The events of the past months
fill us with sadness. We have entered another grim
era of conflicts. What has happened in Ukraine and
in Syria and Iraq illustrates that. The core values and
rules on which the United Nations is based have been
violated. The crisis in Ukraine has a deep impact on
the security of Europe. We have not experienced such
breakdown since the tragedy of the Balkan wars. But I
want to stress that Ukraine is not only a question limited
to Europe. It should — and eventually will — concern
all of us.
A rule-based international system is a precondition
for peace and security, for human rights and
development. If we cease to protect this system, it
will cease to protect us. It would be a dramatic and
far-reaching mistake to let our rule-based order slip
towards chaos and the law of the jungle. Unfortunately,
the Security Council has not been able to uphold its
responsibilities either in Ukraine or in Syria. We need
to reform the Security Council. Finland supports the
efforts to restrict the use of veto.
I am pleased that the General Assembly adopted
resolution 68/262, entitled “Territorial integrity of
Ukraine”, on 27 March, by a clear majority. Yet the
voice of this important body should have been even
stronger, condemning Russia’s actions and charting
a way towards ending violence and restoring peace.
When the territorial integrity of a Member State
is violated and it loses control over a part of its own
area through an illegal annexation, the Member State
should be able to turn to the United Nations for justice
and remedy. De-escalation in Ukraine cannot happen
without Russia’s active steps. Russia should control its
border and prevent the flow of arms and fighters and
thereby contribute to stabilization of the situation in
eastern Ukraine. Only a political solution can solve this
crisis. We have recently seen some steps towards that,
but a lot still remains to be done.
As the Secretary-General has reminded us, the
international community must not abandon the people
of Syria. We cannot forget those who have died or those
driven from their homes — half of the population of
Syria. Three million Syrians have been received as
refugees in the neighbouring countries. The Syrian
conflict can be solved only by political means. Finland
continues to give its full support to the United Nations
Special Envoy for Syria. Women in Syria, as in other
conflict-driven countries, must be included in the
peace process. We welcome women’s active efforts to
strengthen their voices in Syria and eslewhere.
The war in Syria has severely affected the
security situation in the whole region. The geographic
expansion of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
organization, with its horrendous terror, is a by-product
of the conflict. That situation has serious consequences
locally, regionally and internationally. That challenge
must be tackled together through wide-ranging
international cooperation. Finland will contribute to
those common efforts.
The international community showed determination
last autumn after the chemical attacks in Syria. The
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-
United Nations Joint Mission for the Elimination of
the Chemical Weapons Programme of the Syrian Arab
Republic focused on the verification and destruction
of Syria’s chemical weapons programme. Finland has
worked alongside the Joint Mission in that demanding
operation. We must remain vigilant. In order to fulfil
its United Nations commitments as well as to comply
with the Chemical Weapons Convention, Syria must
take further action. We must show that determination
again. I strongly reiterate the appeal to the Security
Council to refer the Syrian situation to the International
Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC must be used when the
national justice system is not able to deliver.
Those conflicts are unfolding at a time when
cooperation and common efforts are more needed
than ever. We share the same global challenges, such
as climate change. Ebola is another serious threat. To
help, Finland will double its assistance. It is critically
important to us and our planet that we address them
together. Here, I want to express my gratitude to the
Secretary-General for his leadership in addressing
those challenges.
Intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015
agenda will commence soon. We should aspire to a new
kind of global commitment to fulfil both the needs of
mankind and planet Earth. We owe this to our children
and their children. To achieve sustainable development,
we need clear objectives. We need to be able to monitor
our commitments in an efficient way. All resources
and means should be mobilized. We cannot rely only
on traditional resources any more. Public funding for
development is still important for the poorest and those
affected by conflicts. But at the same time, domestic
resource mobilization, innovation, trade and technology
and investments must play a stronger role in sustainable
development.
Many countries of the global South enjoy a robust
economic growth. That provides an opportunity to
invest in tax systems, which in turn generates public
resources for sustainable development. A just tax and
redistribution policy is one of the most efficient ways
to reduce inequalities and fight marginalization. The
rule of law and the fight against corruption play a huge
role as well.
I trust the Secretary-General to be both
visionary and concrete when setting the scene for
the intergovernmental negotiations. This process
will culminate next year in this very Hall. The best
way to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the
United Nations next year is to adopt transformative
commitments that set us on a path towards sustainable
development.
I started by describing the grim state of international
relations. My analysis is not an excuse for inaction, but
a call to redouble our diplomatic efforts. We must act
with determination, and we must act now. Finland will
support efforts to restore peace and prevent further
damage to our rule-based international system. We
must also aim high in addressing together the broader
global challenges of climate change and sustainable
development.