Lithuania

Allow me to congratulate Mr. Insanally on his election as President of the forty-eighth session of the General Assembly and to wish him much success in heading this august body. It is a great honour to speak in this historic Hall, in which, as nowhere else, all the victories and concerns of the world, all its problems and opportunities, are concentrated. The voice of Lithuania, which had been muffled for half a century, can now be heard loud and clear throughout the world. Lithuania, with a long tradition of statehood dating back to the thirteenth century, regained its independence through the determination of our people, certain fundamental changes in the world and international support. Our State is consolidating democracy. It respects human and minority rights, and strives to ensure social progress and an improved standard of living founded on free market principles. By participating in the activities of the United Nations and other international organizations, we hope to contribute to a better world. We have an opportunity to voice our concerns and to obtain support not only at the United Nations, but also at the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), the Council of Europe, the North Atlantic Cooperation Council and other international organizations. In establishing friendly relations with other countries, Lithuania has felt the supportive and increasing influence of international organizations in the process of democratization and in the creation of a free market economy. We trust that the following international Conferences sponsored by the United Nations - the International Conference on Population and Development, the World Summit for Social Development and the Fourth World Conference on Women - will help us find lasting solutions to these concerns. Since parliamentary elections held last autumn the Government in Lithuania has changed. Our chosen course in foreign policy, however, in the tradition of democratic States, has not altered. Our foreign policy priorities remain close cooperation with the other Baltic States of Latvia and Estonia, as well as with the countries of northern Europe, and full integration into Europe’s political, economic, security and cultural sphere. Lithuania is seeking in particular friendly and mutually beneficial relations with neighbouring Russia, Poland and Belarus. Lithuania supports President Boris Yeltsin’s efforts to stabilize the political situation in his country and to maintain the course of reform. We are essentially in full agreement with the position of other democratic States regarding recent events in Russia. Like its other neighbours, Lithuania is seeking its place on the new map of Europe, and we hope for closer cooperation between the countries of the Baltic Sea region. An important aspect of such cooperation, and of Lithuania’s relations with Russia, is our relationship with the Kaliningrad region. The gradual demilitarization of that region, the development of a free trade zone there and the increased influence that international organizations, especially the European Community, have on its future are in Lithuania’s best interest and, we believe, in the interests of other States in the area. In the long term, the shores of the Baltic Sea should be free of armaments. Measures should be taken now to increase trust and security. Our chosen path - a gradual coming together of the nations and States of the Baltic region and good relations between neighbours - should lead us to the European Community and contribute to the consolidation of security on the old continent. 14 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session The shortest road from Paris, Berlin and Warsaw to Moscow and St. Petersburg leads through Lithuania. For many centuries, however, the vehicles of war of attacking or retreating armies rolled across these crossroads, bringing with them many misfortunes and tragedies. Today, however, we hope that convoys of goods will roll across our territory. We believe, and are working to ensure, that our complex geopolitical situation in a new Europe - a Europe no longer torn apart by antagonistic ideologies - should become a source of new opportunities, benefits and prosperity. We are inspired by the example of countries such as Denmark, Switzerland, Austria and others, which have successfully taken advantage of similar situations and the opportunities offered by a more unified Europe. Having restored its independence, Lithuania has once again become a participant in the processes of a more unified Europe. Lithuania is receptive to cooperation with the West and the East, and sees future opportunities in such cooperation. Despite the great distances that separate us, relations with the United States have been, and will continue to be, especially significant for Lithuania. We are grateful to the United States for resolutely adhering to the policy of non-recognition of the illegal incorporation of Lithuania into the Soviet Union. A sizeable emigré community, which found refuge in the new world, links our two countries. We value close United States cooperation with Europe, including that with the structures of the CSCE and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and we sincerely wish every success for efforts to stabilize the situation in a changing world and to encourage the progress of post-Communist countries toward democracy and a free market. We turn to the United Nations, asking it to safeguard the interests of small States. The future of a more integrated world lies in democracy and in the individuality of free nations. The international community should be prepared to defend, with force if necessary, the sovereignty of small - even the smallest - nations. During his recent visit to Lithuania, Pope John Paul II stressed that "the interests of large States should never force small States to become satellites of a foreign Power". In spite of the conflicts that now plague the world, it is fortunate that some good news also reaches this house in New York. We welcome the peace processes in the Middle East and the positive trends in South Africa, Cambodia, Haiti and El Salvador. On 31 August, in compliance with General Assembly resolution 47/21 of 1992, the last remaining units of the Russian army were withdrawn from Lithuania. I should like to take this opportunity to thank representatives from all the countries, large and small, that supported our legitimate goal. I should also like to sincerely thank the United Nations and Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who monitored the fulfilment of the obligation to withdraw that army, and who, during the most critical moments, sent his envoy, Ambassador Tommy Koh, to Vilnius, and Mr. Stoyan Ganev, President of the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly, who visited Lithuania and the other Baltic States in July to discuss the army’s withdrawal. We were glad when, having made it just in time for the ceremony marking the departure of the last Russian troops, Ambassador Koh said: "My work in Lithuania is done, although some work is waiting for me in the other Baltic States." When a large State withdraws its army from a small one without issuing any ultimatums or setting conditions, this signals a new era for the world in which, thanks to international efforts in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter, even the most sensitive problems can be solved peacefully. Despite several disagreements that arose at the last minute, calm and balanced diplomacy allowed Lithuania and Russia to reach agreement on this fundamental question. On more than one occasion I had the pleasure of speaking openly and sincerely with President Boris Yeltsin of the Russian Federation. A fresh page is being turned in the relations between our two countries. Of course, the issue of compensation for damage inflicted during the years of occupation is still on the agenda for negotiations between Lithuania and Russia. The Russian army still remains in Estonia and Latvia. We believe that with the help of the United Nations this international problem will be resolved successfully and, at the same time, the stability of the region will be bolstered. Until people become fully aware of the possibilities that democracy and freedom provide these ideas will remain just that - ideas. After an initial wave of euphoria, disillusion may follow. One can already notice this in some post- communist countries. This causes me, as President of Lithuania, great concern. I do not think that the world community can afford to remain indifferent to this problem. Forty-eighth session - 28 September l993 15 A democratic and civic State, based on the rule of law, in which people are not segregated according to their nationality or religious and political beliefs, is being established in Lithuania. There is no tension in our country between Lithuanians and ethnic minorities. We are reforming and stabilizing the Lithuanian economy; we are searching for ways to provide at least minimal social welfare guarantees; as much as possible we are trying to clear the way for private initiative. We cannot, however, change our economy overnight. The Lithuanian people are patient and industrious, working hard for their well-being and future. However, disillusion with democracy and the free market would be disastrous. Therefore I wish to speak very frankly to this body: even though we feel the concern and support of the world community, that is not enough. It appears that even the most authoritative international organizations lack the coordinated action and initiative for truly effective assistance. We occasionally feel isolationist tendencies on the part of the most industrialized nations; having attained a high standard of living, they attempt to dissociate themselves from the countries of Eastern and Central Europe. This greatly complicates the future of these countries as they attempt to solve by themselves the difficult economic, political, psychological, cultural and historical problems that they have inherited from the recent past. In most post-communist countries there still prevails a nostalgia for the past, when authoritarian government guaranteed people their minimum needs, albeit at the expense of their freedom. Without timely and joint efforts, this nostalgia for a pseudo-socialistic past could cause the development of certain countries to follow a course that would be unacceptable to all of us. For several years now, both in Europe and North America, the idea of a new "Marshall Plan" has been in the air, but it has in no way materialized. Yet investments in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe - and I have in mind not only financial investments - would really be investments in all of our futures. Greater and more effective assistance for the democratic forces in post-communist States would help decisively to rid the world of the remnants of totalitarianism and dictatorship that have so tormented mankind in the twentieth century. With the dissolution of two hostile blocs, the world has become a safer place. However, that does not solve all the security problems that mankind now faces. Indeed, the number of such problems has increased. There is now a greater possibility of localized conflicts: they have flared up in precisely those places where dictatorships that suppressed nations have fallen. Such horrendous practices as "ethnic cleansing" must be severely condemned. The model of an absolutely closed nation-State is no longer a viable one for the solution of separate national problems. The Lithuanian people respect the struggle of nations for their freedom, but they condemn atrocities which occur under the guise of a noble cause. The tragedy of what was formerly Yugoslavia is truly horrible. We approve of the means that the United Nations uses to uphold peace and security, but too often resolution of the structure of a State and border issues are left to warring countries to decide by force of arms. In the future the United Nations should pursue even more actively preventive diplomacy to stop conflicts before they erupt. Every illegal and violent act requires a response, not appeasement. The Secretary-General’s "An Agenda for Peace" is a welcome plan that provides a solid foundation. What should the new role of the United Nations be in an ever-changing world? As I see it, in future the Organization must not only be a guarantor of security, but also an instigator of economic development and a global defender of human and ethnic minority rights. At the Vienna Conference on Human Rights, we spoke out in favour of establishing the post of high commissioner for human rights. At this time, ideas about the sovereignty of States, the self-determination of nations, national security and the maintenance and enforcement of peace are changing rapidly. The individual problems of individual States are becoming global in scope, especially in the areas of environmental protection, refugees, narcotics and organized crime. For precisely that reason, cooperation among neighbouring States is growing in importance. Regional interaction is broadening and the role of international organizations is being extended. We approve of regional structures and arrangements that help to guarantee peace and stability in their respective regions. However, their activities should be linked with United Nations supervision, so that large and powerful nations do not transform such regional structures into instruments of domination. I am referring to failed States. They need international assistance that would not force upon them the protectorate of another State or provide conditions for assimilating them into some sort of sphere of influence, but would respect and protect their sovereignty and independence. Small countries have a right to rely on a firm guarantee of security. The United Nations could and should become that guarantee. In the long-term future, as democracy and cooperation become firmly established 16 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session throughout our planet, the United Nations would perhaps assume certain functions of a world government. I reiterate my support for Lithuania’s proposal, which was outlined here at the United Nations exactly one year ago, that new permanent members could be added to the Security Council. For the United Nations to achieve its objective, it is important to continue and even expand the system reforms that are now being put into effect to increase cost-efficiency. We welcome the initiatives by several countries, among them the United States, to establish more dependable internal and external inspection machinery. The suggested creation of an office of inspector-general could help to assure Member States that the mandates that we have provided for various programmes are put to the most effective use possible. I should like to state clearly that the current financial crisis of the United Nations is of great concern to Lithuania. We are not indifferent to it. Lithuania is firmly resolved to fulfil its obligations to the Organization and it has demonstrated its readiness to do so. Lithuania could support the activities of the Organization even more strongly if for three years now we had not been forced repeatedly to discuss the difficult problem of assessments with regard to the United Nations budget. Our delegation, along with other countries that have found themselves in a similar situation, has on more than one occasion suggested ways in which this problem could be solved. I wish to emphasize that the position of Lithuania remains unchanged. The scale of assessments must be determined on the basis of statistical data provided by each State, in accordance with its capacity to pay and, most important, abiding by the principle that the same methodology for calculating assessments must be applied to all States equally. In seeking to ensure these principles and finally to resolve this problem, we are prepared to exchange ideas with, and we hope for the cooperation of, all delegations. I reiterate my support for Lithuania’s proposal, made here at the United Nations exactly a year ago, that new permanent members could be added to the Security Council. Lithuania not only supports peace-keeping efforts, but would like eventually to become a contributor to military and civilian operations. When Lithuania became a member of the Council of Europe I suggested a meeting of all the Heads of State of post-communist countries. This would not be an attempt to create some sort of new bloc or to console each other about our economic hardships. Such a conference, under the auspices of the Council of Europe or perhaps some other organization, could provide an opportunity to discuss in a down-to-earth way how to recover more quickly from the maladies of national egoism and ethnocentricity that may be unavoidable in young States and fragile democracies. All of us in post-communist countries should, as quickly as possible, learn how to cooperate among ourselves and with the rest of the world and strive to be better full-fledged members of our planet’s democratic community. Other countries have learned the art of cooperation over decades. We have not had that much time. It is very important that we succeed through a joint effort in making this period as brief as possible. We welcome the initiative by some Members of the United Nations to establish a forum for new and restored democracies. It is our sincere hope that this movement, begun in the Philippines, will help bring developing countries and countries in transition closer together, so that they may reach common approaches down the path to democracy and a free market. The spirit of the approaching twenty-first century already fills this Hall. At the turn of the third millennium mankind is faced with critical global problems that threaten its very existence: ecological, social and spiritual problems and the nuclear threat, which has not yet been abolished. National and regional problems seem to pale in comparison, but I do not think that that is really the case. Every step towards progress, even if taken in a small country or with regard to improved relations between two States, diminishes the possibility of global conflict, and vice versa. I should therefore like to believe that the withdrawal of the Russian military from Lithuania was an achievement for more than just two countries. The entire world became somewhat better, somewhat more just, and the threat that hung over it was abated. I think that there will be more and more such successes. The United Nations system contributes, and will continue to contribute, significantly to their attainment.