YouSaid · the spoken record

Dalia Grybauskaitė

lines on the record: 47
first: 2009-09-24
most recent: 2018-09-24
sittings or episodes: 8
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 cannot let the voices of nationalism and division win over dialogue and cooperation. On all major challenges — terrorism, climate change and female empowerment — there is simply no alternative to working together. So far we have been too quiet, too passive and too ignorant. We must stop taking the easy way out, blaming institutions for our own political or domestic failures. We must recognize that we, the Member States, have the power and resources to enable the United Nations to stand up for peace, freedom, equality and humankind, because we are the United Nations. Let us take this opportunity and assume responsibility for our future, empowering the United Nations to act.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“We must therefore recognize that our institutions are not perfect. They can be bureaucratic, wasteful and unaccountable. But it was us, the Member States, that created them, and so it is up to us alone to improve and adapt them to new realities. Before we seek to destroy multilateral institutions, commitments or agreements, we must have a clear vision of what we want to build instead. Otherwise we will end up living on a pile of ruins. We cannot reject globalization, because fighting it will only make us poorer. Over the past 25 years, free trade has given more than 1 billion people an opportunity to escape extreme poverty. However, globalization also has a dark side, which must be confronted by acting against exclusion, inequality and falling labour standards.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“We see a world that is more fractured, with institutions that are crumbling, instead of one that is sheltering us from the use of force and from economic storms. In almost every major crisis of the past decade, from Syria to Ukraine and from Myanmar to Yemen, the Security Council has been unable to play a meaningful role because of the inability of States to rise above their national interests and because of the obstructive use of the veto power. Organizations created to abolish weapons of mass destruction are toothless against dictators who develop nuclear arms and use chemical weapons on civilians. As the tide begins to turn for the global economy, the World Trade Organization is starting to face paralysis. Rising global tensions in trade could wipe away our achievements in sustainable development and poverty reduction.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“This November the world will commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War. The war caused the fall of empires and opened a window for small nations in Europe, including Lithuania, to achieve their dreams of living independently and freely, enjoying their culture and traditions. To prevent such a war from ever happening again, multilateral institutions were created to safeguard political independence and territorial integrity. Yet when the world faced its next big crisis, those institutions failed to act and remained powerless bystanders as humankind plunged into another world war. Today we would like to think that our multilateral institutions, including the United Nations, are strong enough to take a stand against aggression and a disregard of international rules. But sometimes reality tells a different story.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Aggression can never make anyone stronger. It can never earn anyone a single drop of respect. The only thing that aggression will bring about is contempt, shame and condemnation. The international community has to take a share of responsibility. We cannot let fear win by closing our eyes to violators, because that will only encourage them to go further. We must learn to read the warning signs, because abuse of human rights, nationalist rhetoric and the suppression of free speech explode into violence if ignored. Finally, we must change the United Nations. This unique universal body was created to save the world from wars and instability. So far it has failed to fulfil that purpose. We now face a choice — we either give the Organization the voice to rise up against the abuse, or we render it irrelevant.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Energy blackmail has long been Russia’s weapon of choice. For example, in Belarus, just 40 kilometres from Lithuania’s capital, it is building the unsafe Astravyets nuclear power plant as a geopolitical weapon that fails to comply with basic international nuclear standards. Abuses and indifference to basic international norms by regimes across the world are not unrelated. Too often they are a result of our collective failure to condemn or properly react to violations. Time and time again we lack the courage to enforce the rules that we ourselves have established. We draw red lines in the sand and then pretend they do not exist. That has to change. Bullies are aggressive precisely because they are weak and insecure, which is why we must stop being passive observers and start calling things by their real names.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The Kremlin is rehearsing aggressive scenarios against its neighbours, training its army to attack the West. The exercise is also part of information warfare that aims to spread uncertainty and fear. It is even more disturbing that the Zapad 2017 exercise is just one symptom of the Kremlin’s inability to finally end its hatred towards the West. Despite Russia’s special responsibility as a permanent member of the Security Council to protect international peace, it violated the Charter of the United Nations by attacking Georgia, illegally annexing Crimea and directly participating in the war in the east of Ukraine. The Kremlin’s arsenal does not stop at conventional weapons. Russia continues to meddle in elections and conduct cyberattacks, and it uses its sputniks to spread fake news and destabilizing propaganda.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The topic of this year’s debate invites us to focus on people and our responsibility to ensure their peaceful and sustainable future. However, in today’s world, such a peaceful future is threatened as never before. Authoritarian regimes continue to kill with impunity, extremist ideologies treat innocent people with unspeakable cruelty, and thousands die after leaving their homes in search for a better and more peaceful life. The world’s attention is now focused on North Korea and in some other regions, but the same kinds of blackmail, bullying and aggression that we see there are also being used by Russia in Ukraine and along NATO’s eastern border. As we speak, approximately 100,000 Russian troops are engaged in Exercise Zapad 2017 — offensive military exercises on the borders of Baltic States, Poland and even in the Arctic.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“It is an additional development resource for the world. We cannot afford to fail in this challenge. It is too costly to allow gender-based violence to exist. To this end, we need everyone on board because only if all members of society — both women and men — are fully represented and engaged can the world’s future be truly sustainable. Indeed, without it we cannot think at all about sustainable development in the world.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“However, it can be achieved if each of us finds the strength and courage to become part of the change by encouraging women to dream big and demand their rightful place in national parliaments, in politics, at negotiating tables, in science labs and on company boards; by ensuring that nothing can stand in the way of a girl’s dream to receive a free high-quality education; by combating gender stereotypes and abusive social practices; and by making sure that life and laws give women and girls the equal voice and power that they deserve. There is a new perspective to consider today. If we reduce the cost of gender-based violence today we can save the world about 2 per cent of lost gross national product. If this money were not lost, it could be directed into poverty reduction and development.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Girls are sent off or sold into early marriages, which blocks their path to education, higher income and independence. Criminals abduct women and sell them into slavery. Extremists burn down schools and kill teachers because they do not want educated girls to make their own decisions or make their own life choices. Naturally, that needs to change. Education is a key that opens many doors. Educated women are a tremendous resource and a force for the common good for all of us. Women must be free to have access to education and choose the profession they want. Information technologies must be available to uncover their full potential. The task ahead of us is immense.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“When public order breaks down, a woman’s trip to bring her family food or water may easily cause her to lose her life. In times of hunger, women give the little food they have to their families and children. In a bread line, however, they often end up being pushed aside or abused. Empowering women by expanding land ownership or providing credit would not only feed a family, but would also raise female incomes and make more food available for all. Thirdly, with respect to Goal 4 — providing education — for so many girls and women around the world, following the road to inclusive learning and education remains an impossible task. According to the United Nations Global Sustainable Development Report, out of the world’s 750 million illiterate adults, two thirds are women.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“First, with respect to Goal 1 — ending poverty — both women and men are affected, but lifting women out of poverty is much more difficult. As if poverty were not hard enough, women also face gender-based discrimination, stereotyping and social marginalization. According to one UN-Women report, around the world, a woman earns approximately 24 per cent less than a man, finds it more difficult to get a loan to start a business, and is likely to receive a smaller inheritance or nothing if she decides to leave her husband. The trend towards the feminization of poverty has to be changed. By not allowing women to prosper, we condemn entire families and all of society. Secondly, with respect to Goal 2 — ending hunger — although around half of the world’s agricultural work is done by women, when food runs out women are the first to suffer.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“This year we agreed that the general debate would aim to give a universal push to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. I would like to focus on the particularly important Sustainable Development Goal 5 — on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls — because today’s greatest challenges, from climate change to fighting terrorism to ending the world’s deadliest conflicts, can be resolved only with the full participation of both genders, especially women. Further, the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals will require that we dedicate special attention to women, because they are the ones who feel the greatest impacts and are most likely to be left behind and ignored. Let us look at some of the other Sustainable Development Goals to see the truth of this assertion.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The United Nations will cease to exist if people stop believing in it. Through our activities, 70 years after the founding of the United Nations, we must show that we continue to believe firmly in this Organization, which we all share.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“At 70, the United Nations must adapt to the realities of the twenty-first century and have the tools necessary to operate. The United Nations must do much better, tackling the underlying causes of the problems and conflicts at hand, and not merely the symptoms. It must be equipped and staffed to operate in environments of asymmetric and hybrid warfare, information wars and the growing threat of terrorism. It must also do a lot better at prevention and mediation, in order to save lives, as well as resources. In the twenty-first century the world will need a strong United Nations that has been renewed in every sphere. Either we act now and shape globalization through cooperation and partnership, or the crises and conflicts of the globalized world will force us to respond at a much greater cost to all of us.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“By protecting the criminals, the four vetoes of resolutions pertaining to Syria did nothing to resolve the situation. As a result, today we have the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. It is a global crisis that requires a global response. Unless we address the causes that make people flee their homes — such as lawlessness, repression and grave human rights abuses, corruption and poor governance, massive inequalities and marginalization — these flows of refugees will not stop. Conflicts will continue. Lawlessness breeds the worst of the worst — extremism, radicals and terrorists. We simply cannot afford for this to happen. 20/26 15-29437 29/09/2015 A/70/PV.17 We live in an era when challenges and threats are enhanced by new ones.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Vetoing a Security Council resolution to commemorate the Srebrenica massacre or to set up a tribunal for the downing of Flight MH-17 is unjustifiable and is an insult to the memory of the victims. It also raises questions about the relevance, in the twenty-first century, of the Security Council as it is today. For the Council to maintain its credibility, the least it can do is put an end to the use of the veto in cases of genocide, atrocity crimes, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Where would we be today had the Council been able to secure proper humanitarian access in Syria, had it taken measures to stop the use of barrel bombs and ensure accountability for gross human rights violations and abuses? The Security Council failed to do so, and millions of Syrians had to flee.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We cannot pledge respect for the Charter of the United Nations and ignore its breaches at the same time. Our collective failure to stand up for the underlying principles of the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine will have far-reaching negative repercussions for international order. The occupied territories of Ukraine, Georgia or Moldova are full of red lines that we ourselves have drawn but never acted upon. Again, we are reminded that if one closes one’s eyes to crimes, they do not disappear. They spread, grow and finally they take over. That is why it is our duty to uphold international humanitarian and human rights laws and to seek accountability when these laws are violated.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We have entered an era where the most primitive and brutal executions coexist with the most sophisticated information warfare, hybrid warfare and cyberwarfare. The Charter of the United Nations has been breached in the middle of Europe, with no consequences. Last year, Russia annexed Crimea, and the Kremlin seeks to rewrite history and redraw the borders of post-war Europe. Even in the context of the multiple crises and security challenges the world is facing today, the annexation of Crimea and military aggression in eastern Ukraine stand out because of their implications for the future of international peace and security. These acts strike at the very core of international law and at universally accepted norms of behaviour that have allowed the world community to survive without world wars for seven decades.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The seventieth anniversary of the United Nations offers us an opportunity to renew our commitments to the ideals and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Today, those ideals and principles are threatened in so many ways around the globe. We are witnessing the largest displacement of people since the Second World War. As of last year, nearly 60 million people were displaced by war, conflict or persecution. Violent extremism is on the rise, with terrorist groups demonstrating new levels of brutality and barbarity. In the twenty-first century, women and girls are sold in slave markets by the criminals of Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) and abused in unspeakable ways.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“If we fail and if violence, aggression and terror win, we are at risk of waking up on the threshold of a situation where everyone fights everyone else and chaos prevails. Everything we have worked for, everything we have created — the world we live in — will be destroyed. Silent consent to such brutal forms of aggression should not be the international community’s answer. To avoid an even grimmer future, I invite the Assembly to keep deception, lies, manipulation and ignorance from entering our territories and violating our values. We have to go back to the core principle of the United Nations, that is, to keep peace throughout the world. Our undivided attention to maintain undivided security should be our main focus.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“But most important, we should never abandon the values that hold us together, namely, respect for human rights and the fundamental principles of State sovereignty and, naturally, territorial unity. When it comes to the protection of those fundamental common principles, the international community should be united and react responsively to any breach thereof. The fact that we continue to protect core values was well illustrated by the voting results on resolution 68/262, on the armed conflict in Ukraine. One hundred States supported Ukraine and condemned the occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. An overwhelming majority of the Assembly will never recognize such illegal acts of aggression.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“It is our duty to support the peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The threat arising in Ukraine must be urgently tackled. The United Nations, together with NATO, the European Union and other regional organizations and their member States, should fulfil their duty and do everything possible to stop armed conflicts, prevent the redrawing of the borders of sovereign States and stop the creation of one frozen conflict after another. We have to act together as a group of neighbours, a group of States concerned about the future of the international community, the future of the world in which we live. It is very important to stop a conflict at its inception and to suppress the breeding grounds of terrorism, wherever they may be found.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“But nowadays, the means of terror and war go far beyond the traditional concept of a lethal fight. Whatever the means of terror used, its goal is the same — to frighten people, countries and, in some cases, the entire world. Peaceful and sustainable coexistence among countries and within societies is not a self-evident fact. It requires collective efforts and determination and national commitment to a sustainable future that belongs to all of us. Our common task as a group of nations is to maintain undivided security — we must use all our efforts to stop the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and Al-Qaida in order to maintain peace and security in Middle East, but the same efforts need also to be deployed to manage the geopolitical challenges in Eastern Europe.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Today, numerous outbreaks of armed conflict and instability in the world make us look back at the main cause and purpose of the United Nations — to keep peace throughout the world. As States Members of the United Nations, we are all committed to that core principle. With the danger of terrorism and war spreading throughout the world, now is the right time to stop to reconsider our actions and to do everything possible to bring an end to fighting, be it in our own homelands, neighbouring countries or in our regions. The nature of global security has changed dramatically. We are seeing non-State actors, religious fundamentalists and rebellious criminal gangs terrorizing the globe and threatening the safety of peaceful people. Sadly, some States are standing behind the terrorists and have become hubs and shelters for growing violence.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Keeping the commitment that it assumed at the Summit, my country has contributed to international efforts to increase global awareness of existing energy insecurities and ways to prevent them by establishing the Nuclear Security Centre of Excellence in Lithuania. In order to tackle the causes of conflicts, not just the consequences, we have to be honest players. We must honestly define the problems; speak openly about their reasons; be clear and precise in naming the rules of the game; and, last but not least, find in ourselves the political will to play according to the rules globally, especially once agreed upon.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“There can be no sustainability, development or peaceful cooperation without nuclear safety. Mistakes in nuclear energy are too costly to be allowed. In that respect, we welcome the actions taken by the International Atomic Energy Agency to improve the existing system of international nuclear safety regulations. Lithuania supports the position that nuclear safety standards should be strengthened and, if needed, legal international imperatives should be adopted. The 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit clearly indicated that nuclear security and nuclear safety measures should be drawn up, implemented and managed in a coherent manner, as they both have a common aim to protect the people and their environment.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Thirdly, our answer to energy-related conflict prevention should be international agreements that make clear that the use of energy to gain political goals is unacceptable. Responsibility for violations should also be clear and unavoidable. We must grant international institutions greater discretion to launch investigations and to impose sanctions on activities that hinder the free f low of energy resources, impede diversification or set unfair prices for customers. I have one final point. There is no energy- related issue as dangerous as unsafe nuclear energy development. It is obvious that each country can decide on its own energy mix. However, each national decision to develop nuclear energy can have a devastating and transboundary impact, and should be extremely well grounded and researched.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“I would like to congratulate Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon for his Sustainable Energy for All initiative, which is really relevant and timely. The improvement of energy efficiency, the diversification of the energy supply and global accessibility to energy are certainly the goals for which we should strive. Secondly, we need to make existing inequalities in access to energy a source of cooperation, not tension. The use of energy dependency as an instrument for political or economic blackmail must be eliminated, not only to ensure equality but also to increase global competiveness and effectiveness. With the ongoing practices of price-fixing and abuse of monopolistic positions, which both distort competition, there can be no development, security or effectiveness.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Energy resources are not equally distributed, so there is inequality in accessibility to energy. The existing dependency on energy remains a reason for abuse, not cooperation. A lack of clear and globally accepted rules and norms in the energy sector contributes to continuing tensions. Recurring gas and oil supply crises every year remind us that, in a global environment, friction and disagreements over energy still lead to conflicts and tensions of all sorts. Being a small country, without its own resources, especially sources of energy, Lithuania is well aware of the negative consequences of energy dependency in an environment that has no universal agreement on or compliance with clear rules of the game. What can we do? First, we need to increase global energy sustainability.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“In the past few years, the number of conflicts in the world has again been on the increase. That causes the deaths and injuries of, and a loss of shelter for, thousands of people. It leads to a delay in the development of our countries and the stagnation of regional and global economies. Our common goal is to find ways to reduce tension, disagreement and conflict worldwide. The most important challenge in that respect is understanding the root causes of conflicts and concentrating efforts on prevention, not only on doing away with the consequences. I want to draw the attention of Member States to one specific area that is very narrow but very important — energy. Since ancient times, the competition for natural resources has been the reason for very many conflicts.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Let us develop initiatives, let us implement them, let us implement the best practices and let us work together.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“We have engaged in such difficult initiatives as the training of the national security forces of Afghanistan. Working together with the people of Ghor province in Afghanistan, Lithuania has funded a number of community-based education programmes, built 19 schools which have opened up their doors also for girls, founded the first public library in the province’s capital of Chaghcharan. That is our modest contribution, but it works. I am sure that each time we implement a concrete project we move closer to achieving our global objectives all together. I invite all the leaders gathered here to contribute. We should welcome, support and multiply any and every constructive effort, however small it may seem to us. Only joint efforts and concrete deeds will bring positive change to international politics.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“I strongly hope that the high-level meeting on gender equality issues which will be held within the framework of the Community of Democracies in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 30 June next year will explore many more new ideas and good practices. Security, the environment and gender equality: all are interdependent, and all need to be adequately addressed on the international agenda. That is a 10-54833 34 prerequisite for ensuring sustainable development. The European Union has been for years the largest and most responsible donor worldwide, the best example for any country willing to contribute. These European values are very dear to my country, which has been a member of the European Union since 2004. Lithuania has limited resources, but we have provided humanitarian aid to Haiti, Pakistan, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia and other countries.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“It is only natural that Lithuanian women have made their own the famous saying: When the going gets tough, the tough get going. But we still need much more coordinated effort. Gender equality on a global scale will become possible only when a certain level of security and economic development is achieved. Let us all put all our efforts together to eradicate intolerance and discrimination, which so often are the main reasons for the many conflicts in the world. By doing this we also pave the road to achieving the Millennium Development Goals that we all aspire to. European Union activities such as the European Institute for Gender Equality, based in Lithuania, can serve to lead other regions.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Gender equality is another topic of vital importance for the nations of the world. We decided to promote it in the framework of the Community of Democracies. That is another example of precisely focused action. Gender equality issues are rarely associated with issues like overcoming the economic crisis or stopping climate change. However, it has been estimated that the elimination of gender discrimination in the labour market in Europe, for example, could increase gross domestic product by as much as 30 per cent. It seems that the Lithuanian people have decided to test this estimate in practice, and I can give an example. It is no surprise to us that women in Lithuania hold a number of top positions in politics and business.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Lithuania has launched an initiative to introduce in the General Assembly a draft resolution on sea-dumped chemical weapons. Lithuania wants to strengthen international efforts in raising public awareness about dangerous munitions buried in the sea. It is in every country’s interest to support a voluntary information exchange in order to strengthen common security. Everyone must be aware how lethally dangerous these dumped chemicals still are. We need to have guidelines on how to behave in case of disaster. That is why United Nations involvement and an eventual resolution on this issue are so indispensable. That is why I call on the United Nations to take a much more active role in very concrete projects, even if they may not seem big enough for global attention.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“I am delighted and privileged to address this Assembly. I believe that this is the right place to discuss the issues of greatest concern to the international community. Recent years have been marked by many challenges. All countries, large and small, had to tackle the financial and economic downturn. They also had to deal with the painful consequences of natural and man-created disasters. In a global world, all our countries must share responsibility for the future. The scale of our deeds and the openness of our hearts will make the difference, not the size of our countries and territories. Here, I would like to share some views of my country, Lithuania. Let me start with our proposals in the fields of security and the environment.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“We believe democracy to be inseparable from peace, the rule of law, respect for individual and human rights, equal opportunity and overall prosperity. Allow me to reiterate that small or less developed States can no longer avoid global responsibility and that all of us are responsible for our common present and future. Let us all recognize from now on, in each of our capitals, that the global interest is our national interest and global responsibility is our national responsibility.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Lithuania began its one-year presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States as well as the presidency of the Community of Democracies on 1 July 2009, and it will take on the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2011. A Lithuania representative will then assume the yearly presidency of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2012 and will complete that term as Lithuania takes on the European Union presidency in the second half of 2013. It is an immense responsibility to guide the Community of Democracies forward at this point in time. In our view, real progress in development is linked directly to the institution of democratic norms and principles.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Fully aware of the global impact of climate change, we support the ambitious European Union commitment to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, within the framework of an international agreement. Fifth, I think that global responsibility has to be addressed regionally as well — this is the rule for effective implementation of the United Nations Charter. Regional organizations should assume a greater responsibility for taking care of their regions. They must share their best practices with their neighbours and other regional organizations. Aware of being a comparatively small State, Lithuania is assuming its regional and global responsibility to promote United Nations values through the core principles of dialogue, respect, understanding and tolerance, as it assumes the presidencies of regional and global organizations.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Therefore the upcoming Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons next year will provide a good opportunity to seek diplomatic solutions and work for full compliance with international commitments and requirements. Third, better and more responsible governance at the global, regional and local levels is crucially important for a steady and sustainable economic recovery. Protectionism and isolationism have never worked and will never work in the future. Fourth, realizing the fact that global climate change calls for global solutions, we will do our best to reach an international consensus at the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Despite its current economic limitations my country is determined to meet its obligations. We will contribute to peace-keeping missions and operations working to ensure global security and stability, specifically by continued participation in the European Union missions in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Afghanistan. Second, the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons will never be halted unless there is an international consensus to do so. The United Nations must strengthen its policy against proliferation; in particular we need to find ways to allow nations to develop civil nuclear power but not nuclear weapons.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“But it is usually the poor and vulnerable who suffer the most, especially as the current crisis and the lag in donor commitments push back the hopes of implementing the Millennium Development Goals on schedule. Therefore, with all due regard for the domestic concerns and needs of national taxpayers, we need to adapt to the reality of global complexity and to respect our common responsibility and international commitments. We need to make sure that the Millennium Development Goals do not become the prime victims of the current global economic and financial situation. 09-52320 12 What particular steps should be taken? I will mention several. First, recent United Nations peace operations show that efforts to achieve and consolidate peace entail many dimensions, ranging from peacebuilding to nation-building.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Complex challenges require comprehensive responses. It is obvious we cannot benefit from isolationist or egoistic policies. The United Nations must come of age. It must become the visible and credible expression of the globalization of politics. The modern world dictates that we are dependent on each other. Either we work with each other or suffer in isolation. Today more than ever before, the United Nations has to play the leading role in strengthening our societies by promoting the shared values of humanity and tolerance. It is our responsibility to make sure that such phenomena as anti-Semitism, xenophobia and racism are eliminated from our lives. There can be no excuse for not bearing this responsibility. Countries big and small alike have duties not only towards their own citizens but also towards global society.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Today the international community is striving to meet challenges that the founders of the United Nations could not have envisioned some 65 years ago. At the same time, the founding principles of the United Nations have not changed. The provision of joint security and prosperity and the safeguarding of human rights remain the impetus for United Nations activities as they were 60 years ago. Countries that gather here, big and small, have a common responsibility as members of the United Nations to uphold and cherish the ideals expressed in the United Nations Charter. The global financial and economic crisis is not the only problem today. Terrorism, the proliferation of weapons, energy challenges, climate change and many other issues must be addressed in order to make the goals of the United Nations a reality.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)