China stressed Monday that peace-building would be impossible without achievement on the development and that development in itself is part of any peace-building effort.
Addressing an open debate of the United Nations Security Council on peace-building, Chinese Deputy Representative to the U. N. Shen Guofang said armed conflicts most often occur in poor and backward developing countries, notably the least developed countries.
From what is seen in these countries, the root causes of the armed conflicts are diversified, but the most fundamental one lies in extreme poverty, Shen said.
"Poverty leads to social instability, which will in turn be a threat to peace and security at the national and even regional levels. Therefore, it should be a core issue of concern on our agenda as how to prevent armed conflicts and ensure durable peace fundamentally," he said.
"Preventive measures such as pre-conflict mediation and good offices are essential and sometimes can play an important role.
However, in order to uproot the causes of conflicts, we must help developing countries, especially the least developed countries, to seek economic development, eradicate poverty, curb diseases, improve the environment and fight against social injustice," Shen stressed.
Noting that a focused effort of post-conflict building helps to prevent the recurrence of conflicts and pave the way for durable peace, Shen said the realization of cease-fire or peace in a country or region through United Nations peacekeeping operations does not necessarily mean that the root causes of the conflict will die out immediately thereafter.
"Due to the different actual conditions on the ground, peace-building efforts in different places should also vary in form," Shen said.
"The early realization of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants and the promotion of the repatriation, resettlement of refugees and displaced persons and
economic recovery constitute the short-term objectives of peace- building," he said.
"The long-term objectives are the eradication of poverty, development of economy as well as a peaceful and rewarding life for people in the post-conflict countries and regions," he added.
(People's Daily 02/06/2001)
