Slovakia

The international community is increasingly confronted with old problems coupled with a new set of challenges of a truly global nature. And as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at the opening meeting, under these circumstances we face another daunting challenge — the challenge of global leadership. We, the united nations of the world, must indeed exercise our leadership, authority and responsibility under these increasingly complex circumstances. We need to start here, at the United Nations, notably in the Security Council, but also in the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies. Cooperation among our countries and with international organizations must broaden. Real partnerships with the private sector and civil society must be pursued more vigorously. 51 08-52265 As part of the European Union efforts, we promote coordinated measures to help developing countries increase the food supply and tackle the current crises in a sustainable manner. Furthermore, fairer international trade rules must be adopted to stimulate agriculture production, beginning in developing countries, and to allow access to foodstuffs. This year we are at the midpoint of assessing the achievements in moving towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. So far, overall progress on the MDGs has been uneven, at best. Moreover, rising food prices, record energy costs, energy and pipeline security challenges, climate change, growing scarcity of water resources and the recent meltdown of financial centres that started here in the United States — all that threatens to reverse the existing advances towards the MDGs. Most, if not all, of the MDG targets can still be reached, but only if we all work towards them with doubled energy and commitment. As a former recipient country that has successfully navigated the transition process, Slovakia itself now also provides official development assistance to help meet the MDGs, among other goals. We are pleased that the democratization of the United Nations is among the key priorities of the year. We support democratization in the sense of increased partnership among the key United Nations bodies and of respect for one other’s mandates. Slovakia would like to place renewed emphasis on the advancement of the agreed United Nations reform measures, including the management reform of the United Nations Secretariat. Slovakia remains convinced of the need to reform the Security Council. Based on our own recent experience from serving on the Council, we emphasize the need to make it more representative, more open and more transparent. The Council needs to be enlarged in both its categories. Slovakia supports the ambitions of Germany, Japan, Brazil and India to become permanent members of the Security Council, as well as permanent representation of Africa on the Council. The regional group of Eastern European States needs to be allocated at least one additional non-permanent seat. We thus fully support the launching of intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform. This year we mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as cultivation of the culture of inter-religious and inter-ethnic tolerance, remain my country’s priorities for action in the United Nations. Slovakia was elected a member of the Human Rights Council this year. We will promote universal respect for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind and in a fair and equal manner. Justice is a prerequisite for peace, security and development, not a contradiction to them. Responsibility to protect should be another leading policy and principle for our joint action, both in relation to genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and in cases of large-scale natural disasters and catastrophes. We can no longer afford another Rwanda in Darfur or elsewhere. In this context, we would like to especially commend the African Union for its increasingly active role in putting an end to the most serious crises in Africa, especially the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur and the African Union Mission in Somalia. Here, I would like to acknowledge a continuously growing cooperation between the European Union and the United Nations, currently in some 20 operations and cases. Nationally owned reform of the security sector, particularly in post-conflict environments, is critical to consolidating peace and stability; promoting poverty reduction, rule of law and good governance; extending legitimate State authority; and preventing countries from relapsing into conflict. Since its membership in the Security Council, Slovakia has been actively engaged in security sector reform-related efforts as it works in support of the recommendations of the Secretary-General. We are committed to continuing our work as coordinator of the group of friends of security sector reform, as well as to further promoting regional and subregional activities in that area, following a successful workshop in South Africa and a later one in Asia and Latin America. New challenges to global security should not divert our attention from old and more traditional threats. The world is unfortunately full of disputes, conflicts and crises. We consistently support their resolution through negotiations and peaceful means, 08-52265 52 with a central role for the United Nations based on full respect for the principles of international law — notably those of sovereignty and territorial integrity — and we reject the use of force and unilateral action. That is relevant to the recent developments in Georgia and in the Western Balkans, where we underline the importance of the European and transatlantic perspective for all countries as an essential element in promoting peace, stability and economic progress in the region. One lesson that we have learned is that frozen conflicts and unresolved disputes, if left to fester, tend at times to move into a dangerously hot stage, spread instability and fuel extremism. The conflict in the Middle East is telling in that respect. I should like to stress, as others have, that calls from this rostrum for the annihilation of the State of Israel are unacceptable and deplorable. We all recognize the importance of supporting the Government of Afghanistan in its efforts to ensure stability and development in the country and to prevent Afghanistan from becoming once again a haven for terrorists. This year, Slovakia has decided to double the number of its soldiers serving in southern Afghanistan, but it is obvious that lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan will depend on solid improvements in the living conditions of Afghan citizens and in good governance. Slovakia supports enhanced United Nations cooperation in implementing the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. To be more effective, we need an agreement on a comprehensive United Nations convention against international terrorism as soon as possible. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery continues to pose a serious threat to international peace and security. We are in particular concerned about our inability to close the issue of the Iran nuclear programme in a way that would be considered by all to be in conformity with the non-proliferation regime. We welcome the extension of the mandate of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). The tasks confronting us in the year ahead are enormous. They can be accomplished only through our strong and sustained political commitment, working through multilateral mechanisms with the United Nations in the lead and at the centre.