I congratulate Mr. Sam
Kutesa on his assumption of the presidency of the General
Assembly at its sixty-ninth session. I am convinced that
his international prestige and experience will make an
important contribution to the crafting of sustainable
political solutions to the new global challenges that
lie ahead of us. I would also like to convey Serbia’s
readiness to address and provide unequivocal support
to the resolution of priorities relative to climate change,
an integrated global economy, international security
issues and all other topics included in the agenda that
we will actively pursue.
I should like to express my special thanks to
outgoing President, Mr. John Ashe, for his efforts and
successful work during the sixty-eighth session of the
General Assembly, which laid down the foundations for
the post-2015 sustainable development agenda, as well
as for his endeavours to strengthen the purposes and
principles of the United Nations.
The sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly
is being held at a time when we mark an important
anniversary, 100 years having elapsed since the
outbreak of the Great War, a war which shaped the
twentieth century. The anniversary was commemorated
at different places, but, regrettably, no common
ceremony at the highest level was organized in the
spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness.
Serbia strongly supports the General Assembly
agenda for the sixty-ninth session and sees itself as an
active partner and participant in the implementation
of United Nations development goals. The world is
faced with new security, climate and socioeconomic
challenges. We need to do much work together to ensure
humankind’s progress in the twenty-first century.
Serbia offers its experiences and ideas for global
management, so that we can ensure a better future for
new generations all over the world.
Allow me to consider three of today’s most
pressing global challenges that concern not just Serbia
but all of us — climate change, global security and
deadly infectious diseases of vast proportions. I believe
that, if not addressed wisely and systematically, those
challenges could put the survival of future generations
in jeopardy.
Socioeconomic interrelatedness accounts for the
disappearance of the old division into “us” and “them”.
All of us, all States Members of the United Nations,
share the same destiny and shoulder equal responsibility
for the problems that directly face humankind. One of
the urgent global challenges that we are confronting
is climate change. At the Climate Summit 2014, in
which I participated with great interest, we discussed
the historic chance that we shall have at the upcoming
United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris
in 2015. Consensus among scientists indicates that the
global temperatures in the twenty-first century will
rise dramatically. Extreme weather conditions will
increase, with a frequency that depends on the intensity
of global warming. Inexorably, the effects of natural
disasters aggravate the fragile economic situation in
Serbia and the region of South-East Europe and make
the struggle against poverty ever more difficult. That
struggle remains the quintessential challenge facing the
world today.
Activities aimed at alleviating the consequences
of climate change are the imperative of our age. In
determining binding measures, surely we should
take account of the development needs of poor and
underdeveloped countries. I am convinced that the
Assembly shares my opinion that there is a need to act,
as soon as possible, to improve adaptation systems and
to establish mechanisms for lowering the risks posed
by natural disasters. I therefore view this year as an
opportunity to kick off intensive activities in devising
climate policy and encouraging countries to commit to
reducing carbon emissions. We have a historic chance to
devise an energy policy that is sustainable and provides
for substantive global action on climate change policy. I
am convinced that we all share the view that it is urgent
and obligatory to improve the adaptation system and
set up mechanisms for reducing the enormous risks of
natural disasters. Serbia wishes to contribute to reaching
a legally binding, general consent on climate for all the
peoples of the world. I believe that the Green Climate
Fund should play an important role in the process of
implementing the agreed principles. By 2020, it should
achieve its ambitious goal and fulfil the commitments
we have made for the sake of humankind.
This year, I witnessed, and my country was a
victim of, extreme weather conditions in Europe.
Unfortunately, Serbia and its neighbours in the region
were subjected to natural disasters as a consequence
of climate change. Serbia was and is vulnerable these
days, all over again, to floods of biblical proportions.
I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to
the United Nations for its extensive and efficient
engagement and cooperation with the Government of
Serbia in the aftermath of the floods. In particular, I
would like to thank French President François Hollande
for heeding my call to convene a donors conference to
help Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. I would also
like to thank the European Commission, the members
of the European Union, the Russian Federation, China,
Japan, Belarus, African countries and the countries of
the region for their assistance and engagement. Without
their generous bilateral assistance, we would not have
been able to help everyone in dire need. Short of the
selfless assistance of Member States, we would not
have been able to help the affected people, many of
whom lost everything they had acquired during their
lifetime.
The national priority of Serbia is to achieve a
sustainable political solution on the question of Kosovo
and Metohija. For Serbia, the only acceptable, fair and
just solution is to reject secessionism and preserve the
territorial integrity of every country, including Serbia.
Serbia therefore is clearly committed to the quest for
a sustainable political solution through dialogue with
representatives of the Provisional Institutions of Self-
Government in Pristina. The political solution that
Serbia advocates comprehends the interests of the
Serbian, Albanian and other populations. It will be
a durable political solution that is satisfactory to all
parties, and we can reach it only through constructive
dialogue.
The normalization of relations between Belgrade
and Pristina is contributing to the process of European
integration. We expect the European Union to continue
to encourage, through its active engagement, an open
dialogue and compliance with agreed-on obligations in
order to strengthen mutual trust. Serbia has complied,
responsibly and on time, with all the obligations it has
undertaken to date regarding the implementation of
the Brussels Agreement. I would like to point out that
Serbia is open to continuing constructive dialogue with
Pristina at every level.
In accordance with Security Council resolution
1244 (1999), the United Nations Interim Administration
Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is the guarantor and the
basis for action by all other international missions
in Kosovo and Metohija. For Serbia, a reduction in
UNMIK’s mandate and competencies in Kosovo and
Metohija is unacceptable. In its negotiations with the
Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Pristina,
Serbia proceeds from the premise that all solutions must
be in accordance with the Constitution of Serbia and
resolution 1244 (1999). That concerns questions having
to do with the province’s status, the position of Serbs
and other non-Albanians in the province, and protection
of the Serbian religious and cultural heritage.
Our approach to the search for a sustainable
political solution for Kosovo and Metohija has broader
political implications. I believe we can all agree that the
creation of conditions for the enjoyment of basic human
rights and minority rights would not only promote
the return of the displaced population but would also
provide a model for political dialogue and toleration,
the assumptions of today’s world and the policies of
peace that the United Nations spearheads.
Creating optimal conditions for internally displaced
persons to return to their homes is the key factor in the
process of normalizing relations between Belgrade and
Pristina. I would like to recall that everything began
with the acts of terror committed by the Albanian
minority in Kosovo and Metohija aimed at achieving
their secessionist ambitions. Today, 15 years after the
adoption of resolution 1244 (1999) — by which we ceded
administration of the province of Kosovo and Metohija
to the United Nations — the conditions conducive to
returning internally displaced persons to Kosovo and
Metohija have still not been created, something that
is noted in the Secretary-General’s regular reports
on UNMIK’s work and in the reports of the Office of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) and the Special Rapporteur on the human
rights of internally displaced persons.
Serbia has the largest number of internally
displaced persons of any country in Europe, a total of
230,000. They must not remain mere statistics. They
must not be forgotten. There are 58,000 refugees living
in Serbia, 42,000 from Croatia and 16,000 from Bosnia
and Herzegovina. I believe refugees deserve special
attention from the United Nations and UNHCR. The
marginalization of the serious problems that those
vulnerable people face should be condemned rather
than ignored. The issue of basic human rights is a
universal one, respected by every State Member of the
United Nations. Any hasty decision on the issue would
be a mistake, since it could undermine the region’s
reconciliation processes, which are not yet fully
formed, as well as the fundamental right of Serbs to
return to their homes in Kosovo, Croatia, and Bosnia
and Herzegovina.
Serbia has taken a step forward into the future,
and wishes to make an active contribution to global
economic progress, the suppression of crime and
corruption, and the quest for a solution to all matters
of international security. Membership in the European
Union is our foreign policy priority. Like any other form
of international association, the European Union falls
short of achieving ideal solutions and is saddled with its
own challenges and issues relating to its enlargement,
but it is still the best community of European States.
Serbia’s place is with its members so that it can fully
modernize its society and State and further develop
its economic capacities. The clear goal we aspire to is
to build Serbia into a respected member of the family
of European nations, and our progress in membership
negotiations will contribute to that.
Serbia is preparing to assume the chairmanship
of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) next year. That role and task present
my country with complex, multilateral challenges, but
we are ready for them, and we have been preparing
in collaboration with Switzerland in positive and
constructive cooperation. Serbia will use the OSCE
chairmanship to encourage and strengthen mutual
cooperation among the countries in the region. The
Balkan countries have made immense progress in
recent years and have developed substantial and
comprehensive mutual cooperation. Serbia will make
every effort to see that the process of reconciliation and
cooperation and mutual respect is fully implemented
throughout the region. The chairmanship will also be
used to encourage those processes.
We are deeply disturbed and alarmed by the
events in Ukraine and will do everything in our power
to help find a peaceful solution to the problem and
overcome differences peacefully. Our Slav brothers
deserve peace and tranquil development, along with
respect for those universal principles that should be
accorded all countries and peoples and that are clearly
defined in the Charter of the United Nations. Serbia
respects the territorial integrity of Ukraine as a United
Nations Member, and the equitable implementation
of international law. I recall that some countries
denied Serbia that right through their recognition and
promotion of the independence of a part of the territory
of Serbia — Kosovo and Metohija.
The principles of safeguarding peace and security,
the peaceful settlement of disputes and crises and
respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Member States are the bases on which the Republic of
Serbia will cooperate in the search for solutions to the
various political and security challenges in the world. At
the global level, therefore, we support all efforts by the
United Nations and its Member States and by regional
organizations to find diplomatic solutions to the world’s
most sensitive security issues. With its broad political
experience and bold leadership, Serbia can contribute,
through dialogue with friends, partners and Member
States, to devising solutions to the disagreements that
threaten to disunite the world all over again.
Serbia is making a concrete contribution to
maintaining international peace by participating in
United Nations and European Union peacekeeping
operations. Thanks to that work and to our cooperation
with allies and partners, the region is more stable than
it was 15 years ago. I would point out that we support
every initiative aimed at modifying and adapting peace
operations to new security challenges. Serbia calls for
strengthening regional cooperation and harmonizing
approaches to the activities of peacekeeping missions.
Serbia’s new policy has fostered sincere and fully
transparent relations in South-Eastern Europe. That was
particularly evident during the disastrous floods that
struck Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The
solidarity and magnanimity shown then set an example
for the entire world. Today our region is teeming with
investment opportunities, and a strong and peaceful
South-Eastern Europe is synonymous with a strong and
stable Europe as a whole.
Serbia has experienced acts of terrorism on
its territory in Kosovo and Metohija. We therefore
understand very well the security problems the
world is facing. We firmly condemn every form of
terrorism. We are ready to discuss any initiative
that can contribute to strengthening the role of the
United Nations in combating that global evil. Serbia
has achieved significant success in the fight against
terrorism, especially at the regional level, and is ready
to lend its experience and knowledge to help strengthen
other States’ counter-terrorism capacities.
Serbia has never supported and will never support
the language of ultimatums. We honour and respect the
political and economic interests of all Member States,
and our approach and actions in protecting our national
and international interests are predicated on those
positions.
Serbia most strongly condemns the crimes committed
by the members of the extremist organization of the
Islamic State, particularly the brutal murders. Such
forms of terrorism pose one of the most serious threats
to international peace and security, and Serbia is
committed more than ever to supporting international
efforts in the fight against terrorism.
The rapid rise of the Islamic State and its ability
to attract fighters from all over the world has caught
the attention of the international community. One of
the main questions facing the world is the problem of
foreign fighters recruited by terrorist organizations
such as the Islamic State and Al-Qaida. According to
research conducted by the International Centre for the
Study of Radicalization and Political Violence, based in
London, the most significant regions outside Western
Europe and the Middle East for the recruitment of
foreign fighters are the Balkans and the countries of
the former Soviet Union. The data on foreign fighters
for the Balkans vary: up to 140 recruits from Albania
and as many as 60 from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The
numbers are somewhat smaller from Macedonia — up
to 20. From Serbia there have been three and from
Bulgaria one, while the number from our province
of Kosovo and Metohija is as high as 150. It must be
stopped.
We face new global challenges that call for
creative responses, global partnership and flexibility.
Serbia is unreservedly committed to the principles
of multilateral cooperation and to strengthening the
principles and system of the United Nations. In that
context, we consider the process of the reform of the
United Nations system a historic chance to demonstrate
our consistent support for the idea of building consensus
among Member States on all key issues. Serbia is
ready for constructive cooperation and respect for all
participants in the dialogue, which will contribute to
the greater efficiency of the United Nations system.
Serbia supports the reform of the Security Council.
Serbia will do its utmost to help bring solutions to
global security problems and sustainable development.
Traditionally, Serbia has supported the multilateral
approach in the field of disarmament and arms control,
proceeding from the conviction that in a world of rising
interdependence and complexity, common challenges
call for common solutions.
It is with great concern that we follow the
developments related to the rapid spread of the Ebola
virus in the countries of Western Africa. We extend our
condolences to the Presidents and peoples of Liberia,
Guinea and Sierra Leone for the great number of
victims. The disease, unprecedented in the extent of
its transmission and its high mortality rate, threatens
to cause one of the biggest humanitarian crises of the
world today and calls for immediate collective action,
since it is a problem that belongs to all of us. It is very
important in this situation that States Members of the
United Nations have recognized the magnitude of the
problem and have supported the Secretary-General’s
proposal to establish the United Nations Mission for
Ebola Emergency Response. Serbia is ready to join in
and contribute to the collective effort with its scientific
and medical capacities and in any other way.
The world has changed, but for the poorest it has
remained the same. The greater instability of developing
countries is a clear indicator that they continue to be
in need of assistance. The international community
must therefore pay appropriate attention to that group
of countries, primarily through financial support, the
development of new technologies and the training of
human resources. Those are measures meant to lead
to the eradication of poverty and the strengthening of
institutions.
For Serbia, the top priority is poverty eradication,
but the goals of inclusive education, health, gender
equality, sustainable energy and, in particular,
sustainable economic growth and employment are just
as important. Jump-starting the economy is the mission
to which we shall devote the greatest attention in the
coming period, although always mindful of the issues
I have mentioned, in order to ensure prosperity for all
our citizens.
We must acknowledge the higher degree of
socioeconomic interlinkage that exists if we are to
come up with fresh ideas. We must design new ways to
overcome the current crises in global management and
study our options for formulating and implementing
political solutions.
Serbia stands united with the leaders of the entire
world in the endeavour aimed at bringing prosperity to
humankind. That is a responsibility that we all share.
Not only can we achieve much by working together, but
we can achieve much more together. That is why the
establishment of a united, global front around the idea
of the common destiny and interests of humankind,
which we all share, should be the first step that we, the
States Members of the United Nations, must make as
we attempt to solve new global challenges.