Romania

I am delighted to extend to Mr. Harri Holkeri, the new 25 President of the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session, my sincere congratulations on his election. I warmly welcome Tuvalu, the latest newcomer to the United Nations family. I cannot continue without expressing my sincere appreciation to our dedicated Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, under whose leadership the winds of change keep on blowing. I hail the results of the Millennium Summit. The views expressed by leaders from all over the world have shown how crucial it is, at this point in history, to reshape our Organization so as to respond adequately to the great challenges of our times. From this rostrum, and in other forums, political leaders have endeavoured to describe their perceptions, expectations and concerns with regard to the all- encompassing manifestations of globalization. Last year, my predecessor stated that the United Nations was all about institutionalized solidarity. Bearing this idea in mind, we are convinced that the United Nations should reshape its role in such a way as to manage globalization in the interest of all nations and to correct its excesses. Globalization creates opportunities for commercial, economic and financial expansion. However, improved technological competitiveness and wider economic freedom do not automatically produce greater equity. The contribution of globalization to the betterment of the human condition will remain limited to a small number of individuals, social categories and countries unless it is oriented towards the common good. This implies that, in the new context of integration and participation in the globalization processes, good governance should intelligently and predictably combine economic reforms with social responsibility, adjust the system of education and professional training, and initiate institutional reforms that are able to achieve long-term internal stability and employment, individual security and social justice, and the protection of national economic interests, resources and the environment. The process of globalization creates a new balance of power between States, non-governmental organizations and transnational corporations. What is in question today is how to use their potential in order to influence the course of globalization so that it can have a much more positive impact on people's lives. This means bringing globalization closer to the people by promoting human values and democratic principles and practices; an open, inclusive and pluralistic political culture; economies that sustain a decent life for all citizens and prosperity for societies as a whole; and institutions that protect both individuals, with all their rights and fundamental freedoms, and the common good. Nothing can really benefit the citizens of a country if, at the same time, it prejudices the prevailing international standards of a democratic world. (spoke in French) We need to pool our efforts in order to enlarge the system of values shared by the international community. In this globalized yet conflictual world, the manifestation of solidarity can provide a sound basis for progress and prosperity for individuals and nations. From this perspective, I am convinced that solidarity in the creation and allocation of educational capital is essential for the access of young people to the opportunities for progress engendered by globalization. I strongly support better access for young people to the new technologies based on information and communication through investments in informatics education, based on firm partnerships among Governments, business communities and non- governmental organizations. In coping with the new informatics reality of globalization, good governance has to act with vision, responsibility and solidarity. Access to educational capital in computer sciences should not create new demarcation lines across the planet, but rather should unite the world, primarily young people, by providing new opportunities for progress, communication and professional success. Access to digital education will also mean civic emancipation, greater transparency and less corruption. The first key word — solidarity — that I have tried to illustrate should be accompanied by a second: responsibility. For the United Nations as a whole and for its Member States, responsibility is another way to react to the forces of globalization, both domestically and internationally. That is why Romania welcomes the set of priorities and recommendations formulated by the Secretary-General in his report to the Millennium Assembly. Member States know that responsibility requires them to give the Organization — in what I would call a 26 “peace ritual” — the political support and concrete means necessary to improve the management of globalization and to fulfil its mandate. This role is not an easy one. In an era of the most advanced technological capabilities, poverty continues to be a painful reality. While there is increasing acceptance of the universality of human rights, innocent people continue to fall victim to inter-ethnic wars. In fighting terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime, States find that the perpetrators are as well-armed as their police forces. The lack of determination or promptness in preventing the degradation of the environment endangers life on our planet. The United Nations must strive to give globalization a human face. Within our own Organization, responsibility also means that we have to strengthen the authority of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security; pursue the process of reforming the Security Council, once we have agreed that an increase in its membership is justified; be more effective in assisting Member States to cope with their serious economic and social problems; and enhance the Organization's capacity to mount and deploy peace missions on a timely basis. In recent years, we have witnessed the increasing role of non-governmental organizations and other non- state actors, in particular the powerful transnational corporations. There is a need for them to assume increased responsibility as well. Non-governmental organizations should be prepared to mobilize more effectively the resources of civil society in the service of the public well-being. As for the transnational corporations, we are aware of their role in stimulating the forces of globalization and also in reaping its fruit. It is only fair for them to assume responsibilities beyond the borders of their profit. There is a long way to go, so it is high time to set out in this particular direction. The Global Compact initiative launched by the Secretary-General should be built upon. In Romania, we have already explored its potential and the results are promising. We believe, indeed, that the business community can enhance support and enact a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards and environmental protection. After all, profit is meaningless if it does not lead to the improvement of the human condition for all. (spoke in English) We believe that all Member States, including Romania, can assume a share of the collective responsibility. Indeed, my country is doing its best to make its own contribution to the goals and purposes of the United Nations. First, Romania is party to the majority of the key multilateral treaties and conventions identified as such by the Secretary- General in the context of the Millennium Summit. Secondly, we submitted a valuable resolution, entitled “Promoting and consolidating democracy”, that was adopted by the Commission on Human Rights on 25 April this year. Encouraged by its success, we will invite the General Assembly to adopt this resolution at the current session. We are convinced that all members of the General Assembly are prepared to reiterate their recognition of the values, principles and practices that give meaning to a democratic society. Thirdly, Romania is a strong supporter of the United Nations role in peacekeeping. Our peacekeepers have served in various places where we had no specific national interest other than maintaining peace on behalf of the world and of the innocent people who make up the majority of victims of conflicts and disputes. We have worked hard to diversify our contribution to peacekeeping. Romania is also proud to be part of the first Multinational Stand-by Forces High-Readiness Brigade. That is a clear way of expressing support for enhancing the United Nations capacity to deploy peacekeepers rapidly and effectively. In the same context, we welcome the work of the Panel on United Nations peace operations, which has provided a convincing outline for an important reform of this particular function. Fourthly, we also believe that the time has come for us to try to review the peacekeeping scale of assessments. As a concrete contribution to this effort, I take this opportunity to announce that Romania is willing to gradually move from Group C to Group B of the assessment mechanism for peacekeeping. We appeal to all Member countries to work together to put an end to the current financial crisis. Fifthly, in the same vein, let me emphasize that Romania has increased its voluntary contribution to the United Nations Development Programme's work in our country. This is one way of reiterating our support for and interest in the operational activities of the United Nations. 27 We have always supported creative and efficient forms of cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations. I am pleased to announce to this audience that Romania is preparing to take over the high responsibility of the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2001. We will work hard to make OSCE a more instrumental organization, based upon a specific commitment to improving the life of the citizens of its 54 participating States. At the same time, we will use to its best the potential for dialogue and cooperation between OSCE and the United Nations in conflict- prevention and crisis management, in strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of law, in fighting corruption and in other realms of common interest. Having said this, I would make a plea to Member States to integrate the two essential ingredients for effective action, namely solidarity and responsibility, into the concept of total diplomacy. This means the systematic use of firm and efficient diplomacy that should be called upon before any dangerous tensions burst into conflict. It also means that we should give absolute priority to diplomacy, prevention and containment, and in all circumstances use them extensively and comprehensively for the pacific settlements of disputes. All of the means provided for in Chapter VI of the Charter and others that might be created through our collective effort of imagination should reinforce the Organization's capacity to cope with threats and conflicts, whether predictable or unpredictable. Recent developments in longstanding conflicts and disputes confirm that at the end of any road paved with a heavy toll in human lives, material destruction and distorted mentalities, one can find a negotiating table. Diplomacy, if used up to the point of exhaustion, can eventually prove decisive, provided all the possibilities of statesmen, professional negotiators, public opinion and civil society are comprehensively mobilized. Intense dialogue, diplomacy and flexibility from all parties are still needed in critical points of the world, such as Kosovo. Resolution 1244 (1999) of the Security Council is a remarkable innovation, which combines the specific capabilities of the United Nations and some prominent regional organizations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe. Let us work together, guided by resolution 1244, to use the diplomatic and material potential of these organizations with full positive impact on all the inhabitants of this province, irrespective of ethnic background or religion. I address the same appeal to responsibility to the parties involved in the Transdneister tension problem, with the hope that the commitments assumed during the OSCE Summit in Istanbul will be respected, so that next year we will see concrete measures in the withdrawal of military troops and arms from this part of the Republic of Moldova. We are aware that there are many complex and unsolved situations for which energetic enforcement is needed. We are ready to participate in a profound and responsible debate on humanitarian intervention. We would join other delegations in taking a fresh look at the use of sanctions and seeing how effective they are with respect to their target and what are the consequences on the innocent civilian population or third countries. Among the possible consequences, it is worth mentioning the irrational retaliation reactions from countries concerned. A case in point is the perpetuation of the blocking of the Danube — the blocking of navigation on the Danube — which makes all the riparian countries suffer. Procrastination, resisting the lifting of the blockade on the Danube under various pretexts defies international law and ignores the economic interests in the region. Every day, shipping companies accumulate huge losses, which add to the already heavy burden on the third countries in the area, accumulated during the years of the Yugoslav crisis. Speaking of the situation in the Balkans in general, we have to say that we are far from having reached complete stability. We are still witnessing confrontation between the forces of integration and those of dissolution. Time has come to get rid of the ghosts of intolerance and hatred and open the door to the fresh air of the European spirit of integration. The results of the actions by the inflexible regime in Belgrade can be clearly seen today. Unfortunately, our neighbours are forced to cope with a destroyed and isolated economy and an unpredictable political situation in a Yugoslav State once viable and respected, yet finding itself, today, in a process of dismantlement. Politics should be judged by its results, and not by its intentions. We strongly wish for Yugoslavia to return to the European mainstream, for which it must re-embrace 28 the values of democracy, tolerance and freedom of expression. The historic conflict in the Middle East is not over yet, but it is diplomacy that still gives us hope for a solution. I applaud the recent efforts made by the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to come closer to a final settlement. This year we have also heard good news from the Korean Peninsula, a part of the world where history separated one people into two hostile parts. Romania is happy to see a fresh wave of diplomatic actions and human contacts that open new windows for an era of which the Korean people would be the first beneficiary. For us it is obvious that total diplomacy can be successful if it is constantly and solidly based on human realities and on the fundamental aspiration of ordinary people to a peaceful and decent life. With the current, unprecedented level of knowledge we have reached, I am confident that we can find, in ourselves and our societies, resources for greater tolerance, mutual respect and dialogue, as opposed to the primitive inclination to hatred, intolerance and aggression. It is incumbent to the United Nations, as the only international organization of universal vocation, to identify new resources for our concerted endeavours to find solutions to problems of global concern. I am glad to see that our position coincides in many respects with the major ideas agreed upon by participants in the Summit. The United Nations should stubbornly keep working to renew its profile and vigour while entering the new millennium. Romania will continue to be ready to add its contribution to that effect.