At the
outset, I would like to congratulate His Excellency
Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann on his election to the high
and responsible position of the President of the General
Assembly at its sixty-third session and to pledge our
full support and assistance as Vice-President of the
General Assembly.
Our world is facing major problems and
challenges that demand a strengthened and revitalized
Organization capable of addressing global issues. From
that perspective, the Republic of Moldova fully
supports the United Nations reform process in
accordance with the main directions reflected in the
final document of the 2005 World Summit (resolution
60/)1, subsequent initiatives of the Secretary-General
and resolutions adopted on key aspects of the reform of
the Organization’s structures and management.
We support strengthening the coordinating role of
the Economic and Social Council in developing global
economic and social policies, promoting dialogue and
intensifying cooperation with international financial,
economic and trade institutions and Governments in
attaining the Millennium Development Goals, as well
as the Council’s involvement in addressing
humanitarian crisis situations and issues related to
post-conflict reconstruction.
The decision to launch intergovernmental
negotiations will bring a new impetus to Security
Council reform and will stimulate and increase the
efficiency of United Nations activities in the field of
international security and peacekeeping, including
through developing cooperation with regional
organizations and Member States in identifying
solutions to conflicts in different parts of the world.
The events that occurred in South Ossetia,
Georgia, have proved once again that frozen conflicts
generate instability and threaten regional and
international security. The Republic of Moldova
subscribed to the European Union (EU) declaration
regarding the degradation of the situation in South
Ossetia, delivered at the extraordinary meeting of the
Permanent Council of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe on 8 August 2008, and calls
for the full implementation of the peace plan mediated
under the French presidency of the EU. At the same
time, categorically rejecting all methods of settlement
by force, including those used to ensure territorial
integrity, the Moldovan Government does not consider
that international recognition of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia will stabilize the situation.
In the specific case of the Transdniestrian
conflict, the Republic of Moldova acted and continues
to act in accordance with the law on basic provisions of
the special legal status of the localities on the left bank
of the Nistru River which was adopted unanimously on
22 July 2005 and which provides for resolution of the
Transdniestrian conflict by political means only.
Believing that demilitarization and
democratization of the Transdniestrian region are
essential to a viable resolution of the conflict, the
President of the Republic of Moldova has advanced a
number of initiatives on security for and confidence-
building between both banks of the Nistru River.
A strategy for conflict resolution based on a
complex approach consisting of packaged proposals for
all conflict-related issues — political, economic, social
and humanitarian — has been adopted. It envisages a
special legal status for the Transdniestrian region that
includes respect for the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of the Republic of Moldova, consolidation of
the neutrality status, withdrawal of foreign troops from
the country’s territory and recognition of ownership
rights and firm guarantees for the population.
At the same time, the activities of the European
Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and
Ukraine (EUBAM) and its close cooperation with the
relevant institutions in charge of border management in
both States have contributed to increased security and
transparency at the border, which creates a more
favourable atmosphere for settlement of the
Transdniestrian conflict. At present our efforts, as well
as those of mediators and observers, are directed to
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resuming negotiations in the Five plus two format with
a view to a final resolution of that conflict.
The Assembly’s review meeting to assess the
implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy, on 4 September 2008, emphasized
both the progress registered by the United Nations and
its Member States during the last years and the
deficiencies in the fight against international terrorism.
In that context, I would like to reaffirm that as a party
to 13 international conventions and other, regional and
bilateral treaties in that field, the Government of the
Republic of Moldova continues to take concrete steps
in fighting terrorism in accordance with the provisions
of those instruments, relevant Security Council
resolutions and national documents, including the
National Strategy for Preventing and Fighting Money-
Laundering and Terrorism Funding.
The Republic of Moldova will further undertake
all possible steps for contributing to United Nations
actions in consolidating international legislation in the
field of countering international terrorism, especially in
view of the finalizing of the development and adoption
of the comprehensive convention on international
terrorism and organization of the high-level conference
on terrorism under United Nations auspices. We
consider that in the framework of those activities,
increased attention should be given to the issues related
to fighting terrorism that is fuelled by separatist
tendencies that affect States’ sovereignty and territorial
integrity.
Climate change is an inherent challenge for
sustainable development. Global warming and its
effects, including natural disasters and food and energy
crises, have become major threats for the global
population and for international security. After the
terrible drought of last year — the consequences of
which we are still overcoming — the Republic of
Moldova was hit this summer by the most serious
floods of the last two centuries, which affected over
10,000 hectares of agricultural and private lands,
destroyed hundreds of houses and other buildings and
caused damages exceeding $120 million.
We would like to express our gratitude for the
assistance provided by the United Nations Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs by other
specialized institutions, including the United Nations
Development Programme and UNICEF, and by
Member States to alleviate the consequences of the
floods.
The Republic of Moldova fully supports the
activity of the High-Level Task Force on the Global
Food Security Crisis, established and headed by the
Secretary-General. Development and implementation
of a comprehensive plan for food security, in
cooperation with relevant United Nations agencies and
the Bretton Woods institutions, would constitute an
important step for overcoming the food crisis.
The Government of the Republic of Moldova is
undertaking concrete action with a view to reducing
the impact of the food crisis on the situation in the
country. At present, a national agriculture and food
security programme is being developed. We consider
that the high-level meeting on the Millennium
Development Goals held on 25 September and the
organization of annual meetings on monitoring the
engagement and implementation of those goals
constitute new and important opportunities for
implementing the achievement of all internationally
accepted development objectives. Their implementation
is still possible in the majority of countries if
consolidated actions directed towards concrete results
are established and continuously sustained and
developed until the year 2015.
The progress achieved with the support of the
European Union (EU) in the implementation of the
Moldova-EU Action Plan and in conforming the
national standards to the European standards has
opened new opportunities for the advancement of
Moldovan-European relations. We highly appreciate
the constructive cooperation with the EU in that
process and continue to rely on the assistance of its
member States in ensuring development and the
gradual integration of our country into the European
Union.
At the same time, we rely on the support and the
opportunities offered by the United Nations and
Member States with a view to promoting the political,
social and economic policies of the country and its
European integration aspirations and to ensuring
settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict, withdrawal
of foreign military troops and accomplishment of the
development priorities of the country.
I would like to reiterate the attachment of the
Republic of Moldova to the ideals of the United
Nations and its commitment to continuously cooperate
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with Member States towards achieving the important
objectives of the Organization.