Brianna Davis-Kleppinger
Somerville HS
New Zealand
Security Council
Topics: Protecting a Uranium Mine in DR Congo, Policy Addressing
Political Assassination and Hunting Terrorism, Albanians v. Serbians:
Ethnic Cleansing in Kosovo
This year the Security Council will focus on imperative world issues
such as international and national safety. New Zealand feels strongly
that the topics to be discussed at the Conference are ones that are
vital to the world’s wellbeing. We fully support all United Nations
efforts to find solutions to these topics.
New Zealand greatly understands the gravity of the situation in the
DR Congo. We have personally seen the devastation of nuclear power, and
are fully committed to complete world-wide disarmament. We therefore
cannot support any measures that would increase available uranium that
could potentially be used in nuclear weapons. We feel that while the
uranium could be used for peaceful, alternative energy sources, the
risk of misuse is too great. Also, were Shinkolobe to be mined the
world would have to decide who received finally authority over the
uranium. Since pressure is to easily used to encourage action favorable
to a specific nation’s desires, the best solution is to keep the
uranium in the ground where there is no chance of its misuse. In
regards to the immediate threat posed by the current illegal mining New
Zealand feels that the best solution would be to make the Shinkolobe
mine an internationally protected and overseen area.
New Zealand is against capital punishment. We officially abolished
capital punishment in 1989. In our eyes, political assassination is
simply capital punishment without normal judiciary involvement. Our
position directly parallels the United Nations’ principles and purposes
as stated in Chapter 1, Article 2—“ All Members shall refrain in their
international relations from the threat or use of force against the
territorial integrity or political independence of any state” and the
United Nation’s policy against taking human life.
New Zealand completely condemns terrorism in all its forms and
supports all attempts to stop it that are consistent with human rights
and the rule of law. When there is a question of whether or not an
execution is politically driven or safety based, one can be reasonable
sure that the deceased did not receive an impartial trial or a trial at
all. New Zealand cannot support any action that would execute the
guilty party. We most certainly cannot support any efforts that would
be taken without due process.
Our current policy in regards to international terrorism is to give
our full support to the United Nation’s Security Council
Counter-Terrorism Committee created by Security Council resolution 1373.
New Zealand feels strongly that any action that can be taken to stop
racial discrimination and ethnic cleansing should be taken. We have a
long standing history of being peacekeepers, particularly in our own
regional islands. Our commitment to international peace however is not
limited to our immediate neighbors; it stretches across the globe. New
Zealand is not adverse to sending peacekeepers into Kosovo. During our
years as international peacekeepers, New Zealand has come to realize
the numerous flaws in the United Nation’s current policies. While we
will not hesitate to send help wherever needed, we believe that changes
must be made to better deploy and utilize United Nation’s peacekeeping
forces before any real impact can be made to help stop the ethnic
cleansing in Kosovo.
Sources Used:
New Zealand Mission to the United Nations
http://www.nzmissionny.org
New Zealand Embassy –Washington DC
http://www.nzembassy.com
Human Rights Commission
http://www.hrc.co.nz
Beehive Portfolios
http://www.beehive.govt.nz
Wikipedia- New Zealand; Foreign Relations of New Zealand; Capital Punishment; ANZU
http://www.wikipedia.org
Dave Amber. New Zealand: Blocking the Way
http://www.thebulletin.org
Kiwi No-Nuke Policy at Risk
http://www.thebulletin.org
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