YouSaid · the spoken record

Irakli Menagarishvili

lines on the record: 108
first: 1996-09-24
most recent: 2003-09-24
sittings or episodes: 6
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We remain hopeful that common sense and a common vision of the future will prevail in this unique international body. For our part, we are prepared to do our utmost towards that end.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The Government of Georgia supports the objectives and strategies set forth in both outcome documents, considering it imperative that the international community remain on course. Globalization is becoming an everyday reality. Advances in modern technologies are making that process irreversible. However, it is up to the United Nations to take a more active role in guaranteeing equitable distribution of resources among all nations of the world. It is through increased cooperation, through the streamlining of actions within the United Nations and its bodies, and through the establishment of new partnerships that the Organization must prevail in achieving global sustainable development. Despite rapidly changing global realities, one thing remains constant: there is a greater need and a greater demand for the United Nations.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“That organization’s role will increase further as a result of its recent expansion. Security issues have become a serious concern for such regional organizations as the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization and the GUUAM Participating States — Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Republic of Moldova. Here, we should like to appeal to Member States for support for the GUUAM’s efforts to be granted observer status in the General Assembly. The Millennium Summit and the decisions taken there remain, in our view, one of the most significant achievements of the United Nations. The consensus achieved both at the Monterrey and the Johannesburg Summits are road maps for the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“I reaffirm Georgia’s support for expansion of the Security Council. We join the calls to grant Germany and Japan permanent seats on the Council and to increase the number of non-permanent members. Moreover, the decision-making process within the Council should be made more transparent and democratic to ensure that the adoption of necessary resolutions does not fall prey to special, narrow interests. As we continue to collectively witness changing global realities, the Government of Georgia welcomes the increasing role of regional structures in achieving the fundamental objectives set forth by the United Nations. The efforts of European and Euro-Atlantic structures in the Balkans is just one successful example in that regard. Another vivid example is Afghanistan, where NATO has taken a leading role in the peace- building operation.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“In his statement before the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly, in 1992, President Shevardnadze of Georgia stated: “There is no need to fear reforms when reforms are so necessary, especially, in our view, in the two interrelated fields of peacekeeping and nation-building in the newly independent States.” (A/47/PV.12, p.36) Those sentiments have been duly echoed during the current Assembly session. We should be courageous enough to recognize that reform of the United Nations is essential for the interests of each of us, as well as for our collective good. It is our belief that Member States can rally around the Secretary-General in his call for the creation of a high-level panel of eminent personalities charged with a multitude of tasks aimed at reforming the United Nations.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“It is through an increased role on the part of the United Nations and through the will of the international community that the unheeding Abkhaz separatists can be forced to compromise. Failing that, the Government of Georgia will have no other choice but to request the Security Council to resort to the measures envisaged under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. The Secretary-General and many other world leaders have duly recognized that the United Nations is passing though one of the most critical phases of its history. New global realities have made it clear that immediate measures ought to be undertaken if we want to ensure the sustainability of the United Nations and to strengthen the confidence of Member States in the Organization.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Efforts must be redoubled to persuade the Abkhaz side to accept the so-called Boden Document, on the distribution of constitutional competences between Tbilisi and Sokhumi, as a basis for political negotiations. 10 We have repeatedly noted the failure of the peacekeeping forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States to provide security for returnees. In fact, those forces — which do not even have a United Nations mandate — have done no more than sustain the status quo, virtually functioning as border guards between Abkhazia and the rest of Georgia. We cannot hope for any improvement in the situation unless the United Nations takes upon itself the launching, in an internationalized format, of a full-scale peacekeeping operation in Abkhazia.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Needless to say, such acts are being carried out in flagrant violation of international law and represent an infringement of Georgia’s sovereignty. They run counter to the Georgian law that declares any transaction with the separatist regime null and void. The illegal presence of the Russian military base in Gudauta is yet another element that is exacerbating the situation in Abkhazia. Georgia insists that the commitment undertaken in accordance with the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe concerning the removal of that base be implemented expeditiously and transparently. But there must still be hope — hope that we will not again fail the 300,000 internally displaced persons and refugees, whose patience is running thin.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The railway link between Sochi and Sukhumi is still operating unhindered. Despite our appeals at the last session of the General Assembly, the wholesale granting of Russian citizenship to the Abkhaz population has never slowed. Russian passports issued to the inhabitants of the secessionist region have already fallen into hands of terrorists, who are making the best use of free passage in and out of Russia through the Abkhaz and Ossetian sections of the Georgian-Russian border, where our neighbour unilaterally imposes a visa-free regime. The illegal acquisition of property — including possessions of internally displaced persons — in Abkhazia, Georgia, by State bodies, legal entities and individuals continues.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We are hopeful that that will give new impetus to the peace process. I would like to stress that this relatively new development is still fragile and that it should be aimed at achieving results, and not at the process itself. We would also like to underline the importance of the recently held summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which reinforced the previous decisions of CIS heads of States putting forth restrictive regulations on political and economic cooperation and contact with Abkhazia, Georgia. However, despite those positive steps, very little has changed on the ground. In that regard, I am thinking in particular of the illegal unilateral actions undertaken by representatives of the Russian side, and especially by leaders of regional authorities, that significantly damage the peace process.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“In the near future, we will provide the Counter-Terrorism Committee with relevant information on individuals involved in terrorist activities in that region of Georgia. The record of the United Nations in reaching a comprehensive settlement of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, has been less than satisfactory. After more than 10 years of United Nations involvement, we have not come even a single step closer to a settlement. Blatant violations of human rights and ethnic cleansing of the Georgian population in Abkhazia continue unabated. Despite numerous calls, we have failed to correct even the fundamental flaws in the entire United Nations-led peace process. We welcome the fact that, since the last session of the General Assembly, the Geneva process has gained a new dimension.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Protracted problems, and in particular unresolved conflicts that result in the creation of uncontrolled territories, have become a breeding ground for terrorism. It is only a matter of time until we witness greater ties being forged between separatist leaders and terrorists. A vivid example of that is the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia. That territory, which is under the control of a separatist regime, has turned into a safe haven for criminals, traffickers in drugs and human beings, illegal arms dealers and terrorist groups. The notorious Shamil Basayev, who was recently included on the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s terrorist list, has re-established himself as a friend of the separatist authorities and is maintaining active links with the terrorist groups in Abkhazia.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“I can unequivocally state today that the Pankisi Gorge, which 9 has been freed of every illegally armed person, no longer poses any threat to Georgia or its neighbours. However, unless the root cause of the Pankisi Gorge problem is settled, namely, the conflict in Chechnya, we cannot consider the problem eliminated. The lesson to be drawn from this experience is that the fight against terrorism, in all its complexity, will be successful only if carried out through concerted international efforts. A single quick-fix operation can cause the problem to resurface at a later stage. Many of the speakers who spoke before me highlighted the importance of tackling the threat of international terrorism in all its aspects. We cannot but share that notion.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“International terrorism, a threat with a global dimension, affects each and every one of us. However, it has become evident that many of the new democracies are particularly vulnerable to that threat. Scarce material resources and the lack of qualified personnel undermine their efforts, highlighting the need for further intensified global cooperation. Georgia is no exception when it comes to threats posed by international terrorism. However, despite existing difficulties, and with the active support and assistance of our partners, especially the United States, we have made substantial progress. Georgia successfully completed its anti-criminal and anti- terrorist operation in the Pankisi Gorge. We have freed that territory from illegal armed groups and have seized a considerable number of arms and ammunition.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Let me begin by congratulating you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly. Allow me also to express our heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Jan Kavan for his outstanding leadership during the previous session. I would also like to pay tribute to Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello and the United Nations staff members who fell victim to cowardly and blind rage in Baghdad. The dreadful terrorist attack perpetrated against those messengers of peace once again highlighted the danger we face in many corners of the world. In recent years, the United Nations and the entire world community have come up against challenges that threaten the very basis of the Organization and our collective efforts towards global peace and security.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Here I would like to stress that Georgia reiterates its full support for the speedy realization of the aforesaid changes. We strongly support granting permanent membership to Germany and Japan, as well as the overall enlargement of the Security Council. We also insist on increased transparency in the work of the Council. The world community is currently facing numerous challenges which require more decisive and radical steps. And I cherish the hope that this forum will be courageous enough to make them without delay.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“But as I have already mentioned, regrettably, the Abkhaz side has categorically refused to consider the document that determines the political status of Abkhazia within the State of Georgia. Therefore, we have to admit that the entire peace process in Abkhazia, Georgia, is as much in jeopardy as it is in need of drastic changes. We call on the United Nations to address this problem. Finally, United Nations reform has long been a topic of discussion. It is unfortunate that work in that regard has not progressed beyond an exchange of ideas. Too much time has been devoted to discussions on Security Council enlargement, the increase of the number of its permanent and non-permanent members, the change of procedures related to the right of veto and the adoption of joint decisions. Regrettably, there have been no practical results so far.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“But contrary to the elementary norms of international law, the right to visa-free movement has been maintained for the secessionist regions of Georgia: the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. Numerous protests by the Georgian side against this discriminatory decision have been simply ignored. Moreover, this was followed by the mass issue of Russian passports to the local population of these two separatist regions, and their mass conversion to Russian citizenship through simplified procedures. Here a question arises: how do these actions, named “legal expansion” even by the Russian media, contribute to a peaceful resolution of these conflicts? I have to reaffirm that a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, remains the only acceptable option for my Government.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Irrespective of that fact, we hope that some resources can be found to ensure more active United Nations engagement in the resolution of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia. Speaking about the ineffectiveness of international efforts in resolving the Abkhaz conflict, we should admit that the lack of unanimity within the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General remains a serious impeding factor. That is why it took almost two years just to win consensus on the so-called Boden document. Moreover, we are repeatedly faced with actions by one of the members of the Group that are utterly inconsistent with the general approach. At the end of 2000, the Russian Federation introduced a visa regime with Georgia.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“On that basis, we think it is high time to transform substantively the ongoing peacekeeping operation. In particular, we are in favour of introducing a civil police component and creating a joint Georgian- Abkhaz administration in the Gali district under international auspices. Considering the solid United Nations experience in the establishment and management of international police forces, we have high expectations of the Assembly's support. We strongly believe that more active involvement of the international community, and primarily of the United Nations, is indispensable. We understand that the United Nations is currently involved in several peacekeeping operations.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“In 1994 we made an unprecedented decision by asking the United Nations to permit the commencement of a peacekeeping operation engaging the 8 Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), whereby the “collective” peacekeeping forces included only a Russian military contingent. The reason for this was the complete absence of other alternatives at that time. Regrettably, eight years of this operation have made clear that the Russian peacekeepers, acting under the CIS aegis, fail to ensure the security that is so necessary for the return of the internally displaced persons and refugees to their homes in Abkhazia, Georgia. In fact, the peacekeepers have established an artificial border between the territory controlled by the separatists and the rest of Georgia.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“The tragedy in Abkhazia, Georgia, where hundreds of thousands, mostly ethnic Georgians, have been forcibly expelled from their homes, has numerous times been rightfully assessed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe as ethnic cleansing. Thus, we can only be astonished that the United Nations is so reluctant to make the same statement. This is the more so as the Abkhaz side has never complied with any of the 28 Security Council resolutions adopted since 1993. I hope members would agree that such inconsistency only strengthens the separatists' self-confidence and increases their belief in their impunity.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Even though the de facto Abkhaz leadership completely ignored and categorically refused to receive the document, “Basic Principles for the Distribution of Competences between Tbilisi and Sukhumi”, elaborated by the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General, the arrogance of the separatist regime was responded to in the resolution only by a slight reproach. To our surprise, the most recent report of the Secretary-General, based on information from the United Nations Human Rights Office in Abkhazia, Georgia, points to “a modest improvement in the human rights situation”. (S/2002/742, para. 23) It is difficult to understand what kind of improvement is meant when the separatists insist that Georgian children should study Georgian as a foreign language at Georgian schools in Abkhazia, Georgia.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“No positive results can be achieved if the two sides are treated in the same manner, if they are viewed as equally responsible and if a policy of pleasing both of them is pursued. Secondly, there is the fate of the more than 300,000 refugees and internally displaced persons who have been ousted from their homeland and deprived of their basic human rights, and whose prospect of return has for the past eight years failed to go beyond fruitless discussions. The years of ineffective negotiations merit only those conclusions. I must excuse myself before the authors of the most recent Security Council resolution on this matter, Council resolution 1427 (2002), but I cannot agree with the softness of their statements.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“(ibid.) We strongly believe that there is no other way out. Speaking about the conflicts in the Caucasus, I would like to draw attention to the most painful issue: the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, where our joint efforts have not yet been successful. I believe that the major mistake made by the international organizations was to give the so-called Abkhaz authorities an opportunity to engage them in endless and absurd disputes because of which the bases of the peace process were ignored. First, there is Georgia, a full-fledged member of the international community, whose internationally recognized territory is being violated by the non- legitimate, pseudo-Abkhaz regime based on hostility and ethnic cleansing.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“What is at stake here is not only the sovereignty and independence of Georgia, but also the very fundamentals of the current international system. That is why we have brought this issue to this high forum. As I mentioned, Georgian special forces, aided by our friends, are conducting an operation to restore law and order in the Pankisi Gorge and the surrounding area. We already have achieved positive results and are ready to cooperate with all concerned parties, including Russia. Moreover, we are open to all international transparency measures. We call on the Russian side to reconsider their approach and, as President Shevardnadze stressed in his letter, we appeal “to the leadership of Russia and the President himself to find a common tongue [and] to rise above the existing problems”.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“The most recent air strike took place on 23 August 2002, causing civilian casualties. Georgia has irrefutable documentary and factual evidence of the attack, which has also been confirmed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe border monitoring operation. Despite the clear evidence, the Russian military leadership cynically denies these facts, trying to avoid an objective investigation in spite of their official statements that one will be carried out. Moreover, unfolding hysteria in Russia on the issue of the Pankisi Gorge has culminated in statements by Russia's President and its military openly threatening Georgia with aggression. These actions not only gravely endanger peace and security in the region, but also undermine the efforts of the global anti-terrorist coalition to fight against this menace.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“As a result of two Chechen wars, Georgia has had to face an influx of thousands of Chechen refugees, and armed gangs of criminals forced into Georgia, followed by insistence from the Russian side on permitting a military operation against them on Georgian soil. All this meant a spillover of the endless and bloody war into Georgia, which we certainly could not allow. We are able to take, and are already taking, all necessary measures to uproot any possibility of the use of our territory by terrorists. Although it is evident that the problem of the Pankisi Gorge of Georgia is a side effect of the war in Chechnya, and not vice versa, the violations of airspace and attacks against the sovereign territory of Georgia by Russian military jets and helicopters have acquired a permanent character.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“As President Shevardnadze stated in his letter, transmitted by our Permanent Representative in identical letters addressed to the Secretary-General and to the President of the Security Council, “It is hard to imagine a clearer example of confusing the cause and the effect”. (A/57/408, annex) The truth is that this tragic chain of events started with the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, in which Chechen fighters, citizens of the Russia Federation, had been initially recruited, trained and sent to fight. Then, all of this boomeranged in the Chechen conflict against Russia, when those fighters turned their arms against their own patrons.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“The problem of international terrorism is complex and multidimensional, and I had intended to share our views and thoughts on that. However, the recent complications in Georgian-Russian relations have compelled me to shift the focus of my address. I am referring to the mounting aggressive attacks on my country's sovereignty emanating from the Russian authorities and media. On a daily basis, Georgia is being accused of harbouring terrorists, aiding fighters and fueling the conflict in Chechnya. This is a clear attempt to create an enemy image of Georgia in Russia's public opinion. Here I have to state clearly: this is utter nonsense. We believe that the pressure exerted on my country under the pretext of these absurd accusations is being used by Russia as a smokescreen to hide its own failure to cope with the conflict in Chechnya.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Allow me to begin by extending my warmest congratulations to you –– my colleague Mr. Jan Kavan — on his election as President of the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly. I cannot but remember the tragedy of 11 September 2001, the anniversary of which we commemorated just a few days ago. That bloody act committed here in New York, the host city of the United Nations Headquarters, was directed not only against the United States but also against all the rest of us, the entire civilized world that the United Nations symbolizes. Georgia has been part of the anti-terrorist coalition from the very first day. I would like to assure the Assembly that Georgia has been doing everything in its power to be a dedicated partner in this struggle and that it will maintain the spirit of cooperation until the very, successful end.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Time and again United Nations actions have been ineffective due to protracted decision-making and lack of consensus in the Security Council. Therefore, the reform of the Security Council should encompass its decision-making procedure, including the veto rights as well. Finally, I would reiterate that the challenges of the next millennium are myriad and complex. And it is crystal-clear that only united can we address the difficulties of the future and overcome the dividing barriers in shaping a new, global world order. I wish to all of us success in this endeavour.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We support the principle of expanding both permanent and non-permanent membership in the Council by developed as well as developing countries to ensure adequate regional representation. We believe that the seat of a non-permanent member should be allocated for the Group of Eastern European States, the number of which has considerably increased. We are firm supporters of permanent membership for Germany and Japan and hope this issue will find its resolution before long. Georgia welcomes the increased transparency in the Security Council deliberations. We think that each Member State should be permitted to participate in the informal meetings of the Council, when the issues discussed are of concern to them.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Writing off the debts will generate a stronger impetus, and create the opportunity for these States to firmly remain on the chosen course of democracy. We also believe that the all-encompassing process of globalization urgently calls for a dialogue of civilizations as a means of addressing the challenges of 14 the new millennium, as reaffirmed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) round table that preceded the Millennium Summit. I confirm Georgia's readiness, expressed by President Eduard Shevardnadze, to play an active role in facilitating such a dialogue. Much has changed in the 55-year history of the Organization, and today the world community is faced with a new type of challenge requiring novel approaches. In the past decade, there have been repeated calls for Security Council expansion.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“With regard to our region, in the context of support to the new and restored democracies, we consider the initiative of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Uzbekistan to establish an open grouping, known as GUUAM, to be of particular importance. Additional impetus to the manifold cooperation within the grouping was given by the meeting of the heads of the GUUAM States during the Millennium Summit here in New York. Sometimes in newly established democracies a protracted process towards material welfare calls democratic values into question. One of the most burdensome problems in this respect is debt accommodation. I am confident that it is imperative to release poor and developing countries from this constraint.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“I believe that the primary purpose of the United Nations as a guarantor of international peace cannot be sustained without also securing democracy on the global level. To set the developing world on the path to prosperity, United Nations activities should encompass purposeful financial, economic and political measures aimed at encouraging the democratic development of the newly independent States, which would secure good governance, the rule of law, the protection of human rights and predictable administration. Secure democratic development, not merely security of democracies, is the main challenge to be addressed in the course of shaping the global world.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We are strong proponents of a value-based, universal global order. Therefore, we are confident that the international community should focus on establishing within this Organization strong and efficient preventive mechanisms, mechanisms to prevent gross and systematic violations of human rights, in order to reduce the likelihood of “humanitarian intervention”, an extreme measure. We believe that the International Criminal Court will play an indispensable role in this respect as a deterrent and as a preventive mechanism. The dilemma of “humanitarian intervention” is also directly related to United Nations reform, in regard to adapting the existing decision-making mechanism to the timely and effective use of force.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Having established that “ethnic cleansing” was taking place in Abkhazia, Georgia, the OSCE called for the dispatch of a fact-finding mission to push forward the peace process. However, the United Nations remains reluctant to accept the OSCE findings. While it is struggling with a variety of approaches, the “ethnic cleansing” of the Georgian population in Abkhazia continues. There is therefore a great need to ensure concerted action by the United Nations and regional organizations in the process of conflict management and resolution. The dilemma of humanitarian intervention could be described as being inherent to the transition from an international to a global — and, hence, more human- centred — world. It has put in a new light the correlation between human rights and security.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The return of the internally displaced persons to their rightful places of residence is continuously hampered by the Abkhaz side, with blatant disregard for internationally recognized norms, as well as for a number of Security Council resolutions. We strongly believe that there is an urgent need for the Security Council to address those issues in a timely manner. It has become apparent that at times the United Nations is not capable of handling conflicts on its own. I strongly believe that the key to more effective United Nations peace policies in our region lies in closer collaboration and synchronized action with such regional organizations as the OSCE and other European structures. Regrettably, the reality remains different.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We support this initiative and find it difficult to understand what stands in the way of its timely endorsement. We are convinced that submission of the document for consideration by the Security Council should not be delayed; its endorsement by the Security Council as a basis for political negotiations will create a sound ground for advancing the peace process in Abkhazia, Georgia. Furthermore, I reiterate that about 300,000 predominantly Georgian refugees and internally displaced persons from that conflict zone are still being subjected to the continuous violation of their rights and difficult living conditions.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“I am stressing the issue of peacekeeping as it is directly related to the most sensitive problem for my country in the past seven years, since it fell victim to aggressive separatism in Abkhazia, Georgia. I reiterate that a peaceful resolution of this conflict is the only acceptable option for the Georgian Government. In this respect, I extend our gratitude to the United Nations and to the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General for their efforts in support of the peace process. But we should also admit that so far we have failed to achieve any tangible results here. 13 Recently, within the United Nations framework and in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolution, a document on the distribution of constitutional competences between Tbilisi and Sokhumi has been drafted.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In addition, complex conflicts, such as that in Abkhazia, Georgia, which has left hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons deprived of the right to return to their permanent places of residence, must be addressed within a multifaceted framework, which entails social and economic approaches, along with political ones. We are grateful to the United Nations for the invaluable assistance it provides to the refugees and internally displaced persons in Georgia. I also express our special appreciation for the United Nations Development Programme assistance programmes in Georgia, particularly those aimed at improving the living conditions of the internally displaced persons and increasing their self-reliance.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We believe that the United Nations should intensify its efforts to balance the interests of all sides with the dynamics of the peace process and the comprehensive resolution of conflicts. Moreover, we welcome the further enhancement of the United Nations standby arrangement system and the improvement of the Organization's rapid-deployment capabilities. Georgia also expresses its agreement with the United States initiative to reconsider the scale of assessments and the reallocation of the cost of United Nations peacekeeping. In the context of increasing the effectiveness of United Nations peace operations, this initiative is of great significance.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Well- intentioned United Nations efforts have sometimes been delayed and ineffective in conflicts which the world community regards as peripheral. I believe that we should make every effort to prevent conflicts becoming “frozen”. Consequently, we support the Secretary-General's proposal aimed at implementing necessary changes to increase the effectiveness of United Nations peace efforts in general. I cannot help but call for the more frequent and firm application of the United Nations peace-enforcement mechanisms envisioned in Chapter VII of the Charter, in particular those for coping with protracted conflicts. The Charter calls for the consent of the parties involved when launching peacekeeping operations or renewing their mandate. However, peacekeeping practices often play into the hands of separatists trying to maintain the status quo.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In this context, I also endorse the appeal by the Austrian Foreign Minister, in her capacity as Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), for enhanced political awareness by the world community of these unresolved or potential conflicts and security risks, which she said “are often outside the spotlight of broader public attention, but nevertheless have a highly destabilizing impact on the region and beyond.”() Periodic failures of United Nations peace efforts, manifested, for instance, in the “ethnic cleansing” of the predominantly Georgian population during the tragic developments in Abkhazia, Georgia, highlighted all the flaws of selective peacekeeping.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“As my colleague, the Foreign Minister of Germany, said: “the triangle between Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Middle East” being “full of destabilizing factors … is threatening to become the crisis region of the century ahead.” () Therefore, this region merits closer attention by the international community.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Eduard Shevardnadze, at the forty-seventh session in 1992. With this in mind, let me address some of those important issues from our standpoint. The end of totalitarian regimes set in motion a whole host of progressive changes within and among countries. However, we are still struggling with the adverse legacies of totalitarianism. The experience of the post-cold-war era clearly demonstrates that intra- State conflicts have become a major threat to international peace and security. The Secretary- General's report to the Millennium Summit called for reshaping of the United Nations approach to peacekeeping to meet the challenges of this new global threat. This very idea is particularly topical for the region I represent.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“At the outset, allow me to extend my warmest congratulations to you, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session. It is without doubt a fitting recognition of your rich personal experience as well as Finland's role in world affairs. The Millennium Summit has made it clear that, in the words of the Secretary-General, “the United Nations remains as much in demand as in need of change.” (Global Governance 4 (1998), p. 123) This is a formidable challenge, but also an opportunity, and the cost of not rising to the new calls of the next millennium can be dangerous. I cannot but recall that many ideas on globalization and governance generated and debated at the current session echo the concept of “management of interdependencies”, put forward by our President, 12 Mr.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We believe that only by joint efforts and common political will can we cope with these challenges and realize all these opportunities.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The same is true of the establishment of a well-equipped headquarters from which to identify potential hotbeds of tension. Georgia has always advocated the establishment of an International Criminal Court and actively participated in the Rome Conference. We believe that the establishment of this permanent jurisdictional body will ensure that gross violations of human rights and crimes against humanity no longer go unpunished. Like many previous speakers, in my statement I have resorted to such expressions as “new challenges” and “new threats” in the post-confrontational world. But at the same time, the new era opens before us new and boundless horizons and creates new opportunities in the formation of a new world order.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)