Today the international
community is striving to meet challenges that the
founders of the United Nations could not have
envisioned some 65 years ago. At the same time, the
founding principles of the United Nations have not
changed. The provision of joint security and prosperity
and the safeguarding of human rights remain the
impetus for United Nations activities as they were
60 years ago. Countries that gather here, big and small,
have a common responsibility as members of the
United Nations to uphold and cherish the ideals
expressed in the United Nations Charter.
The global financial and economic crisis is not
the only problem today. Terrorism, the proliferation of
weapons, energy challenges, climate change and many
other issues must be addressed in order to make the
goals of the United Nations a reality. Complex
challenges require comprehensive responses. It is
obvious we cannot benefit from isolationist or egoistic
policies.
The United Nations must come of age. It must
become the visible and credible expression of the
globalization of politics. The modern world dictates
that we are dependent on each other. Either we work
with each other or suffer in isolation.
Today more than ever before, the United Nations
has to play the leading role in strengthening our
societies by promoting the shared values of humanity
and tolerance. It is our responsibility to make sure that
such phenomena as anti-Semitism, xenophobia and
racism are eliminated from our lives. There can be no
excuse for not bearing this responsibility. Countries big
and small alike have duties not only towards their own
citizens but also towards global society. But it is
usually the poor and vulnerable who suffer the most,
especially as the current crisis and the lag in donor
commitments push back the hopes of implementing the
Millennium Development Goals on schedule.
Therefore, with all due regard for the domestic
concerns and needs of national taxpayers, we need to
adapt to the reality of global complexity and to respect
our common responsibility and international
commitments. We need to make sure that the
Millennium Development Goals do not become the
prime victims of the current global economic and
financial situation.
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What particular steps should be taken? I will
mention several. First, recent United Nations peace
operations show that efforts to achieve and consolidate
peace entail many dimensions, ranging from
peacebuilding to nation-building. Despite its current
economic limitations my country is determined to meet
its obligations. We will contribute to peace-keeping
missions and operations working to ensure global
security and stability, specifically by continued
participation in the European Union missions in
Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Afghanistan.
Second, the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and
biological weapons will never be halted unless there is
an international consensus to do so. The United
Nations must strengthen its policy against
proliferation; in particular we need to find ways to
allow nations to develop civil nuclear power but not
nuclear weapons. Therefore the upcoming Review
Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons next year will provide a good
opportunity to seek diplomatic solutions and work for
full compliance with international commitments and
requirements.
Third, better and more responsible governance at
the global, regional and local levels is crucially
important for a steady and sustainable economic
recovery. Protectionism and isolationism have never
worked and will never work in the future.
Fourth, realizing the fact that global climate
change calls for global solutions, we will do our best to
reach an international consensus at the Climate Change
Conference in Copenhagen. Fully aware of the global
impact of climate change, we support the ambitious
European Union commitment to cut carbon dioxide
emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, within the
framework of an international agreement.
Fifth, I think that global responsibility has to be
addressed regionally as well — this is the rule for
effective implementation of the United Nations
Charter. Regional organizations should assume a
greater responsibility for taking care of their regions.
They must share their best practices with their
neighbours and other regional organizations.
Aware of being a comparatively small State,
Lithuania is assuming its regional and global
responsibility to promote United Nations values
through the core principles of dialogue, respect,
understanding and tolerance, as it assumes the
presidencies of regional and global organizations.
Lithuania began its one-year presidency of the Council
of the Baltic Sea States as well as the presidency of the
Community of Democracies on 1 July 2009, and it will
take on the chairmanship of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2011. A
Lithuania representative will then assume the yearly
presidency of the United Nations General Assembly in
September 2012 and will complete that term as
Lithuania takes on the European Union presidency in
the second half of 2013.
It is an immense responsibility to guide the
Community of Democracies forward at this point in
time. In our view, real progress in development is
linked directly to the institution of democratic norms
and principles. We believe democracy to be inseparable
from peace, the rule of law, respect for individual and
human rights, equal opportunity and overall prosperity.
Allow me to reiterate that small or less developed
States can no longer avoid global responsibility and
that all of us are responsible for our common present
and future. Let us all recognize from now on, in each
of our capitals, that the global interest is our national
interest and global responsibility is our national
responsibility.