Russian
Federation
Statement by
H.E. Mr. Igor S. Ivanov
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
during
the general debate at the 57-th session of the United Nations General Assembly
13 September 2002
Dear Mr. President,
Dear delegates,
Exactly one year has passed since the tragic events in the USA of September
11, 2001 that shocked the world by the magnitude and brutality of the
global threat of international terrorism.
It has been a year when the world began to realize in reality the challenges
that mankind faced on entering the 21st century.
It has been a year when the international community united and launched
its resolute actions against terrorism.
Paying tribute to all victims of terrorism which has left its bloody trail
in various parts of the planet, we should sum up the first results of
our common struggle against terrorism and, most importantly, to outline
our objectives in strengthening the foundations of international security
and stability.
The most important outcome of an unprecedented since World War II unification
of states in order to achieve the common objectives is quite evident.
A broad international antiterrorist coalition has been formed and is actively
functioning. It already demonstrated its efficiency in Afghanistan which
international terrorists of various stripes turned into their lair. Our
common objective is not only to preserve the experience of interaction
gained in the framework of this coalition, avoiding such unilateral actions
that could undermine it, but to turn the antiterrorist alliance into a
support structure of an effective security and cooperation system of the
new millennium.
The United Nations should undoubtedly be the central element of such a
structure. Indeed, the UN is called upon to guarantee further that the
efforts of the international community in its struggle against new threats
and challenges rest on the solid basis of international law.
We should recognize, and the past year was quite instructive in this sense,
that it is a long and hard work that the future keeps in store for us.
We shall only succeed in erecting insurmountable obstacles in the way
of fanatics and extremists spreading death and destruction if there is
a common agreement on the core issues of world order. In this context,
the role of the United Nations seems to be irreplaceable.
It is of critical importance that the process of the implementation of
the fundamental antiterrorist Resolution 1373 of the United Nations Security
Council has been practically set in motion. This Resolution is obligatory
for all the states and we should seek its unconditional implementation.
The priority task in combating terrorism consists in strengthening its
international legal framework. First of all, a genuine universal character
of the existing antiterrorist conventions should be secured.
Having ratified the 1999 Convention for the Suppression of the Financing
of Terrorism Russia is completing the process of accession to the above
international documents.
At the same time, we are seriously concerned over the absence of real
progress in negotiating a comprehensive convention on combating terrorism
and a convention on suppressing the acts of nuclear terrorism. The known
differences in a number of states' approaches to the content of these
documents are quite reconcilable. They should not overshadow the task
of laying a legal basis for counteracting terrorism in all its manifestations,
which is urgent for everyone. A basis that would correspond to contemporary
realities. Russia will continue its resolute efforts to achieve this goal.
The protection of rights and freedoms of its citizens is an obligation
of any state. The most important of them is the right to life. But it
is the life of an ordinary person that terrorists threaten. Each year
new names appear on the lists of victims. The international community
should no longer tolerate it. It is our duty to guarantee our citizens
the right to a reliable protection against terrorism.
This objective can only be attained if all states agree upon a set of
specific measures under the United Nations aegis. There is a need to work
out an effective Code of Protection of Human Rights against Terrorism
aimed at the following:
- prevention and suppression of acts of terrorism;
- counteraction to the financing of terrorism;
- criminal prosecution of persons who have committed acts of terrorism or are
otherwise involved in them;
- provision for inevitable responsibility and punishment of such persons;
- assistance to terrorism victims in particular in the form of financial assistance,
their social and psychological rehabilitation and reintegration into society;
- effective international cooperation to attain the above objectives.
Some of these measures are already being discussed by the international
community in particular within these walls. Other measures require consideration
in a broader context. However, first and foremost, we should agree on
a single system of values and measures shared by all states.
Concrete decisions and adequate resources will also be needed if we want
such a Code to be an effective and not a declarative one.
The results of the struggle against terrorism will be tangible only if
our actions are harmonized at all levels - global, regional and national.
The mechanisms of antiterrorist cooperation, including within the framework
of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization that are gaining momentum and aimed at preventing the spread
of terrorism in Central Asia can serve as an illustration. An important
positive potential underlies a new quality of Russia's partnership with
the NATO countries. It will make it possible to expand our equitable interaction
to resolve the most pressing matters. The antiterrorist sphere is part
and parcel of our continued dialogue and cooperation with leading countries
of the world, including the US, China, India, European Union member states.
We are confident that the development of such a multi-level interaction
promotes the climate of trust, security and cooperation in all parts of
the globe.
Stability and credibility of an emerging international system of the 21st
century is subject to the maintenance and strengthening of strategic stability.
This fundamental goal is promoted by signing by Presidents of Russia and
the United States at their May meeting in Moscow of the Treaty on Strategic
Offensive Reductions which has become a specific contribution by the leading
nuclear powers to the nuclear disarmament process.
Another most important area
is ensuring non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The very
risk of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons or their components falling
into hands of irresponsible people and terrorists multiplies the destructive
potential of international terrorism. Therefore, the efforts to strengthen
the regimes of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their
delivery vehicles should be enhanced.
Acting jointly and responsibly, we have already achieved a lot. And when
we speak about the establishment of new regimes of the WMD non-proliferation
and arms control we by no means renounce the existing regimes and agreements.
They are our common protective mechanism - and a very reliable and time-tested
one. Unjustified removal of the key elements of the international legal
framework of non-proliferation can aggravate the international military
and strategic situation and undermine global security.
Furthermore, we should "universalize" the most important agreements
on nonproliferation of nuclear weapons and on comprehensive nuclear test
ban. The missile sphere needs a sustainable negotiating process aimed
at concluding an international arrangement on a global regime of missile
and missile technology non-proliferation.
The prevention of the deployment of weapons in outer space forms an integral
part of the non-proliferation process. Together with a number of our partners
we suggest that a comprehensive agreement be worked out aimed at preserving
outer space as a zone free from any kind of weapons. We are confident
that this proposal serves the interests of all states and expect that
it will enjoy wide support.
Since its establishment the United Nations has been engaged in the settlement
of regional conflicts. Those so-called local problems have long turned
into one of the main threats to international stability. Terrorism and
political extremism, economic and social degradation are their customary
companions. Certainly, the primary responsibility in any settlement rests
with the relevant parties but multilateral mechanisms have also repeatedly
demonstrated their effectiveness in the restoration of peace and concord.
A tangible progress made with the UN visible involvement in the post-Taliban
development of Afghanistan is one of our common accomplishments. We can
add to this the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of major
practical decisions in support of a comprehensive settlement in the Middle
East and the overcoming of crisis in a number of African countries.
And yet we are still far from a radical decrease in the number and intensity
of armed conflicts. Hard work requiring great human as well as material
and financial resources is awaiting us. But the most important here is
presence of a strong political will to implement the provisions of the
United Nations Charter pertaining to peaceful settlement of disputes.
Experience shows that no matter how complex international crises and conflicts
may be, whatever challenges and threats they may be fraught with they
can be settled with the aid of United Nations instruments and at the basis
of international law. This fully applies to the situation around Iraq,
which has long required political settlement in strict compliance with
the Security Council resolutions.
The entire international community benefits from a steady enhancement
of the leading role of our Organization in peacemaking. We cannot relax
attention to this task. Our common success depends on our joint efforts
and rapid response capabilities. Russia will continue to increase its
contribution to the peacemaking activities under the United Nations aegis.
At all times and throughout the world terrorism and extremism have tried
to justify themselves with continuous social and economic instability
and poverty. While recognizing the existence of these serious problems
we should state most resolutely that terrorism does not and will not have
any justification. At the same time, the creation of a sustainable and
fair world financial and economic structure would, certainly, help combat
many dangerous challenges to mankind. The latest major international fora
- the International Conference on Financing for Development in Monterey,
World Food Summit in Rome, World Summit on Sustainable Development in
Johannesburg - adopted decisions designed to uproot the causes of the
most threatening disproportions in the world. The next step is to implement
the agreements we have reached.
Equally sweeping are the tasks that face us in the field of environmental
protection. Natural disasters that befell this summer on many regions
of our planet have demonstrated again that the solution of environmental
issues cannot be put off unless we want to endanger the very survival
of future generations. This sphere also depends on multilateral efforts
excluding the egoism of individual states.
The initiative of Russian President Vladimir V. Putin on holding in autumn
2003 a World Conference on Climate Change in Moscow is designed to coordinate
our efforts in this field.
Dear Mr. President!
A year ago, the Russian Federation called on the international community
from the podium of the United Nations General Assembly to create a Global
System of Counteraction to Present-Day Threats and Challenges that would
be aimed at tackling real issues in the sphere of security and meeting
vital interests of each and every state. A system that would provide for
long-term international stability and sustainable development.
To be efficient such a system needs a generally recognized coordinating
center capable of rallying the international community. And we do have
such a center - the United Nations with its unique legitimacy, universality
and experience. Our common task is to unite around the United Nations
to provide it with necessary potential and resources and to develop as
much as possible its internal reserves.
Today, we can state with satisfaction that the global system is already
evolving and the commencement of this process is largely successful. We
suggest that an additional impetus be given to this process and a resolution
to encourage a most prompt creation of a Global System of Counteraction
to Present-Day Threats and Challenges be adopted at this session of the
General Assembly. By doing so, we will direct all states towards joint
elaboration of its general shape and parameters.
More so because some of its parameters are already visible.
It is apparent that the system to be created must be:
- Global, as modern challenges in
the context of globalization pose a universal threat, and should be addressed
at the global level.
- Comprehensive in scope, as every modern threat bears a huge destructive potential
and all such problems without exceptions should be embraced by the system.
- Holistic in approach, as quite often new threats and challenges are directly
related.
- Universal in participation, as modern threats are targeted at security
and well-being of every member of the international community.
And, finally, the system should become a model of international rule of
law, as its power will be built on principles and regulations of international
law, the United Nations Charter above all.
We bear grave responsibility to future generations and the model of the
world order we will establish is destined to influence the life on our
planet for decades. As for Russia, we have made our choice. This is the
choice in favor of a democratic multi-polar world order, which would guarantee
sustainable development and equal security for all states. A world order
formed on the basis of the extensive structure of multilateral institutions
integrated within the framework of the United Nations.
We hope that decisions of this General Assembly session will mark an important
stage of this process.
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