FOR THE RECORD: Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk addresses the U.N. (10/15/06)

FOR THE RECORD: Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk addresses the U.N.

Following are excerpts of the address by Borys Tarasyuk, Ukraine's minister of foreign affairs, at the general debate of the 61st session of the General Assembly of the United Nations on September 25.

...We need to unite our efforts so that the United Nations - that is, all of us together - can adequately respond to the whole spectrum of existing and future challenges in the areas of security, development and human rights.

Recent commemorations of the fifth anniversary of the heinous terrorist attack in this city, as well as growing number of terrorist acts in many parts of the world should leave no doubt that terrorism continues to remain one of the most dangerous threats of the present time.

Ukraine welcomes the recent adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and is ready to make its important contribution to its effective realization. This important step has become another strong signal that terrorism will not be tolerated. The strategy has also testified to the readiness of the international community to strengthen coordination and increase effectiveness of measures to combat this hideous phenomenon within the framework of a concrete action plan. On its part, Ukraine has recently ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Prevention of Terrorism. ...

Inability to agree on a set of commitments in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation has become one of the major setbacks of the 2005 World Summit. More than a decade ago Ukraine made a historic contribution in this area when it unilaterally renounced the third largest nuclear weapons arsenal in the world. Therefore, we call on member-states to strive for achieving progress in the areas of disarmament and non-proliferation in the U.N. and other fora for the sake of future generations.

Lately the international community has been concerned with the nuclear program of Iran. Ukraine supports the efforts of those countries who aim for Teheran's return to close and full cooperation with the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency]. The appropriate level of cooperation and transparency from Iran on this issue would help to lift concerns of the international community. Ukraine stands for the right of all nations to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. However, while realizing this right, it is necessary to fully adhere to commitments in the field of non-proliferation. ...

As the representative of Ukraine, presiding in the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM, I would like to thank those countries which supported the inclusion into the agenda of the 61st session of the General Assembly of the new item "Protracted conflicts in the GUAM area and their implications for international peace, security and development." It is an important step that will help to draw the attention to the need for more active and effective steps of the international community in order to achieve progress in settlement of conflicts on the territory of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova.

We, in particular, call for realization of the initiative by the president of Ukraine, Mr. Viktor Yushchenko, on Transdnistria "To settlement through democracy," a plan of peace settlement of the conflict in South Ossetia offered by the president of Georgia, and also implementation of the resolutions of the Security Council and decisions of the OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] on the conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh and Abkhazia.

These conflicts are among the main obstacles to full-scale democratic transformations in the region, which is among the core elements of the regional policy of Ukraine.

Having gained a new level of integration during the Kyiv Summit last May, GUAM member-states set as their main purposes strengthening the values of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, deepening of European integration, achievement of sustainable development and increase of their peoples' well-being.

Black Sea Economic Cooperation is another promising model of multilateral political and economic initiative. In 14 years of its dynamic existence, the organization has proved its value as a framework of regional cooperation. Considering that issues of energy security are among the most important for Europe today, the Black Sea-Caspian region takes on special significance for providing secure, stable mining and transportation of energy resources. Ukraine is ready to take active part in promotion of energy projects in the BSEC framework. We are also convinced that the BSEC should render effective support to the efforts of the world community directed at combating terrorism, resolving so-called "frozen conflicts" in the region and combating trans-border crime. It is necessary to coordinate BSEC activity with corresponding programs supported by the U.N., OSCE, EU [European Union] and NATO.

The Forum of the Community of Democratic Choice, held in Kyiv in December 2005, is yet another example of cooperation for strengthening European democratic values in Eastern Europe. The CDC united the states of Baltic-Black-Caspian seas area and the Balkans in their aspirations for higher democratic standards required for successful movement toward full-scale European integration.

... Strengthening of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are imperatives of the internal and external policies of Ukraine. That is why we are proud to have been elected to the Human Rights Council. As a member of this body, Ukraine is ready to work with other states in order to bring real change in promotion of human rights worldwide.

The international community is responsible for protection of people under the threat of genocide or other violations of fundamental human rights. In two years we will mark the 60th anniversary of the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. One and a half decades before its adoption and yet before the tragedy of the Holocaust, the Ukrainian people had become victims of genocide.

Deliberately organized by the Communist totalitarian regime with the purpose of destroying the vital core of the freedom-loving Ukrainian people - its peasantry, the artificial Holodomor in Ukraine of 1932-1933 led to the death of 7 million to 10 million innocent men, women and children, which constituted up to 25 percent of Ukraine's population at that time.

Having committed this inhuman crime, the Communist regime tried to conceal its scale and tragic consequences from the world community. And they succeeded for a long time. After regaining the independence of Ukraine, many new appalling and horrifying facts have been revealed. The parliaments of a number of countries took decisions recognizing the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as an act of genocide.

Ukraine calls upon the United Nations as the collective voice of the international community to contribute to the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the convention by recognizing the Holodomor as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people. Such a step would contribute toward making genocide and mass abuse of human rights impossible in the future.

With the same aim, a number of events will take place in Kyiv tomorrow to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy. Mass executions by the Nazis there became among the first sad pages of the evolving tragedy of the Holocaust. In the memory of the Ukrainian people it also marks the death of tens of thousands of Soviet prisoners of war of different nationalities. This event is designed to become yet another important reminder of the lessons of history and the need to prevent any manifestations of anti-Semitism, xenophobia and intolerance.

... For over 60 years after its creation the United Nations has grown both in numbers - from 51 states up to 192 - and in quality. Our organization has gained invaluable experience in changing the world so that every person could enjoy more security, justice and dignity. However, much is yet to be achieved. I believe that it is in our power and interests to do all we can so that we would be united not only by a common past but common future as well.

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