YouSaid · the spoken record

Borys Tarasyuk

lines on the record: 118
first: 1998-09-24
most recent: 2006-09-24
sittings or episodes: 5
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

“Should we repeat the mistakes of the past or should we learn the lessons and thus meet the challenge prepared? We believe that the General Assembly should consider the problem and provide the answer. In the more than 60 years since its creation, the United Nations has grown both in numbers — from 51 States to 192 — and in quality. Our Organization has gained invaluable experience in changing the world so that every person can enjoy more security, justice and dignity. However, much remains yet to be achieved. I believe that it is within our power and in our interest to do all we can to ensure that the world is united not only by a common past but by a common future as well.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“I want to confirm Ukraine’s commitment to implementing the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS (resolution S-26/2) and to express hope for continuing close cooperation in this field with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, with the World Bank and with United Nations specialized agencies. Lately, we have witnessed the emergence of a new disease that potentially poses no less a challenge to humanity than HIV/AIDS. Avian influenza threatens the entire world and knows no borders. It is our joint responsibility to ensure that all countries are protected against this threat. Combating the spread of avian influenza and preparations for a possible pandemic of human influenza demand concerted action at the national, regional and global levels.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“There has been mixed progress in this area, and the commitments and promises made have not yet been translated into action 06-53329 22 with direct impact on the lives of peoples in need. The response to global threats should be effective and timely. It took the international community nearly 20 years since the first recorded cases of AIDS to recognize that this disease could threaten the very existence of humanity. The twenty-sixth special session of the Assembly initiated by Ukraine together with other States, and held in 2001, was a turning point in combating HIV/AIDS.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“With the same aim, a number of events will take place in Kyiv tomorrow to commemorate the sixty-fifth anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy. The mass executions by the Nazis there were among the first sad pages of the evolving tragedy of the Holocaust. Etched in the memory of the Ukrainian people, it also saw the death of tens of thousands of Soviet prisoners of war of various nationalities. This event will be yet another important reminder of the lessons of history and the need to prevent all manifestations of anti-Semitism, xenophobia and intolerance. Needless to say, we should focus on implementing the Millennium Development Goals and new commitments on the global development agenda made at the 2005 World Summit.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“The Communist regime tried to conceal the scale and tragic consequences of that inhuman crime from the world community, and they succeeded for a long time. After Ukraine regained its independence, many new appalling and horrifying facts were revealed. The parliaments of a number of countries have recognized the Holodomor of 1932 and 1933 as an act of genocide. Ukraine calls on the United Nations, as the collective voice of the international community, to contribute to the commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Convention by recognizing the Holodomor as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people. That step would contribute towards making genocide and mass abuse of human rights impossible in the future.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“The international community is responsible for protecting people threatened with genocide or other violations of fundamental human rights. In two years, we will mark the sixtieth anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. One and a half decades before the adoption of the Convention, and even before the tragedy of the Holocaust, the Ukrainian people was a victim of genocide. Deliberately organized by the Communist totalitarian regime for the purpose of destroying the vital core of the freedom-loving Ukrainian people — its peasantry — the Holodomor in Ukraine of 1932 and 1933 killed 7 million to 10 million innocent men, women and children, about 25 per cent of Ukraine’s population at that time.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“The CDC is a forum in which the States of the Baltic Sea- Black Sea-Caspian Sea area with the Balkans discuss their aspirations for the higher democratic standards required for full-scale European integration. GUAM, BSEC and the CDC are valuable contributions to the creation of an Eastern Europe area akin to the European Union area of democracy, stability and prosperity. Democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are essential elements of Ukraine’s domestic and foreign policies. That is why we are proud to have been elected to the Human Rights Council. As a member of that body, Ukraine is ready to work with other States to bring about real change through the promotion of human rights worldwide.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Ukraine is ready to take an active part in promoting energy projects within the BSEC framework. We are convinced that the BSEC can effectively support the efforts of the world community to combat terrorism, resolve the so-called frozen conflicts in the region and combat trans-border crime. It is necessary to coordinate BSEC activity with corresponding programmes supported by the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Union and NATO. The Forum of the Community of Democratic Choice (CDC), held in Kyiv in December 2005, is another example of cooperation aimed at strengthening European democratic values in Eastern Europe.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Having gained a new level of integration during the Kyiv Summit last May, GUAM member States set as their main goals the strengthening of democratic values, the rule of law, and human rights and fundamental freedoms, the deepening of European integration, and the achievement of sustainable development and the greater well-being of their peoples. The Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) is another promising model of multilateral political and economic cooperation. During the 14 years of its dynamic existence, that organization has proved its value as a framework for regional cooperation. Because issues of energy security are very important for Europe today, the Black Sea and Caspian Sea regions take on special significance for the secure, stable extraction and transportation of energy resources.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We call for implementing the initiative proposed by the President of Ukraine on Transdniestria entitled “To settlement through democracy”, the plan for a peace settlement in South Ossetia presented by the President of Georgia, and for implementing the Security Council resolutions and OSCE decisions on the conflicts in Nagorny Karabakh and Abkhazia. These conflicts are among the main obstacles to the 21 06-53329 full-scale democratic transformation of the region, which is among the core elements of Ukraine’s regional policy.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“As representative of Ukraine and Chair of the GUAM — Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova Group — Organization for Democracy and Economic Development, I would like to thank the countries that supported placing on the agenda of the sixty-first session of the General Assembly item 27 on protracted conflicts in the GUAM area and their implications for international peace, security and development. It is an important step that will help to draw attention to the need for more active and effective steps by the international community to achieve progress in settling conflicts on the territory of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Ukraine and the international community do not recognize these referendums, considering them illegitimate and without legal consequences. Ukraine supports the need for negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina aimed at finding a mutually acceptable solution based on Security Council decisions, including resolution 1244 (1999). It is extremely important to ensure that the decision of the Security Council on the final status of Kosovo does not impose a solution, which can be taken only with the clearly expressed consent of both parties concerned.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Taking into account the fragile situation in and around Kosovo, the political process of determining its future status should be handled with maximum responsibility by all the parties involved. Any imposed decision leading to a unilateral change of borders of that internationally recognized democratic State will inevitably destabilize the situation in the Balkan region and set dangerous precedents in Europe and the entire world. Unfortunately, we are already witnessing the unfolding of an undesirable scenario created by attempts to use the Kosovo settlement as a precedent for claiming independence for several self-proclaimed regimes within the boundaries of the former Soviet Union. I refer to so-called referendums on independence recently held in Transdniestria, Moldova, and scheduled for the near future in South Ossetia, Georgia.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Lately, the international community has been concerned with the nuclear programme of Iran. Ukraine supports the efforts of those countries that seek to gain Teheran’s return to full and close cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Appropriate levels of transparency and cooperation with Iran on this issue would help to ease the concerns of the international community. Ukraine stands for the right of all nations to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; however, in realizing this right, nations must fully adhere to commitments in the field of non-proliferation. One of the most important tests of the ability of the United Nations to deal effectively with inter-ethnic conflict will be how the future status of Kosovo is handled.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Support of the resolution by all parties in the region allows for hope that it will be fully implemented. As a longstanding contributor to the United Nations Peacekeeping efforts, including in the Middle East, Ukraine made its concrete proposals on contributing to the enhanced United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. The inability to agree on a set of commitments regarding disarmament and non-proliferation was one of the major setbacks of the 2005 World Summit. More than a decade ago Ukraine made a historic contribution in this area when it unilaterally renounced the world’s third largest nuclear weapons arsenal. Therefore, we call upon Member States to strive for progress in the areas of disarmament and non-proliferation in the United Nations and other forums, for the sake of future generations.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“On its part, Ukraine recently ratified the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism. We call upon Member States to make additional efforts during the current session of the General Assembly to elaborate on and adopt the comprehensive convention on international terrorism. Ukraine is deeply concerned with the situation in the Middle East. Recent events in Lebanon and the continuing Israeli-Palestinian crisis have shown the need for more decisive international efforts aimed at returning peace and stability to this region. Violence and hatred cannot become the alternatives to the restoration of dialogue and negotiations aimed at achieving a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict on all of its tracks. Ukraine therefore welcomes the adoption of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) on Lebanon.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Recent commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the barbaric terrorist attack on this city, as well as the growing number of terrorist acts in many parts of the world, should leave no doubt that terrorism continues to remain one of the most dangerous threats of the present day. Ukraine welcomes the recent adoption by the General Assembly of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and is ready to make important contributions towards its effective realization. This important decision has become another strong signal that terrorism will not be tolerated. The Strategy also testifies to the readiness of the international community to strengthen coordination and increase the effectiveness of measures to combat this hideous phenomenon, within the framework of a concrete 06-53329 20 action plan.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“From standpoint of the Member States of the Eastern European Group, this thesis could be paraphrased as follows: no enlargement of the Security Council would be complete without ensuring the enhanced representation of Eastern Europe. The doubling of the Group’s membership since 1991, with, most recently, the Republic of Montenegro joining the United Nations as its one hundred ninety- second Member, supports our argument. At this point, I would like to welcome the friendly Republic of Montenegro to the United Nations family. We need to unite our efforts so that the United Nations — that is, all of us together — can adequately respond to the broad spectrum of existing and future challenges in the areas of security, development and human rights.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“All of these are notable milestones in the process of reforming the United Nations. Still, we are far from ensuring the adaptation of our Organization to today’s realities, let alone preparing it for addressing tomorrow’s threats and challenges. The reform of the Security Council, the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council, the promotion of the 2005 World Summit agenda for development and improvement in the management of the Secretariat have yet to be tackled. It is well known that without the modernization of the Security Council, an indispensable pillar of the collective security system, reform of the United Nations would be incomplete.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“I would like to again emphasize the justified position of the Eastern European States regarding the priority right for a representative of this region to be appointed to the top post at the United Nations. Eastern Europe remains the only region that has never had a representative serve as Secretary-General. In this respect, we welcome the nomination of Ms. Vaira Vike- Freiberga, President of the Republic of Latvia. Our achievements in implementing last year’s Summit decisions are quite impressive. The Human Rights Council, of which Ukraine is an active member, has started its work. The Peacebuilding Commission, the Central Emergency Response Fund and the United Nations Democracy Fund are all functioning and making important contributions towards overcoming disasters and injustice.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“First of all, I would like to congratulate our President on her election to this high post and to assure her of the full support of Ukraine throughout her mandate. I would also like to express our deep appreciation of her predecessor and my good friend, Mr. Jan Eliasson, for his outstanding contribution to progress in implementing the decisions of the 2005 World Summit. I would also like to pay special tribute to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, who is about to relinquish his important and noble mission. I praise Mr. Annan for his valuable personal contributions and devoted efforts to further all aspects of United Nations activities and wish him the best in his further endeavours. We are convinced that the next Secretary-General must be a person truly deserving of the post and who will discharge this responsible duty with honour.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“To conclude, let me recall the phenomenon of the Orange Revolution in my country, for it was the quintessence of what our Organization stands for. It was not a one-time act. It is a process. It is not country- specific, but is part of the global heritage of democracy, an unselfish gift to all nations striving for freedom around the globe.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Likewise, Ukraine supports the establishment of the United Nations Democracy Fund. Another matter of significance that should enhance the credibility of the United Nations is the creation of the Peacebuilding Commission. It is evident that conflict resolution always requires a complex approach. The institutional gap between prevention, settlement and post-conflict rehabilitation has finally to be eliminated. To save time at this late hour, I shall not mention many areas of cooperation and many regions of the world that genuinely require our undiminished attention and action. Non-proliferation; hot and frozen conflicts; AIDS; the fight against poverty; the Middle East; and Iraq: most often these are issues of the democracy of governance or the credibility of policies, or both.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“I should like to reiterate the position of Ukraine that, apart from self- 05-51226 19 defence as provided for in Article 51 of the Charter, only the Security Council may legitimately take decisions on the use of force. Peace and stability go hand in hand with human rights, the rule of law and freedom of the media. The credibility of Governments rests on those fundamental values. We were all aware of malfunctions in the Commission on Human Rights. Poor mechanisms led to poor results. The credibility of the entire Organization was at stake. Therefore, Ukraine welcomes the establishment of the Human Rights Council. We firmly believe that this important achievement of the Organization will be reflected in the new Council’s future activities, not only in the change of name.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The Ukrainian Government will never tire until it makes the international community abandon hypocrisy and finally recognize that act of genocide against the Ukrainian nation. It was therefore in earnest and with much hope that Ukraine followed the deliberations on the new concept. Early warning, prevention and rapid response are key to ensuring the success and durability of our concerted action. An expert combination of diplomatic, political and assistance tools should suffice to avert future humanitarian disasters. But should such measures fail to stop atrocities, the Security Council must be ready to act swiftly and resolutely, including with the use of force, as a final resort.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“The memory of Rwanda, Srebrenica or, quite recently, Darfur should lead us to look for urgent remedies. One of these could lie in the “responsibility to protect” concept, which Ukraine fully endorses. We must not remain passive observers of genocide, crimes against humanity or gross and flagrant violations of human rights, as happened in 1932-1933 when Ukrainians experienced the great famine with devastating effects. The horrible memory of that man-made calamity lives on today in every Ukrainian family, including my own. Twenty thousand innocent souls a day, half a million a month, 10 million altogether were taken as part of the death toll of Stalin’s favoured ethnic policy.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Ukraine has fully supported the Secretary- General’s bold initiative to reform the Organization and has actively participated in that process. We reiterate our support for strengthening the position of the Secretary-General. In view of the forthcoming election for Secretary-General in 2006 we would like to remind representatives that throughout the 60-year history of the United Nations it is only representatives of our Eastern European regional group that have never occupied that highest of posts. Therefore, we believe that the Eastern European Group has priority in nominating a candidate. In building this statement around the words “credibility” and “democracy”, I cannot but stress the key function of the Organization, which is to maintain international peace and security.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“That reminds me of a joke about the distribution of committee posts in the Ukrainian Parliament. They say that we should have 450 committees — that is the number of members of Parliament — in order to make everyone feel happy and important. Unfortunately, we cannot afford to apply a similar approach in the case of the Security Council, since its powers exceed by far those of any other United Nations body. The official position of Ukraine on the matter is clearly reflected in the statement made by President Yushchenko during the summit (see A/60/PV.6). Ukraine highly appreciates the job done by the experts who have explored the various options for Security Council reform. We must not abandon hope and should continue to seek consensus.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“They are credibility and democracy — or rather, credibility based on democracy. We know that the way ahead is beset with serious threats and challenges. We have to make sure that a lack of unity is not among those challenges. Every nation likes to sing its own song. It takes our fundamental values and a great deal of human wisdom to perform the role of a tuning fork in the global chorus of so many different voices. The credibility of the United Nations is indispensable if we are to accomplish our missions in the new millennium. Effectiveness, capacity, rapid response, financing for development and all the rest of it will come along with credibility. Security Council reform is a vivid example of how difficult it is to accommodate the interests of 191 nations.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“At the outset I wish to express my congratulations to you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixtieth session. Rest assured that you have the full support and cooperation of the Ukrainian delegation. Let me also pay tribute to your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Jean Ping, for his tireless efforts in the preparation of the world summit. The world summit of 2005 has just come to its conclusion. Its outcome document (resolution 60/1) provides us with clear guidelines. It is our common task to implement ambitious goals for building a safer and more prosperous world. In talking about implementation I wish to emphasize two key elements indispensable for the follow-up activities of the United Nations and, indeed, for the success of the global peace endeavour.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“By pursuing the path of strengthening the United Nations and building up its institutions on democratic foundations, the international community reinforces its own capacity to meet the challenges of the time and to create a climate of justice in international relations and an atmosphere of mutual respect between States, peoples and civilizations. In the course of the historic Millennium Summit, the international community, enriched by this Organization's half-century of experience, outlined the road map to be followed by mankind in the twenty-first century. Only by intensifying concerted and resolute efforts to attain our determined goals will we realize 10 the ideals of the Charter of the United Nations. After all, this is the only raison d'être for our Organization.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“I would like to reiterate the position of Ukraine that the Security Council's comprehensive reform should be based on the norms and principles of the United Nations Charter. In our view, increased representation in the Security Council for all regional groups should remain an essential principle. The interests of both developed and developing countries have to be taken into account. Ukraine believes that the necessary balance within an expanded Security Council can be achieved through an increase in both categories of its members.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Given the complexity and the multidimensional nature of this task, our Organization needs to stand on a solid financial footing. We hope that this session will enable us to speed up the process of reforming and improving the mechanisms of the apportionment of the United Nations expenses on the basis of objective economic criteria. Therefore, the process of United Nations reform, initiated three years ago, should get additional impetus. There is also a need to reactivate the efforts aimed at Security Council reform, which is the key element within the process of renewing the United Nations. This was rightly emphasized in the statements of many world leaders at the Millennium Summit. The absence of substantive progress on this issue limits the capacities of the Council as the major instrument of collective security.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Ukraine has signed and ratified all basic international documents in the field of human rights and put in place at the national level effective mechanisms for their implementation. This year Ukraine adopted a decision to abolish capital punishment. The time that has passed since the historic Rome Conference clearly reaffirmed the epoch-making significance of the document it adopted. We consider the International Criminal Court the only viable democratic mechanism of a universal character to enforce compliance with and respect for international humanitarian law. I would like to join previous speakers in expressing our great hopes for the continuing role of the United Nations in bringing solutions to global problems.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“I mean, in particular, the development of our relations with the European Union and interaction within the framework of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization and the Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Republic of Moldova (GUUAM) group. Fulfilling the concept of “human rights for all” in the next century is a task of global dimension. That is why strengthening and improving the international monitoring of human rights violations becomes particularly acute today. At the same time, we remain convinced that the use of force cannot be considered an adequate means of ensuring respect for human rights. I wish to emphasize that adherence to and protection of human rights became the key policy principle of my country.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Let me underline that these funds will be aimed mainly at the implementation of realistic objectives, specifically the decommissioning and eventual closing down of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant by 15 December 2000, a decision that was reconfirmed by the President of Ukraine at the Millennium Summit. We also hope that consideration at the current session of the General Assembly of the item relating to the integration of the countries with economies in transition into the world economic system will make it possible to elaborate a common strategy to solve specific problems of these countries. In this context, we attach great importance to the accession of Ukraine to the World Trade Organization. International economic cooperation at the regional level is also of significance for Ukraine.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It also helps to alleviate the complex problems related to the elimination of the Chernobyl disaster's consequences and the decommissioning of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. I would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the countries participating in the July 9 donors' conference in Berlin, which pledged more than $320 million of additional funding for the transformation of the shelter facility into an environmentally safe system. Almost $50 million still needs to be raised to reach the amount required, and we count on continuing international assistance in this regard. I believe this could be effectuated within the framework of the United Nations Chernobyl programme.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We are encouraged by the wide support for this idea and look forward to further work towards its realization. We are convinced that the multilateral forms of international cooperation have played and will continue to play a decisive role in the attainment of the goals of sustainable development. We support the reform efforts of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for improving the situation in the field of mobilization of resources and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of its work. During the difficult period of economic transition, the assistance to Ukraine by UNDP plays an important role by streamlining the efforts of various international partners.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“This is indeed the case as far as the sanctions against Libya are concerned, where the Security Council should move, as soon as possible, to the next stage and take a long-overdue action. Among the major challenges of the new century, the problem of HIV/AIDS occupies a special place. AIDS has become an epidemic of global proportions with enormous human and social ramifications that go far beyond the province of health alone. The time has come for the United Nations to elaborate a comprehensive agenda for action against this pandemic. Aware of the magnitude of this problem, the delegation of Ukraine, together with other sponsors has promoted the convening, as a matter of urgency, of a special session of the General Assembly on that question.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“However, they were eventually turned into ineffective and sometimes even harmful instruments. It is therefore absolutely necessary to develop a clear and coherent methodology for the imposition and lifting of sanctions that takes into consideration the concerns of innocent civilian populations and the interests of third countries. Ukraine supports the recent Security Council practice of defining time limits of sanctions at the stage of their imposition. We believe that it is of primary importance to develop objective criteria and mechanisms for assessing the effectiveness of sanctions and their impact — including on the target State. We also support the immediate lifting of sanctions when there are sufficient grounds to believe that they have served their purpose.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In our view, achieving the universality of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty is the best way to prevent nuclear proliferation and to ensure the elimination of nuclear weapons. It is the nuclear States that should be in the vanguard of this process. The problem of illegal arms trafficking, which has acquired a global dimension, also requires a universal approach to its solution. The key role of the United Nations is indispensable in consolidating the international efforts to fight this evil. Turning now to the problem of the Security Council-imposed sanctions, I would like to reaffirm the position of my country on this issue. Sanctions were designed as a powerful tool to ensure the implementation of the Council's decisions.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We are convinced that those processes should go along with the overall improvement of the international situation in other spheres, the creation and practical implementation of universal security guarantees, unconditional adherence by States and international organizations to the norms and basic principles of international law and the consolidation of an atmosphere of mutual trust. As a country which has made outstanding contributions to the process of practical nuclear disarmament, Ukraine fully shares the concern that the attention of the international community to this issue has substantially decreased. We believe that nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation are the cornerstones of international security and a means of averting a global conflict.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It is our firm belief that the political wisdom and farsightedness of the Israelis and Palestinians will eventually help them to reach a mutually acceptable compromise. We welcome the 10 September decision by the Palestinian Central Council to postpone the date of proclamation of the State of Palestine. Ukraine hopes that, following strenuous efforts on both sides, the Palestinian people will finally exercise their right to self-determination and to their own statehood. The promotion of disarmament and nuclear non- proliferation are among the crucial issues before the United Nations and the whole international community at the turn of the century.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Over the past year an important step forward was taken in advancing one of the integral parts of the Middle East peace process — its Israeli-Lebanese component. The withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon in compliance with Security Council resolution 425 (1978) has created new conditions for further progress in the whole process. Ukraine sincerely hopes that Israel and Syria will also be able to achieve a breakthrough in their stalled negotiation process in the near future, and calls upon the parties to resume the dialogue as soon as possible. 8 We are following closely the process of solving the core issue of the Middle East problem — the question of Palestine.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The recent events in Sierra Leone have become a serious test for our Organization. They prove the urgent need to consolidate international efforts, with a view to strengthening the effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping. I reiterate our position on the need to continue enhancing the sanctions regime against Angola's rebel group, UNITA. We are convinced that reducing UNITA's ability to wage war is an essential prerequisite for restoring peace in Angola. It should also be borne in mind that the sanctions have to be accompanied by greater international efforts to resolve this long-lasting conflict. We note with optimism the latest developments in the process of settlement in Somalia. This long- suffering nation is painfully but steadily overcoming the obstacles in its path to peace and stability.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Let me repeat the words of the President of Ukraine at the Security Council Summit: “Ukraine looks forward to a century of African renaissance and stands ready to hasten its arrival.” (S/PV.4194, p. 13) I would like to underline that, in resolving conflicts in Africa the international community has no alternative but to promote the need for strict adherence to the principles of sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of the countries of the region. This has to be particularly emphasized in relation to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the most dangerous challenge to peace at the turn of the century. Ukraine calls on all parties to the Lusaka Agreement to comply fully with the relevant Security Council resolutions and to implement their own commitments.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We very much hope that in the long run these initiatives will reinvigorate the process of resolving the conflict. The credibility of the United Nations will always be measured by its ability to provide an adequate response to threats to peace and security in every region of the world. Today this principle should be upheld by giving special attention to the problems of the African continent. The untold sufferings of the peoples of Africa, resulting from both intra-State and inter-State conflicts, are unlike those in any other part of the globe. Ukraine is determined to make a practical contribution to United Nations peace efforts aimed at resolving conflicts in Africa. This determination is reinforced by our aspiration to expand trade and economic cooperation with our African partners.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“As a member of the group of Friends of the Secretary-General, which is promoting a peaceful settlement of the almost decade-long Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, Ukraine cannot but be concerned about the lack of real progress towards peace in the region. I once again confirm the invitation by President Kuchma to host in Yalta the next round of negotiations between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides aimed at confidence-building. President Kuchma has also presented a feasible plan for the settlement of the Transdniestria conflict, based on the principle of “acquired status” acceptable to all conflicting parties. Ukraine, together with the OSCE, is currently examining the possibility of reorganizing the peacekeeping mission in the region, which will be made up of peacekeeping contingents from Ukraine, Russia and other OSCE members.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We are confident that a peaceful settlement in Kosovo has to be pursued in strict compliance with Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In our view, it is impossible to resolve this problem without determining the future status of Kosovo following negotiations between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the authorized representatives of the province. Ukraine is determined to intensify efforts aimed at promoting the final peaceful settlement of the so- called “frozen” conflicts in the post-Soviet territories, particularly in Abkhazia, Georgia; Nagorny Karabakh, Azerbaijan; and Transdniestria, Moldova.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We think that the activities of such a centre, authorized to monitor current developments in the sphere of inter-ethnic relations in the OSCE region and directed at the timely detection of dangerous separatist tendencies, will be conducive to a further elaboration of the United Nations preventive strategy in cooperation with the OSCE. My country is keenly following the process of conflict settlement in the neighbouring Balkans, the troublesome region of Europe. While developments in 7 Bosnia give us sufficient grounds for optimism about the future of its peoples, the situation in Kosovo still causes us serious concern.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)