This year marks a special anniversary for the independent Lithuanian State. Thirty years ago, the Republic of Lithuania became a State Member of the United Nations. Ever since the restoration of independence, in March 1990, we had been striving for international recognition. Membership in the United Nations made Lithuania a full-fledged member of the international community. It empowered us to seek peace, defend human rights and contribute to effective multilateralism.
A significant decision of the United Nations General Assembly was made in 1992: to call for a
complete withdrawal of foreign military forces from the territories of the Baltic States (resolution 47/21). It was a powerful manifestation of global solidarity — the kind of solidarity we still often need today.
Recent years have shown us that no country is able to deal with global challenges alone. It is a global effort that helps us to mitigate the consequences of the coronavirus disease pandemic. That fight is not over, but I believe that we are on the right path. The way forward is through the widespread use of safe and effective vaccines. We need an active global vaccine-sharing mechanism that will help to protect everyone, including those who are most vulnerable.
Alarmingly, the pandemic is deepening global poverty and inequality. The widening gaps in education, social security and digital connectivity divide the global population. Right now, millions of people are also being overwhelmed by a dangerous infodemic. That, too, is causing much suffering and contributes to many untimely deaths.
I would therefore like to congratulate the United Nations on its efforts in that regard, especially its “Verified” campaign to fight misinformation and disinformation, which pose an ever-greater threat to our societies. In order to counter the various kinds of manipulation, we need a holistic approach and new, concrete ways to get better at detecting, analysing and exposing disinformation.
Various forms of pressure and hybrid attacks are closely related to the deteriorating security situation in many parts of the world. We have seen authoritarian regimes and States continuing their military buildups and intensifying violent crackdowns on political opposition, free media and civil society. Those regimes have demonstrated many times their willingness to endanger our peace and security and prosperity.
We refuse to accept such behaviour as a new normal. Therefore, Lithuania fully supports the cause to uphold human rights in all countries. Cases in which political activists and human rights defenders are tortured and killed must be carefully investigated.
We also deplore efforts by Russia to exert pressure on the Lithuanian judges and prosecutors investigating the case of atrocities committed by the occupying Soviet Army in Lithuania in 1991. Lithuania calls on all States not to execute related international arrest warrants.
It is also with deep sadness that I recall last year’s developments in Belarus. A genuine protest movement that sprang up after a rigged presidential election has been brutally suppressed. Independent civil society and media organizations are being silenced, with hundreds of people detained, severely beaten and tortured. The irresponsible actions of the Belarussian authorities might also have a bigger impact on international security.
We saw it in the hijacking and forced landing of a Ryanair flight on 23 May, which was done in clear violation of international law. Such actions should be treated as a State-sponsored act of terrorism. The Belarussian regime is also testing new methods of hybrid actions. For several months now, Lithuania has been dealing with unprecedented hybrid attacks. By artificially creating and directing irregular migration flows, Belarus is aiming to put political pressure on the European Union. Lithuania firmly rejects that attempt to sow discord and calls on the United Nations to address it.
We all need to actively fight human trafficking, break the business models of smugglers and discourage migrants from endangering their lives. There must be serious discussions on how to prevent one country from using irregular migration to put pressure on another. We must make it clear that people should not be used as tools.
Furthermore, Belarus recently generated yet another outrage by starting the commercial exploitation of an unsafe nuclear power plant close to the Lithuanian border. By ignoring numerous warning incidents and failing to comply with basic international safety standards, the Belarussian regime has once again shown a complete lack of a sense of responsibility. I believe that it would be a colossal mistake to treat such violators on the same footing as climate-friendly producers that respect environmental and nuclear safety rules. Resolving the issue of the Belarussian nuclear power plant is of crucial importance for our environment and a matter of safety for all people of Europe.
For the seventh year, we are witnessing the continued military aggression against Ukraine, as well as the illegal annexation and occupation of Crimea. Those actions violate international law and the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act, and should be universally condemned.
We must reinforce the policy of non-recognition of the occupation and annexation of Crimea. It is
also extremely important to protect the rights and freedoms of the local civilian population. I commend Ukraine’s efforts to keep the issue on the agenda by creating the International Crimean Platform. Lithuania respects Ukraine’s European and Euro-Atlantic choice and continues to support its reforms in this troubled period. Seeking to consolidate international efforts, we co-hosted the Ukraine Reform Conference in Vilnius in July.
We are also currently witnessing a worsening human rights and security situation in the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions of Georgia. Aggressive actions by the occupying forces, such as borderization, movement restrictions and illegal detentions, are hindering the lives of the local people. Our duty is to hold the aggressor accountable.
The international community could also pay special attention to a comprehensive settlement of the Transnistria conflict, based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders.
We are constantly being reminded about the need to preserve the international rules-based order. As we have inherited it, our duty is to pass it onto the next generations. We must show restraint when it comes to international matters and implement our commitments and obligations. The Treaty on Open Skies, the Vienna Document, the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and many other agreements are crucial for building confidence in international security. The principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity should prevail in the face of new challenges.
For the United Nations to remain relevant and strong, an efficient Security Council is required. Every instance of inaction by the Security Council encourages aggression and threatens the multilateral system. Lithuania therefore strongly supports the initiative on limiting the use of the veto in the Security Council in cases of mass atrocities, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
As an expression of Lithuania’s strong commitment to the international human rights agenda, we are also running for a seat on the Human Rights Council for the term from 2022 to 2024. If elected, Lithuania will pay special attention to the protection of human rights defenders, the rights of the child, the rights of persons with disabilities and human rights in conflict areas. We will continue defending the rights of women and girls, freedom of peaceful assembly and association and freedom of religion and belief and will stand up for ensuring access to information and the safety of journalists.
In order to fulfil those promises, Lithuania will make use of the experience gained by its membership within various United Nations bodies. As the current President of the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund, Lithuania is engaged in international efforts to save children’s lives and defend their rights. In seeking to make a change, Lithuania has also presented its candidacy for election to the UNESCO Executive Board for the term from 2021 to 2025. We are ready to promote UNESCO’s mission and mandate and to contribute to making the organization more efficient, responsive and keen to find sustainable solutions.
I would now like to turn to the challenge of our time — climate change.
The recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change clearly states that we have little time left for necessary decisions and real actions. Lithuania fully supports Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his call for urgent and bold steps to address the triple crisis of climate disruption, biodiversity loss and pollution destroying our planet. It is crucially important for every country to participate at the upcoming twenty- sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Glasgow, with the most ambitious proposals.
Lithuania seeks a timely transition towards a resilient and climate-neutral economy and is committed to reaching the related European Union targets. The recently adopted national climate change management agenda sets goals for Lithuania to reduce emissions by 70 per cent as compared to 1990 and to become climate neutral by 2050. The broad support of society is needed for decarbonization efforts to be effective.
They must bring about new major opportunities for and benefits from innovative green growth, employment, a higher quality of life, public health and biodiversity. The shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy is inevitable. The real question now is, who will be the first to reap the benefits? From an early date, Lithuania has bet on digital transformation, with advances in modern information and communication infrastructure, jump-starting the rapid growth of its digital economy. We intend to do the same with our green transformation.
We have always shared one world, but we have only recently been awakened to the fact of our shared responsibility. We now know that we have to make an effort. We must actively build our common future. The time for passive observation is over. We clearly need a new social contract anchored in human rights, as well as the better management of our global commons. How can all of that be achieved? I believe that the way forward is through an honest and open discussion. Our success depends on our ability to build bridges of trust among peoples and make them work for the whole of humankind. Our hopes, brave ideas and individual strengths should all be channelled into global efforts. Let us build our future together.