Romania

I have the particular pleasure of congratulating you, Sir, on your election as President of the fifty-first session of the General Assembly and of expressing our satisfaction at seeing in such a high position the representative of a country and a region so widely appreciated for their traditions and dynamism. I am convinced that your experience and your qualities as an eminent diplomat will facilitate the proceedings and the successful outcome of this session. I would like also to express our thanks to your predecessor, Mr. Diogo Freitas do Amaral of Portugal, for the able manner in which he directed the previous session of the General Assembly. Allow me to take this opportunity to express our high appreciation for the remarkable activity carried out with such dedication since 1992 by the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, to the benefit of the United Nations. The Assembly has gathered again not only to review recent regional and world developments or to survey last year’s results, but also to discuss especially the prospects and challenges we are facing at the threshold of the twenty-first century. We are essentially called upon to reflect and act jointly on establishing an international system that can guarantee security, stability, progress and prosperity for all. The United Nations is certainly the pillar of such a system. The conclusion of the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty, which we have just signed, is proof of this. We are among those who consider that we now have a historic opportunity to insure world security and stability through the establishment of democratic institutions, sustainable development, respect for human rights and social justice. This requires better international cooperation and a new spirit of partnership among all countries. Romania intends to contribute to this common effort through consolidation of its achievements in the building of a new democratic society based on the rule of law, respect for human rights and a market economy, with a view to establishing itself as a stabilizing factor in the region. In referring to some of the significant events of the past year, I will recall that our macro-economic policy and the progress we have made in the establishment of institutions adapted to a market economy have led to a steady improvement of economic performance. The private sector has become preponderant in our gross domestic product. In order to overcome the difficulties of transition and to prepare for integration into the European Union, Romania has received substantial assistance from the European Union and its members. The United States has granted Romania permanent most favoured nation status. My country has become a full member of the Central European Initiative and next year will become part of the Central European free trade agreement. The signing of a Treaty of Understanding, Cooperation and Good- Neighbourliness between Romania and Hungary was a significant event not only for our historic reconciliation, but also for stability in Central Europe. I would also like to take note of my country’s active participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Partnership for Peace programme and in the Implementation Forces operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These strengthen our belief that a favourable decision will be taken on our integration into the Atlantic Alliance. At the subregional level, Romania supported the measures aimed at the advancement of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and of the process of stability and good-neighbourly relations in south-east Europe, which is also the subject of initiatives by the European Union and the United States. Aware of the importance of the democratization process, the Romanian Government has decided to host the third International Conference on New or Restored Democracies in Bucharest in early September 1997. All these developments and initiatives testify to my country’s willingness to act as a credible and responsible partner in international affairs and as a stabilizing factor and source of security in Europe and the world. On the occasion of the commemorative meeting held on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the entry into force of the Charter of United Nations, numerous heads of State — including the President of Romania — pointed out that the Organization can and should play a greater role in international relations in order to respond more effectively to global challenges. It is becoming increasingly evident that we are at a point in history when numerous problems have to be reconsidered from a global perspective if we are to forge a common vision wherein the individual is the focus of our policies. The main problem to be solved at the dawn of the third millennium is finding the appropriate synthesis between the general aspiration to universality and the individual aspiration to identity. The series of major global conferences organized by the United Nations over these past five years have led to a new integrated concept of sustainable development focused on the human being. Now that we are in the process of revitalizing, strengthening and reforming the United Nations system, including a limited enlargement of the Security Council, we consider it timely and useful to capitalize on these achievements. It would also be desirable to agree on an integrated common vision of development and on a list of priorities that would inspire and guide the general process of renewal of the United Nations. By acting in this way, we will be able to facilitate our current objective, as long as the working groups established by the General Assembly hasten their achievement of balanced and realistic results. Along with the other Member States, Romania also considers that the moment has come to proceed to an expansion of the membership of the Security Council, both in the category of permanent members — for which Germany and Japan are preeminently qualified by their importance in international affairs — as in the category of non-permanent members. This should be done through an agreed formula, based on proposals already put forward, such as the Italian, which represents a good basis for ensuring that an increased number of States — including those of central and eastern Europe — be represented in the Council. In short, a special meeting of the General Assembly should be called on the results of the reform of the United Nations system. Having made these general remarks, I would like to make a few comments on particular issues of our agenda. First, with regard to crisis and conflict management, it is clearly and primarily the responsibility of the parties directly involved to put an end to conflict and to restore peace and security. We underscore the importance we attach to dialogue as a means of reaching negotiated solutions by the parties directly concerned. We will contribute to the establishment of normal relations and the full implementation of the Dayton Agreement among the countries of the former Yugoslavia, including the lifting of the sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. We welcomed with interest the initiatives on the economic reconstruction of the region and are fully prepared to take an active part in this process, including through joint cooperation projects with neighbouring countries. We express our deep concern over the recent worrying developments in the Middle East peace process 2 which are the object of Security Council resolution 1073 (1996). We welcome the United States initiative aimed at the resumption of negotiations between the parties on the basis of the principles agreed upon in Madrid and Oslo, as they represent the only way to build a just and lasting peace. Romania recognizes the necessity of strengthening regional economic cooperation in support of the peace process in the Middle East and is actively involved in the multilateral working groups. We are still concerned about the ongoing, complex and uncertain situation in the eastern part of the Republic of Moldova and we reaffirm the necessity for an unconditional and orderly withdrawal of foreign troops from the Transdniester region. We accord due attention to all initiatives aimed at any process that could lead to a lasting peace in the Korean peninsula and in other regions of tension and conflict. As the main guarantor of international peace and security, the United Nations should participate more actively in the prevention and management of crises by employing flexible peace instruments, including preventive diplomacy and peace-keeping operations. The experience gained by contributing States — including Romania, particularly as a result of its significant participation in the United Nations peace-keeping Mission in Angola — highlights the necessity of increasing rapid-reaction capacity by improving the standby system and other measures aimed at the rapid deployment of new peace-keeping operations and the efficient management of current ones. With regard to sanctions, Romania, which has been deeply affected by the strict implementation of economic sanctions, especially in the case of the former Yugoslavia, believes that the United Nations should play a larger role in the process of compensating third countries so that the efficiency and credibility of Security Council actions in this area can be preserved. Secondly, I would like to make some comments in connection with non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament. As a party to the process since its inception, Romania welcomed with satisfaction the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty. This major step represents a crucial stage in the fulfilment of one of the main objectives in the implementation of relevant obligations of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The establishment of nuclear-weapon- free zones in South-East Asia, the Pacific and Africa is aimed at the same objective. Romania will continue to contribute to the promotion of the review process of the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, both before the next Review Conference in the year 2000, the preparatory committee of which will convene in 1997. We will also give equal attention to the speedy commencement of negotiations on a treaty banning the production of fissile materials, as well as to the implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and On Their Destruction and the establishment of an efficient verification mechanism. We again invite all States to consider establishing a code of conduct for conventional arms transfers which will increase transparency and confidence among States in that field. Romania supports all efforts leading to the total ban of anti-personnel mines. To this end, in 1995, the Romanian Government declared a moratorium, which will be extended this year, and has begun the ratification procedures of the additional Protocols to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons. My third and last thought relates to the economic and social areas, where we believe there are good prospects for the adoption of the Agenda for Development. Romania endorses the idea that the United Nations can and should contribute to implementing a new global partnership for development among developing countries, developed countries and multilateral institutions. We noted with interest the inclusion of this concept in the economic communiqué adopted at the recent Group of Seven summit meeting in Lyon, as well as the recognition of the fact that the new partnership should be beneficial to all and based on a spirit of solidarity that will distribute responsibility among all partners. Within this framework, the United Nations and its institutions should pursue reform and adjustment efforts with a view to improving their performance in the building of consensus in the area of development. We welcome the results of the ninth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in Midrand as an essential step in its renewal. The session paved the way for the reform of its intergovernmental structure, and the reorientation of its priorities in order to develop cooperation with the World Trade Organization and the Bretton Woods financial institutions. This will 3 lead to the integration of developing countries and countries in transition into the global commercial and financial system. We also note the measures recently taken to strengthen the Economic and Social Council’s central role in establishing and coordinating joint policies, as well as the initiatives of the Economic Commission for Europe and other regional Commissions in redefining their priorities. The Economic and Social Council has the responsibility to ensure the follow-up to the major international conferences. We will work together in preparing the 1997 special session of the General Assembly in order to improve the implementation of agreements reached on environmental protection at the Rio Conference and at the Vienna regional conference on the review of the Social Summit in Copenhagen. It is worth mentioning that a subregional conference recently held in Bucharest provided a useful evaluation of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action on the status of women in Central and Eastern Europe. We support the United Nations fight against the abuse of drugs and illicit drug trafficking, including all forms of related crimes. We intend to participate in the preparations of the 1998 special session of the General Assembly devoted to this scourge. The international community must also be mobilized to confront the rapid rise in transnational organized crime and terrorism. We encourage more active participation on the part of the United Nations. In this respect, we welcome the proposal put forward here last week by President Kwasniewski of Poland. Development assistance requires a new and better response from the international community in the promotion of our common objective of sustainable and socially equitable growth focused on the human being and on the protection of the environment. Aid flows should be more efficient and directed towards the countries in real need. Romania maintains good cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme and its resident representative in Bucharest, other funds and development programmes — including the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Children’s Fund — and with the specialized agencies and the Bretton Woods institutions. We insure that the assistance we receive is used for structural reforms, and macroeconomic stabilization and that it likewise contributes to the creation of favourable conditions for the expansion of a dynamic and competitive private sector. Finally, I wish to reaffirm my country’s deep commitment to the universal nature of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the promotion and observance of which represent a priority for the United Nations. In view of this premise, the Romanian Government condemns any form of discrimination and intolerance, especially aggressive nationalism, and intends to guarantee the free and equal exercise of human rights, including the rights of women, children and persons belonging to national minorities. We support the efforts of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, as overall coordinator of the specialized bodies within the United Nations system in improving the efficiency of the Centre for Human Rights. The best guarantee for the observance of human rights lies in developing democracy. This component of the “democracy-development-peace” triad brings me to a final reflection about the United Nations contribution to the process of worldwide democratization. By convening in Bucharest, in September 1997, the third International Conference on New or Restored Democracies, we wish to continue the dialogue and the sharing of experience in building democratic societies by contributing the experiences of Romania, a country in Central Europe that is reviving, irreversibly, its best democratic traditions after so many years of dictatorship. I wish to assure the Assembly that my country will do its best, in concert with all interested countries, to enable the United Nations — the guarantor of peace and international legality — to respond more efficiently to the problems we all share.