It is a great pleasure for me
to address this distinctive forum, which continues to
bring together the most responsible people, committed
to achieving and protecting the common good, peace
and stability. This meeting also confirms the
irreplaceable role of the United Nations in the
international community and the respect in which it is
held.
Following the valuable contribution made by the
previous President of the General Assembly, Mr. Ali
Abdussalam Treki, I would like to welcome the
election of Joseph Deiss as the President of the
Assembly at its sixty-fifth session, and to wish him
every success. I also pay special tribute to Secretary-
General Ban Ki-moon for his consistent reaffirmation
of the United Nations as an indispensable player in
solving crucial issues that have long been on the
international agenda, which has become more complex
and demanding than ever.
As the youngest Member of the United Nations,
Montenegro has proved itself a reliable partner in the
United Nations mission to strive for a world of peace,
security and prosperity for everyone. At the same time,
thanks to United Nations support, Montenegro has
significantly enhanced its standing in international
organizations, while ensuring the quality of reforms in
its own State and society. The current improvement in
global finances, albeit slight, shows that, in addition to
the crucial role of the largest and richest countries,
especially the Group of Eight and the Group of 20, the
United Nations is essential to actions undertaken for
the stabilization of the global economy.
Montenegro supports the pragmatic reform of the
United Nations. We also welcome the recent adoption
of General Assembly resolution 64/289 on system-wide
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coherence and the timely initiative of Assembly
President Joseph Deiss to make the theme of this year’s
general debate the reaffirmation of the central role of
the United Nations in global governance.
The protection of international peace and stability
continues to be a focus of the General Assembly
agenda. Convinced that no progress or stability can be
ensured without peace and security, Montenegro
supports and contributes to the efforts of the United
Nations in this regard, affirming the basic principles of
the United Nations Charter relating to the peaceful
settlement of disputes through diplomatic channels.
Mindful of our foreign policy priorities of
European and Euro-Atlantic integration, when
considering and taking any concrete action concerning
conflict zones in the framework of the United Nations,
Montenegro harmonizes its policy with European
Union foreign policy, taking due account of specific
national interests. We are best able to contribute by
continuing to play a constructive role as a stabilizing
factor in the international community, especially in the
Western Balkans and South-East Europe.
We strongly support United Nations efforts in
implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism
Strategy, and we welcome the idea of more intensive
activities in the preparation and drafting of a United
Nations convention on international terrorism.
Montenegro is of the opinion that only through the
coordinated efforts of the international community can
global terrorism be defeated. We support the various
United Nations documents on the fight against
corruption, organized crime, illicit traffic in narcotic
drugs and trafficking in human beings.
Montenegro has fully committed itself to
implementing all international legal instruments
fostering disarmament and arms control. We support
any new constructive initiative aimed at strengthening
international cooperation for the reduction and
elimination of all types of arms and lethal weapons.
Montenegro deeply appreciates the importance
and role of the United Nations peacekeeping mission as
a unique instrument for the creation and maintenance
of peace and peacebuilding in conflict zones. Decades-
long experience in peacekeeping operations confirms
the validity of this concept and the strategic policy of
the United Nations. Peacekeeping operations have been
successful in reducing the negative effects of conflicts
and preventing their further escalation and disruption
of regional and international peace, stability and
security.
Although a small country — and the youngest
Member of the United Nations — Montenegro fully
assumes its responsibility to contribute to the
maintenance of peace and stability, as is demonstrated
by our continuously enhanced participation. We will
make further contributions in line with international
efforts and in keeping with our tradition, the
Principality of Montenegro having, as a sovereign
State, participated in the international peacekeeping
mission back in 1897.
Montenegro believes in the crucial importance of
the Millennium Declaration (resolution 55/2) and of
achieving the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs). We are sure that this aim will be furthered by
the exchange of views and recommendations at the
recent High-level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium
Development Goals, and Montenegro supports the
implementation of all relevant strategies, programmes
and initiatives of the United Nations in this regard. The
crisis has also brought home to us the necessity of
further realizing the sustainable development concept,
which requires a balance between economic and social
development and environmental protection. To this
end, we remain committed to the resolutions of the
United Nations and the Commission on Sustainable
Development, which have also been fully reflected in
the Millennium Declaration of 2000.
Montenegro supports the ongoing efforts and
attention of the United Nations to the current
challenges in Africa. To this end, the fulfilment of the
MDGs and the implementation of all United Nations
documents, including the Millennium summit
decisions, is of crucial importance.
As a country engaged in the process of European
integration, Montenegro supports partnership
relationships between the European Union and Africa,
as well as efforts undertaken to solve development
challenges and eradicate poverty on the African
continent.
In the context of climate change and its adverse
effects, we are fully committed to finding a common
response in accordance with the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change. We are
deeply committed to this end, in view of the effects of
the natural disasters that occurred in the past year
causing heavy loss of life and enormous material
29 10-54965
damage, in particular the earthquake in Haiti and the
floods in Pakistan. Therefore, a global response and
action is required, and not only at the humanitarian
level. Efforts aimed at reducing the effects of natural
disasters and at the rebuilding and further development
of affected regions and countries are also necessary.
In order to act responsibly with respect to the
complex issue of climate change, we have established,
together with neighbouring countries and countries
from the region, a regional forum in Montenegro which
deals with the prevention of climate change and related
challenges at the national and regional levels.
Montenegro is fully dedicated to the promotion
and universal protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms for everyone. We strongly
support the activities of the Human Rights Council and
the Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights, including their more intensive functional
interaction with the General Assembly and relevant
Committees.
We believe in the potential and capacities of the
United Nations, especially when strengthened by the
active participation and robust contributions of each
Member State, to find adequate responses and take
actions aimed at resolving the ever-increasing global
challenges. As an institution dedicated to individuals
and humankind collectively, which continues to affirm
peace and prosperity, the United Nations remains of
irreplaceable global value, and Montenegro is proud to
belong to it.
I assure the Assembly that Montenegro will
continue to give its strong support to strengthening and
upholding the United Nations, so that the latter may
improve its efficiency, responsibility and readiness to
meet the needs of each Member State.