Prince of Asturias Awards 1981–2014. Speeches

2 O viedo | C ampoamor T heatre | 27 th N ovember 1993 The men and women of unprofor are deeply grateful to the Prince of Asturias Foundation for honouring them in this way. As Secretary-General of theUnitedNations, I can say that it is an honour theyhavewelldeserved.Ialsoknowthatunpeacekeeperseverywherewillbedelightedthatrecognition has been given to their colleagues in this way. All of the United Nations can be proud of the honour you confer on unprofor. On this day, we should especially remember the 62 members of unprofor and of other humanitarian missions that have lost their lives since the establishment of this mission in February 1992. Our thoughts also go out to the 782 people who have been injured while performing their duty in the former Yugoslavia. By recognizing the difficulties under which unprofor operates and the extreme complexity of the political situation in the former Yugoslavia, the Prince of Asturias Foundation has sent a clear message of encouragement to everyone involved in the 18 United Nations peacekeeping operations worldwide. Now, when the uno is beginning a second phase in its peacekeeping work, and when the Organization enters new and unfamiliar territory, it is a pleasure for the men and women who risk their lives for others to be recognized in this way. The upkeep of international peace and security is one of the main objectives of the United Nations. Thirty-five countries are pursuing this goal through their contributions to unprofor. I pay tribute to them all, but the distinguished contribution that the Armed Forces of Spain are making to unprofor is worthy of special mention today. Their role has been highlighted in a special way —and rightly so— by the Jury. The people of the former Yugoslavia want peace. So I take this opportunity to ask their military and political leaders to exercise their responsibilities to their people and to the international community. Their duty is to act decisively to chart a path that leads to mitigating the horrors of war and which allows the restoration of peace. Joseph Verner Reed, on behalf of Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Secretary- General of the United Nations — United Nations Blue Berets stationed in the former Yugoslavia — Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation 1993 Excerpt from the speech given on the occasion of receiving the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation on 27/11/1993.