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 also advocate more transparency in the work of the Security Council, including participation in its closed meetings by those non-member States whose problems happen to be the subject of the Council’s discussions. We are aware of the importance the United Nations attaches to the timely contributions of its Member States. In this regard, despite its economic constraints, Georgia will do everything in its capacity to cover its indebtedness to the Organization. 16 Special attention should be accorded to the further development of United Nations peacekeeping operations. We believe that the time has come to further develop and institutionalize the system of standby arrangements. The creation of the Multinational United Nations Standby Forces High-Readiness Brigade can play an important role in preserving the peace.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“This area was recently transformed into a regional economic organization, having impressive potential and far-reaching plans. In the course of the formation of a new world order, the main responsibility for international peace and security rests with the United Nations. An important step would be the reform of the Security Council in accordance with the new geopolitical realities. In this regard, we reiterate our position concerning the inclusion of Germany and Japan among the permanent members of the Council. We also support the increase in the number of non-permanent seats, providing one for the States of the Eastern European region.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We have come to believe that the successful transition of the newly independent States to the market economy depends entirely on their integration into the international economic system through regional and interregional cooperation. A clear example of the implementation of a large-scale programme of economic cooperation is the revival of historic Silk Road. The Summit of the Transport Corridor: Europe-Caucasia-Asia (TRACECA) member States, held recently at Baku, Azerbaijan, emphasized that the idea of an alternative roadway for the Central Asian region through the south Caucasian corridor has already turned into a significant system stretching across the whole Euro-Asian continent. The economic cooperation of the Black Sea basin countries is also very important.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“As we usher in the next millennium, it is impossible not to touch upon the problems of economic development and economic security. The process of economic globalization raises the question of a new role for the United Nations as a universal institution which would effectively contribute to the development of national economies and ensure economic security at both the regional and the global level. All this is especially urgent for the post-Communist countries with economies in transition. Since restoring its statehood in 1991, Georgia has been on a difficult road, having gone from chaos to stability and from total economic collapse to development. This became possible through democratic change and economic reforms.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Georgia is deeply concerned at the developments in Kosovo, and especially in the north Caucasus region, namely, in Chechnya, Dagestan and across the border of North Ossetia and Ingushetia. Terrorism, with all its bloody manifestations, poses a threat both to the region and to the world as a whole. Unfortunately, Georgia has also had its fair share of terrorism. The assassination attempt against the President of Georgia was aimed at the destabilization of the country and of the entire region. These and the recent terrorist acts against the United States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania require an intensification in the fight against terrorism. Therefore, we must actively support any efforts to do away with this evil.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“When discussing the creation of a global model of security for the twenty-first century, we have to admit that the post-confrontational world is not yet secure, and the problem of separatism is not the only threat against which we have to consolidate our efforts. We cannot but express our concern over the expansion of the zone of nuclear proliferation. The nuclear tests in South Asia have clearly made this threat far more ominous. Therefore, we call upon all States to display goodwill and a commitment to peace, and to join the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Efforts to quell the hotbeds of the so-called local conflicts have so far been unsuccessful.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“President Shevardnadze has called upon the world community to mark 1998, the year of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by elaborating a comprehensive plan for the creation of an effective international mechanism for the protection of the rights of internally displaced persons throughout the world, including their political rights, the right to protect their property and the right to return to their homes. In this regard, we actively support the proposal of the Secretary- General concerning the creation of an organizational structure for the protection of the rights of displaced persons.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“To this end, and for the implementation of the measures formulated and the coordination of work in this direction, we believe it would be reasonable to actively engage the joint United Nations-Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Human Rights Office in Sukhumi. The third aspect is the grave humanitarian situation existing in internal conflicts, such as the one in Abkhazia, Georgia. I refer to the fate of hundreds of thousands of 15 refugees and internally displaced persons. We regret that the rights of the internally displaced persons are not protected by an international act.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The implementation of the economic programme in close cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has brought about the realization of a number of important projects for the reconstruction of the social and economic infrastructure in the conflict zone and, most importantly, has activated the mechanism of the return of refugees to their homes. Recently, we have embarked upon the implementation of the subsequent stage of the programme, which has been financed by the European Union. Secondly, for the success of the peace process, we deem it necessary to formulate and effectively implement confidence-building measures between the parties to the conflict.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Indeed, it is unclear how the deployment of a self- protection unit would contradict the interests of any of the parties to the conflict or any other State, when this step is intended only to facilitate UNOMIG’s intensive monitoring and would contribute to peace in the region. While categorically condemning terrorist acts, regardless of the motives or where these acts might come from, we support the creation of joint investigative teams with clearly defined mandates of action. The turn of events in Abkhazia, Georgia, has shown that some important aspects should be touched upon. First among these is the development of economic programmes of post-conflict peace-building to promote the peace process. We already have an example of the successful implementation of such an approach in the settlement of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In our view, it is urgent to fully resume the functioning of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia and, in accordance with its mandate, to ensure the freedom of its activities. The matter of utmost importance is the safety of UNOMIG personnel in the conflict zone. Their vulnerability was again proved by the recent armed attack against four members of UNOMIG in Sukhumi. In this regard, we wish to emphasize the importance of the proposal of the Secretary-General concerning the deployment of self-protection units. Unfortunately, this question has turned into a subject of endless discussion.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Thus, we are once again confronted by the acute problem of the implementation of decisions taken by the international community. The Government of Georgia remains committed to a peaceful solution of the conflict and applies only political means, to which there is no reasonable alternative. In order to add new impetus to the peace process, we have welcomed the creation and development of the Geneva process, under the auspices of the United Nations and with the participation of the Russian Federation as facilitator, the Friends of the Secretary-General and the OSCE. More active work should be conducted in the framework of the Geneva process on the question of the political status of Abkhazia within the Georgian State.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“However, we have to admit that real progress towards the settlement of this conflict has not been accomplished. Moreover, in May 1998, as a result of the punitive operation carried out by the Abkhaz side in the Gali region of Abkhazia, Georgia, more than 60 civilians were killed, about 1,400 houses burned and over 40,000 peaceful civilians expelled once again from their land. The vigorous efforts of the Georgian Government at that point averted full-scale confrontation and bloodshed. The tragedy in the Gali region was preceded by the unfulfilled resolutions of the Security Council and by decisions on the “ethnic cleansing” of the Georgian population in Abkhazia, Georgia, adopted at the Budapest and Lisbon summits of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Indeed, for the first time since the end of the global stand-off, the opportunity has emerged to create a qualitatively new world order based 14 upon the comprehensive development of free and independent States. Allow me to share our observations on some of the important issues that we face. We have repeatedly underscored the threat to global stability posed by the spread of the disease of aggressive separatism and the ineffectiveness of our joint efforts to cope with it. For five years now, the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, has been on the agendas of a number of international forums. The need to resolve this conflict within the framework of the territorial integrity of Georgia and to ensure the speedy return of hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced persons has been reiterated more than once.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Allow me at the outset to congratulate the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, Mr. Didier Opertti, on his election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session. This decision, to which Georgia acceded with pleasure, is a fitting recognition of Uruguay’s high international authority and a well-deserved tribute to Mr. Opertti’s personal qualities and profound experience. At the same time, I am honoured to have the opportunity to express my gratitude to the President of the General Assembly at its fifty-second session, Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko of Ukraine, for his significant contributions to the successful outcome of the previous session. Today, as the second millennium is coming to a close, an inevitable question pops up: What will the next, the third, millennium be like?”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“I am confident that Georgia, together with other States, will occupy a worthy place in it, as a democratic and prosperous country.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The international community should also be equipped with reliable tools of justice to enable it to react not only to unlawful actions of States but also to those of individuals who have perpetrated crimes against humanity. In this connection, we call upon all the Member States to do all they can to conclude successfully the diplomatic conference and to adopt a treaty on the establishment of an international criminal court by 1998. In closing I would like to recall the initiative of the Secretary-General to hold a special session of the General Assembly in the year 2000, as a “millennium Assembly”. Very little time remains before mankind enters the new millennium, and we must do everything we can to see to that the reformed United Nations becomes a genuinely new United Nations for the world order of the coming century.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Undoubtedly, the crux of the United Nations reforms is the enlargement of the Security Council and the improvement of the activities of the General Assembly and of the other main bodies. Also important is the question of the optimal reallocation of authority between the General Assembly and the Security Council. In this respect, we reaffirm our unwavering position concerning the inclusion of Germany and Japan among the permanent members of the Security Council and also concerning the enlargement of the Council, including adding one seat for the Eastern European countries. 22 We favour growing transparency in the work of the Security Council. From our point of view, it is important that concerned States be able to participate in informal consultations of the Council, at which substantive discussions take place and decisions are taken.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The principles that constituted the basis for traditional peacekeeping operations, in particular the concept of consent of the parties, are often untenable in cases of so-called ethnic conflict. This leads us to the idea that the Charter to a great extent needs to be rethought and made to conform to current realities. In this regard, Georgia supports the creation of a ministerial commission to study the necessity of fundamental reforms in the Charter and in those legal documents that define the mandates of the United Nations specialized agencies. Georgia also supports the proposal for the appointment of a First Under-Secretary-General who would be called upon to play a special role in ensuring the success of programmes and plans of the various functional sectors of the Secretariat.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The broad functions of the United Nations as a universal organization are the basis for the initiatives spelled out by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in his report “Renewing the United Nations: A Programme for Reform”. First and foremost, we believe there is a need to focus on the treaty defining the international legal profile of today’s world order: the Charter of the United Nations. Conceived under specific circumstances, it provided a mechanism that was aimed, for the most part, at prevention and settlement of conflicts between States. As a result, the United Nations has often reacted inadequately to such challenges as the numerous conflicts occurring within States.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Similar corridors present a unique opportunity for the establishment of new material and cultural values and for bringing economies and cultures together. On this basis, they must — and, unquestionably, will — also play an important role in the establishment and strengthening of stability in the region. Georgia has been called upon to actively promote the implementation of this concept. Even a superficial glance at a map shows the strategic importance of geopolitical and geo-economic dimensions of this central conduit for world trade. Therefore, we express our readiness to cooperate with all those who are interested in making it a reality.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I refer, in the first place, to subregional cooperation within the framework of a given region and, further, in the light of the geo-strategic situation of the Caucasus, to its role as a link for interregional cooperation, namely between Europe and Asia. Such a structure for integration, such a global model is in keeping with the realities of our day. We believe that the coordinating role of the United Nations in this process can be very effective. Such a vision of the role of the Caucasus region has already been embodied in the concept of the Euro-Asian corridor, a kind of Silk Road for the twenty-first century. This historic conduit for trade, the importance of which is continuing to grow and gain in recognition, is already working and proving its effectiveness.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The most important role here must be played by a global system of economic security, the formation of which should run parallel with the development of the process of world integration. A characteristic feature of today’s world is that formerly isolated historico-geographic regions are gradually overcoming their isolation and are cooperating to create a shared global infrastructure of human activities. Therefore, regional economic unions should be viewed as a driving force of the mechanisms for building such an infrastructure. For example, the Caucasus region clearly demonstrates the potential of the so-called graded model of global integration.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The creation of a special fund would allow the United Nations potential for post-conflict peace-building to be strengthened. “Development dividends” could provide one source of revenue for this. On the other hand, the fund could also consider the economic interests of the parties to the conflict, and on that basis develop relevant projects, thereby assisting in conflict prevention. The uniqueness and indispensability of the United Nations as a central and multilateral mechanism of cooperation in the post-confrontational world must first and foremost be manifested in its leading role in the creation of a qualitatively new comprehensive system of security, stability and development.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We are sometimes prisoners of stereotyped notions of a phased approach to settling conflicts, and as a result we sometimes fail to notice how thin the line is between establishing peace and peacekeeping itself. In the process of conflict settlement it is more effective to use elements of post-conflict peace- building, including them in the strategy of peacekeeping operations. Elements of post-conflict peace-building such as social and economic rehabilitation of conflict zones and the establishment of a basis for their further development would facilitate confidence-building between the parties involved and create a favourable social and 21 economic environment for the achievement of a final political settlement. We believe that the United Nations should remain actively seized of this matter.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“This cooperation includes the joint United Nations-OSCE office for monitoring human rights in Abkhazia and the programme for the economic rehabilitation of the Tskhinvali region, proposed and implemented by the United Nations Development Program. I also believe that we should seriously consider the proposal of the acting Chairman of the OSCE, by which the State chairing that Organization would automatically join the group of Friends of the Secretary-General on Georgia, thereby promoting and increasing cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE. We believe that there is a need to welcome the process of cooperation between the United Nations and regional international organizations, which has already begun. We should also reconsider the important concept of post-conflict peace-building.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We are confident that, had such forces existed five years ago, the tragic development of the conflict in Abkhazia could have been prevented. As the vicissitudes of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, have shown, there is still a need for clearly coordinated joint actions between the United Nations and regional and international organizations for the settlement of conflicts. The absence of such a practice considerably reduces the effectiveness of the peacekeeping efforts of our community. Georgia’s experience provides a positive example of cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Here I must express deep gratitude to the President of Ukraine, His Excellency Mr. Leonid Kuchma, who, from this lofty rostrum expressed support for the efforts of the United Nations in Abkhazia and reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness to participate directly. The establishment of a United Nations standby force would be very useful in developing the potential for United Nations peacekeeping operations to prevent the escalation of conflicts in a timely manner. Such forces would be on constant standby. We believe that such a system must include a technically well-equipped and appropriately staffed headquarters. It would be responsible for the evaluation and assessment of emerging conflict situations. On the basis of such assessments United Nations rapid-reaction forces, which have yet to be established, could be quickly sent to zones of conflict.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We welcome the vigorous steps being taken to strengthen the role of the United Nations in settling the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia. We have embraced with hope and optimism the new initiatives put forward by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. We would like to stress in particular that we attach importance to the resumption of the Geneva negotiations between the parties to the conflict, under the auspices of the United Nations and with the participation of the Russian Federation as facilitator, the group of Friends of the Secretary-General on Georgia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). We are confident that the Geneva process will not only promote a settlement of the conflict, but will also reveal the transformational role that the United Nations can play under the new conditions.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The main obstacle to the strengthening and development of our statehood and to the full implementation of economic reforms continues to be the lack of a settlement of the conflicts in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. The situation in Abkhazia is particularly worrying. About 300,000 refugees and displaced persons from Abkhazia are still unable to return to their homes. These people, whom fate has not treated kindly, are already beginning to lose hope for a peaceful settlement of the conflict. We are obliged to note that, regrettably, the conflict in Abkhazia has become a kind of touchstone exposing the inadequacy of United Nations efforts. We therefore continue to insist on the need to find a new approach that can give a new impetus to the dialogue.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We have stressed on numerous occasions, including from this rostrum, that the global confrontation between two systems has given way to equally dangerous local and intra-State conflicts that carry within them the potential for enormous destruction, thereby posing the same global challenge to international security. One of the manifestations of this dangerous trend is the aggressive separatism that has plagued my country and several other newly independent States. We have also pointed out that the United Nations and other international organizations should act in a manner that takes account of these changes. Unfortunately, our recent experience shows that, as a result of somewhat entrenched attitudes, these realities are frequently misunderstood.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We understand what a responsible task the United Nations has as it “strives to articulate an inclusive vision: community among nations, common humanity among peoples, the singularity of our only one Earth.” (A/51/950, para. 1) The criterion for the formation of such a vision is the destiny of each people and every State, including Georgia, whose recent history fully and clearly reflects all the virtues and flaws of the present world order. Georgia can thus serve as a model with regard to the need to implement long-awaited changes and radical reforms within the United Nations system. It is precisely on this subject that I wish to share my views. The global post-confrontational development following the end of cold war has not, unfortunately, been 20 as simple as had been expected.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I believe that the time has come to assess the development of Georgian statehood, as well as the results of our full-fledged participation in and active cooperation with the United Nations. In this five-year period our country has travelled from civil war, chaos, economic collapse and rampant crimes to ever increasing stability, the establishment of democratic institutions and tangible economic progress. The fact that we have been able to emerge with dignity from the most critical phase in our independent development is, to a large extent, to the credit of the United Nations and its specialized agencies, which provided Georgia not only with moral support but with specific and timely financial and technical assistance. We shall always remember that with particular gratitude.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I should like to begin by congratulating the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko, on his election as President of General Assembly at its fifty-second session. This is a compelling acknowledgment of the high international esteem in which Ukraine is held and of Mr. Udovenko’s personal qualities and extensive experience. At the same time, I should like to express gratitude to the President of the General Assembly at its fifty-first session, Ambassador Razali Ismail, who made a significant contribution to the successful guidance of that session. It is particularly important for us to be making this statement today from this lofty rostrum. Five years have passed since Georgia became a full-fledged Member of the United Nations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I thank the Assembly for its attention, and express my hope that our pain and our hopes will be taken into account by the entire international community.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“In this connection, we are convinced that we should finally implement the idea of establishing a United Nations rapid deployment force to carry out the tasks prescribed by the Security Council to restrain the escalation of conflicts and deploy the main peacemaking contingents of the United Nations. In conclusion, we would like to see the world community as a union of free nations that enrich each other spiritually, economically and culturally. Mutual efforts in this direction will inevitably lead to the establishment of a permanent, cooperative peace in a world free of wars and ethnic conflicts. The General Assembly offers a unique opportunity to elaborate a uniform and coordinated approach to the real, global problems of humanity. This is our chance to reach global consensus, and we should take full advantage of it.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We are inspired by the fact that the International Law Commission has already approved the text for a list of crimes against peace and humanity. We are also happy that the United Nations has already taken steps in laying the foundation for developing peacekeeping contingents of stand-by forces. Georgia has already declared its readiness for active participation in the establishment of stand-by forces. We believe, however, that the United Nations should not take half measures, as the use of stand-by forces cannot completely resolve problems of effective and timely 18 reaction to conflict situations arising in different parts of the world.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Thus, in most cases, the initiators and executors of these crimes, which include “ethnic cleansing” and genocide, feel that they enjoy impunity because of the inability of the international community to take legal action. Consequently, we should consider the establishment of a permanent United Nations special international observer institution, which would investigate the facts pertaining to such crimes. Georgia, having undergone the tragedy of conflict in Abkhazia, and having experienced “ethnic cleansing” and genocide in its own population, is keenly interested in the rapid establishment and effective functioning of an international criminal court. Such a body should become an effective tool for implementing the law on behalf of the international community.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The criteria that guide the Security Council in the use of its discretionary rights, provided for in Chapters VI, VII and VIII of the Charter, should be more clearly formulated and universally applied. In order to improve the management of peacekeeping operations, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy should be responsible for coordinating the implementation of peacekeeping operations, with the direct participation of regional organizations. We should also note that a significant number of conflicts throughout the world do not fall within the category of threats to international peace and security under Chapter VII of the Charter, although they are characterized by gross and massive human rights violations and are considered to be crimes against humanity.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“In 1992 our President argued, from this rostrum, for the need to expand the membership of the Security Council by including Germany and Japan; and Georgia has repeatedly advocated this since. Careful consideration should be given to proposals put forward by Italy and other Member States with regard to non-permanent membership of the Security Council. However, the Security Council should remain a comparatively small body, which makes it more dynamic. Most importantly, in considering an increase in Council membership, due attention should be paid primarily to the degree of participation of Member States in the maintenance of international peace and security. The changes should also touch upon the practical side of Council activities, especially with regard to conflict resolution.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“ln order to enable the Security Council to respond adequately to contemporary challenges, new geopolitical realities should be reflected in its structure. I refer to the timely question of increasing the number of permanent and non-permanent members of the Council. We are fully convinced that increasing the number of members would expand the geopolitical base of the Security Council, which in turn would make it more effective and representative. In considering in this context the candidacy of Germany and Japan for possible permanent membership, we are guided by the hope that we would finally and irrevocably have an opportunity to overcome the psychological consequences of the Second World War and the cold war.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“I would like to share some of my concerns on the prospects for new United Nations activities. The impending reforms, supported by practically all Member States, testify to a qualitatively new stage in the development of international relations. At the same time, the need for reforms places great responsibility on us. We have no right to take hasty decisions that might result in unforeseen consequences. On the other hand, excessive dilatoriness could also harm our cause. Given the new realities in international relations, it is clear that these changes should be reflected in the body of the United Nations that is entrusted with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“These proposals are aimed not only at the peaceful settlement of conflicts currently besetting the Caucasus, but also at post-conflict settlement, insuring the security 17 and multi-level development of the region. They advocate the application of generally recognized, fundamental principles of international law, the observance of which would guarantee peace and stability in the region. I am not engaging in wishful thinking. The road to achieving all this will, of course, not be easy, but I am confident that the States of the region possess sufficient determination and political will, together with the active participation of the international community, to make the only correct decision and, like one of Brecht’s characters, break out of the “Caucasian Chalk Circle”.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“While pondering the creation of a new global and, in particular, European infrastructure of stability, we have in mind very specific elements that will create a single and indivisible unit. In this context, the initiative of President Shevardnadze on a peaceful Caucasus, proposed in the spring of 1996, can serve as the basis for the creation of a regional model that could, in its own right, become a major component in a general and comprehensive model of security for Europe in the next century. The ideas set forth in this initiative were discussed and approved in principle at the summit between the Presidents of the Russian Federation, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, and the leaders of the northern Caucasus Republics within the Russian Federation in June 1996.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The Caucasus can become and is already becoming a region of multilateral cooperation, not only between the States geographically located within it. The prospects for creating a transportation corridor across our region are gradually becoming reality. The States of Central Asia, the Black Sea basin and Western and Eastern Europe are directly involved in the process of its creation. There has thus been a logical growth in the international community’s interest in the fate of the Caucasus. The Caucasus today is a complicated interlacing of political economic and financial contradictions and interests. Therefore, it is necessary to respond appropriately to these emerging circumstances. Otherwise, we run the risk of creating a new, powerful and large- scale breeding ground for international tensions.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Has not the perfunctory evaluation of acts of “ethnic cleansing” and genocide in Abkhazia, by accident or a design, strengthened the confidence of the separatists that they will get away with their crimes and even legitimize the status quo? In the recent past, Transcaucasia acted as a boundary between two opposing systems, two military-political blocs separated by the iron curtain and implacable ideologies. These confrontational orientations did not allow the innate human and natural resources of the region to be fully exploited, relegating it to a secondary role on the periphery of the world stage. As a consequence of historic changes that occurred before our very eyes, we believe that the time has come seriously to reappraise the role of our region. Our final aim is to turn it into the very opposite of what it once was.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Unfortunately, these efforts have borne no fruit. The responsibility for that lies with the separatists. It has proven hitherto impossible to achieve progress towards a political settlement. Moreover, the separatist regime, sensing its impunity, has undertaken a new series of provocations, attempting to organize so-called parliamentary elections on the same territory which was ethnically cleansed and on which less than one-fifth of the native population presently resides. The regime has cynically ignored the mediation efforts of the Russian Federation, the United Nations and the world community, numerous resolutions of the Security Council and the decisions of various forums. The growing concern on this point is also understandable.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We have repeatedly declared Georgia’s position on the settlement of this conflict and the determination of Abkhazia’s status. First, it is necessary and very possible to settle the conflict through a peaceful process of negotiation. Through the new Constitution of Georgia, adopted last year, the question of the state territorial structure of our country was deliberately left open. At the same time, proposals were elaborated according to which Abkhazia would be granted autonomy in accordance with the highest possible international standards. Just over a month ago, the President of Georgia made a statement in which he once again set forth his suggestions regarding the settlement of the conflict in the Caucasus, including his assertion to the authorities in Sukhumi of his readiness to meet immediately for serious discussions.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We must also work as speedily as possible on the creation of a stable system of regional security, without which the process of aggressive separatism that has contributed to the political and economic disintegration of traditional regional structures of mutually beneficial cooperation and ethno-cultural exchanges will only grow, hastening the division of regions into hostile microsystems under the permanent influence of neighbouring regional Powers. Once again, let us focus concretely on the prospects for a peaceful settlement of the Abkhaz problem. The current negotiations continue under the auspices of the United Nations and through the mediation of the Russian Federation. The “Friends of Georgia” group of countries is also making concerted efforts. The settlement of the conflict has thus taken on an international scale.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Fourthly, those who have committed these crimes against humanity must be fully aware that they cannot avoid severe punishment and that, sooner or later, they will have to stand before an international tribunal. It is clear that international terrorism and aggressive separatism are interconnected and that we must combine our efforts in the struggle against both. The efforts of the countries of the Group of 8 aimed at the elimination of international terrorism give us cause for hope. The Government of Georgia fully supports the 16 recent initiative of the President of Egypt to establish a new specialized international organization dedicated to the struggle against these evils.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)