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The principle of responsibility and collective sanctions is incompatible with the Western concept of justice.
Omar Bongo -
It is up to African leaders to show their will and political courage in order to assure that this new pan-African institution becomes an efficient instrument and not a place for endless discussions.
Omar Bongo
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The free market economy is supposed to be the only path leading to the happiness of humanity by promoting wealth and prosperity, power and influence of nations.
Omar Bongo -
The birth of the African Union should encourage us to reexamine relations between African States.
Omar Bongo -
Because the world is in economic recession, which worsened since this drama happened, and our country will bear the burden of all of these consequences.
Omar Bongo -
There is an idea of democracy produced by one-sided thinking.
Omar Bongo -
But it is important to observe that when Europe or the United Nations impose sanctions that are supposed to be aimed against a certain regime, usually generally millions of people end up being directly punished.
Omar Bongo -
If the Soviet Union and the United States have not experienced direct military confrontations, on the other hand, they supported, armed and trained Africans, to fight other Africans.
Omar Bongo
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Globalization, far from putting an end to power diplomacy between States, has, on the contrary, intensified it.
Omar Bongo -
The resources of our continent attract, more than ever, the interests of rich countries.
Omar Bongo -
But the Western countries that link their partnership with the poorest countries with respect for democracy also have to consider that they have obligations towards these countries.
Omar Bongo -
Certainly, Africa accounts for only l % of world trade, and we cannot assure our development on our own.
Omar Bongo -
Do not forget that the Arab countries, starting with Algeria and Egypt, are the ones that have paid the heaviest toll because of Islamic terror.
Omar Bongo -
From the time of independences until the end of the Cold War, in spite of the participation of a considerable number of African states in the non-aligned movement, everyone in fact chose to align with one or another of the two major blocks.
Omar Bongo
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It is important to stress: Africa is also a victim of the September 11 attacks.
Omar Bongo -
Therefore, every country has to understand that fighting against international terrorism is not for the sake of the United States, but for the sake of themselves, and, to a larger extent, in the name of stability of international relations.
Omar Bongo -
The introduction of political pluralism often quickly led to bad results.
Omar Bongo -
But since independence, Gabon is one of the few countries in Central Africa that enjoys peace and stability.
Omar Bongo -
I am in favor of complete freedom of information and of free access to the new communication tools, in particular the Internet.
Omar Bongo -
Economic sanctions rarely achieve the desired results.
Omar Bongo
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In short, we have, among African countries, a duty of solidarity.
Omar Bongo -
The shock caused by the September 11 events has also lead to a thorough reflection on the existing disparity between rich and poor countries, on the misery of populations of the South.
Omar Bongo -
The world is now aware that the most unavoidable and most dangerous weapon that exists is the blind decisiveness of a man ready to sacrifice his life for an obscure cause.
Omar Bongo -
My actions to promote peace, the mediation missions which I carried out during many conflicts, which very often occurred between brothers of the same country, are not driven by any ulterior motives or any calculations based on personal ambitions.
Omar Bongo