Ukraine

I should like first of all to congratulate the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Freitas do Amaral, on his election to that high position. To guide the proceedings of the most representative organ of the United Nations in its jubilee year is a great privilege for a politician and diplomat, as well as for the country that he represents. We hope that his vision of the future of the Organization, contained in his opening remarks, will find support among Member States. The delegation of Ukraine also expresses its gratitude to Mr. Amara Essy for successfully guiding the General Assembly at its last session. Many years of close cooperation have bonded me with Minister Essy, whom I highly respect for his diplomatic and human qualities. In the historical calendar there are dates that can never be forgotten. The year 1945 is one such memorable time. Recently, we all commemorated together the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The calendar of international life is for ever interwoven with the half-century history of the United Nations. In paying tribute to the founders of the United Nations, Ukraine among them, our delegation would like to note the leading role of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt — one of the initiators of the creation of the universal Organization and the author of its very name — the United Nations. We are confident that the United Nations can work out an appropriate way in which to pay respect to this outstanding person. During the past half century the United Nations, as no other international organization, has acquired credibility as a reliable instrument for maintaining peace, as a mediator and active participant in the peaceful settlement of conflicts, and as a champion of human rights. The United Nations has played a decisive role in the decolonization and self-determination of peoples. The United Nations has proved its viability, having experienced the difficult decades of the cold war, when the walls and the rostrum of its Headquarters often witnessed the struggle of two opposing blocs. Ukraine — whose institutions of statehood were developing along with the United Nations and were fully established after the proclamation of independence in 1991 — feels the considerable support of the United Nations as well. Witness the dramatic events of the past quarter of the twentieth century, the pinnacle of the philosophic triangle of “peace-development-democracy” is peace. And the most illustrative example of this is the tragic conflict in the territory of the former Yugoslavia. This conflict, by its very nature, is due to all possible reasons: militant separatism, ethnic confrontation, religious intolerance. The most dangerous thing is the fact that, in terms of its scale, developments and tragic consequences, this conflict has turned into a real threat to international peace and security. I think that for all of us, Members of the United Nations, the painful fact is that we are compelled again and again to return to this issue, even during the jubilee fiftieth session of the General Assembly. United Nations peace-keeping operations in this region have revealed both positive and negative aspects of international efforts. The Yugoslav example demonstrates, in general, that rethinking the role of the United Nations and adapting the role to current realities are proceeding very slowly. Sometimes it seems as if the Organization is continuing to live by the inertia of the old mentality, which does not allow it to use its potential effectively and makes it appeal to other organizations for help. Besides, we consider that most of the problems the United Nations is facing in the former Yugoslavia are rooted in the non- 12 observance of at least a number of the major established principles of peace-keeping. In particular, this may apply to the principle of impartiality. Thus, a review of the discussions in the Security Council and the activities of the Contact Group does not, unfortunately, give a sufficient basis for talking about real political impartiality in the positions of some of their members in regard to all parties to the post-Yugoslav conflict. As a result, international public opinion bases itself on a policy of dual standards and biased assessments and decisions, and this does not enhance the credibility of our Organization. It is universally recognized that success in the final settlement of any conflict depends on the will of the belligerents and their readiness to engage in a dialogue and international mediation. At the same time, the consent of the conflicting parties to facilitate United Nations peace- keeping efforts was not always given. The taking of peace- keepers hostage by parties to the conflict in the former Yugoslavia makes us think seriously of the need to establish a comprehensive mechanism for the use of force and to enhance the protection of United Nations peace- keeping personnel. In this connection, Ukraine, which initiated the elaboration of the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, calls upon all countries to expedite the ratification of this document. At the same time, in spite of all the unprecedented difficulties and some miscalculations in conducting United Nations peace-keeping operations in the former Yugoslavia, we find it necessary to keep United Nations forces there. Accordingly, we should continue to seek means to bring about a peaceful settlement of the conflict. It seems that today everyone agrees that there is no alternative to a political settlement. We welcome efforts in that direction, particularly the recent intensification of relevant activities by the United States. We also believe that Russia can play a greater and constructive role in a peaceful settlement. For its part, Ukraine, as a major contributor to the United Nations Protection Force, is ready to continue its cooperation with the United Nations in this field. I would like to confirm that Kiev is ready, if necessary, to host a meeting of the leaders of the parties to the conflict with the participation of all the countries and international organizations concerned. The President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, has sent letters with appropriate proposals to the leaders of Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The process of settling the Yugoslav conflict could, in our opinion, be intensified by expanding the composition of the Contact Group and studying new approaches. As an example to follow, we note the international meeting on Bosnia held on 21 July in London, in which the delegation of Ukraine also took part. While highly appreciating the considerable personal contribution of Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali to the philosophy of peace-keeping, we consider that new approaches in this field require further practical development, in particular the principle of utilizing the rapid reaction force, which has already been quite actively involved in the former Yugoslavia. The question of implementing the idea of establishing a United Nations stand-by force, in which Ukraine is ready to participate, is still outstanding. We consider preventive diplomacy, which has demonstrated its potential in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, to be one of the priority trends in the development of United Nations peace-keeping activities. In this context we are again proposing consideration of the establishment within the United Nations, and specifically within the Office of the Secretary-General, of a standing council of international mediators, whose membership would include internationally recognized and authoritative political figures. Economic sanctions continue to be an important instrument in United Nations conflict-settlement activities. In this field, we believe it is necessary to elaborate a comprehensive and detailed mechanism for the implementation of sanctions which would also take into consideration all their potential consequences, including the negative impact on third countries. In our opinion, it has now been demonstrated that the embargo regime against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is counterproductive and has not attained the main objective of promoting peaceful settlement of the conflict. Ukraine considers that, along with the process of further political settlement, the Security Council should lift economic sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which, in real terms, has already demonstrated its willingness to assist in the restoration of peace. At the same time, we proceed from the premise that mutual and simultaneous recognition of the States that emerged in the territory of the former Yugoslavia should be an important condition for the lifting of sanctions. The principle that no single State or regional organization can be granted the right to be the main 13 guarantor of peace and security in one region or another should continue to be a cornerstone of United Nations conflict-prevention and crisis-management activities. Among the international community’s undertakings in the past year we could list many important achievements which have become our common gains. Today, in Washington, the ceremony for the signing of the Israeli- Palestinian agreement is taking place, and we want to congratulate sincerely both parties and all those who contributed to this achievement. I would also like to dwell on one accomplishment which has significance for our country. The Conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was undoubtedly the main event since the last session in the field of arms control and disarmament. It is symbolic that this Conference took place within these walls. Its decision on the indefinite extension of the Treaty is really a historic achievement. I do not think it would be going too far to say that Ukraine’s accession to the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon State, and our ratification of the START-1 Treaty and its entry into force played a substantive role in making this event a reality. Thus, Ukraine made its tangible contribution to the global cause — freeing mankind from the most dangerous weapons of mass destruction. The voluntary renunciation by the third largest nuclear State of this monster of the twentieth century is unprecedented. The NPT is undoubtedly a key treaty among all the existing treaties on arms control and disarmament, since it provides an opportunity to consistently coordinate policies in the field of nuclear disarmament, allowing non-nuclear States to conduct a dialogue as equals with nuclear States. At the same time, I would like to emphasize that in Ukraine’s opinion, in spite of the record-breaking number of NPT participants — 179 countries — we cannot regard a situation as stable when States that build their security on the possession of nuclear weapons and States that have never had or have renounced them exist alongside each other. In this connection, Ukraine attaches great importance to the negotiations on a comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty. Unfortunately, the world community has not managed to mark the UN’s fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations by concluding this treaty, but we share the hopes that the relevant talks will be successfully completed no later than 1996. In this context the necessity for all countries to observe the moratorium on nuclear tests is of special importance. Recent nuclear tests have aroused justifiable concern in the world. Such actions are not conducive to enhancing the favourable international climate that emerged after the end of the cold war. The huge existing arsenals of conventional weapons and the danger they constitute for mankind put these weapons on a par with weapons of mass destruction and require the same close attention. As of today, Ukraine is fulfilling its obligations under the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. To support the initiative advanced by the General Assembly, the Government of Ukraine has declared a moratorium on the export of anti- personnel mines. The course of the development of history has vividly demonstrated the interconnection and interdependence between the safeguarding of peace and security and economic and social development. In spite of significant achievements in this field, the present-day picture of the world is far from being ideal. Problems of unemployment, underdevelopment, poverty, social disintegration and isolation require urgent solutions. These problems are especially acute for economies in transition that are carrying out fundamental reforms. Ukraine, which inherited a heavy burden of problems from the former USSR, is undergoing a painful period of radical political and economic transformation. Having laid the basic foundations of a democratic political system and civil society over the past four years, Ukraine has entered a new stage of development. Last October, the President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, proclaimed a new economic policy based on the implementation of fundamental economic reform. Now, our main efforts are aimed at the further strengthening of democratic foundations, the creation of a socially oriented market economy, and the implementation of an open, predictable and consistent foreign policy. The reform of the State system of division of power is continuing. In contrast to most post-Soviet countries, we managed, without violent confrontation, to find a way out of the constitutional impasse. The important stage is ahead, namely the final drafting and the adoption of a new Constitution of Ukraine. A diversified system of external economic relations is being gradually established. The process of integrating the national economy into the world economic space is being intensified. At the same time, the Ukrainian economy continues to suffer from a crisis phenomenon. Having charted a course toward market reform and its rapid implementation, Ukraine must seek its own national 14 model of market transformation. Today the establishment of an effective system of social protection is the Government’s principal and most topical task. The most important priority for President Kuchma and the Government of Ukraine continues to be the preservation of civil peace and inter-ethnic harmony in the country. In its four years of independence, Ukraine has managed to settle confrontational situations by peaceful political means. Ukraine’s achievements in the field of securing the rights of national minorities are especially evident against the background of the numerous conflicts that unfortunately continue to be a reality in the territory of the former Soviet Union. Ukraine’s national legislation in this sphere has earned it high international marks, specifically from such authoritative organizations as the Council of Europe, of which Ukraine hopes to become a member this year. But, at the same time, we have problems in this sphere, particularly with regard to repatriating the deported Crimean Tatar people and representatives of other nationalities. The Government of Ukraine has developed a large- scale national programme aimed at safeguarding the rights of national minorities and indigenous peoples and has established a fund for the deported peoples of Crimea. But for Ukraine, which faces conditions of economic crisis and a complicated financial situation and lacks the necessary infrastructure, services and mechanisms, the task of accommodating the hundreds of thousands of repatriated persons appears too complicated. Solving these problems requires a complex approach: the mobilization and consolidation of efforts at the national, regional and broader international levels. In its international activities, Ukraine proceeds from the premise that stable development is a guarantor of lasting peace. At present, when economic reforms in Ukraine are gaining momentum, we are especially interested in the widening of the activities of the United Nations and of its specialized agencies in the social and economic fields, aimed at establishing conditions for the integration of the Ukrainian economy and other economies in transition into the world economic space. The United Nations is an important instrument for promoting this process, and we appreciate the fact that the Members of this Organization show a deep understanding of the problems of countries in transition, including Ukraine. We believe that creating internal preconditions for Ukraine’s steady and gradual development has an international dimension as well. Ukraine’s geo-political situation transforms its efforts to build an economically viable State into an important factor in promoting guaranteed peace, stability and security — including in the field of ecology — on the European continent. It was this deep understanding of global interdependence that dictated, in particular, the political decision of President Kuchma to decommission the Chernobyl nuclear-power plant by the year 2000. Next year marks the tenth anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe, which not only left deep scars on the lives of the present generation of Ukrainians, Belarussians and Russians, but also has a global perspective. We propose to declare 1996 the Year of the Commemoration of Chernobyl and to organize special activities under the auspices of the United Nations. On the eve of this tragic anniversary, I should like once again to emphasize that nuclear-safety problems and the decommissioning of malfunctioning and outdated industrial nuclear facilities are critical, and not only for Ukraine. We are convinced that the time has come for a practical solution to the entire series of issues related to the accident, especially in view of the long-term nature of its aftermath. The sooner we invest money in the solution of this problem, the sooner we will be able to overcome it, with fewer negative consequences for humanity. We expect that the international community’s support of Ukraine’s efforts will be directed not only at the decommissioning of the Chernobyl power plant but also at solving the whole cluster of associated economic, social and ecological problems. In particular, we would welcome wide international participation in establishing an international scientific-technological centre in Chernobyl. At the same time, I should like to emphasize that Ukraine retains a sense of realism with regard to the capacity of the United Nations to solve our national problems. We do not aim to compete with the less developed countries for the limited resources of the United Nations development system. We are ready and willing to cooperate with all interested partners, and we rely on the purposeful activity of the international community aimed at creating favourable conditions for expanding the access of Ukrainian exports to the world market. We expect that the World Trade Organization, which Ukraine is ready to join, will play an important role in the expansion and diversification of international trade and economic relations. 15 Recently the financial problems of the United Nations have had an acute political resonance. There can be only one conclusion: the existing financial system is incapable of guaranteeing the effective functioning of the Organization in the current situation and requires substantial reform. We fully understand that the financial crisis of the United Nations has been provoked not only by political and economic circumstances but also by the imperfect system of apportionment of expenses, which is based on outdated principles. Ukraine will actively support the adoption of progressive changes to the methods of determining the scale of assessments and the special scheme of expenses for financing United Nations peace-keeping operations, with the aim of reflecting the principle of capacity to pay. Ukraine’s full participation in United Nations activities is impeded by its excessive contribution and its existing debt for financing United Nations peace-keeping operations. The State, which for the benefit of the world community has taken political decisions to voluntarily renounce nuclear weapons and decommission the Chernobyl power plant, should be able to concentrate its resources primarily on the implementation of those decisions. Ukraine, whose economy is undergoing an extremely difficult transformation and which is also suffering economic losses in the billions as a result of its strict compliance with the sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, can by no means continue to be held hostage to the settlement of the financial problems of the United Nations. The world is changing. The cold-war confrontation between blocs, as well as bloc discipline, has become history. The interdependence of States at the regional and global levels is increasing. Given the nature of modern international problems, we should be ready to face the challenges of the new era. We need a strong and effective United Nations. Its renovation should encompass both the structure itself and the character of its activities, in accordance with the requirements of the new epoch. In our opinion, a number of measures should be taken to democratize the Security Council’s activity, in particular to increase the legitimacy of its decisions and the transparency of its work. On the whole, Ukraine supports the activity of the Open-ended Working Group on the reform of the Security Council and hopes that the interests of all regional groups, including, I should like to emphasize, the Group of Eastern European States, will be taken into consideration during the reform process. Ukraine also supports the proposals related to the improvement of the activities of the Economic and Social Council. It stands for a reduction of the staff and the enhancement of the efficiency of the activities of the Secretariat, and for a reduction in the number of items on the agenda of the General Assembly. In conclusion, I should like to paraphrase a point of common wisdom: when you criticize the reflection in the mirror, you are criticizing yourself. The United Nations needs renovation — so we need to renovate ourselves. This Organization will not become more effective and instrumental unless its Members show enough eagerness for practical efforts. I would not want this Assembly in the twenty-first century to listen again to wishful thinking that is not backed by our political will and readiness to work hard.