Belarus

Allow me first of all to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the post of President of the General Assembly at its fifty-first session. General debates over a number of years have already clearly indicated that virtually all Member States consider it of vital importance to transform the United Nations into an Organization with enhanced potential in the service of peace and security in the world. Belarus advocates a pragmatic approach to the reform of the United Nations based on a realistic assessment of the Organization’s ability to enhance the practical efficiency of the entire United Nations system along the strategic lines of its activities. One of these is peacemaking, which in the aftermath of the cold war acquired new substance and quality. The New Testament reads, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.” (Matthew, 5:9) Today’s efforts by the United Nations to maintain peace are noble indeed. Belarus supports actions to further perfect peacekeeping operations as an important practical instrument at the disposal of the United Nations. 18 A crystal-clear understanding of peacekeeping operations as a specific means used in conflict settlement, aimed at maintaining peace rather than imposing it and at preventing highly explosive situations from emerging, is a sure guarantee that such operations will be successfully implemented. We note with satisfaction a substantive breakthrough in the peaceful settlement of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. Belarus emphasizes the key significance of restoring close economic, scientific and cultural ties between the States of the region for the normalization of the situation in the Balkans. That is why we support the idea of making the decision of lifting the economic and trade embargo against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia a permanent one. Belarus attaches great significance to the process of a peaceful settlement in the Middle East, based on respect for the right of all States of the region to live in peace within internationally recognized borders. As regards the ways and means to further perfect the Security Council’s activities, Belarus would like to emphasize the principle of balanced representation for all regional groups of Member States, in particular the Eastern European group, in a renewed and expanded Security Council. Given their particular significance, concerted international efforts in the field of disarmament are required in shaping the global security system that would befit the twenty-first century. We consider it a great privilege and honour that our practical actions and initiatives in this domain have been recognized and supported through the election of a representative of Belarus to the post of Chairman of the First Committee at the current session. This year has been marked by momentous events in Belarus. Very shortly the last nuclear missile will leave the territory of our Republic, thus making the entire territory of Central Europe, from the Baltic to the Black Sea, a nuclear- weapon-free zone. This brings into particular prominence the initiative put forward by Alyaksandr Lukashenka, President of Belarus, to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central and Eastern Europe. Efforts aimed at setting up and consolidating nuclear- weapon-free zones in various regions of the world are gaining momentum. Hence, we consider it illogical for Europe to remain the only continent where no practical steps have been taken in this direction. We strongly believe that setting up a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central and Eastern Europe would further enhance the spirit of trust, mutual respect and partnership in that part of the European continent and would serve as a solid contribution by the European nations to nuclear non- proliferation. In the search for an efficient arms control regime, the delegation of Belarus intends to initiate further consideration at this session of the General Assembly of the item on prohibition of the development and manufacture of new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons. Ecologically safe destruction of weapons, conversion of military enterprises, legal aspects of the transfer of sensitive advanced technology and of their impact on the development of science and technology stand high on the list of our priorities. From this lofty rostrum I am proud to say that, despite the formidable economic, social and financial constraints we have had to overcome, Belarus has completely fulfilled all its obligations under the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. Equally significant is the fact that Belarus submitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in July 1996 its ratification instruments on joining the Chemical Weapons Convention. Located in the geographical centre of Europe, my country has set itself the goal of preventing dangerous tensions from evolving in the region which, more often than any other part of the planet, has been a seat of world wars, in order to help prevent the emergence of new lines of separation, curtains, walls and other constructions that seemed gone for ever. From that perspective, we must bring to the Assembly’s attention the concern of the Belarusian people regarding the eventual rapid expansion of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the deployment of its military infrastructure in close proximity to our borders. It is worth noting that a considerable part of the population of Belarus no longer considers NATO a hostile organization. Yet, being realistic, we must admit that much more time is needed to transform that attitude into a sympathetic stance. It would be appropriate to expect that such large and drastic transformations in the European security system to evolve gradually. In these new circumstances, the role of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 19 (OSCE) acquires new significance. In all confidence, we pin our hopes on the forthcoming OSCE summit in Lisbon. The results of the summit, I am convinced, will prove to be a solid basis for enhancing coordination between the United Nations and the OSCE, as well as for better distributing between them the functions of ensuring regional security in Europe in order to help create a comprehensive security model for Europe in the twenty-first century and to further the efforts towards concerted actions by European States aimed at strengthening stability on the continent. Globalization of the world economy made it possible for the States to considerably expand their markets, as well as the flow of goods, services, finance and technologies, to adjust economic relations and to improve the economic and social well-being of their populations. At the same time, the removal of trade and other economic barriers exposed the vulnerability of countries with less-developed economies. Many of those countries find it difficult to keep pace with the rapid transformations now under way and to break the vicious circle of backward development. That is why the countries with economies in transition, Belarus included, have every reason to expect that special measures will be taken by the United Nations in order to facilitate their integration into the world economic and trade systems and to help them join existing and emerging multilateral economic institutions and mechanisms. We reiterate our intention to host an international conference on the sustainable development of countries with economies in transition, to be convened in Minsk in May 1997. I am convinced that the results of the conference will prove a valuable contribution to the five-year review of the implementation of Agenda 21, at the special session of the General Assembly next June. The activities of the United Nations in the social and environmental fields have a particular significance for Belarus. The problems in these areas are extremely acute due to the negative impact of a number of factors that emerged in the course of complex economic transformations. The leadership of Belarus is undertaking considerable efforts to improve the quality of life of its citizens. At the same time, we are not always able to resolve acute social problems by our own means alone. Decisions adopted at six world summits, held in Rio de Janeiro, Vienna, Copenhagen, Beijing, Cairo and Istanbul, have prompted the needed and long-overdue adoption of a global programme of assistance to the countries that have embarked on the road of market reforms. The problem of refugees, displaced persons and repatriates is also very acute today. Our Republic welcomes the results of the Geneva regional conference on refugees, displaced persons, other forms of forced movements and repatriates in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). I believe that the establishment, under the aegis of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, of a permanent regional centre on migratory problems and refugees for the countries of Eastern Europe could make a considerable contribution to the process of complete and effective implementation of those decisions. We propose that such a centre be headquartered in Minsk. Taking urgent measures to combat terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and organized crime is yet another demand of the moment. Proceeding from this premise, we welcome the initiative announced from this rostrum by Poland to introduce a draft United Nations framework convention against organized crime. Our Republic does not possess nuclear energy, but more than any other State in the world it is interested in the implementation of effective preventive measures in the field of nuclear safety that would make it impossible for new Chernobyls to occur in the future. Belarus is in favour of the comprehensive strengthening of the nuclear- safety regime, including development and adoption of the appropriate international convention with concrete and strong commitments under international control. The initiative to establish a global fund for environmental protection deserves most serious consideration. My country is grateful to the United Nations for its valuable efforts in coordinating, initiating and discussing Chernobyl-related issues. This is extremely important to us. At the same time Belarus is deeply concerned over the fact that, alongside the ongoing discussion related to the closure of the Chernobyl reactor, the problem of mitigating the medical and environmental after-effects of the Chernobyl catastrophe — the main burden of which has been borne by our young State — are being pushed aside. We are deeply concerned over the financial situation of the Organization. Admitting that Belarus now finds itself among the States with the biggest debts to the United Nations, we cannot but underscore that this situation has emerged as a result of objective financial and economic difficulties experienced by Belarus at this complex stage of its development, as well as of the unjust distribution of United Nations expenses among the Member States. Excessive rates of assessment for the United Nations regular budget and for peacekeeping 20 operations has now resulted in one of the founding States of the United Nations being unable, for objective reasons, to fulfil its financial obligations to the Organization. In view of this, we support all-round measures aimed at reforming the entire financial system of the United Nations and the search for fair forms of financial cooperation between the Organization and the Member States, in particular those whose arrears have accumulated due to a number of reasons beyond their control. Finally, the wide-scale reforming of the United Nations system coincides with the democratic transformations taking place in a number of States, Belarus being one of them. Given that the reforms now under way are of immediate concern to each and every citizen of our country, we are fully aware of their significance at this crucial juncture in the development of international relations. Comprehension of the importance of that factor enabled Belarus to secure public law and order, stability and peace in its territory. Yet sometimes it is not so easy for the major political actors to achieve a coordinated approach to tackling the intricate problems facing Belarus at this transitional juncture in its history. Thus, it has become of vital importance today to find an efficient balance between the legislative, the executive and the judicial branches of power and to ensure their stable interaction. This is precisely the purpose of the upcoming popular referendum in Belarus, which is being held at the initiative of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations has also breathed new life into its ideals and strengthened our belief that the United Nations is a unique and genuinely integral part of international life. I am convinced that the fifty-first session of the General Assembly can and must become a starting point for effectively reforming the United Nations, which will be possible only through the joint efforts of all Member States of the Organization.