Allow me to begin by
expressing my sincere appreciation and congratulations
to you, Mr. President, upon your election to the
presidency of the United Nations General Assembly at
its sixty-second session and to wish you full success in
this challenging endeavour. At the same time, I should
like to extend my appreciation to Her Excellency
Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa for her excellent
work as President at the sixty-first session. Romania
fully subscribes to the statement delivered by His
Excellency José Socrates, the Prime Minister of
Portugal, on behalf of the European Union. I would
also like to add some reflections on the interests of my
country. Romania remains firmly attached to its
engagement in favour of efficient multilateralism on all
three pillars of United Nations activity peace and
security, human rights and sustainable development.
Romania wishes to be an active participant in all
ongoing reform processes according to the guidelines
we accepted in the Millennium Summit Outcome. It
seems there is a quasi-consensus on the principle of the
enlargement of the Security Council but not yet on the
practical ways in which this could take place. We all
know that this is because the structural reform of a
principal organ has profound political implications. It
seems also that there is little disagreement on the
general principle that the Security Council should
reflect the geopolitical configuration of the present-day
world. We believe that the comprehensive solution
offered by an intermediary stage should be regarded
positively, precisely because at this stage it is general
enough to allow everybody to see that the new
configuration would come closer to one’s aim. Let us
see if it stands the test of substantive negotiations.
Nevertheless, negotiations on the enlargement of the
Security Council should not prevent progress and
decisions being made on other dimensions, namely,
improving the working methods of the Security
Council, particularly on the issue of the transparency
of Security Council activity and the possibility of
limiting veto use. Finally, with 23 members the Eastern
European Group should be entitled to at least one
additional seat in the Security Council in any formula
to be agreed upon. It should also be re-emphasized
that, despite being the most dynamically growing
regional group within the United Nations General
Assembly, the Eastern European presence in
managerial positions in the United Nations Secretariat
and in United Nations bodies is still minimal.
Romania follows with particular attention the
latest developments in Kosovo. The solution for the
status of the province of Kosovo needs to be in line
with the international law in force. We welcome the
efforts of the Troika to facilitate the negotiations
between the two parties. The direct talks that were held
today here in New York represent a positive evolution,
and similar meetings should be organized in the
months to come. Direct negotiations between Belgrade
and Pristina will contribute to reaching a genuine
compromise that will support the stability of the
Western Balkans and the European perspective of this
region.
In Iraq positive developments in the area of
institution building, interfaith reconciliation and
security must be consolidated through regional and
international support. The new Security Council
resolution 1770 (2007) represents a broad United
Nations mandate to provide assistance for development
and reconstruction and mediation for political dialogue
at the national and regional levels. We welcome the
ministerial meeting on Iraq on 22 September last,
chaired by the Prime Minister of Iraq and the United
Nations Secretary-General. We believe that the efforts
of the international community with regard to Iraq will
bear fruit. Romania is present on the ground and stands
with the people and Government of Iraq.
Preventing and combating terrorism require
effective multilateralism, based on the norms of
international law. We must meet the threat of
international terrorism with concerted action. Global
action against terrorism requires measures to disrupt
groups involved in terrorist activities through
international cooperation. Our efforts to combat
terrorism must be unrelenting but they must respect
fundamental human rights and freedoms. Combating
terrorism must also take account of the social and
economic roots of terrorism. No country can ensure its
security alone. Romania supports efforts undertaken by
international, regional and subregional organizations to
build up international solidarity against terrorism in
accordance with international law, and it cooperates
bilaterally with other countries to prevent and combat
this scourge.
The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) remains the
pillar for the international legal system in the area of
nuclear non-proliferation. It is also an essential
instrument for promoting international peace and
security. Despite all the difficulties in recent years, the
NPT is still relevant and significant. The balance
between rights and duties enshrined in the Treaty is
essential for the stability of the international system.
The maintenance of the fundamental principles of the
Treaty on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and
international cooperation, as well as guarantees to
observe non-proliferation requirements, are essential.
Romania places a great deal of importance on
developing nuclear energy and promoting its peaceful
use in areas such as medicine, industry, agriculture and
in other areas of public usefulness. Romania also
agrees with the idea that adopting nuclear energy as an
ecologically sound alternative source of energy in the
context of implementing the Kyoto Protocol is an
important choice.
The international community must give priority
attention to the threat of the proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction and access by terrorists to these
types of weapons. My country does not neglect
problems related to conventional weapons and firmly
supports the need to start structured consideration of
the question of a future international legal instrument
on the weapons trade.
Romania is participating actively in peacekeeping
operations by providing military observers, staff
officers, guards and police officers to 10 peacekeeping
operations in four continents Haiti, Congo, Ethiopia
and Eritrea, Sudan, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Nepal,
Timor-Leste, Georgia and Kosovo. Romania is also
participating in peace operations in the Western
Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Blue Helmets deserve the gratitude of host
countries and of the international community. We
believe that in setting up multinational forces under the
auspices of the United Nations we should take account
of the cultural and linguistic characteristics of the
country where the Blue Helmets are deployed.
Romania, now a member of the European Union,
evolved under the political idea that democracy, human
rights and the rule of law are essential for the
development of our societies. That is why we would
like to commit to supporting, in an imaginative
fashion, human rights, democracy, tolerance and
diplomacy as a means for settling all disputes, as well
as dialogue between cultures and civilizations. It is
worthwhile recalling that Bucharest hosted the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) High-Level Conference on Combating
Discrimination and Promoting Mutual Respect and
Understanding in June 2007. That Conference was an
opportunity to highlight the need to react at the
political and institutional levels to combat all forms of
intolerance and discrimination in order to guarantee
respect for human rights and to ensure that every
citizen feels protected by the law and has concrete
proof of the solidarity of others when his or her rights
are flouted.
I believe that the international community needs
to give deeper consideration to some sensitive issues in
order to adopt appropriate measures. I am thinking
about the need to ensure that the rights of children are
protected, and that is why Romania supports the
establishment of the post of Special Representative of
the Secretary-General to combat violence against
children.
My Government pays particular attention to
action taken by the Human Rights Council, especially
since from last June to mid-2008 the chairmanship of
this new institution is held by Romania. The
institutional structure of this organization is almost
complete. What we have achieved is a compromise.
The new Council is not the irreproachable body that we
had imagined, but it needs to be used, because
promotion of respect for human rights is a battle we
must wage relentlessly. The General Assembly’s
approval of the report of the Human Rights Council,
which also includes the institutional package adopted
halfway through this year, will certainly help us meet
this goal. This new institution must put to greater use
its calling, which is to increase awareness of and
respect for human rights and to strengthen those rights
worldwide. It must also ensure that States honour their
commitments. Romania reiterates its confidence in the
capacity of the Human Rights Council to become a
sound and credible example in the institutional system
devoted to protecting human rights.
Democracy is a global process. Twenty-five years
ago, less than one third of the States worldwide could
be deemed to be true democracies. Now that
percentage has increased considerably and represents
the standard. We believe that progress in the principles
of democracy and human rights in political decisions
represents a victory for us all. With the common efforts
of member States, a considerable number of resolutions
and declarations on various aspects related to
democracy have been adopted. For example, in 2000
the Commission on Human Rights adopted resolution
2000/47, “Promoting and consolidating democracy”,
introduced by my country.
The resolution brought together, for the first time
in a single coherent document, the principles, values
and practices that represent a framework for actions
taken by governments to promote democracy.
Of course there are close ties between democracy
and respecting human rights. That is the primary
message that Romania and other sponsors wanted to
transmit through resolutions on pursuing dialogue on
measures to promote and consolidate democracy,
democracy and human rights, and reinforcing the role
of regional, subregional and other mechanisms and
organizations to promote and consolidate democracy.
All those resolutions were adopted.
We are also very pleased to see that the
Community of Democracies has now become an active
group committed to promoting the values and standards
of democracy. We are prepared to work with other
delegations that are members of the working group in
the Community of Democracies. Romania recently
took on the task of coordinating the group in
anticipation of the next ministerial conference, to be
held in Bamako.
As a Member of the United Nations that benefits
from constant and sound economic growth, Romania
will join the group of donor countries by the end of this
year. Official development assistance designed as a
gradual and progressive commitment will now be a key
part of our foreign policy and an expression of our
international solidarity with countries in transition or
developing countries. We already have a national
strategy, an institutional structure and a budget with a
line item for official development assistance. Above
all, we have unswerving political commitment. We will
look closely at all options for providing voluntary
contributions through the United Nations system in
setting our initial priorities.
On climate change, the United Nations clearly
has a key role to play in assisting regions devastated by
natural catastrophes. We are fully aware of the
staggering impact of climate change on human beings.
Let us recall the words of Immanuel Kant, who said
that “Two things fill the mind with ever new and
increasing admiration and awe: the starry heavens
above me and the moral law within me”. Let moral law
and reason prevail so that we can preserve the starry
sky. It is likely that the general degree of freedom has
never attained such a high level in the history of
mankind as it has in our day. If we are freer, more
informed and more aware than our forefathers, we also
have a greater responsibility to care for our
environment. This year, Romania, like other countries,
has suffered the consequences of climate change
extremely hot temperatures and drought followed by
torrential rains and flooding. Political leaders must
support the formulation of a new legal instrument.
They must support scientific research in order to
reduce the world economy’s dependence on fossil fuels
and to stimulate the discovery of new technologies.
In 1990, Romania began political and economic
action towards sustainable development and a
sustainable economy. Thus, in 1994 Romania ratified
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change and in 2001 the Kyoto Protocol. Given these
almost unprecedented phenomena, we need to
consolidate regional and European capacity to act. To
that end, the relevant Romanian institutions have
considered holding a high-level regional meeting to
discuss policies in response to global warming, in
particular action and support mechanisms with regard
to problems related to drought. This initiative will be
concentrated on Central Europe and South-East
Europe.
Romania places particular importance to the
dialogue among cultures and religions. We believe this
has become essential for meeting today’s global
challenges. My country is rich in cultural diversity. It
lies at the crossroads of cultures and civilizations and
is fully engaged in international and regional initiatives
to promote intercultural and interfaith dialogue. The
third European Ecumenical Assembly, which was held
at the beginning of September at Sibiu, Romania the
European Capital of Culture for 2007 is a clear
recent example of our culture of dialogue.
Today’s world is constantly changing and
requires increased cooperation within the international
community. That is why we welcome the joint
activities of the United Nations and the International
Organization of La Francophonie (OIF). From 25 to
29 September 2006, that forum met in Bucharest,
Romania. As host country for the eleventh Summit, our
country chaired the Conference of Heads of
Francophone State or Government, as well as the
Ministerial Conference of La Francophonie. In playing
this double role we felt it our duty to be very actively
involved not only in institutional reform but also in
furthering cooperation among French speakers.
Despite criticism, deserved or not, the United
Nations is still a necessary organization without which
the international community would lose its way.
Economic globalization and the information society are
strengthening, not weakening, the universal calling, the
legitimacy and the moral authority of this
Organization. But it is up to us, the Member States, to
serve the Organization beyond our narrow or fleeting
interests.