Romania

I wish to add Romania's voice to the heartfelt congratulations of others to His Excellency Mr. Julian Robert Hunte on his election to the important position of President of the General Assembly, wish him every success and assure him of our delegation's full support. The political debate of this session of the Assembly is being held in an international setting that requires us to take a long, hard look at the way the United Nations can respond to the challenges facing us. The recent terrorist attacks in Baghdad, which took the lives of Ambassador Sergio Vieira de Mello and other brave members of the United Nations community, as well as of Iraqis who had committed themselves to restoring stability in their country, proved once more that the only language that fanatics use is that of crime and terror. The best way to pay 38 tribute to the memory of those victims of terror is to carry out, with redoubled determination, the mission to which they had dedicated their life. Today, the United Nations is called upon to continue to play a greater role in the service of good. Over the course of the past decade, the Organization has accomplished a great deal, despite the seemingly insurmountable difficulties and certain evident limitations. Those obstacles sometimes grew out of a lack of shared perspectives regarding the problems confronting us today. Yet, we have managed to keep world security under control. (spoke in English) As always at the United Nations, we are faced with a challenge brought about by differing views towards common problems. There is nothing new here, except for the magnitude of the consequences. We cannot afford to do nothing simply because we do not agree on everything. The United Nations is not about agreeing on everything. It is about building consensus. We can do just that if we concentrate on negotiation not language, but substance. Irrespective of how important the debate might be, we should not be distracted today by talk of a unipolar, multipolar or even bipolar world. Rather, we should concentrate on how we can govern our world in a way that benefits the individual, brings about opportunity and pre-empts, deters and fights terrorism and aggression. If we are true to the principle of an international community dedicated to preserving peace and increasing prosperity, we should discuss how to achieve higher levels of international understanding, rather than the relevance of the United Nations system today, for we have to remember that true security is shared security, and true prosperity is shared prosperity. To achieve this, we should also keep in mind that legitimacy brings credibility that leads to predictability and predictability, brings long-term commonality of views that is the cornerstone of lasting coalitions. This is why we share the assessment of the Secretary-General, that The United Nations is not an end in itself. Rather it is an instrument for achieving common ends.' (A/58/1, para. 10) Our belief that we, the Member States, must keep the United Nations working with efficiency, with purpose and with result prompted Romania to put forward our candidature for membership in the Security Council starting next January. We thank the Eastern European Group and others for their support for us. This is a responsibility that we do not underestimate. Our mission will be to uphold the validity of the United Nations as an essential international actor in preventing and resolving conflicts, eliminating poverty and promoting human rights. As befits a State that will soon be a member of both the European Union and NATO, we believe in the multilateral approach to tackling terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, organized crime and violations of human rights. As a country that has struggled to rebuild a democratic society based on the rule of law, a market economy and respect for human rights, we understand the complex challenges of transition that other countries are also facing. It is not an easy process, but in our view it is the only way to guarantee durable economic prosperity and social cohesion for the citizen. We want to see a strengthening of the central role of the United Nations in coordinating worldwide efforts to this end. Romania's international profile is defined by our location and our history and capability in Europe and by our transition experience. We are determined to play a responsible role in connecting the West and East of our continent, and in reaching out to countries on the Eastern shore of the Black Sea, the Caucasus and the greater Middle East. We pledge to contribute to spreading Euro-Atlantic values beyond NATO and the European Union areas by consistently promoting the culture of dialogue and regional cooperation. Terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the rising number of failing States and global disparities are some of the most worrying hallmarks of our times. The speed and unevenness of global processes intensify the complexity and pervasive nature of these threats to our common security and prosperity. We already possess an important range of tools to tackle threats like terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. They should now be used in a more responsible and effective manner. For example, the Counter-Terrorism Committee should be given more professional resources so it can act more effectively to 39 streamline national legislation on uprooting the financial resources of terrorism and monitor its implementation. International non-proliferation legal regimes should be strengthened in order to prevent determined proliferators from breaching their international obligations. Countries of concern with regard to proliferation could be subjected to diplomatic and economic pressure, which is most effective when applied multilaterally. Challenges to the security and stability of our world also emerge as globalization processes expand. Sustainable development is increasingly related to sustainable peace and security. Globalization is inevitable. Provided that it is combined with good governance, proper development assistance and awareness of environmental issues, as well as with fair trade through open markets, globalization is a force for progress. But global disparities are not disappearing. The ratio of per capita incomes of the richest and poorest countries now stands at more than seventy to one. So it is especially disappointing that the World Trade Organization talks in Cancun ended in deadlock. We call on all parties to redouble their efforts in December to resume dialogue and close the gap. The success we need is not just that of freer and more open markets, but also that of equitable trade, creating added value to regions, nations and communities. Sustainable development demands first that we manage globalization responsibly so that it benefits all. It is time to focus on implementing the concrete goals of eradicating poverty and accelerating development. The challenge will be to prioritize our work. Our focus at the High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development at the end of next month should remain squarely on achieving results. We also must redouble our efforts to put an end to conflicts, and we must find a way to rebuild those countries that have survived conflict but are struggling to survive peace. Africa is a particularly worrying example of how dangerous it can be to ignore the consequences of conflicts. The grave humanitarian crises on that continent are foreboding a bleak future for many countries and fomenting despair and far- reaching frustrations. The international community has to be more engaged in addressing poverty, intolerance and ethnic hatred. We would like to see the United Nations enhance its peace operation capabilities and emphasize in particular the reconstruction and rehabilitation processes. We have done this in Afghanistan, yet it remains a test of our ability and willingness to secure a successful democracy offensive in the fight against terrorism. I think we have enough at stake to stand by that commitment. In the Middle East, the new wave of violence is preventing the full implementation of the agreed road map. Romania strongly condemns suicide bombings that are carried out by the enemies of peace and security in the area. We urge the new Palestinian Government to act effectively against further terrorist attacks targeting Israel and its citizens, but it is equally important that the Israeli Government stand by its commitments in the framework of pursuing a political solution to this bitter conflict. We fully support the actions of the Quartet that are meant to contribute to overcoming this dangerous situation. We shall follow with utmost interest the ministerial meeting that is scheduled for this week. In Iraq, we believe it is time for the international community to work together to stabilize and reconstruct that tragic country, whose people have suffered so much under tyranny for so long. The successful conclusion of negotiations on the new resolution concerning Iraq is not a mere option it is a must. We need now to concentrate on what matters most: the steps that must be taken next by the international community to empower the Iraqi people and to ensure the democratic functioning of institutions in that country and stability, not only in Iraq, but also in the greater Middle East as a whole. As a participating country in the Coalition Provisional Authority, Romania is already engaged and ready to continue to contribute to achieving these goals. We are looking forward to participating in the coming ministerial conference on assistance for the Iraqi people in Madrid this October. Many conflicts in the world stem from the breakdown of nation-States. Porous borders, weak national institutions and the development of alternative allegiances based on religious, economic and other factors often lead to the collapse of State structures. The principal feature of such States is the absence of political legitimacy, coupled with an uncontrolled or unaccountable security sector and contempt for the rule of law. That leads to violent conflict over control of 40 resources or between different ethnic groups and to violation of human rights and humanitarian law. Illegal arms become readily accessible, organized crime and violence flourish and economic prospects die. A good example of where the international community has been successful in preventing the relapse of a post-conflict situation is South-East Europe. The past year has seen real progress in this region, due principally to the increased efforts of the countries themselves, in partnership with the regional community and with support from international organizations and partners. But certain problems persist. It is vital to press ahead with full commitment to meeting the responsibilities and timelines that have already been accepted and to creating truly democratic and multi-ethnic societies. Combating organized crime and illegal trafficking, including the most degrading kind that turns human beings into commodities, is a priority in our regional approach. We need to look at all these challenges with a new determination to tackle them, making full and effective use of the tools available to us within the United Nations system. There has been much discussion of the ability of the United Nations to respond to crises. The disadvantages of the present working methods of its structures and mechanisms, which were conceived more than half a century ago, call for radical reform. The real debate is about effectiveness, adaptation and evolution. It is about our common will, as responsible members of the international community, to act together. Everything else especially the badly needed strategies will simply follow, and this will make it possible to approach the new and old threats alike. The United Nations must increasingly serve as a catalyst for collective action. This requires close cooperation among its Member States, dialogue and partnership with the vibrant constellation of new non- State actors: civil society, non-governmental organizations, the business community and academia. Finally, the Organization must become more effective, efficient and accessible to the world's people. We must weigh up our differences, gauge our ability for joint intervention and act in coordination. Just as the nature of current problems affects people in everything they do, so too must we put people at the centre of everything we do.