective will of the United Nations. Canada will act vigorously to ensure these proposals are pursued. This year, other institutions and groups to which Canada belongs -- NATO, the OAS [Organization of American States], La Francophonie and the G-8 -- have similarly shown the capacity to adapt to the challenges of human security. The Commonwealth, through its Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), shows how. CMAG took a leading role in efforts to restore democracy in Nigeria. At the time, those efforts were not always understood and often derided. There was even a seeming acceptance in some quarters that the democratic process, however imperfect, could be trampled by military might. Canada -- and its CMAG partners -- disagreed. CMAG persisted in the belief that engagement would make a difference. The result is clear. Next week, Prime Minister Chrétien will visit Nigeria, meet with elected President Obasanjo, and celebrate with Nigerians on their country`s return to the democratic fold. It is the same principled approach that CMAG brought to Nigeria -- no more or less -- that it is now applying in Pakistan. As in Nigeria, complacency and inaction by others will do nothing to help Pakistanis restore the democratic process in their country. Despite the familiar chorus of sceptics, I am confident sustained international engagement will. That is why CMAG is engaged, that is why a CMAG mission visited Pakistan, and that is why CMAG will continue to lead efforts to return democracy to that country. Advancing human security means taking action in the world's councils to promote stability and to protect people. It also means holding accountable those who violate international humanitarian and human rights law. The culture of impunity must be broken. The prospect of prosecution and punishment must be a real part of the calculus of those who resort to violence. For that reason, we have been strong supporters of the International Tribunals for Rwanda and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and for the leadership shown by people like Canadian Justice Louise Arbour in making the tribunals work. It is behind our vigorous support of the International Criminal Court and explains why a Canadian chairs the negotiations underway to make the court a reality. The prospects for human security will remain weak without progress in advancing individual accountability. Finally, there have been advances in making the safety of people the focus in a wider range of global activity, including the situation of children, international crime and advancing arms control. Last month's Speech from the Throne singled out the situation of children as a priority for action. For good reason. Armed conflict poses a devastating and brutal threat to children's security. In almost one third of the world's countries, children suffer from the effects of war and its aftermath. One of the most notorious practices in conflict is the recruitment of child soldiers. That is why Canada supports the work underway in Geneva to develop the strongest possible Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It would raise the age for recruitment and participation in hostilities. This Protocol, accompanied by a comprehensive strategy to implement it, is vital in confronting one of the most heinous aspects of modern conflict. The threats to the security of children extend well beyond situations of armed conflict. Exploitative and abusive child labour ranks among the most insidious and vexing challenges. The conclusion this year at the ILO [International Labour Organization] Convention aimed at eliminating the worst forms of child labour -- hazardous work, debt bondage, forced labour and slave-like conditions, as well as children in prostitution, pornography and drug trafficking -- is a step forward. Canada is committed to building on these achievements. In 2001, the UN will hold a Special Session on Children. World leaders will review progress in implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child and set a course for the future. In anticipation of this session, Canada has been active this week at the ICRC [International Committee of the Red Cross] Conference in Geneva in building an action-oriented strategy relating to war-affected children. In the area of arms control, the Ottawa Convention is an example of human security at work -- and working. Almost a year after its entry into force, the Convention is saving civilian lives. The number of mine victims is declining. The once flourishing trade in ant-personnel mines has all but vanished. The number of mine-producing countries has decreased. More than 14 million stockpiled mines have been destroyed. Resources for mine action -- more than $500 million -- are used for demining and rehabilitation. Even where mining still occurs, for example in Kosovo and Angola, condemnation is swift, and demining activities are a priority in the post-conflict period. The focus on the human dimension is driving activity to address the proliferation and abuse of small arms and light military weapons. Their misuse clearly exacts an alarming human price. There are signs governments are beginning to respond. The OAS has concluded a convention on trafficking and illegal shipments. It is on the agenda at the OSCE [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]. Just last month, Central African countries met and worked out a detailed action plan to confront the devastating impact of these weapons on security there. These efforts are going global. A proposal for a UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons is on the table. Canada is working to ensure the agenda is comprehensive and action-oriented. There remains no greater risk to the security of states and people than the possibility of nuclear annihilation. Canadians consistently express concern about the nuclear weapons threat and make clear that efforts to reduce the dangers are essential. The need for a strong global non-proliferation regime and progress in nuclear disarmament and arms control is vital. Yet the system that we have all painstakingly built over the past fifty years is fragile and clearly under renewed threat, lending new urgency to reviving the nuclear non-proliferation and arms control agenda and to revitalizing efforts in this regard. The sources of threats to people come not only from conflict and the tools of war, but also from the darker side of globalization -- drugs, crime, kidnapping and people smuggling. The new information technologies bring progress, but also make it easier to propagate hate, commit crime and exploit the vulnerable. The dimensions of the problem are staggering. According to the UN, organized crime syndicates gross $1.5 trillion per year -- greater than all but three of the world's national economies -- profits made from the misery of the vulnerable and innocent. Canadians clearly believe action is needed. An overwhelming majority cite organized crime as a problem and include in their concerns drugs, gang violence and smuggling of both guns and illegal migrants. Fighting the illicit drug trade is part of our human security agenda, especially in our relations with the hemisphere. At the OAS, Canada worked closely with others and chaired the negotiations that created a new multilateral evaluation mechanism. It will allow the 34 members to assess each other's drug interdiction and demand reduction efforts. To complement these efforts -- and following up on Prime Minister Chrétien's announcement in Santiago -- I initiated a Ministerial Dialogue on Drugs with my OAS counterparts this year. These discussions underlined how drugs drive the crime agenda -- from corruption, to money laundering, to trafficking in firearms. They also pointed to promising areas of co-operation, which I will pursue in preparation for the OAS General Assembly in Windsor, Ontario, next year. The arrival this summer of three desperate boatloads of human cargo on Canadian shores literally brought home to Canadians the ugly reality of another human security threat of global proportions -- the smuggling and trafficking in human beings. Bilateral efforts, such as those being undertaken in this case between Canada and China, and Canada and the United States, can go some way to confront this problem. Still, global measures are needed that address the interrelated nature of these and other transnational crimes. The completion of the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crime together with a number of Protocols -- including one of which seeks to limit the trafficking in women and children and one on people smuggling -- is therefore vital -- and an important goal for Canada. The human security agenda puts the security of people first. It is an approach that Canada has embraced as a response to a changing world where threats to people increasingly drive the global agenda, as a reflection of our values and as a means of advancing our interests. If there has been progress in advancing the concept -- and I believe there has been -- it is because the issues are ones that find resonance, not just in Canada, but in many of your countries and among your people. If there have been concrete results -- and I believe there have -- it is due to the partnerships Canada has forged with many of the governments you represent and through the organizations to which we belong. I have outlined Canada's views on the way ahead; I look forward to continuing co-operation and to opening new avenues of collaboration with you and your governments. Thank you. </body> </html>

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